LESSON 14

TRUE MANLINESS

真正的男子汉

1. “Please, mother, do sit down and let me try my hand,” said Fred Liscom, a bright, active boy twelve years old. Mrs. Liscom, looking pale and worn, was moving languidly about, trying to clear away the breakfast she had scarcely tasted.

2. She smiled, and said, “You, Fred, you wash dishes?” “Yes, indeed, mother,” replied Fred; “I should be a poor scholar if I couldn’t, when I’ve seen you do it so many times. Just try me.”

3. A look of relief came over his mother’s face as she seated herself in her low rocking-chair. Fred washed the dishes, and put them in the closet. He then swept the kitchen, brought up the potatoes from the cellar for the dinner and washed them, and then set out for school.

4. Fred’s father was away from home, and as there was some cold meat in the pantry, Mrs. Liscom found it an easy task to prepare dinner. Fred hurried home from school, set the table, and again washed the dishes.

5. He kept on in this way for two or three days, till his mother was able to resume her usual work, and he felt amply rewarded when the doctor, who happened in one day, said, “Well, madam, it’s my opinion that you would have been very sick if you had not kept quiet.”

6. The doctor did not know how the “quiet” had been secured, nor how the boy’s heart bounded at his words. Fred had given up a great deal of what boys hold dear, for the purpose of helping his mother, coasting and skating being just at this time in perfection.

7. Besides this, his temper and his patience had been severely tried. He had been in the habit of going early to school, and staying to play after it was dismissed.

8. The boys missed him, and their curiosity was excited when he would give no other reason for not coming to school earlier, or staying after school, than that he was “wanted at home.” “I’ll tell you,” said Tom Barton, “I’ll find him out, boys—see if I don’t!”

9. So he called for Fred to go to school, and on his way to the side door walked lightly and somewhat nearer the kitchen window than was absolutely needful. Looking in, he saw Fred standing at the table with a dishcloth in his hand.

10. Of course he reported this at school, and various were the greetings poor Fred received at recess. “Well, you’re a brave one to stay at home washing dishes.” “Girl boy!” “Pretty Bessie!” “Lost your apron, have n’t you, Polly!”

11. Fred was not wanting either in spirit or courage, and he was strongly tempted to resent these insults and to fight some of his tormentors. But his consciousness of right and his love for his mother helped him.

12. While he was struggling for self mastery, his teacher appeared at the door of the schoolhouse. Fred caught his eye, and it seemed to look, if it did not say, “Don’t give up! Be really brave!” He knew the teacher had heard the insulting taunts of his thoughtless schoolmates.

13. The boys received notice during the day that Fred must not be taunted or teased in any manner. They knew that the teacher meant what he said; and so the brave little boy had no farther trouble.

（ Mrs. M. O. Johnson ）

EXERCISES.—Why did Fred offer to wash the dishes? Was it a disgraceful thing to do? How was he rewarded? How did his schoolmates show their lack of manliness?

【中文阅读】

1. “妈妈，求您了，坐下吧，让我来试试。”弗雷德· 利斯科姆说。他是一个阳光、活泼的12 岁少年。利斯科姆夫人看起来苍白而疲惫，她没精打采地挪动着，打算收拾起她基本上没怎么吃的早餐。

2. 她微笑着说：“弗雷德，你，你来洗盘子吗？” “是的，妈妈，” 弗雷德回答道，“如果我看您刷盘子看了那么多次还没学会，那我肯定是个差劲的学生。就让我试试吧。”

3. 当母亲坐到她的矮摇椅上时，脸上露出了如释重负的表情。弗雷德洗好盘子，将它们放到橱柜里。接着他又打扫了厨房，从地窖里拿上来一些土豆，把它们洗净，准备做晚餐用，然后就去上学了。

4. 弗雷德的父亲不在家，家里的储藏室里还有些冻肉，利斯科姆夫人感觉准备晚餐还比较轻松。弗雷德从学校匆匆忙忙回到家，摆好餐具，饭后又刷了碗。

5. 他如此执行了两到三天，直到他母亲能够继续她的日常工作。医生某天说道：“唉呀，女士，我认为如果前段时间您没有静养，很有可能会病得很重。”听了这些话，他感到自己得到了极大的褒奖。

6. 医生当然不知道“静养”是如何得到保证的，也不知道听到他的话男孩的心是如何狂跳不止。

7. 此外，他的脾气和耐心也经历了严峻的考验。过去，他总是习惯于早早到学校，下课后留在学校玩耍。

8. 他的伙伴们都很想念他。当他对于“没法早到学校，没法下课后留下玩耍”给出原因仅仅是“家里需要他”时，伙伴们的好奇心被激发了起来。

“我会告诉你们的，”汤姆·巴顿说，“我会找到答案的，孩子们——看我会不会！”

9. 于是他打电话约弗雷德一起上学。在往旁门走时，他轻手轻脚地接近厨房的窗户，这一动作绝对是有意为之而非出于需要。向屋内看去，他看见弗雷德站在餐桌边，手里拿着一块抹布。

10. 当然，他到学校公布了看到的一切。课间时，可怜的弗雷德收到了各种各样的问候。“嗨，你真有勇气，能待在家刷盘子。”“娘娘腔！”“漂亮的小贝西！”“是不是围裙找不到啦，珀莉！”

11. 弗雷德并不是缺乏志气或勇气，而且他对于这些侮辱性的话语表示出强烈的不满，也很有冲动和刺头们打上一架。但正是他的正义感和对母亲的爱帮了他。

12. 正当他挣扎着控制自己的情绪时，老师出现在了教室门口。弗雷德与老师目光相对，虽然他的眼神没有说，但至少看起来是要说“不要放弃！要做到真正的坚强”！他知道老师已经听到了那些没头脑的同学们对他的侮辱和嘲笑了。

13. 那天，男孩子们被告知，不许以任何方式嘲笑或取笑弗雷德。他们知道老师会说到做到的，所以勇敢的小男孩弗雷德没再遇到任何麻烦。

（M·O· 约翰逊夫人）