章节正文
"Then he may expect you to-night. I suppose he will have a
beating ready for you."
"Yes, he would beat me very hard," said Phil, "if he thought I
did not mean to come back."
"I should like to go and tell him that he need not expect you. I
should like to see how he looks."
"He might beat you, too, Paolo."
"I should like to see him try it," said Paul, straightening up
with a consciousness of strength. "He might find that rather
hard."
Phil looked admiringly at the boy who was not afraid of the
padrone. Like his comrades, he had been accustomed to think of
the padrone as possessed of unlimited power, and never dreamed of
anybody defying him, or resisting his threats. Though he had
determined to run away, his soul was not free from the tyranny of
his late taskmaster, and he thought with uneasiness and dread of
the possibility of his being conveyed back to him.
"Well, mother," said Paul, glancing at the clock as he rose from
the breakfast table, "it is almost nine o'clock--rather a late
hour for a business man like me."
"You are not often so late, Paul."
"It is lucky that I am my own employer, or I might run the risk
of being discharged. I am afraid the excuse that I was at Mrs.
Hoffman's fashionable party would not be thought sufficient. I
guess I won't have time to stop to shave this morning."
"You haven't got anything to shave," said Jimmy.
"Don't be envious, Jimmy. I counted several hairs this morning.
Well, Phil, are you ready to go with me? Don't forget your
fiddle."
"When shall we see you again, Philip?" said Mrs. Hoffman.
"I do not know," said the little minstrel.
"Shall you not come to the city sometimes?"
"I am afraid the padrone would catch me," said Phil.
"Whenever you do come, Phil," said Paul, "come right to me. I
will take care of you. I don't think the padrone will carry us
both off, and he would have to take me if he took you."
"Good-by, Philip," said Mrs, Hoffman, offering her hand. "I hope
you will prosper."
"So do I, Phil," said Jimmy.
Phil thus took with him the farewells and good wishes of two
friends who had been drawn to him by his attractive face and good
qualities. He could not help wishing that he might stay with
them permanently, but he knew that this could not be. To remain
in the same city with the padrone was out of the question.
Meanwhile we return to the house which Phil had forsaken, and
inquire what effect was produced by his non-appearance.
It was the rule of the establishment that all the boys should be
back by midnight. Phil had generally returned an hour before
that time. When, therefore, it was near midnight, the padrone
looked uneasily at the clock.
"Have you seen Filippo?" he asked, addressing his nephew.
"No, signore," answered Pietro. "Filippo has not come in."
"Do you think he has run away?" asked the padrone, suspiciously.
"I don't know," said Pietro.
"Have you any reason to think he intended to run away?"
"No," said Pietro.
"I should not like to lose him. He brings me more money than
most of the boys."
"He may come in yet."
"When he does," said the padrone, frowning, "I will beat him for
being so late. Is there any boy that he would be likely to tell,
if he meant to run away?"
"Yes," said Pietro, with a sudden thought, "there is Giacomo."
"The sick boy?"
"Yes. Filippo went in this morning to speak to him. He might
have told him then."
"That is true. I will go and ask him."
Giacomo still lay upon his hard pallet, receiving very little
attention. His fever had increased, and he was quite sick. He
rolled from one side to the other in his restlessness. He needed
medical attention, but the padrone was indifferent, and none of
the boys would have dared to call a doctor without his
permission. As he lay upon his bed, the padrone entered the room
with a hurried step.
"Where is Giacomo?" he demanded, harshly.
"Here I am, signore padrone," answered the little boy, trembling,
as he always did when addressed by the tyrant.
"Did Filippo come and speak with you this morning, before he went
out?"
"Si, signore."
"What did he say?"
"He asked me how I felt."
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him I felt sick."
"Nothing more?"
"I told him I thought I should die.'
"Nonsense!" said the padrone, harshly; "you are a coward. You
have a little cold, that is all. Did he say anything about
running away?"
"No, signore."
"Don't tell me a lie!" said the tyrant, frowning.
"I tell you the truth, signore padrone. Has not Filippo come
home?"
"No."
"I do not think he has run away," said the little boy.
"Why not?"
"I think he would tell me."
"So you two are friends, are you?"
"Si, signore; I love Filippo," answered Giacomo, speaking the
last words tenderly, and rather to himself than to the padrone.
He looked up to Phil, though little older than himself, with a
mixture of respect and devotion, leaning upon him as the weak are
prone to lean upon the strong.
"Then you will be glad to hear," said the padrone, with a
refinement of cruelty, "that I shall beat him worse than last
night for staying out so late."
"Don't beat him, padrone," pleaded Giacomo, bursting into tears.
"Perhaps he cannot come home."
"Did he ever speak to you of running away?" asked the padrone,
with a sudden thought.
Giacomo hesitated. He could not truthfully deny that Filippo had
done so, but he did not want to get his friend into trouble. He
remained silent, looking up at the tyrant with troubled eyes.
"Why do you not speak? Did you hear my question?" asked the
padrone, with a threatening gesture.
Had the question been asked of some of the other boys present,
they would not have scrupled to answer falsely; but Giacomo had a
religious nature, and, neglected as he had been, he could not
make up his mind to tell a falsehood. So, after a pause, he
faltered out a confession that Phil had spoken of flight.
"Do you hear that, Pietro?" said the padrone, turning to his
nephew. "The little wretch has doubtless run away."
"Shall I look for him to-morrow?" asked Pietro, with alacrity,
for to him it would be a congenial task to drag Phil home, and
witness the punishment.
"Yes, Pietro. I will tell you where to go in the morning. We
must have him back, and I will beat him so that he will not dare
to run away again."
The padrone would have been still more incensed could he have
looked into Mrs. Hoffman's room and seen the little fiddler the
center of a merry group, his brown face radiant with smiles as he
swept the chords of his violin. It was well for Phil that he
could not see him.
CHAPTER XVIII
PHIL ELUDES HIS PURSUER
Phil had already made up his mind where to go. Just across the
river was New Jersey, with its flourishing towns and cities,
settled to a large extent by men doing business in New York. The
largest of these cities was Newark, only ten miles distant.
There Phil decided to make his first stop. If he found himself
in danger of capture he could easily go farther. This plan Paul
approved, and it was to be carried into execution immediately.
"I will go down to the Cortlandt Street Ferry with you, Phil,"
said Paul.
"I should like to have you, if it will not take you from your
business, Paolo."
"My business can wait," said Paul. "I mean to see you safe out
of the city. The padrone may be in search of you already."
"I think he will send Pietro to find me," said Phil.
"Who is Pietro?"
Phil explained that Pietro was the padrone's nephew and assisted
in oppressing the boys.
"I hope he will send him," said Paul.
Phil looked up in surprise.
"I should like to see this Pietro. What would he do if he should
find you?"
"He would take me back."
"If you did not want to go?"
"I couldn't help it," said Phil, shrugging his shoulders. "He is
much bigger than I."
"Is he bigger than I am?"
"I think he is as big."
"He isn't big enough to take you away if I am with you."
Paul did not say this boastfully, but with a quiet confidence in
his own powers in which he was justified. Though by no means
quarrelsome, he had on several occasions been forced in
self-defense into a contest with boys of his own size, and in
some instances larger, and in every case he had acquitted himself
manfully, and come off victorious.
"I should not be afraid if you were with me, Paolo," said Phil.
"You are right, Phil," said Paul, approvingly. "But here we are
at the ferry."
Cortlandt Street is a short distance below the Astor House, and
leads to the ferry, connecting on the other side with trains
bound for Philadelphia and intermediate places.
Paul paid the regular toll, and passed through the portal with
Phil.
"Are you going with me?" asked the little fiddler, in surprise.
"Only to Jersey City, Phil. There might be some of your friends
on board the boat. I want to see you safe on the cars. Then I
must leave you."
"You are very kind, Paolo."
"You are a good little chap, Phil, and I mean to help you. But
the boat is about ready to start. Let us go on board."
They walked down the pier, and got on the boat a minute before it
started. They did not pass through to the other end, but,
leaning against the side, kept their eyes fixed on the city they
were about to leave. They had not long to wait. The signal was
heard, and the boat started leisurely from the pier. It was but
ten feet distant, when the attention of Paul and Phil was drawn
to a person running down the drop in great haste. He evidently
wanted to catch the boat, but was too late.
Phil clutched at Paul's arm, and pointed to him in evident
excitement.
"It is Pietro," he said.
At that moment Pietro, standing on the brink, caught sight of the
boy he was pursuing, looking back at him from the deck of the
ferry-boat. A look of exultation and disappointment swept over
his face as he saw Phil, but realized that he was out of his
reach. He had a hand-organ with him, and this had doubtless
encumbered him, and prevented his running as fast as he might
beating ready for you."
"Yes, he would beat me very hard," said Phil, "if he thought I
did not mean to come back."
"I should like to go and tell him that he need not expect you. I
should like to see how he looks."
"He might beat you, too, Paolo."
"I should like to see him try it," said Paul, straightening up
with a consciousness of strength. "He might find that rather
hard."
Phil looked admiringly at the boy who was not afraid of the
padrone. Like his comrades, he had been accustomed to think of
the padrone as possessed of unlimited power, and never dreamed of
anybody defying him, or resisting his threats. Though he had
determined to run away, his soul was not free from the tyranny of
his late taskmaster, and he thought with uneasiness and dread of
the possibility of his being conveyed back to him.
"Well, mother," said Paul, glancing at the clock as he rose from
the breakfast table, "it is almost nine o'clock--rather a late
hour for a business man like me."
"You are not often so late, Paul."
"It is lucky that I am my own employer, or I might run the risk
of being discharged. I am afraid the excuse that I was at Mrs.
Hoffman's fashionable party would not be thought sufficient. I
guess I won't have time to stop to shave this morning."
"You haven't got anything to shave," said Jimmy.
"Don't be envious, Jimmy. I counted several hairs this morning.
Well, Phil, are you ready to go with me? Don't forget your
fiddle."
"When shall we see you again, Philip?" said Mrs. Hoffman.
"I do not know," said the little minstrel.
"Shall you not come to the city sometimes?"
"I am afraid the padrone would catch me," said Phil.
"Whenever you do come, Phil," said Paul, "come right to me. I
will take care of you. I don't think the padrone will carry us
both off, and he would have to take me if he took you."
"Good-by, Philip," said Mrs, Hoffman, offering her hand. "I hope
you will prosper."
"So do I, Phil," said Jimmy.
Phil thus took with him the farewells and good wishes of two
friends who had been drawn to him by his attractive face and good
qualities. He could not help wishing that he might stay with
them permanently, but he knew that this could not be. To remain
in the same city with the padrone was out of the question.
Meanwhile we return to the house which Phil had forsaken, and
inquire what effect was produced by his non-appearance.
It was the rule of the establishment that all the boys should be
back by midnight. Phil had generally returned an hour before
that time. When, therefore, it was near midnight, the padrone
looked uneasily at the clock.
"Have you seen Filippo?" he asked, addressing his nephew.
"No, signore," answered Pietro. "Filippo has not come in."
"Do you think he has run away?" asked the padrone, suspiciously.
"I don't know," said Pietro.
"Have you any reason to think he intended to run away?"
"No," said Pietro.
"I should not like to lose him. He brings me more money than
most of the boys."
"He may come in yet."
"When he does," said the padrone, frowning, "I will beat him for
being so late. Is there any boy that he would be likely to tell,
if he meant to run away?"
"Yes," said Pietro, with a sudden thought, "there is Giacomo."
"The sick boy?"
"Yes. Filippo went in this morning to speak to him. He might
have told him then."
"That is true. I will go and ask him."
Giacomo still lay upon his hard pallet, receiving very little
attention. His fever had increased, and he was quite sick. He
rolled from one side to the other in his restlessness. He needed
medical attention, but the padrone was indifferent, and none of
the boys would have dared to call a doctor without his
permission. As he lay upon his bed, the padrone entered the room
with a hurried step.
"Where is Giacomo?" he demanded, harshly.
"Here I am, signore padrone," answered the little boy, trembling,
as he always did when addressed by the tyrant.
"Did Filippo come and speak with you this morning, before he went
out?"
"Si, signore."
"What did he say?"
"He asked me how I felt."
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him I felt sick."
"Nothing more?"
"I told him I thought I should die.'
"Nonsense!" said the padrone, harshly; "you are a coward. You
have a little cold, that is all. Did he say anything about
running away?"
"No, signore."
"Don't tell me a lie!" said the tyrant, frowning.
"I tell you the truth, signore padrone. Has not Filippo come
home?"
"No."
"I do not think he has run away," said the little boy.
"Why not?"
"I think he would tell me."
"So you two are friends, are you?"
"Si, signore; I love Filippo," answered Giacomo, speaking the
last words tenderly, and rather to himself than to the padrone.
He looked up to Phil, though little older than himself, with a
mixture of respect and devotion, leaning upon him as the weak are
prone to lean upon the strong.
"Then you will be glad to hear," said the padrone, with a
refinement of cruelty, "that I shall beat him worse than last
night for staying out so late."
"Don't beat him, padrone," pleaded Giacomo, bursting into tears.
"Perhaps he cannot come home."
"Did he ever speak to you of running away?" asked the padrone,
with a sudden thought.
Giacomo hesitated. He could not truthfully deny that Filippo had
done so, but he did not want to get his friend into trouble. He
remained silent, looking up at the tyrant with troubled eyes.
"Why do you not speak? Did you hear my question?" asked the
padrone, with a threatening gesture.
Had the question been asked of some of the other boys present,
they would not have scrupled to answer falsely; but Giacomo had a
religious nature, and, neglected as he had been, he could not
make up his mind to tell a falsehood. So, after a pause, he
faltered out a confession that Phil had spoken of flight.
"Do you hear that, Pietro?" said the padrone, turning to his
nephew. "The little wretch has doubtless run away."
"Shall I look for him to-morrow?" asked Pietro, with alacrity,
for to him it would be a congenial task to drag Phil home, and
witness the punishment.
"Yes, Pietro. I will tell you where to go in the morning. We
must have him back, and I will beat him so that he will not dare
to run away again."
The padrone would have been still more incensed could he have
looked into Mrs. Hoffman's room and seen the little fiddler the
center of a merry group, his brown face radiant with smiles as he
swept the chords of his violin. It was well for Phil that he
could not see him.
CHAPTER XVIII
PHIL ELUDES HIS PURSUER
Phil had already made up his mind where to go. Just across the
river was New Jersey, with its flourishing towns and cities,
settled to a large extent by men doing business in New York. The
largest of these cities was Newark, only ten miles distant.
There Phil decided to make his first stop. If he found himself
in danger of capture he could easily go farther. This plan Paul
approved, and it was to be carried into execution immediately.
"I will go down to the Cortlandt Street Ferry with you, Phil,"
said Paul.
"I should like to have you, if it will not take you from your
business, Paolo."
"My business can wait," said Paul. "I mean to see you safe out
of the city. The padrone may be in search of you already."
"I think he will send Pietro to find me," said Phil.
"Who is Pietro?"
Phil explained that Pietro was the padrone's nephew and assisted
in oppressing the boys.
"I hope he will send him," said Paul.
Phil looked up in surprise.
"I should like to see this Pietro. What would he do if he should
find you?"
"He would take me back."
"If you did not want to go?"
"I couldn't help it," said Phil, shrugging his shoulders. "He is
much bigger than I."
"Is he bigger than I am?"
"I think he is as big."
"He isn't big enough to take you away if I am with you."
Paul did not say this boastfully, but with a quiet confidence in
his own powers in which he was justified. Though by no means
quarrelsome, he had on several occasions been forced in
self-defense into a contest with boys of his own size, and in
some instances larger, and in every case he had acquitted himself
manfully, and come off victorious.
"I should not be afraid if you were with me, Paolo," said Phil.
"You are right, Phil," said Paul, approvingly. "But here we are
at the ferry."
Cortlandt Street is a short distance below the Astor House, and
leads to the ferry, connecting on the other side with trains
bound for Philadelphia and intermediate places.
Paul paid the regular toll, and passed through the portal with
Phil.
"Are you going with me?" asked the little fiddler, in surprise.
"Only to Jersey City, Phil. There might be some of your friends
on board the boat. I want to see you safe on the cars. Then I
must leave you."
"You are very kind, Paolo."
"You are a good little chap, Phil, and I mean to help you. But
the boat is about ready to start. Let us go on board."
They walked down the pier, and got on the boat a minute before it
started. They did not pass through to the other end, but,
leaning against the side, kept their eyes fixed on the city they
were about to leave. They had not long to wait. The signal was
heard, and the boat started leisurely from the pier. It was but
ten feet distant, when the attention of Paul and Phil was drawn
to a person running down the drop in great haste. He evidently
wanted to catch the boat, but was too late.
Phil clutched at Paul's arm, and pointed to him in evident
excitement.
"It is Pietro," he said.
At that moment Pietro, standing on the brink, caught sight of the
boy he was pursuing, looking back at him from the deck of the
ferry-boat. A look of exultation and disappointment swept over
his face as he saw Phil, but realized that he was out of his
reach. He had a hand-organ with him, and this had doubtless
encumbered him, and prevented his running as fast as he might
- possibility [,pɔsə´biliti]
n.可能(性)；希望；前途 (初中英语单词) - employer [im´plɔiə] n.雇佣者，雇主 (初中英语单词)
- attractive [ə´træktiv] a.有吸引力；诱人的 (初中英语单词)
- establishment [i´stæbliʃmənt] n.建(成)立；研究所 (初中英语单词)
- midnight [´midnait] n.午夜；漆黑 (初中英语单词)
- therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)
- coward [´kauəd] n.胆怯者 a.胆小的 (初中英语单词)
- devotion [di´vəuʃən] n.献身；忠诚；热爱 (初中英语单词)
- running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
- spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- doubtless [´dautlis] ad.无疑地；大概，多半 (初中英语单词)
- jersey [´dʒə:zi] n.毛织运动衫；毛线衫 (初中英语单词)
- extent [ik´stent] n.长度；程度；范围 (初中英语单词)
- capture [´kæptʃə] vt.&n.捕获；俘获；夺取 (初中英语单词)
- nephew [´nevju:, ´nɛfju] n.侄子；外甥 (初中英语单词)
- contest [kən´test, ´kɔntest] v.争辩 n.争夺；竞赛 (初中英语单词)
- pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- disappointment [,disə´pɔintmənt] n.失望；挫折 (初中英语单词)
- consciousness [´kɔnʃəsnis] n.意识；觉悟；知觉 (高中英语单词)
- tyranny [´tirəni] n.暴政；专制政治 (高中英语单词)
- fashionable [´fæʃənəbəl] a.流行的，时髦的 (高中英语单词)
- offering [´ɔfəriŋ] n.提供；礼物；捐献 (高中英语单词)
- indifferent [in´difrənt] a.不关心的；中立的 (高中英语单词)
- hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)
- tyrant [´taiərənt] n.暴君；霸主；专制君主 (高中英语单词)
- tenderly [´tendəli] ad.娇嫩地；柔和地 (高中英语单词)
- cruelty [´kru:əlti] n.残忍；残酷行为 (高中英语单词)
- falsehood [´fɔ:lshud] n.错误；撒谎 (高中英语单词)
- confession [kən´feʃən] n.招供；认错；交待 (高中英语单词)
- radiant [´reidiənt] a.发光的 n.光源(体) (高中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- execution [,eksi´kju:ʃən] n.执行；演奏；表演 (高中英语单词)
- unlimited [ʌn´limitid] a.无限的；过渡的 (英语四级单词)
- uneasiness [ʌn´i:zinis] n.不安，担忧；不自在 (英语四级单词)
- envious [´enviəs] a.妒忌的，羡慕的 (英语四级单词)
- permanently [´pə:mənəntli] ad.永久地；持久地 (英语四级单词)
- wretch [retʃ] n.不幸的人；卑鄙的人 (英语四级单词)
- congenial [kən´dʒi:niəl] a.意气相投的；合适的 (英语四级单词)
- violin [,vaiə´lin] n.(小)提琴 (英语四级单词)
- portal [´pɔ:tl] n.(正)门；隧道 (英语四级单词)
- leisurely [´leʒəli] a.从容地，慢慢地 (英语四级单词)
- forsaken [fə´seik] forsake的过去分词 (英语六级单词)
- uneasily [ʌn´i:zili] ad.不安地；局促地 (英语六级单词)
- harshly [´hɑ:ʃli] ad.粗糙地，冷酷地 (英语六级单词)
- speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)
- intermediate [,intə´mi:diət] a.中间的 (英语六级单词)
- exultation [egzʌl´teiʃən] n.欢腾，狂欢 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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