2012年3月18日星期日
For pains in the back try
"Oh, for a beaker full of the warm south, full of the true, theblushful Hippocrene! Have you ever tasted Hippocrene, young Jackson?
Rather like ginger-beer, with a dash of raspberry-vinegar. Very heady.
Failing that, water will do. A-ah!"He put down the glass, and surveyed Mike, who had maintained a moodysilence throughout this speech.
"What's your trouble?" he asked. "For pains in the back try Ju-jar. Ifit's a broken heart, Zam-buk's what you want. Who's been quarrellingwith you?""It's only that ass Firby-Smith.""Again! I never saw such chaps as you two. Always at it. What was thetrouble this time? Call him a grinning ape again? Your passion for thetruth'll be getting you into trouble one of these days.""He said I stuck on side.""Why?""I don't know.""I mean, did he buttonhole you on your way to school, and say,'Jackson, a word in your ear. You stick on side.' Or did he lead up toit in any way? Did he say, 'Talking of side, you stick it on.' Whathad you been doing to him?""It was the house-fielding.""But you can't stick on side at house-fielding. I defy any one to.
It's too early in the morning.""I didn't turn up.""What! Why?""Oh, I don't know.""No, but, look here, really. Did you simply bunk it?""Yes."Wyatt leaned on the end of Mike's bed, and, having observed itsoccupant thoughtfully for a moment, proceeded to speak wisdom for thegood of his soul.
"I say, I don't want to jaw--I'm one of those quiet chaps withstrong, silent natures; you may have noticed it--but I must put ina well-chosen word at this juncture. Don't pretend to be droppingoff to sleep. Sit up and listen to what your kind old uncle's got tosay to you about manners and deportment. Otherwise, blood as you areat cricket, you'll have a rotten time here. There are some things yousimply can't do; and one of them is bunking a thing when you're putdown for it. It doesn't matter who it is puts you down. If he'scaptain, you've got to obey him. That's discipline, that 'ere is. Thespeaker then paused, and took a sip of water from the carafe whichstood at his elbow. Cheers from the audience, and a voice 'Hear!
Hear!'"Mike rolled over in bed and glared up at the orator. Most of his facewas covered by the water-jug, but his eyes stared fixedly from aboveit. He winked in a friendly way, and, putting down the jug, drew adeep breath.
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