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Chapter 19 Chapter 3 at Fort Tringle

little tricks 儒勒·凡尔纳 5655Words 2018-03-21
When the door on the side of the wing was opened, Scarlett, the butler, was about to leave the large iron gate of the main courtyard and go to Kantec under the orders of Master Piborn.Ashton's dogs, smelling Burke, were so unwelcoming that they all barked. Little Trick was afraid that the two sides would fight, and Burke would be outnumbered, so he signaled him to go away. The dog obeyed and went to hide behind a bush. When the butler saw him coming to the gate of the castle, he called him to go over. "What are you doing?" the butler asked him viciously. You know, the butler has a pleasant face to adults, but he has to put on a fierce look to children-lovely temperament, isn't it?

"Rough voice" can't scare our boy, he's used to it at the hag's house, with Thorn Pepper, and at the poor school!Properly, however, he took off his hat and walked towards Mr Scarlett, but not for Sir Peyborn, lord of Teringal. "Well, what are you doing here?" asked Mr. Scarlett again. "If you're begging for alms, then get out of here!... I won't give you such a small beggar... No! Not even a copper coin!" With so much nonsense, Little Trick couldn't intervene to answer, so he had to stand a little away to avoid being kicked by the horse.At the same time, several dogs also ran across the yard, continuing to bark and sing in chorus.For a while, I was so overwhelmed that I could hardly hear my words.

Therefore, Mr. Scarlett raised his voice again: "Let me tell you something up front. If you don't leave and wander around the old castle, I'll grab your ears and send you to Cantek, where you'll be locked up in a workhouse for the poor!" With this tone of threat, Little Trick didn't panic.However, he took advantage of a momentary pause and finally replied: "I don't beg for alms, sir, and I never beg..." "Do you accept the alms?..." Butler Scarlet asked sarcastically. "No...no one will give it to me." "Then what are you doing here?"

"I want to speak to Sir Peyborn." "Meet your lord? . . . " "See my lord." "You thought he would meet you?..." "Yes, because the matter is very important." "Very important?" "Yes, sir." "What's the matter?" "I can only speak to Sir Peyborn." "Very well! Get out of here! . . . The Marquis is not at the castle." "Then I'll just wait..." "At least don't wait here!" "I'll come back later." This hateful Scarlett, if it was another person, seeing the child insisting like this and answering so bluntly, he would think that there must be a legitimate reason for him to come to Tringle Castle, so he should pay more attention and be more kind.However, Scarlett was furious instead:

"You can't talk to Lord Peyborn like that!" he snapped. "I am the steward of the manor! You told me in advance, if you don't tell me what you are doing..." "I can only speak to Sir Peyborn, please let me know..." "Bad boy," replied Mr. Scarlett, raising his whip, "go away, or the dogs will bite your leg! . . . Be careful! . . . " Instigated by the housekeeper's scolding, several dogs also forced them over. Little Trick was especially worried that Burke would come to the rescue and jump out from behind the brambles, which would complicate matters.

The barking of the dog became more and more violent, and Earl Ashton also came out of the courtyard when he heard the sound, walked towards the big iron gate, and asked: "What's the matter?" "A child came to beg..." "I'm not a beggar!" repeated the little trick. "A waif..." "Go away, you nasty beggar, don't talk about my dog!" cried Lord Ashton. Those dogs were getting more and more fierce, but Master Peyborn kept them under control. At this time, Sir Peyborn appeared on the steps of the main entrance of the old castle, showing the whole majestic image. He found that Mr. Scarlett had not left for Cantec, so he walked slowly down the steps, walked through the main courtyard, and asked if Mr. It's because of the noisy departure.

"Excuse me, my lord," replied the butler, "it is this naughty fellow who is holding on, a beggar..." "For the third time, sir, I am not a beggar at all," said the little trick emphatically. "What does the boy want?" asked the Marquis. "Speak to an adult." Sir Peyborn took a step forward, straightening himself up in the manner of a feudal lord and great lord. "You want to interview me?" he asked. Even when facing a child, he still uses the honorific title.Unparalleled elegance, the Marquis has never addressed anyone with "thou", neither to the Marchioness, nor to the Earl of Ashton, not even fifty years ago, it is said, to his wet nurse.

"Go ahead," he added. "Mr. the Marquess was in Newmarket yesterday? . . . " "right." "Yesterday, was it afternoon?..." "right." Mr. Scarlett was astonished.Now it is the child who is asking questions, but the adults are willing to answer him! "Monsieur the Marquis," asked the child again, "have you not lost a wallet? . . . " "That's right, where's the wallet? . . . " "I found it on the Newmarket High Road, and I'm bringing it to you." As he spoke, he handed the wallet to the Marquess of Peyborn, but he didn't know that the loss of the wallet had caused such chaos in Tringle Castle, aroused so many suspicions, and wronged so many innocent people.In this way, it is his lord's fault, although it still hurts his pride, and the charges against the servants will also be cleared, and the steward will not have to go to Cantec to ask for a police officer, although this makes his lord extremely dissatisfied. Joy.

Sir Peyborn took the wallet and examined its contents and notes, which also contained his name and address. "Did you pick up this wallet?" he asked the trick again. "Yes, Monsieur the Marquis." "You must have opened it and read it?" "I'll open it to see who it belongs to." "You also saw a bill...but you don't know what it's worth, do you?" "That's a hundred pound note," replied Little Trick without hesitation. "One hundred pounds...is that worth it?..." "Two thousand shillings." "Ah! You know, since you know it, don't you ever think about taking it as your own?"

"I am not a thief, Monsieur the Marquis," answered the little trickster proudly, "and neither am I a beggar!" Sir Peyborn drew the note, stuffed it into his pocket, and closed the wallet again.As for the little boy, he saluted and stepped back, at which point his lordship did not show how moved he was by this honest act, but simply asked: "How much do you want in return for returning this wallet? . . . " "Hmph!...just a few shillings..." Earl Ashton expressed his opinion first. "Or pennies, and that's all it deserves!" Mr. Scarlett hastily agreed.

The little trick didn't make any demands, but the other party was haggling. He couldn't help being annoyed when he thought about it, so he said: "I do it for neither shillings nor pennies." After all, he walked towards the road. "Wait a moment," said Ser Peyborn. "How old are you?" "It's almost 10 and a half years old." "Where's your father... Where's your mother?..." "I have neither father nor mother." "Do you have a home?..." "No home." "Where do you come from? . . . " "From Kelvin Farm, where I lived for 4 years and only left 4 months ago." "why?" "Because the tenant who adopted me was evicted." "Kelvin? . . . " said Ser Peyborn again. "I suppose it belongs to Rockingham Manor? . . . " "Your memory is correct." The butler replied. "Now, what are you going to do? . . . " asked the Marquis. "I'm going back to Newmarket, where I've been able to make ends meet." "If you are willing to stay in the castle, there will always be a use for you." This is of course a kindness.But don't think that this was the heartfelt thought of the haughty and indifferent Sir Peyborn, or that he said it with a smile or a caressing look. Little Trick understood this, so he thought about it instead of rushing to answer.What he had seen at Fort Teringal made him ponder.Lord Jazz and his son Ashton, with a mocking and fierce look, did not like small tricks, but the butler Scarlet, whose rude attitude made him angry when they met, did not like him at all.Also, there's Burke.He was to be hired, not necessarily Burke, his companion in good times and bad, and he could never have made up his mind to separate him. However, if he stayed here, his life would be guaranteed. How could he not regard this suggestion as a lucky opportunity?Therefore, from his rational point of view, he should accept that if he returned to Newmarket, he would regret it! ... Dogs are certainly a problem, but I will mention them some time later... The owner will agree to accept them, even as a watchdog... Besides, working in the manor can always make some money, if you save... "What's the matter!...do you want to do it?" the butler scolded, he wished to see the child see Ke. "How much money can I make?" Little Trick asked resolutely, encouraged by practical thoughts. "Two pounds a month," answered Sir Peyborn. Two pounds a month! . . . he thought it was a lot of money, and, frankly, quite unexpected for a kid his age. "Thank you, my lord," he said, "I accept this position and try my best to satisfy you." Little Trick joined the ranks of the castle's servants that day, and a week later, with the consent of the Marchioness, he was promoted to be the groom of the heir of the Piborn family, which can be described as a superior job. How is Burke doing this week?Is it self-evident that its owner dared to introduce it into the ... courtyard of the old castle? ...No, because, it will get the worst reception. You know, Earl Ashton has three dogs, and he loves them almost like his life.With his dogs, that was enough to satisfy his interests and his wits.It was a purebred dog, Scotland's excellent pointer, with a quick temper and a pedigree going back at least to the days of the Normans.If a dog wants to pass through the iron gate, if he does not want to be bitten to death by these vicious dogs, he has to rush over there, because the breeder likes to provoke dogs to fight.Therefore, Burke had to hang around, waiting for the newly promoted groom to bring him some food he had saved after dark.As a result, both Little Trick and Burke lost weight... It doesn't matter, happy days will come, maybe they will both gain weight! We relate the tragic story of the boy, who now begins a very different life from the one before.Not to mention the years spent at the Humpo's house and the poor school, just compare his time at Kelvin Farm, how much his status has changed!He was at home in the Makkatys, and he felt none of the pressure of the shackles of a man's servant.Yet all he can evoke here in the castle is utter indifference.The Marquis regarded him as a poor boy and gave him two pounds a month, the Marchioness regarded him as a small animal in the waiting room, and the Earl regarded him as a plaything given to him, and forgot to tell others when he gave him. broken.As for Mr. Scarlett, he was very hostile, deliberately and constantly tormenting the boy, and the opportunities abounded.The servants were no exception, and they saw him as nothing more than a boy Lord Peyborn had to take in, much lower than they were at Tringle Castle.hell!These servants of rich families also have their own pride, a pride of status that has been preserved for a long time, and it cannot be easily tarnished by such wanderers.So they made him feel it in every little detail of his work, and when he ate in the great dining room.But the little trick did not complain, did not reply, but did his duty with all his heart, and how satisfied he was when he returned to his little room where he lived alone after having done the last few things his master ordered him to do! However, in this hostile environment, there is a maid who takes an interest in him.It was just a washerwoman, named Kate, who washed the castle's clothes.She was fifty years old, had lived on the estate, and would probably die here, unless Mr. Scarlett kicked it out--he had already tried to do that, and poor Kate had nothing to please him.One of Sir Peyborn's cousins, Mr. Edward Keeney, who seemed to be a very funny gentleman, told how Kate's time was when he was already doing laundry.In any case, Kate was not in the least affected by the lack of charitable surroundings, and she kept a good heart, and the little trick was glad to have some comfort by her side. Therefore, when Lord Ashton went out without a groom, when he was bullied by the steward or other servants, he talked with Kate. "Hold on!" Kate said to him again and again, "don't pay any heed to what they say! The best of them are nothing, and I don't see any of them returning their wallets." Perhaps the washerwoman is right, and it may even be said that these unscrupulous people think that the little trick is a fool for being so honest! A groom is a plaything, presented to Lord Ashton by the Marquess and Marchioness.A plaything, that's the right word.He is a willful and mischievous young man, he just takes this plaything for fun, and most of the time the things he orders are unreasonable, and then he cancels them for no reason.How many times an hour the bell rang to tell him to tidy up here, to mess up there, and to dress him in colorful tunics or tunics with as many buttons as the buds of a spring rose. , dressed our little boy as a parrot from the tropics.Whether Lord Ashton walked in the street of the town or strolled in the avenue of the garden, he often followed him at a distance of 20 paces, and the vanity of the rich and the young was greatly satisfied.No matter how willful the owner may be, he executes it deftly and irreproachably, like a machine obeying the will of a mechanic.See how he waits for the carriage: chest out, arms folded in tight livery, he stands in front of the horse-shoveling carriage, waiting for his master to get into the carriage, and then, when the carriage has started, he flies away Go up, grab the straps of the hood, and risk losing your grip and falling to your death!And that carriage was driven by an unskilled person, and it ran so fast that no matter it hit the curb, it almost crushed Xingrui to death! ...Ashton's car, famous in Cantec! All in all, it's not necessarily unfortunate that little tricks can be played around with the master.The thing is working, and it will keep running as long as the owner likes it.Of course, this noble and young man is very spoiled, moody, and has a great personality, so be prepared for him to backtrack at any time.Sooner or later, children's toys will get tired of playing with them and throw them away without breaking them.But you must know that Little Trick has made up his mind and will never be broken. Besides, he did not consider the conditions of life in Teringalburg to be expedient.The next best thing to do is to find other ways of making a living when the opportunity arises while others are here.He has small ambitions and big ambitions, and he is never willing to be a groom for others, which dampens his natural pride.He was humiliated by this loss of self before the heir of the Peyborn family, and he felt that he was better than the little one.right!Better than that, though Lord Ashton had some Latin lessons, history lessons, and so on. . . The teachers came to teach him and filled his head with water as much as they could in a pitcher.In fact, his Latin is just "dog Latin"-the British equivalent of "kitchen Latin" in French-and his historical knowledge is only enough to read "The Record of Famous Horses". Although Little Trick doesn't understand those good things, he knows how to think.By age 10, he knows how to think about things.He gave this young master a fair evaluation, and sometimes felt blush for such a person.How he regretted the lively, useful labor of the farm, and life among the Markcutys, of whom he had never heard!The washerwoman of the old castle is the only person he can talk to. Moreover, there will soon be an opportunity to test the friendship of this kind woman. It should be mentioned here that thanks to the materials sent back by Little Trickster, the Piebone House won the lawsuit against Cantec.However, this behavior of Little Trick seems to be forgotten, why should he be thanked? May, June, and July passed one after another.On the one hand, Burke was hungry enough to eat something, and he seemed to understand that when wandering around the garden, he had to be very careful not to arouse suspicion.On the other hand, the little trickster, who had been paid two pounds a month three times, made a total of six pounds, a large sum of money, which he entered, while the expense column was left empty. During these three months, the only activities of Sir and Mrs. Peyborn were receiving guests and returning visits, which were the exchanges between the hostesses of the adjoining manor.At the reception, it goes without saying that most of the topics of conversation of these manor owners are inseparable from the situation of Irish landowners.See how they treat the demands of the tenant farmers, the claims of the Land League, and how they treat the cause of liberation loyal to Ireland. The 73-year-old Mr. Gladstone even showed mercy and wished Mr. Parnell to be hanged on the Emerald Isle. shelf!Part of the summer passed in this way.Lord Peyborn, Lady Peyborn and their son usually left the castle and traveled for a few weeks, mostly to Scotland, to Lady Peyborn's ancestral estate.This year was an exception. Traveling far away was imposed on the noble families in Tralee by the traditions of the upper class, but Sir Peyborn and the others had not yet done so.They planned to visit the scenic Lake Killarney area. The tour plan was approved by the Marchioness, and Sir Peyborn was scheduled to leave on August 3. If the master's family is going to travel this time, if the little trick is expected to spend a few weeks in the castle, then he is wrong.As Lady Peyborn was accompanied by Maryllon, her valet, and as Sir Peyborn was accompanied by John, his valet, the Lord Ashton could not do without his groom. And so a big problem arose: what to do with Burke?Who looks after it? ... who feeds it? Little Trick decided to talk to Kate about the situation, and Kate promised to take care of Burke and never let anyone know. "Don't worry at all, my child," replied the kind woman. "Your dog, I love him as much as I love you, and he won't go away while you're out!" After hearing the trick, he went up and kissed Kate on both cheeks, and on the first night of departure, he introduced Kate to Burke, saying goodbye to the faithful animal.
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