What's the matter? Peter asked "Oh, nothing. I dont think I'm well. I've got a cold. I oughtn't to go to the party Peter was puzzled "But Francis, is it a bad cold? Then you mustn't go, Peter said, prepared to solve all difficulties with one plain sentence and Francis let his nerves relax, ready to leave everything to Peter. But though he was grateful he did not turn his face towards his brother. His cheeks still bore the badge of a shameful memory, of the game of hide and seek last year in the darkened house, and of how he had screamed when Mabel Warren put her hand suddenly upon his arm. He had not heard her coming. Girls were like that. Their shoes never squeaked. no boards whined under the tread. they slunk like cats ol When the nurse came in with hot water Francis lay tranquil leaving everything to Peter. Pete aid, " Nurse, Francis has got a cold The tall starched woman laid the towels across the cans and said without turning " The washing won't be back till tomorrow. You must lend him some of your handkerchiefs But, Nurse, " Peter asked, "hadn,'t he better stay in bed? Well take him for a good walk this morning, "the nurse said. " Wind'll blow away the germs. Get up now, both of you, and she closed the door behind her I'm sorry, Peter said. "Why dont you just stay in bed? I'll tell mother you felt too ill to get up But rebellion against destiny was not in Francis's power. If he stayed in bed they would come up d tap his chest and put a thermomete discover he was malingering. It was true he felt ill, a sick empty sensation in his stomach and a apidly beating heart, but he knew the cause was only fear, fear of the party, fear of being made to hide by himself in the dark, uncompanioned by Peter and with no night-light to make a blessed No, I'll get up, "he said, and then with sudden desperation, "But I won't go to Mrs Henne-Falcon's party. I swear on the bible I wont. Now surely all would be well, he thought. God would not allow him to break so solemn an oath. He would show him a way. There was all the morning before him and all the afternoon until four o'clock. No need to worry when the grass was still crisp with the early frost. Anything might happen. He might cut himself or break his leg or really catch bad cold. God would manage somehow He had such confidence in God that when at breakfast his mother said, "I hear you have a cold, Francis, " he made light of it. "We should have heard more about it " his mother said with irony, " if there was not a party this evening, and Francis smiled, amazed and daunted by her orance of him His happiness would have lasted longer if, out for a walk that morning, he had not met Joyce He was alone with his nurse. for Peter had leave to finish a rabbit-hutch'2 in the woodshed. If Peter had been there he would have cared less the nurse was peter's nurse al so but now it was as though she were employed only for his sake, because he could not be trusted to go for a walk alone. Joyce was only two years older and she was by herself. She came striding towards them, pigtails flapping. She glanced scornfully at Francis and ° padded claws:有着肉垫的脚爪 malingering:装病,尤指为逃避工作,这里指逃避参加生日派对 make light of:对某事满不在乎。 12 rabbit-hutch:兔笼,兔棚2 "What's the matter?"' Peter asked. "Oh, nothing. I don't think I'm well. I've got a cold. I oughtn't to go to the party." Peter was puzzled. "But Francis, is it a bad cold?" "It will be a bad cold if I go to the party. Perhaps I shall die." "Then you mustn't go," Peter said, prepared to solve all difficulties with one plain sentence, and Francis let his nerves relax, ready to leave everything to Peter. But though he was grateful he did not turn his face towards his brother. His cheeks still bore the badge of a shameful memory, of the game of hide and seek last year in the darkened house, and of how he had screamed when Mabel Warren put her hand suddenly upon his arm. He had not heard her coming. Girls were like that. Their shoes never squeaked. No boards whined under the tread. They slunk like cats on padded claws9 . When the nurse came in with hot water Francis lay tranquil leaving everything to Peter. Peter said, "Nurse, Francis has got a cold." The tall starched woman laid the towels across the cans and said, without turning, "The washing won't be back till tomorrow. You must lend him some of your handkerchiefs." "But, Nurse," Peter asked, "hadn't he better stay in bed?" "We'll take him for a good walk this morning," the nurse said. "Wind'll blow away the germs. Get up now, both of you," and she closed the door behind her. "I'm sorry," Peter said. "Why don't you just stay in bed? I'll tell mother you felt too ill to get up." But rebellion against destiny was not in Francis's power. If he stayed in bed they would come up and tap his chest and put a thermometer in his mouth and look at his tongue, and they would discover he was malingering10. It was true he felt ill, a sick empty sensation in his stomach and a rapidly beating heart, but he knew the cause was only fear, fear of the party, fear of being made to hide by himself in the dark, uncompanioned by Peter and with no night-light to make a blessed breach. "No, I'll get up," he said, and then with sudden desperation, "But I won't go to Mrs Henne-Falcon's party. I swear on the Bible I won't." Now surely all would be well, he thought. God would not allow him to break so solemn an oath. He would show him a way. There was all the morning before him and all the afternoon until four o'clock. No need to worry when the grass was still crisp with the early frost. Anything might happen. He might cut himself or break his leg or really catch a bad cold. God would manage somehow. He had such confidence in God that when at breakfast his mother said, "I hear you have a cold, Francis," he made light of11it. "We should have heard more about it," his mother said with irony, "if there was not a party this evening," and Francis smiled, amazed and daunted by her ignorance of him. His happiness would have lasted longer if, out for a walk that morning, he had not met Joyce. He was alone with his nurse, for Peter had leave to finish a rabbit-hutch12 in the woodshed. If Peter had been there he would have cared less; the nurse was Peter's nurse also, but now it was as though she were employed only for his sake, because he could not be trusted to go for a walk alone. Joyce was only two years older and she was by herself. She came striding towards them, pigtails flapping. She glanced scornfully at Francis and 9 padded claws: 有着肉垫的脚爪。 10 malingering: 装病，尤指为逃避工作，这里指逃避参加生日派对。 11 make light of: 对某事满不在乎。 12 rabbit-hutch: 兔笼，兔棚