第15章 THE CHARCOAL-MAN AND THE GENTLEMAN.Monday,7th.
Garrone would certainly never have uttered the words which Carlo Nobis spoke yesterday morning to Betti.Carlo Nobis is proud,because his father is a great gentleman;a tall gentleman,with a black beard,and very serious,who accompanies his son to school nearly every day.Yesterday morning Nobis quarrelled with Betti,one of the smallest boys,and the son of a charcoal-man,and not knowing what retort to make,because he was in the wrong,said to him vehemently,“Your father is a tattered beggar!”Betti reddened up to his very hair,and said nothing,but the tears came to his eyes;and when he returned home,he repeated the words to his father;so the charcoal-dealer,a little man,who was black all over,made his appearance at the afternoon session,leading his boy by the hand,in order to complain to the master.While he was making his complaint,and every one was silent,the father of Nobis,who was taking off his son's coat at the entrance,as usual,entered on hearing his name pronounced,and demanded an explanation.
“This workman has come,”said the master,“to complain that your son Carlo said to his boy,‘Your father is a tattered beggar.’”
Nobis's father frowned and reddened slightly.Then he asked his son,“Did you say that?”
His son,who was standing in the middle of the school,with his head hanging,in front of little Betti,made no reply.
Then his father grasped him by one arm and pushed him forward,facing Betti,so that they nearly touched,and said to him,“Beg his pardon.”
The charcoal-man tried to interpose,saying,“No,no!”but the gentleman paid no heed to him,and repeated to his son,“Beg his pardon.Repeat my words.‘I beg your pardon for the insulting,foolish,and ignoble words which I uttered against your father,whose hand my father would feel himself honored to press.’”
The charcoal-man made a resolute gesture,as though to say,“I will not allow it.”The gentleman did not second him,and his son said slowly,in a very thread of a voice,without raising his eyes from the ground,“I beg your pardon—for the insulting—foolish—ignoble—words which I uttered against your father,whose hand my father—would feel himself honored—to press.”
Then the gentleman offered his hand to the charcoal-man,who shook it vigorously,and then,with a sudden push,he thrust his son into the arms of Carlo Nobis.
“Do me the favor to place them next each other,”said the gentleman to the master.The master put Betti on Nobis's bench.When they were seated,the father of Nobis bowed and went away.
The charcoal-man remained standing there in thought for several moments,gazing at the two boys side by side;then he approached the bench,and fixed upon Nobis a look expressive of affection and regret,as though he were desirous of saying something to him,but he did not say anything;he stretched out his hand to bestow a caress upon him,but he did not dare,and merely stroked his brow with his large fingers.Then he made his way to the door,and turning round for one last look,he disappeared.
“Fix what you have just seen firmly in your minds,boys,”said the master;“this is the finest lesson of the year.”
卖炭者与绅士 七日
昨天卡罗·诺琵斯向培谛说的那样的话，如果是卡隆，决不会说的。卡罗·诺琵斯因为他父亲是上等人，很是傲慢。他的父亲是个身材很高有黑须的沉静的绅士，差不多每天早晨都要伴着诺琵斯到学校里来。昨天，诺琵斯忽然和培谛互相骂起来了。培谛是个年纪顶小的孩子，是个卖炭者的儿子。诺琵斯因为自己的理错了，无话可辩，就说：“你父亲是个叫花子！”培谛气得连发根都红了，一声不响，只簌簌地流着眼泪。好像后来他回去向父亲哭诉了，午后上课时，他那卖炭的父亲——全身墨黑的矮小的男子就携他儿子的手一同到学校里来，把这事告诉了先生。我们大家都默不作声。诺琵斯的父亲正照例在门口替他儿子脱外套，听见有人说起他的名字，就问先生说：“什么事？”
“你们的卡罗对这位的儿子说：‘你父亲是个叫花子！’这位正在这里告诉这事呢。”先生回答说。
诺琵斯的父亲脸红了起来，对着自己的儿子问：“你曾这样说的吗？”诺琵斯低了头立在教室中央，什么都不回答。于是，他父亲捉了他的手臂，拉他到培谛身旁，说：“快道歉！”
卖炭的好像很对不住他的样子，连说：“不必，不必！”想上前阻止，可是绅士不答应，仍对他儿子说：
“快道歉！照我所说的样子快道歉：‘对于你的父亲，说了非常失礼的话，这是我所不应该的。请原谅我。让我的父亲来握你父亲的手。’要这样说。”
卖炭的越发现出不安的神情来，好像在那里说“那不敢当”，绅士总不肯答应，于是诺琵斯俯了头，用断断续续的声音说：
“对于……你的父亲……说了……非常失礼的话，这是……我所不应该的。请你……原谅我。让我的父亲……来握……你父亲的手。”
绅士把手向卖炭的伸去，卖炭的就握着使劲地摇起来。还把自己的儿子推近卡罗·诺琵斯，叫用两手去抱他。“从此，请叫他们两个坐在一处。”绅士这样向先生请求，先生就令培谛坐在诺琵斯的位上，诺琵斯的父亲等他们坐好了，就行了礼出去，卖炭的注视着这并坐的两个孩子，立着沉思了一会儿，走到座位旁，对着诺琵斯，好像要说什么，好像很依恋，好像很对不起他，终于什么都不说。他张开了两臂，好像要去抱诺琵斯了，可是也终于没有去抱，只用他那粗大的手指，在诺琵斯的额上碰了一碰。等走出门口，还回头向里面一瞥，这才出去。先生对我们说：“今天的事情，大家不要忘掉，因为这可算这学年中最好的教训了。”