第7章 A GENEROUS DEED.Wednesday,26th.
It was this very morning that Garrone let us know what he is like.When I entered the school a little late,because the mistress of the upper first had stopped me to inquire at what hour she could find me at home,the master had not yet arrived,and three or four boys were tormenting poor Crossi,the one with the red hair,who has a dead arm,and whose mother sells vegetables.They were poking him with rulers,hitting him in the face with chestnut shells,and were making him out to be a cripple and a monster,by mimicking him,with his arm hanging from his neck.And he,alone on the end of the bench,and quite pale,began to be affected by it,gazing now at one and now at another with beseeching eyes,that they might leave him in peace.But the others mocked him worse than ever,and he began to tremble and to turn crimson with rage.All at once,Franti,the boy with the repulsive face,sprang upon a bench,and pretending that he was carrying a basket on each arm,he aped the mother of Crossi,when she used to come to wait for her son at the door;for she is ill now.Many began to laugh loudly.Then Crossi lost his head,and seizing an inkstand,he hurled it at the other's head with all his strength;but Franti dodged,and the inkstand struck the master,who entered at the moment,full in the breast.
All flew to their places,and became silent with terror.
The master,quite pale,went to his table,and said in a constrained voice:—
“Who did it?”
No one replied.
The master cried out once more,raising his voice still louder,“Who is it?”
Then Garrone,moved to pity for poor Crossi,rose abruptly and said,resolutely,“It was I.”
The master looked at him,looked at the stupefied scholars;then said in a tranquil voice,“It was not you.”
And,after a moment:“The culprit shall not be punished.Let him rise!”
Crossi rose and said,weeping,“They were striking me and insulting me,and I lost my head,and threw it.”
“Sit down,”said the master.“Let those who provoked him rise.”
Four rose,and hung their heads.
“You,”said the master,“have insulted a companion who had given you no provocation;you have scoffed at an unfortunate lad,you have struck a weak person who could not defend himself.You have committed one of the basest,the most shameful acts with which a human creature can stain himself.Cowards!”
Having said this,he came down among the benches,put his hand under Garrone's chin,as the latter stood with drooping head,and having made him raise it,he looked him straight in the eye,and said to him,“You are a noble soul.”
Garrone profited by the occasion to murmur some words,I know not what,in the ear of the master;and he,turning towards the four culprits,said,abruptly,“I forgive you.”
义侠的行为 二十六日
卡隆的为人，我看了今日的事情就明白了。今日我因为二年级时候的女先生来问我何时在家，到校稍迟，入了教室，先生还未来。一看，有三四个小孩聚在一处，正在戏弄着那赤发的一手有残疾的卖野菜人家的孩子克洛西。有的用三角板打他，有的把栗子壳向他的头上投掷，说他是“残废者”，是“鬼怪”，还将手挂在项颈上来装他的样子给他看。克洛西一个人坐在位子上，脸色都苍白了。用了好像要说“饶了我吧”似的眼光，看着他们。他们见克洛西这样，越加得了风头，越加戏弄他。克洛西终于怒了，涨红了脸，身子颤抖着。这时那个脸孔很讨厌的勿兰谛，忽然跳上椅子，装出克洛西的母亲挑菜担的样子来。克洛西的母亲，因为要接克洛西回去，平日时常到学校里来的，现在听说正病在床上。许多学生都知道克洛西的母亲，看了勿兰谛装的样子，大家笑了起来。克洛西大怒，突然将摆在那里的墨水瓶对准了勿兰谛掷去。勿兰谛很敏捷地避过，墨水瓶恰巧打着了从门外进来的先生的胸部。
大家都逃到座位里，怕得不做一声。先生变了脸色，走到教桌的旁边，用严厉的声音问：“谁？”一个人都没有回答。先生又提高了声音说：“谁？”
这时，卡隆好像可怜了克洛西，忽然起立，用很坚决的态度说：“是我！”先生眼盯着卡隆，又转看正呆着的学生们，静静地说：“不是你。”
过了一会儿，又说：“决不加罚，投掷者起立！”
克洛西起立了，哭着说：“他们打我，欺侮我。我气昏了，不知不觉就把墨水瓶投过去了。”
“好的！那么，欺侮他的人起立！”先生说了，四个学生起立了，把头俯着。
“你们欺侮了无辜的人了！你们欺侮了不幸的小孩，欺侮弱者了！你们做了最无谓、最可耻的事了！卑怯的东西！”
先生说着，走到卡隆的旁边，将手摆在他的腮下，托起他俯下的头来，注视着他的眼说：“你的精神是高尚的！”
卡隆附拢了先生的耳，不知说些什么，先生突然向着四个犯罪者说：“我饶恕你们。”