世界名著PAULSCASE.docx

世界名著PAULSCASE.docx

《世界名著PAULSCASE.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《世界名著PAULSCASE.docx（29页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

世界名著PAULSCASE

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AnnualmostpopularEnglishclassics,hopeforyourstudyhelp,supportbaidu,hopebaidulibrarycollectionsmoreandmoregood.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul'sCase

AStudyinTemperament

ItwasPaul'safternoontoappearbeforethefacultyofthe

PittsburghHighSchooltoaccountforhisvariousmisdemeanors.

Hehadbeensuspendedaweekago,andhisfatherhadcalledat

thePrincipal'sofficeandconfessedhisperplexityabouthis

son.Paulenteredthefacultyroomsuaveandsmiling.His

clotheswereatrifleoutgrown,andthetanvelvetonthecollar

ofhisopenovercoatwasfrayedandworn;butforallthatthere

wassomethingofthedandyabouthim,andheworeanopalpinin

hisneatlyknottedblackfour-in-hand,andaredcarnationinhis

buttonhole.Thislatteradornmentthefacultysomehowfeltwas

notproperlysignificantofthecontritespiritbefittingaboy

underthebanofsuspension.

Paulwastallforhisageandverythin,withhigh,cramped

shouldersandanarrowchest.Hiseyeswereremarkablefora

certainhystericalbrilliancy,andhecontinuallyusedthemina

conscious,theatricalsortofway,peculiarlyoffensiveinaboy.

Thepupilswereabnormallylarge,asthoughhewereaddictedto

belladonna,buttherewasaglassyglitteraboutthemwhichthat

drugdoesnotproduce.

WhenquestionedbythePrincipalastowhyhewastherePaul

stated,politelyenough,thathewantedtocomebacktoschool.

Thiswasalie,butPaulwasquiteaccustomedtolying;foundit,

indeed,indispensableforovercomingfriction.Histeacherswere

askedtostatetheirrespectivechargesagainsthim,whichthey

didwithsucharancorandaggrievednessasevincedthatthiswas

notausualcase,Disorderandimpertinencewereamongthe

offensesnamed,yeteachofhisinstructorsfeltthatitwas

scarcelypossibletoputintowordstherealcauseofthetrouble,

whichlayinasortofhystericallydefiantmanneroftheboy's;in

thecontemptwhichtheyallknewhefeltforthem,andwhichhe

seeminglymadenottheleastefforttoconceal.Once,whenhe

hadbeenmakingasynopsisofaparagraphattheblackboard,his

Englishteacherhadsteppedtohissideandattemptedtoguide

hishand.Paulhadstartedbackwithashudderandthrusthis

handsviolentlybehindhim.Theastonishedwomancouldscarcely

havebeenmorehurtandembarrassedhadhestruckather.The

insultwassoinvoluntaryanddefinitelypersonalastobe

unforgettable.inonewayandanotherhehadmadeallhis

teachers,menandwomenalike,consciousofthesamefeelingof

physicalaversion.Inoneclasshehabituallysatwithhishand

shadinghiseyes;inanotherhealwayslookedoutofthewindow

duringtherecitation;inanotherhemadearunningcommentaryon

thelecture,withhumorousintention.

Histeachersfeltthisafternoonthathiswholeattitudewas

symbolizedbyhisshrugandhisflippantlyredcarnationflower,

andtheyfelluponhimwithoutmercy,hisEnglishteacherleading

thepack.Hestoodthroughitsmiling,hispalelipspartedover

hiswhiteteeth.

ahabitofraisinghiseyebrowsthatwascontemptuousand

irritatingtothelastdegree.>OlderboysthanPaulhadbroken

downandshedtearsunderthatbaptismoffire,buthissetsmile

didnotoncedeserthim,andhisonlysignofdiscomfortwasthe

nervoustremblingofthefingersthattoyedwiththebuttonsof

hisovercoat,andanoccasionaljerkingoftheotherhandthat

heldhishat.Paulwasalwayssmiling,alwaysglancingabout

him,seemingtofeelthatpeoplemightbewatchinghimandtrying

todetectsomething.Thisconsciousexpression,sinceitwasas

faraspossiblefromboyishmirthfulness,wasusuallyattributed

toinsolenceor"smartness."

Astheinquisitionproceededoneofhisinstructorsrepeated

animpertinentremarkoftheboy's,andthePrincipalaskedhim

whetherhethoughtthatacourteousspeechtohavemadea

woman.Paulshruggedhisshouldersslightlyandhiseyebrows

twitched.

"Idon'tknow,"hereplied."Ididn'tmeantobepoliteor

impolite,either.Iguessit'sasortofwayIhaveofsaying

thingsregardless."

ThePrincipal,whowasasympatheticman,askedhimwhether

hedidn'tthinkthatawayitwouldbewelltogetridof.Paul

grinnedandsaidheguessedso.Whenhewastoldthathecould

gohebowedgracefullyandwentout.Hisbowwasbuta

repetitionofthescandalousredcarnation.

Histeacherswereindespair,andhisdrawingmastervoiced

thefeelingofthemallwhenhedeclaredtherewassomething

abouttheboywhichnoneofthemunderstood.Headded:

"Idon't

reallybelievethatsmileofhiscomesaltogetherfrominsolence;

there'