英语故事The Monkey.docx

英语故事The Monkey.docx

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英语故事TheMonkey

英语故事

TheMonkey

　　“Anish，wakeup.Itssix.Youwillbelateforyourmathstuition.”

　　Anishrubbedhiseyesopenandlookedup.HismotherMahimawasstandingbesidehisbed，alookofsterndisapprovalonherface.

　　“PleaseMaletmesleepforfivemoreminutes.Iamfeelingverysleepy.”

　　“Nothingdoing.Yousaidthesamethingyesterdayandwerehalfanhourlateforyourtuition.Getup.”

　　Anishstruggledoutofbedandstaggeredtothebathroom.

　　Tenminuteslaterhewascyclingawaytohisdestination.Hewasstillfeelingquitedrowsy.Lastnighthehadstayedawaketilleleventhirtydoingscience.Lefttohimselfhewouldhavesleptlongback.ButMahadbeingsittingbesidehimmakingamodelquestionpaperwhichhewastoanswertoday.

　　AnishwasaclassfivestudentofSaintJohn’sConventSchool-oneofthebestschoolsofthecity.Hewasagoodstudentandinthelasttwoyearshehadtoppedhisclassinfinalexams.

　　Oflatehowever，Anishhadstartedfeelingverytired.Hisschedulewasbecomingmoreandmorehectic：

6.30amto7.30am-mathstuition；8amto2pm-school；3pmto4pm-Computerclasses；4.30pmto5.30pm-Cricketcoaching，7pmto9pm--homeworkandfrom9.30pmonwardsaslongashecouldkeenhiseyesopenstudy，studyandmorestudy.Theonlytimehehadforrelaxationwasfrom6to7intheeveningwhenhecouldwatchTVorreadabook.

　　*                       *                      *

　　“Anishrevisethoroughly.Youknowyouaregettingverycareless.Checkeachcalculationverycarefully.Youhavetogethundredoutofhundredorelseyouwillloseyourrank.”

　　AnishkeptnoddinghisheadmechanicallynotevenbotheringtolistentowhathisMawassaying.Lastnightshehadkepthimawaketilltwelvethirtymakinghimreviseagainandagaintillshewassatisfied.Hewasstillfeelingsleepy.

　　Thepaperwasquitetough.Hestartedbyansweringtheeasiestquestionsfirstandthenslowlymovedontothetougherones.Whenthebellranghewashalfwaythroughtherevision.

　　Whenhecameoutandcomparedtheanswershewasinforashock.Hehadmadetwomistakesoneinfractionsandtheotherinmensuration.Thesemistakeswouldcosthimtenmarks.

　　Masawwaitingforhimatthedoor.

　　“Howwasit？

”

　　“Tough，verytough.”

　　“Itmusthavebeentoughforothersbutnotforyou.Youwillsurelygethundredwon’tyou.”

　　“Can’tsay.”

　　“Whatdoyoumeanyoucan’tsay？

Youmusthavewrittendownyouranswersinyourquestionpaper.”

　　“Ididnothavethetime，”helied.

　　TheotherexamswentoffwellandonthelastdayAnishfeltagreatsenseofrelief.Theschoolwasbreakingforholidaysandatleastforamonthhewouldbeabletorelax.

　　*                       *                      *

　　“Ma，whydon’twegosomewhereforaholiday？

”Anishaskedhismother.Thetwoofthemweresittingathomeonthefirstdayofhisholiday.Anish’sfatherAshwinSahniwasintheMerchantNavyandwasawayonduty.Hewouldbereturningonlyaftertwomonths.

　　“Don’tbesillyAnish.Howcanwegoonaholiday？

Idon’twantyoutomissyourclasses.”

　　“Whatclasses？

Myschoolisclosedforamonthandmytuitionwon’tcommenceuntilaftertheholidays.Ourcricketcoachhasalsogonetohisnativeplace.”

　　“Iforgottotellyou.Ihaveenrolledyouforanadvancedcourseincomputers.YouhavealreadycompletedLevelonenowyoucanstartLeveltwo.”

　　“ButMathatisformuchhigherclasses.Don’tyouthinkitistooearlyformetolearnallthatadvancedstuff？

”

　　“ListenAnish，tosucceedinlifeonehastodosomethingextra-somethingoutoftheordinary.Youarenotliketheotherboys.Youarebrilliant.Withsomeeffortyoucanachievesuccessinanythingyoutakeup.Andmoreover，youhavetheadvantageofhavingamotherlikemewhospendssomuchoftimeandenergyonyou.WhenIcandevotesomuchtimeforyouwhycan’tyoumakeaslightsacrificeforyourowngood？

”

　　Anishkeptsilentandcontinuedstaringsullenlyathisfeet.

　　*                       *                      *

　　WhenAnishreceivedhisreportcardhewastakenaback.WhilehehaddoneverywellinalltheothersubjectsinMathshehadgotonly85.Thehighestinmathswas100.Thesefifteenmarkshadpushedhisrankfromnumberonedowntonumbersix.HisfirstthoughtwasforhisMa.Shewouldbeabsolutelylivid.‘Howwashegoingtofaceher？

’

　　Ashecycledbackhewasfilledwithtrepidation.Hedidn’twanttofaceMa.

　　“WhathappenedAnish？

Whyareyoulookingsoserious？

Youhavestoodfirstisn’tit？

”MahimaaskedAnishrightatthedoor.

　　Hedidn’tutteraword.Shefollowedhimintothedrawingroom.Heremovedthereportcardfromhisbagandhandedittoher.

　　Sheglancedatitandherfaceturnedred.Shelookedathimhereyesblazing.“WhatisthisAnish？

Youhavegotsixthrank.Howcouldyoudothistome？

WiththekindofpreparationIhadmadeyoudoyoushouldhavewalkedawaywiththefirstrank.NowhowwillIshowmyfacetoothers？

Ihadtoldeveryonethatyouwouldtop.LatelastnightwhenyourfatherrangupItoldhimthesamething.Hewasreallythrilled.Heisplanningtogetyoulotsofgiftswhenhereturnsnextmonth.Ievenmadesweetsfordistributiontoourneighboursandfriends.WhatamIgoingtodonow？

”

　　Shesatonthebedclutchingherhead.Anishstoodby，hisheadhanginginshame.

　　“Wheredidyouloseout？

”

　　“InmathsIgot85whilePratikandIrfanbothgot100.”

　　“Whogotthefirstrank？

”

　　“Pratik.”

　　“Pratik！

Hismother，thesnootyMrs.PinkyMalhotra，willreallyenjoyherselfpullingmedown.LasttimeitselfshehaddeclaredthatthisyearPratikwasunstoppable.”

　　Shelookedathim.Hewasstillstaringathisfeet.HissilenceangeredMahimaevenmore.Shereachedout，caughtholdofhistieandyankedhimforward.

　　“Youshamelesswretch.Thereisnotevenalittleofbitofshameonyourface.”Sheslappedhimhardtwice，gotupandwalkingintoherroomslammedthedoorbehindher.

　　Anishjuststoodtheretearsflowingdownhischeeks.

　　*                       *                      *

　　Mahimaopenedthedoorofherroomatnine.Thehousewasstill.ShelookedintoAnish’sbedroom.Itwasempty.Shelookedintothekitchen，thebathroom，thedrawingroom.shewentoutintothegardenandlookedintothegarage.Slowlyafleeingofpanicbeganrisinginsideher.Wherehadhegone？

Sheraninsideandpickedupthephone.Onebyoneshebegandialingallhisfriendsandtheirfamilyfriendsandrelatives.Everywheretheresponsewasthesame.Anishwasnotwiththem.Theyhadn’tseenhimthatevening.Bythetimeshehadfinisheditwaspastten.

　　Shedialedthenearestpolicestation.Ahalfdrunkvoiceanswered.

　　“Hello？

”

　　“IsthisGandhinagarPoliceStation.”

　　“Yes.”

　　“Mysonismissingsinceevening.Canyoupleasehelpme？

”

　　“Doyouhaveaphotographofhis？

”

　　“Yes.”

　　“Thensendafewcopiesalongwithhisname，ageandthedescriptionoftheclotheshewaswearing.”

　　“Yes，but-”

　　Therewasaclick.Thepolicemanhadreplacedthereceiver.

　　ShegotupandhuntedforAnish’sphotograph.Shemanagedtolocatefourcopies.Shescribbledthedetailsthepolicemanhadaskedforonapieceofpaper.

　　“Ihopehehasnotchangedhisclothesbeforeleaving，”sheprayedtoherself.Sheplacedthephotographsandthepaperinanenvelope.ShethancalledNarsingh-hermaidservant’shusbandwholiveintheservantsquarterandaskedhimtorushtothePoliceStationandhandovertheenvelopetotheinspectorwhowasincharge.

　　AfterNarsingh’sreturnMahimaspendthenightcallingthepolicestationeveryhalfanhour.WhenshemadethefourthcalltheInspectorwholiftedthephonesoundedangry.

　　“Madamwillyoupleasestopbotheringus.BecauseyouarealadyIamtellingyouverypolitely.Wegetthesekindsofcomplaintsbythedozeneveryday.WhenIgetanyinformationI’llcallyou.Nowletmesleepinpeace.”Hebangedthephonedown.

　　Mahimadidn’tknowwhattodo？

Evenhertearshaddriedup.

　　Shejustsatinthedrawingroomprayingandcursingherself.

　　Shelostallsenseoftimeas，witheachpassingminute，herpanicincreased.

　　Suddenlythestillnessoftheairwasshatteredbyashrillsound.Shegotupwithastart.Shemusthavedozedoff.Shelookedattheclock.Itwas4.30.Itwasstillpitchdarkoutside.‘Whocoulditbeatthishour？

PleaseGod！

LetitbesomeonewithnewsaboutherAnish’.Shestumbledtothedoorandopenedit.OutsidestoodAnishlookingdirty，disheveledandtired.Hewasstilldressedinhisschooluniform.Hisfacewasstreakedwithtears，grimeanddust.Besidehimstoodayoungmanwhosefacewasunfamiliar.

　　“Aa...Anish.Thankheavensyouaresafe.Wheredidyougoawaybaby？

Iwassoworried.Shepulledhimcloseandstartedcrying.

　　Afterafewmomentssherecoveredherselfandlookedattheyoungman.

　　“MynameisBasantTripathymadam.Iamatypistinyourson’sschool.IhadgonetotheRailwayStationtoreceivemybrotherwhowascomingbyAjantaExpress.SincethetrainwaslateIwaswalkingupanddowntheplatformwhenIsawAnishsittingallbyhimselfonabench.Ibecamesuspiciousandaskedhimwhathewasdoingallaloneinthemiddleofthenight.Hedidn’treply.WhenItoldhimIwouldtakehimhome，herefused.FinallyIthreatenedhim.Itoldhimifhedidn’tcomewithmeIwouldhandhimovertothenearestpolicestation.Ithinkthisscaredhimandheagreedtocomehome.”

　　“Thankyou，thankyouverymuchBasantji，Ican’ttellyouhowgratefulIam，”Mahimamanagedtomumble.

　　*                       *                      *

　　Mahimawassittinginthelivingroomgoingthroughthesyllabusofclasssix.Theclassesha