Content #
Atticus said, “You’ve a lot to learn, Jack.”
“I know. Your daughter gave me my first lessons this afternoon. She said I didn’t understand children much and told me why. She was quite right. Atticus, she told me how I should have treated her—oh dear, I’m so sorry I romped on her.”
Atticus chuckled. “She earned it, so don’t feel too remorseful.”
I waited, on tenterhooks, for Uncle Jack to tell Atticus my side of it. But he didn’t. He simply murmured, “Her use of bathroom invective leaves nothing to the imagination. But she doesn’t know the meaning of half she says—she asked me what a whore-lady was…”
“Did you tell her?”
“No, I told her about Lord Melbourne.”
“Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ‘em. No,” my father mused, “you had the right answer this afternoon, but the wrong reasons. Bad language is a stage all children go through, and it dies with time when they learn they’re not attracting attention with it. Hotheadedness isn’t. Scout’s got to learn to keep her head and learn soon, with what’s in store for her these next few months. She’s coming along, though. Jem’s getting older and she follows his example a good bit now. All she needs is assistance sometimes.”
“Atticus, you’ve never laid a hand on her.”
“I admit that. So far I’ve been able to get by with threats. Jack, she minds me as well as she can. Doesn’t come up to scratch half the time, but she tries.”
“That’s not the answer,” said Uncle Jack.
“No, the answer is she knows I know she tries. That’s what makes the difference. What bothers me is that she and Jem will have to absorb some ugly things pretty soon. I’m not worried about Jem keeping his head, but Scout’d just as soon jump on someone as look at him if her pride’s at stake…”
I waited for Uncle Jack to break his promise. He still didn’t.
Vocabullary #
romp verb #
[no obj.](especially of a child or animal) play about roughly and energetically （尤指儿童，动物）嬉闹玩耍 the noisy pack of children romped around the gardens. 那群喧闹的孩子在花园各处嬉戏追逐。
make a production out of #
不必要的发挥
keep one’s head #
保持冷静，保持头脑清醒
what’s in store #
即将发生的事情：指未来可能会发生的事情或情况。· I’m excited to see what’s in store for us in the coming year. 我很期待看看未来一年会发生什么事情。
lay a hand on sb #
伤害某人
get by #
通过, 经过, 混过，勉强过活
From #
To Kill a Mocking Bird