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James Selton was one of the most insolent boys in the village where he lived.
詹姆斯.塞爾頓是他們村子里最無禮的男孩之一。
He would rarely pass people in the street without being guilty of some sort of abuse.
他在街上和人們迎面而過的時候，很少不犯出言不遜的過錯。
If a person were well dressed he would cry out, "Dandy!"
如果有人穿得很講究，他會大聲地叫：“花花公子！”
If a person's clothes were dirty or torn, he would throw stones at him, and annoy him in every way.
要是有人的衣服弄臟了或是被撕破了，他會向他扔石頭，想盡辦法激怒他。
One afternoon, just as the school was dismissed, a stranger passed through the village.
一天下午，剛剛放學的時候，有一個陌生人經過村莊。
His dress was plain and some what old, but neat and clean.
他衣著普通，顯得有點舊，但干凈整齊。
He carried a cane in his hand, on the end of which was a bundle, and he wore abroad-brimmed hat.
手里拿著一根拐杖，拐杖的末端有個包袱，頭上戴著一頂寬邊帽。
No sooner did James see the stranger, than he winked to his playmates, and said, "Now for some fun!"
詹姆斯一看見這個陌生人，就向他的玩伴使了個眼色，說：“這下有好戲看了！”
He then silently went toward the stranger from behind, and, knocking off his hat, ran away.
然后他默不作聲地從后面向那位陌生人走去，把他的帽子打下來，接著就逃跑了。
The man turned and saw him, but James was out of hearing before he could speak.
那個人轉過身來看著他，可是在他還沒來得及說話之前，詹姆斯已經跑出去好遠，聽不到了。
The stranger put on his hat,and went on his way.
陌生人把帽子戴上，繼續往前走。
Again did James approach; but this time, the man caught him by the arm, and held him fast.
詹姆斯又走過來了，不過這一次，陌生人抓住詹姆斯的手臂，緊緊地按住他。
However, he contented himself with looking James a moment in the face, and then pushed him from him.
然而，他只是盯著詹姆斯的臉看了一會兒，就把他往前一推，松開了他。
No sooner did the naughty boy find himself free again, than he began to pelt the stranger with dirt and stones.
頑皮的男孩一看到自己被放了，馬上就開始向陌生人投擲泥塊和石頭。
But he was much frightened when the "rowdy," as he foolishly called the man, was struckon the head by a brick, and badly hurt.
可是當這個他口里稱之為“流氓”的人被一塊磚砸到頭部，而且傷得很嚴重的時候，詹姆斯嚇壞了。
All the boys now ran away, and James skulked across the fields to his home.
這時所有其他男孩都跑了，詹姆斯偷偷摸摸地越過田野，往家里走去。
As he drew near the house, his sister Caroline came out to meet him, holding up a beautiful gold chain and some new books for him to see.
當他靠近屋子的時候，妹妹卡洛琳跑出來迎接他，拿著一條漂亮的金項鏈和幾本嶄新的書給他看。
She told James, as fast as she could talk, that their uncle, who had been away several years, had come home, and was now in the house;
她用她最快的語速，告訴詹姆斯，他們幾年前離開家的叔叔回來了，現在就在家里；
that he had brought beautiful presents for the whole family; that he had left his carriage at the tavern, a mile or two off, and walked on foot, so as to surprise his brother, their father.
他為全家人帶了漂亮的禮物；他把馬車留在了一兩英里外的旅店里，走著來的，為的是要給他的哥哥、他們的爸爸一個驚喜。
