3 Boastful Barnabus

Boastful BARNABUS BARNABUS WAS A BOY who loved to boast. In his own way, he was one of the world's very Worst children. The tall, lolloping boy came from an extremely posh family, and he wanted you to know it. Barnabus was a pupil at ST CUTHBERT'S a five-hundred-year-old school set in a thousand acres of English countryside.

巴拿巴是一个爱吹牛的孩子。 从他自己的角度来说，他是世界上最糟糕的孩子之一。 这个身材高大、昂首阔步的男孩来自一个非常豪华的家庭，他想让你知道这一点。 巴纳布斯是圣卡斯伯特学校的一名学生，这是一所拥有五百年历史的学校，坐落在一千英亩的英国乡村。

The fees were £100,000 a year, all the boys had to wear bow ties and top hats, and there was only one old boy who hadn't gone on to become a prime minister or king. The most he'd managed was to become the foreign secretary. As he'd brought great shame on the school, his name was removed from the long list of ex- pupils whose names were painted in gold leaf on the huge wooden boards that hung in the cavernous entrance hall. Whilst speed walking from one dusty old classroom to another, carrying his monogrammed leather briefcase, Barnabus would pull boys aside in the corridor to boast about his latest achievement. "Tarquin!" he called after a boy one frosty morning. "Oh yes, Barnabus?" replied Tarquin eagerly, his little round spectacles steaming up at being in the presence of the golden boy of the entire school. "The Mathematics test results have just been put up on the board. There is good news and bad news." "Do tell!"

每年的学费是10万英镑，所有的男孩都必须打领结，戴大礼帽，只有一个老男孩没有成为首相或国王。 他最多的成就是当上了外交大臣。 由于他给学校带来了极大的耻辱，他的名字被从长长的前学生名单上除名了，这些学生的名字被用金箔画在悬挂在洞穴般的门厅里的巨大木板上。 巴纳布斯提着印有字母的皮公文包，从一间满是灰尘的旧教室快步走到另一间教室，他会把走廊里的男孩拉到一边，吹嘘自己的最新成就。 “塔克文！”在一个寒冷的早晨，他冲着一个男孩喊道。 “哦，是吗，巴纳布斯？”塔克文急切地回答，他的小圆眼镜冒着热气，因为他在全校的金童金女面前。 “数学考试的成绩已经贴在黑板上了。 有好消息也有坏消息。” “一定要告诉!”

Barnabus pursed his lips. "The bad news is I only received ninety-nine per cent. I will have to have words with the Mathematics master, Mr Troughton, as to why I was marked down a whole one per cent." "Congratulations, Barnabus! Pray tell, what is the good news?" Barnabus smirked. He was going to enjoy this. The good news?" Tarquin, is that you failed, with a measly Forty-nine per cent!" "Oh dear!" Poor Tarquin's face clouded with worry. "So every cloud has a silver lining! Good day!" said Barnabus, and he swept his scarf round his neck theatrically, slapping poor Tarquin on the nose. "OOF!" The strangest thing was that every time Barnabus boasted about something his head became a tiny bit bigger. Barnabus was oblivious to this, and would complain again and again to his housemaster in his office. Mr Hartnell was as antique as his furniture. Both dated back to Victorian times.

巴纳布斯噘着嘴。“坏消息是我只收到了99%。 我得去找数学老师特劳顿先生谈谈，为什么我被扣了整整一个百分点。” “祝贺你,巴拿巴书!请告诉我，好消息是什么？”巴拿巴傻笑。 他会很享受的。 好消息是什么？”塔克文，你失败了，只有可怜的百分之四十九！”“哎呀!”可怜的塔克文愁眉苦脸。 “所以黑暗中总有一线光明！”巴纳布斯说着，戏剧性地把围巾围在脖子上，在可怜的塔克文鼻子上打了一巴掌。 “呕!”最奇怪的是，每当巴纳布斯吹嘘某件事时，他的头就会变大一点。 巴拿巴没有注意到这一点，他在办公室里一次又一次地向舍监抱怨。 哈特内尔先生和他的家具一样古板。 两者都可以追溯到维多利亚时代。

"Mr Hartnell! Someone has shrunk my top hat!" The teacher examined the silk topper in detail, and placed it on his OWN head for reference. "Don't do that!" chided Barnabus. "You might have nits." "Apologies, Barnabus. Have you considered that your head might be becoming bigger?" "NONSENSE!" thundered Barnabus. "Now you may go!" "But it's my office!" "Well, I want you to go anyway." Poor old Mr Hartnell shrugged, and shuffled out of the room. "As quick as you can, please!" snapped Barnabus, and his teacher trundled off as fast as his little old legs could carry him.

“哈特奈尔先生!有人把我的礼帽缩水了！”老师仔细检查了丝绸帽，并把它放在自己的头上作为参考。 巴拿巴责备说：“不要这样做！” “你可能有虱子。”“道歉,巴拿巴书。 你有没有想过你的头可能会变得更大？”“胡说！”巴纳伯怒道。 “现在你可以走了！”“可这是我的办公室啊！”“好吧，我还是希望你去。” 可怜的老哈特内尔先生耸了耸肩，拖着脚走出了房间。 “你能跑多快就跑多快！”巴纳布斯厉声喝道，然后他的老师就用他那双老迈的小腿尽快地离开了。

The big-headed boy didn't just excel in his lessons- he was a fine sportsman too. One morning; the Games master, Mr Pertwee, announced the name of the new school cricket captain. "After lengthy trials, and much careful consideration-" began Pertwee. "Don't go on and on, sir. I think we all know it's me!" shouted out Barnabus. "-our new cricket captain is Barnabus!" In that moment, the big-headed boy's head expanded just a little, and his top hat was squeezed off his head. PING! It shot up and hit the ceiling. THWAT! "Stupid small hat," muttered Barnabus. "Now, three cheers for me! Hip hip!"

这个大脑袋男孩不仅功课优秀，还是个优秀的运动员。 一天早上,运动会主席佩特威先生宣布了新校板球队队长的名字。 “经过长时间的试验和仔细的考虑——”佩特威开始说。 “先生，不要这样说，我想我们都知道是我！” “——我们的新板球队队长是巴纳布斯！”就在那一刻，大脑袋男孩的头稍微大了一点，他的大礼帽从头上被挤了下来。 萍!它飞了起来，撞到了天花板上。 THWAT !“愚蠢的小帽子。”巴纳布斯喃喃地说。 “现在，为我欢呼三声！”髋关节髋部!”