Luck-运气

Luck|运气Nexttomesataclergyman4whowasanoldfriendofmine.Hewasnotalwaysaclergyman.Duringthefirsthalfofhislife,hewasateacherinthemilitaryschoolatWoolwich.Therewasastrangelookinhiseyeasheleanedtowardmeandwhispered,“Privately,heisacompletefool.Hethen,ofcourse,theheroofourdinner.”Thiscameasashocktome.Ilookedhardatmyfriend.IcouldnothavebeenmoresurprisedifhehadsaidthesamethingaboutNapoleonorSocratesorSolomon5.ButIwassureuptwothingsabouttheclergyman.Healwaysspokethetruthandhisjudgmentofmenwasgood.ThereforeIwantedtofindoutmoreaboutourheroassoonasIcould.Somedayslater,Igotachancetotalkwiththeclergymanandhetoldmemore.Thesearehisexactwords:About40yearsago,Iwasaninstructorinthemilitaryacademy6atWoolwichwhenyoungScoresbywasgivenhisfirstexamination.Ifeltextremelysorryforhim.Everybodyansweredthequestionswellintelligently7whilehe—why,dearme,hedidnotknowanything,sotospeak8.Hewasanicepleasantyoungman.Itwaspainfultoseehimstandthereandgiveanswersthatweremiraclesofstupidity9.Iknew,ofcourse,thatwhenexaminedagain,hewouldfailandbethrownout.So,Isaidtomyself,itwouldbeasimpleharmlessacttohelphimasmuchasIcould.ItookhimasideandfoundheknewalittleaboutJuliusCaesar’shistory10,buthedidnotknowanythingelse.SoIwenttoworkandtestedhimandworkedhimlikeaslave.ImadehimworkoverandoveragainonafewquestionsaboutCaesar,whichIknewhewouldbeasked.Ifyouwillbelieveme,hecamethroughverywellonthedayoftheexamination.Hegothighplace,too,whileothers,whoknewathousandtimesmorethanheweresharplycriticized11.Bysomestrangeluckyaccident,hewasaskednoquestionsaboutthoseImadehimstudy.Suchanaccidentdoesnothappenmorethanonceinahundredyears.Well,allthroughhisstudiesIstoodbyhimwiththefeelingamotherhasforadisabledchild.Andhealwayssavedhimselfbysomemiracle.Ithoughtthatwhatintheendwoulddestroyhimwouldbethemathematicsexamination.Idecidedtomakehisendaspainlessaspossible12.So,Ipushedthatintohisstupidheadforhours.Finally,IlethimgototheexaminationtoexperiencewhatIwassurewouldbehisdismissalfromschool13.Well,Sir,trytoimaginetheresult.Iwasshockedoutofmymind14.Hetookfirstprizeandhegotthehighestplace.Ifeltguilty15dayandnight.WhatIwasdoingwasnotright,butIonlywantedtomakehisdismissalalittlelesspainfulforhim.Ineverdreamedthatwouldleadtosuchstrange,laughableresults.Ithoughtthatsoonerorlater,onethingwassuretohappen.Thefirst,realtest,oncehewasthroughschool,wouldruinhim.ThentheCrimeanWarbrokeout.Ifeltthattherehadtobeawar.Peacewouldhavegiventhisdonkeyachancetoescapefromeverbeingfoundoutasbeingsostupid16.Nervously,Iwaitedfortheworsttohappen.Itdid.Hewasappointedanofficer,acaptain.Whocouldhavedreamedthattheywouldplacesucharesponsibilityonsuchweakshouldersashis?17IsaidtomyselfthatIwasresponsibletothecountryforthis.ImustgowithhimandprotectthenationagainsthimasfarasIcould.So,Ijoinedupwithhimandawaywewenttothefield.Andthere—ohdear,itwasterrible.Mistakes,fearfulmistakes,why?Heneverdidanythingthatwasright,nothingbutmistakes.But,yousee,nobodyknewthesecretofhowstupidhereallywas.Everybodymisunderstoodhisactions.Theysawhisstupidmistakesasworksofgreatintelligence18;theydid,honestly!Hissmallestmistakesmadeamaninhisrightmindcryandshoutandscreamtoo,tohimself,ofcourse19.Andwhatkeptmeinacontinualfearwasthefactthateverymistakehemadeincreasedhisgloryandfame.Ikeptsayingtomyselfthatwhenatlasttheyfindoutabouthim,itwillbelikethesunfallingoutofthesky.Hamm,hecontinuedtoclimbupoverthedeadbodiesofhissuperiors20.Theninthehottestmomentofonebattle,downwentourcolonel21.Myheartjumpedintomymouth,forScoresbywasthenextinlinetotakehisplace22.Nowweareinforit23,Isaid.Thebattlegrewhotter.TheEnglishandtheirallies24weresteadilyretreating25alloverthefields.Ourregiment26occupiedapositionthatwasextremelyimportant.Onemistakenowwouldbringtotaldisaster.AndwhatdidScoresbydothistime?Hejustmistookhislefthandforhisrighthand.Thatwasall.Anordercameforhimtofallbackandsupportourright.Instead,hemovedforwardandwentoverthehilltotheleft.Wewereoverthehillbeforethisinsane27movementcouldbediscoveredandstopped.Andwhatdidwefind?AlargeandunsuspectedRussianarmywaiting!Andwhathappened?Wereweallkilled?Thatisexactlywhatwouldhavehappenedinninety-ninecasesoutofahundred.28Butno,thosesurprisedRussiansthoughtthatnooneregimentbyitselfwouldcomearoundthereatsuchatime.ItmustbethewholeBritisharmy,theythought.Theyturnedtail29,awaytheywent,overthehill,anddownintothefield,inwilddisorderandweafterthem.Innotime,therewasthegreatestturnaround,youeversaw.Thealliesturneddefeatintoasweeping30andshiningvictory.Thealliedcommanderlookedon,hisheadspinning31withwonder,surprise,andjoy.HesentrightoffforScoresbyandputhisarmaroundhimandhuggedhimonthefieldinfrontofallthearmies.Scoresbybecamefamousthatdayasagreatmilitaryleader.Honorisdonetohimthroughouttheworld,thathonorwillneverdisappearwhilehistorybookslast.Heisjustasniceandpleasantasever.Buthestilldoesnotknowenoughtocomeinwhenitrains.Heisthestupidestmanintheuniverse.Untilnow,nobodyknewitbutScoresbyandmyself.Hehasbeenfollowedday-by-day,year-by-year,byastrangeluck.Hehasbeenashiningsoldierinallourwarsforyears.Hehasfilledhiswholemilitarylifewithmistakes.E