Lesson6 A Dog of Flanders (2)

Ouida ( 著)

David Desmond O’Flaherty ( 改写)

Little Nello loved art passionately[1]. When the little boy walked through the town, he was amazed by the beauty he saw. He would look at a simple church or a windmill and notice its beauty. Although Nello had never gone to school, he was nonetheless[2] a very smart child. No one had taught him how to read. No one had taught him how to draw. In fact, no one had taught him anything. He had what people call “genius[3].” No one knew it. He didn’t even know it himself. Only Patrasche had an idea. That big, smart old dog noticed the boy drawing on stones. He often watched Nello’s face brighten when he saw a wonderful sunset[4].

Nello secretly wished to become a great artist. He never told any person this, however. And Jehan Daas had other ideas for him. He wanted his little grandson to become a farmer. He felt that all men should become simple farmers. To the old man,becoming a farmer was the greatest success in the world. However, Nello didn’t want to become a farmer at all. He couldn’t tell the old man that. It would break his heart.Sometimes in the evenings, Nello would whisper about his dreams into Patrasche’s ears. Patrasche was the only one that would understand him. No one else would. So he and Patrasche kept it a secret.

Eventually[5], Nello told this secret to another person. That person was a little girl who lived nearby. Her name was Alois. She lived in a red mill. Her father, Baas was the miller[6]. He was quite a rich man. Little Alois was a pretty girl. She had dark eyes, and bright, rosy cheeks. Little Alois often played with Nello and Patrasche.They gathered daisies[7] and berries[8] in the field. They went up to the old gray church together. They ran in the snow. Alois was the richest little girl in the village. People in the town dreamed that their sons would marry her.

When Nello, Alois and Patrasche were in the fields, Nello drew a portrait of Alois. At that moment Baas Cogez was walking through the field. When he saw Nello and Alois there, he became very angry. “Alois,” he called out. “Why are you playing here? Go home quickly!” Baas Cogez then picked up the drawing of Alois. Nello’s face turned red. “I draw everything I see,” he said. “Here. I’ll give you this silver coin for your drawing. I think spending your time drawing things is foolish. But I do like this picture a lot.” “Please take this drawing as a gift,” Nello said. Nello walked away across the fields. “I could have seen the Rubens paintings with that money,” he said to Patrasche. “But I just couldn’t sell her picture.”

Baas Cogez returned to his mill that night. “Nello shouldn’t play with Alois so much,” he said to his wife. “He’s fifteen years old now and she’s twelve. In a few years,he’ll probably want to marry her. He’s just a poor boy who’s never been to school.” “But he’s a good and honest boy,” said his wife. “I agree,” said the miller. “But he spends all of his time drawing. He’ll never be a landowner like me. Listen to me. You keep that boy away from Alois. If not, then I’ll send her far away to a convent[9].” The next day,she told Alois not to play with Nello anymore. Alois, however, didn’t listen to her.A few days later, Alois went to see Nello as usual. When she put her hand in his,Nello said, “No, Alois. We shouldn’t make your father angry. He doesn’t want you to play with poor boys. He is a good man. We should obey him.” Nello was very sad to say this. The world was an uglier[10] place without her.

From then on, Nello would never stop at the mill. When walking to town, he would pass right by it without even looking. The boy no longer had a friend in the world, except Patrasche. And he was poor. There was nothing in the world that could change that. Old Jehan Daas often said to him, “We are poor. We must take what God sends. The poor can’t choose.” The boy always listened in silence. But in his heart remained a small, sweet hope, a hope that he may one day be rich and famous.“Sometimes the poor can choose,” he said when he was alone with Patrasche. “They can choose to be great. Then people can no longer say no to them.” He talked to Patrasche until late that evening about what a great artist he would be. Nello believed in the future.

When the boy and the dog came home one day, old Jehan said, “Nello! Today is Alois’ birthday, isn’t it? Why aren’t you at the party?”

“You are too sick, grandfather. I can’t leave you alone.”

“Nonsense[11]! Have you had an argument with Alois?”

“Not at all. To be honest, Baas Cogez didn’t invite me this year. I don’t think he likes me.”

“But surely you didn’t do anything wrong!”

“No! I drew a picture of Alois. That’s all.”

The old man sighed[12]. He had never been to school. Yet he understood the world too well. “Ah! You are very poor, my boy. So poor!”

“Yes, but I will be rich,” Nello said, “in the future.” And he believed it.

Nello had a secret that only Patrasche knew about. There was an empty hut near his home. In this hut, Nello had drawn many sketches[13]. Nello couldn’t buy any colors but he found some charcoal[14] and chalk, and some rough[15] paper. He could draw anything in black and white and still make it look beautiful.

Nello heard of a drawing contest. Two hundred francs[16] would be given to the first-prize winner. Anybody under the age of eighteen could enter. Nello believed that this was his opportunity to improve himself. So he began to work very hard, indeed.Every evening, Patrasche would come into the hut and lie down. He watched Nello work hard at drawing. All spring, summer and autumn, Nello worked on this drawing.He said nothing to anyone. His grandfather would not understand. The drawings were due[17]on the first of December. The winner would be announced on the twenty-fourth of that same month.

On the morning of the first, Nello loaded his drawing onto the cart. He left his work at the door of the city hall, as instructed[18]. “Maybe it’s a terrible drawing,” he thought. “I’ve never learned anything about art.” Nello walked home that day with many doubts[19].

(1,117 words)

Ⅰ. How well did you read?

1. [Check the details] Nello was supposed to be a________ in the future by his grandfather.

A. rich landowner B. great artist C. simple farmer 2. [Give the reason] Alois was kept away from Nello by her father because________ .

A. Nello drew a picture of her B. Nello was very poor

C. Nello wanted to marry her

3. [Check the details] As for the drawing contest, Nello________ .

A. was very confident

B. believed it was a good chance C. spent the whole winter preparing for it Ⅱ. Read for words

1. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined words.

(1) Sometimes in the evenings, Nello would whisper about his dreams into Patrasche’s ears. (Para. 2)A. say something quietly

B. speak loudly

C. shout

(2) When Nello, Alois and Patrasche were in the fields, Nello drew a portrait of Alois. (Para. 4)A. statue B. painting C. impression (3) On the morning of the first, Nello loaded his drawing onto the cart. (Para. 18)A. threw B. put C. drew

2. Choose one best paraphrase or Chinese meaning for the underlined expressions.

(1) He is a good man. We should obey him. (Para. 6)A. watch him B. do as he said C. ignore him (2) You are too sick, grandfather. I can’t leave you alone. (Para. 9)A. 扔下你不管 B. 在你左右 C. 陪伴你(3) All spring, summer and autumn, Nello worked on this drawing. (Para. 17)A. knew about B. was interested in C. kept practicing Ⅲ. Writing practice

1. Was Nello good at drawing? How do you know that?

2. Why didn’t Nello take the silver coin which could help him go to see the Rubens paintings?

3. Predict whether Nello would win the drawing contest or not. Why?

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