Смешные рассказы / The Funny Stories - стр. 10

I looked, and looked, and looked at him, searching, noting: the quietness, the noble gravity; the simple honesty.

The priest at my left was my friend – priest now, but he spent the first half of his life in the camp and field, and as an instructor in the military school at Woolwich. Just at the moment I was talking about, a singular light blinked in his eyes, and he leaned down and whispered to me – pointing at the hero of the banquet: 'Privately – his glory is an accident – just a result of luck.'

This was a great surprise to me. If its subject was Napoleon, or Socrates, or Solomon, my shock could not be greater.

Some days later came the explanation of this strange phrase, and this is what my friend told me.

“About forty years ago I was an instructor in the military academy at Woolwich. I was in one of the sections when young Scoresby passed his examination. Other students answered brightly, while he – dear me, he didn't know anything. He was good, and sweet, and lovable; and so it was painful to see him stand there and give stupid answers. I said to myself, that after the next exam he could be excluded; so it will be an act of charity to help him as much as I can.

I found out that he knew a little of Caesar's history; and he didn't know anything else. I trained him like a slave on questions about Caesar, which I knew would be used in test. If you'll believe me, he passed the exam brilliantly! He even got compliments, while others, who knew a thousand times more than he, were criticized. By some strangely lucky accident – an accident that happens once in a century – he was not asked any other questions except from those he prepared.

Well, during his course I helped him, with the feeling which a mother feels for a crippled child; and he always saved himself – just by miracle.

The exam that would kill him was mathematics. I decided to make his death as easy as I could; so trained him, just on the questions which the examiner would certainly use. Well, sir, try to guess the result: to my horror, he took the first prize!

Sleep! There was no more sleep for me for a week. My conscience tortured me day and night. What have I done! I only wanted to ease the poor youth's fall – I never dreamed of such results. I felt as the creator of Frankenstein. Here was a wooden-head and I give him the chance to make a brilliant career.”

“The Crimean war just started. I waited for the news. It came. And it shocked me. He was a captain now! Better men grow old in the service before they get a rank like that. Who could know that they put such responsibility on his green shoulders! I thought my hair would turn white.