I was busy watering some celery that had been planted in trenches and
shaded from the hot sun.
To do this I had a barrel fitted on wheels in a sort of barrow. From
this I filled my can by dipping it, and when I had finished I had to go
down to the bottom of the garden to a good-sized pond and reverse the
process, dipping a bucket at some steps and filling the barrel.
I had filled my barrel once, and was busy dipping my can and thinking
about Shock and what would be the consequences if he were seen by the
two boys, when I suddenly found them by me, each with his cap full of
ripe gooseberries, which they were eating as they watched me; and after
giving his brother a look, Philip opened the annoyance by saying: "Come, pauper, work away."
I took no notice, when a half-sucked gooseberry struck me on the arm.
It was a disgusting act on the young coward's part, but though in a
moment I felt on fire, I only wiped it off, when Courtenay threw one and
hit me on the face.
I wiped that away too, and raising my can stepped off the path on to the
bed to go to the trench, but not in time to avoid a large over-ripe
gooseberry which smashed as it struck me in the ear and began to trickle
down.
I was in such a rage that the roar of laughter from my two tyrants half
maddened me, and I watered that celery in a way that washed some of the
roots quite bare.
They were waiting for me when I got back to the tub, and, emboldened by
the patient way in which I bore their insults, they kept on pelting me
with the over-ripe fruit till I had it in my hair, my eyes, and down
within the collar of my shirt.
I ground my teeth with rage, and felt that I could bear it no longer,
but I made no sign.
Then they pelted me with words too, inventing ridiculous names, asking
me about the workhouse food, and at last I determined to bear it no
longer, but go straight up to the house and show Sir Francis the state I
was in and beg him to put a stop to this annoyance.
But just then it flashed upon my mind that Sir Francis and her ladyship
had gone out the day before to stay somewhere for a fortnight, and this
explained the boldness of the two young ruffians, who had never behaved
so outrageously before.
"If I go and tell Mr Solomon," I thought, "he will only tell me I was
foolish to take any notice;" and at last, writhing with annoyance, I
emptied the barrel and trundled it down to the pond, hoping to leave my
tormentors behind.