Section 63 Tender, Trusty, and True. — III
Now1, just here I was trying to see what2 sort of boy David was when he grew3 bigger; and, when I shut my eyes, and so tried4 to see it all clearly, I heard a noise right5 under my study window. This was6 about7 four o’clock, Friday afternoon; the schools were out, and the children running home8. I turned my head to see what was the matter9, and then (App. § 14) I saw what I want10 to tell you. About ten boys were standing together11. All at once a big boy knocked12 a little boy13 down, and rolled him in the snow14. The little boy got up15, and said: “What16 did you do that for?” Then17 the big boy again approached the little boy13, and I believe18 he would have knocked him down again19, had not the little boy13 walked sobbing away20 towards home.
Notes
1 Hier wollte ich nun sehen.
2 what sort of, was für ein.
3 werden.
4 sich bemühen.
5 just under the window of my study.
6 Here follow the words ‘on Friday afternoon’.
7 Supply here the prep. ‘at’, um.
8 The English ‘home’, after a verb denoting motion, must be rendered by nach Hause, and ‘at home’, after a verb denoting rest, by zu Hause.
9 the matter is, es giebt, verb impers. Use the Present of the Subj., according to App. § 32.
10 The auxiliary verb of mood ‘wollen’ expresses wish and want; as—
Was wollen Sie? What do you wish?
Zu wem wollen Sie? Who is it you want?
11 neben einander.
12 to knock down, zu Boden schlagen.
13 The noun ‘boy’ need not be repeated here.
14 Supply here the adverb ‘about’ (umher).
15 to get up, auf´stehen.
16 What... for = Why. Use the 2nd pers. sing.
17 Upon this, S. 44, N. 4.
18 Supply here the conj. daß. Read carefully § 36 of the App., and construe accordingly. Use the Pluperfect Subj. in both clauses, and observe that the verb gehen always requires the auxiliary sein. See S. 29, N. 3.
19 noch einmal.
20 away towards home = home.