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40.

I completed my education at Eton in June 2003, thanks to hours of hard work and some extratutoring arranged by Pa. No small feat¹ for one so unscholarly, so limited, so distracted, and while Iwasn’t proud of myself, exactly, because I didn’t know how to be proud of myself, I felt a distinctpause in my nonstop internal self-criticism.

And then I was accused of cheating.

An art teacher came forward with evidence of cheating, which turned out not to be evidence ofcheating. It turned out to be nothing at all, and I was later cleared by the exam board. But thedamage was done. The accusation² stuck.

Brokenhearted, I wanted to release a statement, hold a press conference, tell the world: I didthe work! I didn’t cheat!

The Palace wouldn’t let me. In this, as in most things, the Palace stuck fast to the familymotto: Never complain, never explain. Especially if the complainer was an eighteen-year-old boy.

Thus I was forced to sit by and say nothing while the papers called me a cheat and a dummyevery day. (Because of an art project! I mean, how do you “cheat” on an art project?) This was theofficial start of that dreaded³ title: Prince Thicko. Just as I was cast as Conrade without myconsultation or consent, I was now cast in this role. The difference was, we did Much Ado AboutNothing for three nights. This had the look of a role that would last a lifetime.

Prince Harry⁴? Oh, yeah, not too bright.

Can’t pass a simple test without cheating, that’s what I read!

I talked to Pa about it. I was near despair.

He said what he always said.

Darling boy, just don’t read it.

He never read it. He read everything else, from Shakespeare to white papers on climatechange, but never the news. (He did watch the BBC, but he’d often end up throwing the controllerat the TV.) The problem was, everyone else read it. Everyone in my family claimed not to, justlike Pa, but even as they were making this claim to your face, liveried footmen were bustlingaround them, fanning every British newspaper across silver platters, as neatly⁵ as the scones⁶ andmarmalades.

 

1 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

2 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

3 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

4 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

5 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

6 scones   

n.烤饼，烤小圆面包( scone的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• scones and jam with clotted cream 夹有凝脂奶油和果酱的烤饼
• She makes scones and cakes for the delectation of visitors. 她烘制了烤饼和蛋糕供客人享用。 来自辞典例句