but many a one looked from the empty spaces to the schoolmaster, and whispered to his idle neighbor, behind his hand. 不过其中有个孩子偷偷瞧着老师，跟身后相邻闲得无聊的孩子耳语着什么。

　　Then began the hum of conning over lessons and getting them by heart, the whispered jest and stealthy game, and all the noise and drawl of school; 接下来，学生们开始上课，嗡嗡地背诵课文，有的在小声开玩笑和偷偷玩游戏，嘈杂声和拖长语调读课文的声音交织在一起。

　　and in the midst of the din, sat the poor schoolmaster, vainly attempting to fix his mind upon the duties of the day, and to forget his little sick friend. 这位可怜的老师置身于嘈杂的声音中间，徒劳地竭力聚精会神，尽自己的本分，强迫自己忘掉那位生病的小朋友。

　　But the tedium of his office reminded him more strongly of the willing scholar, and his thoughts were rambling from his pupils—it was plain. 但是，教室里单调乏味的气氛令他禁不住更加想念那位专注的小学者，他的思绪早已离开眼前这些学生——脑海里一片空白。

　　None knew this better than the idlest boys, who, growing bolder with impunity, waxed louder and more daring; 这些最懒惰的孩子当然会钻空子，他们晓得老师不惩罚他们而愈发胆大妄为，大声说话，

　　playing "odd or even" under the master's eye; eating apples openly and without rebuke; 在老师眼皮底下玩“猜单双游戏”；旁若无人地吃苹果，而不会受到申斥；

　　pinching each other in sport or malice, without the least reserve; and cutting their initials in the very legs of his desk. 互相之间推推搡搡，恶意嬉闹，连最起码的防护措施也没有；在老师书桌的桌腿上刻上每个学生名字的第一个字母。

　　The puzzled dunce, who stood beside it to say his lesson "off the book," looked no longer at the ceiling for forgotten words, 那个令老师伤透脑筋的笨家伙站在书桌旁说，上他的课根本不用“看书”，他不再因为忘了词儿盯着天花板，

　　but drew closer to the master's elbow, and boldly cast his eye upon the page; 而是凑到老师眼皮底下，胆大包天地盯着那一页。

　　the wag of the little troop squinted and made grimaces (at the smallest boy, of course), 这个小调皮鬼斜着眼睛做出种种怪相（当然冲着年龄最小的男孩子），

　　holding no book before his face, and his approving companions knew no constraint in their delight. 他的面前没有书本遮着，观众大表赞成，乐不可支。