And the people who are passing halt, and all direct a glance of sympathy towards that pleasing building, which contains so much youth and so many hopes. Then a sudden dull sound is heard, a clapping to of books and portfolios, a shuffling of feet, a buzz which spreads from room to room, and from the lower to the higher, as at the sudden diffusion of a bit of good news: it is the beadle, who is making his rounds, announcing the dismissal of school.

路上行人都被吸引了望着，这有着大群前途无限的青年的屋宇。突然间，折叠书册或纸央的声响，脚步的声响，纷然从这宣传到那室，从楼上延到楼下，这是校工报知返课了。

And at that sound a throng of women, men, girls, and youths press closer from this side and that of the door, waiting for their sons, brothers, or grandchildren; while from the doors of the class-rooms little boys shoot forth into the big hall, as from a spout, seize their little capes and hats, creating a great confusion with them on the floor, and dancing all about, until the beadle chases them forth one after the other. And at length they come forth, in long files, stamping their feet. And then from all the relatives there descends a shower of questions: "Did you know your lesson? How much work did they give you? What have you to do for tomorrow! When does the monthly examination come?"

一听到这声音，在外面的男子、妇人、女子、年轻的，都从四面集来向学校门口拥去，等待自己的儿子、弟弟或是孙子出来。立时，小孩们从教室门口水也似的向大门泻出，有的拿帽子，有的取外套，有的拂着这些东西，跑着喧闹着。校工催他们一个一个地走出，于是才排成长长的行列走出来，在外等候着的家属就各自探问：“做好了吗？出了几个问题？明天要预备的功课有多少？本月月考在哪一天？”

And then even the poor mothers who do not know how to read, open the copy books, gaze at the problems, and ask particulars: "Only eight? Ten with commendation? Nine for the lesson?" And they grow uneasy, and rejoice, and interrogate the masters, and talk of prospectuses and examinations. How beautiful all this is, and how great and how immense is its promise for the world!

连不识文字的母亲，也翻开了笔记簿看着，问：“只有八分吗？复习是九分？”这样，或是担心，或是欢喜，或是询问先生，或是谈论前途的希望与试验的事。学校的将来真是如何美满，如何广大啊！

THY FATHER.

父亲