You are a school-leaver. Your family and you have supper. Tell your parents what University you are going to enter and why. Dont forget to mention the department you want to study at and the prospect of your choice.
VI. Compose a story about your spare time. Use the following words and expressions:
To have a good time; outdoors; to be keen on; to go out; to be good at.
VII. Home-reading. Read and translate orally and do all tasks in written form.
Mixed Relations
By William Wymark Jacobs
The brig Elizabeth Barstow was sailing up the river as though in a hurry to get home. The skipper, standing at the wheel, was having a hot discussion with the mate. The subject of their discussion was the cook of the Elizabeth Barstow.
And he isnt ashamed to spoil good food, said the mate.
"The moment I can find another cook, he will go" said the skipper. What is he doing now? He is making a terrible noise."
"I told him to clean up everything, ready for the next," explained the mate, grimly. "And he keeps on telling me that he is improvingimproving!"
"He'll go as soon as I get another," repeated the skipper. "I don't like being poisoned any more than you do. He told me he could cook very well when I shipped him. He said his sister had taught him to cook. If I had known he cooked so badly, I would never have shipped him".
The river became narrow, and soon the crew of the brig made fast at the London wharf. Then the seamen went below to prepare themselves for an evening ashore. Standing before the largest saucepan-lid in the galley, the cook was putting the finishing touches to his toilet.
The skipper was standing at the side smoking. Suddenly he heard light, quick footsteps. They stood just behind him, and turning round he found himself looking into the soft brown eyes of the prettiest girl he had ever seen.
"Is Mr. Jewell on board, please?" she asked, with a smile.
Jewell?" repeated the skipper. "Jewell? I dont know the name."
"He was on board," said the girl, throwing a surprised look at the skipper. "This is the Elizabeth Barstow, isn't it?"
"What is his first name," asked the skipper, thoughtfully.
"Albert," replied the girl. "I call him Bert," she added, as the other shook his head.
"Oh, the cook!" said the skipper. "I didn't know his name was Jewell. Yes, he's in the galley."
He stood looking at her. What could she see in the small white-faced cook? he thought to himself.
"How does he cook?" asked the girl, smiling.
He was about to tell her, when he suddenly remembered what the cook said about his instructor.
"He's getting on," he said, slowly; "he's getting on. Are you his sister?"
The girl smiled and nodded.
"Yees," she said, slowly. "Will you tell him I am waiting for him, please?"
The skipper looked pleasantly at the girl, but said nothing. He walked forward and put his head in at the galley
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"Bert," he said, in a friendly voice, "your sister wants to see you."
"Who?" asked the cook in a surprise voice. He put his head out of the door and nodded. Then he put on his jacket and walked towards her. The skipper followed.
"Thank you," said the girl, with a pleasant smile.
"You're quite welcome," said the skipper.
Mr. Jewell stepped ashore. He seemed embarrassed at first. Then he shook hands with his visitor.
"If you come this way again to call Bert," said the skipper, as they turned away, "perhaps you would like to see the cabin. If you could come tomorrow night"
The girl's eyes were gay and her lips trembled a little. "Thank you," she said.
"Some people like looking over cabins," murmured the skipper.
He raised his hand to his cap and turned away. The mate, who had just come on deck, saw the couple walking away. He gave a low whistle.
"The girl is too nice for our cook," he said remarked.
"It's his sister," said the skipper, rather sharply.
"The one that taught him to cook?" said the other. "Here! I'd like to have five minutes to talk with her. I'd give her a piece of my mind and it would do her good. I'd tell her. Id tell her what I think of her."
"That will do," said the skipper; "that will do. He's not so bad for a beginner; I've known worse cooks."
"Not so bad?" repeated the mate. "Not so bad? Why"his voice trembled"aren't you going to get rid of him?"
"I shall try him for another voyage, George," said the skipper. "We mustnt be too severe. We must give him a chance, he is very young. Live and let live, thats my motto.
"You are growing soft-hearted, said the mate.
It was late when the cook returned, but the skipper was on deck. Stopping him for a match, the skipper started to talk to him.
Mr. Jewell was surprised at first, but soon became at his ease. The subject of their conversation was Miss Jewell, and the cook spoke about her like a loving brother.
"You spent the evening together, I suppose?" said the skipper.
Mr. Jewell looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Yes, we were cooking," he said, and put his hand over his mouth. By the time they finished their conversation, the skipper had his hand in a friendly manner on the cook's shoulder. He was showing a great interest in Mr. Jewell. Such friendliness was unusual for the cook and he grew embarrassed.
The mate ate very little at breakfast next morning. But the skipper, who saw the hand of Miss Jewell in the thin coffee and burned meat, ate his breakfast with pleasure.
He was looking forward to the evening as the cook had assured him that his sister had accepted his invitation to come and inspect the cabin.
The evening came and Miss Jewell arrived. She was very pleased with everything the skipper showed her on the brig. The cook followed them around.
"It's like a doll's house," she said when she finished the inspection."But, I mustn't take up any more of your time."
"I've got nothing to do," said the skipper. "II was thinking of going for a walk. But it is not pleasant taking a walk by yourself."
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Miss Jewell agreed, looking at the skipper out of the corner of her eye.
"I never had a sister," continued the skipper in a sad tone.
"But I don't suppose you would want to take your sister out if you had one," said the girl.
"But Bert takes you out," he said.
"He isn't like most brothers," said Miss Jewell, putting her hand lovingly on the cook's shoulder.
"If I had a sister," continued the skipper, nervously, "I should take her out. This evening, for instance, I should take her to a theatre."
Miss Jewell turned her pretty face to him. "It would be nice to be your sister," she said, softly.
The skipper attempted to speak, but could not. His voice did not obey him. "Well, pretend you are my sister," he said, at last, "and we'll go to a theater."
"Pretend?" said Miss Jewell, as she turned and looked at the cook. "Bert wouldn't like that, I am sure" she said, firmly.
"Nno, of course not" said the cook, nervously.
"It wouldn't be proper," said Miss Jewell.
"II was going to invite Bert too," said the skipper; "of course," he added.
Miss Jewell's face grew calm. She looked at the cook and understood what she had to do. Ten minutes later the crew of the Elizabeth Barstow was watching in astonishment their commander going ashore with his cook. The mate so far forgot himself as to give a whistle. But soon as the skipper turned around to see who had whistled, the mate pulled the boy's ear with presence of mind.
For some little distance the three walked along in silence. The skipper was building castles in the air, the cook was quite at his ease, and the girl seemed nervous. When they came to the stop, Miss Jewel asked the two men to go to the theater together and leave her to go home. They discussed the matter for some time. But when the omnibus came, Mr. Jewell and the skipper pushed her on to it quickly. She took a seat in front, and the skipper and Mr. Jewell sat together behind her. The three hours at the theater passed all too soon. The girl was so interested in the play that paid no attention to her companions at all.
"It was wonderful, said the cook when they left the theater. Lovely," said the girl, softly. "I shall come and see it again, perhaps, when you are at sea."
Alone?" said the skipper, nervously.
"I don't mind being alone," said Miss Jewell, gently; "I'm used to it."
They got off at their stop, and the girl thanked the skipper for a pleasant evening. She didnt allow him to see her home, and the sipper watched her and the cook until they disappeared in the crowd. The he walked slowly and thoughtfully to his ship.
The brig sailed the next evening at eight o'clock. It was not until six that the cook told the skipper that his sister was coming to see him off. She arrived half an hour late, and, when she came down to the cabin, she said to the skipper:
"You'll be good to Bert, won't you?"
"I'll treat him like my own brother," said the skipper, looking at the cook kindly. "No, I will treat him better; I'll treat him like your brother."
"I know you will, said the girl, very softly; "but I don't think the crew"
"The crew will do as I wish," said the skipper, firmly. "I'm the master on this ship. Anybody who will treat him badly will treat me badly. If there's anything you don't like, Bert, you tell me."
Mr. Jewell promised to do so, and then, muttering something about his work, went up on deck. It is a nice cabin," said Miss Jewell. "I suppose poor Bert has to take his meals in that dark little place at the other end of the ship, doesn't he?"
"The fo'c'sle?" said the skipper, struggling between love and discipline. "Yes."
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The mate, standing at the skylight above, was listening to their conversation with great attention. Then their talk stopped and he heard no more. Both the skipper and the girl were silent for some time.
"You see, said the skipper, It's usual for the cook to eat there.
"Yes, of course," said the girl, coldly.
"But if Bert likes to eat here" the skipper began, hes welcome. And he can sleep aft, too. The mate can say what he likes."
It was time to say good-bye, and the skipper followed her up on deck. The skipper felt sad as they left London. He was thinking about Miss Jewell. But he soon came to himself as the mate said, pointing to the cook: "He says he is going to eat here."
"Quite right," said the skipper. "I told him to. He's going to take his meals and to sleep here, too. Do you want to say anything to say against it?"
The mate was so angry; he could not say a word
"I told him it was your order," said the cook calmly.
"And I told him I didn't believe him," said the mate. "Nobody would. Have you ever heard anything like that? Why, everybody would laugh at the idea.
He laughed himself. But it was not a gay laugh. He went up on deck and stayed there for a long time. He did not come down to breakfast until the skipper and cook had finished eating.
The crew did not like the cooks improved position on the brig. They would gladly give him a good beating, but they were afraid of the skipper. They made sarcastic jokes about Berts cooking, but he paid no attention to them. And his cooking grew worse and worse every day.
The brig reached her destination, Creekhaven, on the fifth day, and Mr. Jewell found himself an welcome guest at the skipper's cottage. It was a comfortable place, but, as the cook pointed out, too large for one. He also told him of his sister's love of a country life. Their favorite subject was Miss Jewell and they never got tired of it.
In two weeks they returned to London. The skipper was very sorry to find that Miss Jewell had gone on visit.
On the third day Miss Jewell returned to London. She came to the wharf and was just in time to see the brig sail off.
During the voyage the skipper had to talk to the cook. He explained to him that he wanted very much to company of Miss Jewell and that there was really no need for Bert to come too.
Mr. Jewell shook his head. "She wouldn't go without me," he said, firmly.
"Lets think of some other plan, said the skipper. Suppose we lose you, how would that be?
"We might try it," said the cook, without enthusiasm.
The skipper put his ideas into practice as soon as they reached London. When the three of them went out, the skipper lost the cook three times. Miss Jewell found him twice, and the third time she became so nervous that the skipper himself had to look for Bert in order to please her. Another time he found he had lost both Mr. Jewell and his sister. HE walked up and down the street for hours, and it was past eleven when he returned to the ship and found the cook waiting for him.
"We thought something had happened to you," said the cook. "Kate worried very much about you. Five minutes after you lost me she found me, and we looked for you high and low, but all in vain."
Next evening when three of them went out again, Miss Jewell decided to go for a long bus ride. She sat down in front with the skipper, paying no attention to Bert who was sitting three seats behind.
The subject of their conversation was life in the country. The skipper asked the girl if she would like to leave town and live in country.
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"I should love it," said Miss Jewell, with a sigh. "But there's no chance of it. I earn my living in the town."
"You mightmight marry somebody living in the country," said the skipper, in trembling tones.
"Marry!" cried out Miss Jewell.
"Most people do," said the other.
"Wise people don't," said the girl. "You haven't married" she added, with a smile.
"I'm very thankful I haven't," replied the skipper, with great meaning.
"There you are!" said the girl.
"I never saw anybody I liked," said the skipper, "be..before."
Time went on. Voyage followed voyage. The skipper grew more and more worried. He could not understand Miss Jewell at all. She changed like a weather-glass. Sometimes he felt that he had better forget her as soon as possible. And sometimes her manner was so kind and her eyes so full of love that only the presence of cook prevented him from asking her to marry him.
The end came one evening in October. The skipper had just come back from the City. He bought some sweets and fruit because Miss Jewell had agreed to come to eat at last.
The table, set by the boy was so heavy with all kinds of the food, - it seemed ready to break. But the girl had not arrived. The cook was also missing, and the only occupant of the cabin was the mate, who, sitting at one corner, was eating with great appetite.
"Aren't you going to get your tea?" he asked.
"No hurry," said the skipper."It wouldn't have hurt you if you had waited a bit."
"Waited?" said the other. "What for?"
"For my visitors," was the reply.
The mate went on eating. "No use waiting for them," he said, with a grin. "They aren't coming."
"What do you mean?" demanded the skipper.
"I mean," said the mate, still grinning, "I mean that all that kindheartedness of yours to the cook was no use. He's gone he's gone for good. He left you his love and best wishes with Bill Hemp, the seaman."
What are you talking about?
"Ah!" said the mate, taking a large and noisy sip from his cup. "He's been fooling you all the time. He was sleeping aft, eating aft and nobody could say a word to him. He was going out with the skipper and eating all the good things that skipper bought for him. Bill said he laughed so much when he was telling him all about it that the tears were running down 'is face like rain. He said he had never been treated so much in his life."
"That'll do," said the skipper, quickly.
"You ought to hear Bill tell it," said the mate, regretfully. "I can't do it as well as he can. He made us all roar with laughterWhat we like most was your thinking that the girl was really the cook's sister."
The skipper, with a sharp exclamation, leaned forward, staring at him.
"They're going to be married in winter" said the mate, laughing in his cup.
The skipper was silent for a long time. He was very unhappy. Many things he had not understood before were suddenly made clear to him now. He remembered all the changes in the girls manner. The mate stared at him with interest. He was about to give him more details when his attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps going down to the companion-ladder. Then he put down his cup with great care, and stared in stolid amazement at the figure of Miss Jewell in the doorway.
"I'm a bit late," she said, softly. She crossed over and shook hands with the skipper. Then, in the most natural way in the world she took a seat and began to take off her gloves. The mate turned round and looked at her with his mouth open. The astonished skipper sat looking at her in a silence. The mate was the first to move. He left the cabin without a word.
"You didn't expect to see me?" said the girl, reddening again.
"No," was the reply.
"I came to beg your pardon," she said, in a low voice.
"There's nothing to beg my pardon for," said the skipper sadly. You did quite right to make fun of me. I can see it now."
"When you asked me whether I was Bert's sister I didn't like to say 'no,'" continued the girl; "and at first I let you come out with me for the fun of the thing, and then Bert said it would be good for him, and thenthen"
"Yes," said the skipper, after a long pause.
"Then I didn't mind your coming so much," she said, in a low voice.
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"I've been a fool," said the skipper. "I've been a fool. I've made myself a laughing-stock on the brig, but if I could have it all over again I would."
There was a long silence.
"Good-by," said the girl at last, rising.
The skipper rose too. "Good-by," he said, slowly; "and I wish you both every happiness."
"Happiness?" asked the girl, in a surprised voice. "Why?"
"When you are married."
"I am not going to be married," said the girl, "I told Bert so this afternoon. Good-by."
She started going up the companion ladder. For a few moments the skipper stood with his mouth open. Then, regaining his presence of mind, he rushed after her.
