Wyndham, John – Chocky

I stopped, and my hand in my pocket.

‘Matthew, I’ve got this I want to give you.’

I took out a small red leather-covered case, and held it out to him.

Matthew’s eyes clouded. His hands did not move.

‘No. Take it,’ I insisted.

He took it reluctantly, and gazed at it dim-eyed. ‘Open it,’ I told him.

He hesitated. Slowly, and even more reluctantly he pressed the catch, and lifted the lid.

The medal glittered in the sunlight.

Matthew looked at it with an indifference that was near to distaste. Suddenly he stiffened, and bent his head forward to examine it more closely. For some seconds he did not move. Then he looked up smiling, though his eyes were overbright.

‘Thank you, Daddy … Oh, thank you … !’ he si and dropped his head to study it again.

They had made a nice job of it. It looked just as if it had always been inscribed:

AWARDED TO

CHOCKY

FOR A VALOROUS DEED

LIst of names

Names of Persons

1. Christian Names

Alan Kenneth

Albert Laurence

Chocky Matthew

Colin Patience

Dennis Paul

Emma Phyl

Janet Simon

2. Surnames

Aycott Newton

Blayde Pcrcell

Bollot Pinkser

Caffer Prost

Clutterbuck Slatson

Einstein Soames

Evans Thorbe

Froome Toach

Gore Trimble

Landis Weston

Geographical Names

Birmingham

Bontgoch

Hindmere

Comments

to page 109

for labours to come – for coming work

do make a day – do is often used to emphasize a statement or a command as in “Do shut up!” (p.115).

he appeared to be cut short – it appeared (seemed) that he was interrupted

to page 110

the consistency of the assumption that a second party was involved – Matthew behaved as though he really believed that he was talking with another person

to page 111

he would often be stopped by a cry of anguish from Polly – would is used here to denote a repeated action in the past (=used to). See also the following few sentences.

to page 112

A Piff can provide … on other, and smaller, boys. – A small child can be satisfied by an imagined creature like Piff, whom she may treat as her junior, but an elevenyear-old boy can use smaller children for these bossing purposes without inventing anyone (to boss – to execise authority over a person).

I’m sure I hope you are right – I do hope you are right

to page 113

I didn’t mean to make heavy weather on it. It just strikes me as odd. – I was’t going to be too serious about it. It just seems strange to me.

on the spur of the moment = hastily, without preparation

to page 115

She won’t leave me alone. Modal would here shows persistance.

Then she rose to the occasion = Then she managed to grasp the situation.

Here is to … – a usual toasting formula

to page 116

Now that Chocky’s existence was out of the bag = Now that Chocky’s existence was no longer a xecret

Wordsworth’s cuckoo – an allusion to a poem by William Wordsworth

(1770-1850)

…O Cuckoo! Shall I call you a bird

Or but a wandering voice?

(To the Cuckoo: O Blithe New-comer)

to page 117

You’re steering close to dangerous waters. – You are touching upon dangerous subject.

sort of…, kind of… – (in Matthew’s speech) practically meaningless expression, correspond to Russian to page 118

Chocky’s balance did on the whole lean more to the F than the M = Chocky was more like a woman than a man (F stands for female, M for male)

to page 119

before Freud was invented – before Freud became popular. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) – Austrian physician and psychiatrist, founder of psychoanalysis

you turn loose a whole new boxfil of troubles = tou may expect a lot of new troubles

to page 121

I take your Matthew for maths. = I teach your Matthew mathematics.

to page 122

I’d rather didn’t. = I don’t think you should do it.

to page 123

what had got out of gear = what was wrong

to page 124

the binary code – in mathematics: a system of numeration using 2 figures (not 10) as the base

to page 125

Joan of Arc (1412-1431; Fr. Jeanne d’Arc) – French national heroine; defeated the English at Orleans (1429); burned at the stake for witchcraft

to page 126

station-wagon – an automobile with a back end that opens for easy loading of luggage, etc.

to page 127

it was generally voted that the Gore family was entitled to filt its chins a degree or two higher = the general opinion was that now the Gores would have the right to feel a little more proud of themselves

There now, old man. Take it easy. = Don’t worry about it, old man. There now – an exclamation expressing sympathy.

take your time = don’t be in a hurry

to page 128

a here-we-go-again feeling = (here) a feeling that we were returning to the Chocky problem again. In colloquial English a quotation group can be used as an attribute.

all but overwhelmed him = nearly overwhelmed him

to page 129

However, rather than risk a wrong step now, I keep up the front. = However, not wishing to risk a wrong step now, I continued to pretend I believed him.

to page 130

safety-value – (here) something that serves as an outlet for the release of strong emotion

the old boy was an adequate enough pill-pusher = (derogatory) the old man was a good enough physician

the Matthew problem was not in his line = the problem with Matthew was not hos speciality

to have a line on smth. = to have information about smth.

to page 131

we had things under way = (here) we were making progress

to page 132

of his own accord = on his own, voluntarily

school report – written report of a pupil’s marks, behaviour, etc., sent to his parents at regular intervals

to page 133

as becomes a with-it medical man = as a fashionable medical man

Jaguar – an expensive make of a stylish sports car

to page 134

frowned me away = sent me away with a frown

to get smth. off one’s chest = to unburden oneself of some trouble by talking about it

to page 138

It wouldn’t turn into proper words. – Chocky could not find suitable words to express her idea.

to let smb. down = to disappoint smb.

to page 139

Let’s get straight. = Let’s make this thing clean.

to get out of hand = to get out of control

to page 140

out of usual key – unusual for him

to page 142

I’ve nothing against Aycott as a cut-stitcher and measles-spotter, but I don’t feel this kind of thing is up his street. = I’ve nothing against Aycott as an ordinary physician, but I don’t feel this kind of things is in his line.

to page 143

the look she keeps for hair-splitting = a hair-splitting, frightening look

and soon to be nipped = which soon disappeared

to page 144

artteacher = one who teaches drawings at school. Note the difference between Art (=fine arts, i.e. painting, music, architecture, etc.) and Arts ( such as literature, languages, history, etc., as opposed to Sciences). Note also: Arts faculty but the Academy of Fine Arts (or Art)

on the niggly side = with too much attention to details

to page 145

They grew on one, once the first strangeness had worn off. = You started liking them when you had got used to them.

to page 148

time you were off to bed now = now it’s time for you to go to bed

to page 149

Lewis Mumford’s living in Cities – Lewis Mumford (born in 1895) – American author, critic and educationalist; several of his books are devoted to the problems of big cities

much of an age with our own = almost of the same age as our own

to page 150

off the map = beyond the area covered by local maps

near thing = narrow escape, escape at the last moment

Cheers – a usual exclamation before drinking a glass of wine, beer, etc.

The tide was a bit past the turn = The tide was getting lower

to page 151

But for his repeated assurances = If he had’t assured me several times

he’s going to make sure Matthew gets one = he is going to do everything necessary so that Matthew would get a medal

to page 153

It was a memorable overstatement – exaggeration. The author means that in fact Matthew’s words were not at all clear to him.

to page 155

Boy-hero tells of `guardian angel’ rescue. – Note the omission of the article and the peculiar sty;e characteristic of newspaper headings.

to page 156

England could do with more boys like him. – England needs such boys.

to page 157

`Today’ – a BBC daily morning program of current affairs

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