How Steel Was Tempered - Student Quality Library (Teacher Accompanied Version)

Author: Ostrovsky
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: "Those who came to my house for makeup exams, stand up!" The weak, fat priest, wearing a robe and hanging a cross around his neck, glared fiercely at all the students in the class. His fierce little eyes stared at the six children who had stood up from their seats—four boys and two girls. They all looked at the robe-clad priest with fear. "Sit down," the priest said to the two girls. The two girls quickly sat down, sighing with relief. Father Vasily's small eyes fixed on the four boys. "You little rascals, who smokes?" The four whispered, "Father, we don't smoke." The priest turned purple with anger. "You little scoundrels, you don't smoke, but how did the cigarette crumbs get into the dough? None of you smoke? Well, then let's see! Turn your pockets inside out! Did you hear me? Turn them inside out!" After three children emptied their pockets and placed the contents on the table, the priest carefully checked every seam in their pockets but found no trace of cigarette crumbs. He turned to the fourth child, the one with black eyes, staring at his tattered gray shirt and patched blue pants. "Why are you like a log?" The boy with black eyes looked at the priest and whispered, "I don’t have pockets." As he spoke, he touched the sewn pocket opening with his hand. "Hmph, no pockets? You think I don’t know who would do such a thing—ruin the Easter dough? You think the school won’t expel you now? Hmph, you little bastard, you won’t get off easy this time. Last time, it was your mother who begged them not to expel you, but this time it’s different. Get out!" He grabbed the boy’s ear and shoved him into the hallway, slamming the door shut. Only Shura Bruzzhak, Pavel Korchagin’s close friend, knew why Pavel was expelled from school. While waiting for the makeup exam in the priest’s kitchen, Pavel had sprinkled a pinch of cigarette crumbs into the dough meant for Easter cakes. P1-2