On March 21, the United Kingdom will launch the latest census, and the National Bureau of Statistics of the United Kingdom, which is responsible for this work, was asked by the High Court of the country to revise the wording of the questionnaire guide when asking about gender.
According to the British “Times” report on the 10th, the 2021 British Census Guidelines described gender questions as follows: “Please use the gender recorded in legal documents, such as birth certificates, gender confirmation certificates or passports.” British “Guardian” ”Said that the gender on legal documents such as passports or driver’s licenses can be changed without formal legal procedures. In this regard, some organizations have raised objections, saying that the National Bureau of Statistics of the United Kingdom is allowing people to answer gender questions based on their gender identity recorded on non-compliant legal documents. The Guardian stated that the move was to “conflate” gender and gender identity, or lead to inaccurate census data.
On the 9th, the British High Court made a ruling requiring the National Bureau of Statistics to revise the wording-the questionnaire filled in can only use the gender recorded on the birth certificate or gender confirmation certificate. More than an hour after the ruling was made, the online guide was revised.
There was something in the way Aunt Polly kissed him that did Tom wonderfully good. His dejection was blown away and all of a sudden he felt lighthearted and happy again. He stormed the school and was lucky enough to run into Becky on the way. Since he always let himself be guided by his momentary mood, he ran up to her without a moment’s thought and shouted honestly:
“Becky, I was really horrible to you this morning, I never, never want to be like that as long as I live, just be good again, will you?”
The girl stopped and looked contemptuously into his face:
“I would be very grateful to you, Mr. Thomas Sawyer, if you would spare me your company in the future, I will never speak to you again.”
Said it, threw back his head and proudly walked away. ‘Herr’ Thomas Sawyer was stunned with astonishment that he didn’t even have the presence of mind enough to say ‘As you wish, Jungfer Patzig’ and only thought of it when it was too late. So he didn’t say a word, but was none the less furious. He crept into the schoolyard and only wished[182] she would be a boy and he could piss her off for this outrageous insult. As he got near her, he hurled a biting remark in her face. She replied in the same tone and the break was complete. Becky, eager for revenge, could hardly wait for class to begin, so she was dying to see Tom get his beating for the smeared book. If she had ever felt the shadow of a doubt as to whether she would not tell Alfred Tempel after all, he had been chased away never to return by Tom’s last kindness.
Poor thing – she had no idea what threatening calamity was looming over her own head. The teacher, Mr. Dobson, a middle-aged man, had an exaggerated, unattainable ambition in his chest. The dream of his life had been to become a doctor, but his poverty had caused him to become an elementary school teacher. Every day, when the various classes were busy, he picked up a mysterious book, which he diligently studied. He kept it strictly under lock and key. Each of his schoolchildren burned with curiosity to take a look at it, but they never wanted the opportunity to do so. Each of the children, boys and girls, had their own view of the book, but never succeeded in finding out more. As Becky was scurrying past the open door of the room, she noticed that the key to the desk was in it. It was a delightful moment that had to be exploited. She looked around quickly and found herself completely unobserved; the next moment she was holding the book. The title page: ‘Anatomy of Professor So-and-so’ did not serve to educate her about the contents, so she hastily began to turn the pages over. Right at the beginning she came across a wonderfully colored picture – a human one so she hastily began to turn the leaves over. Right at the beginning she came across a wonderfully colored picture – a human one so she hastily began to turn the leaves over. Right at the beginning she came across a wonderfully colored picture – a human one[183] Figure. At the same moment a shadow fell on the book, Tom Sawyer stepped through the door and caught a glimpse of the picture. Becky wanted to close the book quickly, but in her excitement had the misfortune to tear the picture from top to almost the middle. The book flew into the desk, she turned the key and broke out into bitter sobs of shame and anger.
“Tom Sawyer,” she called, “you are as mean as you can be. To attack someone like that and spy on what they are doing! ”
“How could I know what you’re bothering you?”
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Tom Sawyer; now you will go and gossip me at the teacher and – Lord you my God, what am I going to do? I’ve never been beaten in school and today – today the teacher will surely cut me through.
Then, when Tom didn’t answer, she stamped her little foot and called out:
“Well, then be so mean and betray me if you enjoy it. But wait, nothing good is blooming for you either, just think of me – mean – mean! ”And with another stream of tears she fell away.
Tom stood stunned by such a volcanic eruption. Then he said to himself:
“What a fool she is! Never been beaten! Lord God, what do I care more or less about a costume? But that’s how the girls are, so thin-skinned and rabbit-footed. It doesn’t even occur to me to clap her, but it’ll come out. Old Dobson will of course ask who it was, and if no one answers, he asks one after the other, then he’ll notice it on his face. So’n[184] Girl always betrays herself, there is no guts in it. The matter is critical for the poor thing, Becky, she’ll get it, there’s no doubt about it. Well, that’s fine with me, she’d love to see me in the same tight spot with all her heart. Let her watch how she bathes it! ”
Tom rejoined the crowd of noisy comrades outside; soon afterwards the teacher appeared and the lesson began. The studies didn’t attract Tom very much. Every time he looked over at the girls, Becky’s little face worried him. Strictly speaking, he had absolutely no reason to pity her, and yet, no matter what he did, he could not help feeling sorry. Now Teacher discovered the tainted reader, which absorbed Tom’s full attention to his own business. That shook Becky out of her grief and she followed the events with great attention. She didn’t think Tom would be able to lie to himself, and she was right. His denial only seemed to make things worse for him. Then when the negotiation reached its climax It practically drove her to jump up and brag about Alfred Tempel, but she forced herself to calm down because she said to herself: “Tom claps that I tore the picture up.” I don’t say a word, even if it’s his life. ”
Tom pocketed his beating and stepped back into his seat, not at all dejected. He thought himself that it was possible that he spilled the ink on the book without knowing it, that sort of thing could happen. He had only denied it because of the form and because it was the custom; then he had insisted on principle.
A whole hour passed; The teacher sat nodding on his throne, the hum of the mumbling,[185] learning children was soporific. Gradually Herr Dobson got up, yawned, unlocked his desk, picked up his book and fingered it, undecided whether to take it or not. The pupils looked at him sleepily, two of them followed his activity with eager eyes. Mr. Dobson still seemed undecided; at last he picked up the book and leaned back in his chair to read.
Tom took a quick look at Becky. This stared around like a hunted deer that sees the deadly run directed at itself, so helpless, so desperate. At the moment all resentment was gone. Something had to be done, but immediately, at lightning speed, otherwise it would be too late. But the close proximity of danger seemed to paralyze his ingenuity completely. What if he fell down and snatched the book from the teacher so that he could flee? He thought for a single second and – the opportunity was gone, the teacher opened the book. If only the lost moment could be caught again, Tom felt capable of anything now. Too late! Becky was beyond help. In the next moment the teacher’s eye met the looking up students, the eyes lowered in front of his gaze, there was something in it, which filled even the most innocent of them with awe and fear. There was a pause during which one could count to ten. The teacher seemed to have to gather strength. Then it came:
“Who tore this book up?”
No sound. You could have heard a pin drop to the ground. The frightening silence continued. The teacher looked for signs of guilt on face after face.
“Benjamin Rogers, did you tear up the book?”
Negation. Another pause.
“Joe Harper, you?”
[186]
Another negative. Tom’s discomfort grew and grew under the slow agony of the procedure. The teacher let his gaze wander over the rows of boys, thought for a while, and then turned to the girls:
“Anny Lorenz?”
A shake of the head.
“Grace Miller?”
Same sign.
“Susanne Harper?”
Another negative. The next girl was Becky. Tom was trembling from head to toe with excitement; he felt the whole hopelessness of the situation.
“Rebekka Thatcher” – (Tom saw that her face was as pale as death with horror) – “did you – no, look at me – (she raised her hands in silent pleading) did you tear this book up?”
A thought shot through Tom’s brain like lightning. He jumped up and called out loud into the prevailing silence:
“ I did it. «
All eyes stared at him speechless because of such unheard-of, incredible madness. Tom stood there motionless for a moment in order to collect his somewhat upset spirits, and when he then stepped to the desk to receive his punishment, Becky’s eyes beamed with surprise, gratitude, and adoration in such abundant measure that they could have compensated him for a hundred full blows. Inspired by the generosity of his own deed, not the slightest scream escaped him at the chastisement that followed, the most merciless that Mr. Dobson gave in his life. Yes, when the teacher increased the sentence by two hours of detention, Tom accepted this too with the utmost equanimity, as he knew[187] who would wait for him outside the school walls and count every minute until he was released from captivity.
On the evening of the same day Tom went to bed, filled with sinister plans for revenge against Alfred Tempel. Becky had admitted everything to him full of regret and shame, not even withholding her own betrayal. But the thirst for vengeance soon gave way to milder feelings, more lovely images, and Tom fell asleep while Becky’s last words still echoed dreamily sweetly in his ears:
“Tom, how could you be so noble?”
