'He appears self-contained and is apt to be solitary, ' commented O'Hanlon.16 'This is not due to moroseness, but simply I think to a shy disposition.' Alan had no friend, and at least once in this year he was trapped underneath some loose floorboards in the house day-room by the other boys. He tried to continue chemistry experiments there, but this was doubly hated, as showing a swottish mentality, and producing nasty smells. 'Slightly less dirty and untidy in his habits, ' wrote O'Hanlon at the end of 1926, 'rather more conscious of a duty to mend his ways. He has his own furrow to plough, and may not meet with general sympathy: he seems cheerful, though I'm not always certain he really is so.'
「他显得沉默寡言,有点孤僻,并非因为不高兴,我想只是因为害羞」,奥汉兰评论说。艾伦没有朋友,这一年,他被其他男孩捉弄了至少一回,他们把休息室一些松散的地板做成陷阱,用来捉弄艾伦。艾伦只是默默地继续着化学实验,但这另他们更加反感了,因为这展示了艾伦的智力,而且会产生刺鼻的味道。「他的生活习惯有点脏、邋遢」,奥汉兰在1926年末写道,「他不觉得需要改变自己的生活方式,他总是有自己的事情要做,但是这并不能得到别人的同情:他看起来总是很开心,但我不知道他是不是真开心。」
'His ways sometimes tempt persecution: though I don't think he is unhappy. Undeniably he is not a “normal” boy: not the worse for that, but probably less happy, ' he wrote somewhat inconsistently at the end of the spring term of 1927. The headmaster commented more briskly:
「他的生活方式,会给他引来伤害,尽管我还看不出,他有什么不开心。但不可否认,他不是一般的男孩,这不是坏事,但可能会让他有点不开心。」他在1927年春季学期的最后,有点语无伦次地写下了这些。相比之下,校长对艾伦的评伦则比较轻快:
He should do very well when he finds his métier; but meanwhile he would do much better if he would try to do his best as a member of this school – he should have more esprit de corps.
他找到自己的职业后,一定会做得很好,但如果他在学校里愿意尽最大的努力,他就会做得更好――他得学会合群。