章节正文
modest trunk was brought up and deposited in the
room.
That evening Frank read to Mr. Wharton as usual.
When nine o'clock came he said:
``You need not read aloud any more, but if you see
any books in my library which you would like to
read to yourself you may do so. In fact, Frank,
you must consider yourself one of the family, and
act as freely as if you were at home.''
``How kind you are to me, Mr. Wharton,'' said
Frank.
The next morning after Frank had left the house
for his daily task, John Wade entered the housekeeper's room.
``The boy is out of the way now, Mrs. Bradley,''
he said. ``You had better see if you have a key that
will unlock his trunk.''
The two conspirators went upstairs, and together
entered Frank's room.
Mrs. Bradley brought out a large bunch of keys,
and successively tried them, but one after another
failed to open it.
``That's awkward,'' said John Wade. ``I have a
few keys in my pocket. One may possibly answer.''
The housekeeper kneeled down, and made a trial
of John Wade's keys. The last one was successful.
The cover was lifted, and the contents were
disclosed. However, neither John nor Mrs. Bradley
seemed particularly interested in the articles for
after turning them over they locked the trunk once
more.
``So far so good,'' said John Wade. ``We have
found the means of opening the trunk when we
please.''
``When do you expect to carry out your plan, Mr.
John?''
``Two weeks from this time my uncle is obliged
to go to Washington for a few days on business.
While he is gone we will spring the trap, and when
he comes back he will find the boy gone in disgrace.
We'll make short work of him.''
CHAPTER XIV
SPRINGING THE TRAP
``I am going to give you a few days' vacation,
Frank,'' said Mr. Wharton, a fortnight later. ``I
am called to Washington on business. However, you
have got to feel at home here now.''
``Oh, yes, sir.''
``And Mrs. Bradley will see that you are comfortable.''
``I am sure of that, sir,'' said Frank, politely.
When Frank returned at night, Mr. Wharton was
already gone. John Wade and the housekeeper
seated themselves in the library after dinner, and
by their invitation our hero joined them.
``By the way, Frank,'' said John Wade, ``did I
ever show you this Russia leather pocketbook?''
producing one from his pocket.
``No, sir, I believe not.''
``I bought it at Vienna, which is noted for its
articles of Russia leather.''
``It is very handsome, sir.''
``So I think. By the way, you may like to look at
my sleeve-buttons. They are of Venetian mosaic.
I got them myself in Venice last year.''
``They are very elegant. You must have enjoyed
visiting so many famous cities.''
``Yes; it is very interesting.''
John Wade took up the evening paper, and Frank
occupied himself with a book from his patron's
library. After a while John threw down the paper
yawning, and said that he had an engagement. Nothing
else occurred that evening which merits record.
Two days later Frank returned home in his usual
spirits. But at the table he was struck by a singular
change in the manner of Mrs. Bradley and John
Wade. They spoke to him only on what it was
absolutely necessary, and answered his questions in
monosyllables.
``Will you step into the library a moment?'' said
John Wade, as they arose from the table.
Frank followed John into the library, and Mrs.
Bradley entered also.
``Frank Fowler,'' the enemy began, ``do you
remember my showing you two evenings since a pocketbook,
also some sleeve-buttons of Venetian mosaic,
expensively mounted in gold?''
``Certainly, sir.''
``That pocketbook contained a considerable sum
of money,'' pursued his questioner.
``I don't know anything about that.''
``You probably supposed so.''
``Will you tell me what you mean, Mr. Wade?''
demanded Frank, impatiently. ``I have answered
your questions, but I can't understand why you ask
them.''
``Perhaps you may suspect,'' said Wade, sarcastically.
``It looks as if you had lost them and suspected
me of taking them.''
``So it appears.''
``You are entirely mistaken, Mr. Wade. I am not
a thief. I never stole anything in my life.''
``It is very easy to say that,'' sneered John Wade.
``You and Mrs. Bradley were the only persons present
when I showed the articles, and I suppose you
won't pretend that she stole them?''
``No, sir; though she appears to agree with you
that I am a thief. I never thought of accusing her,''
replied Frank.
``Mr. Wade,'' said the housekeeper, ``I feel that it
is my duty to insist upon search being made in my
room.''
``Do you make the same offer?'' asked John Wade,
turning to Frank.
``Yes, sir,'' answered our hero, proudly. ``I wish
you to satisfy yourself that I am not a thief. If
you will come to my room at once, Mr. Wade, you
and Mrs. Bradley, I will hand you the key of my
trunk.''
The two followed him upstairs, exulting wickedly
in his discomfiture, which they had reason to forsee.
He handed his key to his artful enemy, and the
latter bending over, opened the trunk, which contained
all our hero's small possessions.
He raised the pile of clothes, and, to Frank's dismay,
disclosed the missingpocketbook and sleeve-
buttons in the bottom of the trunk.
``What have you got to say for yourself now, you
young villain?'' demanded John Wade, in a loud
voice.
``I don't understand it,'' Frank said, in a troubled
tone. ``I don't know how the things came there. I
didn't put them there.''
``Probably they crept in themselves,'' sneered John.
``Someone put them there,'' said Frank, pale, but
resolute; ``some wicked person, who wanted to get
me into trouble.''
``What do you mean by that, you young
vagabond?'' demanded John Wade, suspiciously.
``I mean what I say,'' he asserted. ``I am away
all day, and nothing is easier than to open my trunk
and put articles in, in order to throw suspicion on
me.''
``Look here, you rascal!'' said John Wade, roughly.
``I shall treat you better than you deserve. I
won't give you over to the police out of regard for
my uncle, but you must leave this house and never
set foot in it again. It will be the worse for you if
you do.''
John Wade and the housekeeper left the room, and
our hero was left to realize the misfortune which
had overwhelmed him.
Frank arose at an early hour the next morning
and left the house. It was necessary for him to find
a new home at once in order to be at the store in
time. He bought a copy of the Sun and turned to
the advertising columns. He saw a cheap room
advertised near the one he had formerly occupied.
Finding his way there he rang the bell.
The door was opened by a slatternly-looking
woman, who looked as if she had just got up.
``I see by the Sun you have a room to let,'' said
Frank.
``Yes; do you want to see it now?''
``I should like to.''
``Come upstairs and I will show you the room.''
The room proved to be small, and by no means
neat in appearance, but the rent was only a dollar
and a quarter a week, and Frank felt that he could
not afford to be particular, so he quick closed the
bargain.
The next day, about eleven o'clock in the
forenoon, he was surprised at seeing Mrs. Bradley enter
the store and thread her way to that part of the
counter where her nephew was stationed. She darted
one quick look at him, but gave him no sign of
recognition. His heart sank within him, for he had a
presentiment that her visit boded fresh evil for him.
CHAPTER XV
FROM BAD TO WORSE
Frank's misgivings were not without good cause.
The housekeeper's call at the store was connected
with him. How, will be understood from a conversation
which took place that morning between
her and John Wade.
``It's a relief to get that boy out of the house, Mrs.
Bradley,'' he said at the breakfast table.
``That it is, Mr. John,'' she replied. ``But he'll be
trying to get back, take my word for it.''
``He won't dare to,'' said John Wade,
incredulously. ``I told him if he came near the house I
would give him up to the police.''
``I am afraid he will write to your uncle. He's
bold enough for anything.''
``I didn't think of that,'' said John, thoughtfully.
``Do you know his handwriting, Mrs. Bradley?''
``I think I should know it.''
``Then if any letters come which you know to be
from him, keep them back from my uncle.''
``What shall I do with them?''
``Give them to me. I don't want my uncle worried
by his appeals.''
``Your uncle seems to be very attached to him.
room.
That evening Frank read to Mr. Wharton as usual.
When nine o'clock came he said:
``You need not read aloud any more, but if you see
any books in my library which you would like to
read to yourself you may do so. In fact, Frank,
you must consider yourself one of the family, and
act as freely as if you were at home.''
``How kind you are to me, Mr. Wharton,'' said
Frank.
The next morning after Frank had left the house
for his daily task, John Wade entered the housekeeper's room.
``The boy is out of the way now, Mrs. Bradley,''
he said. ``You had better see if you have a key that
will unlock his trunk.''
The two conspirators went upstairs, and together
entered Frank's room.
Mrs. Bradley brought out a large bunch of keys,
and successively tried them, but one after another
failed to open it.
``That's awkward,'' said John Wade. ``I have a
few keys in my pocket. One may possibly answer.''
The housekeeper kneeled down, and made a trial
of John Wade's keys. The last one was successful.
The cover was lifted, and the contents were
disclosed. However, neither John nor Mrs. Bradley
seemed particularly interested in the articles for
after turning them over they locked the trunk once
more.
``So far so good,'' said John Wade. ``We have
found the means of opening the trunk when we
please.''
``When do you expect to carry out your plan, Mr.
John?''
``Two weeks from this time my uncle is obliged
to go to Washington for a few days on business.
While he is gone we will spring the trap, and when
he comes back he will find the boy gone in disgrace.
We'll make short work of him.''
CHAPTER XIV
SPRINGING THE TRAP
``I am going to give you a few days' vacation,
Frank,'' said Mr. Wharton, a fortnight later. ``I
am called to Washington on business. However, you
have got to feel at home here now.''
``Oh, yes, sir.''
``And Mrs. Bradley will see that you are comfortable.''
``I am sure of that, sir,'' said Frank, politely.
When Frank returned at night, Mr. Wharton was
already gone. John Wade and the housekeeper
seated themselves in the library after dinner, and
by their invitation our hero joined them.
``By the way, Frank,'' said John Wade, ``did I
ever show you this Russia leather pocketbook?''
producing one from his pocket.
``No, sir, I believe not.''
``I bought it at Vienna, which is noted for its
articles of Russia leather.''
``It is very handsome, sir.''
``So I think. By the way, you may like to look at
my sleeve-buttons. They are of Venetian mosaic.
I got them myself in Venice last year.''
``They are very elegant. You must have enjoyed
visiting so many famous cities.''
``Yes; it is very interesting.''
John Wade took up the evening paper, and Frank
occupied himself with a book from his patron's
library. After a while John threw down the paper
yawning, and said that he had an engagement. Nothing
else occurred that evening which merits record.
Two days later Frank returned home in his usual
spirits. But at the table he was struck by a singular
change in the manner of Mrs. Bradley and John
Wade. They spoke to him only on what it was
absolutely necessary, and answered his questions in
monosyllables.
``Will you step into the library a moment?'' said
John Wade, as they arose from the table.
Frank followed John into the library, and Mrs.
Bradley entered also.
``Frank Fowler,'' the enemy began, ``do you
remember my showing you two evenings since a pocketbook,
also some sleeve-buttons of Venetian mosaic,
expensively mounted in gold?''
``Certainly, sir.''
``That pocketbook contained a considerable sum
of money,'' pursued his questioner.
``I don't know anything about that.''
``You probably supposed so.''
``Will you tell me what you mean, Mr. Wade?''
demanded Frank, impatiently. ``I have answered
your questions, but I can't understand why you ask
them.''
``Perhaps you may suspect,'' said Wade, sarcastically.
``It looks as if you had lost them and suspected
me of taking them.''
``So it appears.''
``You are entirely mistaken, Mr. Wade. I am not
a thief. I never stole anything in my life.''
``It is very easy to say that,'' sneered John Wade.
``You and Mrs. Bradley were the only persons present
when I showed the articles, and I suppose you
won't pretend that she stole them?''
``No, sir; though she appears to agree with you
that I am a thief. I never thought of accusing her,''
replied Frank.
``Mr. Wade,'' said the housekeeper, ``I feel that it
is my duty to insist upon search being made in my
room.''
``Do you make the same offer?'' asked John Wade,
turning to Frank.
``Yes, sir,'' answered our hero, proudly. ``I wish
you to satisfy yourself that I am not a thief. If
you will come to my room at once, Mr. Wade, you
and Mrs. Bradley, I will hand you the key of my
trunk.''
The two followed him upstairs, exulting wickedly
in his discomfiture, which they had reason to forsee.
He handed his key to his artful enemy, and the
latter bending over, opened the trunk, which contained
all our hero's small possessions.
He raised the pile of clothes, and, to Frank's dismay,
disclosed the missingpocketbook and sleeve-
buttons in the bottom of the trunk.
``What have you got to say for yourself now, you
young villain?'' demanded John Wade, in a loud
voice.
``I don't understand it,'' Frank said, in a troubled
tone. ``I don't know how the things came there. I
didn't put them there.''
``Probably they crept in themselves,'' sneered John.
``Someone put them there,'' said Frank, pale, but
resolute; ``some wicked person, who wanted to get
me into trouble.''
``What do you mean by that, you young
vagabond?'' demanded John Wade, suspiciously.
``I mean what I say,'' he asserted. ``I am away
all day, and nothing is easier than to open my trunk
and put articles in, in order to throw suspicion on
me.''
``Look here, you rascal!'' said John Wade, roughly.
``I shall treat you better than you deserve. I
won't give you over to the police out of regard for
my uncle, but you must leave this house and never
set foot in it again. It will be the worse for you if
you do.''
John Wade and the housekeeper left the room, and
our hero was left to realize the misfortune which
had overwhelmed him.
Frank arose at an early hour the next morning
and left the house. It was necessary for him to find
a new home at once in order to be at the store in
time. He bought a copy of the Sun and turned to
the advertising columns. He saw a cheap room
advertised near the one he had formerly occupied.
Finding his way there he rang the bell.
The door was opened by a slatternly-looking
woman, who looked as if she had just got up.
``I see by the Sun you have a room to let,'' said
Frank.
``Yes; do you want to see it now?''
``I should like to.''
``Come upstairs and I will show you the room.''
The room proved to be small, and by no means
neat in appearance, but the rent was only a dollar
and a quarter a week, and Frank felt that he could
not afford to be particular, so he quick closed the
bargain.
The next day, about eleven o'clock in the
forenoon, he was surprised at seeing Mrs. Bradley enter
the store and thread her way to that part of the
counter where her nephew was stationed. She darted
one quick look at him, but gave him no sign of
recognition. His heart sank within him, for he had a
presentiment that her visit boded fresh evil for him.
CHAPTER XV
FROM BAD TO WORSE
Frank's misgivings were not without good cause.
The housekeeper's call at the store was connected
with him. How, will be understood from a conversation
which took place that morning between
her and John Wade.
``It's a relief to get that boy out of the house, Mrs.
Bradley,'' he said at the breakfast table.
``That it is, Mr. John,'' she replied. ``But he'll be
trying to get back, take my word for it.''
``He won't dare to,'' said John Wade,
incredulously. ``I told him if he came near the house I
would give him up to the police.''
``I am afraid he will write to your uncle. He's
bold enough for anything.''
``I didn't think of that,'' said John, thoughtfully.
``Do you know his handwriting, Mrs. Bradley?''
``I think I should know it.''
``Then if any letters come which you know to be
from him, keep them back from my uncle.''
``What shall I do with them?''
``Give them to me. I don't want my uncle worried
by his appeals.''
``Your uncle seems to be very attached to him.
- modest [´mɔdist]
a.谦虚的；朴素的 (初中英语单词) - freely [´fri:li] ad.自由地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)
- contents [´kɔ:ntents] n.容纳物；要旨 (初中英语单词)
- opening [´əupəniŋ] n.开放；开端 a.开始的 (初中英语单词)
- invitation [,invi´teiʃən] n.邀请；请帖；吸引 (初中英语单词)
- engagement [in´geidʒmənt] n.婚约；雇用；受聘 (初中英语单词)
- considerable [kən´sidərəbəl] a.重要的；值得重视 (初中英语单词)
- supposed [sə´pəuzd] a.想象的；假定的 (初中英语单词)
- pretend [pri´tend] v.假装；借口；妄求 (初中英语单词)
- proudly [´praudli] ad.骄傲地；傲慢地 (初中英语单词)
- missing [´misiŋ] a.缺掉的；失踪的 (初中英语单词)
- wicked [´wikid] a.邪恶的；不道德的 (初中英语单词)
- suspicion [sə´spiʃən] n.怀(猜)疑；嫌疑 (初中英语单词)
- deserve [di´zə:v] v.应受；值得 (初中英语单词)
- advertising [´ædvətaiziŋ] n.广告a.广告的 (初中英语单词)
- formerly [´fɔ:məli] ad.从前，以前 (初中英语单词)
- nephew [´nevju:, ´nɛfju] n.侄子；外甥 (初中英语单词)
- relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- handwriting [´hænd,raitiŋ] n.笔迹；书法 (初中英语单词)
- housekeeper [´haus,ki:pə] n.主妇，女管家 (高中英语单词)
- fortnight [´fɔ:tnait] n.两星期 (高中英语单词)
- venice [´venis] n.威尼斯 (高中英语单词)
- elegant [´eligənt] a.文雅的；优美的 (高中英语单词)
- mistaken [mis´teikən] mistake的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- misfortune [mis´fɔ:tʃən] n.不幸；灾祸 (高中英语单词)
- seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
- unlock [ʌn´lɔk] vt.开锁；开启；池露 (英语四级单词)
- upstairs [,ʌp´steəz] ad.在楼上 a.楼上的 (英语四级单词)
- vienna [vi´enə] n.维也纳 (英语四级单词)
- venetian [vi´ni:ʃ(ə)n] a.威尼斯城的 (英语四级单词)
- impatiently [im´peiʃəntli] ad.不耐烦地，急躁地 (英语四级单词)
- pocketbook [´pɔkitbuk] n.袖珍本；皮夹子；财力 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
章节正文
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