章节正文
CHAPTER XII
A FALSE FRIEND
When John Wade re-entered the library, Frank
was reading, but Mr. Wharton stopped him.
``That will do, Frank,'' he said. ``As I have not
seen my nephew for a long time, I shall not require
you to read any longer. You can go, if you like.''
Frank bowed, and bidding the two good-evening,
left the room.
``That is an excellent boy, John.'' said the old
gentleman, as the door closed upon our hero.
``How did you fall in with him?'' asked John. Mr.
Wharton told the story with which the reader is
already familiar.
``You don't know anything of his antecedents, I
suppose?'' said John, carelessly.
``Only what he told me. His father and mother
are dead, and he is obliged to support himself and
his sister. Did you notice anything familiar in
Frank's expression?'' asked Mr. Wharton.
``I don't know. I didn't observe him very closely.''
``Whenever I look at Frank, I think of George. I
suppose that is why I have felt more closely drawn
to the boy. I proposed to Mrs. Bradley that the
boy should have a room here, but she did not favor
it. I think she is prejudiced against him.''
``Probably she is afraid he would be some trouble,''
replied John.
``If George's boy had lived he would be about
Frank's age. It would have been a great comfort to
me to superintend his education, and watch him
grow up. I could not have wished him to be more
gentlemanly or promising than my young reader.''
``Decidedly, that boy is in my way,'' said John
Wade to himself. ``I must manage to get rid of him,
and that speedily, or my infatuated uncle will be
adopting him.''
``Of what disease did George's boy die, John?''
asked Mr. Wharton.
``A sudden fever.''
``I wish I could have seen him before he died. But
I returned only to find both son and grandson gone.
I had only the sad satisfaction of seeing his grave.''
``Yes, he was buried in the family lot at Greenwood,
five days before you reached home.''
``When I see men of my own age, surrounded by
children and grandchildren, it makes me almost
envious,'' said Mr. Wharton, sadly. ``I declare to you,
John, since that boy has been with me, I have felt
happier and more cheerful than for years.''
``That boy again!'' muttered John to himself. ``I
begin to hate the young cub, but I mustn't show it.
My first work will be to separate him from my uncle.
That will require consideration. I wonder whether
the boy knows that he is not Fowler's son? I must
find out. If he does, and should happen to mention
it in my uncle's presence, it might awaken suspicions
in his mind. I must interview the boy, and
find out what I can. To enlist his confidence, I
must assume a friendly manner.''
In furtherance of this determination, John Wade
greeted our hero very cordially the next evening,
when they met, a little to Frank's surprise.
When the reading terminated, John Wade said,
carelessly:
``I believe, uncle, I will go out for a walk. I think
I shall be better for it. ln what direction are you
going, Frank?''
``Down Sixth Avenue, sir.''
``Very good; I will walk along with you.''
Frank and his companion walked toward Sixth
Avenue.
``My uncle tells me you have a sister to support,''
said Wade, opening the conversation.
``Yes, sir.''
``Does your sister resemble you?'' asked John
Wade.
``No, sir! but that is not surprising, for----''
``Why is it not surprising?''
Frank hesitated.
``You were about to assign some reason.''
``It is a secret,'' said our hero, slowly; ``that is,
has been a secret, but I don't know why I should
conceal it. Grace is not my sister. She is Mrs.
Fowler's daughter, but I am not her son. I will tell you
the story.''
That story Frank told as briefly as possible. John
Wade listened to it with secret alarm.
``It is a strange story,'' he said. ``Do you not feel
a strong desire to learn your true parentage?''
``Yes, sir. I don't know, but I feel as if I should
some day meet the man who gave me into Mrs. Fowler's
charge.''
``You have met him, but it is lucky you don't suspect
it,'' thought John Wade.
``I am glad you told me this story,'' said he, aloud.
``It is quite romantic. I may be able to help you in
your search. But let me advise you to tell no one
else at present. No doubt there are parties interested
in keeping the secret of your birth from you.
You must move cautiously, and your chance of solving
the mystery will be improved.''
``Thank you, sir. I will follow your advice.''
``I was mistaken in him,'' thought Frank. ``I
disliked him at first, but he seems inclined to be my
friend.''
When Frank reached his lodging he found Jasper
waiting up for him. He looked thoughtful, so much
so that Frank noticed it.
``You look as if you had something on your mind,'' Jasper.
``You have guessed right. I have read that letter.''
He drew from his pocket a letter, which Frank
took from his hands.
``It is from an uncle of mine in Ohio, who is
proprietor of a weekly newspaper. He is getting old,
and finds the work too much for him. He offers me
a thousand dollars a year if I will come out and relieve him.''
``That's a good offer, Jasper. I suppose you will
accept it?''
``It is for my interest to do so. Probably my uncle
will, after a while, surrender the whole establishment to me.''
``I shall be sorry to part with you, Jasper. It will
seem very lonely, but I think you ought to go. It
is a good chance, and if you refuse it you may not
get such another.''
``My uncle wants me to come on at once. I think
I will start Monday.''
Jasper saw no reason to change his determination,
and on Monday morning he started on his journey to
Ohio.
Thus, at a critical moment in his fortunes, when
two persons were planning to injure him, he lost the
presence and help of a valued friend.
CHAPTER XIII
THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
``Uncle,'' said John Wade, ``you spoke of inviting
Frank Fowler to occupy a room in the house. Why
don't you do it? It would be more convenient to
you and a very good chance for him.''
``I should like it,'' said Mr. Wharton, ``but Mrs.
Bradley did not seem to regard it favorably when
I suggested it.''
``Oh, Mrs. Bradley is unused to boys, and she is
afraid he would give her trouble. I'll undertake to
bring her around.''
``I wish you would, John. I don't think Frank
would give any trouble, and it would enliven the
house to have a boy here. Besides, he reminds me of
George, as I told you the other day.''
``I agree with you, uncle,'' he said. ``He does
remind me a little of George.''
``Well, Mrs. Bradley, what do you think I have
done?'' asked John, entering the housekeeper's room
directly after his interview with his uncle.
``I don't know, Mr. John,'' she answered.
``I have asked him to give that boy a room in the
house.''
``Are you carried away with him as well as your
uncle?''
``Not quite. The fact is, I have a motive in what
I am doing. I'll tell you.''
He bent over and whispered in her ear.
``I never should have thought of that.''
``You see, our purpose is to convince my uncle
that he is unworthy of his favor. At present that
would be rather difficult, but once get him into the
house and we shall have no trouble.''
``I understand.''
In due time John Wade announced to his uncle
that the housekeeper had withdrawn her objections
to his plan.
``Then I'll tell him to-night,'' said Mr. Wharton,
brightening up.
Shortly after Frank entered the library that
evening Mr. Wharton made the proposal.
``You are very kind, Mr. Wharton,'' he said. ``I
never thought of such a thing.''
``Then it is settled that you are to come. You
can choose your own time for coming.''
``I will come to-morrow, sir.''
``Very well,'' said Mr. Wharton, with satisfaction.
The next day, by special favor, Frank got off from
the store two hours earlier than usual. He bought
at a Sixth Avenue basement store, a small, second
hand trunk for two dollars. He packed his scanty
wardrobe into the trunk, which, small as it was he
was unable to fill, and had it carried to Mr. Wharton's
house.
He asked to see Mrs. Bradley, and she came to
the door.
``I am glad to see you,'' she said graciously. ``You
may leave your trunk in the hall and I will have it
carried up by the servants.''
``Thank you,'' said Frank, and he followed the
housekeeper up the handsome staircase.
``This is to be your room,'' said the housekeeper,
opening the door of a small chamber on the third
floor.
``It looks very nice and comfortable,'' said Frank,
looking about him with satisfaction.
She left the room, and five minutes later our hero's
A FALSE FRIEND
When John Wade re-entered the library, Frank
was reading, but Mr. Wharton stopped him.
``That will do, Frank,'' he said. ``As I have not
seen my nephew for a long time, I shall not require
you to read any longer. You can go, if you like.''
Frank bowed, and bidding the two good-evening,
left the room.
``That is an excellent boy, John.'' said the old
gentleman, as the door closed upon our hero.
``How did you fall in with him?'' asked John. Mr.
Wharton told the story with which the reader is
already familiar.
``You don't know anything of his antecedents, I
suppose?'' said John, carelessly.
``Only what he told me. His father and mother
are dead, and he is obliged to support himself and
his sister. Did you notice anything familiar in
Frank's expression?'' asked Mr. Wharton.
``I don't know. I didn't observe him very closely.''
``Whenever I look at Frank, I think of George. I
suppose that is why I have felt more closely drawn
to the boy. I proposed to Mrs. Bradley that the
boy should have a room here, but she did not favor
it. I think she is prejudiced against him.''
``Probably she is afraid he would be some trouble,''
replied John.
``If George's boy had lived he would be about
Frank's age. It would have been a great comfort to
me to superintend his education, and watch him
grow up. I could not have wished him to be more
gentlemanly or promising than my young reader.''
``Decidedly, that boy is in my way,'' said John
Wade to himself. ``I must manage to get rid of him,
and that speedily, or my infatuated uncle will be
adopting him.''
``Of what disease did George's boy die, John?''
asked Mr. Wharton.
``A sudden fever.''
``I wish I could have seen him before he died. But
I returned only to find both son and grandson gone.
I had only the sad satisfaction of seeing his grave.''
``Yes, he was buried in the family lot at Greenwood,
five days before you reached home.''
``When I see men of my own age, surrounded by
children and grandchildren, it makes me almost
envious,'' said Mr. Wharton, sadly. ``I declare to you,
John, since that boy has been with me, I have felt
happier and more cheerful than for years.''
``That boy again!'' muttered John to himself. ``I
begin to hate the young cub, but I mustn't show it.
My first work will be to separate him from my uncle.
That will require consideration. I wonder whether
the boy knows that he is not Fowler's son? I must
find out. If he does, and should happen to mention
it in my uncle's presence, it might awaken suspicions
in his mind. I must interview the boy, and
find out what I can. To enlist his confidence, I
must assume a friendly manner.''
In furtherance of this determination, John Wade
greeted our hero very cordially the next evening,
when they met, a little to Frank's surprise.
When the reading terminated, John Wade said,
carelessly:
``I believe, uncle, I will go out for a walk. I think
I shall be better for it. ln what direction are you
going, Frank?''
``Down Sixth Avenue, sir.''
``Very good; I will walk along with you.''
Frank and his companion walked toward Sixth
Avenue.
``My uncle tells me you have a sister to support,''
said Wade, opening the conversation.
``Yes, sir.''
``Does your sister resemble you?'' asked John
Wade.
``No, sir! but that is not surprising, for----''
``Why is it not surprising?''
Frank hesitated.
``You were about to assign some reason.''
``It is a secret,'' said our hero, slowly; ``that is,
has been a secret, but I don't know why I should
conceal it. Grace is not my sister. She is Mrs.
Fowler's daughter, but I am not her son. I will tell you
the story.''
That story Frank told as briefly as possible. John
Wade listened to it with secret alarm.
``It is a strange story,'' he said. ``Do you not feel
a strong desire to learn your true parentage?''
``Yes, sir. I don't know, but I feel as if I should
some day meet the man who gave me into Mrs. Fowler's
charge.''
``You have met him, but it is lucky you don't suspect
it,'' thought John Wade.
``I am glad you told me this story,'' said he, aloud.
``It is quite romantic. I may be able to help you in
your search. But let me advise you to tell no one
else at present. No doubt there are parties interested
in keeping the secret of your birth from you.
You must move cautiously, and your chance of solving
the mystery will be improved.''
``Thank you, sir. I will follow your advice.''
``I was mistaken in him,'' thought Frank. ``I
disliked him at first, but he seems inclined to be my
friend.''
When Frank reached his lodging he found Jasper
waiting up for him. He looked thoughtful, so much
so that Frank noticed it.
``You look as if you had something on your mind,'' Jasper.
``You have guessed right. I have read that letter.''
He drew from his pocket a letter, which Frank
took from his hands.
``It is from an uncle of mine in Ohio, who is
proprietor of a weekly newspaper. He is getting old,
and finds the work too much for him. He offers me
a thousand dollars a year if I will come out and relieve him.''
``That's a good offer, Jasper. I suppose you will
accept it?''
``It is for my interest to do so. Probably my uncle
will, after a while, surrender the whole establishment to me.''
``I shall be sorry to part with you, Jasper. It will
seem very lonely, but I think you ought to go. It
is a good chance, and if you refuse it you may not
get such another.''
``My uncle wants me to come on at once. I think
I will start Monday.''
Jasper saw no reason to change his determination,
and on Monday morning he started on his journey to
Ohio.
Thus, at a critical moment in his fortunes, when
two persons were planning to injure him, he lost the
presence and help of a valued friend.
CHAPTER XIII
THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
``Uncle,'' said John Wade, ``you spoke of inviting
Frank Fowler to occupy a room in the house. Why
don't you do it? It would be more convenient to
you and a very good chance for him.''
``I should like it,'' said Mr. Wharton, ``but Mrs.
Bradley did not seem to regard it favorably when
I suggested it.''
``Oh, Mrs. Bradley is unused to boys, and she is
afraid he would give her trouble. I'll undertake to
bring her around.''
``I wish you would, John. I don't think Frank
would give any trouble, and it would enliven the
house to have a boy here. Besides, he reminds me of
George, as I told you the other day.''
``I agree with you, uncle,'' he said. ``He does
remind me a little of George.''
``Well, Mrs. Bradley, what do you think I have
done?'' asked John, entering the housekeeper's room
directly after his interview with his uncle.
``I don't know, Mr. John,'' she answered.
``I have asked him to give that boy a room in the
house.''
``Are you carried away with him as well as your
uncle?''
``Not quite. The fact is, I have a motive in what
I am doing. I'll tell you.''
He bent over and whispered in her ear.
``I never should have thought of that.''
``You see, our purpose is to convince my uncle
that he is unworthy of his favor. At present that
would be rather difficult, but once get him into the
house and we shall have no trouble.''
``I understand.''
In due time John Wade announced to his uncle
that the housekeeper had withdrawn her objections
to his plan.
``Then I'll tell him to-night,'' said Mr. Wharton,
brightening up.
Shortly after Frank entered the library that
evening Mr. Wharton made the proposal.
``You are very kind, Mr. Wharton,'' he said. ``I
never thought of such a thing.''
``Then it is settled that you are to come. You
can choose your own time for coming.''
``I will come to-morrow, sir.''
``Very well,'' said Mr. Wharton, with satisfaction.
The next day, by special favor, Frank got off from
the store two hours earlier than usual. He bought
at a Sixth Avenue basement store, a small, second
hand trunk for two dollars. He packed his scanty
wardrobe into the trunk, which, small as it was he
was unable to fill, and had it carried to Mr. Wharton's
house.
He asked to see Mrs. Bradley, and she came to
the door.
``I am glad to see you,'' she said graciously. ``You
may leave your trunk in the hall and I will have it
carried up by the servants.''
``Thank you,'' said Frank, and he followed the
housekeeper up the handsome staircase.
``This is to be your room,'' said the housekeeper,
opening the door of a small chamber on the third
floor.
``It looks very nice and comfortable,'' said Frank,
looking about him with satisfaction.
She left the room, and five minutes later our hero's
- reading [´ri:diŋ]
n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词) - nephew [´nevju:, ´nɛfju] n.侄子；外甥 (初中英语单词)
- promising [´prɔmisiŋ] a.有希望的；有为的 (初中英语单词)
- satisfaction [,sætis´fækʃən] n.满意；满足 (初中英语单词)
- cheerful [´tʃiəful] a.快乐的；高兴的 (初中英语单词)
- consideration [kən,sidə´reiʃən] n.考虑；原因；体谅 (初中英语单词)
- awaken [ə´weikən] v.唤起，叫醒 (初中英语单词)
- interview [´intəvju:] n.&vt.接见；会见；交谈 (初中英语单词)
- companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
- opening [´əupəniŋ] n.开放；开端 a.开始的 (初中英语单词)
- resemble [ri´zembəl] vt.类似，象 (初中英语单词)
- surprising [sə´praiziŋ] a.惊人的；意外的 (初中英语单词)
- assign [ə´sain] vt.分配；指派；指定 (初中英语单词)
- briefly [´bri:fli] ad.简短地；简略地 (初中英语单词)
- romantic [rəu´mæntik] a.传奇(式)的；浪漫的 (初中英语单词)
- advise [əd´vaiz] vt.忠告；建议；通知 (初中英语单词)
- mystery [´mistəri] n.神秘；秘密；故弄玄虚 (初中英语单词)
- weekly [´wi:kli] a.&ad.每周一次(的) (初中英语单词)
- relieve [ri´li:v] v.救济，援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- surrender [sə´rendə] vt.&n.交出；引渡；放弃 (初中英语单词)
- establishment [i´stæbliʃmənt] n.建(成)立；研究所 (初中英语单词)
- lonely [´ləunli] a.孤独的；无人烟的 (初中英语单词)
- injure [´indʒə] vt.伤害，损害，毁坏 (初中英语单词)
- spider [´spaidə] n.蜘蛛；三角架 (初中英语单词)
- convenient [kən´vi:niənt] a.方便的 (初中英语单词)
- undertake [,ʌndə´teik] vt.从事；承担；担保 (初中英语单词)
- motive [´məutiv] n.动机；主题 a.运动的 (初中英语单词)
- convince [kən´vins] vt.使确信；使认识错误 (初中英语单词)
- unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)
- seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
- enlist [in´list] vt.征募；赞助 (高中英语单词)
- determination [di,tə:mi´neiʃən] n.决心；决定 (高中英语单词)
- cautiously [´kɔ:ʃəsli] ad.小心地；谨慎地 (高中英语单词)
- mistaken [mis´teikən] mistake的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- lodging [´lɔdʒiŋ] n.寄宿，住宿 (高中英语单词)
- thoughtful [´θɔ:tfəl] a.深思的；体贴的 (高中英语单词)
- critical [´kritikəl] a.批评的；关键性的 (高中英语单词)
- housekeeper [´haus,ki:pə] n.主妇，女管家 (高中英语单词)
- chamber [´tʃeimbə] n.房间；议院；会议室 (高中英语单词)
- speedily [´spi:dili] ad.迅速地 (英语四级单词)
- grandson [´grænsʌn] n.孙子；外孙子 (英语四级单词)
- cordially [´kɔ:djəli] ad.热诚地；亲切地 (英语四级单词)
- unworthy [ʌn´wə:ði] a.不值得的；不足道的 (英语四级单词)
- withdrawn [wið´drɔ:n] withdraw过去分词 (英语四级单词)
- basement [´beismənt] n.地下室 (英语四级单词)
- graciously [´greiʃəsli] ad.仁慈地，和蔼庄重地 (英语四级单词)
- superintend [,su:pərin´tend, ,sju:-] v.监督；管理；指挥 (英语六级单词)
- unused [,ʌn´ju:zd] a.不用的；未消耗的 (英语六级单词)
- enliven [in´laivən] vt.使活跃 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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