章节正文
asked Alonzo, at the suggestion of his mother.
"I believe she did. She moved out a week ago."
"Do you know where she moved to?"
"No, I don't."
"Does a boy named Philip Brent live here?"
"No, he doesn't."
"Do you know why Mrs. Forbush moved away?"
asked Alonzo again, at the suggestion of his
mother.
"Guess she couldn't pay her rent."
"Very likely," said Alonzo, who at last had
received an answer with which he was pleased.
"Well, ma, there isn't any more to find out here,"
he said.
"Tell the driver--home!" said his mother.
When they reached the house in Twelfth Street,
there was a surprise in store for them.
"Who do you think's up-stairs, mum?" said Hannah,
looking important.
"Who? Tell me quick!"
"It's your Uncle Oliver, mum, just got home from
Florida; but I guess he's going somewhere else
mum, for he's packing up his things."
"Alonzo, we will go up and see him," said Mrs.
Pitkin, excited. "I must know what all this
means."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
AN UNSATISFACTORY CONFERENCE.
Mr. Carter was taking articles from a bureau
and packing them away in an open trunk,
when Mrs. Pitkin entered with Alonzo. It is
needless to say that his niece regarded his employment
with dismay, for it showed clearly that he proposed
to leave the shelter of her roof.
"Uncle Oliver!" she exclaimed, sinking into a
chair and gazing at the old gentleman spell-bound.
Mr. Carter, whose back had been turned, turned
about and faced his niece.
"Oh, it is you, Lavinia!" he said quietly.
"What are you doing?" asked his niece.
"As you see, I am packing my trunk."
"Do you intend to leave us?" faltered Mrs. Pitkin.
"I think it will be well for me to make a change,"
said Mr. Carter.
"This is, indeed, a sad surprise," said Mrs Pitkin
mournfully. "When did you return from Florida?"
"I have never been there. I changed my mind
when I reached Charleston."
"How long have you been in the city?"
"About a week."
"And never came near us. This is, indeed,
unkind. In what way have we offended you?" and
Mrs. Pitkin put her handkerchief to her eyes.
There were no tears in them, but she was making
an attempt to touch the heart of her uncle.
"Are you aware that Rebecca Forbush is in the
city?" asked the old gentleman abruptly.
"Ye-es," answered Mrs. Pitkin, startled.
"Have you seen her?"
"Ye-es. She came here one day."
"And how did you treat her?" asked Mr. Carter,
severely. "Did you not turn the poor woman from
the house, having no regard for her evident poverty?
Did you not tell her that I was very angry
with her, and would not hear her name mentioned?"
"Ye-es, I may have said so. You know, Uncle
Oliver, you have held no communication with her
for many years."
"That is true--more shame to me!"
"And I thought I was carrying out your wishes
in discouraging her visits."
"You also thought that she might be a dangerous
rival in my favor, and might deprive you and Alonzo
of an expected share in my estate."
"Oh, Uncle Oliver! how can you think so poorly
of me?"
Mr. Carter eyed his niece with a half-smile.
"So I do you injustice, do I, Lavinia?" he returned.
"Yes, great injustice."
"I am glad to hear it. I feel less objection now
to telling you what are my future plans."
"What are they?" asked Mrs. Pitkin apprehensively.
"I have lived for ten years under your roof, and
have had no communication, as you say, with Rebecca.
I think it is only fair now that I should
show her some attention. I have accordingly
installed her as mistress of my house in Madison
Avenue, and shall henceforth make my home with
her."
Mrs. Pitkin felt as if the earth was sinking under
her feet. The hopes and schemes of so many years
had come to naught, and her hated and dreaded
cousin was to be constantly in the society of the rich
uncle.
"Rebecca has played her cards well," she said bitterly.
"She has not played them at all. She did not
seek me. I sought her."
"How did you know she was in the city?"
"I learned it from--Philip!"
There was fresh dismay.
"So that boy has wormed his way into your
confidence!" said Mrs. Pitkin bitterly. "After acting
so badly that Mr. Pitkin was obliged to discharge
him, he ran to you to do us a mischief."
"Why was he discharged?" demanded Mr. Carter
sternly. "Why did your husband seize the
opportunity to get rid of a boy in whom he knew me to
be interested as soon as he thought I was out of the
way? Why, moreover, did he refuse the boy a reference,
without which Philip could scarcely hope to
get employment?"
"You will have to ask Mr. Pitkin. I am sure he
had good reason for the course he took. He's an
impudent, low upstart in my opinion."
"So he is, ma!" chimed in Alonzo, with heartiness.
"Ah! I have something to say to you, Alonzo,"
said Mr. Carter, turning his keen glances upon the
boy. "What became of that letter I gave to you
to post just before I went away?"
"I put it in the letter-box," said Alonzo nervously.
"Do you know what was in it?"
"No," answered Alonzo, but he looked frightened.
"There were ten dollars in it. That letter never
reached Phil, to whom it was addressed."
"I--don't know anything about it," faltered
Alonzo.
"There are ways of finding out whether letters
have been posted," said Mr. Carter. "I might put
a detective on the case."
Alonzo turned pale, and looked much discomposed.
"Of what are you accusing my boy?" asked Mrs.
Pitkin, ready to contend for her favorite. "So that
boy has been telling lies about him, has he? and
you believe scandalous stories about your own flesh
and blood?"
"Not exactly that, Lavinia."
"Well, your near relation, and that on the testimony
of a boy you know nothing about. When
Lonny is so devoted to you, too!"
"I never noticed any special devotion," said Mr.
Carter, amused. "You are mistaken, however,
about Philip trying to injure him. I simply asked
Philip whether he had received such a letter, and he
said no."
"I dare say he did receive it," said Mrs. Pitkin
spitefully.
"We won't argue the matter now," said the old
gentleman. "I will only say that you and Alonzo,
and Mr. Pitkin also, have gone the wrong way to
work to secure my favor. You have done what you
could to injure two persons, one your own cousin,
because you were jealous."
"You judge me very hardly, uncle," said Mrs.
Pitkin, seeing that she must adopt a different course.
"I have no bad feeling against Rebecca, and as to
the boy, I will ask my husband to take him back
into the store. I am sure he will do it, because you
wish it."
"I don't wish it," answered Mr. Carter, rather
unexpectedly.
"Oh, well," answered Mrs. Pitkin, looking
relieved, "that is as you say."
"I have other views for Philip," said Mr. Carter.
"He is with me as my private secretary."
"Is he living with you?" asked his niece, in alarm.
"Yes."
"There was no need of taking a stranger, Uncle
Oliver. We should be glad to have Alonzo act as
your secretary, though of course we should want
him to stay at home."
"I shall not deprive you of Alonzo," said Mr.
Carter, with a tinge of sarcasm in his tone. "Philip
will suit me better."
Mr. Carter turned and resumed his packing.
"Are you quite determined to leave us?" asked
Mrs. Pitkin, in a subdued tone.
"Yes; it will be better."
"But you will come back--say after a few weeks?"
"No, I think not," he answered dryly.
"And shall we not see you at all?"
"Oh, I shall call from time to time, and besides,
you will know where I am, and can call whenever
you desire."
"People will talk about your leaving us,"
complained Mrs. Pitkin.
"Let them talk. I never agreed to have my
movements controlled by people's gossip. And now,
Lavinia, I shall have to neglect you and resume my
packing. To-morrow I shall bring Philip here to
help me."
"Would you like to have Alonzo help you, Uncle
Oliver?"
This offer, much to Alonzo's relief, was declined.
He feared that he should be examined more closely
by the old gentleman about the missing money,
which at that very moment he had in his pocket.
Mrs. Pitkin went down stairs feeling angry and
baffled. All that she had done to retain her ascendency
over Uncle Oliver had failed, and Mrs. Forbush
and Philip seemed to have superseded herself and
Alonzo in his regard. She conferred with Mr. Pitkin
"I believe she did. She moved out a week ago."
"Do you know where she moved to?"
"No, I don't."
"Does a boy named Philip Brent live here?"
"No, he doesn't."
"Do you know why Mrs. Forbush moved away?"
asked Alonzo again, at the suggestion of his
mother.
"Guess she couldn't pay her rent."
"Very likely," said Alonzo, who at last had
received an answer with which he was pleased.
"Well, ma, there isn't any more to find out here,"
he said.
"Tell the driver--home!" said his mother.
When they reached the house in Twelfth Street,
there was a surprise in store for them.
"Who do you think's up-stairs, mum?" said Hannah,
looking important.
"Who? Tell me quick!"
"It's your Uncle Oliver, mum, just got home from
Florida; but I guess he's going somewhere else
mum, for he's packing up his things."
"Alonzo, we will go up and see him," said Mrs.
Pitkin, excited. "I must know what all this
means."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
AN UNSATISFACTORY CONFERENCE.
Mr. Carter was taking articles from a bureau
and packing them away in an open trunk,
when Mrs. Pitkin entered with Alonzo. It is
needless to say that his niece regarded his employment
with dismay, for it showed clearly that he proposed
to leave the shelter of her roof.
"Uncle Oliver!" she exclaimed, sinking into a
chair and gazing at the old gentleman spell-bound.
Mr. Carter, whose back had been turned, turned
about and faced his niece.
"Oh, it is you, Lavinia!" he said quietly.
"What are you doing?" asked his niece.
"As you see, I am packing my trunk."
"Do you intend to leave us?" faltered Mrs. Pitkin.
"I think it will be well for me to make a change,"
said Mr. Carter.
"This is, indeed, a sad surprise," said Mrs Pitkin
mournfully. "When did you return from Florida?"
"I have never been there. I changed my mind
when I reached Charleston."
"How long have you been in the city?"
"About a week."
"And never came near us. This is, indeed,
unkind. In what way have we offended you?" and
Mrs. Pitkin put her handkerchief to her eyes.
There were no tears in them, but she was making
an attempt to touch the heart of her uncle.
"Are you aware that Rebecca Forbush is in the
city?" asked the old gentleman abruptly.
"Ye-es," answered Mrs. Pitkin, startled.
"Have you seen her?"
"Ye-es. She came here one day."
"And how did you treat her?" asked Mr. Carter,
severely. "Did you not turn the poor woman from
the house, having no regard for her evident poverty?
Did you not tell her that I was very angry
with her, and would not hear her name mentioned?"
"Ye-es, I may have said so. You know, Uncle
Oliver, you have held no communication with her
for many years."
"That is true--more shame to me!"
"And I thought I was carrying out your wishes
in discouraging her visits."
"You also thought that she might be a dangerous
rival in my favor, and might deprive you and Alonzo
of an expected share in my estate."
"Oh, Uncle Oliver! how can you think so poorly
of me?"
Mr. Carter eyed his niece with a half-smile.
"So I do you injustice, do I, Lavinia?" he returned.
"Yes, great injustice."
"I am glad to hear it. I feel less objection now
to telling you what are my future plans."
"What are they?" asked Mrs. Pitkin apprehensively.
"I have lived for ten years under your roof, and
have had no communication, as you say, with Rebecca.
I think it is only fair now that I should
show her some attention. I have accordingly
installed her as mistress of my house in Madison
Avenue, and shall henceforth make my home with
her."
Mrs. Pitkin felt as if the earth was sinking under
her feet. The hopes and schemes of so many years
had come to naught, and her hated and dreaded
cousin was to be constantly in the society of the rich
uncle.
"Rebecca has played her cards well," she said bitterly.
"She has not played them at all. She did not
seek me. I sought her."
"How did you know she was in the city?"
"I learned it from--Philip!"
There was fresh dismay.
"So that boy has wormed his way into your
confidence!" said Mrs. Pitkin bitterly. "After acting
so badly that Mr. Pitkin was obliged to discharge
him, he ran to you to do us a mischief."
"Why was he discharged?" demanded Mr. Carter
sternly. "Why did your husband seize the
opportunity to get rid of a boy in whom he knew me to
be interested as soon as he thought I was out of the
way? Why, moreover, did he refuse the boy a reference,
without which Philip could scarcely hope to
get employment?"
"You will have to ask Mr. Pitkin. I am sure he
had good reason for the course he took. He's an
impudent, low upstart in my opinion."
"So he is, ma!" chimed in Alonzo, with heartiness.
"Ah! I have something to say to you, Alonzo,"
said Mr. Carter, turning his keen glances upon the
boy. "What became of that letter I gave to you
to post just before I went away?"
"I put it in the letter-box," said Alonzo nervously.
"Do you know what was in it?"
"No," answered Alonzo, but he looked frightened.
"There were ten dollars in it. That letter never
reached Phil, to whom it was addressed."
"I--don't know anything about it," faltered
Alonzo.
"There are ways of finding out whether letters
have been posted," said Mr. Carter. "I might put
a detective on the case."
Alonzo turned pale, and looked much discomposed.
"Of what are you accusing my boy?" asked Mrs.
Pitkin, ready to contend for her favorite. "So that
boy has been telling lies about him, has he? and
you believe scandalous stories about your own flesh
and blood?"
"Not exactly that, Lavinia."
"Well, your near relation, and that on the testimony
of a boy you know nothing about. When
Lonny is so devoted to you, too!"
"I never noticed any special devotion," said Mr.
Carter, amused. "You are mistaken, however,
about Philip trying to injure him. I simply asked
Philip whether he had received such a letter, and he
said no."
"I dare say he did receive it," said Mrs. Pitkin
spitefully.
"We won't argue the matter now," said the old
gentleman. "I will only say that you and Alonzo,
and Mr. Pitkin also, have gone the wrong way to
work to secure my favor. You have done what you
could to injure two persons, one your own cousin,
because you were jealous."
"You judge me very hardly, uncle," said Mrs.
Pitkin, seeing that she must adopt a different course.
"I have no bad feeling against Rebecca, and as to
the boy, I will ask my husband to take him back
into the store. I am sure he will do it, because you
wish it."
"I don't wish it," answered Mr. Carter, rather
unexpectedly.
"Oh, well," answered Mrs. Pitkin, looking
relieved, "that is as you say."
"I have other views for Philip," said Mr. Carter.
"He is with me as my private secretary."
"Is he living with you?" asked his niece, in alarm.
"Yes."
"There was no need of taking a stranger, Uncle
Oliver. We should be glad to have Alonzo act as
your secretary, though of course we should want
him to stay at home."
"I shall not deprive you of Alonzo," said Mr.
Carter, with a tinge of sarcasm in his tone. "Philip
will suit me better."
Mr. Carter turned and resumed his packing.
"Are you quite determined to leave us?" asked
Mrs. Pitkin, in a subdued tone.
"Yes; it will be better."
"But you will come back--say after a few weeks?"
"No, I think not," he answered dryly.
"And shall we not see you at all?"
"Oh, I shall call from time to time, and besides,
you will know where I am, and can call whenever
you desire."
"People will talk about your leaving us,"
complained Mrs. Pitkin.
"Let them talk. I never agreed to have my
movements controlled by people's gossip. And now,
Lavinia, I shall have to neglect you and resume my
packing. To-morrow I shall bring Philip here to
help me."
"Would you like to have Alonzo help you, Uncle
Oliver?"
This offer, much to Alonzo's relief, was declined.
He feared that he should be examined more closely
by the old gentleman about the missing money,
which at that very moment he had in his pocket.
Mrs. Pitkin went down stairs feeling angry and
baffled. All that she had done to retain her ascendency
over Uncle Oliver had failed, and Mrs. Forbush
and Philip seemed to have superseded herself and
Alonzo in his regard. She conferred with Mr. Pitkin
- suggestion [sə´dʒestʃən]
n.建议，提议；暗示 (初中英语单词) - dismay [dis´mei] n.惊慌 vt.使惊慌 (初中英语单词)
- handkerchief [´hæŋkətʃif] n.手帕，手绢 (初中英语单词)
- evident [´evidənt] a.明显的，明白的 (初中英语单词)
- communication [kə,mju:ni´keiʃən] n.通信；通讯联系 (初中英语单词)
- objection [əb´dʒekʃən] n.反对；异议；缺点 (初中英语单词)
- mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)
- henceforth [´hens´fɔ:θ] ad.今后；从今以后 (初中英语单词)
- constantly [´kɔnstəntli] ad.经常地；不断地 (初中英语单词)
- bitterly [´bitəli] ad.悲痛地；憎恨地 (初中英语单词)
- moreover [mɔ:´rəuvə] ad.再者，此外，而且 (初中英语单词)
- detective [di´tektiv] n.侦探 a.侦探的 (初中英语单词)
- injure [´indʒə] vt.伤害，损害，毁坏 (初中英语单词)
- neglect [ni´glekt] vt.&n.疏忽；忽视；忽略 (初中英语单词)
- relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)
- missing [´misiŋ] a.缺掉的；失踪的 (初中英语单词)
- retain [ri´tein] vt.保持；保留；留住 (初中英语单词)
- deprive [di´praiv] vt.剥夺，使丧失 (高中英语单词)
- injustice [in´dʒʌstis] n.不公正，不公平 (高中英语单词)
- naught [nɔ:t] n.无；零 (高中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- finding [´faindiŋ] n.发现物；判断；结果 (高中英语单词)
- contend [kən´tend] v.竞争；斗争；争论 (高中英语单词)
- mistaken [mis´teikən] mistake的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
- gossip [´gɔsip] n.&vi.说闲话；聊天 (高中英语单词)
- devoted [di´vəutid] a.献身...的，忠实的 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- unsatisfactory [,ʌnsætis´fæktəri] a.不能令人满意的 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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