章节正文
文章总共2页
England should I begin to look for Alicia?
Sleeping and walking--working and idling--those were now my
constant thoughts. I did my best to prepare myself for every
emergency that could happen; I tried to arm myself beforehand
against every possible accident that could befall me. While I was
still hard at work sharpening my faculties and disciplining my
energies in this way, an accident befell the doctor, on the
possibility of which I had not dared to calculate, even in my
most hopeful moments.
CHAPTER XI.
ONE morning I was engaged in the principal workroom with my
employer. We were alone. Old File and his son were occupied in
the garrets. Screw had been sent to Barkingham, accompanied, on
the usual precautionary plan, by Mill. They had been gone nearly
an hour when the doctor sent me into the next room to moisten and
knead up some plaster of Paris. While I was engaged in this
occupation, I suddenly heard strange voices in the large
workroom. My curiosity was instantly excited. I drew back the
little shutter from the peephole in the wall, and looked through
it.
I saw first my old enemy, Screw, with his villainous face much
paler than usual; next, two respectably-dressed strangers whom he
appeared to have brought into the room; and next to them Young
File, addressing himself to the doctor.
"I beg your pardon, sir," said my friend, the workman-like
footman; "but before these gentlemen say anything for themselves,
I wish to explain, as they seem strangers to you, that I only let
them in after I had heard them give the password. My instructions
are to let anybody in on our side of the door if they can give
the password. No offense, sir, but I want it to be understood
that I have done my duty."
"Quite right, my man," said the doctor, in his blandest manner.
"You may go back to your work."
Young File left the room, with a scrutinizing look for the two
strangers and a suspicious frown for Screw.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves," began the elder of the two
strangers.
"Pardon me for a moment," interposed the doctor. "Where is Mill?"
he added, turning to Screw.
"Doing our errands at Barkingham," answered Screw, turning paler
than ever.
"We happened to meet your two men, and to ask them the way to
your house," said the stranger who had just spoken. "This man,
with a caution that does him infinite credit, required to know
our business before he told us. We managed to introduce the
password--'Happy-go-lucky'--into our answer. This of course
quieted suspicion; and he, at our request, guided us here,
leaving his fellow-workman, as he has just told you, to do all
errands at Barkingham."
While these words were being spoken, I saw Screw's eyes wandering
discontentedly and amazedly round the room. He had left me in it
with the doctor before he went out: was he disappointed at not
finding me in it on his return?
While this thought was passing through my mind, the stranger
resumed his explanations.
"We are here," he said, "as agents appointed to transact private
business, out of London, for Mr. Manasseh, with whom you have
dealings, I think?"
"Certainly," said the doctor, with a smile.
"And who owes you a little account, which we are appointed to
settle."
"Just so!" remarked the doctor, pleasantly rubbing his hands one
over the other. "My good friend, Mr. Manasseh, does not like to
trust the post, I suppose? Very glad to make your acquaintance,
gentlemen. Have you got the little memorandum about you?"
"Yes; but we think there is a slight inaccuracy in it. Have you
any objection to let us refer to your ledger?"
"Not the least in the world. Screw, go down into my private
laboratory, open the table-drawer nearest the window, and bring
up a locked book, with a parchment cover, which you will find in
it."
As Screw obeyed I saw a look pass between him and the two
strangers which made me begin to feel a little uneasy. I thought
the doctor noticed it too; but he preserved his countenance, as
usual, in a state of the most unruffled composure.
Sleeping and walking--working and idling--those were now my
constant thoughts. I did my best to prepare myself for every
emergency that could happen; I tried to arm myself beforehand
against every possible accident that could befall me. While I was
still hard at work sharpening my faculties and disciplining my
energies in this way, an accident befell the doctor, on the
possibility of which I had not dared to calculate, even in my
most hopeful moments.
CHAPTER XI.
ONE morning I was engaged in the principal workroom with my
employer. We were alone. Old File and his son were occupied in
the garrets. Screw had been sent to Barkingham, accompanied, on
the usual precautionary plan, by Mill. They had been gone nearly
an hour when the doctor sent me into the next room to moisten and
knead up some plaster of Paris. While I was engaged in this
occupation, I suddenly heard strange voices in the large
workroom. My curiosity was instantly excited. I drew back the
little shutter from the peephole in the wall, and looked through
it.
I saw first my old enemy, Screw, with his villainous face much
paler than usual; next, two respectably-dressed strangers whom he
appeared to have brought into the room; and next to them Young
File, addressing himself to the doctor.
"I beg your pardon, sir," said my friend, the workman-like
footman; "but before these gentlemen say anything for themselves,
I wish to explain, as they seem strangers to you, that I only let
them in after I had heard them give the password. My instructions
are to let anybody in on our side of the door if they can give
the password. No offense, sir, but I want it to be understood
that I have done my duty."
"Quite right, my man," said the doctor, in his blandest manner.
"You may go back to your work."
Young File left the room, with a scrutinizing look for the two
strangers and a suspicious frown for Screw.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves," began the elder of the two
strangers.
"Pardon me for a moment," interposed the doctor. "Where is Mill?"
he added, turning to Screw.
"Doing our errands at Barkingham," answered Screw, turning paler
than ever.
"We happened to meet your two men, and to ask them the way to
your house," said the stranger who had just spoken. "This man,
with a caution that does him infinite credit, required to know
our business before he told us. We managed to introduce the
password--'Happy-go-lucky'--into our answer. This of course
quieted suspicion; and he, at our request, guided us here,
leaving his fellow-workman, as he has just told you, to do all
errands at Barkingham."
While these words were being spoken, I saw Screw's eyes wandering
discontentedly and amazedly round the room. He had left me in it
with the doctor before he went out: was he disappointed at not
finding me in it on his return?
While this thought was passing through my mind, the stranger
resumed his explanations.
"We are here," he said, "as agents appointed to transact private
business, out of London, for Mr. Manasseh, with whom you have
dealings, I think?"
"Certainly," said the doctor, with a smile.
"And who owes you a little account, which we are appointed to
settle."
"Just so!" remarked the doctor, pleasantly rubbing his hands one
over the other. "My good friend, Mr. Manasseh, does not like to
trust the post, I suppose? Very glad to make your acquaintance,
gentlemen. Have you got the little memorandum about you?"
"Yes; but we think there is a slight inaccuracy in it. Have you
any objection to let us refer to your ledger?"
"Not the least in the world. Screw, go down into my private
laboratory, open the table-drawer nearest the window, and bring
up a locked book, with a parchment cover, which you will find in
it."
As Screw obeyed I saw a look pass between him and the two
strangers which made me begin to feel a little uneasy. I thought
the doctor noticed it too; but he preserved his countenance, as
usual, in a state of the most unruffled composure.
- advanced [əd´vɑ:nst]
a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词) - generous [´dʒenərəs] a.慷慨的；丰盛的 (初中英语单词)
- proportion [prə´pɔ:ʃən] n.比率 vt.使成比例 (初中英语单词)
- scientific [,saiən´tifik] a.科学(上)的 (初中英语单词)
- distinguish [di´stiŋgwiʃ] v.区分；识别；立功 (初中英语单词)
- temper [´tempə] n.韧度 v.锻炼；调和 (初中英语单词)
- system [´sistəm] n.系统，体系，制度 (初中英语单词)
- complain [kəm´plein] vi.抱怨，叫屈；控诉 (初中英语单词)
- career [kə´riə] n.经历；生涯；职业 (初中英语单词)
- mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)
- pursuit [pə´sju:t] n.追踪；追击；事务 (初中英语单词)
- medical [´medikəl] a.医学的；医疗的 (初中英语单词)
- chemical [´kemikəl] a.化学的 n.化学制品 (初中英语单词)
- phrase [freiz] n.短语；词组；措词 (初中英语单词)
- actually [´æktʃuəli] ad.事实上；实际上 (初中英语单词)
- resistance [ri´zistəns] n.抵抗；抵制；耐力 (初中英语单词)
- poverty [´pɔvəti] n.贫穷(乏，瘠)；不足 (初中英语单词)
- refuge [´refju:dʒ] v.&n.避难(所)；庇护 (初中英语单词)
- surprising [sə´praiziŋ] a.惊人的；意外的 (初中英语单词)
- despair [di´speə] vi.&n.绝望 (初中英语单词)
- childish [´tʃaildiʃ] a.孩子的；幼稚的 (初中英语单词)
- mental [´mentl] a.精神的；心理的 (初中英语单词)
- misery [´mizəri] n.痛苦；悲惨；穷困 (初中英语单词)
- principal [´prinsəpəl] a.主要的 n.负责人 (初中英语单词)
- curiosity [,kjuəri´ɔsiti] n.好奇；奇事；珍品 (初中英语单词)
- instantly [´instəntli] ad.立即，立刻 (初中英语单词)
- pardon [´pɑ:dən] n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词)
- offense [ə´fens] n.冒犯；触怒；犯法 (初中英语单词)
- spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- suspicion [sə´spiʃən] n.怀(猜)疑；嫌疑 (初中英语单词)
- account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)
- objection [əb´dʒekʃən] n.反对；异议；缺点 (初中英语单词)
- countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)
- equality [i´kwɔliti] n.同等，平等 (高中英语单词)
- circulation [,sə:kju´leiʃən] n.循环；流传；发行(量) (高中英语单词)
- genuine [´dʒenjuin] a.真正的；真诚的 (高中英语单词)
- resemblance [ri´zembləns] n.类似；肖像；外表 (高中英语单词)
- newcomer [´nju:,kʌmə] n.新来的人；移民 (高中英语单词)
- jewelry [´dʒu:əlri] n.珠宝(饰物) (高中英语单词)
- resident [´rezidənt] a.居住的 n.居民 (高中英语单词)
- commonly [´kɔmənli] ad.一般地；通常 (高中英语单词)
- secretly [´si:kritli] ad.秘密地；隐蔽地 (高中英语单词)
- respectable [ri´spektəbəl] a.可敬的；有身价的 (高中英语单词)
- certainty [´sə:tənti] n.确实(性)；确信 (高中英语单词)
- positively [´pɔzətivli] ad.确实；断然；绝对 (高中英语单词)
- imprisonment [im´priznmənt] n.监禁，下狱 (高中英语单词)
- whereabouts [,weərə´bauts] n.下落；行踪；所在 (高中英语单词)
- befall [bi´fɔ:l] v.降临；发表(于) (高中英语单词)
- moisten [´mɔisən] v.沾湿；变潮湿 (高中英语单词)
- plaster [´plɑ:stə] n.灰泥 vt.厚厚地涂抹 (高中英语单词)
- shutter [´ʃʌtə] n.百叶窗；(相机)快门 (高中英语单词)
- suspicious [sə´spiʃəs] a.可疑的，多疑的 (高中英语单词)
- caution [´kɔ:ʃən] n.&vt.小心；告诫；警告 (高中英语单词)
- infinite [´infinit] a.无限的，无穷的 (高中英语单词)
- pleasantly [´plezntli] ad.令人愉快地；舒适地 (高中英语单词)
- uneasy [ʌn´i:zi] a.不安的；不自在的 (高中英语单词)
- varied [´veərid] a.各种各样的 (英语四级单词)
- refined [ri´faind] a.精制的；文雅的 (英语四级单词)
- resolute [´rezəlu:t] a.坚决的；不屈不挠的 (英语四级单词)
- befell [bi´fel] befall的过去式 (英语四级单词)
- hopeful [´həupfəl] a.有希望的，激励人的 (英语四级单词)
- parchment [´pɑ:tʃmənt] n.羊皮纸(文稿) (英语四级单词)
- composure [kəm´pəuʒə] n.镇静，沉着 (英语四级单词)
- effectually [i´fektjuəli] ad.有效地 (英语六级单词)
- privileged [´privilidʒd] a.有特权的；特许的 (英语六级单词)
- footman [´futmən] n.侍应员；男仆 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)
- exacting [ig´zæktiŋ] a.苛求的；严格的 (英语六级单词)
- penitent [´penitənt] a.悔罪的 n.悔罪者 (英语六级单词)
- transact [træn´zækt] v.处理；做交易；谈判 (英语六级单词)
- memorandum [,memə´rændəm] n.备忘录；记录 (英语六级单词)
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文章标签:名著
章节正文
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