—"You—pish! Why will the captain suffer these begging fellows on board?";
These pettish1 words were breathed by a well-to-do gentleman in a ruby-colored velvet2 vest, and with a ruby-colored cheek, a ruby-headed cane3 in his hand, to a man in a gray coat and white tie, who, shortly after the interview last described, had accosted4 him for contributions to a Widow and Orphan5 Asylum6 recently founded among the Seminoles. Upon a cursory7 view, this last person might have seemed, like the man with the weed, one of the less unrefined children of misfortune; but, on a closer observation, his countenance8 revealed little of sorrow, though much of sanctity.
With added words of touchy9 disgust, the well-to-do gentleman hurried away. But, though repulsed10, and rudely, the man in gray did not reproach, for a time patiently remaining in the chilly11 loneliness to which he had been left, his countenance, however, not without token of latent though chastened reliance. [44]
At length an old gentleman, somewhat bulky, drew nigh, and from him also a contribution was sought.
"Look, you," coming to a dead halt, and scowling12 upon him. "Look, you," swelling13 his bulk out before him like a swaying balloon, "look, you, you on others' behalf ask for money; you, a fellow with a face as long as my arm. Hark ye, now: there is such a thing as gravity, and in condemned14 felons15 it may be genuine; but of long faces there are three sorts; that of grief's drudge16, that of the lantern-jawed man, and that of the impostor. You know best which yours is."
"Heaven give you more charity, sir."
With which words, the hard-hearted old gentleman marched off.
While the other still stood forlorn, the young clergyman, before introduced, passing that way, catching18 a chance sight of him, seemed suddenly struck by some recollection; and, after a moment's pause, hurried up with: "Your pardon, but shortly since I was all over looking for you."
"For me?" as marveling that one of so little account should be sought for.
"Yes, for you; do you know anything about the negro, apparently20 a cripple, aboard here? Is he, or is he not, what he seems to be?"
"Ah, poor Guinea! have you, too, been distrusted? you, upon whom nature has placarded the evidence of your claims?"
"Then you do really know him, and he is quite [45] worthy21? It relieves me to hear it—much relieves me. Come, let us go find him, and see what can be done."
"Another instance that confidence may come too late. I am sorry to say that at the last landing I myself—just happening to catch sight of him on the gangway-plank—assisted the cripple ashore22. No time to talk, only to help. He may not have told you, but he has a brother in that vicinity.
"Really, I regret his going without my seeing him again; regret it, more, perhaps, than you can readily think. You see, shortly after leaving St. Louis, he was on the forecastle, and there, with many others, I saw him, and put trust in him; so much so, that, to convince those who did not, I, at his entreaty23, went in search of you, you being one of several individuals he mentioned, and whose personal appearance he more or less described, individuals who he said would willingly speak for him. But, after diligent24 search, not finding you, and catching no glimpse of any of the others he had enumerated25, doubts were at last suggested; but doubts indirectly26 originating, as I can but think, from prior distrust unfeelingly proclaimed by another. Still, certain it is, I began to suspect."
"Ha, ha, ha!"
Both turned, and the young clergyman started at seeing the wooden-legged man close behind him, morosely28 grave as a criminal judge with a mustard-plaster on his back. In the present case the mustard-plaster [46] might have been the memory of certain recent biting rebuffs and mortifications.
"Wouldn't think it was I who laughed would you?"
"But who was it you laughed at? or rather, tried to laugh at?" demanded the young clergyman, flushing, "me?"
"Neither you nor any one within a thousand miles of you. But perhaps you don't believe it."
"If he were of a suspicious temper, he might not," interposed the man in gray calmly, "it is one of the imbecilities of the suspicious person to fancy that every stranger, however absent-minded, he sees so much as smiling or gesturing to himself in any odd sort of way, is secretly making him his butt29. In some moods, the movements of an entire street, as the suspicious man walks down it, will seem an express pantomimic jeer30 at him. In short, the suspicious man kicks himself with his own foot."
"Whoever can do that, ten to one he saves other folks' sole-leather," said the wooden-legged man with a crusty attempt at humor. But with augmented31 grin and squirm, turning directly upon the young clergyman, "you still think it was you I was laughing at, just now. To prove your mistake, I will tell you what I was laughing at; a story I happened to call to mind just then."
Whereupon, in his porcupine32 way, and with sarcastic33 details, unpleasant to repeat, he related a story, which might, perhaps, in a good-natured version, be rendered as follows: [47]
A certain Frenchman of New Orleans, an old man, less slender in purse than limb, happening to attend the theatre one evening, was so charmed with the character of a faithful wife, as there represented to the life, that nothing would do but he must marry upon it. So, marry he did, a beautiful girl from Tennessee, who had first attracted his attention by her liberal mould, and was subsequently recommended to him through her kin19, for her equally liberal education and disposition34. Though large, the praise proved not too much. For, ere long, rumor35 more than corroborated36 it, by whispering that the lady was liberal to a fault. But though various circumstances, which by most Benedicts would have been deemed all but conclusive37, were duly recited to the old Frenchman by his friends, yet such was his confidence that not a syllable38 would he credit, till, chancing one night to return unexpectedly from a journey, upon entering his apartment, a stranger burst from the alcove39: "Begar!" cried he, "now I begin to suspec."
His story told, the wooden-legged man threw back his head, and gave vent40 to a long, gasping41, rasping sort of taunting42 cry, intolerable as that of a high-pressure engine jeering43 off steam; and that done, with apparent satisfaction hobbled away.
"Who is that scoffer," said the man in gray, not without warmth. "Who is he, who even were truth on his tongue, his way of speaking it would make truth almost offensive as falsehood. Who is he?"
"He who I mentioned to you as having boasted his suspicion of the negro," replied the young clergyman, [48] recovering from disturbance44, "in short, the person to whom I ascribe the origin of my own distrust; he maintained that Guinea was some white scoundrel, betwisted and painted up for a decoy. Yes, these were his very words, I think."
"Impossible! he could not be so wrong-headed. Pray, will you call him back, and let me ask him if he were really in earnest?"
The other complied; and, at length, after no few surly objections, prevailed upon the one-legged individual to return for a moment. Upon which, the man in gray thus addressed him: "This reverend gentleman tells me, sir, that a certain cripple, a poor negro, is by you considered an ingenious impostor. Now, I am not unaware45 that there are some persons in this world, who, unable to give better proof of being wise, take a strange delight in showing what they think they have sagaciously read in mankind by uncharitable suspicions of them. I hope you are not one of these. In short, would you tell me now, whether you were not merely joking in the notion you threw out about the negro. Would you be so kind?"
"No, I won't be so kind, I'll be so cruel."
"As you please about that."
"Well, he's just what I said he was."
"A white masquerading as a black?"
"Exactly."
The man in gray glanced at the young clergyman a moment, then quietly whispered to him, "I thought you represented your friend here as a very distrustful sort of [49] person, but he appears endued47 with a singular credulity.—Tell me, sir, do you really think that a white could look the negro so? For one, I should call it pretty good acting48."
"Not much better than any other man acts."
"How? Does all the world act? Am I, for instance, an actor? Is my reverend friend here, too, a performer?"
"Yes, don't you both perform acts? To do, is to act; so all doers are actors."
"You trifle.—I ask again, if a white, how could he look the negro so?"
"Never saw the negro-minstrels, I suppose?"
"Yes, but they are apt to overdo49 the ebony; exemplifying the old saying, not more just than charitable, that 'the devil is never so black as he is painted.' But his limbs, if not a cripple, how could he twist his limbs so?"
"To the discerning eye," with a horrible screw of his gimlet one.
"Well, where is Guinea?" said the man in gray; "where is he? Let us at once find him, and refute beyond cavil52 this injurious hypothesis."
"Do so," cried the one-eyed man, "I'm just in the humor now for having him found, and leaving the streaks53 of these fingers on his paint, as the lion leaves the streaks of his nails on a Caffre. They wouldn't let me touch him before. Yes, find him, I'll make wool fly, and him after." [50]
"You forget," here said the young clergyman to the man in gray, "that yourself helped poor Guinea ashore."
"So I did, so I did; how unfortunate. But look now," to the other, "I think that without personal proof I can convince you of your mistake. For I put it to you, is it reasonable to suppose that a man with brains, sufficient to act such a part as you say, would take all that trouble, and run all that hazard, for the mere46 sake of those few paltry54 coppers55, which, I hear, was all he got for his pains, if pains they were?"
"That puts the case irrefutably," said the young clergyman, with a challenging glance towards the one-legged man.
"You two green-horns! Money, you think, is the sole motive56 to pains and hazard, deception57 and deviltry, in this world. How much money did the devil make by gulling58 Eve?"
Whereupon he hobbled off again with a repetition of his intolerable jeer.
The man in gray stood silently eying his retreat a while, and then, turning to his companion, said: "A bad man, a dangerous man; a man to be put down in any Christian59 community.—And this was he who was the means of begetting60 your distrust? Ah, we should shut our ears to distrust, and keep them open only for its opposite."
"You advance a principle, which, if I had acted upon it this morning, I should have spared myself what I now feel.—That but one man, and he with one leg, should have such ill power given him; his one sour word [51] leavening61 into congenial sourness (as, to my knowledge, it did) the dispositions62, before sweet enough, of a numerous company. But, as I hinted, with me at the time his ill words went for nothing; the same as now; only afterwards they had effect; and I confess, this puzzles me."
"It should not. With humane63 minds, the spirit of distrust works something as certain potions do; it is a spirit which may enter such minds, and yet, for a time, longer or shorter, lie in them quiescent64; but only the more deplorable its ultimate activity."
"An uncomfortable solution; for, since that baneful65 man did but just now anew drop on me his bane, how shall I be sure that my present exemption66 from its effects will be lasting67?"
"You cannot be sure, but you can strive against it."
"How?"
"By strangling the least symptom of distrust, of any sort, which hereafter, upon whatever provocation68, may arise in you."
"I will do so." Then added as in soliloquy, "Indeed, indeed, I was to blame in standing69 passive under such influences as that one-legged man's. My conscience upbraids70 me.—The poor negro: You see him occasionally, perhaps?"
"No, not often; though in a few days, as it happens, my engagements will call me to the neighborhood of his present retreat; and, no doubt, honest Guinea, who is a grateful soul, will come to see me there."
"Then you have been his benefactor71?" [52]
"His benefactor? I did not say that. I have known him."
"Take this mite72. Hand it to Guinea when you see him; say it comes from one who has full belief in his honesty, and is sincerely sorry for having indulged, however transiently, in a contrary thought."
"I accept the trust. And, by-the-way, since you are of this truly charitable nature, you will not turn away an appeal in behalf of the Seminole Widow and Orphan Asylum?"
"I have not heard of that charity."
"But recently founded."
After a pause, the clergyman was irresolutely73 putting his hand in his pocket, when, caught by something in his companion's expression, he eyed him inquisitively74, almost uneasily.
"Ah, well," smiled the other wanly75, "if that subtle bane, we were speaking of but just now, is so soon beginning to work, in vain my appeal to you. Good-by."
"Nay," not untouched, "you do me injustice76; instead of indulging present suspicions, I had rather make amends77 for previous ones. Here is something for your asylum. Not much; but every drop helps. Of course you have papers?"
"Of course," producing a memorandum78 book and pencil. "Let me take down name and amount. We publish these names. And now let me give you a little history of our asylum, and the providential way in which it was started."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
pettish
|
|
| adj.易怒的，使性子的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
cane
|
|
| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
accosted
|
|
| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
orphan
|
|
| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
asylum
|
|
| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
cursory
|
|
| adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
touchy
|
|
| adj.易怒的；棘手的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
repulsed
|
|
| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
chilly
|
|
| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
scowling
|
|
| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
swelling
|
|
| n.肿胀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
condemned
|
|
| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
felons
|
|
| n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
drudge
|
|
| n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
hypocrisy
|
|
| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
kin
|
|
| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
entreaty
|
|
| n.恳求，哀求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
diligent
|
|
| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
enumerated
|
|
| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
indirectly
|
|
| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
groan
|
|
| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
morosely
|
|
| adv.愁眉苦脸地，忧郁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
butt
|
|
| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
jeer
|
|
| vi.嘲弄，揶揄；vt.奚落；n.嘲笑，讥评 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
Augmented
|
|
| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
porcupine
|
|
| n.豪猪， 箭猪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
sarcastic
|
|
| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
disposition
|
|
| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
rumor
|
|
| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
corroborated
|
|
| v.证实，支持（某种说法、信仰、理论等）( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
conclusive
|
|
| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
syllable
|
|
| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
alcove
|
|
| n.凹室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
vent
|
|
| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
taunting
|
|
| 嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
jeering
|
|
| adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
disturbance
|
|
| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
unaware
|
|
| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
endued
|
|
| v.授予，赋予（特性、才能等）( endue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
overdo
|
|
| vt.把...做得过头，演得过火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
hoisted
|
|
| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
sham
|
|
| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
cavil
|
|
| v.挑毛病，吹毛求疵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
streaks
|
|
| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
paltry
|
|
| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
coppers
|
|
| 铜( copper的名词复数 )； 铜币 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
deception
|
|
| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
gulling
|
|
| v.欺骗某人( gull的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
59
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
begetting
|
|
| v.为…之生父( beget的现在分词 )；产生，引起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
leavening
|
|
| n.酵母，发酵，发酵物v.使（面团）发酵( leaven的现在分词 )；在…中掺入改变的因素 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
dispositions
|
|
| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
humane
|
|
| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
quiescent
|
|
| adj.静止的，不活动的，寂静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
baneful
|
|
| adj.有害的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
exemption
|
|
| n.豁免，免税额，免除 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
lasting
|
|
| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
provocation
|
|
| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
upbraids
|
|
| v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
71
benefactor
|
|
| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
mite
|
|
| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
irresolutely
|
|
| adv.优柔寡断地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
inquisitively
|
|
| 过分好奇地； 好问地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
wanly
|
|
| adv.虚弱地；苍白地，无血色地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
injustice
|
|
| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
amends
|
|
| n. 赔偿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
memorandum
|
|
| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |