“Come in and sit down. I never thought to see you again, Sam; and, much less you, Naboth Perkins. But now that you’re here, we’ll have a few mutual1 explanations.”
“If them thieves an’ scoundrels enters this house, I’ll go out!” she fairly screamed, in her shrill3 voice.
“Be quiet!” commanded the Captain, sternly. “This is my house; and, although it’s all that my friends have left to me,” he added, bitterly, “I’m still the master under my own roof. Sit down, Perkins, sit down, Sam, my lad.”
A sudden tenderness that crept into the last words seemed to rouse the woman to fury.
“That’s the boy that robbed you!” she cried, pointing at me a trembling, bony finger. “That’s the boy that skinned the house of all your valeybles and treasures as soon as he thought you was dead, and couldn’t come back to punish him! An’ stole all my savins’ too; and swore he’d be a pirate and murder and steal all his life; an’ that the man,” turning fiercely upon my horrified4 uncle, “as aided an’ abetted5 him in his wickedness, an’ threatened to kill me if I interfered6 with Sam’s carryin’ away of your property! Cap’n Steele, how dare you harbor sich varmints? Drive ’em out, this instant, or I’ll go myself. This house can’t hold Sam Steele, the robber, and me at the same time!”
Captain Steele looked toward me gravely as I stood regarding the woman with unmistakable amazement7. Then he turned to Naboth Perkins, to find the little man doubled up in his chair and shaking with silent laughter. A moment later he began to gasp8 and choke and cough, until, just as he appeared to be on the verge9 of convulsions, he suddenly straightened up and wiped the tears from his eyes.
“Cap’n Steele, sir,” he said, “this is the best show I ever had a reserved seat at, an’ the admission’s free gratis10 for nothin’! Why, you measly old she-tiger,” turning with stern abruptness11 to Mrs. Ranck, “did you ever think, fer a minute, that such a lyin’ tale as you’ve trumped12 up would deceive grown men?”
“No, you don’t!” exclaimed Mr. Perkins, bounding between her and the door of her room, toward which she was hastening; “you’ll stay right here till this mystery is cleared up. For, if I understand Cap’n Steele aright, he can’t find the property he left in this house, ner imagine what’s become of it; an’ you’ve been stuffing him with lies about Sam’s running away with it. Am I right, Cap’n?”
My father nodded, gazing with lowering brow upon the cowed and trembling form of the housekeeper15.
“The Cap’n’s property an’ his savin’s didn’t walk away by themselves,” continued Uncle Naboth, “and no one could ’a’ took ’em except Sam or this woman. Very good. They’re both here, now, an’ you’re going to clear up the mystery and get your money back, Cap’n, before you takes your eye off’n either one. Just flop16 into that chair, Mrs. Ranck, an’ if you try to wiggle away I’ll call the police!”
The woman obeyed. A dull glaze17 had come over her eyes, and her features were white and set. In all her cunning plotting she had never imagined that I or my uncle would ever return to Batteraft to confound her. She believed that the knowledge that I was in her debt would prevent my coming back, in any event, and she fully18 expected me to be buffeted19 here and there about the world, with never a chance of my being again heard of in my old home.
What a mistake she had made! But it was all owing to this little fat man whom she had driven thoughtlessly from her door the day that I was sent away into exile. She had never heard of Naboth Perkins before; nor did she know, any more than I myself did at the time, of the partnership20 formerly21 existing between the two men, or even the fact of their relationship. She felt that she was caught in a trap, in some unexpected way, and the disaster stunned22 her.
Captain Steele filled and lighted his pipe before the silence of the little group was again broken. Then, turning to me, he asked:
“Why did you believe I was dead?”
“One of your sailors brought the news, sir, and told us of the wreck23. He gave Mrs. Ranck your watch and ring, which he believed were taken from your dead body.”
“It’s a lie!” snapped the woman, desperately24. “I never seen the watch and ring; but he said the Cap’n was dead, all right, an’ that’s why Sam run away with the property.”
“Ned Britton, sir.”
“Yes, sir. Ned was taken with a fever when he escaped from the wreck, and after he recovered they told him that several bodies had been washed ashore27 and buried by the villagers. On one of the bodies they found the watch and ring, so Ned naturally thought you had perished.”
“When the ship broke up,” said Captain Steele, slowly, “and I knew the end had come, I sent one of my lads to my cabin to get my trinkets while I attended to lowering the boats. I never saw him again. For my part, my leg was crushed by a falling mast, but I got entangled28 in the rigging and the mast floated me to a little island where a dozen fisher-folks lived. One was a bit of a doctor, and cut away my mangled29 leg and nursed me back to life. While I waited for a ship to touch the island I regained30 my strength and made myself a new leg out of cotton-wood. Then, one day, a schooner31 carried me to Plymouth, and the Captain, who was a kindly32 man, loaned me enough money to bring me to Batteraft where I thought I’d find my savings33; enough to buy a new ship and start business again. But Mrs. Ranck met me with the news that my son had stripped the house of all my valuables and run away with a man that was known to be a pirate. My room was quite bare, I found, and Mrs. Ranck claimed she had hardly enough left of her savings to buy food with. So here I was, a cripple and condemned34 to poverty after a successful career; and it’s no wonder my thoughts were bitter towards my son, whom I never would have believed could act so ungratefully. My only comfort was that Sam had believed me dead.”
Uncle Naboth nodded approval.
“Quite proper, sir,” he said, “an’ all quite right and shipshape. Sam didn’t take a penny’s worth from this house; but I made him my partner, in your place, and we’ve had a successful voyage and come back rich as Croessuses. You’ll live in clover, from this time on, Cap’n Steele, even if you never get back the property Mrs. Ranck has robbed you of. But why not make her give it up? She can’t have squandered35 it on riotous36 living, by the looks of her.”
Captain Steele turned to the housekeeper.
“What have you to say, Mrs. Ranck?” he asked.
“It’s all a pack o’ lies,” she snarled37, “but there’s no call for you to believe me if you don’t want to. One thing’s certain, though. This is my house, an’ the deed of it’s in my name. You’ll have to clear out o’ here, all three of you, or I’ll have the law on you an’ put you out!”
Captain Steele arose calmly and seized the woman by her arms. In spite of her screams and struggles he carried her to his own little room and thrust her in, locking the door safely upon her.
“Now,” said he, “let’s explore the place and see what we can find. I’ve never been in Mrs. Ranck’s room, for until today I had no suspicions of her. Come with me. If she’s honest we shall find nothing, for she can’t have disposed of the property.”
“Right you are, sir,” cried Uncle Naboth, springing up; and we all three at once proceeded to enter the room the housekeeper had for so many years reserved for her own use.
It was simply and plainly furnished, and a single glance served to convince us that it contained no evidence whatever of the missing property.
“Strange!” said my father, musingly38. “There were nine cases and three chests, besides the great sea-chest that I found still in my room, although emptied of all its contents. Whatever could have become of them all?”
“Dad,” I exclaimed, suddenly, “I remember there used to be a sort of cellar under this room, that could only be reached by a trap-door.”
“True,” replied my father; “I remember that, too. But where is the trap?”
Uncle Naboth was already making a careful inspection39 of the old rag carpet that covered the floor. In one corner the tacks40 seemed far apart and scanty41. He seized the carpet and jerked it away from the fastenings, disclosing a small square trap with an iron ring in the center.
“Here’s the treasure house, sir,” he announced triumphantly42.
“Get a candle, Sam,” said my father, gravely.
When it was brought, all three of us descended43 the narrow stairs to the underground room, where the cases and chests were speedily found, all stored in orderly fashion against the walls. The contents of the great sea chest, which she had doubtless removed before admitting me to the Captain’s room, had been placed in boxes which Mrs. Ranck had secured from the grocery store. In addition to Captain Steele’s property, there was also a brass44 kettle almost full of gold and silver coins, which the miserly old woman had saved from the money my father had given her to clothe and care for me, as well as to defray the household expenses while the sailor was away upon his voyages.
Perhaps her own wages were added to this store, as well; anyway, Captain Steele seemed to think so. For, after assuring himself that all his missing property was safe, he carried the kettle up to the living room and proceeded to liberate45 Mrs. Ranck. When, scowling46 but subdued47, she crept from the little room, my father offered to give to her the entire contents of the kettle if she would freely transfer to him the deed to the house, and quit Batteraft for good and all.
“Its more than you deserve,” said he, “but I don’t want to go to the police in this matter unless you force me to. Take the money and go, and never let me see your face in Batteraft again.”
Of course she accepted the generous proposition. After gathering48 her few clothes into a bundle, she took her treasure and left the house. The first train that left Batteraft carried her with it, and I have never seen her since.
“It was in this way that she once drove me from my old home, father,” I said. “But it can’t be such a bad world, after all. For, if the wicked sometimes appear to triumph, they are usually punished in the end, and now that Mrs. Ranck has passed out of our lives we ought to be very happy again.”
“We will be, Sam!” returned my father, earnestly, as he affectionately pressed my hand.
“Hooray!” yelled Uncle Naboth.
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1
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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abetted
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| v.教唆（犯罪）( abet的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；怂恿；支持 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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7
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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9
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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10
gratis
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| adj.免费的 | |
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abruptness
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| n. 突然，唐突 | |
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12
trumped
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| v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造 | |
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13
peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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14
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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flop
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| n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下 | |
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glaze
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| v.因疲倦、疲劳等指眼睛变得呆滞，毫无表情 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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19
buffeted
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| 反复敲打( buffet的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续猛击； 打来打去； 推来搡去 | |
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partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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23
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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25
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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28
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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30
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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31
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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32
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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35
squandered
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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37
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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38
musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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39
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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40
tacks
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| 大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法 | |
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41
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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42
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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43
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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44
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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45
liberate
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| v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由 | |
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46
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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47
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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48
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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49
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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