Chapter 33 A Sudden Tragedy

 The driver pulled up short. The passengers realized that something had happened, and the nervous man put his head out of the window.

 

Instantly a change came over his face.

 

"We are all dead men!" he groaned². "It is the highwayman!"

 

Andy felt startled in spite of his pluck, and so did the other passengers.

 

"I would jump out and confront the scoundrel," said a determined-looking man, "but there is no room. We are on the verge³ of a precipice⁴."

 

"What will happen?" exclaimed the cadaverous-looking man in an agony of terror.

 

"I suppose we shall be robbed. That will be better than tumbling over the precipice."

 

"Oh, why did I ever leave home?"

 

"I don't know. Ask me something easier," said the resolute⁵ man, in disgust. "Such a man as you ought never to stir from his own fireside."

 

"Stop the coach and pass over your watches and pocketbooks!" cried Dick Hawley, in a commanding tone.

 

By way of exciting alarm and enforcing his order he fired one charge of his revolver. The consequences he did not anticipate.

 

The terrified stage horses, alarmed by the report, got beyond control of the driver and dashed forward impetuously. The highwayman had hardly time to realize his danger when his horse was overthrown⁶ and pushed over the precipice along with its rider, while the stage dashed on. The last that the passengers saw of Dick Hawley was a panic-stricken face looking upward as he fell rapidly down toward the rocks at the bottom.

 

"He's gone! We are saved!" exclaimed the cadaverous-looking man, joyfully⁷.

 

"That is, if the coach doesn't tumble after him."

 

But the coach was saved. Had the horses swerved⁸ in their course all would have been killed. As it was, the dangerous place was safely crossed and the stage emerged upon a broad plateau.

 

The driver stopped the horses, and, dismounting from the box, came around to the coach door.

 

"I congratulate you, gentlemen," he said. "We had a close shave, but we are out of danger. Dick Hawley will rob no more stages."

 

"Driver, you are a brave man--you have saved us," said one of the passengers.

 

"It was not I; it was the horses."

 

"Then you did not start them up?"

 

"No; I should not have dared to do it. They were frightened by the revolver and took the matter into their own hands."

 

"Dick Hawley was foolhardy. Had he ever stopped a stage at this point before?"

 

"Yes, he did so last year."

 

"And succeeded?"

 

"Yes; he made a big haul. This time he has met his deserts."

 

There were no further incidents that deserve recording⁹ in Andy's journey. It is needless to say that he enjoyed it. The scenes through which he passed were new and strange to him. It was a country he had never expected to see, and for this reason, perhaps, he enjoyed it the more.

 

At last he reached Tacoma. It was irregularly built on a hillside. There were no buildings of any pretensions¹⁰. All its importance was to come.

 

He put up at the Tacoma House, a hotel of moderate size, and after dinner he went out to see the town. He sought out the plot of lots owned jointly¹¹ by Mr. Crawford and himself, and found that they were located not far from the center of the business portion of the town.

 

It took no sagacity to foresee that the land would rise in value rapidly, especially after the Northern Pacific Railroad was completed.

 

In the afternoon, feeling tired, he sat in his room and read a book he had picked up at a periodical store--a book treating of the great Northwest. The partitions were thin, and noises in the adjoining room were easily audible.

 

His attention was drawn¹² to a sound of coughing, and a groan¹ indicating pain. It was evident that the next apartment was occupied by a sick man.

 

Andy's sympathies were excited. It seemed to be a forlorn position to be sick and without attention in this remote quarter. After a moment's hesitation¹³ he left his own room and knocked at the other door.

 

"Come in!" was the reply, in a hollow voice.

 

Andy opened the door and entered.

 

On the bed lay a man, advanced in years, with hollow cheeks and every appearance of serious illness.

 

"I am afraid you are very sick," said Andy, gently.

 

"Yes; I have an attack of grip. I am afraid I will have to pass in my checks."

 

"Oh, it isn't as bad as that," said Andy, in a reassuring¹⁴ tone. "Have you no one to take care of you?"

 

"No; everybody here is occupied with schemes for money-making. I can't get any one to look after me for love or money."

 

"Then you have no near friend or relative in Tacoma?"

 

"No; nor, I may say, anywhere else. I have a niece, however, in Syracuse. She is at school. She is the only tie, the only one on whom I have any claim."

 

"If you need money--" began Andy, feeling a little delicate about offering pecuniary¹⁵ assistance.

 

"No, I have no need of that kind. I suppose I look poor, for I never cared about my personal appearance, but I am one of the largest owners of real estate in Tacoma, besides having some thousands of dollars in a San Francisco bank. But what good will it all do me? Here I am, sick, and perhaps near death."

 

"I will do what I can for you," said Andy. "I am myself a visitor in Tacoma. I came on business for a New York gentleman. I am authorized¹⁷ to buy lots in Tacoma. When you are better, I will make you an offer for your land, if you care to sell."

 

"Help me to get well, and you shall have it on your own terms."

 

"You will need some one besides myself. Do you authorize¹⁶ me to hire an attendant?"

 

"Yes, I shall be glad to have you do so. I begin to hope for recovery, through your assistance. I had given myself up for lost."

 

"Then I will go out and see what I can do. Do you authorize me to pay liberally for the service of a nurse?"

 

"Pay anything--fifty dollars a week, if necessary; I can afford it."

 

"I will go out at once. I will see if I can buy some oranges."

 

Andy left the hotel and walked toward the steamboat wharf¹⁸. It was deserted¹⁹, except by two persons.

 

A young man of thirty, bronzed by exposure to the weather, who looked like a farmer, stood beside a plain, cheap trunk, on which sat a woman somewhat younger, who had a weary and anxious look.

 

The young man--her husband, doubtless--seemed troubled.

 

"Good-afternoon," said Andy, pleasantly. "Are you in any trouble? Is there anything I can do for you?"

 

"Well, my boy, I'm in a tight place. I came here from Iowa, with my wife, expecting to meet a cousin who had promised to get me employment. I find he has left Tacoma. So here I am, with less than five dollars in my pocket and no prospect²⁰ of work. I'm not a coward, but I don't mind saying I'm afraid to think of what will become of us."

 

An idea came to Andy.

 

Here was a chance to secure a nurse.

 

"Is your wife used to sickness?" he asked. "Could she take care of a sick man?"

 

The woman brightened up.

 

"I took care of my father for a year," she answered. "I'm a middlin' good nurse."

 

"She's the best nurse I know of," put in her husband.

 

"All right! Then I can find you employment. An acquaintance of mine, an old man--as old, probably, as your father--is sick with grip at the Tacoma House. He will pay you liberally. Can you come with me at once?"

 

"Yes, and be glad to."

 

"Come, then. You will be paid twenty-five dollars a week."

 

"Why that's a fortune!" said the woman, amazed.

 

"Come with me at once, and your husband can follow at his leisure."

 

"Maria, that's what I call a streak²¹ of good luck," said her husband, overjoyed. "Go along with this young man, and I'll get a cheap room somewhere in town. I'll take the trunk along with me."

 

He shouldered the small trunk, and his wife went off with Andy.

 

In a few minutes she was installed in the sick chamber²², and soon showed that she understood her business. A doctor was sent for, and Seth Johnson, for this was the sick man's name, was soon made comfortable.

 

He ratified²³ Andy's bargain, and paid, besides, for Mrs. Graham's board at the hotel. He did not gain rapidly, for his strength was at a low ebb²⁴, but he improved steadily²⁵.

 

The husband found employment in a couple of days, and their temporary despondency gave place to hope and courage.

 

"You've done better for me than my cousin would have done, Andy," said Graham, a few days later. "You've set me on my feet, and I'm not afraid now but I'll get along."

1 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

2 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

4 precipice   

n.悬崖，危急的处境

参考例句：

• The hut hung half over the edge of the precipice.那间小屋有一半悬在峭壁边上。
• A slight carelessness on this precipice could cost a man his life.在这悬崖上稍一疏忽就会使人丧生。

5 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

6 overthrown   

adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词

参考例句：

• The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

7 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

8 swerved   

v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist. 她猛地急转弯，以躲开一个骑自行车的人。
• The driver has swerved on a sudden to avoid a file of geese. 为了躲避一队鹅，司机突然来个急转弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

10 pretensions   

自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力

参考例句：

• The play mocks the pretensions of the new middle class. 这出戏讽刺了新中产阶级的装模作样。
• The city has unrealistic pretensions to world-class status. 这个城市不切实际地标榜自己为国际都市。

11 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

12 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

13 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

14 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

15 pecuniary   

adj.金钱的；金钱上的

参考例句：

• She denies obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.她否认通过欺骗手段获得经济利益。
• She is so independent that she refused all pecuniary aid.她很独立，所以拒绝一切金钱上的资助。

16 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

17 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

18 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

19 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

20 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

21 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

22 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

23 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

24 ebb   

vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态

参考例句：

• The flood and ebb tides alternates with each other.涨潮和落潮交替更迭。
• They swam till the tide began to ebb.他们一直游到开始退潮。

25 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。