Chapter 20

       It was eight o'clock the next morning beforeFrank's breakfast was brought to him.

　　``I am sorry you have had to wait,'' the housekeepersaid, as she appeared at the door with a cupof coffee and a plate of beefsteak and toast, ``Icouldn't come up before.''

　　``Have the men gone away?'' said Frank.

　　``Yes.''

　　``Then I have something to tell you. I learnedsomething about myself last night. I was in thecloset, and heard the man who brought me here talkingto another person. May I tell you the story?''

　　``If you think it will do any good,'' said thehousekeeper, but I can't help you if that is what you want.''

　　He told the whole story. As he proceeded, thehousekeeper betrayed increased, almost eager interest,and from time to time asked him questions inparticular as to the personal appearance of JohnWade. When Frank had described him as well ashe could, she said, in an excited manner:

　　``Yes, it is--it must be the same man.''

　　``The same man!'' repeated our hero, in surprise.

　　``Do you know anything about him?''

　　``I know that he is a wicked man. I am afraidthat I have helped him carry out his wicked plan,but I did not know it at the time, or I never wouldhave given my consent.''

　　``I don't understand you,'' said our hero, puzzled.

　　``Will you tell me what you mean?''

　　``Fourteen years ago I was very poor--poor andsick besides. My husband had died, leaving me nothingbut the care of a young infant, whom it wasnecessary for me to support besides myself.

　　Enfeebled by sickness, I was able to earn but little,but we lived in a wretched room in a crowdedtenement house. My infant boy was taken sick and died.

　　As I sat sorrowfully beside the bed on which he laydead, I heard a knock at the door. I opened it, andadmitted a man whom I afterward³ learned to beJohn Wade². He very soon explained his errand. Heagreed to take my poor boy, and pay all the expensesof his burial in Greenwood Cemetery⁴, provided Iwould not object to any of his arrangements. Hewas willing besides to pay me two hundred dollarsfor the relief of my necessities. Though I wasalmost beside myself with grief for my child's loss,and though this was a very favorable proposal, Ihesitated. I could not understand why a strangershould make me such an offer. I asked him the reason.''

　　`` `You ask too much,' he answered, appearingannoyed. `I have made you a fair offer. Will you acceptit, or will you leave your child to have a pauper'sfuneral?'

　　``That consideration decided⁵ me. For my child'ssake I agreed to his proposal, and forebore to questionhim further. He provided a handsome rosewoodcasket for my dear child, but upon the silverplate was inscribed⁶ a name that was strange to me--the name of Francis Wharton.''

　　``Francis Wharton!'' exclaimed Frank.

　　``I was too weak and sorrowful to makeopposition, and my baby was buried as Francis Wharton.

　　Not only this, but a monument is erected⁷ over himat Greenwood, which bears this name.''

　　She proceeded after a pause:

　　``I did not then understand his object. Your storymakes it clear. I think that you are that FrancisWharton, under whose name my boy was buried.''

　　``How strange!'' said Frank, thoughtfully. ``Icannot realize it. But how did you know the name ofthe man who called upon you?''

　　``A card slipped from his pocket, which I securedwithout his knowledge.''

　　``How fortunate that I met you,'' said Frank. ``Imean to let Mr. Wharton know all that I havelearned, and then he shall decide whether he willrecognize me or not as his grandson.''

　　``I have been the means of helping⁸ to deprive youof your just rights, though unconsciously. Now thatI know the wicked conspiracy⁹ in which I assisted, Iwill help undo¹⁰ the work.''

　　``Thank you,'' said Frank. ``The first thing is toget out of this place.''

　　``I cannot open the door of your room. They donot trust me with the key.''

　　``The windows are not very high from the ground.

　　I can get down from the outside.''

　　``I will bring you a clothesline and a hatchet¹¹.''

　　Frank received them with exultation¹².

　　``Before I attempt to escape,'' he said, ``tell mewhere I can meet you in New York. I want you togo with me to Mr. Wharton's. I shall need you toconfirm my story.''

　　``I will meet you to-morrow at No. 15 B--Street.''

　　``Then we shall meet to-morrow. What shall Icall your name?''

　　``Mrs. Parker.''

　　``Thank you. I will get away as quickly aspossible, and when we are in the city we will talk overour future plans.''

　　With the help of the hatchet, Frank soon demolishedthe lower part of the window. Fastening therope to the bedstead, he got out of the window andsafely descended¹³ to the ground.

　　A long and fatiguing¹⁴ walk lay before him. Butat last he reached the cars, and half an hour laterthe ferry at Jersey¹⁵ City.

　　Frank thought himself out of danger for the timebeing, but he was mistaken.

　　Standing on the deck of the ferryboat, and lookingback to the pier¹⁶ from which he had just started, hemet the glance of a man who had intended to takethe same boat, but had reached the pier just toolate. His heart beat quicker when he recognized inthe belated passenger his late jailer, Nathan Graves.

　　Carried away by his rage and disappointment,Nathan Graves clenched¹⁷ his fist and shook it at hisreceding victim.

　　Our hero walked into the cabin. He wanted achance to deliberate. He knew that Nathan Graveswould follow him by the next boat, and it wasimportant that he should not find him. Where was heto go?

　　Fifteen minutes after Frank set foot on the pier,his enemy also landed. But now the difficult partof the pursuit began. He had absolutely no clew asto the direction which Frank had taken.

　　For an hour and a half he walked the streets inthe immediate¹⁸ neighborhood of the square, but hislabor was without reward. Not a glimpse could hecatch of his late prisoner.

　　``I suppose I must go to see Mr. Wade,'' he at lastreluctantly decided. ``He may be angry, but he can'tblame me. I did my best. I couldn't stand guardover the young rascal¹⁹ all day.''

　　The address which the housekeeper¹ had givenFrank was that of a policeman's family in whichshe was at one time a boarder. On giving his reference,he was hospitably²⁰ received, and succeeded inmaking arrangements for a temporary residence.

　　About seven o'clock Mrs. Parker made herappearance. She wag fatigued²¹ by her journey and glad torest.

　　``I was afraid you might be prevented fromcoming,'' said Frank.

　　``I feared it also. I was about to start at twelveo'clock, when, to my dismay, one of the men camehome. He said he had the headache. I was obligedto make him some tea and toast. He remained abouttill four o'clock, when, to my relief, he went upstairsto lie down. I was afraid some inquiry²² might bemade about you, and your absence discovered, especiallyas the rope was still hanging out of the window,and I was unable to do anything more than cutoff the lower end of it. When the sick man retired²³ tohis bed I instantly left the house, fearing that thereturn of some other of the band might prevent myescaping altogether.''

　　``Suppose you had met one of them, Mrs. Parker?''

　　``I did. It was about half a mile from the house.''

　　``Did he recognize you?''

　　``Yes. He asked in some surprise where I wasgoing. I was obliged to make up a story about ourbeing out of sugar. He accepted it without suspicion,and I kept on. I hope I shall be forgivenfor the lie. I was forced to it.''

　　``You met no further trouble?''

　　``No.''

　　``I must tell you of my adventure,'' said Frank.

　　``I came across the very man whom I most dreaded--the man who made me a prisoner.''

　　``Since he knows that you have escaped, he isprobably on your track,'' said Mrs. Parker. ``It willbe hardly safe for you to go to Mr. Wharton's.''

　　``Why?''

　　``He will probably think you likely to go there, andbe lying in wait somewhere about.''

　　``But I must go to Mr. Wharton,'' said Frank. ``Imust tell him this story.''

　　``It will be safer to write.''

　　``The housekeeper, Mrs. Bradley, or John Wade,will get hold of the letter and suppress it. I don'twant to put them on their guard.''

　　``You are right. It is necessary to be cautious.''

　　``You see I am obliged to call on my grandfather,that is, on Mr. Wharton.''

　　``I can think of a better plan.''

　　``What is it?''

　　``Go to a respectable lawyer. Tell him your story,and place your case in his hands. He will write toyour grandfather, inviting²⁴ him to call at his officeon business of importance, without letting him knowwhat is the nature of it. You and I can be there tomeet him, and tell our story. In this way John Wadewill know nothing, and learn nothing, of your movements.''

　　``That is good advice, Mrs. Parker, but there isone thing you have not thought of,'' said our hero.

　　``What is that?''

　　``Lawyers charge a great deal for their services,and I have no money.''

　　``You have what is as good a recommendation--agood case. The lawyer will see at once that if not atpresent rich, you stand a good chance of obtaininga position which will make you so. Besides, yourgrandfather will be willing, if he admits your claim,to recompense the lawyer handsomely.''

　　``I did not think of that. I will do as you adviseto-morrow.''

1 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

2 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

3 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

4 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 inscribed   

v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接

参考例句：

• His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。
• The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

10 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

11 hatchet   

n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀

参考例句：

• I shall have to take a hatchet to that stump.我得用一把短柄斧来劈这树桩。
• Do not remove a fly from your friend's forehead with a hatchet.别用斧头拍打朋友额头上的苍蝇。

12 exultation   

n.狂喜，得意

参考例句：

• It made him catch his breath, it lit his face with exultation. 听了这个名字，他屏住呼吸，乐得脸上放光。
• He could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. 他一点都激动不起来。

13 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

14 fatiguing   

a.使人劳累的

参考例句：

• He was fatiguing himself with his writing, no doubt. 想必他是拼命写作，写得精疲力尽了。
• Machines are much less fatiguing to your hands, arms, and back. 使用机器时，手、膊和后背不会感到太累。

15 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

16 pier   

n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱

参考例句：

• The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。
• The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

17 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

19 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

20 hospitably   

亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地

参考例句：

• At Peking was the Great Khan, and they were hospitably entertained. 忽必烈汗在北京，他们受到了盛情款待。
• She was received hospitably by her new family. 她的新家人热情地接待了她。

21 fatigued   

adj. 疲乏的

参考例句：

• The exercises fatigued her. 操练使她感到很疲乏。
• The President smiled, with fatigued tolerance for a minor person's naivety. 总统笑了笑，疲惫地表现出对一个下级人员的天真想法的宽容。

22 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

23 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

24 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。