Chapter 21

       Mr. Wharton sat at dinner with his nephew andthe housekeeper¹. He had been at home for sometime, and of course on his arrival had been greetedwith the news of our hero's perfidy². But, to theindignation of Mrs. Bradley and John, he was obstinatelyincredulous.

　　``There is some mistake, I am sure,'' he said. ``Sucha boy as Frank is incapable³ of stealing. You maybe mistaken after all, John. Why did you not lethim stay till I got back? I should like to haveexamined him myself.''

　　``I was so angry with him for repaying yourkindness in such a way that I instantly ordered him outof the house.''

　　``I blame you, John, for your haste,'' said his uncle.

　　``It was not just to the boy.''

　　``I acted for the best, sir,'' he forced himself tosay in a subdued⁴ tone.

　　``Young people are apt to be impetuous, and Iexcuse you; but you should have waited for my return.

　　I will call at Gilbert & Mack's, and inquire of Frankhimself what explanation he has to give.''

　　``Of course, sir, you will do what you think proper,''

　　said his nephew.

　　This ended the conversation, and Mr. Wharton,according to his declared intention, went to Gilbert& Mack's. He returned disappointed with theinformation that our hero was no longer in the store.

　　I now return to Mr. Wharton at dinner.

　　``Here is a letter for you, sir,'' said thehousekeeper. ``It was brought by the postman this afternoon.''

　　Mr. Wharton adjusted his spectacles and read asfollows:

　　``No.-- Wall Street.

　　``Dear Sir: Will you have the kindness to call atmy office to-morrow morning at eleven o'clock, if itsuits your convenience? I have an importantcommunication to make to you, which will, I think beof an agreeable character. Should the time namednot suit you, will you have the kindness to name yourown time?

　　``Yours respectfully,``MORRIS HALL.''

　　``Read that, John,'' said his uncle, passing himthe letter.

　　``Morris Hall is a lawyer, I believe, sir,'' said John.

　　``Have you any idea of the nature of the communicationhe desires to make?''

　　``No idea at all.''

　　``If it would relieve you, sir, I will go in yourplace,'' said John, whose curiosity was aroused.

　　``Thank you, John, but this is evidently a personalmatter. I shall go down there to-morrow at theappointed time.''

　　John was far from suspecting that the communicationrelated to Frank, though he had heard the dayprevious from Nathan Graves of the boy's escape.

　　He had been very much annoyed, and had given hisagent a severe scolding, with imperative⁵ orders torecapture the boy, if possible.

　　It was not without a feeling of curiosity that Mr.

　　Wharton entered the law office of Mr. Hall. Heannounced himself and was cordially welcomed.

　　``You have a communication to make to me,'' saidMr. Wharton.

　　``I have.''

　　``Tell me all without delay.''

　　``I will, sir. This is the communication I desire tomake.''

　　The story of John Wade⁶'s treachery was told, andthe means by which he had imposed upon his uncle,but the lawyer carefully abstained⁷ from identifyingthe lost grandson with Frank Fowler.

　　When the story was concluded, Mr. Wharton said:

　　``Where is my grandson--my poor George's boy?

　　Find him for me, and name your own reward.''

　　``I will show him to you at once, sir. Frank!''

　　At the word, Frank, who was in an inner office.

　　entered. Mr. Wharton started in amazement⁸.

　　``Frank!'' he exclaimed. ``My dear boy, is it youwho are my grandson?''

　　``Grandfather!''

　　Mr. Wharton held out his arms, and our hero,already attached to him for his kindness, was foldedin close embrace.

　　``Then you believe I am your grandson?'' saidFrank.

　　``I believe it without further proof.''

　　``Still, Mr. Wharton,'' said the lawyer, ``I want tosubmit my whole proof. Mrs. Parker!''

　　Mrs. Parker entered and detailed⁹ her part in theplot, which for fourteen years had separated Frankfrom his family.

　　``Enough!'' said Mr. Wharton. ``I am convinced--I did not believe my nephew capable of such baseness.

　　Mrs. Parker, you shall not regret your confession¹⁰.

　　I will give you a pension which will relieveyou from all fear of want. Call next week on Mr.

　　Hall, and you shall learn what provision I have madefor you. You, Frank, will return with me.''

　　``What will Mr. John say?'' asked Frank.

　　``He shall no longer sleep under my roof,'' said Mr.

　　Wharton, sternly.

　　Frank was taken to a tailor and fitted out with ahandsome new suit, ready-made for immediate¹¹ use,while three more were ordered.

　　When Mr. Wharton reached home, he entered thelibrary and rang the bell.

　　To the servant who answered he said:

　　``Is Mr. John at home?''

　　``Yes, sir; he came in ten minutes ago.''

　　``Tell him I wish to see him at once in the library.

　　Summon the housekeeper, also.''

　　Surprised at the summons, John Wade answeredit directly. He and Mrs. Bradley met at the doorand entered together. Their surprise and dismaymay be conjectured¹² when they saw our hero seatedbeside Mr. Wharton, dressed like a young gentleman.

　　``John Wade,'' said his uncle, sternly, ``the boywhom you malign¹³, the boy you have so deeplywronged, has found a permanent home in this house.''

　　``What, sir! you take him back?''

　　``I do. There is no more fitting place for himthan the house of his grandfather.''

　　``His grandfather!'' exclaimed his nephew and thehousekeeper, in chorus.

　　``I have abundant proof of the relationship. Thismorning I have listened to the story of your treachery.

　　I have seen the woman whose son, representedto me as my grandson, lies in Greenwood Cemetery¹⁴.

　　I have learned your wicked plans to defraud¹⁵ him ofhis inheritance, and I tell you that you have failed.''

　　``I shall make my will to-morrow, bequeathing allmy property to my grandson, excepting only an annualincome of two thousand dollars to yourself. Andnow I must trouble you to find a boarding place.

　　After what has passed I do not desire to have you inthe family.''

　　``I do not believe he is your grandson,'' said JohnWade, too angry to heed¹⁶ prudential considerations.

　　``Your opinion is of little consequence.''

　　``Then, sir, I have only to wish you good-morning.

　　I will send for my trunks during the day.''

　　``Good-morning,'' said Mr. Wharton, gravely, andJohn Wade left the room, baffled and humiliated¹⁷.

　　``I hope, sir,'' said the housekeeper, alarmed forher position; ``I hope you don't think I knew Mr.

　　Frank was your grandson. I never was so astonishedand flustrated in my life. I hope you won'tdischarge me, sir--me that have served you so faithfullyfor many years.''

　　``You shall remain on probation¹⁸. But if Frankever has any fault to find with you, you must go.''

　　``I hope you will forgive me, Mr. Frank.''

　　``I forgive you freely,'' said our hero, who was ata generous disposition¹⁹.

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 perfidy   

n.背信弃义，不忠贞

参考例句：

• As devotion unites lovers,so perfidy estranges friends.忠诚是爱情的桥梁，欺诈是友谊的敌人。
• The knowledge of Hurstwood's perfidy wounded her like a knife.赫斯渥欺骗她的消息像一把刀捅到了她的心里。

3 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

4 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

5 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

6 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。

7 abstained   

v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票）

参考例句：

• Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
• They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

9 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

10 confession   

n.自白，供认，承认

参考例句：

• Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
• The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

11 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。

12 conjectured   

推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The old peasant conjectured that it would be an unusually cold winter. 那老汉推测冬天将会异常地寒冷。
• The general conjectured that the enemy only had about five days' supply of food left. 将军推测敌人只剩下五天的粮食给养。

13 malign   

adj.有害的；恶性的；恶意的；v.诽谤，诬蔑

参考例句：

• It was easy to see why the cartoonists regularly portrayed him as a malign cherub.难怪漫画家总是把他画成一个邪恶的小天使。
• She likes to malign innocent persons.她爱诋毁那些清白的人。

14 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。

15 defraud   

vt.欺骗，欺诈

参考例句：

• He passed himself off as the managing director to defraud the bank.他假冒总经理的名义诈骗银行。
• He is implicated in the scheme to defraud the government.他卷入了这起欺骗政府的阴谋。

16 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

17 humiliated   

感到羞愧的

参考例句：

• Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当，父母也失体面。
• He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻，丢尽了面子。

18 probation   

n.缓刑(期)，(以观后效的)察看；试用(期)

参考例句：

• The judge did not jail the young man,but put him on probation for a year.法官没有把那个年轻人关进监狱，而且将他缓刑察看一年。
• His salary was raised by 800 yuan after his probation.试用期满以后，他的工资增加了800元。

19 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。