CHAPTER IX THE FACE AT THE WINDOW

Tony was not only cook and housekeeper¹, but he was sick nurse as well. Nor were his duties easy. The main difficulty was about getting money to buy what was absolutely necessary. This was very irritating, especially since Tony knew about Ben’s hidden treasure.

One morning Tony went to Ben for money, saying:

“There isn’t a scrap² of food in the house except a little tea.”

“You can make some tea. That will do,” said Ben.

It may do for you, but it won’t for me.”

“It costs a sight to support two people.”

“I don’t know about that. I’ve only spent two dollars in six days. You don’t call that much, do you?”

“Two dollars!” ejaculated the old man, terrified. “Oh, it’s too much. I am ruined!”

“Are you?” said Tony coolly. “Then all I can say is, you’re easily ruined. I want half a dollar.”

“I shan’t give it to you,” snarled³ Ben.

Do you mean to starve?”

“I won’t part with all I have. You are robbing me.”

“That won’t make much difference, as you’ll be dead in three days,” said Tony.

What?” almost shrieked⁴ Ben, in dismay. “Who told you so? The doctor?”

“No.”

“You ain’t goin’ to murder me, are you?”

“No; you are going to murder yourself.”

“What do you mean?” demanded Ben peevishly⁵.

You’re not willing to buy anything to eat,” explained Tony, “and you can’t live above three days on nothing.”

“Is that all? What made you frighten me so?”

“I only told you the truth. Are you going to give me the money?”

“Perhaps you’ll tell me where I’m going to get so much money?” said Ben, in the same tone.

I will tell you if you want me to,” answered Tony.

Where?” asked Ben eagerly.

Under the floor,” returned Tony composedly.

What!” screamed Ben, in consternation⁶.

“Just where I said. There’s plenty of money under that plank⁷.”

“Who told you?” groaned⁸ the old man, livid with terror. “Have—have you taken any?”

“Not a dollar. It’s all there.”

“Have you been spying when I was asleep?”

“No, I haven’t. That ain’t my style.”

“How could you find out, then?”

“I’ll tell you. The first night I was here, you got up in your sleep and took up the board. Then you drew out two bags of gold pieces and counted them.”

“Oh, I’m ruined! I’m undone⁹!” lamented¹⁰ Ben.

I don’t see how you are.”

“I shall be robbed. There’s only a little there—only a few dollars to bury me.”

“I guess you mean to have a tall funeral,” said Tony coolly. “There’s a thousand dollars there.”

“No, no, only fifty,” answered the old man.

There’s no use talking, I know better. If you don’t believe it, suppose I count the pieces.”

“No, no!”

“Just as you say. As it is, you’ve got plenty of money, and I know it, and if you ain’t willing to use some of it, I’ll go off and leave you alone.”

“Don’t go,” said Ben hastily. “You’re a good boy. You wouldn’t rob a poor old man, would you?”

“Nor a rich old man either, but I don’t mean to starve. So give me fifty cents and I’ll get some fresh bread and butter, and tea and sugar.”

“No matter about the butter. It costs too much.”

“I want butter myself. My constitution requires it,” said Tony. “You needn’t eat it if you don’t want to.”

Ben groaned again, but he produced the money required, and Tony soon returned from the grocery store with small supplies of the articles he had named.

“Now we’ll have some breakfast,” said Tony cheerfully. “Don’t you feel hungry?”

“A—a little,” acknowledged Ben reluctantly. “I wish I wasn’t. It costs so much to live.”

“I don’t think it costs you much,” said Tony. “This morning I’m going to give you a boiled egg.”

“I can’t afford it,” groaned the old man.

You may as well eat it, as it’s here.”

“How much did you pay?”

“Three cents for two.”

Ben groaned again, but when breakfast was ready he showed an unusually good appetite, and did not refrain from partaking of the egg, expensive as it was.

Dr. Compton came in the next morning, and pronounced the old man better and stronger.

Shall I be able to get up soon, doctor?” asked Ben.

In a day or two, I think.”

Ben heaved a sigh of relief.

I’m glad of it,” he said. “I can’t afford to be sick.”

“Has it cost you much?” asked the doctor, amused.

It costs a sight to live. He eats a good deal.”

“He’s a growing boy; but he’s worth all he costs you. You’d better ask him to stay with you a few weeks.”

“No, no; I can’t afford it,” said Ben hastily. “He’s a good boy; but he’s very hearty¹¹—very hearty.”

“Don’t vex¹² him, doctor,” said our hero. “I’m tired of staying here. I want to get out on the road again.”

Ben looked relieved.

Right, boy,” he said—“you’re right. It’s a dull place. You’ll be better off to go.”

“You have been lucky to have him here during your sickness,” said the doctor. “Without his care, or that of some one else, you would probably have died.”

“But I won’t die now?” asked old Ben anxiously.

Not at present, I hope. But you must live better than you have been accustomed to do.”

“I shall be glad to get away,” said Tony hurriedly, to the doctor, outside of the house. “I’m used to tramping, and I can’t stand it much longer. There’s one thing I want to tell you before I go.”

“Go on, my boy.”

“I am afraid the old man will be robbed sometime.”

“Is there anything to steal?”

Tony, in a low tone, imparted to Dr. Compton the discovery he had made of the miser’s hoards¹³.

I suspected as much,” said the doctor. “I will do what I can to induce Ben to have the gold moved to a place of safety, but I don’t feel confident of my ability to do it. Such men generally like to have their hoards within their own reach.”

Two nights later Tony awoke shortly after midnight. It was a bright, moonlight night, as on the first night he slept there. Again he saw Ben crouched¹⁴ on the floor, engaged in counting his hoards. The old man had recovered enough strength to get out of bed without assistance. This time, he was broad awake.

Tony was not the only witness of the spectacle. Casting his eyes toward the window, he was startled by seeing a dark, sinister¹⁵ face pressed against the pane¹⁶, almost devouring¹⁷ the old man and his gold.

It was the face of Rudolph, the tramp!

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 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

3 snarled   

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

参考例句：

• The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
• As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 shrieked   

v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
• Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

5 peevishly   

adv．暴躁地

参考例句：

• Paul looked through his green glasses peevishly when the other speaker brought down the house with applause. 当另一个演说者赢得了满座喝彩声时，保罗心里又嫉妒又气恼。
• "I've been sick, I told you," he said, peevishly, almost resenting her excessive pity. “我生了一场病，我告诉过你了，"他没好气地说，对她的过分怜悯几乎产生了怨恨。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 consternation   

n.大为吃惊，惊骇

参考例句：

• He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。
• Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

7 plank   

n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目

参考例句：

• The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
• They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。

8 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》

9 undone   

a.未做完的，未完成的

参考例句：

• He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。

10 lamented   

adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫
• We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

12 vex   

vt.使烦恼，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Everything about her vexed him.有关她的一切都令他困惑。
• It vexed me to think of others gossiping behind my back.一想到别人在背后说我闲话，我就很恼火。

13 hoards   

n.（钱财、食物或其他珍贵物品的）储藏，积存( hoard的名词复数 )v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She hoards her money - she never spends it. 她积蓄钱，但从来不花钱。 来自辞典例句
• A squirrel hoards nuts for the winter. 松鼠为过冬贮藏坚果。 来自辞典例句

14 crouched   

v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
• The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身，准备猛扑。

15 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

16 pane   

n.窗格玻璃，长方块

参考例句：

• He broke this pane of glass.他打破了这块窗玻璃。
• Their breath bloomed the frosty pane.他们呼出的水气，在冰冷的窗玻璃上形成一层雾。

17 devouring   

吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光

参考例句：

• The hungry boy was devouring his dinner. 那饥饿的孩子狼吞虎咽地吃饭。
• He is devouring novel after novel. 他一味贪看小说。