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CHAPTER XXXIII VENGEANCE
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To say that Tony was not startled would not be true. Without a moment’s warning he found himself in the power of his old enemy—completely in his power, knowing, too, the desperate character of the man which would let him stick at nothing.

Rudolph enjoyed his evident surprise.

I’ve been waiting for this,” he said. “It’s a great joy to me to have you here in my power.”

By this time Tony had collected himself, and had become composed.

Rudolph,” he said, “what makes you hate me so?”

“Haven’t you tried to injure me—didn’t you get me arrested? Do you forget that night in the old miser’s hut?”

“No, I don’t forget it, but you forced me to act as I did. But even if I did injure you, you took your revenge.”

“When, and how?”

“When you threw me into the well. How could you do such a dark deed? What had I done that you should seek to murder me?”

“How did you get out?” asked Rudolph, giving way to curiosity.

“I climbed out.”

“How?”

“By means of the wall that lined the well. Finally I got hold of the rope.”

“So that was the way, was it? I ought to have made surer of your fate.”

“How could you do that?”

“By throwing some rocks down on you,” answered the tramp, with a malignant1 frown.

I am glad I have not such a wicked disposition2 as you, Rudolph,” said Tony, looking at him fixedly3.

Take care how you insult me, boy!” said Rudolph, angrily.

I have no wish to insult you. Now tell me why you have lured4 me here? I suppose you hired the boy.”

“I did, and he did the work well,” said the tramp, triumphantly5.

Well, now, I am here, what do you want of me?”

“First, tell me how you happen to be in London? Did you know I was here?”

“I knew you crossed the Atlantic.”

“How?”

“I saw you buy your ticket.”

“What!” exclaimed the tramp, in surprise. “Did you reach New York so soon?”

“Yes. I lost my situation at the inn, for they did not believe my story about having been thrown down the well by a Quaker.” Rudolph laughed.

It was a good disguise,” he said. “So they discharged you? That was good.”

“I did not think so at the time, but it proved to be the luckiest thing that could happen to me.”

“How was that?”

“It led me to go to New York. There I found a rich and generous friend. I have been with him ever since.”

“As a servant?”

“No; as his adopted brother. He supplied me with teachers, and in little more than six months I have acquired as much as most boys do in two or three years.”

“So you have gone in for education, have you?” said Rudolph, sneering6.

Yes. Could I go in for anything better?”

“And you consider yourself a young gentleman now, do you?”

“That is the rank I hold in society,” said Tony, calmly.

And you forget that you were once Tony the Tramp?”

“No, Rudolph, I have not forgotten that. It was not my fault, and I am not ashamed of it. But I should be ashamed if I had not left that kind of life as soon as I was able.”

“By Heaven, you shall go back to it!” said Rudolph, malignantly7.

I never will,” answered Tony, gently, but firmly.

I will force you to it.”

“Neither you nor anyone else can force me to it. I will black boots in the streets first.”

“That will suit me just as well,” said the tramp, laughing maliciously8. “You have grown too proud. I want to lower your pride, young popinjay!”

“I am not afraid of anything you can do to me, Rudolph,” said Tony, bravely.

Suppose I choose to kill you?”

“You won’t dare do it. We are not in the woods now.”

Tony had hit the truth. Rudolph did not dare to kill him, though he would have been glad to. But he knew that he would himself be arrested, and he had more to live for now than formerly9. He had an income, and comfortably provided for, and he did not choose to give up this comfortable and independent life.

No,” he said, “I won’t kill you; but I will be revenged for all that. First I will keep you from that generous friend of yours.”

“What will he think has become of me?” thought Tony, uneasily.

A thought came to him. He would appeal to the man’s love of money.

Rudolph,” he said, “I am afraid my friend will be uneasy about me. If you will let me go I will give you ten pounds that I have in my pocket.”

“I don’t believe you have so much money,” said Rudolph, cunningly.

Tony fell into the snare10 unsuspectingly. He drew out his pocketbook and displayed two five-pound notes on the Bank of England.

Rudolph quickly snatched them from him.

They are mine already,” he said, with a mocking laugh.

So I see,” said Tony, coolly; “but I was about to offer you fifty pounds besides.”

“Have you the money in your pocketbook?”

“No, I haven’t, but I could get it from Mr. Spencer?”

“It don’t go down, Tony,” said Rudolph, shaking his head. “I am not so much in need of money as to pay so dearly for it. Listen to me. If you have been lucky, so have I. I have an income, safe and sure, of one hundred and fifty pounds.”

“You have!” exclaimed Tony, surprised.

Yes.”

“Do you hold any position?”

“No; I merely promise to keep my mouth shut.”

“Is it about me?”

“Yes. The long and the short of it is that there is an English estate, bringing in two thousand pounds rental11, that of right belongs to you.”

“To me—an estate of two thousand pounds a year!” exclaimed Tony, in astonishment12.

“Yes; the party who owns it pays me an income as hush13 money. I have only to say the word, and the estate will be yours, Tony.”

“Say the word, Rudolph, and you shall have the same income,” entreated14 Tony. “It isn’t the money I so much care for, but I want to know who I am. I want to be restored to my rightful place in society. Is my mother living?”

“No.”

“Nor my father?”

“No.”

Tony looked sober.

Then I should not care so much for the money. Still, it ought to be mine.”

“Of course it ought,” said Rudolph, gloating over the boy’s emotion.

You shall lose nothing by telling me—by becoming my friend. I will never refer to the past—never speak of what happened in America.”

“No doubt,” sneered15 Rudolph, “but it can’t be.”

“Why can’t it be?”

“Because I hate you!” hissed16 the tramp, with a baleful look. “Not another word. It’s no use. I shall lock you up here for the present, while I am out. When I come back I will let you know what I am going to do to you.”

He left the room, locking the door behind him.

Tony sat down to reflect upon the strange position in which he was placed.

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1 malignant Z89zY     
adj.恶性的,致命的;恶意的,恶毒的
参考例句:
  • Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
  • He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来,不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。
2 disposition GljzO     
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。
3 fixedly 71be829f2724164d2521d0b5bee4e2cc     
adv.固定地;不屈地,坚定不移地
参考例句:
  • He stared fixedly at the woman in white. 他一直凝视着那穿白衣裳的女人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The great majority were silent and still, looking fixedly at the ground. 绝大部分的人都不闹不动,呆呆地望着地面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
4 lured 77df5632bf83c9c64fb09403ae21e649     
吸引,引诱(lure的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The child was lured into a car but managed to escape. 那小孩被诱骗上了车,但又设法逃掉了。
  • Lured by the lust of gold,the pioneers pushed onward. 开拓者在黄金的诱惑下,继续奋力向前。
5 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地
参考例句:
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
6 sneering 929a634cff0de62dfd69331a8e4dcf37     
嘲笑的,轻蔑的
参考例句:
  • "What are you sneering at?" “你冷笑什么?” 来自子夜部分
  • The old sorceress slunk in with a sneering smile. 老女巫鬼鬼崇崇地走进来,冷冷一笑。
7 malignantly 13b39a70de950963b0f4287e978acd10     
怀恶意地; 恶毒地; 有害地; 恶性地
参考例句:
  • It was as if Osmond deliberately, almost malignantly, had put the lights out one by one. 仿佛奥斯蒙德怀着幸灾乐祸的心情,在有意识地把灯一盏一盏吹灭。
  • Neck of uterus can live after scalelike cell cancer performs an operation malignantly successfully how long? 宫颈鳞状细胞癌恶性做手术成功后能活多久?
8 maliciously maliciously     
adv.有敌意地
参考例句:
  • He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • His enemies maliciously conspired to ruin him. 他的敌人恶毒地密谋搞垮他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
9 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前,以前
参考例句:
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
10 snare XFszw     
n.陷阱,诱惑,圈套;(去除息肉或者肿瘤的)勒除器;响弦,小军鼓;vt.以陷阱捕获,诱惑
参考例句:
  • I used to snare small birds such as sparrows.我曾常用罗网捕捉麻雀等小鸟。
  • Most of the people realized that their scheme was simply a snare and a delusion.大多数人都认识到他们的诡计不过是一个骗人的圈套。
11 rental cBezh     
n.租赁,出租,出租业
参考例句:
  • The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
  • We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。
12 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
13 hush ecMzv     
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静
参考例句:
  • A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
  • Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去!
14 entreated 945bd967211682a0f50f01c1ca215de3     
恳求,乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They entreated and threatened, but all this seemed of no avail. 他们时而恳求,时而威胁,但这一切看来都没有用。
  • 'One word,' the Doctor entreated. 'Will you tell me who denounced him?' “还有一个问题,”医生请求道,“你可否告诉我是谁告发他的?” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
15 sneered 0e3b5b35e54fb2ad006040792a867d9f     
讥笑,冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
  • It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。
16 hissed 2299e1729bbc7f56fc2559e409d6e8a7     
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句:
  • Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过?
  • The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。


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