Mr. Parkinson adjusted his hat, and darted1 a glance of indignation at a fine-looking young man who had come to the rescue of Rose Beaufort.
Clinton Randall paid no attention to the discomfited3 Parkinson, but asked Rose:
"Has this man annoyed you?"
"He forced his attentions upon me," answered Rose.
"If he has insulted you, I will take care that he is punished."
"Don't meddle4 with what is none of your business," said Parkinson, furiously. "I have a good mind to horsewhip you."
"Make the attempt whenever you please, sir," said Randall, significantly. "If ever I find you annoying this young lady again, I [191] shall probably give you a taste of the same medicine."
"Annoying?" sneered5 Parkinson. "I offered to make her my wife, if you call that annoyance6. Let me tell you that when a gentleman in my position offers to marry a vest-maker she has reason to feel complimented."
"She evidently does not," said Randall, not without sarcasm7. "Whether she is a vest-maker or not, she is evidently a young lady and is entitled to be treated as such."
"She will be sorry for having made such a fuss," said Parkinson, spitefully. "Miss Beaufort," he continued, turning to Rose, "you need not trouble yourself to come to the store again for work, as I shall decline to give you any. You may regret having treated me with such scant8 courtesy."
"I had no intention of asking for more work," said Rose, coldly.
"Perhaps you have come into a fortune," sneered Parkinson.
"Enough of this!" said Randall, sternly. "This young lady has no favors to ask of [192] you. You had better go back to your master and conduct yourself hereafter in a more becoming manner, or you may repent9 it."
Here was a fresh outrage for poor Parkinson. In his own eyes he was a man of very great importance, and to be told by this young man, before a common vest-maker, to go back to his master, was very humiliating. He was trying to think of some scathing10 retort, when Randall, with a bow, offered his arm to Rose, and they walked away together.
"I wonder whether she really doesn't care for any more work," thought Parkinson, "or is it only pretense11? I dare say she will, after a while, be coming round again for vests to make. If she does, I shall have her in my power."
"I hope you won't allow yourself to think of this disagreeable occurrence," said Clinton Randall, "or of this unmannerly cur."
"No, sir, thanks to your kindness, I shall have no occasion."
[193]
"He seemed spiteful. I hope it is not in his power to annoy you."
He said this, thinking that Rose might be dependent upon Parkinson for work.
"Last week he might have done so," answered Rose. "I was engaged in making vests for the store in which he is employed, and he might have refused me work. Now, fortunately, thanks to a kind lady, I have no further occasion to apply to him."
"I am heartily14 glad to hear it. Any connection with such a cur must be disagreeable. Has he ever annoyed you before?"
"Never; and I was much surprised to-day when he followed me from the store and pressed his attentions upon me."
"He is old enough to be your father—the old fool!" said Randall, resentfully.
It seemed to him profanation15 that such a man should have thought of appropriating the fresh beauty of the charming girl at his side.
"He thought I ought to regard myself honored by his proposal," said Rose, smiling, as she thought of the unromantic figure of her elderly lover.
[194]
"He has found out by this time that you hold a different opinion. If he should ever persecute16 you again, I hope I may be at hand to rescue you once more."
"I am not likely to meet him, and have no further occasion to make vests for a living. If you will kindly17 stop the next up-town car, I will not longer detain you."
"Certainly," answered Randall; and as a car was just at hand, he complied with her request.
He stood on the sidewalk, following, with his glances, the Broadway car into which he had helped Rose.
"I wish I dare follow her, and find out who she is," said Randall to himself; "but she might misinterpret my motive18 and class me with that elderly reprobate19 with whom I was compelled to interfere20. What a charming girl she is! I never saw a sweeter expression, or a more beautiful complexion21."
He was in a day-dream, from which he was presently roused.
"What are you staring at, Randall?" asked a young man of about his own age, slapping [195] him on the shoulder. "You seem star-gazing."
"So I am."
"Star-gazing at midday?"
"It is a human star, Tudor. In short, it is a beautiful girl, whom I have just helped into a car."
"Who is she?"
"I don't know, I'm sure."
"An unknown divinity, eh? Tell me about it, for there is evidently a story under all this."
"A very short one. I found an elderly scamp annoying her, and knocked his hat over his eyes."
"Exactly."
"And that is the whole of it?"
"I am afraid so."
"You don't mean to say you are struck at last, Randall—you who have so long been the despair of man?uvering mammas? Come, that would be news, indeed!"
"I am not at all sure but I am. Tudor, I [196] will say one thing, that I never saw a sweeter face in all my wanderings."
"That's saying a good deal, for you have been all over the world. And you don't know the young lady's name?"
"Haven't the slightest clew to it."
"I fancy she is not rich," said Randall, who, for some reason, did not care to mention that she had been a vest-maker. To him it mattered little, but his friend Tudor might be more fastidious, and he was not willing to give him any chance to look down upon Rose.
"Couldn't you manage to ask her name?"
Randall shook his head.
"You may meet her again."
"I hope to do so."
"And if you do?"
Randall smiled.
"Considering that it is not over ten minutes since I first set eyes upon her, it is, perhaps, a [197] little premature26 to consider that question. I shall certainly try to meet her again."
The two young men sauntered up-town, and the conversation fell upon other themes, but Clinton Randall seemed unusually thoughtful. Do what he might, he could not help recurring27 again and again to the fair face which he had seen for the first time that morning.
When Rose was at home again the matter seemed no longer serious to her. Whenever she thought of Mr. Parkinson and his suit she felt inclined to laugh.
"Addie," she said, "I have had a proposal this morning."
"A proposal!" repeated her sister, in surprise.
"Yes, an offer of marriage."
"You are not in earnest?"
"Indeed I am! I am not sure but I shall give you a brother-in-law."
"He isn't a young man. Let me describe him to you. His name is Parkinson; he is somewhere between forty and fifty; he is partially29 [198] bald, and—I am not quite sure that he is not bow-legged."
"And you love him?" queried30 Adeline, mischievously31. "If so, I give my consent, for though I had hoped for a better-looking brother-in-law, I am not willing that your young affections should be blighted32."
"Nonsense, Addie," returned Rose, half-vexed.
"Tell me all about it."
"And this young man who rescued you, and knocked your adorer's hat over his eyes. I suppose he was a commonplace young man, red-haired and freckled34, perhaps?"
"Indeed he was not," said Rose, indignantly.
"Then he was handsome?"
"Yes, I think that he would be considered so."
"Take care you don't dream of him. It would be very romantic—wouldn't it?—if you should marry him, as generally happens in romances."
[199]
"Don't be a goose, Addie!" said Rose; but she did not seem annoyed. Secretly, she thought Clinton Randall the most attractive young man she had ever met, and wondered if fate would ever throw them together again.
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1
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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2
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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3
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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4
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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5
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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7
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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8
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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9
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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10
scathing
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| adj.（言词、文章）严厉的，尖刻的；不留情的adv.严厉地，尖刻地v.伤害，损害（尤指使之枯萎）( scathe的现在分词) | |
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11
pretense
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| n.矫饰，做作，借口 | |
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12
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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13
chafing
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| n.皮肤发炎v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的现在分词 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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14
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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15
profanation
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| n.亵渎 | |
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16
persecute
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| vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰 | |
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17
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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18
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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19
reprobate
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| n.无赖汉；堕落的人 | |
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20
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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21
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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22
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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23
stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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24
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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25
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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26
premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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27
recurring
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| adj.往复的，再次发生的 | |
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28
eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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29
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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30
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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31
mischievously
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| adv.有害地；淘气地 | |
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32
blighted
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| adj.枯萎的，摧毁的 | |
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33
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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34
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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