CHAPTER XXXIV A STRANGE MEETING

 Stephen Ray looked at the register, and started violently as he read the entry:

 

“Ernest Ray, Oreville, California.”

 

“What’s the matter, pa?” asked Clarence, noticing his father’s agitation¹.

 

“Oh, nothing, nothing,” answered his father with an effort.

 

“Haven’t we a cousin named Ernest Ray?”

 

“We had, but he is dead.”

 

“It is strange that there should be another person of the name.”

 

“Not at all. The world is large, and there are a good many persons of one name.”

 

“This one is from California.”

 

“So I see. By the way,” here Mr. Ray addressed the clerk, “did you observe the person who registered under the name of Ray?”

 

“Yes. It is a boy about the size of this young gentleman.”

 

“It is strange,” said Clarence. “It may be our cousin.”

 

“Didn’t I tell you that the person you refer to is dead?” said his father testily².

 

“I don’t believe it,” thought Clarence, but he did not express his unbelief. He determined³, however, to have an interview with the boy, and find out all about him.

 

He saw Ernest at the table soon after, and so did Stephen Ray. The latter noted⁴ with alarm the resemblance of the boy to his cousin Dudley Ray, whose estate he had usurped⁵.

 

“I hope Bolton won’t get hold of him,” he said to himself. “It would be dangerous to me.” 159

 

After supper Mr. Ray went out, leaving Clarence to himself.

 

He improved the opportunity. Seeing Ernest sitting alone, he went up to him.

 

“Is your name Ray?” he asked.

 

“Yes, Ernest Ray.”

 

“My name is Clarence Ray.”

 

“So I thought. We are cousins.”

 

“That’s what I told pa, but he said it was not so—that Ernest Ray was dead.”

 

“Your father’s name is Stephen Ray?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I have known of him and you since I was old enough to remember anything.”

 

“Then you are really my Cousin Ernest?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I wonder why pa said you were dead. I will tell pa he is mistaken.”

 

“No, Clarence, I would rather you wouldn’t. There are reasons why it is better not to say anything about it.”

 

“All right. Are you well off?”

 

Ernest smiled.

 

“I am not rich,” he said, “but I am comfortably fixed⁶.”

 

“Do you live in California?”

 

“I have lived there for the last few months.”

 

“Why did you come East?”

 

“On a little business.”

 

“I am glad you are well off. I think pa was afraid you were a poor relation.”

 

“Your father is rich?”

 

“Yes, ever so rich. We’ve got a fine place near Elmira. If pa wasn’t so cranky I would invite you there to visit me.”

 

“Thank you all the same,” said Ernest, smiling.

 

Later in the evening, when Stephen Ray came in, Ernest noticed that he looked at him critically. He, too, examined the man who, he had reason to believe, was enjoying 160 the estates that should be his, and was not attracted toward him.

 

“What will he say,” thought Ernest, “when I make a formal demand for the property?”

 

“What in the name of all that’s unlucky can have brought that boy here at this time?” Stephen Ray was saying to himself.

 

He never for an instant doubted Ernest’s identity—in fact, he could not well have done so, for he bore a strong resemblance to Dudley Ray.

 

Stephen Ray’s curiosity was excited. Ernest did not appear like the average poor relation. He was quite as well dressed as Clarence. Besides, he had registered at a high-priced hotel, which showed that he was not cramped⁷ for means.

 

This gave him satisfaction, as it made it less likely that he would appeal to him for assistance.

 

Stephen Ray was rather surprised that Clarence made no further reference to Ernest. Had he known that the two had had a conversation he would have been seriously disturbed. He hoped that Bolton would not get hold of the boy.

1 agitation   

n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动

参考例句：

• Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
• These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

2 testily   

adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地

参考例句：

• He reacted testily to reports that he'd opposed military involvement. 有报道称他反对军队参与，对此他很是恼火。 来自柯林斯例句

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 usurped   

篡夺，霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权

参考例句：

• That magazine usurped copyrighted material. 那杂志盗用了版权为他人所有的素材。
• The expression'social engineering'has been usurped by the Utopianist without a shadow of light. “社会工程”这个词已被乌托邦主义者毫无理由地盗用了。

6 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

7 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作