“I hope this is a hotel, Gerald,” said the tourist. “I am tired and hungry.”
“So am I. We have had a rough ride to-day.”
“No doubt our poor horses think so,” went on Brooke, gently stroking the neck of his patient steed. The weary animal signified the pleasure which the caress2 gave him, and turning his head looked at his rider with almost human intelligence.
“Shall I dismount and inquire, Mr. Brooke?” asked Gerald.
“Yes, if you please.”
Gerald knocked on the door, which after a slight delay, was opened by a tall, gaunt woman[133] attired3 in a soiled calico dress which hung limply about her thin and bony figure.
“Madam,” said Gerald, lifting his hat with quite unnecessary politeness, for the woman before him knew nothing of social observances, “is this a hotel?”
“Well,” drawled the woman, “we sometimes put up travelers here.”
“I am glad to hear it. My friend and I have ridden far to-day, and would like to have supper and a bed.”
“We are willing to pay it; and can we get some provision for our horses?”
“That will do,” answered Gerald. “Mr. Brooke,” he added, “this lady consents to entertain us.”
“We are to pay a dollar each,” explained Gerald, turning to his companion.
“That is satisfactory,” said the tourist.
[134]
“You may give it to me now,” said the new landlady with commendable9 caution.
“Just as you please, madam.”
Noel Brooke took out a large wallet that seemed well filled with bills, and selecting a two-dollar note passed it over.
The landlady extended her hand eagerly, and taking the bill examined it minutely, and finally, as if satisfied with her scrutiny10, thrust it into a probable pocket in the interior recesses11 of her dress. She was evidently fond of money, judging from her manner, and Gerald noticed that she fixed12 a covetous13 look on the large and well-filled wallet from which Mr. Brooke had selected the bank bill. It gave him a momentary14 feeling of uneasiness, but he reflected that there was little danger from a solitary15 woman, and did not mention his feeling to the tourist.
“What do you want for supper?” asked the woman in a quick, jerky way.
“That will do admirably. But where did you get antelope meat? You didn’t shoot the animal yourself?”
[135]
“No, my man shot him.”
That settled the question that had arisen in Gerald’s mind. The woman had a husband.
“I might have known that you didn’t shoot him yourself.”
“And maybe you’d be mistaken. I’ve dropped more’n one fine antelope, if I am a woman—Bess, bring me my rifle.”
Bess, undoubtedly18 the woman’s daughter, was quite a contrast to her thin, bony mother, for, though not over the average height of women, she would easily have tipped the scales at a hundred and eighty pounds. She had a round, fat face, rather vacant in expression, but good-natured, and in that respect much more attractive than her mother’s. She brought out a large rifle, which her mother took from her and raised to her shoulder in fine, sportsmanlike fashion.
“Please don’t mistake me for antelope, madam,” said Noel Brooke hastily.
This excited the risibilities of Bess, who broke into a loud and noisy fit of laughter.
“What yer cacklin’ at, Bess?” demanded her mother.
“No, I won’t shoot yer,” she added, turning to Brooke. “You wouldn’t be half so good eatin’ as an antelope.”
[136]
Here Bess went off into another fit of laughter, in which Gerald and his companion joined, for the girl’s evident enjoyment19 was contagious20.
“I am glad to hear that, madam.”
“What do you call me madam for?” inquired the woman suspiciously.
“Because I don’t know your name.”
“My name’s Sal Peters.”
“I shall remember, Mrs. Peters.”
“Bess, you can go and tell the man where to tie his hoss.”
The girl led the way to the rear of the building, where about a hundred feet back was a sapling with a long rope attached to it.
“Hitch your hoss on to that,” said she. “And there’s another for the young chap.”
Gerald smiled at this designation, and availed himself of the information.
“You can set down anywhere, and when supper’s ready I’ll shout.”
“Thank you, Miss Peters,” said the tourist with an amused smile.
But Bess seemed still more amused at being called Miss Peters.
“Oh, I shall bust21 with laughing, I shall!” she giggled22. “Miss Peters! Oh, ain’t you funny, though?”
[137]
“Is there any place to wash?” asked Gerald, looking at his dust-soiled hands.
Bess pointed23 to a little rill of water that flowed and trickled24 down the hillside, and which Gerald had not yet observed.
“Thank you!”
“Towels are apparently25 unknown in this wilderness26,” said Brooke, after Bess had gone back to the house.
“And soap, too, I expect.”
“A little extra rubbing will make up for the last, and our handkerchiefs may do as a substitute for the former. This seems a primitive27 sort of place.”
Gerald admired the ease with which Mr. Brooke, who had undoubtedly been brought up in the lap of luxury, adapted himself to the accommodations of the wilderness. The young man, after refreshing28 himself with an ablution, threw himself on the grass, and said contentedly29: “It seems good to rest after our long ride.”
“Yes, Mr. Brooke, that is the way I feel.”
“To tell you the truth, Gerald, I was afraid we might have to camp out in the woods, and go to bed without our supper.”
“Our hotel isn’t exactly first class.”
“No, but if we get a plain supper and a comfortable[138] night’s rest it ought to satisfy us. If I cared to stop at first-class hotels I would have remained in the larger cities. But I like better, for a time at least, the freedom of the woods, even if it carries with it some personal sacrifices and privations.”
“True, Gerald,” answered the tourist smiling. “In fact I have no use for a private secretary as such, but I wanted a companion, and you are worth more to me in that capacity than a college graduate whose acquirements would be much greater.”
“But, Mr. Brooke, it doesn’t seem to me that I am earning the very liberal salary you are paying me.”
“Thank you, Mr. Brooke,” said Gerald, gratified by this evidence of appreciation32.
“So that you needn’t feel any compunction at accepting your salary.”
“I know you mean what you say, and I shall hereafter feel easy on that score. I wonder what would have been my future if you had not made your appearance.”
[139]
“You would have got along somehow. You are a clever boy, one of those that get on. There is one thing I reproach myself for, however.”
“What is that, Mr. Brooke?”
“I have taken you away from the congenial society of Jake Amsden.”
Gerald laughed.
“It is true,” he said, “but I will try to find compensation in yours.”
Noel Brooke rose and made a low bow.
“Really,” he said, “I can’t remember when I received such a compliment before.”
At this moment Bess came out of the cabin and called out “Supper’s ready, you fellers!”
“And we ‘fellers’ are ready for it,” said Noel Brooke rising briskly. “Come along, Gerald, the inner man and the inner boy must be replenished33.”
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收听单词发音
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1
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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9
commendable
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| adj.值得称赞的 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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12
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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covetous
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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25
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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27
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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30
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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32
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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33
replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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