CHAPTER III. AN UNHOLY COMPACT.

 “Who is that man, Curtis?” asked John Linden, pointing his thin finger at Tim Bolton, who looked strangely out of place, as, with clay pipe, he sat in the luxurious¹ library on a sumptuous² chair.

 

“That man?” stammered³ Curtis, quite at a loss what to say.

 

“Yes.”

 

“He is a poor man out of luck, who has applied⁴ to me for assistance,” answered Curtis, recovering his wits.

 

“That’s it, governor,” said Bolton, thinking it necessary to confirm the statement. “I’ve got five small children at home almost starvin’, your honor.”

 

“That is sad. What is your business, my man?”

 

It was Bolton’s turn to be embarrassed.

 

“My business?” he repeated.

 

“That is what I said.”

 

“I’m a blacksmith, but I’m willing to do any honest work.”

 

“That is commendable⁵; but don’t you know that it is very ill-bred to smoke a pipe in a gentleman’s house?”

 

“Excuse me, governor!”

 

And Bolton extinguished his pipe, and put it away in a pocket of his corduroy coat.

 

“I was just telling him the same thing,” said Curtis. “Don’t trouble yourself any further, uncle. I will inquire into the man’s circumstances, and help him if I can.”

 

“Very well, Curtis. I came down because I thought I heard voices.”

 

John Linden slowly returned to his chamber⁶, and left the two alone.

 

“The governor’s getting old,” said Bolton. “When I was butler here, fifteen years ago, he looked like a young man. He didn’t suspect that he had ever seen me before.”

 

“Nor that you had carried away his son, Bolton.”

 

“Who hired me to do it? Who put me up to the job, as far as that goes?”

 

“Hush! Walls have ears. Let us return to business.”

 

“That suits me.”

 

“Look here, Tim Bolton,” said Curtis, drawing up a chair, and lowering his voice to a confidential⁷ pitch, “you say you want money?”

 

“Of course I do.”

 

“Well, I don’t give money for nothing.”

 

“I know that. What’s wanted now?”

 

“You say the boy is alive?”

 

“He’s very much alive.”

 

“Is there any necessity for his living?” asked Curtis, in a sharp, hissing⁸ tone, fixing his eyes searchingly on Bolton, to see how his hint would be taken.

 

“You mean that you want me to murder him?” said Bolton, quickly.

 

“Why not? You don’t look over scrupulous⁹.”

 

“I am a bad man, I admit it,” said Bolton, with a gesture of repugnance¹⁰, “a thief, a low blackguard, perhaps, but, thank Heaven! I am no murderer! And if I was, I wouldn’t spill a drop of that boy’s blood for the fortune that is his by right.”

 

“I didn’t give you credit for so much sentiment, Bolton,” said Curtis, with a sneer¹¹. “You don’t look like it, but appearances are deceitful. We’ll drop the subject. You can serve me in another way. Can you open this secretary?”

 

“Yes; that’s in my line.”

 

“There is a paper in it that I want. It is my uncle’s will. I have a curiosity to read it.”

 

“I understand. Well, I’m agreeable.”

 

“If you find any money or valuables, you are welcome to them. I only want the paper. When will you make the attempt?”

 

“To-morrow night. When will it be safe?”

 

“At eleven o’clock. We all retire early in this house. Can you force an entrance?”

 

“Yes; but it will be better for you to leave the outer door unlocked.”

 

“I have a better plan. Here is my latchkey.”

 

“Good! I may not do the job myself, but I will see that it is done. How shall I know the will?”

 

“It is in a big envelope, tied with a narrow tape. Probably it is inscribed¹²: ‘My will.’ ”

 

“Suppose I succeed, when shall I see you?”

 

“I will come around to your place on the Bowery. Good-night!”

 

Curtis Waring saw Bolton to the door, and let him out. Returning, he flung himself on a sofa.

 

“I can make that man useful!” he reflected. “There is an element of danger in the boy’s presence in New York; but it will go hard if I can’t get rid of him! Tim Bolton is unexpectedly squeamish, but there are others to whom I can apply. With gold everything is possible. It’s time matters came to a finish. My uncle’s health is rapidly failing—the doctor hints that he has heart disease—and the fortune for which I have been waiting so long will soon be mine, if I work my cards right. I can’t afford to make any mistakes now.”

1 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

2 sumptuous   

adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的

参考例句：

• The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。
• We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

3 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

4 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

5 commendable   

adj.值得称赞的

参考例句：

• The government's action here is highly commendable.政府这样的行动值得高度赞扬。
• Such carping is not commendable.这样吹毛求疵真不大好。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

8 hissing   

n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
• His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕

9 scrupulous   

adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的

参考例句：

• She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。
• Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

10 repugnance   

n.嫌恶

参考例句：

• He fought down a feelings of repugnance.他抑制住了厌恶感。
• She had a repugnance to the person with whom she spoke.她看不惯这个和她谈话的人。

11 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

12 inscribed   

v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接

参考例句：

• His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。
• The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》