CHAPTER XXXVI. MRS. O’KEEFE IN A NEW ROLE.

 No time was lost in seeing Bolton and arranging a plan of campaign.

 

Curtis Waring, nearing the accomplishment¹ of his plans, was far from anticipating impending² disaster.

 

His uncle’s health had become so poor, and his strength had been so far undermined, that it was thought desirable to employ a sick nurse. An advertisement was inserted in a morning paper, which luckily attracted the attention of Bolton.

 

“You must go, Mrs. O’Keefe,” he said to the apple-woman. “It is important that we have some one in the house—some friend of Florence and the boy—to watch what is going on.”

 

“Bridget O’Keefe is no fool. Leave her to manage.”

 

The result was that among a large number of applicants³ Mrs. O’Keefe was selected by Curtis as Mr. Linden’s nurse, as she expressed herself willing to work for four dollars a week, while the lowest outside demand was seven.

 

We will now enter the house, in which the last scenes of our story are to take place.

 

Mr. Linden, weak and emaciated⁴, was sitting in an easy-chair in his library.

 

“How do you feel this morning, uncle?” asked Curtis, entering the room.

 

“I am very weak, Curtis. I don’t think I shall ever be any better.”

 

“I have engaged a nurse, uncle, as you desired, and I expect her this morning.”

 

“That is well, Curtis. I do not wish to confine you to my bedside.”

 

“The nurse is below,” said Jane, the servant, entering.

 

“Send her up.”

 

Mrs. O’Keefe entered in the sober attire⁵ of a nurse. She dropped a curtsey.

 

“Are you the nurse I engaged?” said Curtis.

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Your name, please.”

 

“Mrs. Barnes, sir.”

 

“Have you experience as a nurse?”

 

“Plenty, sir.”

 

“Uncle, this is Mrs. Barnes, your new nurse. I hope you will find her satisfactory.”

 

“She looks like a good woman,” said Mr. Linden, feebly. “I think she will suit me.”

 

“Indade, sir, I’ll try.”

 

“Uncle,” said Curtis, “I have to go downtown. I have some business to attend to. I leave you in the care of Mrs. Barnes.”

 

“Shure, I’ll take care of him, sir.”

 

“Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Linden?” asked the new nurse, in a tone of sympathy.

 

“Can you minister to a mind diseased?”

 

“I’ll take the best care of you, Mr. Linden, but it isn’t as if you had a wife or daughter.”

 

“Ah, that is a sore thought! I have no wife or daughter; but I have a niece.”

 

“And where is she, sir?”

 

“I don’t know. I drove her from me by my unkindness. I repent⁶ bitterly, but it’s now too late.”

 

“And why don’t you send for her to come home?”

 

“I would gladly do so, but I don’t know where she is. Curtis has tried to find her, but in vain. He says she is in Chicago.”

 

“And what should take her to Chicago?”

 

“He says she is there as a governess in a family.”

 

“By the brow of St. Patrick!” thought Mrs. O’Keefe, “if that Curtis isn’t a natural-born liar⁷. I’m sure she’d come back if you’d send for her, sir,” said she, aloud.

 

“Do you think so?” asked Linden, eagerly.

 

“I’m sure of it.”

 

“But I don’t know where to send.”

 

“I know of a party that would be sure to find her.”

 

“Who is it?”

 

“It’s a young man. They call him Dodger⁸. If any one can find Miss Florence, he can.”

 

“You know my niece’s name?”

 

“I have heard it somewhere. From Mr. Waring, I think.”

 

“And you think this young man would agree to go to Chicago and find her?”

 

“Yes, sir, I make bold to say he will.”

 

“Tell him to go at once. He will need money. In yonder desk you will find a picture of my niece and a roll of bills. Give them to him and send him at once.”

 

“Yes, sir, I will. But if you’ll take my advice, you won’t say anything to Mr. Curtis. He might think it foolish.”

 

“True! If your friend succeeds, we’ll give Curtis a surprise.”

 

“And a mighty⁹ disagreeable one, I’ll be bound,” soliloquized Mrs. O’Keefe.

 

“I think, Mrs. Barnes, I will retire to my chamber¹⁰, if you will assist me.”

 

She assisted Mr. Linden to his room, and then returned to the library.

 

“Mrs. Barnes, there’s a young man inquiring for you,” said Jane, entering.

 

“Send him in, Jane.”

 

The visitor was Dodger, neatly¹¹ dressed.

 

“How are things going, Mrs. O’Keefe?” he asked.

 

“Splendid, Dodger. Here’s some money for you.”

 

“What for?”

 

“You’re to go to Chicago and bring back Florence.”

 

“But she isn’t there.”

 

“Nivir mind. You’re to pretend to go.”

 

“But that won’t take money.”

 

“Give it to Florence, then. It’s hers by rights. Won’t we give Curtis a surprise? Where’s his wife?”

 

“I have found a comfortable boarding house for her. When had we better carry out this programme? She’s very anxious to see her husband.”

 

“The more fool she. Kape her at home and out of his sight, or there’s no knowin’ what he’ll do. And, Dodger, dear, kape an eye on the apple-stand. I mistrust Mrs. Burke that’s runnin’ it.”

 

“I will. Does the old gentleman seem to be very sick?”

 

“He’s wake as a rat. Curtis would kill him soon if we didn’t interfere¹². But we’ll soon circumvent¹³ him, the snake in the grass! Miss Florence will soon come to her own, and Curtis Waring will be out in the cold.”

 

“The most I have against him is that he tried to marry Florence when he had a wife already.”

 

“He’s as bad as they make ’em, Dodger. It won’t be my fault if Mr. Linden’s eyes are not opened to his wickedness.”

1 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

2 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

3 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

4 emaciated   

adj.衰弱的，消瘦的

参考例句：

• A long time illness made him sallow and emaciated.长期患病使他面黄肌瘦。
• In the light of a single candle,she can see his emaciated face.借着烛光，她能看到他的被憔悴的面孔。

5 attire   

v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装

参考例句：

• He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
• Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。

6 repent   

v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔

参考例句：

• He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
• Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。

7 liar   

n.说谎的人

参考例句：

• I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！
• She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

8 dodger   

n.躲避者；躲闪者；广告单

参考例句：

• They are tax dodgers who hide their interest earnings.他们是隐瞒利息收入的逃税者。
• Make sure she pays her share she's a bit of a dodger.她自己的一份一定要她付清--她可是有点能赖就赖。

9 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

10 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。

11 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

12 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

13 circumvent   

vt.环绕，包围；对…用计取胜，智胜

参考例句：

• Military planners tried to circumvent the treaty.军事策略家们企图绕开这一条约。
• Any action I took to circumvent his scheme was justified.我为斗赢他的如意算盘而采取的任何行动都是正当的。