CHAPTER XX. A LITTLE RETROSPECT.

 

 

It will be remembered that a merchant in Albany, Mr. John Campbell, was the guardian¹ of Miss Florence Douglas, whom our hero, Ben, had escorted from New York to San Francisco.

 

The disappearance² of his ward³ was exceedingly annoying, since it interfered⁴ with plans which he had very much at heart. He had an only son, Orton Campbell, now a young man of twenty-eight. He was young in years only, being a stiff, grave, wooden-faced man, who in his starched⁶ manners was a close copy of his father. Both father and son were excessively fond of money, and the large amount of the fortune of the young lady, who stood to the father in the relation of ward, had excited the covetousness⁷ of both. It was almost immediately arranged between father and son[Pg 159] that she should marry the latter, either of her own free will or upon compulsion.

 

In pursuance of this agreement, Mr. Orton Campbell took advantage of the ward's residence in his father's family to press upon her attentions which clearly indicated his ultimate object.

 

Florence Douglas felt at first rather constrained⁸ to receive her guardian's son with politeness, and this, being misinterpreted, led to an avowal⁹ of love.

 

Orton Campbell made his proposal in a confident, matter-of-fact manner, as if it were merely a matter of form, and the answer must necessarily be favorable.

 

The young lady drew back in dignified¹⁰ surprise, hastily withdrawing the hand which he had seized. "I cannot understand, Mr. Campbell," she said, "what can have induced you to address me in this manner."

 

"I don't know why you should be surprised, Miss Douglas," returned Orton Campbell, offended.

 

"I have never given you any reason to suppose that I regarded you with favor."

 

[Pg 160]"You have always seemed glad to see me, but perhaps that was only coquetry," said Orton, in a disagreeable manner.

 

"I certainly have never treated you with more than ordinary politeness, except, indeed, as my residence in your father's house has necessarily brought us nearer together."

 

"I don't think, Miss Douglas, you would find me a bad match," said the young man, condescending¹¹ to drop his sneering¹² tone and plead his cause. "I am already worth a good sum of money. I am my father's partner, and I shall become richer every year."

 

"It is not a matter of money with me, Mr. Campbell. When I marry, that will be a minor¹³ consideration."

 

"Of course, because you have a fortune of your own."

 

"Yes," said Florence, regarding him significantly, for she suspected that it was rather her fortune than herself that he desired, being no stranger to his love of money.

 

Perhaps he understood her, for he continued:[Pg 161] "Of course I don't care for that, you know. I should offer myself to you if you had nothing."

 

This Florence Douglas thoroughly¹⁴ disbelieved. She answered coldly, "I thank you for the compliment you pay me, but I beg you to drop the subject."

 

"I will wait."

 

"You will wait in vain. I will look upon you as a friend if you desire it, but there can be nothing more than friendship between us."

 

Orton Campbell was very much chagrined¹⁵, and reported the result of his suit to his father.

 

"I will speak to her myself," said the father. "As her guardian I ought to have some influence with her."

 

He soon ascertained¹⁶, however, that Florence Douglas had a will of her own.

 

After a time he dropped persuasion¹⁷ and had recourse to threats. "Miss Douglas," he said, "I shall have to remind you that I am your guardian."

 

"I am quite aware of that fact, sir."

 

"And I shall remain in that position till you have completed your twenty-fifth year."

 

[Pg 162]"That is quite true, sir."

 

"If you take any imprudent steps I shall think it necessary to interfere⁵."

 

"What do you mean, sir?"

 

"I shall not allow you to fall a prey¹⁸ to any designing fortune-hunter."

 

"You need not fear, sir: I am in no danger."

 

"I am of a different opinion. I am quite aware that Richard Dewey has been seeking to ingratiate himself with you."

 

"Then," said his ward with dignity, "I have no hesitation¹⁹ in informing you that he has succeeded."

 

"Ha! I thought so. That is why you rejected my son."

 

"Excuse me, sir: you are quite mistaken. I should refuse your son if there were no other man in the world likely to marry me."

 

"And what is the matter with my son, Miss Douglas?" demanded her guardian, stiffly.

 

Florence might have answered that he was too much like his father, but she did not care to anger her guardian unnecessarily, and she simply answer[Pg 163]ed, "It would be quite impossible for me to regard him as I wish to regard the man whom I hope to marry."

 

"But you could regard Richard Dewey in that way," sneered²⁰ Campbell. "Well, Miss Douglas, I may as well tell you that he asked my permission yesterday to address you, and I ordered him out of my presence. Moreover, I have charged the servants not to admit him into the house."

 

"So you have insulted him, Mr. Campbell?" said his ward, her eyes flashing with resentment²¹.

 

"It was the treatment which he deserved as an unscrupulous fortune-hunter."

 

"That word will better apply to your son," said the young lady, coldly. "I shall not remain here to have Mr. Dewey insulted."

 

"You will repent²² this, Miss Douglas," said her guardian, with an ugly frown. "Mark my words: I will keep you and Dewey apart. I have the power, and I will exert it."

 

Two weeks later Richard Dewey sailed for California in search of fortune, and five months later Miss Douglas, fearing that her guardian might im[Pg 164]prison her in a mad-house, escaped from his residence, and, aided by Ben, also managed to reach California. For a time Mr. Campbell was entirely²³ ignorant of her place of refuge. The next chapter will show how he discovered it.

1 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

2 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

3 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

4 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 starched   

adj.浆硬的，硬挺的，拘泥刻板的v.把（衣服、床单等）浆一浆( starch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• My clothes are not starched enough. 我的衣服浆得不够硬。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The ruffles on his white shirt were starched and clean. 白衬衫的褶边浆过了，很干净。 来自辞典例句

7 covetousness   

参考例句：

• As covetousness is the root of all evil, so poverty is the worst of all snares. 正如贪婪是万恶之源一样，贫穷是最坏的陷阱。 来自辞典例句
• Poverty want many thing, but covetousness all. 贫穷可满足；欲望却难填。 来自互联网

8 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

9 avowal   

n.公开宣称，坦白承认

参考例句：

• The press carried his avowal throughout the country.全国的报纸登载了他承认的消息。
• This was not a mere empty vaunt,but a deliberate avowal of his real sentiments.这倒不是一个空洞的吹牛，而是他真实感情的供状。

10 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

11 condescending   

adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的

参考例句：

• He has a condescending attitude towards women. 他对女性总是居高临下。
• He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women. 和年轻女子说话时，他喜欢摆出一副高高在上的姿态。

12 sneering   

嘲笑的，轻蔑的

参考例句：

• "What are you sneering at?" “你冷笑什么？” 来自子夜部分
• The old sorceress slunk in with a sneering smile. 老女巫鬼鬼崇崇地走进来，冷冷一笑。

13 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

14 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

15 chagrined   

adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I was most chagrined when I heard that he had got the job instead of me. 当我听说是他而不是我得到了那份工作时懊恼极了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was [felt] chagrined at his failure [at losing his pen]. 他为自己的失败 [遗失钢笔] 而感到懊恼。 来自辞典例句

16 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 persuasion   

n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派

参考例句：

• He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。
• After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

18 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

19 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

20 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

21 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

22 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。

23 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。