CHAPTER XXI. MR. CAMPBELL RECEIVES TIDINGS OF HIS WARD.

 "It is strange we can't find Florence," said Orton Campbell to his father one morning some months after the young lady's departure. "Is there no clue?"

 

"The detective I have employed has failed to trace her."

 

"Has he no theory?"

 

"He suggests that she may have gone to Europe," said Mr. Campbell, "but I am not of that opinion."

 

"What do you think, then?"

 

"I suspect she has buried herself in some obscure country place under some assumed name, there to remain till she has attained¹ her twenty-fifth year, when my guardianship² ceases."

 

"When will that be?"

 

"Six months hence."

 

[Pg 166]"It is very important, then, that we should find her before that time," said Orton Campbell, thoughtfully.

 

"That is true. After the time referred to my power ceases, and I shall be unable to assist you in your plans."

 

"Her fortune amounts to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, does it not?"

 

"More than that. The interest has been accumulating till it amounts to nearer one hundred and seventy thousand dollars."

 

Orton Campbell's eyes sparkled with covetous³ greed.

 

"That is a stake worth playing for," he said. "With what I have of my own, it would make me independently rich."

 

"Just so, Orton," said his father.

 

"And nothing stands in the way but the caprice of a foolish girl! I declare, father, it is too exasperating⁴. Suppose we try another detective? Your man can't be very sharp."

 

"I have no objection, Orton," said the merchant, "but as he would be employed in your interest, it[Pg 167] is only fair that you should pay the expense incurred⁵."

 

"I don't see that," said the son. "She is your ward⁶, you know. It ought to come out of her property."

 

"The item may not be allowed. In that case I should be responsible," said John Campbell, cautiously.

 

"I'll tell you what I will do, father: if she is found and I marry her, I'll freely pay the whole expense."

 

"Suppose we find her, and she won't marry you: what then?" asked his father, keenly.

 

The son looked nonplussed⁷, but finally consented in that case to defray the expense out of his private means—that is, if it could not be taken out of the young lady's fortune.

 

The matter having been satisfactorily adjusted, they were discussing the choice of a detective when a clerk came to the door of the private counting-room in which father and son were seated and said, "There's a man outside wants to speak to you, Mr. Campbell."

 

[Pg 168]"Who is he, Saunders?"

 

"I think it's Jones, who used to be in your employ as light porter."

 

"How does he look? Well-to-do?"

 

"He is decidedly shabby," answered Saunders.

 

"Come to ask help, probably," muttered the merchant. "I think I won't see him."

 

Saunders left the office, but presently returned.

 

"Well, has he gone?" asked the merchant.

 

"No; he says he wants to see you on business of importance."

 

"Of importance to himself, probably.—Shall I see him, Orton?"

 

"Yes, father. If he is humbugging us, we can send him off."

 

So permission was given, and almost immediately Saunders ushered⁹ into the room a short, broad-shouldered fellow, who looked very much like a professional tramp.

 

"Good-morning, Mr. Campbell," said he, deferentially¹⁰.

 

"Humph, Jones, is it you? You don't look as if you had prospered¹¹."

 

[Pg 169]"No more I have, sir."

 

"Don't come near me. Really, your appearance is very disreputable."

 

"I can't help that, sir. I've just come from California in the steerage, and you can't keep very neat there."

 

"I believe you went to California to make your fortune, didn't you, Jones?" said Orton Campbell, with a cynical¹² smile.

 

"Yes, Mr. Orton, I did."

 

"And you didn't make it, I infer from your appearance."

 

"I haven't got much money about me now," said Jones, with a shrug¹³ and a smile.

 

"You would have done better not to have left my employment, Jones," said the merchant. "You wanted higher pay, I believe, and as I wouldn't give it, you decided⁸ that you could better yourself at the mines."

 

"That is about so, sir."

 

"Well, and what luck did you have?"

 

"Good luck at first, sir. I made a thousand dollars at the mines in a few months."

 

[Pg 170]"Indeed!" said Orton, in surprise.

 

"I came with it to San Francisco, and gambled it away in one night. Then I was on my beam-ends, as the sailors say."

 

"Did you go back?"

 

"No. I went to work in the city, and managed to get enough money to buy a steerage passage, and here I am."

 

"I suppose you have come to ask me to take you back into my employ? That, I take it, is your business with me."

 

"No, sir—not exactly."

 

"Then, what is it?" asked the merchant, looking a little puzzled. It crossed his mind that Jones might so far have forgotten his rule never to give away money for any purpose as to suppose there was a chance to effect a loan.

 

"I thought you and Mr. Orton might be willing to pay my expenses back to San Francisco," said Jones, coolly.

 

"Are you out of your head, Jones?" demanded Orton Campbell, amazed at the man's effrontery¹⁴.

 

"Not at all."

 

[Pg 171]"If this is meant as a joke, Jones," said the merchant in a dignified¹⁵ tone, "it is a very poor—and, I may add, a very impudent—one. What possible claim have you on us, that you should expect such a favor?"

 

"Have you heard anything of your ward, Mr. Campbell?" asked Jones, not in the least abashed¹⁶.

 

"No. What has my ward to do with your concerns?"

 

"I have seen her," answered Jones, briefly¹⁷.

 

"Where?" asked John Campbell and his son simultaneously¹⁸.

 

"That information belongs to me," said Jones, quietly. "A detective doesn't work without pay."

 

The two Campbells now began to see the point. This man had information to sell, and would not give it up without what he considered suitable compensation. They determined¹⁹ to drive the best possible bargain with him. He was poor, and probably could be bought over for a small sum.

 

"Your information is worth something, Jones," said the merchant, guardedly. "I will go so far as to give you twenty-five dollars cash for it."

 

[Pg 172]"That won't do," said Jones, shaking his head.

 

"Your information may be worth nothing," said Orton. "You may have seen her, but that doesn't show where she is now."

 

"I know where she is now," said Jones.

 

"Is she in California?"

 

"I don't mind telling you as much as that, Mr. Orton."

 

"Then we can find her without your assistance."

 

"I don't think you can. At any rate, it will take time, especially as, if you don't make a bargain with me, I shall write her that you are on her track."

 

Father and son looked at each other.

 

It was evident that Jones was no fool, and they would be obliged to submit to his terms or give up the search, which was not to be thought of.

 

"What do you propose, Jones?" asked Mr. Campbell, a little less haughtily²⁰.

 

"That you pay my expenses back to California and one thousand dollars," said Jones, promptly²¹. "If you or Mr. Orton will go with me, I will show you where she lives, and then you can take your own course."

 

[Pg 173]This was finally agreed to, and Orton Campbell and the ex-porter sailed by the next steamer for San Francisco, where Florence Douglas, still boarding with Mrs. Armstrong, was waiting impatiently for news of Richard Dewey.

 

1 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

2 guardianship   

n. 监护, 保护, 守护

参考例句：

• They had to employ the English language in face of the jealous guardianship of Britain. 他们不得不在英国疑忌重重的监护下使用英文。
• You want Marion to set aside her legal guardianship and give you Honoria. 你要马丽恩放弃她的法定监护人资格，把霍诺丽娅交给你。

3 covetous   

adj.贪婪的，贪心的

参考例句：

• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。
• He raised his head,with a look of unrestrained greed in his covetous eyes.他抬起头来，贪婪的眼光露出馋涎欲滴的神情。

4 exasperating   

adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Our team's failure is very exasperating. 我们队失败了，真是气死人。
• It is really exasperating that he has not turned up when the train is about to leave. 火车快开了， 他还不来，实在急人。

5 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

6 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。

7 nonplussed   

adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The speaker was completely nonplussed by the question. 演讲者被这个问题完全难倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was completely nonplussed by his sudden appearance. 他突然出现使我大吃一惊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 deferentially   

adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地

参考例句：

• "Now, let me see,'said Hurstwood, looking over Carrie's shoulder very deferentially. “来，让我瞧瞧你的牌。”赫斯渥说着，彬彬有礼地从嘉莉背后看过去。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• He always acts so deferentially around his supervisor. 他总是毕恭毕敬地围着他的上司转。 来自互联网

11 prospered   

成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Mr. Black prospered from his wise investments. 布莱克先生由于巧妙的投资赚了不少钱。

12 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

13 shrug   

v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)

参考例句：

• With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。
• I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。

14 effrontery   

n.厚颜无耻

参考例句：

• This is a despicable fraud . Just imagine that he has the effrontery to say it.这是一个可耻的骗局. 他竟然有脸说这样的话。
• One could only gasp at the sheer effrontery of the man.那人十足的厚颜无耻让人们吃惊得无话可说。

15 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。

16 abashed   

adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He glanced at Juliet accusingly and she looked suitably abashed. 他怪罪的一瞥，朱丽叶自然显得很窘。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The girl was abashed by the laughter of her classmates. 那小姑娘因同学的哄笑而局促不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

18 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

19 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。

20 haughtily   

adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地

参考例句：

• She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
• Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯，走到二楼，我刚好站在那儿。

21 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。