CHAPTER XXIX. A WEDDING RECEPTION.

 Orton Campbell cursed his folly¹ in arousing the hostility² of Jones. He concluded that the latter had released Florence in order to obtain a hold upon him, and would be ready to assist him again if satisfactorily paid. In that event all was not lost. It was necessary to see Jones as early as possible and make matters right with him.

 

He was not quite clear as to where Jones could be found, but concluded that he had carried Florence back to her boarding-house. He therefore ordered his driver to proceed at once to the house of Mrs. Armstrong.

 

He hastily descended³ from the carriage and rang the bell.

 

It was answered by Mrs. Armstrong in person, who regarded him with no very friendly eye.

 

Orton Campbell, knowing his own treachery, and[Pg 230] conscious that it was also known to the lady before him, asked, in some embarrassment⁴, "Is Miss Douglas here?"

 

"No, sir."

 

Orton Campbell looked surprised. "I—I thought she might be here," he stammered⁵.

 

"Were you the person who lured⁶ her from my house yesterday by a false letter?" demanded Mrs. Armstrong, sternly.

 

"No," answered Campbell, unblushingly; "it was an agent of mine, who has deceived and betrayed me."

 

"Then, you had nothing to do with the disappearance⁷ of the young lady?"

 

"Certainly not," answered Orton Campbell, boldly. "I assure you it has given me great concern, and I have been riding hither and thither⁸ this morning in search of her."

 

"Won't you come in, sir? Perhaps we may be able to throw some light on this mystery."

 

"She believes me," thought Orton Campbell, congratulating himself on the effect of his duplicity.—"Certainly," he answered; "I shall be most happy to do so."

 

[Pg 231]He was ushered⁹ into the parlor¹⁰, into which, five minutes later, entered Florence, Richard Dewey, and a gentleman of clerical appearance.

 

"Miss Douglas!" exclaimed Orton Campbell, in astonishment¹¹.—"I thought you said," turning to Mrs. Armstrong, "that Miss Douglas was not here?"

 

"I am not Miss Douglas," said Florence, quietly.

 

"I don't understand you."

 

"Perhaps I can explain the mystery," said Richard Dewey, coming forward.

 

"I wish you would, if you can," said Orton Campbell, with a sneer¹².

 

"This young lady is my wife."

 

"Your wife? And who are you?"

 

"Richard Dewey, at your service."

 

Orton Campbell had never known Dewey well, and his life at the mines had so changed his appearance that it was not surprising he did not recognize him.

 

"Is this true?" he asked, in visible dismay. "When were you married?"

 

"Half an hour since, by this gentleman;" and[Pg 232] Richard Dewey waved his hand in the direction of the clerical gentleman already referred to.

 

"You have done a good stroke of business, sir," said Campbell, with a sneer and a look of baffled hatred¹³. "The lady's fortune makes her a good match."

 

"So you evidently thought, sir," answered Dewey. "Your unscrupulous methods have not succeeded, and I beg to warn you that the lady now has a protector who will punish any such persecution¹⁴ as that with which you have recently visited her."

 

"You are quite mistaken. My agent—"

 

"Only followed your instructions," said an unexpected voice, as Jones, who was within hearing, now entered from the adjoining room. "Mr. Orton, I have confessed all, so you needn't try to humbug¹⁵ this gentleman."

 

"You are a scoundrel," said Campbell, wrathfully, excited by the appearance of the man who, in return for being cheated, had betrayed him.

 

"Then there's a pair of us, Mr. Campbell," said he, coolly. "I admit that I behaved like a rascal¹⁶, but I've tried to set matters right."

 

[Pg 233]"You can find your way back to New York as you can; I have done with you," said Campbell, hardly conscious that this very remark betrayed him.

 

"Mr. Dewey has kindly¹⁷ offered to take me back with him," said Jones, not at all disturbed by this notice.

 

"If you are going back by the next steamer, Mr. Campbell," said Richard Dewey, "I will thank you to apprise¹⁸ your father of his ward's marriage, and ask him to arrange for the surrender of her property at the proper time."

 

"You may attend to your own messages, sir," said Orton, irritably¹⁹. "I will have nothing to do with them."

 

Without any further words he hurried out of the house, and drove at once to the office of the steamship²⁰ company, where he secured passage by the earliest vessel²¹ eastward²² bound.

 

That same evening Mr. and Mrs. Richard Dewey held an informal reception at their boarding-house.

 

It was not largely attended, for Florence had[Pg 234] made but few acquaintances during her stay in the city. Uncertain as her prospects²³ were, she had thought it best to keep aloof²⁴ from her friends, who might possibly make known her residence to her guardian²⁵. Among those present, however, were Richard Dewey's tried friends, Bradley and Ben Stanton.

 

Bradley tried to excuse himself, on the ground that he was only a rough miner and not accustomed to society, but his objection was overruled both by Florence and her husband.

 

"You are a true friend, Mr. Bradley," said Florence, gratefully, "and I should miss you more than any one else except my young friend and cousin, Ben."

 

"Ben's different from what I am," said Bradley. "He ain't such a rough specimen²⁶."

 

"I'm only a miner, like you," said Ben. "I am a country boy and not used to society, but I don't believe Cousin Ida will care for that."

 

"Cousin Ida" was the name by which Ben had been instructed to call Florence when she came out to California under his escort.

 

[Pg 235]The upshot of it all was that both Bradley and Ben were present at the bride's reception, and were made so thoroughly²⁷ at home by Mrs. Richard Dewey that neither felt in the least awkward.

 

Two weeks later Richard Dewey and his wife sailed for New York, but Ben and Bradley remained behind.

 

"Come with us, Ben," said Florence. "I don't like to leave you behind."

 

"Thank you, Miss Florence—I mean Mrs. Dewey," said the boy—"but I am not ready to go yet."

 

"Don't let the thought of money keep you here, Ben. I am rich, or I shall be in a few months, when my guardian surrenders his trust, and I will take care that you are well provided for."

 

"Thank you again," said Ben; "but I've promised to go back to the mines. I've got a claim reserved for me, and so has Bradley. We'll go back now and try to gather a little more gold-dust."

 

"But you'll let us see you in New York before long?"

 

[Pg 236]"Yes, I shall go home in a few months, even if I come back again later. I want to see Uncle Job and Cousin Jennie, and all my old friends, not forgetting Sam Sturgis," added Ben, smiling.

 

"We must be content with that, I suppose," said the young lady. "I hope you will have good luck, but even if you don't, remember that you have two friends who will only be too glad to be of service to you.—Please consider, Mr. Bradley, that this is said to you also."

 

"Thank you, ma'am," said Jake Bradley, awkwardly, for with all his good traits he was not quite at ease in the society of ladies.

 

Ben and Bradley saw the young couple off on the steamer, and then prepared to go back to the mines.

 

"It's made me feel kind of lonesome to part with Dick Dewey," said Bradley, thoughtfully. "He's a whole-souled feller, and he's 'struck it rich' in a wife."

 

"That's so, Jake."

1 folly   

n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话

参考例句：

• Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
• Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

2 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

3 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

4 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

5 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

6 lured   

吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The child was lured into a car but managed to escape. 那小孩被诱骗上了车，但又设法逃掉了。
• Lured by the lust of gold,the pioneers pushed onward. 开拓者在黄金的诱惑下，继续奋力向前。

7 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。

8 thither   

adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的

参考例句：

• He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
• He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

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 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

11 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

12 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。

13 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

14 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

15 humbug   

n.花招，谎话，欺骗

参考例句：

• I know my words can seem to him nothing but utter humbug.我知道，我说的话在他看来不过是彻头彻尾的慌言。
• All their fine words are nothing but humbug.他们的一切花言巧语都是骗人的。

16 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

17 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

18 apprise   

vt.通知，告知

参考例句：

• He came to apprise us that the work had been successfully completed.他来通知我们工作已胜利完成。
• We must apprise them of the dangers that may be involved.我们必须告诉他们可能涉及的危险。

19 irritably   

ad.易生气地

参考例句：

• He lost his temper and snapped irritably at the children. 他发火了，暴躁地斥责孩子们。
• On this account the silence was irritably broken by a reproof. 为了这件事，他妻子大声斥责，令人恼火地打破了宁静。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

20 steamship   

n.汽船，轮船

参考例句：

• The return may be made on the same steamship.可乘同一艘汽船当天回来。
• It was so foggy that the steamship almost ran down a small boat leaving the port.雾很大，汽艇差点把一只正在离港的小船撞沉。

21 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

22 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

23 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

24 aloof   

adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的

参考例句：

• Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
• On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。

25 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。

26 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

27 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。