CHAPTER II. AARON WOLVERTON.

 Richard Burton drove rapidly to the village. I may state here that the name of the township was Carver. Like most Western villages, it consisted principally of one long, central street, containing buildings of all sizes and descriptions, from a three-story hotel to a one-story office. But there seemed to be a good deal going on all the time—much more than in an Eastern town of the size. Western people are active, progressive, never content to stand still. In the drowsy¹ atmosphere that pervades² many an Eastern country town they would stagnate³, but there perpetual motion is the rule.

 

Everybody in Carver knew Richard Burton. Everybody liked him also; he was easy and social with all. I have said everybody, but I must make one exception, and that was the man on whom he now proposed to call.

 

[Pg 16]

 

About midway on the main street was a small one-story building, about twelve feet square. Above the door was a sign:

 

AARON WOLVERTON,

 

REAL ESTATE AGENT.

 

Mr. Wolverton had considerable capital, which he was in the habit of lending on mortgage, always for a large interest, and on substantial security. He was supposed to be rich, but did not live like a rich man. His dwelling⁴ lay a little way back from the street; it was small, cramped⁵, and uncomfortable, and his style of living was of the most economical character. He was a bachelor, and the only other members of his family were his sister, Sally Wolverton, who resembled her brother in person and character, and a nephew, Sam, the son of a brother, who came in for a liberal share of ill-treatment from the uncle, on whom he was dependent.

 

Richard Burton reined⁶ up in front of Wolverton's office, and, leaping from his carriage, unceremoniously opened the outer door.

 

"Good morning, Wolverton," he said, cheerily.

 

[Pg 17]

 

Aaron Wolverton, a meagre and wrinkled man of fifty-five, looked up from his desk, and scanned his visitor's face attentively⁷. He was not sure but Richard Burton, who was a high-spirited man, had come to take him to task for his attack upon Bob a short time before. Whenever he thought of it, he fairly trembled with rage and humiliation⁸, for the boy had conquered him, and he knew it.

 

Burton's words reassured⁹ him.

 

"I have come to pay interest on the mortgage, Wolverton. I suppose you haven't forgotten that?"

 

"No."

 

"Catch you forgetting a thing of that kind. That wouldn't be like you."

 

"I suppose you don't want to lift the mortgage?"

 

"No; it is all I can do to pay the interest. The first six months have passed remarkably¹⁰ quick."

 

"Not to me."

 

"No, for you are to receive money, I to pay it. It makes all the difference in the world. I suppose you are not in need of the money?"

 

[Pg 18]

 

"No, not at present," answered Wolverton, slowly; "but if I had it I could get higher interest."

 

"Higher interest! Isn't ten per cent. enough for you?"

 

"Nothing is enough, as long as I can get more."

 

"Come, Wolverton, don't be such a money-grabber. You must be rolling in money."

 

The old man shrugged¹¹ his shoulders in deprecation.

 

"Times are dull, and—I lose money sometimes," he said.

 

"Not much, if you know it," said Burton, jocosely¹². "Well, just write a receipt for six months' interest, one hundred and fifty dollars."

 

Aaron Wolverton took the proffered¹³ bills, eyeing them with eager cupidity¹⁴, and put them in his desk. Then he made out a receipt, and handed it to his visitor.

 

"You will be paying the mortgage next year?" he said inquiringly.

 

"I don't know, Wolverton. If the crops are good, I may pay a part. But I am afraid[Pg 19] I am not a very good manager. I can't save money like you, and that brings me round to the question: For whom are you piling up all this wealth? Is it for Sam?"

 

"Sam is a young loafer," said Wolverton, with a frown. "I give him a home and his living, and he is almost too lazy to breathe."

 

"You were not that way at his age?"

 

"No. I worked early and late. I was a poor boy. All that I have, I made by hard work."

 

"Take my advice, Wolverton, and get the worth of it while you live. But perhaps you are saving with a view to matrimony. Ha, ha!"

 

And Richard burst into a ringing laugh.

 

Wolverton puckered¹⁵ up his face, and snarled¹⁶:

 

"Why shouldn't I marry if I choose? What is there to laugh at?"

 

"No reason at all. I advise you to marry. You ought to, for I have found happiness in marrying one of the sweetest women in the world."

 

Then without any apparent reason, remembering that the man before him had aspired[Pg 20] to the hand of his wife, he burst into another laugh, which he kept up till the tears ran from his eyes. He didn't notice the evil expression which it called up in the face of the moneylender.

 

"I'd like to kill him where he stands," thought Aaron Wolverton. "She must have told him about me. Curse him! he stole her from me, and now he dares to laugh in my face!"

 

But Wolverton was not a man to indulge even his evil temper when it was impolitic to do so. He forced himself to look indifferent, and merely said:

 

"Let them laugh that win, Mr. Burton. Perhaps my time may come some day."

 

"Perhaps it may, Wolverton. I heartily¹⁷ hope that you may find some one to make your life happy. I am happy myself, and I like to see others happy."

 

There was a little more conversation, and then Richard Burton went out.

 

"Good-bye, Wolverton. Come to my ranch¹⁸ some time. I'll give you a seat at supper, and we will smoke a cigar afterwards."[Pg 21]

 

The colt—for it was scarcely more than that—was getting restless. It was pawing the ground and evidently anxious to get away.

 

"Your horse has a bad temper, Mr. Burton," said Wolverton.

 

"Yes, he needs taming. He's not well trained yet."

 

"There's something more than that," Wolverton said to himself, thoughtfully. "Horses are like men—they often have nasty tempers. I wouldn't ride behind that brute¹⁹ for—for the money Burton has just paid me. Some day he'll get upset, or thrown. And if he does," he continued, after a pause, "why should I lament²⁰? He has taken from me the only woman I ever loved. She might have made a different man of me—perhaps."

 

Just then a boy came up the street. He stopped and eyed Aaron Wolverton with a little misgiving²¹.

 

"Sam," said Wolverton, sharply, "what kept you so long? Do you want the strap²² again?"

 

"Indeed, uncle, I hurried as fast as I could. Mr. Jenks kept me waiting."[Pg 22]

 

"That is probably a lie," growled²³ Wolverton. "However, since you are here, go into your dinner. It is cold by this time, most likely."

 

It was cold and uninviting, but Sam could not afford to be dainty, and ate what was set before him by his aunt.

 

1 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

2 pervades   

v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• An unpleasant smell pervades the house. 一种难闻的气味弥漫了全屋。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• An atmosphere of pessimism pervades the economy. 悲观的气氛笼罩着整个经济。 来自辞典例句

3 stagnate   

v.停止

参考例句：

• Where the masses are not roused,work will stagnate.哪里不发动群众，哪里的工作就死气沉沉。
• Taiwan's economy is likely to stagnate for a long time to come.台湾经济很可能会停滞很长一段时间。

4 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

5 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

6 reined   

勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理

参考例句：

• Then, all of a sudden, he reined up his tired horse. 这时，他突然把疲倦的马勒住了。
• The officer reined in his horse at a crossroads. 军官在十字路口勒住了马。

7 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

9 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

11 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 jocosely   

adv.说玩笑地，诙谐地

参考例句：

13 proffered   

v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She proffered her cheek to kiss. 她伸过自己的面颊让人亲吻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He rose and proffered a silver box full of cigarettes. 他站起身，伸手递过一个装满香烟的银盒子。 来自辞典例句

14 cupidity   

n.贪心，贪财

参考例句：

• Her cupidity is well known.她的贪婪尽人皆知。
• His eyes gave him away,shining with cupidity.他的眼里闪着贪婪的光芒，使他暴露无遗。

15 puckered   

v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His face puckered , and he was ready to cry. 他的脸一皱，像要哭了。
• His face puckered, the tears leapt from his eyes. 他皱着脸，眼泪夺眶而出。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 snarled   

v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说

参考例句：

• The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
• As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

18 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

19 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

20 lament   

n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹

参考例句：

• Her face showed lament.她的脸上露出悲伤的样子。
• We lament the dead.我们哀悼死者。

21 misgiving   

n.疑虑，担忧，害怕

参考例句：

• She had some misgivings about what she was about to do.她对自己即将要做的事情存有一些顾虑。
• The first words of the text filled us with misgiving.正文开头的文字让我们颇为担心。

22 strap   

n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎

参考例句：

• She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
• The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。

23 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》