CHAPTER XII. WOLVERTON'S WATERLOO.

 Though the receipt was lost, Wolverton could not give up his plan of extorting¹ the interest from Mrs. Burton a second time. It might have been supposed that he would have some qualms² of conscience about robbing the widow and the fatherless, but Mr. Wolverton's conscience, if he had any, gave him very little trouble. He would have thought himself a fool to give up one hundred and fifty dollars if there was the slightest chance of securing them.

 

Towards evening of the day on which Bob had interfered⁴ with him, he took his hat and cane⁵, and set out for Burton's Ranch⁶.

 

It so happened that Bob answered the bell. He had been sitting with his mother, chatting about their future plans.

 

"Good-evening, Mr. Wolverton," said Bob,[Pg 105] who felt it incumbent⁷ upon him to be polite to a guest, even though he disliked him.

 

"Evening," returned Wolverton, curtly⁸. "Is your mother at home?"

 

"Yes, sir. Will you come in?"

 

Wolverton had not the good manners to acknowledge the invitation with thanks, but strode into the sitting-room⁹, following Bob.

 

The widow anticipated his visit, having been informed by Bob that he had announced his intention of coming.

 

"Good-evening, Mr. Wolverton. Take a seat," she said, pointing to a chair a few feet from her own. "Robert, take Mr. Wolverton's hat."

 

Wolverton looked at the widow with a hungry gaze, for she was the only woman, he had ever loved.

 

"If she would only marry me, all her troubles would be over," he said to himself. "She's a fool to refuse."

 

We, who have some idea of Mr. Wolverton's character and disposition¹⁰, are more likely to conclude that marriage with such a man would be only the beginning of trouble.[Pg 106]

 

"I've come on business, Mrs. Burton," said the visitor, in an aggressive tone.

 

"State it, if you please, Mr. Wolverton," the widow answered, calmly.

 

"Hadn't you better send your son out of the room? We'd better discuss this matter alone."

 

"I have no secrets from Robert," said the widow.

 

"Oh, well, just as you please; I don't care to have him interfere³ in what doesn't concern him."

 

"Any business with my mother does concern me," said Bob; "but I will try not to give you any trouble."

 

"The business is about that interest," Wolverton began, abruptly¹¹.

 

"What interest?"

 

"You must know what I mean—the interest on the mortgage."

 

"My husband paid it on the day of his death."

 

"It's easy enough to say that," sneered¹² Wolverton, "but saying it isn't proving it, as you must have the good sense to know."[Pg 107]

 

"When my husband left me on that fatal morning, he told me that he was going to your office to pay the interest. I know he had the money and with him, for he had laid down the wallet, and I saw the roll of bills."

 

"Why didn't he pay it, then? That's what I'd like to know."

 

"Didn't he pay it to you, Mr. Wolverton?" asked Mrs. Burton, with a searching glance. "Carry back your memory to that day, and answer me that question."

 

Mr. Wolverton showed himself a little restive¹³ under this interrogatory, but he assumed an air of indignation.

 

"What do you mean, widder?" he demanded, bringing down his cane with emphasis upon the floor. "Do you doubt my word?"

 

"I think you may be mistaken, Mr. Wolverton," said Mrs. Burton, composedly.

 

"Who has been putting this into your head, widder? Is it that boy of yours?"

 

Bob answered for himself:

 

"I don't mind saying that I did tell mother that I thought the money had been paid."[Pg 108]

 

"Humph! you think yourself mighty¹⁴ smart, Bob Burton," snarled¹⁵ Wolverton. "Nat'rally you'd like to get rid of paying the interest, if you could; but you've got a business man to deal with, not a fool."

 

"You are no fool where money is concerned, there's no doubt about that. But I want to ask you one thing, if my father didn't pay you the money which mother can testify to his carrying with him on the morning of his death, what became of it?"

 

"How should I know? Did you search his wallet when he was brought home?"

 

"Yes."

 

"And you didn't find the money?"

 

"No."

 

"So you conclude that he paid it to me. Let me tell you, young man, that doesn't follow. He may have been robbed when he was lying on the ground insensible."

 

"I think very likely he was," returned Bob, quietly.

 

"What do you mean by that?" demanded Wolverton, uneasily. "Who could have robbed him?"[Pg 109]

 

"Possibly some one that we wouldn't be likely to suspect."

 

"What does he mean? Can he possibly suspect me?" thought Wolverton, fixing his eyes on Bob's face. "But no! I certainly didn't take any money from him."

 

"You may be right," he said aloud; "but that hasn't anything to do with my claim for interest. Whether your father was robbed of the money, or spent it, is all one to me. It wasn't paid to me, I can certify¹⁶."

 

"Would you be willing to swear that the money was not paid to you that day, Mr. Wolverton?"

 

"Do you mean to insult me? Haven't I told you it was not paid?"

 

"Do you expect me to pay it to you, then?" asked Mrs. Burton.

 

"Widder, I am surprised you should ask such a foolish question. It lies in a nutshell. I'm entitled to interest on the money I let your husband have on mortgage. You admit that?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I'm glad you admit that. As your husband[Pg 110] didn't pay, I look to you for it. I can say no more."

 

Mrs. Burton took a pocket-book from a pocket in her dress, and handed it to Robert. Bob opened it, and drew therefrom a folded paper.

 

"Mr. Wolverton," he said, quietly, "I hold in my hand a receipt signed by yourself for the interest—one hundred and fifty dollars—dated the very day that my poor father died. What have you to say to it?"

 

Mr. Wolverton sprang to his feet, pale and panic-stricken.

 

"Where did you get that paper?" he stammered¹⁷, hoarsely¹⁸.

 

1 extorting   

v.敲诈( extort的现在分词 )；曲解

参考例句：

• Corrupt government officials were extorting money from him. 腐败的政府官员向他敲诈钱财。 来自辞典例句
• He's been charged with extorting protection money from the shopkeepers. 他被指控对店主敲诈勒索保护费。 来自互联网

2 qualms   

n.不安；内疚

参考例句：

• He felt no qualms about borrowing money from friends.他没有对于从朋友那里借钱感到不安。
• He has no qualms about lying.他撒谎毫不内疚。

3 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。

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 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

6 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。

7 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

8 curtly   

adv.简短地

参考例句：

• He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

10 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

11 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

12 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。

13 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

14 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。

15 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》

16 certify   

vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给

参考例句：

• I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。
• This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。

17 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

18 hoarsely   

adv.嘶哑地

参考例句：

• "Excuse me," he said hoarsely. “对不起。”他用嘶哑的嗓子说。
• Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. 杰瑞嘶声嘶气地表示愿为普洛丝小姐效劳。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记