CHAPTER VI. MORE THAN A MATCH.

 Mrs. Mordaunt looked up anxiously as Dan entered the room. She had little expectation that he had been able in one morning to make up the large deficiency in the sum reserved for the rent, but there was a possibility, and she clung to that. Dan thought of postponing¹ the relation of his good news, but when he saw his mother's anxious face, he felt that it would be cruel.

 

So when she said, "Well, Dan?" he nodded his head cheerfully.

 

"I've got it, mother," he said.

 

"Thank God for all His goodness!" ejaculated Mrs. Mordaunt, fervently².

 

"You see He hasn't forgotten us," said Dan, gleefully.

 

"No, my boy, it is a rebuke³ to my momentary⁴ want of faith. How could you raise so large a sum? Surely you did not earn it in one forenoon?"

 

"You're right there, mother. I'm not smart enough to earn two dollars before twelve o'clock."

 

[Pg 47]

 

"But you've got the money, Dan?"

 

"Look at this, mother," and Dan displayed the bills.

 

"Where did you get them, Dan?" asked his mother, astonished.

 

"I borrowed them."

 

"I didn't know we had a friend left, able or willing to lend us that sum."

 

"I borrowed them of Alexander Grant, of St. Louis, and gave my note for them," answered Dan, in a tone of some importance.

 

"Alexander Grant, of St. Louis! I don't remember that name."

 

"He's a new friend of mine, mother. I haven't known him over twenty-four hours. As the old friends have treated us so badly, I'm goin' in for new ones."

 

"You quite mystify me, Dan. Tell me all about it."

 

Dan did so.

 

"He's very kind to a stranger, Dan. Heaven will reward him, I am sure."

 

"I hope it will, mother. I wish I was a rich man. I should enjoy helping⁵ those who needed it. If I ever get rich—though it doesn't look much like it now—I will do all the good I can. I wonder rich men don't do it oftener."

 

"It springs from thoughtlessness sometimes, Dan."

 

[Pg 48]

 

"And from selfishness pretty often," added Dan, whose views of human nature were considerably⁶ less favorable than they had been in his more prosperous days. "A good many men are like Tom Carver, as he is now and will be when he is grown up."

 

"Perhaps there are more good and generous men than we suppose, Dan," urged his mother, who liked to think well of her fellow-beings.

 

"Like Mr. Gripp and our landlord, for instance. By the way, I hear Mr. Grab's steps on the stairs. I want to deal with him. Just you step into the bedroom, mother."

 

Mrs. Mordaunt had no desire to meet Mr. Grab, but she was a little afraid of Dan's impetuous temper.

 

"You will treat him respectfully, won't you, Dan?" she urged, as she turned to go into the adjoining room.

 

Dan's eyes danced with fun.

 

"I'll treat him with all the respect he deserves, mother," he answered.

 

Mrs. Mordaunt looked a little doubtful, for she understood Dan, but did not say more, for Mr. Grab was already knocking at the door.

 

"Don't come out, whatever you hear, mother," said Dan, in a low voice. "I'll come out all right, though I shall tantalize⁷ him a little at first."

 

The knock was repeated.

 

[Pg 49]

 

"Come in!" Dan called out, in a loud, clear tone.

 

The door opened, and a thin, undersized man, with bushy red hair and the look of a cross mastiff, entered the room.

 

Before his entrance Dan had seated himself in the plain wooden rocking-chair with his feet on a cricket. He looked quite easy and unconcerned.

 

"How are you, Grab?" he said, in a friendly manner.

 

"You might call me Mr. Grab," returned the landlord, angrily.

 

"I've no objection, I'm sure, Mr. Grab," said Dan. "How is your health? You're looking very yellow. Got the jaundice?"

 

"I am perfectly⁸ well, and I am not yellow at all. Do you mean to insult me?" demanded Grab, irritated.

 

"I wouldn't do that for a cent, Mr. Grab. I am glad you feel well, though you ain't looking so. It's very friendly of you to come round to see me and mother."

 

"Where is your mother?" snapped Mr. Grab.

 

"She is engaged just now, and won't have the pleasure of seeing you."

 

"But I must see her."

 

"Must! You are quite mistaken. You can't see her. You can see me."

 

[Pg 50]

 

"I've seen more of you than I want to already," said Grab.

 

"That isn't talking like a friend, Mr. Grab," said Dan, "when I'm so glad to see you. Perhaps you have come on business."

 

"Of course I have come on business, and you know very well what that business is, you young monkey."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Grab, you are very complimentary⁹. It isn't about the rent, is it?"

 

"Of course it is!" snapped the landlord.

 

"Oh, dear, how could I have forgotten that it was rent-day," said Dan, with well-feigned confusion.

 

Mr. Grab's brow grew dark. He concluded that he wasn't going to collect the rent, and that always chafed¹⁰ him.

 

"It's your business to know when rent-day comes," he said, bringing down his fist with such emphasis on the table that he hurt his knuckles¹¹, to Dan's secret delight.

 

"Please don't break the table, Grab," said Dan.

 

"Oh, blast the table!" said Grab, surveying his red knuckles.

 

"We haven't got any blasting powder, and I don't think it would be a very interesting experiment. It might blow you up, for you are nearest to it."

 

[Pg 51]

 

"Have done with this trifling¹², boy," said the landlord.

 

"I am afraid you got out of the wrong end of the bed this morning, Mr. Grab. You should control yourself."

 

"Look here, boy," said the landlord, savagely¹³, "do you know what I am tempted¹⁴ to do?"

 

"No, what is it?" asked Dan, indifferently.

 

"I am strongly tempted to chastise¹⁵ you for your impudence¹⁶."

 

Dan looked critically at the small, thin form, and secretly decided¹⁷ that Mr. Grab would find it difficult to carry out his threat.

 

"Oh, how you frighten me!" he said. "I don't believe I shall sleep any to-night."

 

Mr. Grab made a motion to pound on the table again, but he looked at his red knuckles and wisely forbore.

 

"I can't waste any more time," he said. "You must pay your rent, or turn out. I want six dollars."

 

"Won't it do, Mr. Grab, if we pay you next week?"

 

"No, it won't. The rent must be paid to-day, or out you go."

 

"Why doesn't Dan pay him?" thought Mrs. Mordaunt, uneasily. "Really, he ought not to tease the[Pg 52] poor man so. He has such a bad temper, he might hurt Dan."

 

"Mr. Gripp is owing mother for work. As soon as he pays her, I will call round at your office and pay you."

 

"It won't do," said Grab. "I won't let you stay here another night, and I mean to have security for my money, too."

 

So saying, the landlord seized the bundle of vests which lay on the table beside him.

 

This aroused Dan to action.

 

He sprang to his feet, his eyes flashing with anger.

 

"Put down that bundle, Mr. Grab!" he exclaimed.

 

"Then pay me my rent," said the landlord, recoiling¹⁸ a little.

 

"Put down that bundle before you say another word about rent. It isn't my mother's or mine. You have no business with it."

 

"What do you mean, boy, by your impudence?" demanded the landlord, a little uneasily.

 

"I mean that if you take that bundle from the room, I shall put you in charge of the nearest policeman on a charge of stealing."

 

"That is nonsense," said Grab; but he looked nervous, and laid down the bundle.

 

"All right, Grab," said Dan. "Now, as I don't[Pg 53] want any more of your company, I'll pay the rent, if you'll give me a receipt."

 

"Have you got the money?" asked Grab, astonished.

 

"Of course I have. I never told you I hadn't."

 

"You made me think so."

 

"It isn't my business what you think. There, that is settled, and now, Mr. Grab, I have the honor of wishing you good-evening. I hope you won't hurt your knuckles again."

 

Mr. Grab left the room, inwardly wishing that he could wring¹⁹ Dan's neck.

 

"Oh, Dan, how could you?" asked his mother, reproachfully, as she re-entered the room.

 

"He deserves it all," said Dan. "Didn't he turn out the poor Donovans on a cold day last winter? I have no pity for him."

 

"He may turn us out."

 

"Not as long as we pay the rent."

 

1 postponing   

v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He tried to gain time by postponing his decision. 他想以迟迟不作决定的手段来争取时间。 来自辞典例句
• I don't hold with the idea of postponing further discussion of the matter. 我不赞成推迟进一步讨论这件事的想法。 来自辞典例句

2 fervently   

adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地

参考例句：

• "Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

3 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

4 momentary   

adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的

参考例句：

• We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
• I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

7 tantalize   

vt.使干着急，逗弄

参考例句：

• The boy would come into the room and tantalize the dog with his feed.那个男孩会到房间里拿狗食逗弄狗。
• He tried to tantalize me by revealing that the Soviet Union was prepared to discuss a package deal.他想要逗弄我，于是就露出口风说，苏联愿意讨论一揽子交易。

8 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

9 complimentary   

adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的

参考例句：

• She made some highly complimentary remarks about their school.她对他们的学校给予高度的评价。
• The supermarket operates a complimentary shuttle service.这家超市提供免费购物班车。

10 chafed   

v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒

参考例句：

• Her wrists chafed where the rope had been. 她的手腕上绳子勒过的地方都磨红了。
• She chafed her cold hands. 她揉搓冰冷的双手使之暖和。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 knuckles   

n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝

参考例句：

• He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘，握得指关节都变白了。
• Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

13 savagely   

adv. 野蛮地，残酷地

参考例句：

• The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
• He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。

14 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

15 chastise   

vt.责骂，严惩

参考例句：

• My father used to chastise my brothers with whips.父亲过去常以鞭打惩罚我的兄弟。
• Should I applaud my husband or chastise him?我是该称赞还是责罚我的丈夫呢？

16 impudence   

n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼

参考例句：

• His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。
• What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。

17 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。

18 recoiling   

v.畏缩( recoil的现在分词 )；退缩；报应；返回

参考例句：

• Some of the energy intended for the photon is drained off by the recoiling atom. 原来给予光子的能量有一部分为反冲原子所消耗。 来自辞典例句
• A second method watches for another effect of the recoiling nucleus: ionization. 探测器使用的第二种方法，是观察反冲原子核的另一种效应：游离。 来自互联网

19 wring   

n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭

参考例句：

• My socks were so wet that I had to wring them.我的袜子很湿，我不得不拧干它们。
• I'll wring your neck if you don't behave!你要是不规矩，我就拧断你的脖子。