CHAPTER XXIX. A NE'ER DO WELL.

 At half-past twelve Dan ascended¹ the stairs to his mother's room. He had promised to come in and tell her how he had enjoyed himself at the party. He was in excellent spirits on account of the flattering attentions he had received. It was in this frame of mind that he opened the door. What was his surprise, even consternation², when his mother advanced to meet him with tearful eyes and an expression of distress³.

 

"Oh, Dan, I am so glad you have got home!" she ejaculated.

 

"What is the matter, mother? Are you sick?" asked Dan.

 

"I am quite well, Dan; but Althea——"

 

And Mrs. Mordaunt burst into tears.

 

"What has happened to Althea? Is she sick?" asked Dan, alarmed.

 

"We have lost her, Dan."

 

"Lost her! You don't mean she is——"

 

He couldn't finish the sentence, but his mother divined what he meant.

 

[Pg 208]

 

"Not dead, thank God!" she said, "but she has disappeared—she has been stolen."

 

"You don't mean it, mother!" exclaimed Dan, startled and grieved. "Tell me about it."

 

Mrs. Mordaunt told what she knew, but that related only to the particulars of the abduction. We are in a position to tell the reader more, but it will be necessary to go back for a month, and transfer the scene to another continent.

 

In a spacious⁴ and handsomely furnished apartment at the West End of London sat the lady who had placed Althea in charge of the Mordaunts. She was deep in thought, and that not of an agreeable nature.

 

"I fear," she said to herself, "that trouble awaits me. John Hartley, whom I supposed to be in California, is certainly in London. I cannot be mistaken in his face, and I certainly saw him in Hyde Park to-day. Did he see me? I don't know, but I fear he did. If so, he will not long delay in making his appearance. Then I shall be persecuted⁵, but I must be firm. He shall not learn through me where Althea is. He is her father, it is true, but he has forfeited⁶ all claim to her guardianship⁷. A confirmed gambler and drunkard, he would soon waste her fortune, bequeathed her by her poor mother. He can have no possible claim to it; for, apart from his having had no hand in[Pg 209] leaving it to her, he was divorced from my poor sister before her death."

 

At this point there was a knock at the door of the room.

 

"Come in," said the lady.

 

There entered a young servant-maid, who courtesied, and said:

 

"Mrs. Vernon, there is a gentleman who wishes to see you."

 

"Can it be Hartley?" thought the lady, with quick suspicion.

 

"Did he give his name?" she asked.

 

"Yes, mum; he said his name was Bancroft."

 

"Bancroft! I know no one of that name," mused⁹ the lady. "Well, Margaret, you may show him up, and you may remain in the anteroom within call."

 

Her eyes were fixed¹⁰ upon the door with natural curiosity, when her visitor entered.

 

Instantly her face flushed, and her eyes sparkled with anger.

 

"John Hartley!" she exclaimed.

 

The visitor smiled mockingly.

 

"I see you know me, Harriet Vernon," he said. "It is some time since we met, is it not? I am charmed, I am sure, to see my sister-in-law looking so well."

 

[Pg 210]

 

He sank into a chair without waiting for an invitation.

 

"When did you change your name to Bancroft?" demanded the lady, abruptly¹¹.

 

"Oh," he said, showing his teeth, "that was a little ruse¹². I feared you would have no welcome for John Hartley, notwithstanding our near relationship, and I was forced to sail under false colors."

 

"It was quite in character," said Mrs. Vernon, coldly; "you were always false. But you need not claim relationship. The slender tie that connected us was broken when my sister obtained a divorce from you."

 

"You think so, my lady," said the visitor, dropping his tone of mocking badinage¹³, and regarding her in a menacing manner, "but you were never more mistaken. You may flatter yourself that you are rid of me, but you flatter yourself in vain."

 

"Do you come here to threaten me, John Hartley?"

 

"I come here to ask for my child. Where is Althea?"

 

"Where you cannot get at her," answered Mrs. Vernon, coldly.

 

"Don't think to put me off in that way," he said, fiercely. "I will know where she is."

 

"Don't think to terrify me, John Hartley," said the[Pg 211] lady, contemptuously. "I am not so easily alarmed as your poor wife."

 

Hartley looked at her as if he would have assaulted her had he dared, but she knew very well that he did not dare. He was a bully¹⁴, but he was a coward.

 

"You refuse, then, to tell me what you have done with my child?" he demanded, at length.

 

"I do."

 

"Take care, madam! A father has some rights, and the law will not permit his child to be kept from him."

 

"Does your anxiety to see Althea arise from parental¹⁵ affection?" she asked, in a sarcastic¹⁶ tone.

 

"Never mind what it springs from. I have a right to the custody¹⁷ of my child."

 

"I suppose you have a right to waste her fortune also at the gaming-table."

 

"I have a right to act as my child's guardian⁸," he retorted.

 

"A fine guardian you would make!" she said, contemptuously.

 

"Why should I not?" he asked, sulkily.

 

"Why should you not, John Hartley? Do I need to answer the question? You ill-treated and abused her mother. You wasted half her fortune. Fortunately, she escaped from you before it was all gone. But you shortened her life, and she did not long [Pg 212]survive the separation. It was her last request that I should care for her child—that I should, above all, keep her out of your clutches. I made that promise, and I mean to keep it."

 

"You poisoned my wife's mind against me," he said. "But for your cursed interference we should never have separated."

 

"You are right, perhaps, in your last statement. I certainly did urge my sister to leave you. I obtained her consent to the application for a divorce, but as to poisoning her mind against you, there was no need of that. By your conduct and your treatment you destroyed her love and forfeited her respect, and she saw the propriety¹⁸ of the course which I recommended."

 

"I didn't come here to be lectured. You can spare your invectives, Harriet Vernon. What is past is past. I was not a model husband, perhaps, but I was as good as the average."

 

"If that is the case, Heaven help the woman who marries!"

 

"Or the man that marries a woman like you!"

 

"You are welcome to your opinion of me. I am entirely¹⁹ indifferent to your good or bad opinion. Have you any more to say?"

 

"Any more to say! I have hardly begun. Is my daughter Althea with you?"

 

[Pg 213]

 

"I don't recognize your right to question me on this subject, but I will answer you. She is not with me."

 

"Is she in London?"

 

"I will even answer that question. She is not in London."

 

"Is she in England?"

 

"That I will not tell you. You have learned enough."

 

John Hartley did not answer immediately. He appeared to be occupied with some thought. When he spoke²⁰ it was in a more conciliatory tone.

 

"I don't doubt that she is in good hands," he said. "I am sure you will treat her kindly²¹. Perhaps you are a better guardian than I. I am willing to leave her in your hands, but I ought to have some compensation."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Althea has a hundred thousand dollars, yielding at least five thousand dollars income. Probably her expenses are little more than one-tenth of this sum. While my child is rich I am poor. Give me half her income—say three thousand dollars annually—and I will give you and her no further trouble."

 

"I thought that was the object of your visit," said Mrs. Vernon, coldly. "I was right in giving you no credit for parental affection. In regard to your [Pg 214]proposition, I cannot entertain it. You had one half of my sister's fortune, and you spent it. You have no further claim on her money."

 

"Is this your final answer?" he demanded, angrily.

 

"It is."

 

"Then I swear to you that I will be even with you. I will find the child, and when I do you shall never see her again."

 

Mrs. Vernon rang the bell.

 

Margaret entered.

 

"Margaret," she said, coldly, "will you show this gentleman out?"

 

John Hartley rose and bowed ironically.

 

"You are certainly very polite, Harriet Vernon," he said. "You are bold, too, for you are defying me, and that is dangerous. You had better reconsider your determination, before it is too late."

 

"It will never be too late; I can at any time buy you off," she said, contemptuously. "All you want is money."

 

"We shall see," he hissed²², eying her malignantly²³.

 

"Margaret," said Mrs. Vernon, when her visitor had been shown out, "never admit that person again; I am always out to him."

 

"Yes, mum," said the girl. "I wonder who 'twas," she thought, curiously²⁴.

1 ascended   

v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 consternation   

n.大为吃惊，惊骇

参考例句：

• He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。
• Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

3 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

4 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

5 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

6 forfeited   

（因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Because he broke the rules, he forfeited his winnings. 他犯规，所以丧失了奖金。
• He has forfeited the right to be the leader of this nation. 他丧失了作为这个国家领导的权利。

7 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。

8 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。

9 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

10 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

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 ruse   

n.诡计，计策；诡计

参考例句：

• The children thought of a clever ruse to get their mother to leave the house so they could get ready for her surprise.孩子们想出一个聪明的办法使妈妈离家，以便他们能准备给她一个惊喜。It is now clear that this was a ruse to divide them.现在已清楚这是一个离间他们的诡计。

13 badinage   

n.开玩笑，打趣

参考例句：

• When he reached the gate,there was the usual badinage with Charlie.当他来到公园大门时, 还是与往常一样和查理开玩笑。
• For all the forced badinag,it was an awkward meal.大家尽管勉强地说说笑笑，这顿饭依旧吃得很别扭。

14 bully   

n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮

参考例句：

• A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
• The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。

15 parental   

adj.父母的；父的；母的

参考例句：

• He encourages parental involvement in the running of school.他鼓励学生家长参与学校的管理。
• Children always revolt against parental disciplines.孩子们总是反抗父母的管束。

16 sarcastic   

adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的

参考例句：

• I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。
• She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。

17 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

18 propriety   

n.正当行为；正当；适当

参考例句：

• We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。
• The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。

19 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

20 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

21 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。

22 hissed   

发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对

参考例句：

• Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过？
• The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。

23 malignantly   

怀恶意地； 恶毒地； 有害地； 恶性地

参考例句：

• It was as if Osmond deliberately, almost malignantly, had put the lights out one by one. 仿佛奥斯蒙德怀着幸灾乐祸的心情，在有意识地把灯一盏一盏吹灭。
• Neck of uterus can live after scalelike cell cancer performs an operation malignantly successfully how long? 宫颈鳞状细胞癌恶性做手术成功后能活多久？

24 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。