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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Driven From Home Carl Crawford's Experience » CHAPTER XXVI. A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE.
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CHAPTER XXVI. A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE.
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 Philip Stark1 sat down to breakfast in a savage2 frame of mind. He wanted to be revenged upon Gibbon, whom he suspected of having deceived him by opening and appropriating the bonds, and then arranged to have him carry off the box filled with waste paper.
He sat at the table but five minutes, for he had little or no appetite.
From the breakfast room he went out on the piazza3, and with corrugated4 brows smoked a cigar, but it failed to have the usual soothing5 effect.
If he had known the truth he would have left Milford without delay, but he was far from suspecting that the deception6 practiced upon him had been arranged by the man whom he wanted to rob. While there seemed little inducement for him to stay in Milford, he was determined7 to seek the bookkeeper, and ascertain8 whether, as he suspected, his confederate had in his possession the bonds which he had been scheming for. If so, he would compel him by threats to disgorge the larger portion, and then leave town at once.
But the problem was, how to see him. He felt that it would be venturesome to go round to the factory, as by this time the loss might have been discovered. If only the box had been left, the discovery might be deferred9. Then a bright idea occurred to him. He must get the box out of his own possession, as its discovery would compromise him. Why could he not arrange to leave it somewhere on the premises10 of his confederate?
He resolved upon the instant to carry out the idea. He went up to his room, wrapped the tin box in a paper, and walked round to the house of the bookkeeper. The coast seemed to be clear, as he supposed it would be. He slipped into the yard, and swiftly entered an outhouse. There was a large wooden chest, or box, which had once been used to store grain. Stark lifted the cover, dropped the box inside, and then, with a feeling of relief, walked out of the yard. But he had been observed. Mrs. Gibbon chanced to be looking out of a side window and saw him. She recognized him as the stranger who had been in the habit of spending recent evenings with her husband.
“What can he want here at this time?” she asked herself.
She deliberated whether she should go to the door and speak to Stark, but decided11 not to do so.
“He will call at the door if he has anything to say,” she reflected.
Phil Stark walked on till he reached the factory. He felt that he must see Julius Gibbon, and satisfy himself as to the meaning of the mysterious substitution of waste paper for bonds.
When he reached a point where he could see into the office, he caught the eye of Leonard, who was sitting at the window. He beckoned12 for him to come out, and Leonard was glad to do so.
“Where are you going?” asked the bookkeeper, observing the boy’s movement.
“Mr. Stark is just across the street, and he beckoned for me.”
Julius Gibbon flushed painfully, and he trembled with nervous agitation13, for he feared something had happened.
“Very well, go out, but don’t stay long.”
Leonard crossed the street and walked up to Stark, who awaited him, looking grim and stern.
“Your uncle is inside?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell him I wish to see him at once—on business of importance.”
“He’s busy,” said Leonard. “‘He doesn’t leave the office in business hours.”
“Tell him I must see him—do you hear? He’ll come fast enough.”
“I wonder what it’s all about,” thought Leonard, whose curiosity was naturally excited.
“Wait a minute!” said Stark, as he turned to go. “Is Jennings in?”
“No, sir, he has gone over to the next town.”
“Probably the box has not been missed, then,” thought Stark. “So much the better! I can find out how matters stand, and then leave town.”
“Very well!” he said, aloud, “let your uncle understand that I must see him.”
Leonard carried in the message. Gibbon made no objection, but took his hat and went out, leaving Leonard in charge of the office.
“Well, what is it?” he asked, hurriedly, as he reached Stark. “Is—is the box all right?”
“Look here, Gibbon,” said Stark, harshly, “have you been playing any of your infernal tricks upon me?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” responded Gibbon, bewildered.
Stark eyed him sharply, but the bookkeeper was evidently sincere.
“Is there anything wrong?” continued the latter.
“Do you mean to tell me you didn’t know that wretched box was filled with waste paper?”
“You don’t mean it?” exclaimed Gibbon, in dismay.
“Yes, I do. I didn’t open it till this morning, and in place of government bonds, I found only folded slips of newspaper.”
By this time Gibbon was suspicious. Having no confidence in Stark, it occurred to him that it was a ruse14 to deprive him of his share of the bonds.
“I don’t believe you,” he said. “You want to keep all the bonds for yourself, and cheat me out of my share.”
“I wish to Heaven you were right. If there had been any bonds, I would have acted on the square. But somebody had removed them, and substituted paper. I suspected you.”
“I am ready to swear that this has happened without my knowledge,” said Gibbon, earnestly.
“How, then, could it have occurred?” asked Stark.
“I don’t know, upon my honor. Where is the box?”
“I—have disposed of it.”
“You should have waited and opened it before me.”
“I asked you if you had a key that would open it. I wanted to open it last evening in the office.”
“True.”
“You will see after a while that I was acting15 on the square. You can open it for yourself at your leisure.”
“How can I? I don’t know where it is.”
“Then I can enlighten you,” said Stark, maliciously16. “When you go home, you will find it in a chest in your woodshed.”
Gibbon turned pale.
“You don’t mean to say you have carried it to my house?” he exclaimed, in dismay.
“Yes, I do. I had no further use for it, and thought you had the best claim to it.”
“But, good heavens! if it is found there I shall be suspected.”
“Very probably,” answered Stark, coolly. “Take my advice and put it out of the way.”
“How could you be so inconsiderate?”
“Because I suspected you of playing me a trick.”
“I swear to you, I didn’t.”
“Then somebody has tricked both of us. Has Mr. Jennings discovered the disappearance17 of the box?”
“Yes, I told him.”
“When?”
“When he came to the office.”
“What did he say?”
“He took the matter coolly. He didn’t say much.”
“Where is he?”
“Gone to Winchester on business.”
“Look here! Do you think he suspects you?”
“I am quite sure not. That is why I told him about the robbery.”
“He might suspect me.”
“He said nothing about suspecting anybody.”
“Do you think he removed the bonds and substituted paper?”
“I don’t think so.”
“If this were the case we should both be in a serious plight18. I think I had better get out of town. You will have to lend me ten dollars.”
“I don’t see how I can, Stark.”
“You must!” said Stark, sternly, “or I will reveal the whole thing. Remember, the box is on your premises.”
“Heavens! what a quandary19 I am in,” said the bookkeeper, miserably20. “That must be attended to at once. Why couldn’t you put it anywhere else?”
“I told you that I wanted to be revenged upon you.”
“I wish you had never come to Milford,” groaned21 the bookkeeper.
“I wish I hadn’t myself, as things have turned out.”
They prepared to start for Gibbon’s house, when Mr. Jennings drove up. With him were two tall muscular men, whom Stark and Gibbon eyed uneasily. The two strangers jumped out of the carriage and advanced toward the two confederates.
“Arrest those men!” said Jennings, in a quiet tone. “I charge them with opening and robbing my safe last night about eleven o’clock.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 stark lGszd     
adj.荒凉的;严酷的;完全的;adv.完全地
参考例句:
  • The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
  • He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。
2 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
3 piazza UNVx1     
n.广场;走廊
参考例句:
  • Siena's main piazza was one of the sights of Italy.锡耶纳的主要广场是意大利的名胜之一。
  • They walked out of the cafeteria,and across the piazzadj.他们走出自助餐厅,穿过广场。
4 corrugated 9720623d9668b6525e9b06a2e68734c3     
adj.波纹的;缩成皱纹的;波纹面的;波纹状的v.(使某物)起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • a corrugated iron roof 波纹铁屋顶
  • His brow corrugated with the effort of thinking. 他皱着眉头用心地思考。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 soothing soothing     
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的
参考例句:
  • Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
  • His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
6 deception vnWzO     
n.欺骗,欺诈;骗局,诡计
参考例句:
  • He admitted conspiring to obtain property by deception.他承认曾与人合谋骗取财产。
  • He was jailed for two years for fraud and deception.他因为诈骗和欺诈入狱服刑两年。
7 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
8 ascertain WNVyN     
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清
参考例句:
  • It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。
  • We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。
9 deferred 43fff3df3fc0b3417c86dc3040fb2d86     
adj.延期的,缓召的v.拖延,延缓,推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 );服从某人的意愿,遵从
参考例句:
  • The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。
  • a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划
10 premises 6l1zWN     
n.建筑物,房屋
参考例句:
  • According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定,场内不准饮酒。
  • All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行,不用送到外面去做。
11 decided lvqzZd     
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。
12 beckoned b70f83e57673dfe30be1c577dd8520bc     
v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
  • The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 agitation TN0zi     
n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动
参考例句:
  • Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
  • These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。
14 ruse 5Ynxv     
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。
15 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
16 maliciously maliciously     
adv.有敌意地
参考例句:
  • He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • His enemies maliciously conspired to ruin him. 他的敌人恶毒地密谋搞垮他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
17 disappearance ouEx5     
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。
18 plight 820zI     
n.困境,境况,誓约,艰难;vt.宣誓,保证,约定
参考例句:
  • The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
  • She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。
19 quandary Rt1y2     
n.困惑,进迟两难之境
参考例句:
  • I was in a quandary about whether to go.我当时正犹豫到底去不去。
  • I was put in a great quandary.我陷于进退两难的窘境。
20 miserably zDtxL     
adv.痛苦地;悲惨地;糟糕地;极度地
参考例句:
  • The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
  • It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨,天气又冷又湿,令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 groaned 1a076da0ddbd778a674301b2b29dff71     
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦
参考例句:
  • He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
  • The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》


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