CHAPTER XXII. A PANIC AT FARMER WILSON'S.

 Silas Wilson was not a brave man, and at his wife's suggestion he turned pale, and looked panic-stricken.

 

"Do—you—think so?" he asked feebly.

 

"Do I think so? I know so," returned Mrs. Wilson energetically.

 

"How could he get up there?"

 

Mrs. Wilson walked to the window, and her lynx eyes detected the ladder by which Phineas had climbed to the window of Bert's room.

 

"Do you see that?" she asked.

 

It is rather surprising that she did not suspect Bert of knowing something about the matter, but she had not yet had time to put two and two together.

 

"It's terrible!" murmured Silas, mopping the cold perspiration¹ from his forehead. "What can we do?"

 

"What can we do? Go and get your gun, Silas, and go up and confront the villain². That's what we can do."

 

Somehow the suggestion did not seem to find favor with Mr. Wilson.155

 

"He would shoot me," he said. "He's probably waitin' for me with a loaded weepun upon the landin'."

 

"Silas Wilson, I am ashamed of you. Are you going to let a villainous burglar rampage round upstairs, stealin' whatever he can lay his hands on? Come now!"

 

"I believe you care more for the few things upstairs than for your husband's life," said Silas reproachfully.

 

"Do you want me to go, Silas? What'll the folks in the village say when they hear of it?"

 

"I don't know as I know where the gun is," said Silas nervously³.

 

"It's out in the woodshed behind the door."

 

"I don't know as it's loaded. Besides I wouldn't want to be took up for murder."

 

"Not much danger, Silas Wilson! Such men as you don't get into such scrapes as that."

 

Mrs. Wilson went out into the woodshed, and returned, holding the gun in such a way that it pointed⁴ directly at her husband.

 

"Don't you know no better than to p'int that gun at me, Sophia?" exclaimed Silas in no little terror. "Beats all what fools women are about firearms."

 

"They may be fools, but they ain't cow156ards," returned Mrs. Wilson. "Come, are you going up or not?"

 

"Hadn't I better go to the foot of the stairs and fire up?" asked Silas with a bright idea.

 

"And then he'd come down on you, when your gun was discharged, and run his bayonet into you," said Mrs. Wilson, who knew that at the battle of Bunker Hill the muskets⁵ had bayonets attached.

 

"I'll give him warnin'!" continued Silas. "It'll only be fair. He'll probably be frightened and climb down the ladder."

 

"I never did see such a 'fraid cat in my life!" quoth Mrs. Wilson contemptuously.

 

"Mebbe you're braver'n I be. If you are, go up yourself!" said Silas Wilson angrily.

 

"You want to put your wife in danger, do you?" returned Mrs. Wilson, who was as averse⁶ to facing the burglar as her husband, though she talked more courageously⁷.

 

"And you want to expose your husband to danger," retorted Silas, "so it's an even thing, so far as I can see."

 

It is hardly necessary to say that Bert enjoyed the dispute between the husband and wife, though he maintained an outward gravity which helped him to conceal⁸ his secret amusement. By this time he thought it time for him to take part.157

 

"I'll go up," he said.

 

"You will?" exclaimed Silas in surprise and relief.

 

"Yes, I am not afraid."

 

"To be sure! The burglar wouldn't do you no harm. You're only a boy. Do you know how to fire a gun?"

 

"Yes, but I shan't need the gun. I am sure the burglar wouldn't harm me."

 

"You're a brave boy, Bert," said the farmer. "You're doing just what I would have done at your age."

 

"You never would have done it, Silas! I should be ashamed anyway to own up I was more of a coward as a grown man than as a boy."

 

"Sophia, you don't know much about burglars and their ways. Don't be afraid, Bert; I'll back you up; I'll stand at the door of the kitchen with the gun in my hand, and help you if you need it."

 

Bert smiled, for he knew just how valuable Silas Wilson's assistance would be, but he made no comment, and started on his perilous⁹ enterprise.

 

"I hope he won't come to no harm," said Mrs. Wilson. "I don't know but I'd better go with him."158

 

"It would be safer for you, Sophia, for burglars don't shoot women."

 

"Much you know about it, Silas."

 

The two moved toward the kitchen door, Silas handling the gun as if he were afraid of it. They listened with painful attention, and presently heard the sound of voices, though they could not make out what was being said.

 

"The boy's speakin' to him!" said Silas, awe-struck. "I never see such a terrible time. I wish I'd told Bert to tell the burglar to go back the same way he came, and we wouldn't fire at him. I don't want to be too hard on the transgressor¹⁰. Mebbe he's driven to his evil ways by destitution¹¹."

 

Mrs. Wilson paid very little attention to what her husband was saying, being more intent on what was passing upstairs.

 

After a short interval¹² Bert came down.

 

"Well?" said Silas eagerly. "Did you see the burglar?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Where is he?"

 

"In my room."

 

"What is he doin' there?"

 

"He is lying on the bed."

 

"Well, if I ever saw such impudence¹³!" ejaculated Mrs. Wilson.159

 

"Has he got a gun with him? Did he offer to shoot you?"

 

"No," answered Bert gravely. "The poor fellow is sick."

 

"Poor fellow, indeed!" sniffed¹⁴ Mrs. Wilson. "What does he mean by getting into a respectable house through a window? He'll end up his days in jail."

 

"Does—does he look desperate?" inquired Silas Wilson. "Would he be likely to hurt me or Mis' Wilson?"

 

"No; he says he would like to have you come up."

 

"Well, of all things!" ejaculated Sophia.

 

"I've got something to tell you," went on Bert, turning from one to the other. "He wants me to tell you before you go up. It is some one whom you both know, though you haven't seen him for a good many years."

 

Silas did not understand, but a mother's instincts were quicker.

 

"Is it our son—Phineas?" she asked.

 

"Yes," answered Bert; "it is your son."

 

"Who stole fifty dollars from his father, and crept away like a thief in the night!" exclaimed the farmer indignantly.

 

"He has suffered, and is very weak," rejoined Bert. "He hadn't had anything to eat for twenty-four hours, and I may as well160 tell you that it was I who came downstairs in the night and took up the bread and milk to him."

 

"You did quite right," said Mrs. Wilson, who was half-way upstairs by this time. He was her own son in spite of all, and though she was not an emotional woman, she yearned¹⁵ to see the face of her only child, with a mother's feelings all aroused within her.

 

"He took fifty dollars!" repeated Silas Wilson, still harping¹⁶ on a wrong which he had never forgotten nor forgiven.

 

Bert was rather disgusted at the farmer's meanness, but he relieved his anxiety.

 

"He's brought you back the money!" he said shortly.

 

"He has!" exclaimed Silas in a tone of gladness. "Did he tell you so?"

 

"Yes; it is all the money he had, and he went without food rather than spend any of it."

 

"Come, that's encouragin'," said the farmer. "He's turnin' from his evil ways."

 

When they reached Bert's chamber¹⁷ they saw Mrs. Wilson kneeling beside the bed, her harsh features softened¹⁸ by the light of an affection which had been absent from them for years. She looked contented¹⁹ and happy, now that her boy was restored to her.

 

"Got back again, Phineas, hey?" said Silas Wilson. "You're lookin' kinder peaked."

 

"Yes, father, I've been sick, but now——"

 

"I'll soon get him well!" interposed Mrs. Wilson. "I'll go right down and bring up some breakfast."

 

"I can eat it, mother. I have had nothing except the bread and milk Bert brought me."

 

On Wednesday evening Bert closed his engagement with the farmer, and declined to continue it, though urged strongly to do so. He went home in a whirl of excitement, for Phineas Wilson had told him something which overwhelmed him with astonishment²⁰.

1 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

2 villain   

n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因

参考例句：

• He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
• The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

3 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 muskets   

n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The watch below, all hands to load muskets. 另一组人都来帮着给枪装火药。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• Deep ditch, single drawbridge, massive stone walls, eight at towers, cannon, muskets, fire and smoke. 深深的壕堑，单吊桥，厚重的石壁，八座巨大的塔楼。大炮、毛瑟枪、火焰与烟雾。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

6 averse   

adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的

参考例句：

• I don't smoke cigarettes,but I'm not averse to the occasional cigar.我不吸烟，但我不反对偶尔抽一支雪茄。
• We are averse to such noisy surroundings.我们不喜欢这么吵闹的环境。

7 courageously   

ad.勇敢地，无畏地

参考例句：

• Under the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, the army and civilians in flooded areas fought the floods courageously, reducing the losses to the minimum. 在中共中央、国务院的正确领导下，灾区广大军民奋勇抗洪，把灾害的损失减少到了最低限度。
• He fought death courageously though his life was draining away. 他虽然生命垂危，但仍然勇敢地与死亡作斗争。

8 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

9 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

10 transgressor   

n.违背者

参考例句：

• We expect the transgressor to make any atonement possible to him. 我们期待犯了过失的人有可能做到的赎罪行为。 来自辞典例句
• We expect transgressor to make any atonement possible to him. “我深信，”西丝又重说一遍，“这是你能做的唯一的赎罪的办法。” 来自互联网

11 destitution   

n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷

参考例句：

• The people lived in destitution. 民生凋敝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His drinking led him to a life of destitution. 酗酒导致他生活贫穷。 来自辞典例句

12 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

13 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。

14 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 yearned   

渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The people yearned for peace. 人民渴望和平。
• She yearned to go back to the south. 她渴望回到南方去。

16 harping   

n.反复述说

参考例句：

• Don't keep harping on like that. 别那样唠叨个没完。
• You're always harping on the samestring. 你总是老调重弹。

17 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

18 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

19 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

20 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。