CHAPTER XXXIII. A LATE ARRIVAL AT MRS. BARTON'S COTTAGE.

 One evening, about eight o'clock, Mrs. Barton was sewing in her little sitting-room¹ when an unusual feeling of loneliness overcame her. Circumstances had separated her from her husband, and her only son was hundreds of miles away.

 

"Why," she asked herself, "can I not fare236 as well as other wives and mothers? I am a wife, yet I cannot enjoy my husband's society. Fortunately I am not likely long to be separated from Bert. If he only succeeds in his mission, and comes home able to vindicate² the fame of his father, and restore him to me, I shall be perfectly³ happy."

 

She felt unusually restless, and found it difficult to keep on with her work.

 

"I feel as if something were going to happen. I hope no misfortune is impending⁴ over me."

 

She had hardly spoken when the door bell rang.

 

"It is some neighbor come to make a call," she thought. "I am glad of it, for I am not in the mood for work."

 

She rose and opened the door. She started back in surprise when in her visitors she recognized Uncle Jacob, and leaning upon his arm the husband of whom she had just been thinking.

 

"May we come in?" asked Uncle Jacob, cheerily.

 

"Surely, but—has anything happened?"

 

"Only this; that your husband is sick and has come here to be nursed back to health by my advice."

 

"But—is it safe?"237

 

"I think so. The fact is, Bert has made an important discovery, and is likely to make more. We are in a fair way to prove your husband's innocence⁵, and put the guilt⁶ where it belongs."

 

"And where does it belong?"

 

"The man who stole the bonds, we have every reason to believe, is Albert Marlowe."

 

"I do not wish to get him into trouble, but if it is necessary in order to vindicate my husband's reputation, I will not object."

 

"Albert Marlowe has been a cruel enemy to you and your family," said Jacob Marlowe, sternly. "He is entitled to no consideration. The past ten years cannot be recalled; but I think that we shall be able to provide a brighter future for yourself and Mr. Barton. The first thing to do is to get him well."

 

"What is the matter with you, John?" asked Mrs. Barton, now for the first time noting with alarm her husband's pale face.

 

"The doctor says my system is run down, and that I need time to recuperate⁷. I was living in a boarding-house in Montreal, and the prospect⁸ of being sick there was too much for me. I wanted my wife to take care of me, and, taking the first train to New York, I consulted Uncle Jacob as to whether it would be safe. In the light of Bert's discoveries he told238 me to take the risk. So here I am. May I stay?"

 

"Do you need to ask that?" said Mrs. Barton, with an affectionate glance at her husband. "There is no place where you have a better right to be."

 

Then, as she thought of her scanty⁹ means, a momentary¹⁰ look of anxiety overspread her face lest she should not be able to provide him with the medicines and nourishing food that he required. Uncle Jacob, who was a keen observer, read her thoughts, and reassured¹¹ her by saying: "Mr. Barton is provided with what money may be required for at least a month, and after that time I think some more can be found."

 

"But, Uncle Jacob, I cannot consent to impose upon your liberality any further. You have but a small sum of money yourself. What would happen to you if you should fall sick?"

 

"I think I should follow your husband's example, and come here to be nursed back to health," replied Uncle Jacob.

 

"What am I to say to the neighbors, for they will be sure to inquire?"

 

"Say that you are taking care of a sick gentleman from New York."

 

"It will not do to give his real name?"239

 

"No; call me Mr. Robinson, as you did on my former visit," said Mr. Barton.

 

"Now that this matter is arranged, can you take care of us both to-night?" asked Uncle Jacob.

 

"Yes, there is Bert's room."

 

"Then I will trespass¹² upon your hospitality for one night."

 

"Can't you stay longer, Uncle Jacob?"

 

"No, I must get back to business. I must not run any risk of losing my situation, you know."

 

"To be sure not," said Mrs. Barton, earnestly. "Do you like your employer, Uncle Jacob?"

 

"I have no reason to complain of him," answered the old man, with a smile. "He lets me do about as I please."

 

"You were very lucky in getting in with him."

 

"As you say, I am in good luck. But I think I ought to get higher pay."

 

"It seems to me twelve dollars a week is a very good salary," said Mrs. Barton, soberly. "You could save something out of that if you were not so generous."

 

"I must think seriously of that, Mary. If I get mean and close-fisted, you mustn't be240 surprised. It will be only because I follow your advice."

 

"You can never become mean or close-fisted, Uncle Jacob. It isn't in your nature to be either. But I hope you will be reasonably economical, and not give away so much money to others."

 

"You are a good little woman, Mary," said Uncle Jacob, feelingly. "If you are ever blessed with means, you will do just as you advise me not to do. Don't be worried about me, Mary. God loves a cheerful giver, you know, and whatever I give to you is cheerfully given."

 

An hour was spent in conversation, and then, as Mr. Barton showed fatigue¹³, he and Uncle Jacob retired¹⁴ to bed, and Mrs. Barton mixed some flour so as to be able to give her guests warm biscuits in the morning, for she remembered that her husband had been very fond of them in former years.

 

The next morning after breakfast Uncle Jacob took his departure.

 

"I leave you in good hands, John," he said to Mr. Barton. "Now, get well as fast as you can."

 

"There is one thing that will make me well," said Barton, "and that is, vindication¹⁵ from the false charge that has darkened my241 life and destroyed my happiness during the last ten years."

 

"That is coming, and coming soon," said Uncle Jacob. "Only be patient a little while. Bert has already made a discovery that makes it clear who is the real criminal."

 

"I hope he will never suffer as I have done," said the sick man.

 

"You have a more Christian¹⁶ spirit than I, John. I think it only right that he should suffer for the wrong he has done you. Well, good-by. Let me hear from you, and if Bert makes any further progress in his mission, I will apprise¹⁷ you and Mary."

 

Uncle Jacob left the village without being seen by Albert Marlowe or Percy, who alone were likely to recognize him. But it leaked out that Mrs. Barton had a boarder, Percy being the first to hear of it.

 

"What do you think, papa?" he said one day. "Bert Barton's mother has taken a boarder from the city."

 

"A boarder from the city?" repeated Squire¹⁸ Marlowe, surprised.

 

"Yes."

 

"What brought him to Lakeville?"

 

"I don't know. I can tell you who brought him here."

 

"Who, then?"242

 

"Uncle Jacob."

 

"Has he been here, then?"

 

"Yes; he came in the evening and went back the next morning."

 

"I wonder he did not call upon us," said the squire thoughtfully.

 

"It's no great loss if he didn't," returned Percy, pertly. "He would probably want to borrow money."

 

"No; he appears to be doing very well in the city; that is, for him. But what could induce a gentleman from the city to come here to Lakeville to board in a humble¹⁹ cottage?"

 

"I hear he is in poor health," said Percy.

 

"Have you seen him? Do you know what his appearance is?"

 

"Yes. I saw him sitting at Mrs. Barton's window. He is of dark complexion²⁰, and has dark hair. Then he seemed to have a high forehead."

 

Squire Marlowe started in surprise.

 

"Dark complexion, dark hair, a high forehead! Is it possible that it can be——"

 

"Who, father?" asked Percy, curiously²¹.

 

"Never mind, my son. Some one whom I used to know answers to that description."

 

As Percy went out, Albert Marlowe said to himself: "If it should be he, what shall I do about it? It is not for my interest that he should remain in Lakeville. I might denounce him to the authorities, but I would warn him first. Then, if he still lingers, he must take the consequences."

1 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。

2 vindicate   

v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确

参考例句：

• He tried hard to vindicate his honor.他拼命维护自己的名誉。
• How can you vindicate your behavior to the teacher?你怎样才能向老师证明你的行为是对的呢？

3 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。

4 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

5 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

6 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

7 recuperate   

v.恢复

参考例句：

• Stay in the hospital for a few more days to recuperate.再住院几天，好好地恢复。
• He went to the country to recuperate.他去乡下养病去了。

8 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

9 scanty   

adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的

参考例句：

• There is scanty evidence to support their accusations.他们的指控证据不足。
• The rainfall was rather scanty this month.这个月的雨量不足。

10 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。

11 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 trespass   

n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地

参考例句：

• The fishing boat was seized for its trespass into restricted waters.渔船因非法侵入受限制水域而被扣押。
• The court sentenced him to a fine for trespass.法庭以侵害罪对他判以罚款。

13 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

14 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

15 vindication   

n.洗冤，证实

参考例句：

• There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。
• The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。

16 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

17 apprise   

vt.通知，告知

参考例句：

• He came to apprise us that the work had been successfully completed.他来通知我们工作已胜利完成。
• We must apprise them of the dangers that may be involved.我们必须告诉他们可能涉及的危险。

18 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

19 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

20 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

21 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。