CHAPTER IX. A DECLARATION OF WAR.

 Half an hour later Jasper left the room where his father lay dead. He did not seek the presence of his step-mother, who, he felt, had done him wrong in keeping from him his father's condition. He went instead to the kitchen, where he found Margaret.

 

"This is a sad day for you, Master Jasper," said the sympathizing servant.

 

"It is, indeed, Margaret. I have lost my best friend."

 

"True for you."

 

"But for your telegram, I should not have known even now that he was dangerously ill, I thought at first Mrs. Kent asked you to telegraph."

 

"No, she didn't. I asked her would she send for you, and she told me it was none of my business."

 

"It was lucky you didn't heed¹ her," said Jasper. "She is a cold, unfeeling woman."

 

"That she is, Master Jasper," assented² Margaret, with emphasis.

 

"How long has my father been so sick?"

 

"For a week or more, but he took a sudden turn at the last. I think he got worse after the new doctor came."

 

"I wanted to ask you about that. Why was Dr. Graham dismissed? He has attended my father for years."

 

"Shall I tell you what I think, Master Jasper?" said Margaret, stopping short in her work, and looking mysterious.

 

"Yes."

 

"Let me whisper it, then. Come nearer, Master Jasper."

 

Rather surprised at her manner, Jasper obeyed.

 

"It's my belief," she whispered, "that your step-mother didn't want your father to get well."

 

Jasper looked horror-struck.

 

"Are you crazy, Margaret?" he ejaculated.

 

She nodded her head positively³.

 

"I know what I'm saying," she answered.

 

"But what can make you believe such a horrible thing?" he asked.

 

She answered in the same low voice:

 

"A month ago she got your father to make his will. What there is in it I don't know, but it is likely it suits her. After that she had nothing to gain by his living."

 

"You don't think she'd—" Jasper hesitated to proceed.

 

"Poison him? No, I don't. It wasn't needful; but your papa was that delicate, it would be enough if he was not rightly treated, and I don't believe this new doctor did the right thing by him. Dr. Graham and Mrs. Kent never could agree, but she and the new doctor have been as thick as can be. They understand one another, I'll be bound."

 

Jasper looked shocked, and was silent for a moment.

 

"I don't like Mrs. Kent," he said, "but, Margaret, I hope you're wrong in this. That any one could wish my dear, gentle father dead I find it hard to believe."

 

"You haven't seen as much of your step-mother as I have, Master Jasper."

 

"Heaven grant you are wrong, Margaret! If I thought it were true I should never want to look at the woman again."

 

"Hush⁴!" said Margaret, suddenly putting her hand on her lip.

 

Jasper understood her caution, when he saw his step-mother enter the kitchen. She looked from one to the other with a suspicious glance.

 

"This is a strange place for you, Jasper," said she, in slow, cold accents.

 

"I don't see why, madam," he answered, in a voice equally cold.

 

"I find you—a young gentleman—conferring with a servant."

 

"With a trusted servant, who has been in our family for years. Nothing could be more natural."

 

"I don't agree with you," said Mrs. Kent, in a chilly⁵ tone.

 

"I am unfortunate in not winning your approbation," said Jasper, not caring to suppress the sarcasm⁶.

 

"It strikes me you are impertinent," said Mrs. Kent.

 

She had thrown off the mask. During her husband's life she had taken special pains to be polite to Jasper, though in so doing she did violence to her feelings. There was no more to be gained by it, and she had changed suddenly. Jasper could not help alluding⁷ to it.

 

"How happens it, madam," he said, "that your treatment of me has changed so entirely⁸ since my father's death? Brief as the interval⁹ is, you have lost no time."

 

There was hatred¹⁰ in the glance she shot at him.

 

"I was silent out of regard to your father, who was blind to your faults," she answered. "You must not expect me to be equally blind."

 

"I don't, madam."

 

"Do you intend to remain in the kitchen?" demanded Mrs. Kent

 

"I was questioning Margaret about my father's last days."

 

"I am the proper one to question."

 

"Would you have afforded me the information I desired?"

 

"If the questions you asked were of a proper character."

 

"Mrs. Kent, I will take you at your word. How does it happen that you dismissed Dr. Graham, my father's old family physician?"

 

His step-mother hesitated and looked angry, but she replied, after a brief pause:

 

"He did not understand the case."

 

"What makes you think so? He certainly ought to understand my father's constitution."

 

"Perhaps he ought, but he didn't," said Mrs. Kent, sharply.

 

"You haven't given any reason."

 

"I have given all I choose. I don't mean to be catechised by a boy."

 

"Who is this Dr. Kenyon whom you called in afterward¹¹?"

 

"A very skilful¹² physician."

 

"He looks young."

 

"He has a high reputation."

 

"When did he assume charge of my father's case?"

 

"A week ago."

 

"And since then he has grown steadily¹³ worse."

 

"Who told you that?" demanded Mrs. Kent, sharply.

 

"Is it not true?"

 

"Did Margaret tell you this?"

 

"I did," said Margaret, quietly.

 

"I shall remember this," said Mrs. Kent, spitefully.

 

"I didn't need to ask Margaret," said Jasper, "when my father lies dead after a week's treatment by this skilful physician."

 

Mrs. Kent was white with anger.

 

"You ought to know that life and death are in the power of no doctor," she said, for, angry as she was, she saw that it was necessary to reply to what Jasper said. "In sending for Dr. Kenyon I did not much expect that he would cure your father, but I felt that it was my duty to give him this last chance. Unfortunately he was too far gone."

 

"You thought that matters were as bad as that a week ago, and yet you didn't send for me?" exclaimed Jasper.

 

"It would have done no good," said she, coldly.

 

"But it would have been a satisfaction to me to see something of him in his last sickness. Mrs. Kent, you haven't treated me right in this matter."

 

"Is that the way for a boy to talk to his—elder?"

 

"Yes, if he says only what is strictly¹⁴ true."

 

"I shall not continue this conversation," said Mrs. Kent, haughtily¹⁵, "nor shall I submit to be talked to in this style. It is not for your interest to make me your enemy," she added, significantly.

 

Jasper was frank and fearless by temperament¹⁶, and anything in the shape of a menace roused his high spirit.

 

"That consideration doesn't weigh with me a particle," he said, hastily.

 

"We will see," she retorted, and with a look of anger she swept from the room.

 

"Margaret," said Jasper, abruptly¹⁷, "did you go into my father's sick-chamber¹⁸ at any time?"

 

"Yes, Master Jasper."

 

"Did you ever hear my father inquire after me?"

 

"I heard him say more than once, with a sigh like, that he wished to see you."

 

"And she wouldn't send for me!" exclaimed Jasper, bitterly.

 

"She always opposed it, saying it wouldn't do no good, and would only take you off your studies."

 

"Much she cared for my studies! Margaret, I will never forgive that woman, never!"

 

"Well, I can't blame you, Master Jasper."

 

Here Margaret heard her name called in a loud voice, and was forced to obey.

 

"She wants to separate us," thought Jasper, as he slowly and sadly went up to his own chamber.

1 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

2 assented   

同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
• "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

3 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

4 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

5 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

6 sarcasm   

n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）

参考例句：

• His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
• She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

7 alluding   

提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He didn't mention your name but I was sure he was alluding to you. 他没提你的名字，但是我确信他是暗指你的。
• But in fact I was alluding to my physical deficiencies. 可我实在是为自己的容貌寒心。

8 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。

9 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。

10 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

11 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

12 skilful   

(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的

参考例句：

• The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。
• He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。

13 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

14 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

15 haughtily   

adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地

参考例句：

• She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
• Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯，走到二楼，我刚好站在那儿。

16 temperament   

n.气质，性格，性情

参考例句：

• The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
• Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。

17 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。

18 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。