CHAPTER XVIII. THE KIDNAPPED CHILD.

 The woman who entered was of middle size, dressed in a cheap print, dirty and faded, which corresponded very well with her general aspect. She looked weary and worn, and moved languidly as if she had little interest in life. She looked startled at the sight of Jasper, and pressed her hand to her heart.

 

"Who are you?" she asked.

 

"A stranger," answered our hero.

 

"How came you here?"

 

"I suppose I ought to apologize for being here, but I knocked twice and got no answer. That made me think the house was deserted¹. I entered, and hearing a low cry, came to this room."

 

The woman sank into a chair near the door.

 

"Is this your child?" asked Jasper, in his turn.

 

The woman answered hesitatingly, after a pause:

 

"No."

 

"I knew he could not be. How did he come here?'

 

"My husband brought him here," answered the woman, with some hesitation².

 

"Is he any relation to you?"

 

"N-no."

 

"Is he boarding here?"

 

"Yes."

 

The woman's hesitation increased Jasper's suspicion. He said:

 

"I found the boy tied to the bedpost. Did you tie him?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Why did you do that?"

 

"I thought he might slip off while I was out I went out for some water. That is the reason I did not answer your knock."

 

"Madam," said Jasper, coming to the point, "you may answer me or not; but if you do, tell the truth. Was not this child stolen?"

 

The woman looked nervous and frightened, and moved restlessly in her chair.

 

"Don't blame me," she said. "It wasn't my fault."

 

"Whose was it, then?"

 

"It was my husband's."

 

"Then the child was stolen?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I suppose your husband kidnapped the child in order to get money from the parents for his return?"

 

"Yes," the woman admitted.

 

"How can you assist him in such wicked practices?"

 

"What can I do?" said the woman, helplessly. "I have spoken to him, but it does no good. He won't heed³ anything that I say."

 

Jasper began to pity the poor woman. It looked as if she were an unwilling⁴ helper in her husband's crimes.

 

"Do you know where your husband got this boy from?" he asked.

 

"No; he didn't tell me."

 

"Is this the first child he has kidnapped?"

 

"I ought not to speak against my husband," said the woman, uneasily, appearing to think that she had already told too much.

 

"Yes, you ought. Otherwise you will be as bad as he."

 

"He will beat me."

 

"Does he ever do that?" asked Jasper, compassionately⁵.

 

"He is very rough sometimes," said the wife, shrinking.

 

"I am sorry for you," said Jasper, gently. "Where is your husband now?"

 

"He went out this morning. Perhaps he is hunting. He never tells me where he is going."

 

"When do you expect him back?"

 

"I can't tell. He may be here in five minutes; he may not be here before night."

 

"In that case," thought Jasper, "I had better be off as soon as possible. I should be no match for this brute⁶ in human form. Judging from what I have heard of him, he would kill me without scruple⁷ if he thought I were interfering⁸ with his plans."

 

"How long has this child been here?" he asked.

 

"Three or four days."

 

"I am going to take him away," proceeded Jasper, fixing his eyes earnestly upon the woman, to see how she took the proposal.

 

"No, no!" she exclaimed, quickly. "My husband won't allow it."

 

"He won't know it."

 

"It won't do," she continued, rapidly. "He would kill you if he overtook you."

 

This was a serious consideration, truly. Jasper had no weapons, and a boy of his age would have been a poor match for a strong man, as the kidnapper⁹ probably was.

 

"After all, I had better not interfere," he thought. "It can do no good, and will only expose me to great danger."

 

But just at this instant the little boy's soft hand slid into his, and he could not resist the touching¹⁰ appeal for his protection.

 

"I shall take the risk," he said. "I can't leave the boy here. I will try to find his parents and restore him to them."

 

He had scarcely said this when the woman, who had casually¹¹ glanced out of the window, started up in alarm, exclaiming:

 

"There is my husband coming! Oh, what shall we do?"

 

1 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

2 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

3 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。

4 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

5 compassionately   

adv.表示怜悯地，有同情心地

参考例句：

• The man at her feet looked up at Scarlett compassionately. 那个躺在思嘉脚边的人同情地仰望着她。 来自飘（部分）
• Then almost compassionately he said,"You should be greatly rewarded." 接着他几乎带些怜悯似地说：“你是应当得到重重酬报的。” 来自辞典例句

6 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

7 scruple   

n./v.顾忌，迟疑

参考例句：

• It'seemed to her now that she could marry him without the remnant of a scruple.她觉得现在她可以跟他成婚而不需要有任何顾忌。
• He makes no scruple to tell a lie.他说起谎来无所顾忌。

8 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

9 kidnapper   

n.绑架者，拐骗者

参考例句：

• The kidnapper was shot dead then and there by the armed policeman.绑架者被武装警察当时当地击毙。
• The kidnapper strangled the child with a piece of string.绑票的人用一根绳子把这孩子勒死了。

10 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

11 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。