CHAPTER XX. A STRANGE COMMISSION.

 The man whom we have called Dick stopped short and gazed in astonishment¹ at the boy who had so fearlessly stepped upon the scene.

 

"Where did you come from?" he demanded, frowning.

 

"From that closet," answered Jasper.

 

"How came you there? What business have you in my house, anyway?" demanded the ruffian.

 

"I entered it supposing it to be deserted," said Jasper. "While I was below I heard that poor boy cry, and came up."

 

"Did you know he was here?" asked the ruffian, turning to his wife, and speaking menacingly.

 

"Yes, Dick."

 

"Why did you let him in?"

 

"He came in while I was out."

 

"Why didn't you tell me he was here?"

 

"Because I didn't want him injured in any way. I was afraid you would be angry with him."

 

"That is where you are right," said Dick, adding an oath. "The young scoundrel shall pay for his impudence² in entering my house like a thief."

 

"You have no right to say that," said Jasper. "I have explained to you why I came here."

 

"You hid in the closet, intending to come out and steal when we were out of the way."

 

"What could I steal?" asked Jasper, looking around him.

 

"Do you mean to taunt³ me with my poverty?" exclaimed the ruffian, enraged⁴.

 

"No; I am poorer than you."

 

"You look like it."

 

"It is true. I was robbed in the cars by a pickpocket⁵, and because I was penniless and could not pay my fare I was put off at this station."

 

"Is this true?" demanded Dick, with a searching look.

 

"Yes; I wish it were not."

 

"How came you near this house?"

 

"I set out to walk to the village, and must have lost my way."

 

"Why did you come out of that closet?" was the next demand.

 

"Because I heard you abusing that little boy," said Jasper, fearlessly.

 

"I have a right to do what I please to my own child."

 

"It isn't your child."

 

"What do you mean by that, you impudent⁶ young jackanapes?"

 

Unobserved by her husband, the wife made a warning sign to Jasper not to provoke the man, whose evil passion she so well knew.

 

Jasper comprehended the sign, but it did not influence him. Frank and fearless by temperament⁷, he thought it his duty to stand between the little boy and this ruffian's brutality⁸. Still he appreciated the woman's kindness, and resolved to bear it in mind. Indeed, he saw that she was rather to be pitied than blamed. Her natural instincts were good, but she was under the control of a bad man.

 

"I heard what you were saying," said Jasper.

 

"You heard?"

 

"Yes, while I was in the closet."

 

"What did you hear, you young scoundrel?" demanded the ruffian.

 

"Enough to satisfy me that you have stolen this boy from his parents."

 

"It's a lie!"

 

"No; it is the truth. I felt sure of it before, and now I know it. You took him in order to extort⁹ money from his friends."

 

"Well," said the ruffian, defiantly¹⁰, "what if I did? Have you anything to say against it?"

 

"Yes," said Jasper.

 

"I shall have to wring¹¹ your neck by and by," muttered Dick. "Well, go on. Spit out what you've got to say."

 

"I say it's a cruel wrong to the parents," said Jasper, boldly, "and to the child also. But you make it worse when you try to abuse the boy."

 

"Come, boy, if you care so much for the brat¹², suppose you take his place, and take the beating I was going to give him," suggested the ruffian, mockingly.

 

"I would rather suffer than have him suffer," said Jasper, quietly; "but perhaps you will change your mind when you hear what I have to say."

 

"Oh, you are going to beg off!" sneered¹³ the ruffian, with a look of satisfaction. "I thought you'd come to your senses."

 

"You are mistaken as to my intention. I want to speak to you about your sister—formerly Mrs. Thorne."

 

"What do you know about her?" asked the man, in extreme astonishment.

 

"A good deal. She is my step-mother."

 

"What! Are you the son of the man she married?" asked Dick, eagerly.

 

"I am Jasper Kent."

 

"That's the name. So she sent you out to me, did she? That's better than I thought She hasn't forgotten her brother, after all."

 

"No; you are mistaken," said Jasper. "She never so much as told me she had a brother."

 

Dick looked disappointed. Then, with sudden suspicion, he said, roughly:

 

"I believe you are lying. This Jasper Kent is rich—the heir of two-thirds of his father's property. You say you are penniless."

 

"That is true. Both stories are true. I am my father's principal heir, but your sister is my guardian¹⁴. She has treated me in such a way that I left the house."

 

"Ran away, eh?"

 

"No, I gave her full notice of what I should do. I told her that if I were decently treated I would stay, but if she continued to insult me, and give the preference in all things to her own boy, Nicholas, I would go away."

 

"You haven't been such a fool as to go off and leave all your property in her hands?"

 

"I shall come in possession of it when I am twenty-one. Till then I will try to support myself."

 

"Come, boy, you're plucky¹⁵. I'm glad you came, after all. I want to hear more about my sister's affairs. Come down stairs, and we'll talk."

 

Dick appeared suddenly to have forgotten his animosity. He became even friendly in his manner, as he gave our hero this invitation.

 

"Old woman," said he, addressing his wife, "can't you rake up something for this boy to eat? I dare say he is hungry."

 

"I don't think we've got anything more in the house."

 

"I'll go out directly and get something. Come down, boy, I want to ask you a few more questions."

 

They went down stairs, followed by the wife. She was happily relieved by the unexpected good understanding between her husband and Jasper.

 

"Now tell me," said Dick, eagerly, when they were in the lower room, "how much property has my sister got?"

 

"Probably between thirty and forty thousand dollars."

 

"As much as that?" said Dick, complacently¹⁶. "Well, she has feathered her nest well."

 

"I don't like Mrs. Kent," said Jasper. "Though she is your sister, I am obliged to say that, but it is not at all on account of the property my father left her. If he had given her one-half his estate I would not have complained, as long as she treated me fairly."

 

"Helen was always a hard customer. She's got a will of her own," chuckled¹⁷ Dick.

 

"There was no hope of our getting on together," said Jasper.

 

"She ought to do something for me—don't you think so? I'm her only brother."

 

"As to that," said Jasper, "my opinion wouldn't have any weight with her. If you are poor and need help, it would be only natural for her to help you."

 

"That's the way to talk! You won't say anything against me to her?"

 

"Certainly not," said Jasper. "I shall not write to her at all; and even if I did, I wouldn't try to interfere¹⁸ with her disposing of her property in any way she thinks best."

 

"Come, you're a trump¹⁹, after all. I like you. You're plucky, too."

 

"Thank you."

 

"I'll say a good word for you to my sister when I see her."

 

"You'd better not," said Jasper. "If she thinks you are friendly to me you'll stand a poor chance of any favors. Better abuse me."

 

Dick roared with laughter.

 

"I say, youngster, you're a smart 'un. I see you're friendly by your hint. I'll abuse you to her, never fear. You must take a drink on that. Say, old woman, where's the whisky?"

 

"There's not a drop in the house, Dick."

 

"I forgot. Curse the luck!"

 

Just then a man entered the house only less brutal-looking than Dick himself.

 

He held a letter in his hand.

 

Dick seized it eagerly.

 

"It's from the father of the boy," he said.

 

The letter proved to contain fifty dollars.

 

"I send this in advance," said the writer. "When the boy is safely delivered into my hands a hundred and fifty more will be paid to the one who brings him, and no questions asked. 

Herman Fitch."

 

"Good!" said Dick, "as far as it goes. I'm ready to give up the brat, but will his father keep faith? Perhaps he'll have the police on hand ready to nab me."

 

"Haven't you anybody to send—anybody you can trust?"

 

Dick slapped his knee forcibly. An idea had come to him.

 

"I'll send him in charge of the brat," he said, pointing to Jasper.

1 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。

2 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。

3 taunt   

n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄

参考例句：

• He became a taunt to his neighbours.他成了邻居们嘲讽的对象。
• Why do the other children taunt him with having red hair?为什么别的小孩子讥笑他有红头发？

4 enraged   

使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤

参考例句：

• I was enraged to find they had disobeyed my orders. 发现他们违抗了我的命令，我极为恼火。
• The judge was enraged and stroke the table for several times. 大法官被气得连连拍案。

5 pickpocket   

n.扒手；v.扒窃

参考例句：

• The pickpocket pinched her purse and ran away.扒手偷了她的皮夹子跑了。
• He had his purse stolen by a pickpocket.他的钱包被掏了。

6 impudent   

adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

7 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。

8 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

9 extort   

v.勒索，敲诈，强要

参考例句：

• The blackmailer tried to extort a large sum of money from him.勒索者企图向他勒索一大笔钱。
• They absolutely must not harm the people or extort money from them.严格禁止坑害勒索群众。

10 defiantly   

adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地

参考例句：

• Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 wring   

n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭

参考例句：

• My socks were so wet that I had to wring them.我的袜子很湿，我不得不拧干它们。
• I'll wring your neck if you don't behave!你要是不规矩，我就拧断你的脖子。

12 brat   

n.孩子；顽童

参考例句：

• He's a spoilt brat.他是一个被宠坏了的调皮孩子。
• The brat sicked his dog on the passer-by.那个顽童纵狗去咬过路人。

13 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

14 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

15 plucky   

adj.勇敢的

参考例句：

• The plucky schoolgirl amazed doctors by hanging on to life for nearly two months.这名勇敢的女生坚持不放弃生命近两个月的精神令医生感到震惊。
• This story featured a plucky heroine.这个故事描述了一个勇敢的女英雄。

16 complacently   

adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地

参考例句：

• He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
• "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

17 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

18 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

19 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。