CHAPTER XXXII. A COLD RECEPTION.

 Richard Varley followed Nicholas into the presence of Mrs. Kent. The latter looked scrutinizingly at him as he approached, hoping that it might be an impostor. But, no! there was no mistaking his appearance. It was, indeed, her brother.

 

"How d'ye do, Helen," said Dick, with ostentatious cordiality.

 

"Very well, Richard," she answered coldly, slipping her hand out of his grasp as quickly as she could.

 

"The old girl ain't very glad to see me," thought Dick. "Just as I thought."

 

"How did you find me out?" asked Mrs. Kent.

 

"There was a man from this way told me of your good luck."

 

"Where were you, then?"

 

"In Missouri, near St. Louis."

 

"Indeed? Have you just come from there?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Did you have any business this way? I suppose you must, or you wouldn't have come so far."

 

"I came on purpose to see you, Helen," said Dick, trying to look like an affectionate brother, and signally failing.

 

"You are certainly very kind," said Mrs. Kent in a cold tone, evincing not the slightest pleasure at his devotion. "I am afraid you must have put yourself to a good deal of inconvenience on my account."

 

"Why, yes, I have," answered her brother, perceiving at once that he might urge this as a claim upon her; "but what of that? Ain't you my only sister, and hasn't it been years since we met?"

 

"Really, Richard," said Mrs. Kent, with a little quiet sarcasm¹, "I was hardly prepared to expect from you so great an interest in me. I wonder you didn't come before. It's a good many years since we met."

 

"Well, Helen, you see I couldn't afford it before. I wanted to see you, but I couldn't raise the money to come East."

 

"You've raised it now, it seems."

 

"Yes; I had a little stroke of luck."

 

"You're doing well, then?" asked his sister, with a slight show of interest.

 

If this were so, she was ready to welcome him.

 

"I said a little show of luck. I got together money enough to come East."

 

"Oh, indeed!" returned Mrs. Kent, her manner becoming chilly² again.

 

Dick got nettled³. He didn't relish⁴ his reception.

 

"It seems to me you ain't very glad to see me," said he, bluntly.

 

"I never was very demonstrative," said his sister. "Did you expect me to fall on your neck and embrace you?"

 

"No; but—well, you know what I mean. You are as cold as an icicle."

 

"It's my way, I suppose. Is your wife living?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Is she with you?" asked Mrs. Kent, rather apprehensively⁵.

 

"No; it was too expensive for me to bring two. I hear you are rich, Helen."

 

"Is that what brought you on?"

 

"Don't be so suspicious. It's only natural I should congratulate you."

 

Before this Nicholas had left the room to go out on his proposed drive.

 

"I've got enough to live on economically," she answered, with reserve. "I am not rich."

 

"Your son, Nicholas, acts as if you were."

 

"How is that?"

 

Dick laughed.

 

"He puts on as many heirs as a prince."

 

"He has considerable spirit," said Mrs. Kent, proudly.

 

"There's no doubt of that. He ordered me off with the air of a young lord."

 

"That was before he knew who you were."

 

"Yes, he didn't know I was his uncle. By the way, you've got a step-son, haven't you?"

 

"Yes; two-thirds of this property belongs to him."

 

"Where is he?"

 

"He is absent just now," answered Mrs. Kent, in a tone of reserve.

 

Dick laughed.

 

"Oh, you're good at keeping secrets, Helen," he said; "but you can't deceive me."

 

"What do you mean?" inquired his sister, with some indignation.

 

"I know all about his going away, Helen."

 

"Who told you—the neighbors? Have you been questioning them about my affairs?"

 

"No, no. You're on the wrong scent⁶ this time. He told me himself."

 

"What! has he got back again?" demanded Mrs. Kent, in surprise and dismay.

 

"No; I met him in Missouri. He told me there."

 

"How did he know you were related to me?"

 

"He heard me and my wife talking about you, and then he told me."

 

"What did he tell you?"

 

"That you and he couldn't agree, and so he left home."

 

"He was insubordinate. He disobeyed me, and I wouldn't stand it."

 

"Oh, well, you two can settle your own affairs. I don't care to interfere⁷, only I thought you would like to hear from him."

 

"What's he doing?" asked Mrs. Kent.

 

"He was in St. Louis when I left, looking out for a situation."

 

"I wash my hands of him. He might live easily enough if he would submit to me. If not, he will probably have to submit to a great many privations."

 

"He is a pretty smart boy; he'll get along."

 

"I consider my Nicholas smarter," said Mrs. Kent, coldly.

 

"Perhaps so," answered her brother, dubiously⁸. "I don't know much about Nicholas."

 

"Where are you staying?" asked his sister.

 

"Why," said Dick, rather taken aback, "I calculated you would invite me to stay here awhile, seeing I've come so far to see you."

 

Mrs. Kent bit her lips in vexation.

 

"You can stay a day or two, if you like," she said, "but we live very quietly, Nicholas and I. I don't think it will suit one so active as you are."

 

"I'll take the risk, sister Helen. It seems good to be in my own sister's house after so many years. Besides, I should like to ride out with my nephew behind that gay horse of his."

 

"You can speak to him about it," said

 

Mrs. Kent. "I believe he prefers to be alone."

 

"Oh, he'll be willing to treat his uncle to a ride. I'll give him a few hints about driving."

 

Mrs. Kent winced⁹. She was proud, and she did not fancy exhibiting Dick to the village people as her brother. But there seemed no way of avoiding it. She privately¹⁰ determined¹¹ to get rid of him as soon as possible.

 

"I must leave you now," she said, gathering¹² up her work. "I will ask the servant to show you your room."

 

"All right, Helen. Don't trouble yourself about me. I'll make myself at home."

 

"I'm afraid you will," thought his sister.

 

1 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。

2 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。

3 nettled   

v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• My remarks clearly nettled her. 我的话显然惹恼了她。
• He had been growing nettled before, but now he pulled himself together. 他刚才有些来火，但现在又恢复了常态。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

4 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

5 apprehensively   

adv.担心地

参考例句：

• He glanced a trifle apprehensively towards the crowded ballroom. 他敏捷地朝挤满了人的舞厅瞟了一眼。 来自辞典例句
• Then it passed, leaving everything in a state of suspense, even the willow branches waiting apprehensively. 一阵这样的风过去，一切都不知怎好似的，连柳树都惊疑不定的等着点什么。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

6 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

7 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。

8 dubiously   

adv.可疑地，怀疑地

参考例句：

• "What does he have to do?" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• He walked out fast, leaving the head waiter staring dubiously at the flimsy blue paper. 他很快地走出去，撇下侍者头儿半信半疑地瞪着这张薄薄的蓝纸。 来自辞典例句

9 winced   

赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子，疼得他龇牙咧嘴。
• He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。

10 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

11 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

12 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。