CHAPTER XXXIII. DICK PUNISHES NICHOLAS.

 "Is that man going to stay here?" asked Nicholas, in a tone of dissatisfaction.

 

"Yes."

 

"What made you invite him?"

 

"I couldn't help it, Nicholas. He is my brother."

 

"I'm ashamed of the relationship."

 

"I am not proud of it myself, but I can't help paying him a little attention."

 

"How long is he going to stay?"

 

"A day or two."

 

"He'll stay a week or two if you let him."

 

"I can prevent that."

 

"How?"

 

"You'll see."

 

The manner of Nicholas toward his uncle was far from agreeable. In fact, it was almost insolent¹. Dick retained his temper out of policy, but he said to himself:

 

"Some time or other, my fine nephew, I'll pay off old scores. See if I don't."

 

"Are you going to ride this morning?" he asked the next day.

 

"I may," answered Nicholas.

 

"I should like to ride with you."

 

"I prefer riding by myself."

 

"Oh, come, nephew. I shan't stay here long. Don't refuse such a small favor."

 

In consequence probably of the first part of this answer, Mrs. Kent said:

 

"Nicholas, you'd better take your uncle out this morning and show him a little of the village."

 

Nicholas grumblingly² assented³.

 

So about ten o'clock they started out.

 

"You've got a good horse here," said Dick.

 

"He ought to be. Mother paid four hundred dollars for him."

 

"Did she, though? You ought to have got me to send you one from the West. For half the money I'd have sent you a better one."

 

"I don't believe it."

 

"Because you don't know. I do."

 

"It takes a good driver to drive this horse," said Nicholas.

 

"Does it? I could drive this horse blindfolded⁴."

 

He spoke⁵ contemptuously, and Nicholas was nettled⁶. He prided himself upon his driving ability, and now his uncle underestimated it.

 

"The horse is not as easy to drive as you think," he said. "If you don't believe it, take the reins⁷ and see."

 

"All right."

 

This was what Dick wanted, for he had a plan for revenging himself on his upstart nephew. He drove on till he got to a place where there was a muddy and miry puddle⁸ beside the road. Then by a dexterous⁹ man?uver, for he understood driving thoroughly¹⁰, he managed to overturn the wagon¹¹, and Nicholas was thrown headlong into the puddle. Dick leaped out just at the right time, retaining his hold on the reins.

 

Bespattered with mud and drenched¹² with mire¹³, Nicholas arose from the puddle a sorry figure.

 

"What did you do that for?" he demanded, wrathfully, surveying himself with disgust.

 

"I'm afraid I can't manage your horse," said Dick, with hypocritical meekness¹⁴. "He was too much for me."

 

"Didn't I tell you so?" said Nicholas, triumphing in spite of his woful condition.

 

"I'm sorry you fell into the puddle. Why didn't you jump, as I did?"

 

"I didn't have time," said Nicholas, ruefully. "What a figure I am!"

 

"I suppose we may as well go home."

 

"Yes," said Nicholas, sullenly¹⁵. "That comes of giving you the reins."

 

"You are right," said Dick. "You'd better drive home yourself."

 

Nicholas took the reins, but it mortified¹⁶ him not a little to see the looks of wonder and amusement which he attracted as he passed through the village.

 

Dick laughed to himself.

 

"I rather think, my proud nephew, we're about even," he said to himself.

 

In the course of the next day Dick ventured to suggest to his sister that a temporary loan would be very acceptable.

 

"A loan!" she repeated, curling her lip. "Why not say 'gift' at once?"

 

"I'm willing to put it on that ground," said Dick, unabashed. "Still, I'll give you my note for the amount, if you say so."

 

"What good would that do?"

 

"Why, I've got some plans in view which, if successful, will enable me to repay you the money, with interest."

 

"I have small faith in the success of your plans, Richard."

 

"I haven't been as lucky as you, sister Helen, I admit; but where would you have been but for your lucky marriage?"

 

"As to that, I have always taken care of myself," said his sister, coldly.

 

"May be so. There are some born to good luck."

 

"How much money do you expect me to give you?" asked Mrs. Kent.

 

Dick looked at his sister's face attentively¹⁷. He wished to judge how much there was a chance of getting out of her. His survey was not particularly encouraging. She didn't appear to be a woman easily wheedled¹⁸ out of her money. Still, he spoke up boldly, and said:

 

"A loan of five hundred dollars, Helen, would be a great lift to me."

 

"I have no doubt it would," said Mrs. Kent, quietly; "but if you have any expectation of getting that sum from me you know very little of me. I should be a fool to throw away such a sum of money."

 

"You would be generous."

 

"I have no ambition to be considered generous," she answered, coldly. "A fool and his money are soon parted. You appear to take me for a fool, but I beg to assure you that you are entirely¹⁹ mistaken."

 

"How much will you lend me, then?" asked Dick, rather sullenly.

 

"Don't use that ridiculous word 'lend,' when you know there's no probability of your ever repaying it, even if you should be able."

 

"Have your own way, Helen."

 

"I will give you fifty dollars, though in justice to my boy I ought not to do so."

 

"Fifty dollars!" repeated Dick, chagrined²⁰. "Why, that don't pay me for coming East."

 

"You are right. You would have done better to stay where you were."

 

"You don't seem to consider, Helen, that we hadn't met for years, and I wanted to see my only sister."

 

"Suppose I had had no money, would you have come then?" asked Mrs. Kent, with contemptuous incredulity.

 

"No; I couldn't have afforded it. But, Helen, fifty dollars is nothing at all. You might say a hundred."

 

"I might say a hundred, but there is no chance that I shall. Are you not ashamed—a great, strong man, as you are—not to be able to support yourself and wife without help from me?"

 

"Luck's been agin me," said Dick, sullenly. "I could have got ahead but for that."

 

"How has it been against you?"

 

"I owned a mining claim in California—it didn't pay anything—and I sold it for ten dollars. The man I sold it to kept working till he struck a vein²¹. He cleared ten thousand dollars."

 

"As you might have done if you hadn't despaired too quickly."

 

"Oh, well, it's easy enough to criticise²², Helen. You've struck a vein, and you're in luck. No more hard work for you."

 

"There would be if I gave away my money, five hundred dollars at a time. You needn't complain of my good fortune. I have had my share of work to do. Now I am comfortable, and I mean to keep so."

 

"No matter what becomes of your poor brother?" whined²³ Dick.

 

"My poor brother must work as I have done, and he won't starve. Do you think, if I were a man," she said, disdainfully, "that I would stoop to ask help of a woman!"

 

"Well, let me have the money, then," said Dick, gloomily.

 

Mrs. Kent drew from her pocket-book five ten-dollar bills and placed them in his hand.

 

"Don't expect any further help," she said. "In justice to my son I must refuse it."

 

Dick left the house with an execration²⁴.

 

"Was there ever a more selfish, cold-hearted woman?" he muttered. "It's all for her son, is it? I'd like to choke the whelp!"

 

With this sentiment the affectionate uncle left his sister's house.

1 insolent   

adj.傲慢的，无理的

参考例句：

• His insolent manner really got my blood up.他那傲慢的态度把我的肺都气炸了。
• It was insolent of them to demand special treatment.他们要求给予特殊待遇，脸皮真厚。

2 grumblingly   

喃喃报怨着，发牢骚着

参考例句：

3 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！

4 blindfolded   

v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗

参考例句：

• The hostages were tied up and blindfolded. 人质被捆绑起来并蒙上了眼睛。
• They were each blindfolded with big red handkerchiefs. 他们每个人的眼睛都被一块红色大手巾蒙住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 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

7 reins   

感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带

参考例句：

• She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

8 puddle   

n.(雨)水坑，泥潭

参考例句：

• The boy hopped the mud puddle and ran down the walk.这个男孩跳过泥坑，沿着人行道跑了。
• She tripped over and landed in a puddle.她绊了一下，跌在水坑里。

9 dexterous   

adj.灵敏的；灵巧的

参考例句：

• As people grow older they generally become less dexterous.随着年龄的增长，人通常会变得不再那么手巧。
• The manager was dexterous in handling his staff.那位经理善于运用他属下的职员。

10 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

11 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

12 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 mire   

n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境

参考例句：

• I don't want my son's good name dragged through the mire.我不想使我儿子的名誉扫地。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

14 meekness   

n.温顺，柔和

参考例句：

• Amy sewed with outward meekness and inward rebellion till dusk. 阿密阳奉阴违地一直缝到黄昏。 来自辞典例句
• 'I am pretty well, I thank you,' answered Mr. Lorry, with meekness; 'how are you?' “很好，谢谢，”罗瑞先生回答，态度温驯，“你好么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

15 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

16 mortified   

v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等）

参考例句：

• She was mortified to realize he had heard every word she said. 她意识到自己的每句话都被他听到了，直羞得无地自容。
• The knowledge of future evils mortified the present felicities. 对未来苦难的了解压抑了目前的喜悦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 wheedled   

v.骗取（某物），哄骗（某人干某事）( wheedle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The children wheedled me into letting them go to the film. 孩子们把我哄得同意让他们去看电影了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She wheedled her husband into buying a lottery ticket. 她用甜言蜜语诱使她的丈夫买彩券。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

19 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。

20 chagrined   

adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I was most chagrined when I heard that he had got the job instead of me. 当我听说是他而不是我得到了那份工作时懊恼极了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was [felt] chagrined at his failure [at losing his pen]. 他为自己的失败 [遗失钢笔] 而感到懊恼。 来自辞典例句

21 vein   

n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络

参考例句：

• The girl is not in the vein for singing today.那女孩今天没有心情唱歌。
• The doctor injects glucose into the patient's vein.医生把葡萄糖注射入病人的静脉。

22 criticise   

v.批评，评论；非难

参考例句：

• Right and left have much cause to criticise government.左翼和右翼有很多理由批评政府。
• It is not your place to criticise or suggest improvements!提出批评或给予改进建议并不是你的责任！

23 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

24 execration   

n.诅咒，念咒，憎恶

参考例句：

• The sense of wrongs, the injustices, the oppression, extortion, and pillage of twenty years suddenly and found voice in a raucous howl of execration. 二十年来所深受的损害、压迫、勒索、掠夺和不公平的对待，一下子达到了最高峰，在一阵粗声粗气的谩骂叫嚣里发泄出来。 来自辞典例句