"Mr. Tarbox."
"What, that confounded Yankee?" ejaculated Sharpley, roughly.
"What harm is there in him?" asked Frank, quietly.
"I care very little what Mr. Craven would like," said Frank.
"He is your step-father."
"If he is, I can't help it. I am only responsible to my mother for my conduct, and she would not object to my keeping company with a countryman."
[173]
"Why not?"
"I don't agree with you, Colonel Sharpley," said Frank, undaunted. "He is not well educated, but he has brains enough to have invented a plow5 of an improved pattern, which he is exhibiting here. He is young yet, and if he succeeds he will get rid of his awkwardness, and may in time occupy a prominent position in the community."
"I don't approve of elevating the rabble," said Sharpley; "and as you are my ward6, I desire you not to associate with this Tarbox."
"If you had any good reason to offer, Colonel Sharpley, or if Mr. Tarbox were an improper7 person, I would obey; but, under the present circumstances, I must decline."
"What! You dare to defy me!" exclaimed Sharpley, who was in a worse temper than usual, having lost money at cards the evening before.
[174]
"I don't wish to defy you, sir, but I must beg you to be reasonable."
Frank looked calmly in his face and didn't shrink. There was something in his eye which prevented the blow from falling. Sharpley bethought himself of another way of "coming up with" his rebellious10 charge.
"If you are going to act in this way," he said, "I shall send you home."
"I don't propose to go home, Colonel Sharpley," said Frank, firmly. "Now that I am here, I shall stay through the summer."
"Do you think you can compel me to keep charge of you?"
"No, sir; but since it is a trouble to you, I will place myself under the charge of Mr. Tarbox, though I feel quite competent to travel alone. If you will place in his hands what funds you have of mine, this will relieve you of all trouble."
[175]
"The deuce it will!" thought Sharpley, who knew that such a course would leave him absolutely helpless and penniless.
He began to see that he had overshot the mark. He would risk the utter failure of all his plans if a separation should take place between them. So, though it went against his grain, he resolved to make up with Frank. Forcing a smile, therefore, he said:
"Are you really anxious to leave me, Frank?"
Our hero was bewildered by the unexpected change of manner.
"I thought you were tired of me, sir," he said. "I am afraid I give you trouble and interfere11 with your plans."
"Not at all. I am sorry if I have given you such an impression. The fact is, I am vexed12 and irritated at some news I have heard, and that made me disposed to vent4 my irritation13 on you."
"I am sorry, sir, if you have had bad news. Is it anything serious?"
"Not very serious," said Sharpley; "but," he added, with ready invention, "it is vexatious to hear that I have lost a thousand [176] pounds."
"Yes; that is a serious loss," said Frank, with sympathy.
"It was invested, as I thought, safely; but the concern proves to be rotten, and my loss is total."
"I hope it won't seriously inconvenience you, Colonel Sharpley?"
"Oh, no; it is fortunately but a small part of my fortune," said Sharpley, with barefaced14 falsehood. "Still, it is annoying. But let it pass. To-morrow I shall feel all right. Meanwhile, if you really care to associate with this Tarbox, do so by all means. I confess he is not to my taste."
"He is not a countryman of yours, sir; he reminds me of home."
"Just so. By the way, I have letters for you from home."
He eagerly opened the letters. One, a long one, crossed and recrossed, was from his mother. I will only quote one paragraph:
"I need hardly tell you, my dear son, how much I miss you. The house seems very dull and lonely without you. But I am glad you are enjoying yourself amid new scenes, and look forward with great interest to hear your accounts of what you have seen. I send a great deal of love, and hope to hear from you often.
"Your affectionate mother,
"Mary Craven.
"P.S.—Mr. Craven has written a note to you, which will go by the same mail as this."
The other letter, written in a masculine hand, Frank opened with some curiosity. He had not expected to hear from Mr. Craven, and wondered what he would have to say. His letter being short, will be given entire:
"My Dear Frank:
As your mother is writing you, I cannot resist the temptation of sending a line also. We both miss you very much, but are consoled for your absence by the knowledge that you are enjoying and improving yourself in the Old World. Had circumstances been favorable, how pleasant it would have been if your mother and myself could have accompanied you. Let us hope that sometime such a plan may be carried out. Meanwhile, I feel truly happy to think that [178] you are under the care of my friend, Colonel Sharpley, whom I know to be a gentleman every way qualified16 for such a responsible trust. We are hoping to receive letters from you describing your travels. I will not write more now, but subscribe17 myself
"Your affectionate step-father,
"Samuel Craven."
There was nothing to complain of in this letter. It was kind and cordial, and exhibited a strong and affectionate interest in our hero. Yet Frank read it without any special feeling of gratitude18; nor was he drawn19 by it any nearer to the writer. He blamed himself for his coldness.
"Why can't I like him?" he said to himself. "He seems very kind, and wants me to enjoy myself. I suppose he was partly the means of my coming out on this tour. Yet that doesn't make me like him."
Frank could not tell why he felt so, but it was an instinctive20 perception of Mr. Craven's insincerity, and the falseness of his character and professions that influenced him. He folded the letters, first reading his mother's a second time, and went out, Colonel Sharpley having already departed. He bent21 his steps to the exhibition [179] building, and made his way to Mr. Tarbox.
"Good morning, Mr. Tarbox," he said. "How do you feel to-day?"
"Pooty smart. You look as if you've heerd good news."
"I have had two letters from home."
"So have I."
"Any news?"
Frank smiled.
"That's my cow," said Mr. Tarbox, seriously; "she's a stunner for givin' milk; she gives a pailful in the mornin', and two pailfuls at night. I'm goin' to make money out of that cow."
"And out of that plow, too, I hope."
"I don't know," said Mr. Tarbox, shaking his head. "These ignorant furriners don't seem to care nothin' about plows23. They care more about silks and laces, and sich like."
"Was that all the news you got—about the cow, I mean?"
"From her?"
"Oh, I understand," said Frank, laughing. "How glad you must be."
"Yes, sir-ee. I feel like a fly in a molasses keg—all over sweetness."
"Then she hasn't forgotten you?"
"I guess not. How do you think she ended her letter?"
"I can't tell."
"Wait a minute, and I'll read you the endin' off. Here it is:
'If you love me as I love you,
No knife can cut our love in two.'
"Arn't that scrumptious?"
"I should think it was. I hope you'll introduce me some day, when she's Mrs. Tarbox."
"Yes, I will. You must come up to the farm, and stay a week in the summer."
"By that time you'll have made your fortune out of the plow."
[181]
"I hope so. Where are you goin'?"
"I am going to visit the French department of the exhibition."
"Wal, I'll go along with you. I want to see if they've got any plow here to compare with mine. I don't believe they know enough to make anything useful."
Mr. Tarbox certainly did the French injustice26, but he was under the sway of prejudice, and was quite disposed to exalt27 the useful at the expense of the beautiful.
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1
barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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boor
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| n.举止粗野的人；乡下佬 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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plow
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| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
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6
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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7
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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8
insinuate
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| vt.含沙射影地说，暗示 | |
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9
unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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10
rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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11
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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12
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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13
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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14
barefaced
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| adj.厚颜无耻的，公然的 | |
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15
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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16
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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17
subscribe
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| vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助 | |
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18
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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19
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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20
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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21
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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22
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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23
plows
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| n.犁( plow的名词复数 )；犁型铲雪机v.耕( plow的第三人称单数 )；犁耕；费力穿过 | |
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24
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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25
gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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26
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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27
exalt
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| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
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