Mr. Tarbox had walked from the railway station. He was naturally economical, and, having all his life been accustomed to walk, thought it a waste and extravagance to take a carriage. He had inquired his way by simply pronouncing the name of the hotel as above. The similarity [223] in sound was sufficient to insure a correction.
He entered the hotel and found the landlord.
"I say, captain, I want to put up here to-night."
"Will monsieur have a room?" asked the host, politely.
"If you mean me, that's what I want; but I ain't a monseer at all. I'm a Yankee."
"Monsieur Yang-kee?" said the landlord, a little puzzled.
"Look here, captain, I ain't a monseer—I don't eat frogs. Do I look like it. No, I'm a straight-down, dyed-in-the-wool Yankee, from Squashboro', State o' Maine."
"Will you have a room?" asked the landlord, avoiding the word monsieur, which he perceived the other disclaimed3, for some reason which he could not very well comprehend.
"Yes, I will, if I can get one cheap. I don't want none of your big apartments, that cost like blazes. I want a little room, with a bed in it, and a chair."
[224]
"We have petits apartements—very small price."
"Give me one, then. Oh, hold on; is there a boy named Frank Hunter stoppin' here, with a man named Sharpley?"
"Non, monsieur. He has been here, but he is gone."
"Gone? When did he go?"
"Three days ago."
"Three days!" repeated Mr. Tarbox, thoughtfully. "He didn't stay long, then?"
"Only one night."
"Seems to me he was in a hurry. Isn't there nothin' worth seein' round here?"
"Oh, yes, monsieur," said the landlord, with animation4. "Geneve is a very interesting city. Would you not like to see how they make the watches, and the boxes of musique? There are many places here that strangers do visit. There is the cathedral and the Musee. Monsieur should stay here one—two weeks."
"Eh?"
"And stop up at your hotel?"
[225]
"Certainement, monsieur."
"That's what I thought. Anyhow, I'll stay here till to-morrow. But about this old rascal—"
"Monsieur?"
"I mean this Sharpley, and the boy—where did they go?"
"I know not, monsieur. They went to see the mountains."
"Well, captain, as mountains in this neighborhood are about as thick as huckleberry bushes in a pastur', I ain't none the wiser for that. Couldn't you tell me a little plainer?"
But this the landlord, or captain, as Mr. Tarbox insisted upon calling him, was unable to do. As there was nothing else to be done, our Yankee friend selected a room on the top floor, which, by reason of its elevation6, he was enabled to get for two francs a day.
In European hotels the rooms become cheaper the higher up they are, and thus various prices are paid at the same hotel. It is not necessarily expensive, therefore, sojourning at a first-class hotel abroad; and, indeed, it is better than to take lower rooms in an inferior inn, [226] supposing the traveler's means to be limited.
"Well," said Mr. Tarbox, looking about him, when he was fairly installed in his room, "my journey ain't going to cost me so much, after all. I come third class to Geneva for less'n ten dollars, and I can live here pretty cheap. But that ain't the question. Where-abouts among these hills is Frank? That's what I'd like to know. I wonder what that step-father of his meant by his talk about accidents? If anything happens to Frank, and I find it out, I'll stir 'em up, as sure as my name's Jonathan Tarbox. But I'm getting hungry; I'll go down and see what kind of fodder7 they can give me. I guess I'd better clean up first, for I'm as dirty as ef I'd been out in the field plowin'."
Mr. Tarbox made a satisfactory supper at moderate expense. He didn't go to the table d'h?te, for, as he said, "They bring you a mouthful of this, and a mouthful of that, and when you're through ten or eleven courses, you have to pay a dollar, more or less, and are as hungry as [227] when you began. I'd rather order something a la carte, as they call it, though what it has to do with a cart is more than I can tell, and then I can get enough, and don't have so much to pay neither."
Mr. Tarbox made further inquiries8 the next day, but could not ascertain9 definitely in what direction the travelers had gone. There were several possible routes, and they were as likely to have gone by one as by another. Under the circumstances it seemed to him that it was better to remain where he was. There was a chance of the two returning by way of Geneva, and they would be likely to come to the same hotel; while if he started off in one direction, it would very probably turn out that they had gone by another. One circumstance certainly favored his decision—it was cheaper remaining in Geneva than in journeying off at random10 in search of Frank, and Mr. Tarbox, therefore, decided11 to patronize the Hotel des Bergues for a short time at least, trying, meanwhile, to get some clew to the whereabouts of the travelers. He improved the time by visiting the objects of interest in Geneva, [228] bewildering the natives by his singular remarks, and amusing strangers with whom he came in contact. Some were disposed to regard him as a specimen12 of the average American. Indeed, he bore a striking resemblance to the typical American introduced by our English friends in their books of travel and in their dramatic productions.
He did indeed possess some national characteristics. He was independent, fearless, self-reliant, hating injustice13 and oppression, but he was without the polish, or culture, or refinement14 which are to be found in the traveling Americans quite as commonly as in the traveling Englishman or German. He is presented here as a type of a class which does exist, but not as an average American.
It struck Mr. Tarbox that he might obtain some information of those whom he sought by inquiring of the travelers who came daily to the hotel, whether they had met with such a party. No diffidence held him back from questioning closely all who came.
Some treated him with hauteur15, and tried to abash16 him by impressing [229] him with the unwarrantable liberty he was taking in intruding17 himself upon their notice.
In general, however, these were snobs18, of some wealth, but doubtful social position, who felt it necessary to assert themselves upon all occasions.
But Mr. Tarbox was not one to be daunted19 by coldness, or abashed20 by a repellant manner. He persisted in his questions until he learned what he wanted. But his questions were without a satisfactory answer until one day he saw a gentleman and his son, whom by their appearance he took to be fellow-countrymen. They were, in fact, Henry Abercrombie and his father, fresh from the scene of the accident.
Mr. Tarbox introduced himself and propounded21 his question.
Father and son exchanged a look of sadness.
"He means poor Frank, father," said Henry.
"Poor Frank!" repeated Mr. Tarbox, eagerly. "What makes you say that?"
[230]
"Were you a friend of the boy?" asked Mr. Abercrombie.
"Yes, and I am still. He's a tip-top fellow, Frank is."
"I am sorry, then, to be the bearer of sad tidings."
"What do you mean?" asked Jonathan, quickly. "Don't say anything has happened to the boy."
"But there has. He fell over a cliff, and though his body has not been found, he was probably killed instantly."
"Who was with him when he fell?" asked Mr. Tarbox, excited.
"His guardian22, Mr. Sharpley. The two had wandered off by themselves, without a guide. Frank approached too near the edge of the cliff, lost his balance, and fell."
"You don't mean Colonel Sharpley?" exclaimed Mr. Abercrombie, in surprise.
"Yes, I do. I followed them from Paris, because I was afraid of it."
[231]
"But it is incredible. I assure you Colonel Sharpley showed great sorrow for the accident."
"Then he's a hypocrite! If you want proof of what I say, just read that letter."
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收听单词发音
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1
rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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2
humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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3
disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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5
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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6
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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7
fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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8
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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9
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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10
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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11
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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12
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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13
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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14
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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15
hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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16
abash
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| v.使窘迫，使局促不安 | |
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17
intruding
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| v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于 | |
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18
snobs
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| （谄上傲下的）势利小人( snob的名词复数 )； 自高自大者，自命不凡者 | |
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19
daunted
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| 使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
propounded
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| v.提出（问题、计划等）供考虑[讨论]，提议( propound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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23
skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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