Brandon stared in surprise at the boy.
"I object to that name, Mr. Brandon," said Grit quietly.
"You've grown!" said Brandon, still regarding him with curiosity.
"Yes, I ought to have grown some in five years."
[Pg 63]
It occurred to Mr. Brandon that it might not be so easy as he had expected to bully4 his stepson. He resolved at first to be conciliatory.
"I'm glad to see you," he said. "It's long since we met."
"Yes," answered Grit.
He was not prepared to return the compliment, and express pleasure at his stepfather's return.
"I'm glad you and your mother have got along so well while I was away."
Grit felt tempted5 to say that they had got along better during Mr. Brandon's absence than when he was with them, but he forbore. He did not want to precipitate6 a conflict, though, from what his mother had said, he foresaw that one would come soon enough.
"Your mother tells me that you make money by your boat," continued Mr. Brandon.
"Yes, sir."
"That's a good plan. I approve it. How much money have you made to-day, now?"
"I have a dollar or two in my pocket," answered Grit evasively.
"Very good!" said Brandon, in a tone of[Pg 64] satisfaction. "You may as well hand it to me."
So the crisis had come! Mrs. Brandon looked at her son and her husband with anxiety, fearing there would be a quarrel, and perhaps something worse. She was tempted to say something in deprecation, but Grit said promptly7:
"Thank you, Mr. Brandon, but I would prefer to keep the money myself."
Brandon was rather taken aback by the boy's perfect coolness and self-possession.
"How old are you?" he asked, with a frown.
"Fifteen."
"Indeed!" sneered8 Brandon. "I thought, from the way you talked, you were twenty-one. You don't seem to be aware that I am your legal guardian9."
"No, sir, I was not aware of it."
"Then it's time you knew it. Ain't I your stepfather?"
"I suppose so," said Grit, with reluctance10.
"Ha, you admit that, do you? I'm the master of this house, and it's my place to give orders. Your wages belong to me, but if you[Pg 65] are obedient and respectful, I will allow you a small sum daily, say five cents."
"That arrangement is not satisfactory, Mr. Brandon," said Grit firmly.
"Why isn't it?" demanded his stepfather, frowning.
"I use my money to support the family."
"Did I say anything against it? As the master of the house, the bills come to me to be paid, and therefore I require you to give me every night whatever you may have taken during the day."
"Do you intend to earn anything yourself?" asked Grit pointedly11; "or do you expect to live on us?"
"Boy, you are impertinent," said Brandon, coloring.
"Don't provoke Mr. Brandon," said Grit's mother timidly.
"We may as well come to an understanding," said Grit boldly. "I am willing to do all I can for you, mother, but Mr. Brandon is able to take care of himself, and I cannot support him, too."
"Is this the way you talk to your father, you impertinent boy?" exclaimed Brandon wrathfully.
[Pg 66]
"You are not my father, Mr. Brandon," said Grit coldly.
"It is all the same; I am your mother's husband."
"That's a different thing."
"Once more, are you going to give me the money you have in your pocket?"
"No, sir."
Brandon looked at Grit, and he felt that it would have given him pleasure to shake the rebellion out of his obstinate12 stepson, but supper was almost ready, and he felt hungry. He decided13 that it would be as well to postpone14 an open outbreak. Grit was in the house, and not likely to run away.
"We'll speak of this another time," he said, waving his hand. "You will find, young man, that it is of no use opposing me. Mrs. Brandon, is supper almost ready?"
"Then serve it as soon as possible," he said, in a lordly tone. "I am to meet a gentleman on business directly afterward16."
Supper was on the table in fifteen minutes.
Mr. Brandon ate with evident enjoyment17.[Pg 67] Indeed, it was so short a time since he had been restricted to prison fare that he relished18 the plain but well-cooked dishes which his wife prepared.
"Another cup of tea, Mrs. Brandon," he said. "It seems pleasant to be at home again after my long absence."
"I shouldn't think he would like to refer to his imprisonment," thought Grit.
"I hope soon to be in business," continued Brandon, "and we shall then be able to live in better style. When that time comes I shall be willing to have Grit retain his small earnings19, stipulating20 only that he shall buy his own clothes, and pay his mother, say a dollar and a quarter a week, for board."
He said this with the air of a man who considered himself liberal, but neither Grit nor his mother expressed their sense of his generosity21.
"Of course, just at present," Mr. Brandon proceeded, "I have no money. The minions22 of the law took from me all I had when they unjustly thrust me into a foul23 dungeon24. For a time, therefore, I shall be compelled to accept Grit's earnings, but it will not be for long."
[Pg 68]
Grit said nothing to this hint, but all the same he determined25, whether for a short or a long time, to resist the exactions of his stepfather.
As for Brandon, his change of front was induced by the thought that he could accomplish by stratagem26 what he might have had some difficulty in securing by force. He still had twenty-five cents of the dollar which his wife had given him in the morning.
When supper was over he rose, and, putting on his hat, said:
"I am going to the village on business. I shall be home in good season. Are you going my way, Grit?"
"Not just at present," answered Grit.
Mother and son looked at each other when they were alone.
"I suppose he's gone to the tavern," said Grit.
"Yes, I presume so," said his mother, sighing.
"Well, mother, I didn't give up the money."
"No, Grit, but he means to have it yet."
"He's welcome to it if he can get it," said the boy manfully.
[Pg 69]
"You haven't got the sixty dollars with you?" said his mother anxiously.
"No, they are safe. I have kept only two dollars, thinking you might need some groceries."
"Yes, I do, Grit. They go off faster, now that we have another mouth to feed."
"Suppose you make out a list of what you want, mother, and I will go up to the store this evening. I may as well save Mr. Brandon from temptation."
His mother made a list, and Grit, putting it in his pocket, walked up to the village.
The groceries, with a pound of steak, cost a dollar and ninety cents.
As Grit took the bundles and walked homeward, he thought to himself.
"Mr. Brandon wouldn't feel very well repaid for his trouble if he should take all I have left. He ought to be satisfied with free board, without expecting us to supply him with pocket-money besides. I wonder what he would say if he knew how much money I have deposited with Fred Lawrence?"
Grit congratulated himself that his stepfather was not likely to make this discovery, but in this he reckoned without his host.
[Pg 70]
Mr. Brandon made the discovery that same evening. How it came about will appear in the next chapter.
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1
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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2
penitentiary
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| n.感化院；监狱 | |
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3
cub
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| n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人 | |
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4
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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5
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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6
precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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7
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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8
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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10
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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11
pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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12
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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13
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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14
postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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15
postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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16
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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17
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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18
relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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19
earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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20
stipulating
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| v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的现在分词 )；规定，明确要求 | |
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21
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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22
minions
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| n.奴颜婢膝的仆从( minion的名词复数 )；走狗；宠儿；受人崇拜者 | |
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23
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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24
dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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25
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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