CHAPTER 11. THE MIDNIGHT VISIT.

 Grit¹ was not aware that Brandon had discovered his secret, but still was not unprepared for a night visit. As we already know, he had but ten cents left of the two dollars he had reserved, and this coin he put into a small leather purse, which he usually carried.

 

[Pg 79]

 

"If Mr. Brandon searches for money, he will be disappointed," he said to himself, with a quiet smile. "He won't find enough to pay him for his trouble."

 

Grit was not anxious enough about his money to keep awake. When, therefore, his stepfather entered his chamber², he was fast asleep. Brandon listened for a moment to the deep breathing of the boy, and felt that there was no need of caution. He therefore boldly advanced, candle in hand, to the bedside. The candle he set on the bureau, and then took up Grit's clothes, which hung over a chair, and proceeded to examine the pockets.

 

His countenance³ changed as he continued the search.

 

At last he came to the purse, but it felt empty, and he did not open it with much confidence. Thrusting in his finger, he drew out the solitary⁴ dime⁵ which it contained.

 

"Only ten cents!" he exclaimed, with intense disappointment. "It isn't worth taking. On second thoughts, I'll take it, though, for it will pay for a drink."

 

He pocketed the coin, and resumed his search.

 

[Pg 80]

 

"The boy must have a pocketbook somewhere," he muttered. "He wouldn't carry bank-bills in a purse. Where can he keep it?" Once more he explored the pockets of his stepson, but he met with no greater success than before.

 

It is a curious circumstance that sometimes in profound sleep a person seems vaguely⁶ aware of the presence of an intruder, and the feeling is frequently strong enough to disturb slumber⁷. Grit was a sound sleeper⁸, but, however we may account for it, whether it was the instinctive⁹ feeling I have mentioned, or the glare of the candle, he woke up, and his glance rested on the kneeling figure of his stepfather rummaging¹⁰ his pockets. Instantly Grit realized the situation, and he felt more amused than indignant, knowing how poorly the searcher would be rewarded.

 

Brandon's back was turned to him, and our hero felt inclined to try the effect of a practical joke.

 

In a deep, sepulchral¹¹ voice, he called out:

 

"What are you doing there?"

 

Brandon, taken by surprise, started as if he had been shot, and sprang to his feet in confusion. Turning to the bed, he saw Grit [Pg 81]surveying him calmly. Then his natural hardihood restored his self-possession.

 

"Where do you keep your money, you young cub¹²?" he demanded.

 

"Where do I keep it? I suspect you know well enough. Haven't you looked into my purse?"

 

"Yes, and I only found ten cents."

 

"Did you take it?" asked Grit.

 

"Yes."

 

"Then it's lucky I had no more in it."

 

"Where is the rest of your money?" demanded Brandon.

 

"What do you mean by the rest of my money?"

 

"I mean the sixty dollars you had with you to-day."

 

Grit whistled.

 

"So you heard I had sixty dollars?" he said.

 

"Yes."

 

"It is in a safe place."

 

"Ha! You own that you had so much money. You wanted to keep it from me, did you?" demanded Brandon, with a frown.

 

"Yes, I did," admitted Grit. "Did Phil Courtney tell you I had it?"

 

"No matter how I heard. I know that you[Pg 82] are trying to conceal¹³ a large sum of money, which ought to be in my hands."

 

"Indeed! How do you make that out?"

 

"I am your stepfather and natural guardian¹⁴. I am the best person to take care of your money."

 

"I don't think so, and I propose to keep it myself," said Grit firmly.

 

"Do you defy me?" demanded Brandon angrily.

 

"If you call my refusing to give you my own money by that name, then I do."

 

"Boy, you don't know me!" said Brandon, in a tone intended to strike terror into the heart of his stepson. "Hitherto you have had only your mother to look after you, and she has been foolishly indulgent. Now you have a man to deal with. Once more, will you hand me that money?"

 

"I decline," said Grit firmly.

 

"Then on your head be the consequences," said Brandon. "You will hear from me again, and soon."

 

So saying, he stalked majestically¹⁵ from the chamber.

 

"I wonder what he means to do?" thought Grit.

 

But the thought did not keep him awake.

1 grit   

n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关

参考例句：

• The soldiers showed that they had plenty of grit. 士兵们表现得很有勇气。
• I've got some grit in my shoe.我的鞋子里弄进了一些砂子。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

4 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

5 dime   

n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角

参考例句：

• A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
• The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

6 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

7 slumber   

n.睡眠，沉睡状态

参考例句：

• All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
• Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。

8 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

9 instinctive   

adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的

参考例句：

• He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
• Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。

10 rummaging   

翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查

参考例句：

• She was rummaging around in her bag for her keys. 她在自己的包里翻来翻去找钥匙。
• Who's been rummaging through my papers? 谁乱翻我的文件来着？

11 sepulchral   

adj.坟墓的，阴深的

参考例句：

• He made his way along the sepulchral corridors.他沿着阴森森的走廊走着。
• There was a rather sepulchral atmosphere in the room.房间里有一种颇为阴沉的气氛。

12 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

13 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

14 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

15 majestically   

雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地

参考例句：

• The waters of the Changjiang River rolled to the east on majestically. 雄伟的长江滚滚东流。
• Towering snowcapped peaks rise majestically. 白雪皑皑的山峰耸入云霄。