CHAPTER 31. NEW PLANS.

 When Grit¹ returned he found his mother naturally curious to know where he had been and on what errand.

 

"I should like to tell you everything, mother," he said, "but it may not be prudent² just yet."

 

"It's nothing wrong, I hope, Grit?"

 

"You may be sure of that, mother; I wouldn't engage in anything that I thought wrong. I feel justified³ in telling you confidentially⁴ that I was sent by Mr. Graves."

 

"What! the president of the bank?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Then it's all right," said Mrs. Brandon, with an air of relief.

 

"My time wasn't wasted, mother," said Grit cheerfully, as he displayed a ten-dollar note, new and crisp, which Mr. Graves had given him, besides paying the expenses of his trip. "I've only been gone two days, and ten dollars will pay me very well. It's better than boating, at any rate."

 

"Yes, but it isn't a steady employment."

 

"No; don't suppose I have any idea of[Pg 229] giving up boating, because I have been paid five dollars a day for my trip. It's a help, though."

 

"Did you see anything of Mr. Brandon while you were gone?" asked his mother apprehensively⁵.

 

"No, mother. I can't say I was disappointed, either."

 

"When he went away he spoke⁶ mysteriously of some good fortune that was coming to him. He expected to earn a large sum of money, and talked of going to Europe."

 

"He is welcome to do so," said Grit, smiling. "I hope he will, and then we can resume our old life. I tell you, mother, I feel more sure than ever of getting along. I am certain I can earn considerably⁷ more next year than I have ever done before," and the boy's cheeks glowed and his eyes sparkled with cheerful hope.

 

"I am sure you deserve to, Grit, for you've always been a good son."

 

"I ought to be, for I've got a good mother," said the boy, with a glance of affection at his mother.

 

"He pays me for all," thought Mrs. Brandon, as she watched with pride and a mother's love the form of her boy as he walked down to the river. "As long as he lives, I have reason[Pg 230] to be grateful to God. Mr. Brandon is a heavy cross to me, but I can bear it while I have Grit."

 

Mr. Brandon, however, did not show himself. He was at Portland, subject to the orders of Colonel Johnson, who thought it not prudent that he or Travers should return just at present, lest, under the influence of liquor, they might become talkative and betray more than he desired.

 

It was at this point that he learned from Ephraim Carver that Grit had been sent to Boston in the place of the regular bank messenger.

 

"It looks as if somebody suspected something," he reflected anxiously. "Is it possible that any part of our plan has leaked out? And if so, how? Then why should a boy like that be selected for so responsible a duty? He must have had some agency in the discovery. Ha! I have it! He is the stepson of this Brandon. I must question Brandon."

 

"Brandon," he said abruptly⁸, summoning that worthy⁹ to his presence, "you have a son named Grit, have you not?"

 

"Yes—curse the brat¹⁰!" answered Brandon, in a tone by no means paternal¹¹.

 

"What kind of a boy is he?"

 

"Impudent¹² and undutiful," said Brandon.[Pg 231] "He doesn't treat me with any kind of respect."

 

"I don't blame him for that," thought Johnson, surveying his instrument with a glance that did not indicate the highest esteem¹³.

 

"Did you tell him anything of our plans?" he asked searchingly.

 

"Tell him! He's the last person I'd tell!" returned Brandon, with emphasis.

 

"He didn't overhear you and Travers speaking of the matter, did he?"

 

"Certainly not. What makes you ask me that, colonel?"

 

"Because it was he who carried the genuine package of bonds to Boston—that's all."

 

"Grit—carried—the bonds!" Brandon ejaculated, in amazement¹⁴.

 

"Yes."

 

"How did you find out?"

 

"Carver found out. I have just had a despatch¹⁵ from him."

 

"Well, that beats me!" muttered Brandon. "I can't understand it at all."

 

"It looks as if Carver were distrusted. I shall find out presently. In the meanwhile, I must see that boy of yours."

 

"I'll go and bring him here," said Brandon.

 

"Don't trouble yourself. I can manage the[Pg 232] matter better by myself. I shall go to Boston this afternoon."

 

"Are Travers and I to go, too?"

 

"No; you can stay here. I'll direct you to a cheap boarding-house, where you can await my orders. I may take Travers with me."

 

This arrangement did not suit Brandon very well, though it might had he been entrusted¹⁶ with a liberal sum of money. But Colonel Johnson, having lost the valuable prize for which he had striven, was in no mood to be generous. He agreed to be responsible for Brandon's board, but only gave him two dollars for outside expenses, thus enforcing a degree of temperance which was very disagreeable to Brandon.

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 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

3 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

4 confidentially   

ad.秘密地，悄悄地

参考例句：

• She was leaning confidentially across the table. 她神神秘秘地从桌子上靠过来。
• Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou talked confidentially in low tones. 高松年汪处厚两人低声密谈。

5 apprehensively   

adv.担心地

参考例句：

• He glanced a trifle apprehensively towards the crowded ballroom. 他敏捷地朝挤满了人的舞厅瞟了一眼。 来自辞典例句
• Then it passed, leaving everything in a state of suspense, even the willow branches waiting apprehensively. 一阵这样的风过去，一切都不知怎好似的，连柳树都惊疑不定的等着点什么。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

6 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。

7 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

8 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

9 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

10 brat   

n.孩子；顽童

参考例句：

• He's a spoilt brat.他是一个被宠坏了的调皮孩子。
• The brat sicked his dog on the passer-by.那个顽童纵狗去咬过路人。

11 paternal   

adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的

参考例句：

• I was brought up by my paternal aunt.我是姑姑扶养大的。
• My father wrote me a letter full of his paternal love for me.我父亲给我写了一封充满父爱的信。

12 impudent   

adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

13 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

14 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

15 despatch   

n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道

参考例句：

• The despatch of the task force is purely a contingency measure.派出特遣部队纯粹是应急之举。
• He rushed the despatch through to headquarters.他把急件赶送到总部。

16 entrusted   

v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。
• She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》