On the present occasion our legal friend decided1 to call at once on Mr. Ford2, in pursuance of the commission which he received from Lewis Rand. It involved a species of double dealing3 for which Mr. Sharp felt that he had peculiar4 qualifications.
Taking down from the nail his invariable white hat, he adjusted it somewhat jauntily5 upon his head, and walked forth6 with a benevolent7 smile irradiating his countenance8, as if he were meditating9 some scheme by which he expected to add largely to the sum-total of human happiness. There are others than he who go out with a smile upon the lips, but an evil purpose in their hearts.
The lawyer took his way to Mrs. Morton’s lodging-house. He went up stairs, and entered Mr. Ford’s room without ceremony, knowing that Helen would be absent at that hour, and that the habitual10 abstraction of her father would probably prevent his knock being heard.
“Ah, good afternoon, Mr. Ford,” he said, with affability, cordially grasping the inventor’s hand. “Still at your work, I see. I could not resist the impulse to call and inquire after your progress. It seems such a welcome relief to come from the close, dusty court-room to this little retreat of yours. And how are you getting on, my dear friend?”
“I am advancing as rapidly as I anticipated,” said Mr. 145Ford, pausing in the midst of an intricate calculation. “I feel that I have every reason to be encouraged.”
“I am delighted to hear it,” exclaimed the lawyer, with friendly enthusiasm. “Then you really think that before many years we shall be able to skim from country to country on the wings of the wind, so to speak.”
“I have not a doubt of it,” answered the inventor, in a tone of quiet confidence. “We already know how great a degree of speed has been attained11 by our steamers and locomotives, in the face of far greater obstacles than are to be encountered in the case of a?rial navigation. The great impediment to the speed of the locomotive is, as you are doubtless aware, the friction12 that necessarily results from its constant contact with the earth.”
“While the speed of the ocean-steamer is in like manner very materially lessened14 by the resistance of the water.”
Mr. Sharp had often been struck by this very thought. Indeed, he had expended15 considerable time and thought in the leisure stolen from his professional cares in attempting to devise means for remedying to some extent these causes of loss. For, as he had before assured Mr. Ford, though a lawyer by profession, his tastes lay in quite a different direction.
“Now in traversing the air,” continued Mr. Ford, “we have the advantage of not being obliged to contend either with the friction generated by constant contact with the earth, or with the resistance of a foreign element like water. All that needs to be overcome is the resistance of the air, which is no greater than in the other cases, while the other obstacles are removed.”
“Very true,” said Mr. Sharp, with an air of profound conviction.
“All that is needed to establish a?rial navigation on a 146firm basis is to find some means of steadying and regulating the motion, which no doubt would be incredibly rapid. It is intended that the machine shall partake of the nature of a balloon, as buoyancy will of course be requisite16.”
“My dear sir,” said Mr. Sharp, warmly grasping the hand of the inventor, “nothing could be more clear and lucid17 than your explanation. The same course of reasoning, if you will permit me to say so, has more than once suggested itself to me, but, if I may be allowed the expression, it is an idiosyncrasy of mine to possess more theoretical than practical ability. Therefore even if my many engagements would suffer it, I doubt whether I should become a successful inventor. You, my dear sir, who so happily combine both, are admirably adapted to that high vocation18.”
“I ought to succeed,” said Mr. Ford, with a little sigh, “if the labor19 and thought of many years employed in one direction can achieve success.”
“I hope,” said the visitor, as if the question had just occurred to him, “that you have made free use of the money it was my privilege to offer you recently.”
Mr. Ford replied gratefully, that he had expended about one half of it. He hoped to be able to repay it some day.
“Of course,” argued the lawyer to himself, “he could not pay it now. That is what I wanted to know.”
“I ought perhaps to mention,” he said, carelessly, “that having a large claim unexpectedly presented for payment yesterday, I raised money upon your note, expressly stipulating20 that you should not be called upon for it, as I should be able to redeem21 it in a day or two.”
“You are very kind,” said Mr. Ford. “Perhaps I had better return you the money yet remaining in my hands.”
“By no means, my dear sir,” exclaimed Mr. Sharp, almost indignantly; “shall I recall the humble22 offering which I have laid upon the altar of science? Nay23, I am resolved 147that my name shall be humbly24 connected with yours, when the world has learned to recognize your genius, and numbers you among its benefactors25.”
How was it possible to suspect a friendship so disinterested26?
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1
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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2
Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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3
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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4
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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5
jauntily
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| adv.心满意足地；洋洋得意地；高兴地；活泼地 | |
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6
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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7
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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8
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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9
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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10
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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11
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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12
friction
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| n.摩擦，摩擦力 | |
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13
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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14
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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15
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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16
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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17
lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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18
vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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19
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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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
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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22
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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23
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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24
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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25
benefactors
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| n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人 | |
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26
disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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