“Half an hour ago,” answered Abner, for Herbert was gazing, with a repulsion he found it difficult to conceal1, at Barton, whose flushed face and thick utterance2 indicated his condition very clearly.
“Who came with him?” continued Barton.
“You'd better ask marm. She attended to the business. It was a young man.”
“Where is she?”
“Gone to the village to buy some sassiges for dinner.”
“Good!” exclaimed Barton, in a tone of satisfaction. “I'll stay at home to dinner to-day. Did the man pay your mother any money?”
“I s'pose so, or she wouldn't be buyin' sassiges. Old Schickman won't trust us any more.”
“The money should have been paid to me. I'll see about it when your marm comes back from the store.”
“You'd spend it all for drink, dad,” said Abner.
“How dare you speak so to your father, you ungrateful young dog!”
He essayed to reach Abner to strike him, but his dutiful son dodged3 easily, and his father, being unsteady on his legs, fell on the ground.
“Come here and help me up, you Abner!” said his father.
“Not much, dad! If you hadn't tried to lick me you wouldn't have fallen!”
“Let me help you, sir!” said Herbert, conquering his instinctive5 disgust and approaching the fallen man.
“You're a gentleman!” murmured Barton, as he took the little boy's proffered6 hand and, after considerable ado, raised himself to a standing7 position. “You're a gentleman; I wish I had a boy like you.”
Herbert could not join in the wish. He felt that a father like Joel Barton would be a great misfortune.
But just then Mrs. Barton entered the yard, marching with long strides like a man's.
“Here's marm!” announced Abner.
Barton steadied himself as he turned to look at his wife.
“I want to see you, Mrs. B.,” he said. “When are you goin' to have dinner?”
“Never, if I depended on you to supply the vittles!” she answered, bluntly.
“Don't speak so before a stranger,” said Barton, with a hiccough. “You hurt my feelin's.”
“Your feelin's are tough, and so are mine by this time.”
“What have you got there?”
“Some sassiges. Ef you want your share, you'll have to be on time. I shan't save you any.”
“How much money did the man pay you, Mrs. B.?”
“That's my business!” retorted his wife, shortly.
“Mrs. B.,” said her husband, straightening up, “I want you to understand that I'm the master of this house, and it's my right to take care of the money. You'll oblige me by handin' it over.”
“I'll do nothing of the sort, Joel Barton! You'd only spend it for drink.”
“Would you grudge8 me the few pennies I spend for drink? My system requires it. That's what the doctor says.”
“Then you must find the money for it yourself. My system requires something to eat, and, ef I take a boarder, he's got to have something to eat, too.”
“Look here, Joel Barton; you might as well stop such foolish talk. It won't do no good. I can't stay here all day. I must go and be gettin' dinner.”
Had Barton succeeded in raising money from his wife, he would probably have returned at once to the tavern10, and his place would have been vacant at the dinner table. Failing in this, he lay back and fell asleep, and was not roused till dinner time.
Mrs. Barton was a fair cook, and Herbert ate with an unexpected relish11. It is needless to say that Abner also did full justice to the meal.
“I say, Sam,” he said, “I'm glad you've come.”
Herbert was hardly prepared to agree with him.
“Now we'll have to live better,” Abner explained. “Mam and I gen'ally have to skirmish round for vittles. We don't often get meat.”
This frank confession12 rather alarmed Herbert. He was not over self-indulgent, but he had never lacked for nourishing food, and the prospect13 of an uncertain supply was not encouraging.
When dinner was over—there was no second course—they left the table. Joel Barton made a fresh attempt to extort14 a small sum from his wife, but was met with an inflexible15 refusal. Mrs. Barton proved deaf alike to entreaties16 and threats. She was a strong, resolute17 woman, and not one to be intimidated18.
When Barton left the house, his look of disappointment had given place to one of cunning.
“What for?”
“Never you mind.”
“But I do mind. Do you want to catch hold of me?”
“No; it's only a little matter of business. It's for your good.”
Abner accompanied his father as far as the fence.
“What for?”
“You're to take it and bring it to me.”
“And go without eatin'?”
“I'll buy the provisions myself. I'm the head of the family.”
“Do you want me to hook money from marm?”
“'Twon't be hookin'. The money by right belongs to me. Ain't I the head of the family?”
Joel frowned, but immediately tried another attack.
“Of course I'll give you some of it, Abner,” he resumed. “If there's five dollars I'll give you a quarter.”
“I'll see about it, dad.”
“Get it for me before evenin', if you can. I shall need it then.”
Abner returned to Herbert, and frankly24 related the conversation that had taken place between himself and his father.
Herbert was shocked. He did not know what to think of the singular family he had got into.
“You won't do it, will you?” he asked, startled.
“No, I won't. I want a quarter bad enough, but I'd rather mam would keep the money. She'll spend it for vittles, and dad would spend it for drink. Wouldn't you like to go a-fishin'? It's fine weather, and we'll have fun.”
Herbert assented25, not knowing how to dispose of his time. Abner turned the conversation again on New York. What Herbert had already told him had powerfully impressed his imagination.
“Haven't you got any money?” he asked.
He drew from his pocket a nickel.
“That won't do no good,” said Abner, disappointed. “Stop a minute, though,” he added, after a minute's pause. “Wouldn't your folks send you some money, if you should write to them?”
“Yes,” answered Herbert, his face brightening. “Why didn't I think of that before? If I could get me paper and ink I'd write at once to papa. I know he'd either send the money or come for me.”
“We'll go to the post office,” said Abner. “There you can buy some paper and a postage stamp. You've got just money enough. There's a pen and ink there.”
“Let us go at once,” said Herbert, eagerly.
The boys took their way to the village. The letter was written and posted, and a burden was lifted from the boy's mind. He felt that his father would seek him out at once, and he could bear his present position for a short time. But, alas27! for poor Herbert—the letter never came into his father's hands. Why, the reader will learn in the next chapter.
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1
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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maudlin
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| adj.感情脆弱的，爱哭的 | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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12
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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extort
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| v.勒索，敲诈，强要 | |
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inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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intimidated
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| v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的 | |
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beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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22
coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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23
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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