CHAPTER V. JED SECURES AN ALLY.

 It was trying to Mrs. Fogson to see her husband apparently¹ getting the worst of it from "that young viper," as she mentally apostrophized Jed, and she longed to take a part, notwithstanding her husband's refusal to accept her assistance.

 

A bright but malicious² idea struck her. She seized a tin dipper and filled it half full from the tea-kettle, the water in which was almost scalding. Then she seized an opportunity to empty it over Jed. But unfortunately for the success of her amiable³ plan, by the time she was ready to pour it out it was Mr. Fogson who was exposed, and he received the whole of the water on his neck and shoulder.

 

"Help! Help! Murder!" he shrieked⁴ in anguish⁵. "You have scalded me, you—you she cat!"

 

[Pg 38]

 

As he spoke⁶ he released his hold on Jed, who sprang to his feet and stood watching for the next movement of the enemy.

 

"Did I scald you, Simeon?" asked Mrs. Fogson in dismay.

 

"Yes; I am almost dead. Get some flour and sweet oil—quick!"

 

"I didn't mean to," said his wife repentantly. "I meant it for that boy."

 

"You're an idiot!" roared Fogson, stamping his foot. "Go and get the oil—quick!"

 

Mrs. Fogson, much frightened, hurried to obey orders, and the next fifteen minutes were spent in allaying⁷ the anguish of her lord and master, who made it very unpleasant for her by his bitter complaints and upbraidings.

 

"I think I'd better get out of this," thought Jed. "The old woman will be trying to scald me next."

 

He disappeared through the side door, leaving the amiable couple busily but not pleasantly employed.

 

He had scarcely left the house when Dr. Redmond drove up, his errand being to see one of the inmates⁸ of the poorhouse.

 

[Pg 39]

 

"How are you, Jed?" he said pleasantly. "My wife tells me you did her a great service to-day?"

 

"I was glad to do it, doctor," said Jed.

 

"Here's a dollar. I am sure you can use it."

 

"But, doctor, Mrs. Redmond gave me a dollar."

 

"Never mind! You can use both."

 

"Thank you," said Jed. "You'd better go right in, doctor; Mrs. Fogson has just scalded her husband, and he is in great pain."

 

"How did it happen?" asked the doctor in amazement⁹.

 

"Go in and they'll tell you," said Jed. "I'll see you afterwards and tell you whether their story is correct."

 

When Mr. and Mrs. Fogson saw the doctor enter they were overjoyed.

 

"Oh, Dr. Redmond," groaned¹⁰ Fogson, "do something to relieve me quick. I'm in terrible pain."

 

"What's the matter?" asked Dr. Redmond.

 

"I am scalded."

 

[Pg 40]

 

"How did it happen?"

 

"She did it!" said Fogson, pointing scornfully to Mrs. Fogson.

 

Dr. Redmond set himself at once to relieve the suffering one, making use of the remedies that Fogson himself had suggested to his wife. When the patient was more comfortable he turned gravely to Mrs. Fogson and asked: "Will you explain how your husband got scalded?"

 

"The woman poured hot water on me," interrupted Fogson with an ugly scowl¹¹. "It would serve her right if I treated her in the same manner."

 

"You don't mean that she did it on purpose, Mr. Fogson?" exclaimed the doctor.

 

"Of course I didn't," retorted Mrs. Fogson indignantly. "I meant it for Jed."

 

"You meant to scald Jed?" said the doctor sternly.

 

"Yes; he assaulted my husband, and I feared he would kill him. It was all the way I could help."

 

"Mrs. Fogson, I can hardly believe you would be guilty of such an atrocious act even[Pg 41] on your own confession¹², nor can I believe that Jed would assault your husband without good cause."

 

"It is true, whether you believe it or not," said Mrs. Fogson sullenly¹³.

 

Dr. Redmond's answer was to open the outer door and call "Jed!"

 

Jed entered at once, and stood in the presence of his persecutors, calm and undisturbed.

 

"Jed," said the doctor, "Mrs. Fogson admits that she scalded her husband in trying to scald you, and urges, in defense¹⁴, that you assaulted Mr. Fogson. What do you say to this?"

 

"That Mr. Fogson struck me over the shoulder with a horsewhip, and that I pulled it away from him. Upon this he sprang at me, and in self-defense I grappled with him, and while we were rolling over the floor Mrs. Fogson poured a dipper of hot water over her husband, meaning it for me."

 

"Is this true, Mr. Fogson?" asked the doctor.

 

"Yes, it's about so. Mrs. Fogson acted like an idiot."

 

[Pg 42]

 

"If she had scalded Jed instead of you, would you say the same thing?"

 

"Well, of course that would have been different."

 

"I can see no difference," said Dr. Redmond sternly. "It was not an idiotic¹⁵, but a brutal¹⁶ and inhuman¹⁷ act."

 

"Come, doctor, that's rather strong," protested Fogson uncomfortably.

 

"It is not too strong! I don't think there is a person in the village but would agree with me. Had the victim of the scalding been Jed, I would have reported the matter to the authorities. Now tell me why you attempted to horsewhip the boy?"

 

"Because he was impudent," replied Fogson evasively.

 

"And that was all?"

 

"He disobeyed me."

 

"Jed, let me hear your version of the story."

 

"Mr. Fogson knew that I had a dollar given me by Mrs. Redmond, and he called upon me to give it up to him. I wouldn't do it, and upon that he tried to horsewhip me."

 

[Pg 43]

 

"You see he owns up to his disobeying me, doctor," put in Fogson triumphantly¹⁸.

 

"Why did you require him to give you the dollar, Mr. Fogson?"

 

"Because he is a pauper¹⁹, and a pauper has no right to hold money."

 

"I won't discuss that point. What did you propose to do with the dollar in case you had obtained it from Jed?"

 

"As you are not Overseer of the Poor, Dr. Redmond, I don't know that I have any call to tell you. When Squire²⁰ Dixon asks me I will make it all straight with him."

 

"Probably," answered the doctor in a significant tone, for he as well as others understood that there was some secret compact between Mr. Fogson and the town official, and he had earnestly opposed Squire Dixon at the polls.

 

"Not only you, but Squire Dixon will have to give an account of your stewardship," he said. "If any outrage²¹ should be committed against the boy Jed, or any one else in this establishment, you will find that making it straight with Squire Dixon won't be sufficient."

 

[Pg 44]

 

"I will report what you say to Squire Dixon," said Fogson defiantly²².

 

"I wish you would. I shouldn't object to saying the same thing to his face. Now, Mrs. Fogson, if you will lead the way I will go and see Mrs. Connolly."

 

"Come along, then," said Mrs. Fogson, compressing her thin lips. "I don't believe there is anything the matter with that old woman."

 

"I am a better judge of that matter than you, Mrs. Fogson."

 

The poor old woman looked thin and wan²³, and hardly had strength to lift up her head to meet the doctor's glance.

 

After a brief examination he said: "Your trouble is nervous debility. You have no strength. What you need is nourishment²⁴. Do you have tea three times a day, Mrs. Connolly?"

 

"Only once a week, doctor," wailed²⁵ the poor old woman, bursting into tears.

 

"Only once a week!" repeated the doctor shocked. "What does this mean, Mrs. Fogson?"

 

[Pg 45]

 

"It means, Dr. Redmond," answered the mistress of the poorhouse, "that this is not a first-class hotel."

 

"I should say not," commented the doctor. "How often did you have tea, Mrs. Connolly, when Mr. and Mrs. Avery were here?"

 

"At breakfast and supper, and on Sundays three times a day."

 

"Precisely²⁶. What do you say to that, Mrs. Fogson?"

 

"I say, as everybody says, that the Averys squandered²⁷ the town's money."

 

"They certainly didn't put it into their own pockets. The town, I think I am safe in saying, doesn't mean to starve the poor people whom it provides for. Do I understand that you are actuated by a desire to save the town's money?"

 

"Of course I am, and Squire Dixon approves all I do," answered Mrs. Fogson defiantly.

 

"If he approves your withholding²⁸ the necessities of life from those under your charge he is unfit for his position. When the accounts of the poorhouse are audited²⁹ at the end[Pg 46] of the year I shall make a searching examination, and ascertain³⁰ how much less they are under your administration than under that of your predecessors³¹."

 

Judging from her looks, Mrs. Fogson was aching to scratch Dr. Redmond's eyes out; but as he was not a pauper she was compelled to restrain her anger.

 

"Now, Mrs. Connolly," said the doctor, "you are to have tea twice a day, and three times on Sunday. I shall see that it is given to you," he added, with a significant glance at Mrs. Fogson.

 

"Oh, how glad I am!" said the poor creature. "God bless you, Dr. Redmond!"

 

"Mrs. Fogson," went on the doctor, "do you limit yourself to tea once a week?"

 

"I ain't a pauper, Dr. Redmond!" replied Mrs. Fogson indignantly.

 

"No; you are much stronger than a pauper, and could bear the deprivation³² better. Let me tell you that you needn't be afraid to supply decent food to the poor people in your charge. It won't cost any more than it did under the Averys, for prices are, on the whole, cheaper."

 

[Pg 47]

 

"Perhaps if it does cost more you'll pay it out of your own pocket."

 

"I contribute already to the support of the poorhouse, being a large taxpayer³³, and I give my medical services without exacting³⁴ payment. The town is not mean, and I will see that no fault is found with reasonable bills."

 

"I wish you'd fall and break your neck, you old meddler," thought Mrs. Fogson, but she did not dare to say this.

 

"One thing more, madam!" said the doctor, who had now entered the room where Jed and her husband were; "reserve your hot water for its legitimate³⁵ uses. No more scalding, if you please."

 

"That's well put, doctor!" growled³⁶ Fogson. "If she wants to scald anybody else, she had better try herself."

 

"That's all the gratitude³⁷ I get for taking your part, Simeon Fogson," said the exasperated³⁸ helpmeet. "The next time, Jed may beat you black and blue for all I care."

 

"It strikes me," remarked the doctor dryly, "that your husband is a match for a boy of sixteen, and need be under no [Pg 48]apprehension. No more horsewhips, Mr. Fogson, if you please, and don't trouble yourself about any small sums that Jed may receive. Jed, jump into my buggy, and I will take you home with me. I think Mrs. Redmond will give you some supper."

 

"The boy hasn't done his chores," said Mrs. Fogson maliciously³⁹.

 

"Very well, I will make a bargain with you. Don't object to his going, and I won't charge Mr. Fogson anything for my attendance upon him just now."

 

This appeal to the selfish interests of Mr. Fogson had its effect, and Jed jumped into the doctor's buggy with eager alacrity⁴⁰.

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

3 amiable   

adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的

参考例句：

• She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。
• We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

4 shrieked   

v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
• Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

5 anguish   

n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼

参考例句：

• She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
• The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

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 allaying   

v.减轻，缓和( allay的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Most important, improving the government's reputation means allaying political and human-rights concerns. 最重要的在于提高政府的声誉，这意味着需要缓和政治策略和关注人权间的矛盾。 来自互联网
• More reading may be allaying your doubt. 多读书或许可以减少你的疑惑。 来自互联网

8 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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。

10 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 scowl   

vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容

参考例句：

• I wonder why he is wearing an angry scowl.我不知道他为何面带怒容。
• The boss manifested his disgust with a scowl.老板面带怒色，清楚表示出他的厌恶之感。

12 confession   

n.自白，供认，承认

参考例句：

• Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
• The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

13 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

14 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

15 idiotic   

adj.白痴的

参考例句：

• It is idiotic to go shopping with no money.去买东西而不带钱是很蠢的。
• The child's idiotic deeds caused his family much trouble.那小孩愚蠢的行为给家庭带来许多麻烦。

16 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

17 inhuman   

adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的

参考例句：

• We must unite the workers in fighting against inhuman conditions.我们必须使工人们团结起来反对那些难以忍受的工作条件。
• It was inhuman to refuse him permission to see his wife.不容许他去看自己的妻子是太不近人情了。

18 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

19 pauper   

n.贫民，被救济者，穷人

参考例句：

• You lived like a pauper when you had plenty of money.你有大把钱的时候，也活得像个乞丐。
• If you work conscientiously you'll only die a pauper.你按部就班地干，做到老也是穷死。

20 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

21 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

22 defiantly   

adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地

参考例句：

• Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 wan   

(wide area network)广域网

参考例句：

• The shared connection can be an Ethernet,wireless LAN,or wireless WAN connection.提供共享的网络连接可以是以太网、无线局域网或无线广域网。

24 nourishment   

n.食物，营养品；营养情况

参考例句：

• Lack of proper nourishment reduces their power to resist disease.营养不良降低了他们抵抗疾病的能力。
• He ventured that plants draw part of their nourishment from the air.他大胆提出植物从空气中吸收部分养分的观点。

25 wailed   

v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句

26 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

27 squandered   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squandered all his money on gambling. 他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
• She felt as indignant as if her own money had been squandered. 她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。 来自飘（部分）

28 withholding   

扣缴税款

参考例句：

• She was accused of withholding information from the police. 她被指控对警方知情不报。
• The judge suspected the witness was withholding information. 法官怀疑见证人在隐瞒情况。

29 audited   

v.审计，查账( audit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The accounts have to be audited by a firm of external auditors. 这些账目必须由一家外聘审计员的公司来稽查。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• E. g. few if any charities collection publishes audited accounts. 例如很少义款收集有公布经过查核的帐目。 来自互联网

30 ascertain   

vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清

参考例句：

• It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。
• We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。

31 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 deprivation   

n.匮乏；丧失；夺去，贫困

参考例句：

• Many studies make it clear that sleep deprivation is dangerous.多实验都证实了睡眠被剥夺是危险的。
• Missing the holiday was a great deprivation.错过假日是极大的损失。

33 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

34 exacting   

adj.苛求的，要求严格的

参考例句：

• He must remember the letters and symbols with exacting precision.他必须以严格的精度记住每个字母和符号。
• The public has been more exacting in its demands as time has passed.随着时间的推移，公众的要求更趋严格。

35 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

36 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

38 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

39 maliciously   

adv.有敌意地

参考例句：

• He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His enemies maliciously conspired to ruin him. 他的敌人恶毒地密谋搞垮他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

40 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。