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CHAPTER XXXVI. "WHO WAS JED?"
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 Mrs. Avery went up stairs to her own room, but reappeared in five minutes. She had in her hand an old-fashioned gold locket.
 
"This," she said, "was attached to the neck of the boy when he came into our hands."
 
"Have you opened it?" asked the detective eagerly. "Is there a picture inside?"
 
"There are two miniatures—one on each side."
 
She opened the locket, and it proved to be as she said.
 
One of these was a miniature of a young and handsome man, apparently1 thirty years of age, the other of a young lady with a very sweet and attractive face, probably five years younger.
 
"These must represent the parents of the boy Jed," said the detective.
 
[Pg 319]
 
"So we concluded—Mr. Avery and myself."
 
"Does the lady bear any resemblance to the girl who brought the child to you?"
 
"Not the slightest. The girl was common in appearance. She probably filled the position of a servant or nursemaid."
 
"Did it occur to you that she might be in any way related to the child?"
 
"Not for a moment. He was evidently the child of parents wealthy or well to do."
 
"Did you form any conjectures2 relative to her or her object in bringing you the child?"
 
"No. There was nothing to serve as a clew. It was all guesswork on our part. Still the thought did occur to us that the child had been stolen or abducted3 from his people for some reason unknown to us."
 
The detective hesitated a moment, and then, having apparently made up his mind to confide4 in the worthy5 couple, said: "Your guess was very near the truth. The child, I have every reason to believe, was stolen from its mother—the father was dead—through the[Pg 320] machinations of an uncle who wanted the boy's title and estate."
 
"Title!" exclaimed Mrs. Avery, in great surprise.
 
"Yes. This boy I believe to be the only son of the late Sir Charles Fenwick, of Fenwick Hall, Gloucestershire, England."
 
"Well, well!" ejaculated Mrs. Avery. "Then if the boy had his rights would he be Sir Jed Gilman?"
 
"No," answered the detective smiling. "He has no more claim to the name Jed Gilman than I have."
 
"What is his real name?"
 
"Robert Fenwick, as I have every reason to believe."
 
"Why has there been no search for him till now?"
 
"There has been a search covering all the intervening years; but the mother, who is still living, had no information to guide her, and the search has been a groping in the dark."
 
"And did the wicked uncle get the title and estate?" asked Mrs. Avery.
 
"Yes. He is enjoying both now."
 
[Pg 321]
 
"Is it a large estate?"
 
"It would not be considered large in England. Probably it amounts to five thousand pounds annual rental6."
 
"Five thousand pounds!" said Mrs. Avery.
 
"Yes, or in our money about twenty-five thousand dollars."
 
"And this large estate ought to belong to poor Jed?"
 
"I submit that, if so, he will not need to be called poor Jed."
 
"And you say that the mother is living?"
 
"She is living, and in New York. She is comfortably established at the Windsor Hotel on Fifth Avenue. It is by her that I am employed. This is my card."
 
He drew out a small card bearing the name
 
James Peake.
 
"Yes. I am an American," he said in reply to a question by Mrs. Avery. "I am a New York detective, and was detailed7 for this work by Inspector8 Byrnes."
 
"What sort of a person is Jed's mother?" asked Mrs. Avery.
 
[Pg 322]
 
"Still a beautiful woman, though she cannot be far from forty years of age."
 
"Does she look like the picture in the locket?"
 
"There is considerable resemblance—of course, making allowance for the difference in the ages of the two. This locket, Mrs. Avery, is most important, and will, I think, establish the identity of Jed Gilman with the stolen heir of the Fenwick estate. Will you permit me to take it and show it to Lady Fenwick?"
 
"Has she a title, too?"
 
"Certainly. She was the wife of Sir Charles Fenwick."
 
"And what is the name of the wicked uncle?"
 
"Guy Fenwick. He is known as Sir Guy Fenwick, but probably, almost positively9, has no rightful claim to the title."
 
"Does he know that you are looking for his nephew?"
 
"I presume he has taken measures to keep acquainted with all the movements of Lady Fenwick."
 
[Pg 323]
 
"I wonder how the girl came to give the boy the name of Jed Gilman?"
 
"I think I can explain this. The name of this treacherous10 nursemaid was Jane Gilman. She selected a name as near to her own as possible. You say you have neither seen nor heard anything of this girl since Jed was left in your hands?"
 
"We have heard nothing whatever."
 
At this moment there was a ring at the door-bell—a sharp, quick, impatient ring.
 
Mrs. Avery answered it.
 
She came back, her face showing excitement.
 
"It is a woman of middle age," she said, "and she, too, has come to make inquiries11 about Jed Gilman."
 
The detective also looked excited.
 
"Do you think," he asked, "it can be Jane Gilman herself come back after all these years?"
 
"That's it!" said Mrs. Avery, her face lighting12 up. "I wondered where I had seen her face before. Now, though she is so much older, I recognize in this middle-aged13 woman[Pg 324] the girl who brought Jed to the door fourteen years ago."
 
"Bring her in here, hear what she has to say, and place me somewhere, so that, myself unseen, I can hear what she says."
 
This was what the detective said in a quick, decided14 tone.
 
"Very well, sir, go in there. It is a small bedroom. You can keep the door ajar."
 
The detective lost no time in concealing15 himself.
 
The woman came in. She was a stout16, florid-complexioned woman, rather showily dressed, with the look of an Englishwoman of the middle class.
 
Before we proceed to record the interview that took place between Mr. and Mrs. Avery and herself we must go back again to the poorhouse, and our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Fogson.
 
Twenty minutes after the departure of James Peake, the detective, this woman knocked at the door of the poorhouse.
 
Her summons was answered by Mrs. Fogson.
 
[Pg 325]
 
"What's wanted?" asked the poorhouse matron, looking inquisitively17 at the new arrival.
 
"Is there a boy named Jed Gilman living here?" asked the woman eagerly.
 
"Jed Gilman again!" repeated Mrs. Fogson. "What do you want of Jed Gilman?"
 
"Answer my question first, if you please."
 
"Such a boy was living here till lately, but he became very troublesome and finally ran away."
 
"Then he is not here now?" said the woman, looking very much disappointed.
 
"No, but I expect he'll have to come back some time. A bad penny generally returns. You haven't told me what you have to do with him?"
 
"Then I will tell you. I was the person who brought him here fourteen years ago."
 
"You don't say so?" ejaculated Mrs. Fogson, her little bead-like eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Was he your child?"
 
"Certainly not, but he was my brother's child."
 
"And what was your object in bringing him here?"
 
[Pg 326]
 
"My brother was dead, and the child was thrown upon me for support," answered the woman after a little hesitation18. "I could not support him, and so brought him where I thought he would have a home. But you are not the woman who was in charge of the poorhouse at that time."
 
"No; that was Mrs. Avery."
 
"And is Mrs. Avery still living?"
 
"Yes; she lives in a small house in the village."
 
"I will go and see her."
 
But this did not suit the views of Mrs. Fogson, who was curious to hear more about the antecedents of Jed.
 
"Won't you come in and take a cup of tea?" she asked with unusual hospitality.
 
"I don't care for tea—it's slops," answered the visitor. "If you could give me a thimbleful of whiskey I wouldn't mind taking it. When I am tired and dragged out it goes to the right spot."
 
"Yes, I can give you a glass," answered Mrs. Fogson. "Me and Fogson generally keeps a little in case of sickness, though we[Pg 327] wouldn't have it known, as this is a temperance town."
 
"You are safe with me, I won't mention it," said the caller.
 
She then learned that Jed was probably at Bar Harbor; but Mrs. Fogson found out very little from her in return. After a few minutes the strange woman set out on her walk to the Avery cottage.
 

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 apparently tMmyQ     
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 conjectures 8334e6a27f5847550b061d064fa92c00     
推测,猜想( conjecture的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • That's weighing remote military conjectures against the certain deaths of innocent people. 那不过是牵强附会的军事假设,而现在的事实却是无辜者正在惨遭杀害,这怎能同日而语!
  • I was right in my conjectures. 我所猜测的都应验了。
3 abducted 73ee11a839b49a2cf5305f1c0af4ca6a     
劫持,诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(肢体等)外展
参考例句:
  • Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
  • The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。
4 confide WYbyd     
v.向某人吐露秘密
参考例句:
  • I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。
  • He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。
5 worthy vftwB     
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。
6 rental cBezh     
n.租赁,出租,出租业
参考例句:
  • The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
  • We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。
7 detailed xuNzms     
adj.详细的,详尽的,极注意细节的,完全的
参考例句:
  • He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
  • A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。
8 inspector q6kxH     
n.检查员,监察员,视察员
参考例句:
  • The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
  • The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。
9 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
10 treacherous eg7y5     
adj.不可靠的,有暗藏的危险的;adj.背叛的,背信弃义的
参考例句:
  • The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
  • The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。
11 inquiries 86a54c7f2b27c02acf9fcb16a31c4b57     
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 );疑问;探究;打听
参考例句:
  • He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释,等候进一步调查。
  • I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
12 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
13 middle-aged UopzSS     
adj.中年的
参考例句:
  • I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
  • The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。
14 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
15 concealing 0522a013e14e769c5852093b349fdc9d     
v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善,我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定,还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产
17 inquisitively d803d87bf3e11b0f2e68073d10c7b5b7     
过分好奇地; 好问地
参考例句:
  • The Mouse looked at her rather inquisitively, and seemed to her to wink with one of its little eyes, but It'said nothing. 这老鼠狐疑地看着她,好像还把一只小眼睛向她眨了眨,但没说话。
  • The mouse looked at her rather inquisitively. 那只耗子用疑问的眼光看看她。
18 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。


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