CHAPTER XXXI. BEN MAKES A DISCOVERY.

 Ben went home slowly, in a state of great perplexity. He knew his mother too well to think she would pay him three hundred dollars without weighty cause. Should he tell her the scrape he had got into? He felt a natural reluctance¹ to do that, nor was he by any means satisfied that she would pay the money if he did. Then again he was ashamed to admit that he was afraid to fight. He felt convinced that, should he reveal the matter, his mother would bid him take advantage of the legal worthlessness of his notes to Winchester. He would gladly do it, but was afraid, and did not dare to admit it. On the whole, Ben felt decidedly uncomfortable.

"Is mother at home?" he inquired, when he reached home.

"No; she's gone over to Mrs. Talbot's to spend the afternoon," was the reply.

Ben felt relieved by this assurance, though he hardly knew why.

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"I wonder whether mother has got as much as three hundred dollars by her," he thought.

With this thought in his mind he went upstairs, and entered his mother's chamber².

The first thing he caught sight of when he entered was a little bunch of keys lying on the table. He knew at once that they were his mother's keys. It was certainly extraordinary that she should on that particular day have left them exposed. She was generally very careful. But it chanced that she had hurried away, and in her haste had forgotten the keys, nor did she think of them while absent.

Under ordinary circumstances Ben would have made no improper³ use of the keys thus thrown in his way; but, harassed⁴ as he was by the importunities of Winchester, it seemed to him a stroke of luck that placed them in his power.

He determined⁵ to open the drawers of his mother's bureau, and see what he could find. If only he could find the sum he wanted he could get out of his present difficulties, and perhaps explain it to his mother afterwards.

Ben, after several trials, succeeded in finding the key that fitted the upper drawer. He examined the contents eagerly. It was of course filled with a variety of articles of apparel, but in one corner Ben[311] found a portemonnaie. He opened it, and discovered a roll of bills, six in number, each of the denomination⁶ of twenty dollars.

"One hundred and twenty dollars!" he said. "That's more than a third of the bill. Perhaps, if I pay that, Winchester'll wait for the rest."

It occurred to him, however, that a further search might reveal some more money. If he could get thirty dollars more, for example, that with the other would make one half the sum he owed Winchester, and with that surely the other might be content, for the present at least. The rest of the debt he could arrange to pay out of his weekly allowance, say at the rate of five dollars a week.

Accordingly Ben began to poke⁷ about until he found a folded paper. He opened it with curiosity and began to read. His interest deepened, and his excitement increased.

"By Jove," he said, "if this isn't the lost will I've heard so much talk about. The old lady's kept it mighty⁸ quiet. Wouldn't John Oakley give something to get hold of it?"

Ben sat down to reflect upon the discovery he had made.

"Mother's right to keep it quiet," he said to himself. "She ought to have destroyed it, and I verily[312] believe she has tried," he continued, as he noticed the scorched⁹ appearance of the will. "I wonder she didn't."

The next question to consider was, what to do with it. It did not take long to decide. His mother would be very much frightened, and this would give him a hold upon her, by which he might induce her to give him the money he required.

"Yes, I'll keep it," he said.

He put the roll of bills into his pocket-book, carefully deposited the will in his side-pocket, and, shutting and locking the bureau-drawer, placed the keys in the same position upon the table in which he had found them, and then left the room.

"A pretty good day's work!" thought Ben to himself. "I think I'll go and pay Winchester what money I have, and get him to wait a few days for the rest."

Ben left the house, and wended his way to the tavern¹⁰. He found Winchester in the bar-room, smoking a cigar. He looked up inquiringly as Ben entered.

"How are you, Winchester?" said Ben.

"All right," said the latter, noticing Ben's changed demeanor¹¹, and auguring¹² favorably from it. "Have a cigar?"

"I don't care if I do," said Ben.

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Winchester handed him one, and the two sat down together.

"Oh, about that money," said Ben, after a little pause. "I can let you have a part of it now, but I shall have to make you wait a few days for the rest."

"How much can you pay me now?"

"One hundred and twenty dollars," said Ben.

"That's good," said Winchester, with satisfaction. "The fact is, I'm deuced hard up, and need it."

"I don't want to pay you here," said Ben. "Come out a little way, and I'll hand it to you."

"All right. I'd like a walk."

The two sauntered forth¹³ together, and Ben paid over the money.

"You'll oblige me by not mentioning to anybody that I have paid you any money," said Ben. "I have a reason for it."

"Of course."

"I can't tell you the reason."

"That's your affair."

"Now about the rest."

"Yes, about the rest."

"I think I can get it for you in a few days."

"I can wait a few days to oblige you, but I must go to the city as soon as I can get away. So please hurry up."

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"I'll do the best I can. This morning," he added, "I didn't see how I was going to get the money. My mother wouldn't look upon it as we do, as a debt of honor; but since then I've been lucky enough to get possession of one of her secrets, and I think it will help me."

"Glad of it," said Winchester, "for your sake. I don't care, of course, how you get the money, as long as you do get it. That's the main thing, you know."

"Yes, I see."

"Now what do you say to another little game of billiards¹⁴?"

"I can't stake any more money. I've lost enough," said Ben, sensibly.

"Then let it be a friendly game—just a little trial of skill, that's all."

To this Ben was not averse¹⁵, and the two made their way as so often before to the billiard saloon.

In the mean time Mrs. Oakley returned home from her afternoon visit. She had not yet missed her keys, but on going up to her chamber, discovered them lying upon the table.

"How terribly careless I have been!" she said. "I hope they have not been seen."

Tolerably sure of this, she opened the upper bureau-drawer,[315] and looked for the portemonnaie. It was in the same place. She opened it, and found it empty. Her eyes flashed with indignation.

"Some one has been to the drawer," she said.

She next thought of the will, and felt for it. It was not there! She turned pale, and with nervous fingers took everything out of the drawer, hoping to find it misplaced. But her search was vain. The will was not to be found.

She sank back into a chair, and exclaimed with passionate¹⁶ regret:—

"Fool that I was! Why did I not make all sure by burning it?"

1 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

4 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 denomination   

n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位

参考例句：

• The firm is still operating under another denomination.这家公司改用了名称仍在继续营业。
• Litre is a metric denomination.升是公制单位。

7 poke   

n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
• Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。

8 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

9 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

10 tavern   

n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店

参考例句：

• There is a tavern at the corner of the street.街道的拐角处有一家酒馆。
• Philip always went to the tavern,with a sense of pleasure.菲利浦总是心情愉快地来到这家酒菜馆。

11 demeanor   

n.行为；风度

参考例句：

• She is quiet in her demeanor.她举止文静。
• The old soldier never lost his military demeanor.那个老军人从来没有失去军人风度。

12 auguring   

v.预示，预兆，预言( augur的现在分词 )；成为预兆；占卜

参考例句：

13 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

14 billiards   

n.台球

参考例句：

• John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
• Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

15 averse   

adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的

参考例句：

• I don't smoke cigarettes,but I'm not averse to the occasional cigar.我不吸烟，但我不反对偶尔抽一支雪茄。
• We are averse to such noisy surroundings.我们不喜欢这么吵闹的环境。

16 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。