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CHAPTER XXII A MAN OF RESOURCES
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 “Well, that was a narrow escape,” said Mr. Montgomery, with a sigh of relief. “I think I managed rather cleverly, eh?”
“I wanted to box the boys ears,” said Mrs. Montgomery, sharply.
“It wouldn't have been in character, my dear. Ha, ha!” he laughed, softly, “we imposed upon the officer neatly1. Our young friend got rather the worst of it.”
“Why don't you call things by their right names? He isn't much of a friend.”
“Names are of no consequence, my dear.”
“Well, what are you going to do next?” asked the lady, abruptly2.
“About the ring?”
“Of course.”
“I hardly know,” said Mr. Montgomery, reflectively. “If it were not for appearing too anxious, I would go back to Ball & Black's now that our young friend is otherwise engaged, and can't interrupt us.”
“Suppose we go?”
“Well, you see, it might be considered rather soon for you to recover from your fit. Besides, I don't know what stories this boy may have thought fit to tell about us.”
“He didn't have time to say anything.”
“Perhaps you are right.”
“We want to dispose of the ring as soon as possible, and leave the city.”
“That is true. Well, if you say so, we will go back.”
“It seems to me now is the best time. The boy will tell his story to the officer and we may be inquired for.”
“Then, my dear, I will follow your advice.”
Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery turned, and directed their steps again toward Broadway. The distance was short, and fifteen minutes had scarcely elapsed since they left the store before they again entered it. They made their way to the lower end of the store and accosted3 the same clerk with whom they had before spoken.
“Is your wife better?” he asked.
“Much better, thank you. A turn in the air always relieves her, and she is quite herself again. I have returned because it is necessary for me to leave the city by the evening train, and my time is, therefore, short. Will you be kind enough to show the ring to your employer, and ask him if he will purchase?”
The clerk returned, and said that the firm would pay two hundred and fifty dollars, but must be assured of his right to dispose of it.
“Did you mention my name?” asked the adventurer.
“I mentioned that you were a clergyman. I could not remember the name.”
“The Rev4. Mr. Barnes, of Hayfield Centre, Connecticut. I have been preaching there for—is it six or seven years, my dear?”
“Seven,” said his wife.
“I should think that would be sufficient. You may mention that to Mr. Ball or Mr. Black, if you please. I presume after that he will not be afraid to purchase.”
Mr. Montgomery said this with an air of conscious respectability and high standing5, which might readily impose upon strangers. But, by bad luck, what he had said was heard by a person able to confute him.
“Did you say you were from Hayfield Centre?” asked a gentleman, standing a few feet distant.
“Yes,” said Mr. Montgomery.
“I think you said your name was Barnes?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And that you have been preaching there for the last seven years?”
“Yes, sir,” answered Mr. Montgomery, but there was rather less confidence in his tone. In fact he was beginning to feel uneasy.
“It is very strange,” said the other. “I have a sister living in Hayfield Centre, and frequently visit the place myself, and so of course know something of it. Yet I have never heard of any clergyman named Barnes preaching there.”
Mr. Montgomery saw that things looked critical.
“You are strangely mistaken, sir,” he said. “However, I will not press the sale. If you will return the ring (to the clerk) I will dispose of it elsewhere.”
But the clerk's suspicions had been aroused by what had been said.
“I will first speak to Mr. Ball,” he said.
“There is no occasion to speak to him. I shall not sell the ring to-day. To-morrow, I will come with witnesses whose testimony6 will outweigh7 that of this gentleman, who I suspect never was in Hayfield Centre in his life. I will trouble you for the ring.”
“I hope you don't intend to give it to him,” said the gentleman. “The presumption8 is that, as he is masquerading, he has not come by it honestly.”
“I shall not deign9 to notice your insinuations,” said Mr. Montgomery, who concealed10 beneath a consequential11 tone his real uneasiness. “The ring, if you please.”
“Don't give it to him.”
As the clerk seemed disinclined to surrender the ring, Mr. Montgomery said: “Young man, you will find it to be a serious matter to withhold12 my property.”
“Perhaps I had better give it to him,” said the clerk, imposed upon by the adventurer's manner.
“Require him to prove property. If it is really his, he can readily do this.”
“My dear,” said the Rev. Mr. Barnes, “we will leave the store.”
“What, and leave the ring?”
“For the present. I will invoke13 the aid of the police to save me from being robbed in this extraordinary manner.”
He walked to the street door, accompanied by his wife. He was deeply disappointed at the failure of the sale, and would gladly have wreaked14 vengeance15 upon the stranger who had prevented it. But he saw that his safety required an immediate16 retreat. In addition to his own disappointment, he had to bear his wife's censure17.
“If you had the spirit of a man, Mr. Montgomery,” she commenced, “you wouldn't have given up that ring so easily. He had no business to keep it.”
“I would have called in a policeman if I dared, but you know I am not on the best of terms with these gentlemen.”
“Are we to lose the ring, then?”
“I am afraid so, unless I can make them believe in the store that I am really what I pretend to be.”
“Can't you do it?”
“Not very easily, unless stay, I have an idea. Do you see that young man?”
He directed his wife's attention to a young man, evidently fresh from the country, who was approaching, staring open-eyed at the unwonted sights of the city. He was dressed in a blue coat with brass18 buttons, while his pantaloons, of a check pattern, terminated rather higher up than was in accordance with the fashion.
“Yes, I see him,” said Mrs. Montgomery. “What of him?”
“I am going to recover the ring through his help.”
“I don't see how.”
“You will see.”
“How do you do?” said the adventurer, cordially, advancing to the young man, and seizing his hand.
“Pretty smart,” said the countryman, looking surprised.
“Are your parents quite well?”
“They're so's to be around.”
“When did you come to the city?”
“This mornin'.”
“Do you stay any length of time?”
“I'm goin' back this afternoon.”
“You didn't expect to meet me now, did you?” asked Mr. Montgomery.
“I s'pose I'd orter know you,” said the perplexed19 youth, “but I can't think what your name is.”
“What! Not know Mr. Barnes, the minister of Hayfield Centre? Don't you remember hearing me preach for your minister?”
“Seems to me I do,” answered the young man, persuading himself that he ought to remember.
“Of course you do. Now, my young friend, I am very glad to have met you.”
“So am I,” said the other, awkwardly.
“You can do me a favor, if you will.”
“Of course, I will,” said Jonathan, “if it's anything I can do.”
“Yes, you will have no trouble about it. You see, I went into a jeweler's near by to sell a valuable ring, and they wanted to make sure I was really a minister, and not intending to cheat them. If you will go in with me, and say that you have often heard me preach, and that I am the Rev. Mr. Barnes, of Hayfield Centre, I won't mind paying you five dollars for your trouble.”
“All right; I'll do it,” said the rustic20, considering that it would be an unusually easy way of earning few dollars.
“You'll remember the name, won't you?”
“Yes—Parson Barnes, of Hayfield Centre.”
“That is right. The store is near by. Walk along with us, and we will be there in five minutes.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 neatly ynZzBp     
adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地
参考例句:
  • Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
  • The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。
2 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地,出其不意地
参考例句:
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
3 accosted 4ebfcbae6e0701af7bf7522dbf7f39bb     
v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 );跟…搭讪;(乞丐等)上前向…乞讨;(妓女等)勾搭
参考例句:
  • She was accosted in the street by a complete stranger. 在街上,一个完全陌生的人贸然走到她跟前搭讪。
  • His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 rev njvzwS     
v.发动机旋转,加快速度
参考例句:
  • It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
  • Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。
5 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
6 testimony zpbwO     
n.证词;见证,证明
参考例句:
  • The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
  • He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。
7 outweigh gJlxO     
vt.比...更重,...更重要
参考例句:
  • The merits of your plan outweigh the defects.你制定的计划其优点胜过缺点。
  • One's merits outweigh one's short-comings.功大于过。
8 presumption XQcxl     
n.推测,可能性,冒昧,放肆,[法律]推定
参考例句:
  • Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。
  • I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。
9 deign 6mLzp     
v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事)
参考例句:
  • He doesn't deign to talk to unimportant people like me. 他不肯屈尊和像我这样不重要的人说话。
  • I would not deign to comment on such behaviour. 这种行为不屑我置评。
10 concealed 0v3zxG     
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
参考例句:
  • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
  • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
11 consequential caQyq     
adj.作为结果的,间接的;重要的
参考例句:
  • She was injured and suffered a consequential loss of earnings.她受了伤因而收入受损。
  • This new transformation is at least as consequential as that one was.这一新的转变至少和那次一样重要。
12 withhold KMEz1     
v.拒绝,不给;使停止,阻挡
参考例句:
  • It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
  • I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。
13 invoke G4sxB     
v.求助于(神、法律);恳求,乞求
参考例句:
  • Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
  • I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。
14 wreaked b55a53c55bc968f9e4146e61191644f5     
诉诸(武力),施行(暴力),发(脾气)( wreak的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city. 地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
  • They have wreaked dreadful havoc among the wildlife by shooting and trapping. 他们射杀和诱捕野生动物,造成了严重的破坏。
15 vengeance wL6zs     
n.报复,报仇,复仇
参考例句:
  • He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
  • For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。
16 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
17 censure FUWym     
v./n.责备;非难;责难
参考例句:
  • You must not censure him until you know the whole story.在弄清全部事实真相前不要谴责他。
  • His dishonest behaviour came under severe censure.他的不诚实行为受到了严厉指责。
18 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
19 perplexed A3Rz0     
adj.不知所措的
参考例句:
  • The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛,走了又回来,犹豫不决,总怕上当受骗。
  • The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。
20 rustic mCQz9     
adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬
参考例句:
  • It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷。
  • We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.我们希望新鲜的空气和乡村的氛围能帮他调整自己。


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