CHAPTER XXIX. — ARTHUR BROWN.

 At half-past five Sam and his companion reached the home of the latter in Brookline. It was a handsome mansion¹, with ample grounds, standing² some rods back from the street.

 

"That's where I live, Sam," said the young student.

 

"It's an elegant place," said Sam, admiringly "I hope your father'll take me. I'd like to live here ever so much."

 

"There's my brother the one I spoke³ to you about."

 

Brown pointed⁴ out a boy considerably⁵ smaller than Sam, who was hurrying to the gate as fast as his lameness⁷ would admit. His thin, pale face was lighted up with joy, as he espied⁸ his brother.

 

"I am glad you have come, Charlie," he said. "It's so lonely here during the week."

 

"And how are you feeling, Arthur?" asked his brother, laying his hand caressingly⁹ on the shoulder of the younger boy.

 

"Oh, I'm all right; only lonely."

 

"I've brought you some company—don't you see?"

 

For the first time Arthur's attention was drawn¹⁰ to Sam.

 

"I am glad to see you," he said, politely extending his hand. "Are you a friend of Charlie's?"

 

"Yes, Arthur," the student replied, anticipating our hero. "This is my friend, Sam Barker."

 

"Are you in college, Mr. Barker?" asked Arthur.

 

"Please call me Sam," said our hero. "I am only a boy, and I don't begin to know enough to be in college."

 

"Nor I, either," said Arthur.

 

"Come into the house," said the elder brother. "Has father got back from the city?"

 

"No; he sent word that he should not be back till evening. We are to take supper without him. You are going to stop over Sunday, I hope, Charlie?"

 

"Yes, till to-morrow evening. Sam will stay, too. Won't you take him up to the little room next to yours? He will want to wash before supper."

 

Sam did not know that he needed to wash, but accepted this as a hint.

 

"Won't it be too much trouble for you?" he asked, thinking of Arthur's lameness.

 

"Oh, no," said the lame⁶ boy. "I can go upstairs almost as quick as if I wasn't lame. Come this way, please."

 

Sam followed him upstairs. He was shown to a small, but handsomely furnished chamber¹¹.

 

"You'll find everything you need, I think," said Arthur. "That room," pointing to one adjoining, "is mine; so we shall be near neighbors."

 

"I am glad of that. If burglars get in in the night, I'll come to you for protection."

 

"I am afraid I couldn't do you much good. You are a great deal stronger than I."

 

"Then I'll protect you."

 

"Do you live in Boston, Sam?"

 

"I only came to Boston a few days ago. I came from New York."

 

"Did you live in the city?"

 

"Yes. Were you ever there?"

 

"I have passed through New York on my way to Saratoga. I went up the Hudson River on a steamboat."

 

"We call it the North River there."

 

"We stopped at the Fifth Avenue Hotel."

 

"That's a tiptop hotel. I've been in there often."

 

"Are you going to live in Boston?"

 

"If I can find anything to do. I am not rich like you."

 

"No," said Arthur; "but you are something better."

 

"What is better than being rich?" asked Sam, incredulously.

 

"You are strong and healthy. You are not an invalid¹² like me."

 

"How long have you been lame, Arthur?" inquired Sam, who had naturally a kind heart, and was already beginning to feel an interest in his new friend.

 

"Ever since I was a very small boy."

 

"Your brother is strong enough."

 

"Yes, Charlie's got muscle," said Arthur, proudly. "He's one of the strongest fellows in his class. He goes to gymnasium regularly. You ought to feel his arm. He's going to belong to the boat club next year."

 

By this time Sam had finished his ablutions.

 

"Come downstairs, and I'll show you the stable," said Arthur. "I guess there'll be time before supper."

 

"How many horses have you got?"

 

"Three carriage horses. Father would buy me a pony¹³, but he's afraid I might fall, and not be able to help myself."

 

"Do you go to school?"

 

"No; my health is not good enough. The doctor says I must be out in the open air a good deal, and must not overtax my brain. I suppose you have been to school a good deal."

 

"Well, no," said Sam; "I am afraid of overtaxing my brain, too."

 

Arthur laughed. "I don't think, from your looks, that you need feel afraid," he said.

 

"You've no idea how delicate I am," said Sam, humorously.

 

"I should think you might be," said Arthur, merrily; "but you are very successful in not showing it."

 

"That's why I don't get any sympathy. What do you do all day long if you don't go to school?"

 

"I study some, and recite to a tutor who comes out from Boston; but I have a good deal of time to myself. I've been very lonely since my mother died," he added, soberly.

 

"How long ago was that?" Sam inquired, with sympathy.

 

"A year ago. Her death was a great loss to me, as Charlie has been away from home so much, and father is all day in the city."

 

"Are there no boys round here that you can play with?"

 

"There are boys, but I can't join in their sports, on account of my lameness."

 

"I wonder whether he will like the idea of my staying with him," thought Sam. "We could have good times together."

 

They went out to the stable, and looked about till the supper-bell rang. Everything was well arranged, and on a scale which indicated that Mr. Brown was a man of wealth.

 

More and more Sam though he would like to live there.

 

Entering the dining-room, where the supper was provided, they found the older brother already present.

 

"Have you two boys got acquainted?" he asked.

 

"Yes," said Arthur; "it didn't take us long. I've been showing Sam the stable."

 

"How do you like what you have seen?" asked the sophomore¹⁴.

 

"Tiptop," said Sam.

 

"Take a seat there, Sam; Arthur, you know your place. I must preside in father's absence."

 

They talked together socially during the meal, Sam getting to feel better and better acquainted as time went on. After supper they took another walk, and then Arthur asked: "Do you play backgammon, Sam?"

 

"I never learned."

 

"Shall I show you?"

 

"I wish you would."

 

The backgammon board was brought out, and the two boys had a pleasant evening. As the older brother heard their lively laughter, and noticed how Arthur seemed brightened up by Sam's companionship, he felt more and more that it would be a good plan to keep him there. When his father reached home, a little before nine o'clock, he made the proposal to him.

 

"I am convinced," he said, "that Arthur needs a young companion, of a cheerful temperament¹⁵, who will brighten him up, and keep him in good spirits.

 

"Do you know anything of this boy?" asked Mr. Brown, cautiously.

 

"Not much, except that Arthur appears to fancy him. His education has been neglected."

 

"That would not matter. He could study regularly with Arthur, and recite to his tutor."

 

"That occurred to me."

 

"Has he any bad habits?"

 

"No confirmed bad habits. If it should prove so, he can be dismissed."

 

"Would he like to come?"

 

"Of that I am sure. Indeed it would be a great thing for him, as he is poor, and has no friends to help him along."

 

"Then he may stay a month on trial. You may speak to him about it."

 

1 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

2 standing   

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。

3 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。

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

6 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

7 lameness   

n. 跛, 瘸, 残废

参考例句：

• Having been laughed at for his lameness,the boy became shy and inhibited. 那男孩因跛脚被人讥笑，变得羞怯而压抑。
• By reason of his lameness the boy could not play games. 这男孩因脚跛不能做游戏。

8 espied   

v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• One day a youth espied her as he was hunting.She saw him and recognized him as her own son, mow grown a young man. 一日，她被一个正在行猎的小伙子看见了，她认出来这个猎手原来是自己的儿子，现在已长成为一个翩翩的少年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• In a little while he espied the two giants. 一会儿就看见了那两个巨人。 来自辞典例句

9 caressingly   

爱抚地，亲切地

参考例句：

• His voice was caressingly sweet. 他的嗓音亲切而又甜美。

10 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

11 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。

12 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

13 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

14 sophomore   

n.大学二年级生；adj.第二年的

参考例句：

• He is in his sophomore year.他在读二年级。
• I'm a college sophomore majoring in English.我是一名英语专业的大二学生。

15 temperament   

n.气质，性格，性情

参考例句：

• The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
• Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。