CHAPTER XVIII. WALTER FINDS HIMSELF IN HOT WATER.

 Two days later two women entered Mr. Drummond's store. One was Joshua's customer, and she wore the same shawl which she had purchased of him.

 

It happened that Walter was out, but Mr. Drummond and Nichols were both behind the counter.

 

"Have you got any more shawls like this?" asked the first lady, whom we will call Mrs. Blake. "Mrs. Spicer, who is a neighbor of mine, liked it so well that she wants to get another just like it."

 

This was addressed to Mr. Drummond, who happened to be nearest the door.

 

"Did you buy this shawl of us?" asked Mr. Drummond.

 

"Yes, sir. I bought it about a fortnight ago, and paid five dollars for it."

 

"Five dollars! There must be some mistake.[Pg 166] We never sell such a shawl as that for less than ten dollars."

 

"I can't help it," said Mrs. Blake, positively¹. "I bought it here, and paid five dollars for it."

 

"Why, those shawls cost me seven dollars and a half at wholesale². It is not likely I would sell them for five."

 

"I didn't buy it of you."

 

"Mr. Nichols," said Mr. Drummond, "did you sell this lady the shawl she is wearing, for five dollars?"

 

"No, sir; have not sold a shawl like that for two months. I know the price well enough, and I wouldn't sell it for less than ten dollars."

 

"I didn't buy it of him, I bought it of a boy," said Mrs. Blake.

 

"It must have been that stupid Conrad," exclaimed Mr. Drummond, angrily. "Wait till he comes in, and I'll haul him over the coals."

 

"Then you won't let my friend have another like it for five dollars?"

 

"No," said Mr. Drummond, provoked. "I don't do business that way. I've lost nearly three dollars[Pg 167] by that shawl of yours. You ought to make up the wholesale price to me."

 

"I shan't do it," said Mrs. Blake. "If you've made a mistake, it's your lookout³. I wasn't willing to pay more than five dollars."

 

The two ladies were about to leave the store when Mr. Drummond said, "The boy will be back directly. I wish you would wait a few minutes, so that if he denies it you can prove it upon him."

 

"I've got a call to make," said Mrs. Blake, "but I'll come in again in about an hour."

 

They left the store, and Mr. Drummond began to berate⁴ the absent Walter. He was provoked to find that he had lost two dollars and a half, and, if Walter had been in receipt of any wages, would have stopped the amount out of his salary. But, unfortunately for this plan of reprisal⁵, our hero received his board only, and that could not very well be levied⁶ upon. However, he might have some money in his possession, and Mr. Drummond decided⁷ to require him to make up the loss.

 

"When did she say she bought the shawl, Mr. Nichols?" asked his employer.

 

[Pg 168]

 

"About a fortnight ago."

 

"Will you look on the books, and see if you find the sale recorded? I am surprised that it escaped my attention."

 

Nichols looked over the book of sales, and announced that no such entry could be found.

 

Mr. Drummond was surprised. Though not inclined to judge others any too charitably, he had never suspected Walter of dishonesty.

 

"Are you sure you looked back far enough?" he asked.

 

"Yes," said Nichols; "to make sure, I looked back four weeks. The woman said only a fortnight, you know."

 

"I know. Then it seems Conrad has concealed⁸ the sale and kept the money."

 

"Perhaps," suggested Nichols, who rather liked Walter, "he forgot to put it down."

 

"If he did, he forgot to put the money in the drawer, for the cash and the sales have always balanced. He's an ungrateful young rascal," continued Mr. Drummond, harshly. "After I took him into my house and treated him as a son (this was not[Pg 169] saying much, if Joshua may be believed), he has robbed me in the most cold-blooded manner."

 

Why there should be anything cold-blooded in appropriating the price of the shawl, even had the charge been true, I cannot say, nor could Mr. Drummond probably, but he thought that the use of this term would make the offence seem more aggravated⁹.

 

Even Nichols was a little staggered by the evidence against our hero. He did not like to think him guilty, but it certainly seemed as if he must be.

 

"What are you going to do about it, Mr. Drummond?" he asked.

 

"I suppose I ought to have him arrested. He deserves it."

 

"I hope you won't do that. He may be able to explain it."

 

"If I do not proceed to extremities¹⁰, it will be on account of his relationship, which I blush to acknowledge."

 

The time had been, and that not long since, when Mr. Drummond felt proud of his relationship to the rich Squire¹¹ Conrad of Willoughby; but that was before his loss of property. Circumstances alter cases.

 

[Pg 170]

 

Quite unconscious of the storm that was gathering¹², Walter at this moment entered the store.

 

"So you've got back!" said Mr. Drummond, harshly.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"You haven't been in any particular hurry. However, that was not what I wished to speak to you about. We have made a discovery since you went out."

 

"Have you, sir?" asked Walter, rather surprised by the peculiar¹³ tone which Mr. Drummond saw fit to adopt.

 

"Yes, and not a very agreeable one."

 

"I am sorry for that," said Walter, not knowing what else was expected of him.

 

"No doubt you are sorry," sneered¹⁴ Mr. Drummond. "I should think he would be, eh, Mr. Nichols?"

 

"I am sorry also," said Nichols, who, though rather weak-minded, was a good-hearted young man.

 

"So am I sorry," said Mr. Drummond. "It strikes me I have most reason to be sorry, considering that the loss has fallen on me."

 

All this was an enigma¹⁵ to Walter, and he had not[Pg 171] the faintest idea of what his employer meant. He inferred, however, that some blame was about to be laid upon him.

 

"If you have no objection, Mr. Drummond," he said quietly, "perhaps you will tell me what has happened."

 

"I have found out your ingratitude¹⁶, Conrad," said Mr. Drummond, preparing for a lecture, which he rather liked to indulge in, as his wife could have testified. "I have discovered how like a viper¹⁷ you have repaid me for my kindness. You didn't think I would find out, but your iniquity¹⁸ has providentially come to light. While I was loading you with benefits, you prepared to sting the hand of your benefactor¹⁹."

 

"I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Drummond," said Walter, impatiently. "I wish you would stop talking in riddles²⁰, and let me know in what way I resemble a viper."

 

"Did you ever witness such brazen²¹ effrontery²², Mr. Nichols?" demanded Mr. Drummond, turning to his head salesman; "even when he is found out, he brazens it out."

 

[Pg 172]

 

"Wouldn't it be as well to tell him what is the matter, Mr. Drummond?" asked Nichols, who was in hopes our hero would be able to prove his innocence²³.

 

"Won't you tell me, Mr. Nichols?" asked Walter.

 

"No," said Mr. Drummond, waving his hand; "it is my duty to tell him myself. I will do so briefly²⁴. Walter Conrad, when I admitted you into my house I little dreamed that I was harboring a thief."

 

"A thief!" exclaimed Walter, his eyes flashing with anger, and elevating his fist involuntarily. "Who dares to call me a thief?"

 

"No violence, Conrad," said Mr. Drummond. "Such a theatrical²⁵ display of indignation and surprise won't help you any. We are not to be imposed upon by your artful demonstrations²⁶."

 

"Mr. Drummond," burst forth²⁷ Walter, fairly aroused, "you are insulting me by every word you speak. I am no more a thief than you are."

 

"Do you call me a thief?" exclaimed Mr. Drummond, turning white about the lips.

 

"No, I don't; but I have as much right to call you one as you have to charge such a thing upon me."

 

[Pg 173]

 

"I can prove what I say," said his employer. "I have got you in a net."

 

"It won't take me long to get out of any net you may set for me. I insist upon your telling me at once what you mean."

 

"This language is rather extraordinary for a boy convicted of dishonesty to use towards his employer."

 

"I am not convicted of dishonesty. Mr. Nichols, I appeal to you to tell me, what Mr. Drummond does not seem disposed to do, what is the meaning of this false charge which he has trumped²⁸ up against me."

 

"I am sure you can prove your innocence, Conrad," said Nichols, soothingly²⁹.

 

"Mr. Nichols, will you do me the favor to be silent?" said his employer, sharply. "The matter concerns Conrad and myself, and I don't choose that any one should communicate with him except myself. To come to the point, did you, or did you not, a fortnight since, sell one of those shawls, such as you see on the counter, for five dollars?"

 

"I did not," said Walter, promptly³⁰.

 

"It might not have been exactly a fortnight. Have you sold such a shawl within four weeks?"

 

"I have not sold such a shawl since I have been in your employ, Mr. Drummond."

 

"You hear what he says, Mr. Nichols," said Mr. Drummond. "You see how he adds falsehood to dishonesty. But that is not uncommon³¹. It is only what I expected. Do you mean to say, Walter Conrad, that you didn't sell such a shawl for five dollars (only half price), and, instead of entering the sale, put the money into your own pocket?"

 

"I do deny it most emphatically, Mr. Drummond," said Walter, impetuously, "and I challenge you to prove it."

1 positively   

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。

2 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

3 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

4 berate   

v.训斥，猛烈责骂

参考例句：

• He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness.他担心，由于健忘又要挨她的训斥了。
• She might have taken the opportunity to berate scientists for their closed minds.她也可能会去利用这个机会斥责那些抱成见的科学家。

5 reprisal   

n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠

参考例句：

• There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
• They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。

6 levied   

征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税

参考例句：

• Taxes should be levied more on the rich than on the poor. 向富人征收的税应该比穷人的多。
• Heavy fines were levied on motoring offenders. 违规驾车者会遭到重罚。

7 decided   

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。

8 concealed   

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。

9 aggravated   

使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火

参考例句：

• If he aggravated me any more I shall hit him. 假如他再激怒我，我就要揍他。
• Far from relieving my cough, the medicine aggravated it. 这药非但不镇咳，反而使我咳嗽得更厉害。

10 extremities   

n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地

参考例句：

• She was most noticeable, I thought, in respect of her extremities. 我觉得她那副穷极可怜的样子实在太惹人注目。 来自辞典例句
• Winters may be quite cool at the northwestern extremities. 西北边区的冬天也可能会相当凉。 来自辞典例句

11 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。

12 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

13 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

14 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

15 enigma   

n.谜，谜一样的人或事

参考例句：

• I've known him for many years,but he remains something of an enigma to me.我与他相识多年，他仍然难以捉摸。
• Even after all the testimonies,the murder remained a enigma.即使听完了所有的证词，这件谋杀案仍然是一个谜。

16 ingratitude   

n.忘恩负义

参考例句：

• Tim's parents were rather hurt by his ingratitude.蒂姆的父母对他的忘恩负义很痛心。
• His friends were shocked by his ingratitude to his parents.他对父母不孝，令他的朋友们大为吃惊。

17 viper   

n.毒蛇；危险的人

参考例句：

• Envy lucks at the bottom of the human heart a viper in its hole.嫉妒潜伏在人心底，如同毒蛇潜伏在穴中。
• Be careful of that viper;he is dangerous.小心那个阴险的人，他很危险。

18 iniquity   

n.邪恶；不公正

参考例句：

• Research has revealed that he is a monster of iniquity.调查结果显示他是一个不法之徒。
• The iniquity of the transaction aroused general indignation.这笔交易的不公引起了普遍的愤怒。

19 benefactor   

n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人

参考例句：

• The chieftain of that country is disguised as a benefactor this time. 那个国家的首领这一次伪装出一副施恩者的姿态。
• The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain. 我所做的第一件事, 就是报答我那最初的恩人, 那位好心的老船长。

20 riddles   

n.谜（语）( riddle的名词复数 )；猜不透的难题，难解之谜

参考例句：

• Few riddles collected from oral tradition, however, have all six parts. 但是据收集的情况看，口头流传的谜语很少具有这完整的六部分。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
• But first, you'd better see if you can answer riddles. 但是你首先最好想想你会不会猜谜语。 来自辞典例句

21 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

22 effrontery   

n.厚颜无耻

参考例句：

• This is a despicable fraud . Just imagine that he has the effrontery to say it.这是一个可耻的骗局. 他竟然有脸说这样的话。
• One could only gasp at the sheer effrontery of the man.那人十足的厚颜无耻让人们吃惊得无话可说。

23 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

24 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

25 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

26 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

27 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。

28 trumped   

v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造

参考例句：

• That woman trumped up various baseless charges against him. 那个女人捏造种种毫无根据的罪名指控他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several of his colleagues trumped up a complaint to get him removed from the job. 他的几位同事诬告他，使他丟掉了工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 soothingly   

adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地

参考例句：

• The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘，她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

31 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。