Tim saw her, and volunteered the information, “Tom gave me some bread.”
“When?” demanded granny.
“When she come out just now.”
“What did she do that for?”
“She said she wasn’t hungry.”
The old woman was puzzled. Tom’s appetite was usually quite equal to the supply of food which she 29got. Could Tom have secreted3 some money to buy apples? This was hardly likely, since she had carefully searched her. Besides, Tom had returned the usual amount. Still, granny’s suspicions were awakened4, and she determined5 to question Tom when she returned at the close of the afternoon.
The tobacco shop where granny obtained her tobacco was two doors beyond the restaurant where Tom was then enjoying her cheap dinner with a zest6 which the guests at Delmonico’s do not often bring to the discussion of their more aristocratic viands7. It was only a chance that led granny, as she passed, to look in; but that glance took in all who were seated at the tables, including Tom.
Had granny received an invitation to preside at a meeting in the Cooper Institute, she would hardly have been more surprised than at the sight of Tom, perfidiously8 enjoying a meal out of money from which she had doubtless been defrauded9.
“The owdacious young reprobate10!” muttered the old woman, glaring fiercely at her unconscious victim.
But Tom just then happened to look up, as we 30have seen. Her heart gave a sudden thump11, and she said to herself, “I’m in for a lickin’, that’s so. Granny’s mad as blazes.”
The old woman did not long leave her in doubt as to the state of her feelings.
She strode into the eating-house, and, advancing to the table, seized Tom by the arm.
“To get some dinner,” said Tom.
By this time she had recovered from her temporary panic. She had courage and pluck, and was toughened by the hard life she had led into a stoical endurance of the evils from which she could not escape.
“What business had you to come?”
“I was hungry.”
“Didn’t I give you a piece of bread?”
“I didn’t like it.”
“What did you buy?”
“You’re a reg’lar bad un. You’ll fetch up on the gallus,” said granny, provoked at Tom’s coolness.
31So saying, she seized Tom by the shoulder roughly. But by this time the keeper of the restaurant thought fit to interfere15.
“We can’t have any disturbance16 here, ma’am,” he said. “You must leave the room.”
“She had no right to get dinner here,” said granny. “I won’t let her pay for it.”
“She has paid for it already.”
“Is that so?” demanded the old woman, disappointed.
“It was my money. You stole it.”
“No it wa’n’t. A gentleman give it to me for callin’ me names.”
“Come out of here!” said granny, jerking Tom from her chair. “Don’t you let her have no more to eat here,” she added, turning to the keeper of the restaurant.
“She can eat here whenever she’s got money to pay for it.”
Rather disgusted at her failure to impress the keeper of the restaurant with her views in the matter, 32granny emerged into the street with Tom in her clutches.
She gave her a vigorous shaking up on the sidewalk.
“How do you like that?” she demanded.
“I wish I was as big as you!” said Tom, indignantly.
“Well, what if you was?” demanded the old woman, pausing in her punishment, and glaring at Tom.
“I’d make your nose bleed,” said Tom, doubling up her fist.
“You would, would you?” said granny, fiercely. “Then it’s lucky you aint;” and she gave her another shake.
“Where are you going to take me?” asked Tom.
“Home. I’ll lock you up for a week, and give you nothin’ to eat but bread once a day.”
“All right!” said Tom. “If I’m locked up at home, I can’t bring you any money.”
This consideration had not at first suggested itself to the vindictive18 old woman. It would cut off all 33her revenue to punish Tom as she proposed; and this would be far from convenient. But anger was more powerful just then than policy; and she determined at all events to convey Tom home, and give her a flogging, before sending her out into the street to resume her labors19.
She strode along, dragging Tom by the arm; and not another word was spoken till they reached the rear tenement20 house.
“What’s the matter with the child?” asked Mrs. Murphy, who had just come down into the court after one of her own children.
“It was my money, Mrs. Murphy,” said Tom. “I gave granny twenty-two cents when I came home.”
“I hope you won’t go to hurt the child,” said kind-hearted Mrs. Murphy.
“I’ll be much obliged to you, Mrs. Murphy, if you’ll mind your own business,” said granny, loftily. “When I want your advice, mum, I’ll come and ask it; begging your pardon, mum.”
“She’s a tough craythur,” said Mrs. Murphy to 34herself. “She beats that poor child too bad entirely22.”
Granny drew Tom into the room with no gentle hand.
“Now you’re goin’ to catch it,” said she, grimly.
Tom was of the same opinion, and meant to defend herself as well as she knew how. She had all her wits about her, and had already planned out her campaign.
On the chair was a stout23 stick which granny was accustomed to use on such occasions as the present. When wielded24 by a vigorous arm, it was capable of inflicting25 considerable pain, as Tom very well knew. That stick she determined to have.
Accordingly when granny temporarily released her hold of her, as she entered the room, Tom sprang for the chair, seized the stick, and sent it flying out of the window.
“What did you do that for?” said granny, fiercely.
“You’re going to be, then.”
“Not with the stick.”
35“We’ll see.”
“Bring up that stick,” she said; “that’s a good boy.”
Tim picked up the stick, and was about to obey the old woman’s request, when he heard another voice—Tom’s—from the other window.
“Don’t you do it, Tim. Granny wants to lick me.”
That was enough. Tim didn’t like the old woman,—no one in the building did,—and he did like Tom, who, in spite of being a tough customer, was good-natured and obliging, unless her temper was aroused by the old woman’s oppression. So Tim dropped the stick.
“Bring it right up,” said granny, angrily.
“Are you goin’ to lick Tom?”
“None of your business! Bring it up, or I’ll lick you too.”
“No, you don’t!” answered Tim. “You must come for it yourself if you want it.”
Granny began to find that she must do her own 36errands. It was an undertaking28 to go down three flights of stairs to the court and return again, especially for one so indolent as herself; but there seemed to be no other way. She inwardly resolved to wreak29 additional vengeance30 upon Tom, and so get what satisfaction she could in this way. Muttering imprecations which I do not care to repeat, she started downstairs, determined to try the stick first upon Tim. But when she reached the court Tim had disappeared. He had divined her benevolent31 intentions, and thought it would be altogether wiser for him to be out of the way.
Granny picked up the stick, and, after a sharp glance around the court, commenced the ascent32. She did not stop to rest, being spurred on by the anticipated pleasure of flogging Tom. So, in a briefer space of time than could have been expected, she once more arrived at her own door.
But Tom had not been idle.
No sooner was the door closed than Tom turned the key in the lock, making herself a voluntary prisoner, but having in the key the means of deliverance.
“Open the door, you trollop!” she screamed.
“You’ll lick me,” said Tom.
“I’ll give you the wust lickin’ you ever had.”
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收听单词发音
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1
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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3
secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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4
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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5
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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6
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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7
viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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8
perfidiously
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| adv.不忠实地，背信地 | |
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9
defrauded
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| v.诈取，骗取( defraud的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
reprobate
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| n.无赖汉；堕落的人 | |
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11
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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12
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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13
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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14
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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15
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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16
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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17
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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18
vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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19
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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20
tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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21
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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22
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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24
wielded
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| 手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的过去式和过去分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响） | |
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25
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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26
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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27
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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28
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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29
wreak
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| v.发泄；报复 | |
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30
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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31
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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32
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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33
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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34
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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35
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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