CHAPTER XL. THE LADY'S SECRET.

 With great politeness Paul selected a seat for the lady, took charge of her traveling-bag, and then, without betraying the least curiosity, took a seat in front of her.

"You are taking a great deal of trouble for me," she said, gratefully.

"No trouble at all," said Paul, cheerfully.

"That shows you have a kind heart. Have you a mother?"

"Yes, madam;" and Paul's face brightened as he thought how soon he should see her. He had not got weaned from his home and his mother, though he had reached the age at which many boys consider themselves entitled to do it.

"God grant she may long be spared to you!" said the lady.

"Perhaps you have a son?" said Paul, kindly¹.

"No; but if I had, I could wish he were such as you."

"Thank you."

[Pg 270]"Dutiful and affectionate to his mother, as I am sure you are, and kind and obliging even to strangers, as you have been to me."

"I am afraid you have been unfortunate, madam," said Paul, respectfully.

"Yes, I have met with sorrow. I will make you my confidant, since your kindness entitles you to my confidence."

"Do not think it necessary to speak of your troubles if it will give you pain," said our hero.

"It will bring me relief to speak to some one who will sympathize with me."

Paul could not interpose further objection. Moreover, he was not without curiosity, and was desirous of learning in what way his new friend had suffered.

"Eight years since," she commenced, "in the city of San Francisco, I met a gentleman who seemed struck with my appearance. At all events, he paid me marked attention, and it was not long before he asked my hand in marriage. I must premise² that my father was considered rich, and I myself had a fortune of fifty thousand dollars at my own disposal. It had been bequeathed me by a sister of my mother. I forgot too late that it was the knowledge of this fact that had attracted my suitor, and that he was quite indifferent to me. However, I suspected nothing at the time. My lover, for he persuaded me that he was such, was[Pg 271] not lacking in devotion. Moreover, he had agreeable manners, and was well calculated by his smooth plausibility³ to deceive any one, certainly an inexperienced girl like myself.

"Well, to cut matters short, his suit was accepted. Not only did I favor him, but my father and mother were both well pleased with the match. We made a brief journey as far as Los Angeles, and on our return purchased a pleasant house on California street.

"Though my money was at my own disposal, I could not long resist the entreaties⁴ of my husband to give him the management of it. He professed⁵ to know how to invest it so as to double it in a year's time. On the strength of expected gains he lived in more expensive style than I thought prudent⁶, and wasted more than I can guess at the gaming-table. At any rate, in less than two years the property was gone, and my father was obliged to come to our help.

"Now that I had nothing left, my husband began to treat me with cruel neglect. I feared even that he would raise his hand against me, and such was my misery⁷ that I hardly knew whether I was relieved or otherwise when one morning I found my husband missing, and a letter of farewell on my bureau, stating that I should never again see him."

"Have you never seen him since?" asked Paul, with interest.

[Pg 272]"Never; but I have known for some time that he was in Chicago."

"And you wish to rejoin him?"

"No, but to foil him in his wicked plans. I learned, four days since, that he was about to marry an estimable lady in Chicago, wholly forgetful of the wife he had deserted⁸. I felt that there was no time to lose. As I knew my father would not consent to my journeying alone on such an errand, I departed from San Francisco secretly, and, as it proved, with insufficient⁹ money. You came to my assistance, and I shall take care that you do not lose by it."

"I have no anxiety on that point," said Paul.

"But I do not wish you to suffer for your kindness. You can do me still another favor."

"What is that?"

"When we reach Chicago I do not wish to go to a hotel. If your mother will allow me to stay with her temporarily, I shall feel much indebted to her and to you."

"My mother lives in a very plain—indeed, in an humble¹⁰ style."

"As if I cared for that. I know she is good, since she has a good son."

Paul saw no objection, and, on reaching Chicago, took the lady at once to his mother's lodgings¹¹.

1 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

2 premise   

n.前提；v.提论，预述

参考例句：

• Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

3 plausibility   

n. 似有道理, 能言善辩

参考例句：

• We can add further plausibility to the above argument. 我们可以在上述论据之外，再进一步增添一个合理的论据。
• Let us consider the charges she faces, and the legal plausibility of those charges. 让我们考虑一下她面临的指控以及这些指控在法律上的可信性。

4 entreaties   

n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He began with entreaties and ended with a threat. 他先是恳求，最后是威胁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves. 暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 professed   

公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的

参考例句：

• These, at least, were their professed reasons for pulling out of the deal. 至少这些是他们自称退出这宗交易的理由。
• Her manner professed a gaiety that she did not feel. 她的神态显出一种她并未实际感受到的快乐。

6 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

7 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

8 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

9 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

10 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

11 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。