CHAPTER XIX. STEPHEN WATSON VISITS OAKFORD.

 On Monday as Mr. Bickford was about his work a carriage drove into the yard, containing Stephen Watson and Ralph.

 

"Good morning, Mr. Bickford," said Stephen Watson. "I've called over to inquire about Kit¹. I hope he is doing his duty by you."

 

The blacksmith looked at Mr. Watson with embarrassment², and did not immediately reply.

 

Mr. Watson repeated his question.

 

"Kit isn't with me," answered Bickford, at length.

 

"Isn't with you!" repeated Stephen Watson, in surprise. "Where is he?"[Pg 94]

 

"He's run away."

 

"Run away!" ejaculated Kit's uncle. "What is the meaning of that?"

 

"He said he didn't want to be a blacksmith, and that you had no authority to make him."

 

"But where has he gone? Have you any idea?"

 

"He has gone off with Barlow's circus."

 

"But what object can he have in going off with a circus?" asked Mr. Watson, no less bewildered.

 

"They've hired him to perform."

 

"Are you sure of this?"

 

"I ought to be," answered the blacksmith, grimly. "My wife and I saw him jumpin' round last evenin' in the circus tent over at Grafton."

 

"But I don't see what he—a green hand—can do. Ralph, can you throw any light on this mystery?"

 

Ralph explained that Kit had practiced acrobatic feats⁴ extensively at the gymnasium connected with the school.

 

"Did he ever talk of going off with a circus?" asked Mr. Watson.

 

"Never, though he enjoyed the exercise."

 

"I went after him and tried to get him back," said Mr. Bickford, "but he gave me the slip."

 

"He's done a very foolish and crazy thing. He can't get more than three or four dollars a week from the circus, and in the fall he'll be out of a job."

 

"Just as you say, sir. He'd have a good payin' trade if he stayed with me. What do you think it is best to do about it, Mr. Watson?"

 

"I shall do nothing. If the boy chooses to make a fool of himself, he may try it. Next fall, and possibly before, he'll be coming back in rags, and beg me to take him back."

 

"I hope you won't take him back," said Ralph, who was jealous of Kit.[Pg 95]

 

"I shall not consider myself bound to do so, but if he consents to obey me, and learn a trade of Mr. Bickford, I will fit him, up and enable him to do so—out of charity, and because he is my nephew."

 

"Then you don't mean to do anything about it, sir?" asked Aaron Bickford, considerably⁵ disappointed, for he longed to get Kit into his power once more.

 

"No, I will leave the boy to himself. Ralph, as our business seems to be over, we will turn about and go home."

 

Mr. Watson drove out of the blacksmith's yard.

 

"Well, Ralph," he said, as they were on their way home, "I am very much annoyed at what your cousin has done, but I don't see that I am to blame."

 

"Of course you're not, pa," returned Ralph, promptly⁶.

 

"Still the public may misjudge me. It will be very awkward to answer questions about Kit. I really don't know what to say."

 

"Say he's run away and joined the circus. We might as well tell the truth."

 

"I don't know but it will be best. I will add that, though it grieves me, I think it advisable, as he is so old, not to interfere⁷ with him, but let him see the error of his way for himself. I will say also that when he chooses to come back, I will make suitable arrangements for him."

 

"I guess that will do. I will say the same."

 

"I don't mind saying to you that I shall feel it quite a relief to be rid of the expense of maintaining him, for he has cost me a great deal of money. You are my son, and of course I expect to take care of you, and bring you up as a gentleman, but he has no claim upon me except that of relationship. I won't say that to others, however."[Pg 96]

 

"You are quite right, pa. As he is poor, and has his own living to make, it isn't best to send him to a high-priced school, and give him too much money to spend."

 

It will be seen that there was a striking resemblance between the views of father and son, both of whom were intensely selfish, mean and unscrupulous.

 

Stephen Watson foresaw that there would be a difficulty in making outside friends of the family understand why Kit had left home. He deliberately⁸ resolved to misrepresent him, and the opportunity came sooner than he anticipated.

 

On the afternoon of the day of his call upon the blacksmith, there was a ring at the bell, and a middle-aged⁹ stranger was ushered¹⁰ into the parlor¹¹.

 

"I suppose you don't remember me," he said to Stephen Watson.

 

"I can't say I do," replied Stephen, eying him.

 

"I knew your brother better than I did you. I am Harry¹² Miller¹³, who used to go to school with you both in the old red schoolhouse on the hill."

 

"I remember your name, but I should not have remembered you."

 

"I don't wonder. Time changes us all. I am sorry to hear that your poor brother is dead."

 

"Yes," answered Stephen, heaving a sigh proper to the occasion, which was intended to signify his grief at the loss. "He was cut down like the grass of the field. It is the common lot."

 

"His wife died earlier, did she not?"

 

"Yes."

 

"But there was a son?"

 

"Yes."

 

"How old is the boy?"

 

"Just turned sixteen."[Pg 97]

 

"May I see him? I should like to see the son of my old deskmate."

 

"Ah!" sighed Stephen. "I wish he were here to meet you."

 

"But surely he is not dead?"

 

"No; he is not dead, but he is a source of anxiety to me."

 

"And why?" asked the visitor, with concern. "Has he turned out badly?"

 

"Why, I don't know that I can exactly say that he has turned out badly."

 

"What is the matter with him, then?"

 

"He is wayward, and instead of being willing to devote himself to his school studies like my son Ralph, he has formed an extraordinary taste for the circus."

 

"Indeed! but where is he?"

 

"He is traveling with Barlow's circus."

 

"In what capacity?"

 

"As an acrobat³."

 

Henry Miller laughed.

 

"I remember," he said, "that his father was fond of athletic¹⁴ sports. You never were."

 

"No, I was a quiet boy."

 

"That you were, and uncommonly¹⁵ sly!" thought Miller, but he did not consider it polite to say so. "Is the boy—by the way, what is his name?"

 

"Christopher. He is generally called Kit."

 

"Well, is Kit a good gymnast?"

 

"I believe he is."

 

"When did he join the circus?"

 

"Only yesterday. In fact it is painful for me to say so, he ran away from a good home to associate with mountebanks."

 

"And what are you going to do about it?"[Pg 98]

 

"He is so headstrong that I have thought it best to give him his own way, and let him see for himself how foolish he has been. Of course he has a home to return to whenever he sees fit."

 

"That may be the best way. I should like to see the young rascal¹⁶. I would follow up the circus and do so, only I am unfortunately called to California on business. I am part owner of a gold mine out there."

 

"I trust you have been prospered¹⁷ in your worldly affairs."

 

"Yes, I have every reason to be thankful. I suppose I am worth two hundred thousand dollars."

 

Stephen Watson, whose god was money, almost turned green with jealousy¹⁸. At the same time he asked himself how he could take advantage of his old schoolmate's good luck.

 

"I wish he would take a fancy to my Ralph," he thought.

 

So he called in Ralph, and introduced him to the rich stranger.

 

"He's a good boy, my Ralph," he said; "sober and correct in all his habits, and fond of study."

 

Ralph was rather surprised to hear this panegyric¹⁹, but presently his father explained to him in private the object he had in view. Then Ralph made himself as agreeable as he could, but he failed to please Mr. Miller.

 

"He is too much like his father," he said to himself.

 

When he terminated his call, he received a very cordial invitation to come again on his return from California.

 

"If Kit has returned I certainly will come," he replied, an answer which pleased neither Ralph nor his father.

1 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

2 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

3 acrobat   

n.特技演员，杂技演员

参考例句：

• The acrobat balanced a long pole on his left shoulder.杂技演员让一根长杆在他的左肩上保持平衡。
• The acrobat could bend himself into a hoop.这个杂技演员可以把身体蜷曲成圆形。

4 feats   

功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He used to astound his friends with feats of physical endurance. 过去，他表现出来的惊人耐力常让朋友们大吃一惊。
• His heroic feats made him a legend in his own time. 他的英雄业绩使他成了他那个时代的传奇人物。

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 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。

7 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

8 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

9 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

10 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

12 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

13 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

14 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

15 uncommonly   

adv. 稀罕(极，非常)

参考例句：

• an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童
• My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。

16 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

17 prospered   

成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Mr. Black prospered from his wise investments. 布莱克先生由于巧妙的投资赚了不少钱。

18 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

19 panegyric   

n.颂词，颂扬

参考例句：

• He made a speech of panegyric.他作了一个颂扬性的演讲。
• That is why that stock option enjoys panegyric when it appeared.正因为如此，股票期权从一产生就备受推崇。