In the weekly paper, to which Mr. Nelson had for years been a subscriber3, Tom had read a good deal about California. His youthful fancy had been wrought4 upon by the brilliant pictures of a land where a penniless man might, if favored by fortune, secure a competence5 in a twelvemonth, and he ardently6 wished that he, too, might have the chance of going there. It was a wish, but not an expectation. It would cost at least two hundred dollars to reach the Pacific coast, and there was no hope of getting a tithe7 of that sum.
"If I could only go to California," thought Tom, "I would make my way somehow; I would cheerfully work twelve hours a day. I don't see why a boy can't dig gold, as well as a man. If somebody would lend me money enough to get there, I could afford to pay high interest."
There was one man in Wilton who might lend him the money if he would. That man was Squire8 Hudson. He always had money on hand in considerable quantities, and two hundred[12] dollars would be nothing to him. Tom would not have dreamed of applying to him, however, but for a service which just at this time he was able to render the squire.
Tom had been in search of huckleberries—for this was the season—when, in a narrow country road, not much frequented, his attention was drawn9 to an object lying in the road. His heart hounded with excitement when he saw that it was a well-filled pocketbook. He was not long in securing it.
Opening the wallet, he found it was absolutely stuffed with bank-bills, some of large denomination10. There were, besides, several papers, to which he paid but little attention. They assured him, however, as he had already surmised11, that the wallet was the property of Squire Hudson.
"I wonder how much money there is here," thought Tom, with natural curiosity.
He stepped into the woods to avoid notice, and carefully counted the bills. There were two hundred-dollar bills, and three fifties, and so many of smaller denominations12 that Tom found the whole to amount to five hundred and sixty-seven dollars.
"Almost six hundred dollars!" ejaculated[13] Tom, in excitement, for he had never seen so much money before. "How happy should I be if I had as much money! How rich the squire is! He ought to be a happy man."
Then the thought stole into our hero's mind, that the wallet contained nearly three times as much as he would need to take him to California.
"If it were only mine!" he thought to himself.
Perhaps Tom ought to have been above temptation, but he was not. For one little instant he was tempted13 to take out two hundred dollars, and then drop the wallet where he had picked it up. No one would probably find out where the missing money was. But Tom had been too well brought up to yield to this temptation. Not even the thought that he might, perhaps within a year, return the money with interest, prevailed upon him.
"It wouldn't be honest," he decided14, "and if I began in that way I could not expect that God would prosper15 me. If that is the only way by which I can go to California I must make up my mind to stay at home."
So the question was settled in Tom's mind. The money must be returned to the owner.[14] His pail was nearly full of huckleberries, but he postponed16 going home, for he felt that Squire Hudson would be feeling anxious about his loss, and he thought it his duty to go and return the money first of all. Accordingly he made his way directly to the imposing17 residence of the rich man.
Passing up the walk which led to the front door, Tom rang the bell. This was answered by a cross-looking servant. She glanced at the pail of berries, and said quickly: "We don't want any berries, and if we did you ought to go round to the side door."
"I haven't asked you to buy any berries, have I?" said Tom, rather provoked by the rudeness of the girl, when he had come to do the squire a favor.
"No, but that's what you're after. We have bought all we want."
"I tell you I didn't come here to sell berries," said Tom independently; "I picked these for use at home."
"Then what do you come here for, anyway, takin' up my time wid comin' to the door, when I'm busy gettin' supper?"
"I want to see Squire Hudson."
"I don't know if he's at home."[15]
"Then you'd better find out, and not keep me waiting."
"I never see such impudence," ejaculated the girl.
"Much business you have wid him!" said the girl scornfully.
Tom by this time was out of patience.
"Go and tell your master that I wish to see him," he said firmly.
"I've a great mind to slam the door in your face," returned Bridget angrily.
"I wouldn't advise you to," said Tom calmly.
"What's all this, hey? Who's at the door, Bridget?"
"A boy wid berries, sir."
"Tell him I don't want any."
"I have told him, and he won't go."
"Won't go, hey?" and Squire Hudson came out into the hall. "What's all this, I say? Won't go?"
"I wish to see you, sir," said Tom, undaunted. "I have told the girl that I didn't[16] come here to sell berries; but she objects to my seeing you."
Squire Hudson was far from an amiable21 man, and this explanation made him angry with the servant. He turned upon her fiercely.
"What do you mean, you trollop," he demanded, "by refusing to let the boy see me? What do you mean by your insolence22, I say?"
"That isn't true," said Tom. "I told you expressly that I picked the berries for use at home, and had none to sell."
"Go back to the kitchen, you trollop!" thundered the squire. "You deserve to go to jail for your outrageous25 conduct."
Bridget did not venture to answer a word, for it would only have raised a more violent storm, but retreated crestfallen26 to her own realm, and left our hero in possession of the field. She contented27 herself with muttering under her breath what she did not dare to speak aloud.
"You are Tom Nelson, are you not?" asked[17] the squire, adjusting his spectacles, and looking more carefully at the boy.
"Yes, sir."
"Have you any message from your father?"
"No, sir."
"Then why did you come here to take up my time?" demanded the squire, frowning.
"I came to do you a service, Squire Hudson."
"You came—to—do—me—a—service?" repeated the squire slowly.
"Yes, sir."
"You may as well come in," said the rich man, leading into the sitting-room28.
Tom followed him into a handsomely furnished room, and the two sat down opposite each other.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
situated
|
|
| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
subscriber
|
|
| n.用户，订户；（慈善机关等的）定期捐款者；预约者；签署者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
wrought
|
|
| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
competence
|
|
| n.能力，胜任，称职 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
ardently
|
|
| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
tithe
|
|
| n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
squire
|
|
| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
denomination
|
|
| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
surmised
|
|
| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
denominations
|
|
| n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 )；教派；面额；名称 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
tempted
|
|
| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
prosper
|
|
| v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
postponed
|
|
| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
imposing
|
|
| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
stoutly
|
|
| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
contention
|
|
| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
irritable
|
|
| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
amiable
|
|
| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
insolence
|
|
| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
tornado
|
|
| n.飓风，龙卷风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
faltered
|
|
| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
outrageous
|
|
| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
crestfallen
|
|
| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
contented
|
|
| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
sitting-room
|
|
| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |