CHAPTER VIII. GRAHAM IN HIS TRUE COLORS.

 Tom strayed into a street leading from the main thoroughfare. Presently he came to a brilliantly-lighted liquor saloon. As he paused in front of the door, a heavy hand was laid upon his shoulder, and, looking up, he met the glance of a well-dressed gentleman, rather[60] portly, whose flushed face and uncertain gait indicated his condition. He leaned rather heavily upon Tom, apparently¹ for support, for he seemed to have been drinking more than was good for him.

 

"My young friend," he said, "come in and take a drink."

 

"Thank you, sir, but I would rather not," said Tom, startled.

 

"It won't hurt you. It don't hurt me."

 

As he uttered these last words he came near falling. In his effort to save himself he clutched Tom by the arm, and nearly pulled him over. Our hero was anxious to get away.

 

"Are you sure it don't hurt you?" he could not help saying.

 

"Do you think I'm drunk?" demanded the other.

 

"I think you've taken more than is good for you, sir," Tom answered bravely.

 

"I guess you're right," muttered the gentleman, trying to stand upright. "The drink's gone to my legs. That's strange. Does it ever go to your legs?"

 

"I never drink, sir."

 

"You're a most extraor'nary young man," hiccoughed Tom's new acquaintance.[61]

 

"I must bid you good-night, sir," said our hero, anxious to get away.

 

"Don't go. I can't get home alone."

 

"Where do you live, sir?"

 

"I live in the country."

 

"Are you staying at a hotel?"

 

"Yes—Pittsburg House. Know Pittsburg House?"

 

"Yes, sir. I am staying there myself. Shall I lead you there? You'd better not drink any more."

 

"Jus' you say, my young frien'. You know best."

 

It was not a pleasant, or, indeed, an easy task to lead home the inebriate², for he leaned heavily on Tom, and, being a large man, it was as much as our hero could do to get him along. As they were walking along Tom caught sight of his roommate, Milton Graham, just turning into a saloon, in company with two other young men. They were laughing loudly, and seemed in high spirits. Graham did not recognize Tom.

 

"I hope he won't come home drunk," thought our hero. "It seems to me it is fashionable to drink here."

 

Tom's experience of city life was very[62] limited. It was not long before he learned that Pittsburg was by no means exceptional in this respect.

 

He ushered³ his companion safely into the hotel, and then a servant took charge of him, and led him to his room. Tom sat up a little while longer, reading a paper he found in the office, and then went to bed.

 

"I suppose Mr. Graham will come home late," he said to himself. "I must leave the door unlocked."

 

He soon went to sleep. How long he slept he did not know, but suddenly awoke after an interval⁴. Opening his eyes he became conscious that Graham had returned. He discovered something more. His roommate, partially⁵ undressed, and with his back turned to Tom, was engaged in searching our hero's pockets. This discovery set Tom broad awake at once. He was not frightened, but rather amused when he thought of Graham's disappointment. He did not think it best to speak, but counterfeited⁶ sleep.

 

"I wonder where the boy keeps his money," he heard Graham mutter. "Perhaps it is in his coat pocket. No, there is nothing but a handkerchief. He's more careful than I gave[63] him credit for. Perhaps it is under his pillow."

 

He laid down the clothes, and approached the bed. Tom, with some effort, kept his eyes firmly closed.

 

Graham slid his hand lightly under the pillow, but withdrew it with all exclamation⁷ of disappointment.

 

"He must have some money," he muttered. "Ah, I have it! It is in his valise."

 

He approached Tom's valise, but it was locked. He drew out a bunch of keys, and tried one after the other, but in vain. Our hero feared he might resort to violent means of opening it, and turned in bed. Graham wheeled round quickly.

 

Tom stretched, and opened his eyes languidly.

 

"Is that you, Mr. Graham?" he asked.

 

"Yes," answered Graham nonchalantly, proceeding⁸ to undress himself. "Have you been abed long?"

 

"I don't know," answered Tom. "What time is it?"

 

"Haven't you got a watch?"

 

"No, I am not rich enough."

 

"It is one o'clock. I hadn't seen my friend[64] for a long time, and couldn't get away till late. By the way, have you got a key about you? I can't open my carpetbag."

 

Tom thought of suggesting the bunch of keys in Graham's pocket, but decided⁹ not to.

 

"My key is in my pants' pocket."

 

"Suppose you get it," said Graham. "I don't like to feel in another person's pocket. There might be some money there."

 

This was very scrupulous¹⁰ for one who had already searched all Tom's pockets thoroughly¹¹.

 

Our hero got up, and got the key for his roommate.

 

"No, it won't fit," said the young man, after a brief trial. "It is too large."

 

Tom replaced the key in his pocket, confident that Graham would in the course of the night use it to open his valise. This, however, did not trouble him.

 

"He won't think it worth while to steal my shirts or stockings," he reflected, "and the handkerchiefs are not worth taking."

 

"It will be rather awkward if I can't find my keys," said Graham craftily¹². "I keep my money in my valise."

 

He thought his unsophisticated companion would reveal in turn where he kept his money;[65] but Tom only said, "That is a good place," and, turning over, closed his eyes again.

 

During the night Tom's valise was opened, as he ascertained¹³ in a simple way. In the morning he found that the key was in the right hand-pocket instead of the left, in which he had placed it.

 

Upon Graham's last failure he began to suspect what Tom had done with his money.

 

"The boy isn't so green as I thought," he said to himself. "Curse his prudence¹⁴! I must get the money somehow, for I am precious hard up."

 

He got up early, when Tom was yet asleep, and went down to the office.

 

"Good morning," he said to the clerk affably.

 

"Good morning, sir."

 

"My young friend and roommate left his money with you last night. Please deliver it to me."

 

"What is the number of your room?" asked the clerk quietly.

 

"No. 16. Tom Nelson is my roommate."

 

"Why doesn't he come for it himself?" inquired the hotel clerk, with a searching glance at Graham.[66]

 

"He wishes me to buy his steamboat ticket," answered Graham coolly. "He is going down the river in my charge."

 

"Are you his guardian¹⁵?"

 

"Yes," answered Graham, with cool effrontery¹⁶. "He is the son of an acquaintance of mine, and I naturally feel an interest in the boy."

 

"He told me he never met you till yesterday."

 

Graham was rather taken aback, but he recovered himself quickly.

 

"That's pretty cool in Tom," he returned, shrugging his shoulders. "I understand it, though."

 

"I am glad you do," said the clerk sarcastically¹⁷, "for it doesn't look to me at all consistent with what you represent."

 

"The fact is," said Graham plausibly¹⁸, "Tom has a feeling of independence, and doesn't like to have it supposed that he is under anybody's protection. That accounts for what he told you. It isn't right, though, to misrepresent. I must give him a scolding. I am in a little of a hurry, so if you will kindly¹⁹ give me the boy's money——"

 

"It won't do, Mr. Graham," said the clerk,[67] very firmly. "The money was put in our charge by the boy, and it will be delivered only to him."

 

"You seem to be very suspicious," said Graham loftily. "Hand me my bill, if you please. I will breakfast elsewhere."

 

The bill was made out, and paid. Five minutes later Milton Graham, with an air of outraged²⁰ virtue²¹, stalked out of the hotel, quite forgetting the young friend who was under his charge.

 

When Tom came down-stairs he was told of the attempt to get possession of his money.

 

"I am much obliged to you for not letting him have it," he said. "He searched my clothes and valise during the night, but I said nothing, for I knew he would find nothing worth taking."

 

"He is a dangerous companion. If you ever meet him again, I advise you to give him a wide berth²²."

 

"I certainly shall follow your advice. If you had not warned me against him he would have stolen my money during the night."

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 inebriate   

v.使醉

参考例句：

• Drinking tea can inebriate people in summer.夏季饮茶不当也会让人有醉的感觉。
• He was inebriated by his phenomenal success.他陶醉于他显赫的成功。

3 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》

4 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

5 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

6 counterfeited   

v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• How did you spot those fifties were counterfeited? 你怎样察觉出那些50元面值的纸币是伪造的？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old miser's widow counterfeited a grief she did not feel. 这个老守财奴的寡妇伪装出她并没有的哀伤。 来自辞典例句

7 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

8 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

9 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。

10 scrupulous   

adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的

参考例句：

• She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。
• Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

11 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

12 craftily   

狡猾地，狡诈地

参考例句：

• He craftily arranged to be there when the decision was announced. 在决议宣布之时，他狡猾地赶到了那里。
• Strengthen basic training of calculation, get the kids to grasp the radical calculating ability craftily. 加强计算基本训练，通过分、小、百互化口算的练习，使学生熟练地掌握基本的计算技能。

13 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 prudence   

n.谨慎，精明，节俭

参考例句：

• A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
• The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。

15 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

16 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。

17 sarcastically   

adv.挖苦地，讽刺地

参考例句：

• 'What a surprise!' Caroline murmured sarcastically.“太神奇了!”卡罗琳轻声挖苦道。
• Pierce mocked her and bowed sarcastically. 皮尔斯嘲笑她，讽刺地鞠了一躬。

18 plausibly   

似真地

参考例句：

• The case was presented very plausibly. 案情的申述似很可信。
• He argued very plausibly for its acceptance. 他为使之认可辩解得头头是道。

19 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。

20 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

21 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

22 berth   

n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊

参考例句：

• She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
• They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。