CHAPTER XIV. COMING TO AN UNDERSTANDING.

 "I believe, Tom," said Mr. Waterbury, "that I will come to an understanding with these officious acquaintances of yours. I will intimate to them that their persecution² must cease."

 

"Will they mind what you say, sir?"

 

"I think they will," answered his friend quietly.

 

Graham and Vincent were standing¹ together, and apart from the rest of the passengers, when Mr. Waterbury approached them.

 

"A word with you, gentlemen," said he gravely.

 

"I don't know you, sir," blustered³ Vincent.

 

"Perhaps not. Permit me to remark that I have no special desire for your acquaintance."[114]

 

"Then why do you take the liberty of addressing me?"

 

"I rather admire the fellow's impudence," said Mr. Waterbury to himself.

 

"Are you associated with this gentleman?" he asked, indicating Graham.

 

"We are friends."

 

"Then I will address an inquiry⁴ to him. I am not in the habit of receiving calls in my stateroom during the hours of sleep."

 

"I don't understand you, sir," said Milton Graham, with hauteur⁵.

 

"Oh, yes, you do, unless your memory is singularly defective⁶. Our staterooms are close together. You entered mine last night."

 

"You must have been dreaming."

 

"If so, I was dreaming with my eyes open. Perhaps it was in my dreams that I saw you extract a wallet from my coat pocket."

 

"Do you mean to insult me, sir?" demanded Graham.

 

"Really, sir, your remarks are rather extraordinary," chimed in Vincent.

 

"Do you mean to say that I robbed you?" demanded Graham, confident in the knowledge that the booty was not on his person.[115]

 

"I find a wallet missing. That speaks for itself."

 

"Let me suggest that your roommate probably took it," said Vincent.

 

"Extremely probable," said Graham. "He roomed with me in Pittsburg, and I caught him at my pockets during the night."

 

"Did you ever hear the fable⁷ of the wolf and the lamb, Mr. Graham?" asked Mr. Waterbury.

 

"Can't say I have."

 

"It's of no consequence. I am reminded of it, however."

 

"Come to think of it," said Vincent, "I saw the boy with a roll of bills. You had better search him. If he is innocent, he can't object."

 

"I see your drift," returned Mr. Waterbury, after a pause. "I saw you thrust the bills into his pocket, as he stood with his back turned, conversing⁸ with one of the passengers. It was very skilfully⁹ done, but I saw it."

 

Vincent started, for he had supposed himself unobserved.

 

"I see you are determined¹⁰ to insult us," he said. "I will charitably conclude that you are drunk."[116]

 

"I can't be so charitable with you, sir. I believe you are a pair of precious scoundrels, who, if you had your deserts, would be in the penitentiary¹¹ instead of at large."

 

"I have a mind to knock you down," said Vincent angrily.

 

As Vincent was several inches shorter and much slighter than the person whom he threatened, this menace sounded rather ridiculous.

 

"You are at liberty to try it," said the latter, smiling. "First, however, let me warn you that, if you continue to annoy us, it will be at your peril¹². If you remain quiet I shall leave you alone. Otherwise I will make known your true character to the captain and passengers, and you will undoubtedly¹³ be set ashore¹⁴ when we reach the next landing. I have the honor to wish you good morning."

 

"It strikes me, Graham," said Vincent, as Mr. Waterbury left them, "that we have tackled the wrong passenger."

 

"I believe you are right," said Graham. "Just my luck."

 

"There isn't much use in staying on the boat. He will keep a good lookout¹⁵ for us."

 

"True; but I don't want to give up the boy."[117]

 

"He is under the guardianship¹⁶ of this determined old party."

 

"They will separate at Cincinnati."

 

"Well?"

 

"He has money enough to take him to California. He is worth following up."

 

"Then you are in favor of going on to Cincinnati?"

 

"By all means."

 

"Very well. There are always chances of making an honest penny in a large city."

 

"Money or no money, I want to get even with the boy."

 

So the worthy¹⁷ pair decided¹⁸ to go on to Cincinnati.

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

3 blustered   

v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹

参考例句：

• He blustered his way through the crowd. 他吆喝着挤出人群。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind blustered around the house. 狂风呼啸着吹过房屋周围。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

5 hauteur   

n.傲慢

参考例句：

• Once,she had been put off by his hauteur.她曾经对他的傲慢很反感。
• A deeper shade of hauteur overspread his features,but he said not a word.一阵傲慢的阴影罩上了他的脸，可是他一句话也没有说。

6 defective   

adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的

参考例句：

• The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
• If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

7 fable   

n.寓言；童话；神话

参考例句：

• The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上。
• He had some motive in telling this fable. 他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

8 conversing   

v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I find that conversing with her is quite difficult. 和她交谈实在很困难。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were conversing in the parlor. 他们正在客厅谈话。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 skilfully   

adv. (美skillfully)熟练地

参考例句：

• Hall skilfully weaves the historical research into a gripping narrative. 霍尔巧妙地把历史研究揉进了扣人心弦的故事叙述。
• Enthusiasm alone won't do. You've got to work skilfully. 不能光靠傻劲儿，得找窍门。

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

11 penitentiary   

n.感化院；监狱

参考例句：

• He worked as a warden at the state penitentiary.他在这所州监狱任看守长。
• While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up.他坐牢的时候，她的父亲死了，家庭就拆散了。

12 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

13 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

14 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

15 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

16 guardianship   

n. 监护, 保护, 守护

参考例句：

• They had to employ the English language in face of the jealous guardianship of Britain. 他们不得不在英国疑忌重重的监护下使用英文。
• You want Marion to set aside her legal guardianship and give you Honoria. 你要马丽恩放弃她的法定监护人资格，把霍诺丽娅交给你。

17 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

18 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。