CHAPTER II. A DEATHBED REVELATION.

 Ernest made the best of his way home, for he knew his uncle would be waiting for him.

 

The old man's eyes were closed, but he opened them when Ernest entered the room.

 

"Was I gone long?" asked the boy.

 

"I don't know. I think I fell asleep."

 

"Shall I give you some of the drink?"

 

"Yes."

 

He drank a small amount, and it seemed to brighten him up so much that Ernest said, "You look better, Uncle Peter. You may live some time."

 

Peter shook his head.

 

"No, boy," he replied; "my time has come to die. I know it. I would like to live for your sake. You will miss me when I am gone, Ernest?"

 

"Yes, uncle, I shall miss you very much."

 

The old man seemed gratified. Ernest was the only one he cared for in all the world.

 

"I don't care so much about dying, but I am anxious for you. I wish I had money to leave you, Ernest, but I haven't much."

 

"I am young and strong. I can get along."

 

"I hope so. You will go away from here."

 

"Yes, uncle. I don't think I shall care to stay here after you are gone."

 

"You will need money to take you away."

 

"There is a little more in the trunk."

 

"But only a little. It is not quite all I have. I have a hundred dollars in gold laid away for you."

 

Ernest looked surprised.

 

"I must tell you where it is while I still have life. Do you remember the oak tree on the little knoll¹ half a mile away?"

 

"Yes, I know it."

 

"Dig under that tree five feet in a westerly direction. There is a wooden box about half a foot below the surface of the earth. There's nothing to mark the spot, for it was buried a year since, and the grass has grown over it, hiding all traces of the earth's being disturbed. After I am gone go there and get the money."

 

"Yes, uncle."

 

"Don't let any one see you when you visit the spot. It will be best to go at night. There are evil-disposed men who would rob you of it if they had the chance. I am sorry it is so little, Ernest."

 

"But it seems to me a good deal."

 

"To a boy it may seem so. Once I thought I might have a good deal more to leave you. Go to the trunk and search till you find a paper folded in an envelope, and inscribed² with your name."

 

"Shall I search now?"

 

"Yes."

 

Ernest went to the trunk, and followed the old man's directions. He found the envelope readily, and held it up.

 

"Is that it, uncle?"

 

"Yes. Put it in your pocket, and read it after I am gone. Then be guided by circumstances. It may amount to something hereafter."

 

"Very well, uncle."

 

"I have told you, Ernest, that I do not expect to live long. I have a feeling that twenty-four hours from now I shall be gone."

 

"Oh, no, uncle, not so soon!" exclaimed Ernest, in a shocked tone.

 

"Yes, I think so. If you have any questions to ask me while I yet have life, ask, for it is your right."

 

"Yes, Uncle Peter, I have long wished to know something about myself. Have I any relatives except you?"

 

"I am not your relative," answered the old man slowly.

 

Ernest was amazed.

 

"Are you not my uncle?" he asked.

 

"No; there is no tie of blood between us."

 

"Then how does it happen that we have lived together so many years?"

 

"I was a servant in your father's family. When your father died, the care of you devolved upon me."

 

"Where was I born?"

 

"In a large town in the western part of New York State. Your grandfather was a man of wealth, but your father incurred³ his displeasure by his marriage to a poor but highly-educated and refined girl. A cousin of your father took advantage of this and succeeded in alienating⁴ father and son. The estate that should have descended⁵ to your father was left to the cousin."

 

"Is he still living?"

 

"Yes."

 

"But my father died?"

 

"Yes; he had a fever, which quickly carried him off when you were five years of age."

 

"Was he very poor?"

 

"No; he inherited a few thousand dollars from an aunt, and upon this he lived prudently⁶, carrying on a small business besides. Your mother died when you were three years old, your father two years later."

 

"And then you took care of me?"

 

"Yes."

 

"And I have been a burden to you these many years!"

 

"No! Don't give me too much credit. A sum of money was put into my hands to spend for you. We lived carefully, and it lasted. We have been here three years, and it has cost very little to live in that time. The hundred dollars of which I spoke⁷ to you are the last of your inheritance. You are not indebted to me for it. It is rightfully yours."

 

"What is my uncle's name?"

 

"Stephen Ray. He lives a few miles from Elmira, on the Erie road."

 

"And is he quite rich?"

 

"Yes; he is probably worth a quarter of a million dollars. It is money which should have gone to your father."

 

"Then the wicked are sometimes prospered⁸ in this world!"

 

"Yes, but this world is not all."

 

"Has there been any communication with my cousin in all these years?"

 

"Yes, two years ago I wrote to him."

 

"What did you write?"

 

"You must forgive me, Ernest, but I saw you growing up without an education, and I felt that you should have advantages which I could not give you. I wrote to your cousin asking if he would pay your expenses in a preparatory school and afterward⁹ at college."

 

"What did he reply?"

 

"Go to the trunk. You will find his letter there. It is in the tray, and addressed to me."

 

Ernest found it readily.

 

"May I read it?" he asked.

 

"Yes, I wish you to do so."

 

It ran thus:

 

PETER BRANT.

 

Sir: I have received your letter making an appeal to me in behalf of Ernest Ray, the son of my cousin. You wish me to educate him. I must decline to do so. His father very much incensed¹⁰ my revered¹¹ uncle, and it is not right that any of his money should go to him or his heirs. He must reap the reward of his disobedience. So far as I am personally concerned I should not object to doing something for the boy, but I am sure that my dead uncle would not approve it. Besides, I have myself a son to whom I propose to leave the estate intact.

 

It is my advice that you bring up the boy Ernest to some humble¹² employment, perhaps have him taught some trade by which he can earn an honest living. It is not at all necessary that he should receive a collegiate education. You are living at the West. That is well. He is favorably situated¹³ for a poor boy, and will have little difficulty in earning a livelihood¹⁴. I don't care to have him associate with my boy Clarence. They are cousins, it is true, but their lots in life will be very different.

 

I do not care to communicate with you again.

 

STEPHEN RAY.

Ernest read this letter with flushed cheeks.

 

"I hate that man," he said hotly, "even if he is a relative. Uncle Peter, I am sorry you ever applied¹⁵ to him in my behalf."

 

"I would not, Ernest, if I had understood what manner of man he was."

 

"I may meet him some time," said Ernest, thoughtfully.

 

"Would you claim relationship?"

 

"Never!" declared Ernest, emphatically. "It was he, you say, who prejudiced my grandfather against my poor father?"

 

"Yes."

 

"In order to secure the estate himself?"

 

"Undoubtedly¹⁶ that was his object."

 

"Nothing could be meaner. I would rather live poor all my life than get property by such means."

 

"If you have no more questions to ask, Ernest, I will try to sleep. I feel drowsy¹⁷."

 

"Do so, Uncle Peter."

 

The old man closed his eyes, and soon all was silent. Presently Ernest himself lay down on a small bed near by. When he awoke, hours afterward, he lit a candle and went to Peter's bedside.

 

The old man lay still--very still. With quick suspicion Ernest placed his hand on his cheek.

 

It was stone cold.

 

"He is dead!" cried Ernest, and a feeling of desolation came over him.

 

"I am all alone now," he murmured.

 

But he was not wholly alone. There was a face glued against the window-pane a face that he did not see. It was the tramp he had met during the day at the village store.

 

1 knoll   

n.小山，小丘

参考例句：

• Silver had terrible hard work getting up the knoll.对于希尔弗来说，爬上那小山丘真不是件容易事。
• He crawled up a small knoll and surveyed the prospect.他慢腾腾地登上一个小丘，看了看周围的地形。

2 inscribed   

v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接

参考例句：

• His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。
• The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

4 alienating   

v.使疏远( alienate的现在分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• The phenomena of alienation are widespread. Sports are also alienating. 异化现象普遍存在，体育运动也不例外。 来自互联网
• How can you appeal to them without alienating the mainstream crowd? 你是怎么在不疏忽主流玩家的情况下吸引住他们呢？ 来自互联网

5 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

6 prudently   

adv. 谨慎地，慎重地

参考例句：

• He prudently pursued his plan. 他谨慎地实行他那计划。
• They had prudently withdrawn as soon as the van had got fairly under way. 他们在蓬车安全上路后立即谨慎地离去了。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 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。

9 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

10 incensed   

盛怒的

参考例句：

• The decision incensed the workforce. 这个决定激怒了劳工大众。
• They were incensed at the decision. 他们被这个决定激怒了。

11 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

12 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。

13 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

14 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

15 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

16 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。

17 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。