CHAPTER XXXIV. A STRANGE MEETING.

 Ernest left Oreville with four hundred dollars in his pocket. The balance of his money he left in the hands of his friend Horace Ames, upon whom he was authorized¹ to draw if he should have need.

 

"I don't intend to carry all my money with me," he said to Luke Robbins. "I might lose it."

 

"Even if you did, Ernest, you could draw on me. If you need it, do so without any hesitation²."

 

"You are a good friend, Luke," said Ernest warmly. "What should I do without you?"

 

"I am beginning to wonder what I shall do without you, Ernest. Suppose, now, this lawyer puts a fortune in your hands?"

 

"If he does, Luke, I am sure to need your help in some way. I will see that we are not separated."

 

"Thank you, Ernest. I know you mean what you say. You may find a better friend, but you won't find one that is more ready to serve you than Luke Robbins."

 

"I am sure of that, Luke," said Ernest with a bright smile, as he pressed the rough hand of his faithful friend.

 

Ernest did not loiter on his way, though he was tempted³ to stop in Chicago, but he reflected that he would have plenty of chances to visit that bustling⁴ city after his business had been attended to.

 

As he approached Buffalo⁵ on the train his attention was attracted to two persons sitting in front of him. They were a father and son, as he gathered from the conversation.

 

The son was about his own age and size, apparently⁶, but rather more slender in figure. He had a peevish⁷ expression, and Ernest doubted whether he would like him.

 

"Father," Ernest heard him say, "won't you give me a little money? I am dead broke."

 

The father frowned.

 

"I gave you five dollars when we set out on this journey," he said.

 

"Well, five dollars won't last forever," was the pert rejoinder.

 

"It ought to last more than four days, Clarence."

 

Ernest started. He knew that his cousin's name was Clarence. Could this be Stephen Ray and his son?

 

Even if it were so, he felt that it would not be advisable to make himself known. This business which was carrying him to New York might bring him into conflict with Stephen Ray. If so, he would not care to let his presence be known.

 

On arriving at Buffalo Ernest left the train. He had never visited Niagara, and being now so near, he felt that he could not forego the opportunity.

 

He registered at the Tefft House, and decided⁸ to remain twenty-four hours. This would give him time to see the Falls.

 

Ernest had a room assigned him, and went up to it at once in order to have the luxury of a good wash.

 

Five minutes afterwards, Stephen Ray and his son Clarence entered the hotel.

 

Mr. Ray, in a pompous⁹ manner, went up to the desk and said to the clerk, "Can you give me a good room?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I want a front room, if you have it."

 

"I can't give you a front room, but I can give you a good side room."

 

Stephen Ray grumbled¹⁰ a little, but finally decided to take the room offered him. He saw that his haughty¹¹ manner did not impress the clerk, who was accustomed to men of his class.

 

Clarence looked over his father's shoulder as he registered.

 

"Why, pa," he exclaimed in surprise, "there's another guest of our name."

 

"Where?" asked his father.

 

"There, three names above your signature."

 

Stephen Ray looked at the register, and started violently as he read the entry:

 

ERNEST RAY, Oreville, California.

 

"What's the matter, pa?" asked Clarence, noticing his father's agitation¹².

 

"Oh, nothing, nothing," answered his father, with an effort.

 

"Haven't we a cousin named Ernest Ray?"

 

"We had, but he is dead."

 

"It is strange that there should be another person of the name."

 

"Not at all. The world is large, and there are probably a good many persons of one name."

 

"This one is from California."

 

"So I see. By the way," here Mr. Ray addressed the clerk, "did you observe the person who registered under the name of Ray?"

 

"Yes. It is a boy about the size of this young gentleman."

 

"It is strange!" said Clarence. "It may be our cousin."

 

"Didn't I tell you that the person you refer to is dead?" said his father, testily¹³.

 

"I don't believe it," thought Clarence, but he did not express his unbelief. He determined¹⁴, however, to have an interview with the boy, and find out for himself all about him.

 

He saw Ernest at the table soon after, and so did Stephen Ray. The latter noted¹⁵ with alarm the resemblance of the boy to his cousin Dudley Ray, whose estate he had usurped¹⁶.

 

"I hope Bolton won't get hold of him." he said to himself. "It would be bad for me."

 

After supper Mr. Ray went out, leaving Clarence to himself.

 

He improved the opportunity. Seeing Ernest sitting alone, he went up to him.

 

"Is your name Ray?" he asked.

 

"Yes, Ernest Ray."

 

"My name is Clarence Ray."

 

"So I thought. We are cousins."

 

"That's what I told pa, but he said it was not so--that Ernest Ray was dead."

 

"Your father's name is Stephen Ray?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I have known of him and you since I was old enough to remember anything."

 

"Then you are really my cousin Ernest?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I wonder why pa said you were dead. I will tell pa he is mistaken."

 

"No, Clarence, I would rather you wouldn't. There are reasons why it is better not to say anything about it."

 

"All right. Are you well off?"

 

Ernest smiled.

 

"I am not rich," he said, "but I am comfortably fixed¹⁷."

 

"Do you live in California?"

 

"I have lived there for the last few months."

 

"Why did you come East?"

 

"On a little business."

 

"I am glad you are well off. I think pa was afraid you were a poor relation."

 

"Your father is rich?"

 

"Yes, ever so rich. We've got a fine place near Elmira. If pa wasn't so cranky I would invite you there to visit me."

 

"Thank you all the same," said Ernest, smiling.

 

Later in the evening, when Stephen Ray came in, Ernest noticed that he looked at him critically. He, too, examined the man who, he had reason to believe, was enjoying the estates that should be his, and was not attracted towards him.

 

"What will he say," thought Ernest, "when I make a formal demand for the property?"

 

"What in the name of all that's unlucky can have brought that boy here at this time?" Stephen Ray was saying to himself.

 

He never for an instant doubted Ernest's identity--in fact, he could not well have done so, for he bore a strong resemblance to Dudley Ray, who had been a strikingly handsome man, very much the superior of Stephen in personal attractions.

 

Stephen Ray's curiosity was excited. Ernest did not appear like the average poor relation. He was quite as well dressed as Clarence. Besides, he had registered at a high-priced hotel, and this alone showed that he was not cramped¹⁸ for means.

 

This gave him some satisfaction, as it made it less likely that he would appeal to him for assistance.

 

Stephen Ray was rather surprised that Clarence made no further reference to Ernest. Had he known that the two had had a conversation he would have been seriously disturbed. He only hoped that Bolton would not get hold of the boy.

 

1 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

2 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

3 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：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

4 bustling   

adj.喧闹的

参考例句：

• The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
• This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

5 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

6 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。

7 peevish   

adj.易怒的，坏脾气的

参考例句：

• A peevish child is unhappy and makes others unhappy.一个脾气暴躁的孩子自己不高兴也使别人不高兴。
• She glared down at me with a peevish expression on her face.她低头瞪着我，一脸怒气。

8 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。

9 pompous   

adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.他有点自大，自视甚高。
• He is a good man underneath his pompous appearance. 他的外表虽傲慢，其实是个好人。

10 grumbled   

抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
• The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

11 haughty   

adj.傲慢的，高傲的

参考例句：

• He gave me a haughty look and walked away.他向我摆出傲慢的表情后走开。
• They were displeased with her haughty airs.他们讨厌她高傲的派头。

12 agitation   

n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动

参考例句：

• Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
• These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

13 testily   

adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地

参考例句：

• He reacted testily to reports that he'd opposed military involvement. 有报道称他反对军队参与，对此他很是恼火。 来自柯林斯例句

14 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。

15 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

16 usurped   

篡夺，霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权

参考例句：

• That magazine usurped copyrighted material. 那杂志盗用了版权为他人所有的素材。
• The expression'social engineering'has been usurped by the Utopianist without a shadow of light. “社会工程”这个词已被乌托邦主义者毫无理由地盗用了。

17 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

18 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作