“Good evening! Will you go into the house?” said Frank.
“I believe not. I have not time.”
“I am sorry father isn't home. He just started for the village.”
“Ahem! it was not to see your father that I called,” answered Squire Pope. “I wish to have a few words with this young man,” indicating Philip stiffly.
“I am at your service, Squire Pope,” said Philip, with ceremonious politeness.
“We came about the fiddle2,” interrupted Nick Holden, who always wanted to have a share in the conversation.
“Nicholas,” he said severely4, “I apprehend5 I am competent to manage the business we have come upon.”
“Don't get riled, squire,” said Nick, by no means abashed6 by this rebuke7. “I thought you were kinder slow about comin' to the point.”
“Your interruption was very indecorous. I do not require any assistance or any suggestions.”
“All right, squire!”
Squire Pope now turned to our hero, and said:
“As I was about to say, when interrupted by Nicholas, I have come to require you to give up—the Violin which, without authority and against my express command, you withheld8 from the auction9.”
“The violin is mine, Squire Pope,” said Philip firmly, “and I mean to keep it!”
“You talk like an ignorant boy. As a minor10, you had no claim to the possession of any article except your clothing. I judged it best that the violin should be sold at the auction, and it is presumptuous11 for you to set up your judgment12 against mine!”
“I don't take that view of it,” said Philip, and then he stopped.
He knew it was of no use to argue against the squire, who was obstinate13 to the verge14 of pig-headedness, if I may be allowed to use the expression. He felt that it would be only wasting his breath.
“It is quite immaterial how you view the subject,” said the squire pompously15. “My mind is made up, and my resolution is not likely to be shaken by a boy.”
“Then, sir,” answered Philip, in a respectful tone but with a slight smile, “it is hardly worth while for me to say any more.”
“I am glad you have arrived at so sensible a conclusion,” said Squire Pope. “I take it that you have the violin here.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then bring it out and give it to me.”
Now came the critical point, when Philip must array himself in determined16 opposition17 to Squire Pope. He felt that he was entirely18 in the right; still he regretted the necessity of the antagonism19.
Philip had one thing in his favor: He had plenty of self-control, and, although he was very indignant at the course of the squire, which he regarded as unjustifiable, he made up his mind to be as respectful as circumstances would permit.
“I don't think you understand me, Squire Pope,” he said. “I refuse to give up the violin!”
“You refuse to give up the violin!” repeated Squire Pope, scarcely believing the testimony20 of his ears. “Do I hear you aright?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you mean to defy me to my face?” demoded Squire Pope, growing very red.
“I don't wish to defy you or anybody else,” returned Philip; “but I shall stand up for my rights.”
“Misguided boy!” said the squire severely; “you will yet rue22 this rash and heedless course. Frank,” he continued, turning to Frank Dunbar, “do you know where Philip's violin is!”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do me the favor to bring it out and place it in my hands.”
“You must excuse me, Squire Pope,” answered Frank. “It belongs to Philip, and I have no right to meddle23 with it.”
“If Philip has told you this, he has misrepresented,” said the squire, rather discouraged by this second rebuff. “The violin does not belong to Philip. It belongs to this young man.”
And, with a wave of his hand, he designated Nick Holden.
It was not polite, but Frank Dunbar was so surprised by this announcement that he whistled.
As for Philip, he regarded Nick calmly; but there didn't seem to be any sign of yielding in his look.
“That's so!” corroborated25 Nick complacently26. “The squire sold me the fiddle for two-fifty. It's mine now, and you'd better fetch it along out, or there'll be trouble.”
Philip turned to Squire Pope, and said quietly:
“As you had no right to sell it, the sale amounts to nothing. If you had a right, I should say you were not very shrewd to sell an instrument that cost twenty-five dollars—and was considered a bargain at the price—for two dollars and fifty cents.”
“The violin cost twenty-five dollars!” ejaculated the squire, in genuine surprise.
For, as it has already been stated, he had no idea whatever of the usual price for a violin.
“Yes, sir.”
“Don't you believe him, squire,” said Nicholas, afraid that he would lose what he knew to be a good bargain. “No fiddle that was ever made cost twenty-five dollars. It's ridiculous!”
“It does seem a large price,” said the squire guardedly.
Squire Pope would doubtless have been surprised to learn that certain violins of celebrated27 make—such as the Cremonas—have sold for thousands of dollars. Probably he would have disbelieved it.
Nevertheless, he began to think that he had been too precipitate28 in accepting Nick Holden's offer.
If he should sacrifice, or sell at an utterly29 inadequate30 price, any article belonging to the boy whom he considered his ward31, he knew that he would be blamed, and he began to consider how he could recede32 from the bargain.
“Nicholas,” he said, “I didn't exactly sell the violin to you. I will ascertain33 what is a fair price for it, and then I will consider your proposal.”
“You sold it right out, squire,” said Nick, “and I can prove it. Didn't you just say it was mine. There, now!”
Nick turned triumphantly34 to Frank and Phil, but, for very good reasons, they did not care to side with him.
“I say, you haven't treated me right,” persisted Nick, who had no particular respect nor veneration35 for the squire, and was not to be deterred36 from speaking as he felt. “I offered you two-fifty, and you said I should have it, and you got me to call at your house to come here for it.”
“I cannot sacrifice the property of my ward,” said Squire Pope. “I must ascertain how much the violin is worth.”
“A bargain is a bargain, every time!” said Nick, irritated.
“I will let you have it as cheap as anybody,” said the squire, who thought it possible that Nick might be the only one who desired to purchase it. “That ought to satisfy you. Philip, go and bring me the violin, and I will carry it home and dispose of it to the best advantage.”
“You must excuse me, Squire Pope. I shall not let it leave my possession.” Just then Squire Pope espied37 Mr. Dunbar returning from the village, and hailed him as a probable ally. He laid the matter before him, and requested him to compel Philip to get the violin.
“You must excuse me, squire,” said Mr. Dunbar coldly. “Philip is my guest, and he shall be protected in his rights as long as he remains38 here.”
Without a word, Squire Pope walked off, in angry discomfiture39, in one direction, while Nick, equally dissatisfied, walked off in another.
“They don't seem happy!” said Frank slyly.
“I wish I knew where it was going to end,” returned Philip gravely.
“It seems to me,” said Frank, “the squire is making a great fuss about a fiddle, for a man of his dignity.”
“He doesn't care about the violin. He wants to have his own way,” said Philip, thus hitting the nail on the head.
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1
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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auction
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| n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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11
presumptuous
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| adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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pompously
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| adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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18
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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19
antagonism
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| n.对抗，敌对，对立 | |
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20
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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23
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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24
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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corroborated
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| v.证实，支持（某种说法、信仰、理论等）( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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28
precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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29
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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30
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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31
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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32
recede
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| vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进 | |
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33
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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veneration
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| n.尊敬，崇拜 | |
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36
deterred
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| v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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