CHAPTER IV. — SAM FRIGHTENS THE HOUSEHOLD.

 Sam usually slept the whole night through; but to-night was an exception. It might have been because he was in a strange bed, and in a strange house. At any rate, he woke in time to hear the clock on the church, of which his guardian¹ was deacon, strike two.

 

"Where am I?" was his first thought.

 

He remembered almost immediately, and the thought made him broad awake. He ought not to have been hungry at that hour, and in fact he was not, but the thought of the pie forced itself upon his mind, and he felt a longing² for the slice that was left over from supper. Quick upon this thought came another, "Why couldn't he creep downstairs softly, and get it? The deacon and his wife were fast asleep, Who would find him out?"

 

A boy better brought up than Sam might have reflected that it was wrong; but, as the deacon said, Sam had no "conceptions of duty," or, more properly, his conscience was not very active. He got out of bed, slipped on his stockings, and crept softly downstairs, feeling his way. It was very dark, for the entries were unlighted, but finally he reached the kitchen without creating any alarm.

 

Now for the closet. It was not locked, and Sam opened the door without difficulty.

 

"I wish I had a match, so's to see where the pie is," he thought.

 

He felt around, but the pie must have been placed elsewhere, for he could not find it. It had really been placed on the highest shelf, which Sam had not as yet explored. But there are dangers in feeling around in the dark. Our hero managed to dislodge a pile of plates, which fell with a crash upon his feet. There was a loud crash of broken crockery, and the noise was increased by the howls of Sam, who danced up and down with pain.

 

The noise reached the chamber³ where the deacon and his wife were calmly reposing⁴. Mrs. Hopkins was a light sleeper⁵, and was awakened⁶ at once.

 

She was startled and terrified, and, sitting up in bed, shook her husband violently by the shoulder.

 

"Deacon—Deacon Hopkins!" she exclaimed.

 

"What's the matter?" asked the deacon, drowsily⁷.

 

"Matter enough. There's robbers downstairs."

 

Now the deacon was broad awake.

 

"Robbers!" he exclaimed. "Pooh! Nonsense! You're dreamin', wife."

 

Just then there was another racket. Sam, in trying to effect his escape, tumbled over a chair, and there was a yell of pain.

 

"Am I dreaming now, deacon?" demanded his wife, triumphantly⁸.

 

"You're right, wife," said the deacon, turning pale, and trembling. "It's an awful situation. What shall we do?"

 

"Do? Go downstairs, and confront the villains⁹!" returned his wife, energetically.

 

"They might shoot me," said her husband, panic-stricken. "They're—they're said to be very desperate fellows."

 

"Are you a man, and won't defend your property?" exclaimed his wife, taunting¹⁰ him, "Do you want me to go down?"

 

"Perhaps you'd better," said the deacon, accepting the suggestion with alacrity¹¹.

 

"What!" shrieked¹² Mrs. Hopkins. "You are willing they should shoot me?"

 

"They wouldn't shoot a woman," said the deacon.

 

But his wife was not appeased¹³.

 

Just then the unlucky Sam trod on the tail of the cat, who was quietly asleep on the hearth¹⁴. With the instinct of self-defence, she scratched his leg, which was undefended by the customary clothing, and our hero, who did not feel at all heroic in the dark, not knowing what had got hold of him, roared with pain and fright.

 

"This is terrible!" gasped¹⁵ the deacon. "Martha, is the door locked?"

 

"No."

 

"Then I'll get up and lock it. O Lord, what will become of us?"

 

Sam was now ascending¹⁶ the stairs, and, though he tried to walk softly, the stairs creaked beneath his weight.

 

"They're comin' upstairs," exclaimed Mrs. Hopkins. "Lock the door quick, deacon, or we shall be murdered in our bed."

 

The deacon reached the door in less time than he would have accomplished¹⁷ the same feat¹⁸ in the daytime, and hurriedly locked it.

 

"It's locked, Martha," he said, "but they may break it down."

 

"Or fire through the door—"

 

"Let's hide under the bed," suggested the heroic deacon.

 

"Don't speak so loud. They'll hear. I wish it was mornin'."

 

The deacon stood at the door listening, and made a discovery.

 

"They're goin up into the garret," he announced. "That's strange—"

 

"What do they want up there, I wonder?"

 

"They can't think we've got anything valuable up there."

 

"Deacon," burst out Mrs. Hopkins, with a sudden idea, "I believe we've been fooled."

 

"Fooled! What do you mean?"

 

"I believe it isn't robbers."

 

"Not robbers? Why, you told me it was," said her husband, bewildered.

 

"I believe it's that boy."

 

"What,—Sam?"

 

"Yes."

 

"What would he want downstairs?"

 

"I don't know, but it's him, I'll be bound. Light the lamp, deacon, and go up and see."

 

"But it might be robbers," objected the deacon, in alarm. "They might get hold of me, and kill me."

 

"I didn't think you were such a coward, Mr. Hopkins," said his wife, contemptuously. When she indulged in severe sarcasm¹⁹, she was accustomed to omit her husband's title.

 

"I aint a coward, but I don't want to risk my life. It's a clear flyin' in the face of Providence²⁰. You'd ought to see that it is, Martha," said the deacon, reproachfully.

 

"I don't see it. I see that you are frightened, that's what I see. Light the lamp, and I'll go up myself."

 

"Well, Martha, it's better for you to go. They won't touch a woman."

 

He lighted the lamp, and his wife departed on her errand. It might have been an unconscious action on the part of the deacon, but he locked the door after his wife.

 

Mrs. Hopkins proceeded to the door of Sam's bed-chamber, and, as the door was unfastened, she entered. Of course he was still awake, but he pretended to be asleep.

 

"Sam," said Mrs. Hopkins.

 

There was a counterfeited²¹ snore.

 

"Sam—say!"

 

Sam took no notice.

 

The lady took him by the shoulder, and shook him with no gentle hand, so that our hero was compelled to rouse himself.

 

"What's up?" he asked, rubbing his eyes in apparent surprise.

 

"I am," said Mrs. Hopkins, shortly, "and you have been."

 

"I!" protested Sam, innocently. "Why, I was sound asleep when you came in. I don't know what's been goin on. Is it time to get up?"

 

"What have you been doing downstairs?" demanded Mrs. Hopkins, sternly.

 

"Who says I've been downstairs?" asked Sam.

 

"I'm sure you have. I heard you."

 

"It must have been somebody else."

 

"There is no one else to go down. Neither the deacon nor myself has been down."

 

"Likely it's thieves."

 

But Mrs. Hopkins felt convinced, from Sam's manner, that he was the offender²², and she determined²³ to make him confess it.

 

"Get up," she said, "and go down with me."

 

"I'm sleepy," objected Sam.

 

"So am I, but I mean to find out all about this matter."

 

Sam jumped out of bed, and unwillingly²⁴ accompanied Mrs. Hopkins downstairs. The latter stopped at her own chamber-door, and tried to open it.

 

"Who's there?" asked the deacon, tremulously.

 

"I am," said his wife, emphatically.

 

"So you locked the door on your wife, did you, because you thought there was danger. It does you great credit, upon my word."

 

"What have you found out?" asked her husband, evading²⁵ the reproach. "Was it Sam that made all the noise?"

 

"How could I," said Sam, "when I was fast asleep?"

 

"I'm goin to take him down with me to see what mischief's done," said Mrs. Hopkins. "Do you want to go too?"

 

The deacon, after a little hesitation²⁶, followed his more courageous²⁷ spouse²⁸, at a safe distance, however,—and the three entered the kitchen, which had been the scene of Sam's noisy exploits. It showed traces of his presence in an overturned chair. Moreover, the closet-door was wide open, and broken pieces of crockery were scattered²⁹ over the floor.

 

A light dawned upon Mrs. Hopkins. She had solved the mystery!

1 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。

2 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 reposing   

v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His parents were now reposing in the local churchyard. 他的双亲现在长眠于本地教堂墓地。 来自辞典例句
• The picture shows a nude reposing on a couch. 这幅画表现的是一个人赤身体躺在长沙发上。 来自辞典例句

5 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

6 awakened   

v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到

参考例句：

• She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。
• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 drowsily   

adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地

参考例句：

• She turned drowsily on her side, a slow creeping blackness enveloping her mind. 她半睡半醒地翻了个身，一片缓缓蠕动的黑暗渐渐将她的心包围起来。 来自飘（部分）
• I felt asleep drowsily before I knew it. 不知过了多久，我曚扙地睡着了。 来自互联网

8 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

9 villains   

n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼

参考例句：

• The impression of villains was inescapable. 留下恶棍的印象是不可避免的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some villains robbed the widow of the savings. 有几个歹徒将寡妇的积蓄劫走了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 taunting   

嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落

参考例句：

• She wagged a finger under his nose in a taunting gesture. 她当着他的面嘲弄地摇晃着手指。
• His taunting inclination subdued for a moment by the old man's grief and wildness. 老人的悲伤和狂乱使他那嘲弄的意图暂时收敛起来。

11 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

12 shrieked   

v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
• Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

13 appeased   

安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争）

参考例句：

• His hunger could only be appeased by his wife. 他的欲望只有他的妻子能满足。
• They are the more readily appeased. 他们比较容易和解。

14 hearth   

n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面

参考例句：

• She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。
• She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

15 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 ascending   

adj.上升的，向上的

参考例句：

• Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

17 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

18 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

19 sarcasm   

n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）

参考例句：

• His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
• She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

20 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

21 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

22 offender   

n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者

参考例句：

• They all sued out a pardon for an offender.他们请求法院赦免一名罪犯。
• The authorities often know that sex offenders will attack again when they are released.当局一般都知道性犯罪者在获释后往往会再次犯案。

23 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。

24 unwillingly   

adv.不情愿地

参考例句：

• He submitted unwillingly to his mother. 他不情愿地屈服于他母亲。
• Even when I call, he receives unwillingly. 即使我登门拜访，他也是很不情愿地接待我。

25 evading   

逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出

参考例句：

• Segmentation of a project is one means of evading NEPA. 把某一工程进行分割，是回避《国家环境政策法》的一种手段。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Too many companies, she says, are evading the issue. 她说太多公司都在回避这个问题。

26 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。

27 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

28 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

29 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。