NATHAN MIDDLETON,
Insurance Agent.
Some people might object to turning even a part of their dwellings4 into a business office, but then it saved rent, and Mr. Middleton was one of the saving kind. He had always been saving from the first time he received a penny at the mature age of five, and triumphing over the delusive5 pleasures of an investment in candy, put it in a tin savings-bank to the present moment. He didn’t marry until the age of forty, not having dared to undertake the expense of maintaining two persons. At that time, however, he fortunately encountered a maiden6 lady of about his own age, whose habits were equally economical, who possessed7 the sum of four thousand dollars. After a calculation of some length he concluded that it would be for his pecuniary8 benefit to marry. He proposed, was accepted, and in due time Miss Corinthia Carver became Mrs. Nathan Middleton.
Their married life had lasted eight years, when they very unexpectedly became the custodian9 of my hero.
One day Mr. Middleton sat in his office, drawing up an application for insurance, when a stranger entered.
“Wants to insure his life, I hope,” thought Nathan, in the hope of a commission.
“Take a chair, sir. What can I do for you?” he asked urbanely10. “Have you been thinking of insuring your life? I represent some of the best companies in the country.”
“That isn’t my business,” said the visitor decisively.
Nathan looked disappointed, and waited for the business to be announced.
“You had a school-mate named Stephen Temple, did you not, Mr. Middleton?”
“Yes; we used to go to school together. What has become of him?”
“He is dead.”
“I am sorry to hear it. Any family?”
“One son, a boy of sixteen. That is why I am here.”
“Really, I don’t understand you.”
“He has left his son to you,” said the stranger.
“What!” exclaimed Nathan, in dismay.
“Having no other friends, for he has been away from home nearly all his life, he thought you would be willing to give the boy a home.”
Instantly there rose in the economical mind of Mr. Middleton an appalling11 array of expenses, including board, washing, clothes, books and so on, which would be likely to be incurred12 on behalf of a well-grown boy, and he actually shuddered13.
“Stephen Temple had no right to expect such a thing of me,” he said. “The fact that we went to school together doesn’t give him any claim upon me. If the boy hasn’t got any relations willing to support him he should be sent to the poor-house.”
“I don’t see what I have said that is so very amusing,” he said stiffly.
“You talk of a boy worth forty thousand dollars going to the poor-house!”
“What!” exclaimed Nathan, in open-eyed wonder.
“As his father directs that his guardian15 shall receive a thousand dollars a year for his care, most persons would not refuse so hastily.”
“My dear sir!” said Nathan persuasively16, feeling as if he had suddenly discovered a gold mine, “is this really true?”
“I can show you a copy of the will, if you are in doubt.”
“I believe you implicitly17, my dear sir; and so poor Stephen is dead!” and the insurance agent took out his handkerchief and placed it before his eyes to wipe away the imaginary tears. “We were very intimate when we were boys—like brothers, in fact. Excuse my tears, I shall soon recover the momentary18 shock of your sad announcement.”
“I hope so,” said the visitor dryly. “As you are not willing to take the boy, I will look elsewhere.”
“My dear sir,” hastily exclaimed Nathan, alarmed at the prospect19 of losing a thousand dollars a year, “you are quite mistaken. I have not refused.”
“You suggested his being cared for by some relative.”
“It was a misapprehension, I assure you. I will gladly receive my poor friend’s son into my happy home circle. I will be his second father. I have no sons of my own. I will lavish20 upon him the tenderness of a parent.”
The visitor laughed shortly.
“I am afraid you have very little idea of what Tom Temple is.”
“He is the son of my early friend.”
“That may be, but that don’t make him a model, or a very desirable boarder.”
“Is he a bad boy?”
“He is known among us as ‘The Bully21 of the Village.’ He is fond of teasing and domineering over other boys, and is full of mischief22. He is sure to give you trouble.”
“I’d rather he was a good boy,” thought Nathan, “but a thousand dollars will make up for a good deal of trouble.”
“Does my description frighten you?” said the visitor.
“No,” said Nathan. “Out of regard for the lamented23 friend of my early days, I will receive this misguided boy, and try to correct his faults and make him steady and well-behaved.”
“You’ll find it a hard job, my friend.”
“I shall have the co-operation of Mrs. Middleton, an admirable lady, whose precepts24 and example will have a most salutary effect upon my young charge.”
“Well, I hope so, for your sake. When shall I send Tom to you?”
“As soon as you like,” said Nathan, who desired that the allowance of twenty dollars a week should commence at once. “To whom am I to send my bills?”
“To me. I am a lawyer, and the executor of Mr. Temple’s will.”
“I wonder this lawyer didn’t try to secure the thousand dollars a year for himself,” thought Nathan, and he inwardly rejoiced that he had not done so.
“Am I expected to provide the boy’s clothes?” he asked anxiously, the thought suddenly occurring to him. “Is that to come out of the thousand dollars?”
“No; not at all. You will furnish the clothes, however, and send the bills to me. Here is my card.”
“I believe my business is at an end,” he said rising; “at least for the present. The boy will be forwarded at once. He will probably present himself to you day after to-morrow.”
The card which he placed in the hand of Nathan contained the name of
EPHRAIM SHARP,
Attorney-at-Law,
Centerville
“Very well, Mr. Sharp. We will be ready to receive him. Good-morning, sir.”
“That isn’t likely,” said Nathan to himself gleefully, when he was left alone. “A thousand dollars a year, and the boy’s board won’t probably cost me more’n a hundred. We don’t pamper26 ourselves with luxurious27 living. It is wrong. Besides, it is wasteful28. I must go and acquaint Mrs. Middleton with the news.”
“Corinthia, my dear, we are about to have a boarder,” he said, on reaching the presence of his fair partner.
“Do you mean to say, Mr. Middleton, you have agreed to take a boarder without consulting me?”
“I knew you would consent, my dear.”
“How did you know?”
“You would be crazy to refuse a boarder that is to pay a thousand dollars a year.”
“What!” ejaculated the lady incredulously.
“Listen, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Now wasn’t it right to say ‘yes?’”
Mr. Middleton was taken aback.
“What do you mean, my dear?”
“What I say. Do you expect me to have the care of a boy—I always hated boys—and all for your benefit?”
“We two are one, my dear.”
“Not in money matters. I repeat it. I won’t take him unless you give me three hundred dollars of the money every year for my own use.”
Mr. Middleton didn’t like it, but he was finally compelled to give in. After all, it would leave him seven hundred, and at least five hundred would be clear profit.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
disorder
|
|
| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
regularity
|
|
| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
dwellings
|
|
| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
delusive
|
|
| adj.欺骗的，妄想的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
maiden
|
|
| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
pecuniary
|
|
| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
custodian
|
|
| n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
urbanely
|
|
| adv.都市化地，彬彬有礼地，温文尔雅地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
appalling
|
|
| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
incurred
|
|
| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
shuddered
|
|
| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
persuasively
|
|
| adv.口才好地；令人信服地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
implicitly
|
|
| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
momentary
|
|
| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
lavish
|
|
| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
bully
|
|
| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
mischief
|
|
| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
lamented
|
|
| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
precepts
|
|
| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
repent
|
|
| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
pamper
|
|
| v.纵容，过分关怀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
luxurious
|
|
| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
wasteful
|
|
| adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
amiably
|
|
| adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
winding
|
|
| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |