CHAPTER XIV. A FASHIONABLE BOARDING-HOUSE.

 When Tom's head emerged from the yellow and turbid¹ waters, he caught sight of the young man, and struck out for him. Grasping him by the arm, he succeeded, with considerable difficulty, in holding him up till a small boat near by picked both up.

 

"Whew!" sputtered² Tom, spitting out some of the water which he had involuntarily taken into his mouth.

 

The young man rescued looked about him stupidly.

 

"What made you jump into the river?" asked the boatman.

 

"I was drunk," said the young man, frankly³, upon whom the shock of the falling into the water had produced a favorable effect.

 

"It's lucky this boy was near and jumped after you, or you might have been drowned before I got to you."

 

The young man turned and looked earnestly at Tom.

 

"So you jumped after me?" he said.

 

"I feel as if I did," answered Tom. "I'm as wet as a drowned rat."

 

"You're a brave boy."

 

"Thank you," said Tom, modestly. "But I can swim so well that it didn't take much courage."

 

"I can't swim a stroke."

 

"Then you'd better not jump into the water again."

 

"I don't mean to," said the young man, smiling. "Where did you learn to swim?"

 

"In the East river."

 

"Where's that?"

 

"New York."

 

"Look here, gentlemen, where do you want to be carried?" asked the boatman.

 

"Back to Cincinnati. I'll pay you for your trouble," said the young man.

 

"I was goin' on an explorin' expedition to Kentucky," said our hero.

 

"You are too wet; you must take another day."

 

"It ain't any wetter on one side of the river than the other."

 

"Do you live in Kentucky?"

 

"No."

 

"In Cincinnati?"

 

"Yes; I've lived there a day or two."

 

"You must change your clothes, or you will get cold."

 

"I haven't got any clothes except what I've got on."

 

The young man looked rather surprised at this, since Tom had on a good suit, and appeared to be in good circumstances.

 

"Then," said he, promptly⁴, "I shall take you home with me, and lend you one of my suits."

 

"It would fit me too much," said Tom, laughing.

 

"Never mind. We will stay in the house till your clothes are dry. What do you say?"

 

"All right," said Tom. "I'm agreeable."

 

When they came to the Ohio side of the river the two got off. The young man was so well over his fit of drunkenness that he walked quite steadily⁵, showing no trace of it in his gait.

 

"I live a mile and a half away," he said, "but it will be better to walk, as we shall be less liable to take cold in our wet clothes. Or, do you feel tired?"

 

"Not a bit," said Tom. "I'm used to walkin'. My coachman don't have much to do."

 

"You're a genius," said the young man.

 

"I'm glad to hear it," said Tom. "If I'm a fair specimen⁶, geniuses don't know much."

 

"At any rate, you are not such a fool as I am."

 

"Are you a fool?"

 

"Any man is a fool that gets drunk."

 

"I don't know but you're right," said Tom. "What makes you do it?"

 

"Because I'm a fool. That's all the reason I can give. I'm too weak to resist temptation."

 

"I never was drunk but once," said Tom. "I don't want to be again."

 

"How did that happen?"

 

"A sailor invited me into a bar-room, and got me to drink. I felt as if my head would burst open the next morning."

 

"So you didn't get drunk again?"

 

"No, I got enough of it."

 

"What is your name?" asked the young man, interested.

 

"Gilbert Grey."

 

"Do you live in this city?"

 

"I'm goin' to."

 

"I wish you would come and live with me."

 

"What for?"

 

"Because, though you are younger, you know how to take care of yourself. I think you would take care of me, too."

 

"If you pay me good wages," said Tom, "I'm willin' to be your guardian⁷."

 

"I am in earnest," said the young man. "It would do me good to have some one help me keep straight."

 

"How many times a week would you want me to jump into the water after you?" asked our hero, jocularly. "Because I'd want to keep a good stock of dry clothes on hand; or maybe I might wear a bathin' suit all the time."

 

"I sha'n't try that again," said the other, smiling; "I don't like it well enough."

 

By this time they reached a handsome brick house, in a fine street.

 

"This is where I board," said the young man. "Come in."

 

He rang the bell, and a servant answered the summons. She looked surprised at the appearance of the pair, both showing signs of the wetting they had received.

 

"We met with an accident, Bridget," explained the young man, "or rather I tumbled into the water and this boy jumped after me."

 

"Faith you look like it, Mr. Mordaunt," said Bridget. "Will I tell Mrs. White?"

 

"Yes. Ask her if she can send us up some hot coffee in about twenty minutes. I am afraid, if we don't have some hot drink, we will take cold."

 

"All right, sir."

 

A hasty glance satisfied Tom that it was a first-class boarding-house. The hall was handsomely furnished, and when, on reaching the head of the stairs, his companion led the way into a spacious⁸ room, with a chamber⁹ connecting, our young hero saw a rich carpet, elegant furniture, a handsome collection of books, and some tasteful pictures upon the walls. It was evident that Mr. Mordaunt was possessed¹⁰ of ample means.

 

"Now—by the way, I've forgotten your name, yet——"

 

"Gilbert Grey. Some call me Tom, for short."

 

"Now, Gilbert, make yourself at home. The best thing we can do is to strip at once, and put on dry clothes."

 

He went to a wardrobe and brought out two suits of clothes, also a supply of under-clothing.

 

"There," said he, "go ahead and change your clothes."

 

Tom followed directions obediently, while his companion was similarly employed. Of course, it was necessary to wash, also. The clothes were too large for him, but still not much, as he was a well-grown boy, and Mr. Mordaunt was by no means large.

 

"How do you like the looks?" asked the young man, as Tom surveyed himself in a handsome mirror.

 

"I expect it's me, but I ain't certain," said Tom. "It'll take me some time to grow to these clothes."

 

"They are rather big, that's a fact," said the young man, smiling. "When the servant comes up with the coffee, we'll send down our suits to be dried. Will your friends feel anxious about you?"

 

"There's one will, I expect," said Tom.

 

"Who is that—your mother?"

 

"No; it's my intimate friend, Maurice Walton. He can't bear me out of his sight, or in it, either."

 

Mordaunt laughed.

 

"So he's very devoted¹¹, is he?"

 

"You bet he is."

 

Here there was a knock at the door.

 

"Come in," called Mordaunt.

 

Bridget entered with a waiter, on which were a coffee-pot, some cups and saucers, sugar, etc., beside a plate of sandwiches.

 

"Thank you, Bridget," said Mordaunt. "I see you understood what was wanted. Now, if you'll take down them wet clothes and dry them for us, we will be much obliged."

 

"I'll do it, Mr. Mordaunt," said the willing handmaiden.

 

"Now, Gilbert, sit down, and we'll have a good cup of coffee apiece," said Mordaunt. "You're hungry, are you not?"

 

"Bathin' in such a big tub gave me an appetite," said Tom; "but I wouldn't like to get up an appetite that way every day."

 

"Nor I. It's too much trouble, not to speak of the danger. How do you find the coffee?"

 

"Tip-top."

 

"It's a good deal better than wine, eh?"

 

"That's so."

 

"Now, Gilbert, while we are taking lunch I have a little plan to propose to you."

 

"All right. I'm ready."

1 turbid   

adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的

参考例句：

• He found himself content to watch idly the sluggish flow of the turbid stream.他心安理得地懒洋洋地望着混浊的河水缓缓流着。
• The lake's water is turbid.这个湖里的水混浊。

2 sputtered   

v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出

参考例句：

• The candle sputtered out. 蜡烛噼啪爆响着熄灭了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The balky engine sputtered and stopped. 不听使唤的发动机劈啪作响地停了下来。 来自辞典例句

3 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

4 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

5 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

6 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

7 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。

8 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

9 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。

10 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

11 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。