He had just finished reading the morning paper, and, as it slipped from his hand, his thoughts turned, transiently, to the nephew whose persistent1 failure to claim relationship puzzled him not a little. He was glad not to be called upon for money, of course; still, he felt a little annoyed at Herbert's reticence2, especially as it left him unable to decide whether our hero knew of the tie which connected them. It was scarcely possible to suppose that he did not. But in that case, why did he not make some sign? The truth did suggest itself to Mr. Stanton's mind that the boy resented his cold and indifferent letter, and this thought made him feel a little uncomfortable.
While he was thinking over this subject, one of his clerks entered the office.
Mr. Stanton raised his head, and his glance rested on a tall, vigorous man of perhaps thirty-five years of age, who closely followed the clerk. The stranger's face was brown from exposure, and there was a certain appearance of unconventionality about his movements which seemed to indicate that he was not a dweller5 in cities or a frequenter of drawing-rooms, but accustomed to make his home in the wilder haunts of nature.
In brief, for there is no occasion for mystery, Mr. Stanton's visitor was Ralph the Ranger4, who had assisted Herbert from the clutches of Abner Holden.
Mr. Stanton gazed at the stranger with some curiosity, but was unable to recognize him.
“Have you any business with me?” he asked.
“Yes,” said the visitor, in a voice whose depth carried with it an assurance of strength.
“State it, then, as briefly as possible,” said the merchant, with a little asperity6, for there was not as much deference7 in the manner of the other as he thought there should have been. Like most new men, he was jealous of his position, and solicitous8 lest he should not be treated with due respect.
“I will do so,” said the stranger, “but as it cannot be summed up in a sentence, I will take the liberty of seating myself.”
As he spoke9 he sat down in an office chair, which was placed not far from that in which Mr. Stanton was sitting.
“My time is valuable,” said the merchant, coldly. “I cannot listen to a long story.”
As the visitor was plainly, if not roughly, dressed, he suspected that he desired pecuniary10 assistance on some pretext11 or other, and that his story was one of misfortune, intended to appeal to his sympathies. Had such been the case, there was very little prospect12 of help from Mr. Stanton, and that gentleman already enjoyed in anticipation13 the pleasure of refusing him.
Mr. Stanton did not anticipate such a commencement. It had never occurred to him to suppose that his rough visitor was one whom he had ever before met.
“No,” he said, “I never saw you before.”
Ralph smiled a little bitterly.
“So I have passed entirely15 out of your remembrance, have I?” he said. “Well, it is twelve years since we met.”
“Twelve years,” repeated Mr. Stanton. He scanned the stranger's face with curiosity, but not a glimmer16 of recollection came to him.
“I dare say I met many persons at that distance of time, whom I cannot remember in the least now, even by name.”
“I think you will remember my name,” said Ralph, quietly. “Your memory of Ralph Pendleton cannot be wholly obliterated17.”
Mr. Stanton started, and it was evident from the expression of his face that the memory was not a welcome one.
“Are you Ralph Pendleton?” he asked, in an undecided voice.
“Yes, but not the Ralph Pendleton you once knew. Then I was an inexperienced boy; now I am a man.”
“Yes, you have changed considerably,” said Mr. Stanton, uncomfortably, “Where have you kept yourself all these years? Why have you not made yourself known before?”
“Before I answer these questions, I must refer to some circumstances well known to both of us. I hope I shall not be tiresome18; I will, at least, be brief. You were my father's friend. At least, he so considered you.”
“I was so.”
“Yes.”
“I was in rather an idle frame, and being possessed21, as I supposed, of fifty thousand dollars, I felt no necessity impelling22 me to work. You gave me no advice, but rather encouraged me in my idle propensities23. When I was of age, I took a fancy to travel, and left my property in your hands, with full power to manage it for me. This trust you accepted.”
“Well, this is an old story.”
“An old one, but it shall not be a long one. My income being sufficient to defray my expenses abroad, I traveled leisurely24, with no thought for the future. In your integrity I had the utmost confidence. Imagine, then, my dismay when, while resident in Paris, I received a letter from you stating that, owing to a series of unlucky investments, nearly all my money had been sunk, and in place of fifty thousand dollars, my property was reduced to a few hundreds.'
“It was unlucky, I admit,” said Mr. Stanton, moving uneasily in his chair. “My investments were unlucky, as it turned out, but the best and most judicious25 cannot always foresee how an investment will turn out. Besides, I lost largely, myself.”
“So you wrote me,” said Ralph, quietly. “However, that did not make it any the easier for me to bear.”
“Perhaps not, but it shows, at any rate, that I took the same risk for my own money that I did for others.”
Ralph proceeded without noticing this remark. “What made matters worse for me was that I had fallen in love with a young American lady who, with her parents, was then traveling in Europe. My circumstances, as I supposed them to be, justified26 me in proposing marriage. I was accepted by the young lady, and my choice was approved by the parents. When, however, I learned of my loss of fortune, I at once made it known, and that approval was withdrawn27. The father told me that, under the altered circumstances, the engagement must be considered broken. Still, he held out the prospect that, should I ever again obtain a property as large as that I had lost, I might marry his daughter. She, on her part, promised to wait for me.”
“Well?”
“I came to New York, received from you the remnant of my lost fortune, and sailed the next week for California, then just open to American enterprise. The most glowing stories were told of fortunes won in an incredibly short time, Having no regular occupation, and having a strong motive28 for acquiring money, it is not surprising that I should have been dazzled with the rest, and persuaded to make the journey to the land of gold.”
“A Quixotic scheme, as I thought at the time,” said Mr. Stanton, coldly. “For one that succeeded, there were fifty who failed. You had better have taken the clerkship I offered you.”
“You are wrong,” said Ralph, composedly. “There were many who were disappointed, but I was not among the number.”
“Did you succeed?” asked Mr. Stanton, surprised.
“So well,” answered the other, “that at the end of two years' residence, I found myself as rich as I had ever been.”
“I had.”
“What did you do? Why did you not let me know of your success?”
“When I once more found myself possessed of a fortune, I took the next vessel30 home with my money. I had but one thought, and that was to claim the hand of my promised bride, who had promised to wait for me ten years, if necessary.”
“Well?”
“I found her married,” said Ralph, bitterly. “She had forgotten her promise, or had been over-persuaded by her parents—I do not know which—and had proved false to me.”
“That was unfortunate. But do you still possess the money?”
“I do.”
“Indeed! I congratulate you,” said Mr. Stanton, with suavity31, and he held out his hand, which Ralph did not appear to see. Ralph Pendleton rich was a very different person from Ralph Pendleton poor, and it occurred to him that he might so far ingratiate himself into the favor of his former ward32 as to obtain the charge of his second fortune. He saw that it would be safe, as well as politic33, to exchange his coldness for a warm and cordial welcome.
“Proceed with your story,” he said; “I am quite interested in it.”
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1
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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reticence
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| n.沉默，含蓄 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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4
ranger
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| n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员 | |
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5
dweller
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| n.居住者，住客 | |
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6
asperity
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| n.粗鲁，艰苦 | |
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7
deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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8
solicitous
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| adj.热切的，挂念的 | |
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9
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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10
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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11
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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13
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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14
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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15
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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17
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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18
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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19
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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22
impelling
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| adj.迫使性的，强有力的v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的现在分词 ) | |
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23
propensities
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| n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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24
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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25
judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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26
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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27
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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28
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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29
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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30
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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31
suavity
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| n.温和；殷勤 | |
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32
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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33
politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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