CHAPTER XI. MARK IS DISCHARGED.

The next day Mark, with some misgivings¹, repaired to the shoe manufactory as usual. He knew he had done a bold thing in defending Johnny against his employer's son, but he never thought of regretting it.

"I would do it again," he said to himself. "Catch me standing² by and seeing Johnny whipped by any boy, no matter who he is."

Mark laid aside his hat and coat, and went to his customary bench.

He had been at work fifteen minutes only, when Mr. Waite, the head of the room, entered, and went up to where he was standing.

"Mr. Collins wants to see you, Mark," he said.

"Do you know what for, Mr. Waite?" Mark asked.

"No, Mark, but I hope it is to raise your wages," said Mr. Waite, pleasantly, for he had always liked our hero.

"I am afraid it is something quite different," said Mark, shaking his head.

"No trouble, I hope, Mark?"

"I can tell you better when I return."

Mark put on his coat, and went downstairs to the office.

Squire³ Collins was seated at a desk, with his spectacles astride his nose. He looked up as Mark entered.

"Mr. Waite tells me you wish to see me, Mr. Collins," said Mark.

"Yes," said the squire, frowning. "I presume you can guess what I want to see you about."

"Perhaps so," answered Mark.

"I understand that you made a violent attack upon my son James in the pasture, yesterday afternoon."

"We did have a little difficulty," Mark admitted.

"Ha! I am glad you confess it. James says you made an unprovoked attack upon him."

"That is not quite true, Squire Collins; I was very much provoked."

"Did my son attack you first?" demanded the squire, sharply.

"No, sir."

"So I thought. Then you have no excuse by your own confession⁴."

"I think I have an excuse."

"I fail to understand what it can be. To me it appears like a high-handed outrage⁵ of which you were guilty."

"I suppose James did not tell you what he was doing when I attacked him?"

"No, I cannot remember that he did. What does that signify?"

"He had John Downie upon the ground, and was beating him brutally⁶."

Squire Collins was somewhat nonplussed⁷ at this revelation, as James had said nothing about Johnny.

"Well?" he said.

"I ran up, and pulled him off, and prevented him from hurting Johnny."

Squire Collins was rather embarrassed. He saw clearly that his son had been in the wrong, yet he was inclined to stand by him. Moreover, it chafed⁸ him that a poor boy should have presumed to interfere⁹ with his son, much more use violence towards him.

He drew out his handkerchief and blew his nose, partly to gain time for consideration. At length he spoke¹⁰.

"My son feels very indignant at your presumption¹¹ in assaulting him," he said, "and I wonder myself that you didn't see the impropriety of attacking the son of your employer."

"Would you have had me stand by and see Johnny beaten?" asked Mark, indignantly.

"I do not feel disposed to argue with you," said the squire, in a dignified¹² tone. "I feel compelled to take some action in the matter though I regret it. I cannot, of course, retain you in my employ. You are discharged. I have made up your account to date, and here is the sum due you."

"Very well, sir," answered Mark, quietly, though his heart sank within him.

Squire Collins handed him a dollar and thirty-seven cents, and Mark, putting them into his pocket, bowed and withdrew.

He went back to the room where his hat hung, and taking it down, said to his fellow-workmen:

"Good-bye, boys, I shan't be with you any longer."

"Why, Mark, what's the matter!" asked his next neighbor.

"I'm discharged; that's all."

"What for?"

"I'll tell you some other time—not now."

"Mark, I'm really sorry for this," said Mr. Waite, pressing his hand warmly. "I wish you good luck!"

"Thank you, Mr. Waite," answered Mark, his lip quivering a little. "I will hope for the best."

Mark walked home with a slow step. He dreaded¹³ to tell his mother of his discharge, for he knew that she would be still more depressed¹⁴ than himself. Youth is hopeful, but middle age is less sanguine¹⁵.

"I won't go home at once," thought Mark. "I will go to the wood and see the hermit¹⁶. He may have some errand for me, and besides, he may be able to give me some advice."

One object which Mark had, however, was to delay breaking the unwelcome news to his mother.

He bent¹⁷ his steps towards the pasture, which he must cross in order to penetrate¹⁸ to the wood by the usual path.

In a few minutes he entered the cabin, the door of which he found open.

The hermit was no longer reclining, but was seated in a rocking-chair—the only article of luxury which the poor dwelling¹⁹ contained.

"Good morning, sir!" said Mark. "I hope you are better."

"I am much better. But how does it happen that you come here in the morning? I supposed you were at work in the shoe factory."

"I have lost my place there; I was discharged this morning."

"Ha! how is that?"

Upon this Mark told the story of his encounter with the boys in the pasture.

"I suppose," he concluded, "that James got me discharged in revenge for my interfering²⁰ with him."

"Then you regret what you did?" inquired the hermit.

"No, I don't," answered Mark, warmly. "I couldn't stand by and see Johnny beaten."

"You are right, and I respect you for what you did."

"It is a grievous thing for me, though," said Mark. "It takes away my income, and I don't see how mother and I are going to live."

"How much were you paid?"

"About three dollars and a half a week. Sometimes I made a little more by over-work."

"You have no occasion to be disturbed. I was about to propose that you should leave your place."

Mark looked surprised.

"I will take you into my own employ," added Anthony. "How long have you been coming to me?"

"A week, sir."

"You may retain five dollars in compensation from the money you hold of mine, and hereafter, as you will give me your whole time, you shall be paid at the rate of a dollar a day—that is, seven dollars a week."

"But, sir, you are overpaying me," protested Mark, who thought this compensation magnificent.

"Be it so. I can afford it. Let me know when you need more money."

"I have still about fifteen dollars."

"After paying yourself for the last week?"

"Yes, sir. Can I do anything for you now?"

"Yes. I feel like taking a walk. That shows I am better. You may come with me, and if I tire myself, I will lean upon your arm in returning."

"With pleasure, sir. I am very glad that you feel better."

"After all," mused²¹ the old man, "it is pleasant to have human sympathy. I thought I was able to do without it, but I am more dependent than I supposed."

They walked for half an hour. When they returned to the cabin, the hermit said:

"To-morrow morning I expect a visitor from the city. I wish you to meet him at the train, and conduct him here. He is a small man, with a sharp look, and will probably be dressed in black. In fact, he is my man of business. You need say nothing of this, however, but let people conjecture²² as they will."

"And shall I speak of my arrangement with you, sir?"

"You may merely say that I have engaged you to do my errands. I shall not require you again to-day."

1 misgivings   

n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧

参考例句：

• I had grave misgivings about making the trip. 对于这次旅行我有过极大的顾虑。
• Don't be overtaken by misgivings and fear. Just go full stream ahead! 不要瞻前顾后， 畏首畏尾。甩开膀子干吧！ 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

4 confession   

n.自白，供认，承认

参考例句：

• Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
• The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

5 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

6 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

7 nonplussed   

adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The speaker was completely nonplussed by the question. 演讲者被这个问题完全难倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was completely nonplussed by his sudden appearance. 他突然出现使我大吃一惊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 chafed   

v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒

参考例句：

• Her wrists chafed where the rope had been. 她的手腕上绳子勒过的地方都磨红了。
• She chafed her cold hands. 她揉搓冰冷的双手使之暖和。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

10 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 presumption   

n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定

参考例句：

• Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。
• I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

12 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

13 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

14 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

15 sanguine   

adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的

参考例句：

• He has a sanguine attitude to life.他对于人生有乐观的看法。
• He is not very sanguine about our chances of success.他对我们成功的机会不太乐观。

16 hermit   

n.隐士，修道者；隐居

参考例句：

• He became a hermit after he was dismissed from office.他被解职后成了隐士。
• Chinese ancient landscape poetry was in natural connections with hermit culture.中国古代山水诗与隐士文化有着天然联系。

17 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

18 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

19 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

20 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

21 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

22 conjecture   

n./v.推测，猜测

参考例句：

• She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。
• This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。