CHAPTER V. AT THE DINNER-TABLE.

At five o’clock Gilbert started from the park, where he had sauntered about for several hours, and reached the house of Mr. Briggs half an hour or more before dinner.

“Your room is ready,” said the servant, who had received her instructions. “Shall I show you the way up?”

“If you please. Has my trunk come?”

“Yes, sir.”

“The dinner-hour is six, I believe.”

“Yes, sir. The bell will ring at that time.”

Gilbert understood that he was expected to remain in his room till dinner-time. That, however, would have been his choice.

He followed the servant to a small hall-bedroom on the third floor, where he found his trunk awaiting 49him. He opened it, and, taking out his comb and brush, and a clean collar, made his dinner toilet. A new life had opened before him, and he could not help wondering what it would be like. In the midst of his meditations¹ came the sound of the bell, and he went downstairs.

Mr. Briggs was already present.

“Well,” said he, stiffly, “so you found your way here?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you see Mrs. Briggs?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And how have you spent the day?”

“I spent the afternoon at Central Park.”

“Was Randolph with you?”

“No, sir. It wasn’t necessary; I found my way without any trouble.”

Here Mrs. Briggs entered.

She nodded slightly to Gilbert, and said, in a chilly² way:—

“Take that seat, Mr. Greyson.”

50Gilbert seated himself, and Randolph, who entered directly afterwards, sat down opposite.

“You were not with Gilbert to-day, Randolph,” said his father.

“No, sir.”

“Where were you?”

“At the theatre.”

“Humph! you go to the theatre too much.”

“How can you say so, Mr. Briggs?” said the mother, who, though her heart was cold to all beside, fairly idolized her son, and as a consequence foolishly indulged him.

“This is the second time he has been this week.”

“The boy is young, and needs recreation.”

“It seems to me it is all recreation with him, and no work. When I was a boy, I was lucky if I could go to a place of amusement once in three months.”

“You hadn’t got a rich father,” said Randolph.

“I am not made of money,” muttered Mr. Briggs, “though you seem to think I am.”

“Really, Mr. Briggs,” said his wife, “it is ridiculous to expect Randolph to spend as little as you did 51when you were a boy. The circumstances are quite different.”

Mr. Briggs frowned, but did not answer.

“What did you do with yourself?” asked Randolph, turning to Gilbert.

“I went to Central Park. It is a beautiful place.”

“I never go there,” said Randolph. “You meet only low persons there.”

“I saw many driving about in handsome carriages. Are they low?”

“Of course not. I meant only low persons walk there.”

“Randolph is right,” said his mother.

“Still I think I shall go again,” said Gilbert.

“Oh, it’s different with you. You are a poor boy, aint you?” said Randolph, bluntly.

Gilbert colored a little.

“I only know what your father has told me,” said he.

“Have you got any property of Gilbert’s, father?” asked Randolph.

52“This is not the time to ask such questions,” said his father, looking annoyed.

“Why not? There is no company—no one but ourselves.”

“Ahem!” said Mr. Briggs, clearing his throat: “there was a very small property, but it has all been spent on Gilbert’s education.”

“Who left him the property?” asked Randolph, persistently³.

Gilbert was interested in the answer to this question, and he looked with eager inquiry⁴ at his guardian⁵, hoping that he would reveal what he had so long desired to know.

“You are very curious,” said Mr. Briggs, displeased⁶.

“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t tell me; is there, father?”

“No,” answered his father, slowly. “The money was left him by his father, who was an old schoolmate of mine. He died in the West Indies, and sent me the money in trust for his son, to provide for him as long as it lasted. It was exhausted⁷ nearly a year since, but I kept Gilbert at school till now at my own 53expense. Now the time has come when he must shift for himself.”

“Rather hard on you, Gilbert,” said Randolph.

“I am willing to look out for myself,” said Gilbert, quietly. “My father did all he could for me. I have a good education, thanks partly to you, Mr. Briggs, and I ought to be able to make my way.”

“Oh, you are welcome,” said Mr. Briggs, rather uncomfortably.

“You have done more than could have been expected, Mr. Briggs,” said his wife. “Why did you not take the boy from school months ago?”

“I wanted him to have a fair education.”

“It seems to me he was already sufficiently⁸ educated for his sphere in life,” said the lady. “I don’t believe in educating persons beyond their station.”

There was something in the lady’s remarks which grated harshly upon the ear of our young hero. What right had Mrs. Briggs to assume that his station was inferior to hers? The dislike which he had already begun to entertain for her was increased. He found it impossible to like any of the family, but he 54had insight enough to see that in cold selfishness Mrs. Briggs exceeded her husband and son.

“It seems to me,” said Mr. Briggs, in answer to his wife’s last remark, “that a good education is a good thing for any one to possess, be he rich or poor.”

“You wouldn’t advise a boy that was going to be a mechanic to study Latin or Greek, would you?”

“If he liked it.”

“Then I can’t agree with you,” retorted the lady, sharply; “I consider it simply time and money thrown away.”

“Have you studied Latin and Greek, Gilbert?” asked Randolph.

“Yes.”

“Have you gone far in them?”

“In a year I should have been ready to enter Yale College.”

“And after all I suppose you will be a mechanic.”

“Why should I be?” demanded Gilbert.

“You have no money.”

“I suppose there are other kinds of business I can learn.”

55“Perhaps so.”

Apparently⁹ tiring of the subject, Randolph turned to his mother.

“Has any invitation come for me?” he asked.

“Invitation—to what?”

“I hear that Laura Vivian is going to give a party. I didn’t know but she might invite me.”

“The Vivians do not visit us. I should be glad to become acquainted. They move in the very first society. Do you know Laura?”

“I knew her at dancing-school. I used to dance with her sometimes. She was a great favorite. All the boys wanted her for a partner.”

“It is hardly likely she will invite you. I wish she would.”

“What is the name of the young lady?” asked Gilbert, interested.

“Laura Vivian. What interest can you feel in her?”

“I made the young lady’s acquaintance this afternoon,” said Gilbert, quietly.

“Laura Vivian? Impossible.”

56“Doesn’t she live in West Forty-eighth Street?”

“Yes.”

“Then it is the same one, as you will see by this card.”

Here Gilbert produced the card referred to in the last chapter.

“How on earth did you get acquainted with her?” exclaimed Mrs. Briggs. “Who introduced you?”

“I believe I introduced myself,” said Gilbert, smiling. “I’ll tell you all about it,” and he recounted the circumstances of his acquaintance.

“She invited you to call?” exclaimed Randolph, enviously¹⁰.

“Yes.”

“Do you mean to go?”

“I shall go once, out of politeness.”

“She will think you want to be repaid your five cents,” said Mrs. Briggs, disagreeably.

“I don’t think she will,” said Gilbert. “At any rate I will take the risk.”

“Will you take me with you?” asked Randolph.

“I hardly think it would be proper,” said Gilbert; 57“but if I have a second invitation I may take the liberty of doing so.”

“Gilbert is right,” said Mr. Briggs.

Randolph was disappointed, and indulged in a sneer¹¹ at a penniless boy like Gilbert calling on a young lady of high social position. But Gilbert did not choose to notice it.

1 meditations   

默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想

参考例句：

• Each sentence seems a quarry of rich meditations. 每一句话似乎都给人以许多冥思默想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditations. 我很抱歉，打断你思考问题了。

2 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

3 persistently   

ad.坚持地；固执地

参考例句：

• He persistently asserted his right to a share in the heritage. 他始终声称他有分享那笔遗产的权利。
• She persistently asserted her opinions. 她果断地说出了自己的意见。

4 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

5 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。

6 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

7 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

8 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

9 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

10 enviously   

adv.满怀嫉妒地

参考例句：

• Yet again, they were looking for their way home blindly, enviously. 然而，它们又一次盲目地、忌妒地寻找着归途。 来自辞典例句
• Tanya thought enviously, he must go a long way south. 坦妮亚歆羡不置，心里在想，他准是去那遥远的南方的。 来自辞典例句

11 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。