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CHAPTER VI. HOW GILBERT GOT ON.
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When dinner was over, Gilbert found that he was not going to have the pleasure of Randolph’s companionship.

“Where are you going, Randolph?” asked his father, as Randolph was leaving the room.

“I’m going out.”

“Perhaps Gilbert may like to go with you,” suggested Mr. Briggs.

“I’ve got an engagement,” said Randolph, shortly.

“When was it made?”

“This afternoon.”

“Don’t let me interfere1 with Randolph’s engagements,” said Gilbert, hastily.

“Won’t you feel lonely?” asked Mr. Briggs.

“Oh, no, sir. I shall take a walk down Broadway. There will be plenty to take up my attention.”

59“Randolph can hardly be expected to give up his engagement,” said Mrs. Briggs. “I am surprised, Mr. Briggs, that you should expect it.”

Mr. Briggs muttered something about politeness.

Gilbert protested again that he could get along very well by himself, and the matter dropped.

Presently he went out, and Mrs. Briggs, who had been waiting her opportunity, commenced an attack upon her husband.

“What are your plans for this boy, Mr. Briggs?” she asked. “Are you going to support him in idleness?”

“Certainly not. I shall find him a place as soon as I can.”

“What claim has he upon you, I should like to know?”

“He has only me to look out for him.”

“What of that?”

“He was the son of my old schoolmate.”

“I have old schoolmates, too, and some, I suppose, are in want; but I am not going to adopt their children.”

60“This boy was especially recommended to me, and what property his father left was given in trust to me for him.”

“Well, it’s all used up, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Then your trust is at an end.”

“What are you driving at, wife?”

“I want to know whether you expect this boy to remain in your house.”

“I see no objection.”

“I do. You will be pampering2 him at the expense of your own son.”

Mr. Briggs shrugged3 his shoulders.

“I apprehend,” he said, “that our household expenses will not be increased materially by Gilbert’s remaining here.”

“Clothes and board cost something. Besides, he is not a fit companion for Randolph.”

“Why not?”

“He is a poor boy.”

“He has the education and manners of a young 61gentleman. It strikes me that he is quite the equal of Randolph in these respects.”

“You are always ready to side against your own boy.”

“I don’t want to spoil him.”

“You seem to prefer this new boy.”

“Not at all. Must I be unjust to every other boy, because I have a son of my own?”

“You know what I mean well enough.”

“The point seems to be, that you don’t want Gilbert in the house.”

“No.”

“What shall I do with him?”

“Let him shift for himself.”

Mr. Briggs shook his head.

“The world would talk,” said Mr. Briggs.

“Let them talk!” said the lady, independently.

“It isn’t best to incur4 the reproach of your fellow-men.”

“Well, get him a cheap boarding-house: that’s more suited to his station in life than a home like ours.”

62“Let him stay here a few days, and I will see what I can do.”

Mrs. Briggs would have preferred to have Gilbert leave the next day, but decided5 to accept the concession6 made by her husband. He was placed in a difficult position, but did not venture to tell his wife all. The truth was, for I do not mean to make a mystery of it, he had wronged Gilbert most grievously. The sum of money placed in his hands in trust for our hero had been not a small sum, but seventy-five thousand dollars. Gilbert’s father, trusting all to the honor of his friend, had exacted no guaranties of good faith. So far as Mr. Briggs knew, no living person was aware of the amount of Gilbert’s inheritance. There was no one, so far as he knew, to contradict his assertion that it had all been expended7 in the education of our hero. Yet it troubled him. He had made up his mind to wrong the boy, but he was not so hardened as to do it without some qualms8 of conscience. He meant to do something for him, get him a place, and give him a home in his own family; but here, as we see, Mrs. 63Briggs had interfered9 with his plans. He could not make up his mind to throw Gilbert wholly upon his own resources, and he was disappointed at his wife’s opposition10. He was not wholly a bad man, but the temptation of appropriating Gilbert’s money had been too great, and he had yielded. He had used it in his business, and a sudden call for it would have very much embarrassed him.

Meanwhile Gilbert set out on his walk. The crowded city streets, which had interested him in the daytime, assumed a new charm in the evening. Walking slowly along, looking in at the brilliantly lighted windows, he did not feel the need of companionship. In fact, he was rather glad that Randolph was not with him, for he had already satisfied himself that they had very little in common.

Gilbert meets Mr. Vivian.

Half an hour had passed, when all at once he heard his name called.

“Good-evening, Mr. Greyson,” said a sweet voice.

Turning quickly, he recognized Laura Vivian.

“Good-evening, Miss Vivian,” he said, pleased at the meeting.

64“Papa,” said Laura, “this is Mr. Greyson, who was so polite to me in the cars.”

Then for the first time Gilbert noticed that Laura was accompanied by a pleasant-looking gentleman of middle age.

“I am glad to meet you, Mr. Greyson,” said Mr. Vivian, cordially. “My daughter has told me that you extricated11 her from a dilemma12.”

“It isn’t worth mentioning, sir,” said Gilbert. “I am ashamed to be thanked for such a little thing.”

“It was a trifle, no doubt, but a mark of kind attention no less. My daughter and I are out for a walk. If you have no engagement, will you join us?”

“With great pleasure, sir,” said Gilbert; and he spoke13 sincerely.

“Do you live in the city?” asked Mr. Vivian.

“I have been at a boarding-school hitherto, but I have now come to the city to live.”

“Do your parents reside here?”

Gilbert looked sober.

“I have no parents,” he said.

65“Indeed!” said Mr. Vivian, in a voice of sympathy.

“Indeed I have no relatives that I am aware of; Mr. Richard Briggs, a merchant of this city, is my guardian14.”

“Richard Briggs? I know of him.”

“I ought to say, however,” added Gilbert, who did not wish to sail under false colors, “that I can hardly continue to call him my guardian, as he informs me that my little property has been all expended on my education, and that I am now penniless, and must work for my living.”

“I don’t consider that a misfortune,” said Mr. Vivian. “It will make a man of you the sooner. But about this property, do you know how much it amounted to originally?”

“No, sir.”

“Hasn’t Mr. Briggs ever rendered an account to you?”

“No, sir. I have always supposed that I should be rich until within a week. Then, for the first time, 66I was told that I must withdraw from school, and get a place.”

“Mr. Briggs has not treated you fairly in leaving you uninformed as to your real position,” said Mr. Vivian, gravely.

“I won’t blame him, but I wish he had told me earlier.”

By this time they had reached a fashionable confectioner’s.

“Come in with us, and have an ice-cream,” said Mr. Vivian.

“Thank you, sir,” said Gilbert, and the three entered and sat down at one of the small tables.

At a table near by sat Randolph Briggs. Looking up by chance, he was astonished to see his father’s penniless ward15 in such company.

“By Jove!” he muttered, “that young beggar has more cheek than any one I know of.”

He would have liked to have joined the party, but even he had not the assurance to force himself upon them. So he sat watchful16 and envious17, his jealousy18 67excited by the evident favor with which Gilbert was regarded.

“If Mr. Vivian knew he hadn’t a cent in the world, he wouldn’t be quite so cordial,” he thought.

But Mr. Vivian did know. The trouble was that Randolph did not know him, or he would not have suspected him of such regard for wealth and its possession.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 interfere b5lx0     
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。
2 pampering 02c53488e446442c68ed39d5e01ab5f1     
v.纵容,宠,娇养( pamper的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • But you need to make an appointment because these people are usually very busy pampering pets. 但是你需要先预约,因为这些人通常都在忙于照顾宠物们。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
  • He had been pampering, and coaxing, and indulging that individual all his life. 他一生都在姑息、迁就、纵容那家伙。 来自辞典例句
3 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 incur 5bgzy     
vt.招致,蒙受,遭遇
参考例句:
  • Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
  • An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。
5 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
6 concession LXryY     
n.让步,妥协;特许(权)
参考例句:
  • We can not make heavy concession to the matter.我们在这个问题上不能过于让步。
  • That is a great concession.这是很大的让步。
7 expended 39b2ea06557590ef53e0148a487bc107     
v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 );使用(钱等)做某事;用光;耗尽
参考例句:
  • She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
  • The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 qualms qualms     
n.不安;内疚
参考例句:
  • He felt no qualms about borrowing money from friends.他没有对于从朋友那里借钱感到不安。
  • He has no qualms about lying.他撒谎毫不内疚。
9 interfered 71b7e795becf1adbddfab2cd6c5f0cff     
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 );调停;妨碍;干涉
参考例句:
  • Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 opposition eIUxU     
n.反对,敌对
参考例句:
  • The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
  • The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
11 extricated d30ec9a9d3fda5a34e0beb1558582549     
v.使摆脱困难,脱身( extricate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The meeting seemed to be endless, but I extricated myself by saying I had to catch a plane. 会议好象没完没了,不过我说我得赶飞机,才得以脱身。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She extricated herself from her mingled impulse to deny and guestion. 她约束了自己想否认并追问的不可明状的冲动。 来自辞典例句
12 dilemma Vlzzf     
n.困境,进退两难的局面
参考例句:
  • I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
  • He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。
13 spoke XryyC     
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。
14 guardian 8ekxv     
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。
15 ward LhbwY     
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
参考例句:
  • The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
  • During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时,我要点根火把,抵挡蚊虫。
16 watchful tH9yX     
adj.注意的,警惕的
参考例句:
  • The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
  • It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。
17 envious n8SyX     
adj.嫉妒的,羡慕的
参考例句:
  • I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
  • She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。
18 jealousy WaRz6     
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌
参考例句:
  • Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
  • I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。


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