CHAPTER XIX. A DOMESTIC DISCUSSION.

Randolph hurried home to tell his mother what he had heard about Gilbert’s loss of employment. He knew well enough her feeling towards his father’s ward¹ to feel sure that it would be welcome intelligence.

“Detected in stealing money!” ejaculated Mrs. Briggs, triumphantly². “Just what I predicted all along. I am not often deceived about character.”

“I never heard you predict it, mother,” said Randolph.

“It was only because I did not like to speak against the boy,” said Mrs. Briggs, only slightly discomfited³. “I read it in his face the first day he came here. I saw he was sly and underhanded.”

“Well, I didn’t,” said Randolph, who was less malignant⁴ than his mother. “I never thought he 183would do such a thing. I didn’t like him, of course, but still I thought he was honest.”

“I have lived longer in the world than you, Randolph,” said Mrs. Briggs, sagaciously, “and I know that appearances are deceitful. I am not so easily taken in as your father. He has been infatuated about this disreputable boy. I hope the knowledge of the boy’s baseness will cure him.”

“I suppose we needn’t invite Gilbert to my party, now?”

“No, of course not,” said Mrs. Briggs, with emphasis. “It would be an insult to you to invite a boy convicted of theft.”

“Father may insist upon it,” said Randolph.

“Not unless he is bereft⁵ of his senses,” said Mrs. Briggs. “He has made a point of it till now; but, of course, this will change his wishes.”

Randolph did not reply; but, notwithstanding his mother’s assurance, he felt some doubts on the subject. His father was, in general, yielding and easily managed; but, as is often the case with such men, he was, at times, unexpectedly firm.

184This conversation took place just before dinner. It was interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Briggs, who went upstairs at once to prepare for dinner. Fifteen minutes later they met around the dinner-table. By arrangement with Randolph, Mrs. Briggs had reserved to herself the pleasure of imparting to her husband the news she had heard.

“I have heard some news to-day, Mr. Briggs,” she commenced, in a premonitory tone.

“Indeed, my dear! Pleasant news, I hope.”

“I don’t think it will be pleasant to you, though, I must confess, it is only what I have all along anticipated.”

“You speak in enigmas⁶, Mrs. Briggs. Will you kindly⁷ be a little more explicit⁸?”

“You are aware, Mr. Briggs, that I have always had a very unfavorable opinion of your protegé, the Greyson boy?”

“You certainly have not concealed⁹ your opinion of him,” said her husband, shrugging his shoulders. “Yes, I may say that I know your opinion of him.”

185“I suppose you call it prejudice,” continued the lady.

“Well, it certainly seems like it, not being founded on the knowledge of anything to his detriment¹⁰.”

“That was not necessary. There is such a thing as reading character. I judged him by his face.”

“He seems to me to have a very frank, attractive face.”

“As you read it,” said his wife, contemptuously. “Well, this paragon¹¹ of yours has lost his place.”

“He has?” inquired Mr. Briggs, in evident surprise.

“Yes, he has, and I am not surprised to hear it.”

“Do you know why he was discharged?”

“He was detected in theft—stealing a large sum of money!” answered Mrs. Briggs, triumphantly.

She expected that her husband would be overwhelmed at this disclosure; but he asked quite calmly, “How do you know this? Who is your informant?”

“Randolph.”

186“What do you know of this, Randolph?” asked his father.

Randolph gave his father an account of his visit to the office of Mr. Sands, and the information given him there.

“What do you say to that?” demanded Mrs. Briggs, in exultation¹². “Does that change your opinion of your paragon?”

“I think there is some mistake somewhere,” said Mr. Briggs.

“Why should there be any mistake?” she asked. “Do you think Randolph would tell a lie?”

“There are other ways of accounting¹³ for the mistake. I have no idea that Gilbert is guilty of what is charged against him.”

“Really, this is absurd. You are perfectly¹⁴ infatuated with this boy,” said Mrs. Briggs, angrily.

“Mistakes have occurred before,” said her husband, with provoking calmness. “I will investigate the matter.”

“I don’t see what investigation¹⁵ is needed. The 187boy has stolen the money. The book-keeper told Randolph so.”

“The book-keeper may be mistaken.”

“Not much chance of that.”

“Or he may have taken the money himself and charged it upon Gilbert.”

“Really, Mr. Briggs you are very perverse,” said his wife, impatiently.

“Because I am not ready to believe Gilbert a thief before he is proved so.”

“After he has been proved so.”

“There would be no need of trials or juries if you were a judge, my dear,” said Mr. Briggs, smiling. “You would be for sentencing the unfortunate defendant¹⁶ as soon as the charge had been brought against him.”

“Cherish your delusion¹⁷ as to the boy’s innocence¹⁸ as much as you like, Mr. Briggs; but there is one thing which you will certainly concede.”

“What is that?”

“Gilbert Greyson must not be invited to Randolph’s party.”

188“Why not?”

“A common thief—impossible!”

“But suppose he is wrongfully accused?”

“It is enough that he is accused, and probably guilty.”

“I will investigate the matter, Mrs. Briggs. If I am convinced that the boy is innocent, he shall be invited.”

Mrs. Briggs was about to make an indignant protest, when the servant, who had answered the door-bell, opened the door and ushered¹⁹ in the innocent cause of the heated discussion,—Gilbert Greyson.

1 ward   

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。

2 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

3 discomfited   

v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败

参考例句：

• He was discomfited by the unexpected questions. 意料不到的问题使得他十分尴尬。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He will be particularly discomfited by the minister's dismissal of his plan. 部长对他计划的不理会将使他特别尴尬。 来自辞典例句

4 malignant   

adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的

参考例句：

• Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
• He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来，不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。

5 bereft   

adj.被剥夺的

参考例句：

• The place seemed to be utterly bereft of human life.这个地方似乎根本没有人烟。
• She was bereft of happiness.她失去了幸福。

6 enigmas   

n.难于理解的问题、人、物、情况等，奥秘( enigma的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The last words of Night Haunter stand as one of the great enigmas of Imperial history. 暗夜幽魂最后的临死前的话成为了帝国历史上的最大谜团之一。 来自互联网
• Heraclitus saith well in one of his enigmas, Dry light is ever the best. 赫拉克里塔斯在他的隐语之一中说得很好，“干光永远最佳”。 来自互联网

7 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

8 explicit   

adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的

参考例句：

• She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
• He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

9 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

10 detriment   

n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源

参考例句：

• Smoking is a detriment to one's health.吸烟危害健康。
• His lack of education is a serious detriment to his career.他的未受教育对他的事业是一种严重的妨碍。

11 paragon   

n.模范，典型

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• Man is the paragon of animals.人是万物之灵。

12 exultation   

n.狂喜，得意

参考例句：

• It made him catch his breath, it lit his face with exultation. 听了这个名字，他屏住呼吸，乐得脸上放光。
• He could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. 他一点都激动不起来。

13 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

14 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

15 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

16 defendant   

n.被告；adj.处于被告地位的

参考例句：

• The judge rejected a bribe from the defendant's family.法官拒收被告家属的贿赂。
• The defendant was borne down by the weight of evidence.有力的证据使被告认输了。

17 delusion   

n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑

参考例句：

• He is under the delusion that he is Napoleon.他患了妄想症，认为自己是拿破仑。
• I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.我误认为他要娶我。

18 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

19 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》