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首页 » 经典英文小说 » Frank Merriwell's Endurance » CHAPTER XIII THE HOUSE AMID THE TREES.
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CHAPTER XIII THE HOUSE AMID THE TREES.
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The gloved hands of the woman quivered as she restored the whip to the driver. She did not look back, although an expression of disappointment came from her hidden lips.

“Lucky for him he moved lively,” said Frank, as she sank down at his side.

“Some evil charm protects him!” breathed the mysterious woman. “I did not wish to kill him—then. I hoped to drive over him and maim1 him!”

“It is plain that you have no liking2 for the man.”

“Like him? I loathe3 and detest4 the sight of his wicked face, his treacherous5 eyes and his cruel mouth! When I behold6 him something in my heart struggles and burns until it is only by the utmost restraint that I keep myself from flying at him.”

“He has done you a great wrong?”

“Yes, me and one dearest to me in all the world.”

“He knows you, and that is why you keep yourself veiled?”

“He has never seen my face.”

By the time the driver had quieted and restrained the frightened horse, and Merry looked back. He saw at a distance his companions making all haste in that direction, and he knew Cameron had not interfered7 with them, which gave him a feeling of relief.

“The boys are coming,” he said. “I thought that man might try to stop them.”

The woman directed the driver to pull the horse down to a walk, which he succeeded in doing.

“I do not wish to seem inquisitive,” said Merry; “but it is no more than natural that I should be greatly interested in Carey Cameron after what has happened.”

“Quite natural,” admitted the woman. “He is a gambler.”

“I thought it by his appearance.”

“He has traveled much, making his living by gambling8. His former home was here, and he returned here a few months ago. As a boy he was a baseball enthusiast9, and that explains his wonderful interest in the game. When he came back here he sided with the vicious element, and I believe he has been appointed manager of the team they mean to put in the place of the one organized by Gaddis. I do not know much about it, but I have learned that they believe this team will be able to defeat anything in these parts. He has secured a number of players blacklisted in the big leagues. Cameron will run the team to make money for himself.”

“How can he make money out of baseball in a town like this?”

“He will gamble on the games.”

“But if he has a team that is far superior to any team it meets he’ll find no one to bet on the other teams.”

“When that happens he will bet on the other teams himself.”

“You mean——”

“That I know his treacherous nature. He will betray his friends. He’ll not wager10 money openly on an opposing team. It is likely he will openly bet small sums on his own team. His supposed-to-be friends will do the betting. Some agent of Cameron will bet Cameron’s money, and you may be sure that his team will lose that game.”

“In short, he will double-cross his friends, and that is the worst form of treachery.”

“That man is capable of anything, Mr. Merriwell! To carry out his ends he would commit murder!”

“He’ll reach the end of his rope some day.”

“I trust that day is not far in the future!”

By this time they had reached the outskirts11 of the town. The road led up a low hill, near the crest12 of which, set back amid some trees, could be seen a rather gloomy-looking house. This house the mysterious woman indicated with a slight gesture, explaining that they were bound thither13.

“It is your home?” questioned Merry.

“For the time being it serves me as home,” she replied. “I have occupied it two months.”

“You do not belong in this town?”

“No; before coming here two months ago I had never seen the place. I shall be happy when I leave it to return no more.”

“You do not like Cartersville?”

“I detest the place! It is run by hoodlums and ruffians. There are some respectable people here, but the vicious element predominates, and respectable people are afraid to stand up for their rights.”

“A fine place in which to play baseball!” laughed Merry.

“No worse place in Iowa.”

“Perhaps it is just as well that we are not going to play here.”

“You are better off.”

The boys were not far behind when they reached the gate and turned into the grounds surrounding the gloomy house amid the trees. The house was shuttered, and many of the shutters14 were closed.

At the front step Merry sprang from the carriage and assisted his strange companion to alight.

As the others of his party came up Frank said:

“Fellows, although this lady has been kind enough to offer us the shelter of her house, I fear we are intruding15 in a certain way. I am sure we are putting her to great inconvenience, and I wish to——”

“Mr. Merriwell,” interrupted the veiled woman, “I have tried to make it plain that you are not placing me at any inconvenience. I will add that my circumstances are such that the sum you may pay me for the accommodation of yourself and friends will be very acceptable. Oh! I’m going to take pay! You may give whatever sum you choose; I am satisfied that it will be satisfactory. I think this should put you more at your ease.”

“To a certain extent it does,” admitted Merry.

“Then come in.”

The woman turned toward the door, which opened at once. As Merry followed her he saw the door had been opened by a singularly grave-looking Chinaman.

“John,” said the mysterious woman, “these are my guests.”

“Velly well, miss,” nodded the Celestial16.

“They will remain as long as they choose and are to have the best the house affords while here.”

“Velly well, miss.”

“Take them upstairs and let them select their own rooms.”

“Velly well, miss.”

Then, turning to Frank, the woman said:

“Dinner will be served in an hour. I think you will be ready by that time.”

“Yah,” muttered Hans. “I vos readiness alretty soon.”

“If you wish to send to the station for anything in the way of baggage I will call a man to attend to that.”

“There is nothing at the station that we shall need to-night,” said Frank. “We had better leave our stuff there. We have everything necessary for present wants in our hand bags.”

“Show them up, John.”

“Velly well, miss.”

They followed the Chinaman of the solemn and respectful manner and the limited vocabulary.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 maim ewiyp     
v.使残废,使不能工作,使伤残
参考例句:
  • Automobile accidents maim many people each year. 汽车车祸每年使许多人残废。
  • These people kill and maim innocent civilians.这些人杀死和残害无辜平民。
2 liking mpXzQ5     
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢
参考例句:
  • The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
  • I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。
3 loathe 60jxB     
v.厌恶,嫌恶
参考例句:
  • I loathe the smell of burning rubber.我厌恶燃着的橡胶散发的气味。
  • You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时,你会厌恶油腻的气味。
4 detest dm0zZ     
vt.痛恨,憎恶
参考例句:
  • I detest people who tell lies.我恨说谎的人。
  • The workers detest his overbearing manner.工人们很讨厌他那盛气凌人的态度。
5 treacherous eg7y5     
adj.不可靠的,有暗藏的危险的;adj.背叛的,背信弃义的
参考例句:
  • The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
  • The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。
6 behold jQKy9     
v.看,注视,看到
参考例句:
  • The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
  • The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。
7 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》
8 gambling ch4xH     
n.赌博;投机
参考例句:
  • They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
  • The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。
9 enthusiast pj7zR     
n.热心人,热衷者
参考例句:
  • He is an enthusiast about politics.他是个热衷于政治的人。
  • He was an enthusiast and loved to evoke enthusiasm in others.他是一个激情昂扬的人,也热中于唤起他人心中的激情。
10 wager IH2yT     
n.赌注;vt.押注,打赌
参考例句:
  • They laid a wager on the result of the race.他们以竞赛的结果打赌。
  • I made a wager that our team would win.我打赌我们的队会赢。
11 outskirts gmDz7W     
n.郊外,郊区
参考例句:
  • Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
  • They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。
12 crest raqyA     
n.顶点;饰章;羽冠;vt.达到顶点;vi.形成浪尖
参考例句:
  • The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
  • He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。
13 thither cgRz1o     
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的
参考例句:
  • He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
  • He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。
14 shutters 74d48a88b636ca064333022eb3458e1f     
百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 ); (照相机的)快门
参考例句:
  • The shop-front is fitted with rolling shutters. 那商店的店门装有卷门。
  • The shutters thumped the wall in the wind. 在风中百叶窗砰砰地碰在墙上。
15 intruding b3cc8c3083aff94e34af3912721bddd7     
v.侵入,侵扰,打扰( intrude的现在分词);把…强加于
参考例句:
  • Does he find his new celebrity intruding on his private life? 他是否感觉到他最近的成名侵扰了他的私生活?
  • After a few hours of fierce fighting,we saw the intruding bandits off. 经过几小时的激烈战斗,我们赶走了入侵的匪徒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 celestial 4rUz8     
adj.天体的;天上的
参考例句:
  • The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
  • Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。


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