So matters went on for three years. Then Mr. Kenyon all at once fancied himself in very poor health, at any rate he so represented. He induced a physician to recommend travelling, and to urge the importance of his wife accompanying him. She fell into the trap, for it proved to be a trap. The boys were left at home, at a boarding school, and Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon set out on their travels. They sailed for Cuba, where they remained two months; then they embarked8 for Charleston. In the neighborhood of Charleston Mr. Kenyon was enabled at length to carry out his nefarious9 design. He made the acquaintance of Dr. Fox, an unprincipled keeper of a private insane asylum10, and left Mrs. Kenyon in his charge, under the name of Mrs. Crandall, with the strictest orders that under no circumstances should she be permitted to leave the asylum.
Three months from the time of his departure he reappeared in Brentville, wearing deep mourning—a widower11. According to his account, Mrs. Kenyon had been attacked by a malignant12 fever, and died in four days. He also produced a will, made by his wife, conveying to him absolutely her property, all and entire. The only reference to her son Oliver was couched in these terms:
"I commend my dear son Oliver to my husband's charge, fully13 satisfied that he will provide for him in all ways as I would myself, urging him to do all in his power to promote my dear Oliver's welfare, and prepare him for a creditable and useful position in the world."
But for this clause doubts would have been expressed as to the genuineness of the will. As it was, it was generally supposed to be authentic14, but Mrs. Kenyon was severely15 criticised for reposing16 so much confidence in her husband, and leaving Oliver wholly dependent upon him.
It was a great blow to Oliver,—his mother's death,—and the world seemed very lonely to him. Besides, he could not fail to notice a great difference in the manner of Mr. Kenyon and Roland toward him. The former laid aside his velvety17 manner and assumed airs of command. He felt secure in the position he had so wrongfully assumed, and hated Oliver all the more because he knew how much he had wronged him.
Roland, too, was quick to understand the new state of things. He was older than Oliver, and tried to exact deference18 from him on that account. His father had promised to make him his chief heir, and both had a tacit understanding that Oliver was to be treated as a poor relation, with no money and no rights except such as they might be graciously pleased to accord.
But Oliver did not fit well into this r?le. He was too spirited and too independent to be browbeaten19, and did not choose to flatter or fawn20 upon his step-father though he did bear the purse.
The outbreak recorded in the first chapter would have come sooner had Oliver been steadily21 at home. But he had spent some weeks in visiting a cousin out of town, and was thus saved from a conflict with Roland. Soon after he came home the scene already described took place.
Thus far things had gone to suit Mr. Kenyon. But the arrival of Dr. Fox, and his extortionate demand, with the absolute certainty that it would be followed at frequent intervals22 by others, was like a clap of thunder in a clear sky. Henceforth peril23 was imminent24. At any time his wife might escape from her asylum, and appear on the scene to convict him of conspiracy25 and falsehood. This would mean ruin. At any time Dr. Fox, if his exactions were resisted, might reveal the whole plot, and this, again, would be destruction. If not, he might be emboldened26, by the possession of a damaging secret, to the most exorbitant27 demands.
These thoughts worried Mr. Kenyon, and robbed him of sleep.
What should he, or could he do?
Two things seemed desirable—to get rid of Oliver, and to leave Brentville for some place where neither Dr. Fox nor his injured wife could seek him out.
The more he thought of this way out of the difficulty the better he liked it. There was nothing to bind28 him to Brentville except the possession of a handsome place. But this comprised in value not more than a tenth part of his—that is, his wife's—possessions. Why should he not let or, still better, sell it, and at once and forever leave Brentville? There were no friendly ties to sunder29. He was not popular in the village, and he knew it. He was popularly regarded as an interloper, who had no business with the property of which he had usurped30 the charge. Neither was Roland liked, as much on his own account as on his father's, for he strutted31 about the village, turning up his nose at boys who would have been better off than himself in a worldly point of view but for his father's lucky marriage, and declining to engage in any game in which the first place was not accorded to him.
It was very different with Oliver. He was born to be popular. Though he possessed32 his share of pride, doubtless, he never showed it in an offensive manner. No poor boy ever felt ill at ease in his company. He was the life and soul of the playground, though he obtained an easy pre-eminence in the schoolroom.
"Oliver is worth a dozen of Roland!" was the common remark. "What a pity he was left dependent on his step-father!"
The last remark was often made to Oliver himself, but it was a subject which he was not willing to discuss. It seemed to him that he would be reproaching his mother, to find fault with the provision she had made for his future.
It did seem to him, however, in his secret heart, that his mother had been misled by too blind a confidence in his step-father.
"I wish she had left me only one-quarter of the property, and left it independent of him," he thought more than once. "She couldn't know how disagreeable it would be to me to be dependent upon him."
Oliver thought this, but he did not say it.
The thought came to him again as he walked home from the house of Frank Dudley, twenty minutes after Roland had travelled over the same road.
"I wonder whether Mr. Kenyon will be up," he asked himself, as he rang the bell. "If he is, I suppose I must make up my mind for another volley. How different it was when my poor mother was alive!"
The door was opened by Maggie, the servant.
"Has Roland come home?" he asked.
"Yes, Mr. Oliver; he is in bed by this time."
"That's good!" thought Oliver. "Is Mr. Kenyon up?"
"No, Mr. Oliver. Did you wish to see him?"
"Oh, no," said Oliver, feeling relieved. "I only enquired33 out of curiosity. You'd better shut up the house, Maggie."
"I was going to, Mr. Oliver."
Oliver took his lamp and went up slowly to bed. His room was just opposite to Roland's, which adjoined the apartment occupied by his father.
Remembering the scene of the previous day, Oliver expected it would be renewed when he met his stepfather and Roland at breakfast in the morning. Such, also, was the expectation of Roland. He wanted Oliver to be humiliated34, and fully anticipated that he would be.
What, then, was the surprise of the two boys when Mr. Kenyon displayed an unusually gracious manner at table!
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收听单词发音
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1
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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devotedly
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| 专心地； 恩爱地； 忠实地； 一心一意地 | |
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repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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8
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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nefarious
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| adj.恶毒的，极坏的 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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widower
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| n.鳏夫 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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13
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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authentic
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| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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reposing
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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browbeaten
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| v.（以言辞或表情）威逼，恫吓( browbeat的过去分词 ) | |
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fawn
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| n.未满周岁的小鹿；v.巴结，奉承 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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exorbitant
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| adj.过分的；过度的 | |
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bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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sunder
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| v.分开；隔离；n.分离，分开 | |
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30
usurped
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| 篡夺，霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权 | |
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strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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33
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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34
humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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