Chapter 11 The Two Conspirators

Philip thirsted for revenge upon Harry¹, but it did not seem very clear in what way it was to be obtained. The trouble was that Harry was always in the right in all the difficulties they had had, and was likely to have popular sympathy on his side.

As Philip walked home, fuming² with anger, it occurred to him to make a formal complaint against Harry before a justice of the peace. But the examination which would ensue would disclose his unjustifiable conduct in the berry field, and he reluctantly abandoned the idea.

While in this state of mind he met a recent acquaintance, some three years older than himself, named James Congreve.

Congreve was boarding at the village hotel, with apparently³ no business on hand more pressing than smoking, fishing and lounging about the village.

He came from the city of Brooklyn, and had been sent to this quiet village to remove him from the temptations of the city.

He had been in several business positions, but had given satisfaction in none, and, so far as usefulness was concerned, was perhaps as well off here as anywhere else.

As James Congreve wore good clothes, and had a showy gold watch and chain, which indicated worldly prosperity, Philip was glad to make his acquaintance, for Congreve taught him to smoke and play cards for money.

So when the two met James Congreve asked, languidly:

"What are you up to, Philip?"

"Not much," answered Philip, suddenly.

"You look out of sorts."

"Oh, I've just had a fight with a boy in the berry pasture."

"I hope you didn't hurt him much," said Congreve, smiling.

"No; but I'd like to," replied Philip, spitefully.

"Who is the villain⁴?"

"Harry Gilbert, a low, impudent⁵ upstart."

"Yes, I know; used to be in the grocery store, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"What's he done now?"

"Oh, it's too long a story to tell. He was impudent to me, that's all. I would like to annoy him in some way."

"Get him into a scrape, eh?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps we can think of some way. If you haven't anything better to do, come up to my room and play cards."

"I don't mind."

Soon afterward⁶ the two were sitting at a small table in Congreve's bedroom at the hotel, playing poker⁷.

This is essentially⁸ a gambling⁹ game, and for that reason it was a special favorite with James Congreve. He was much more than a match for Philip, whom he had initiated¹⁰ into the mysteries of the game.

"How much do I owe you, Congreve?" asked Philip, as they sat down to their unprofitable employment.

"I don't know, exactly; I've got an account somewhere," answered Congreve, carelessly.

"It must be as much as ten dollars," said Philip, rather uneasily. "Somehow, you always have more luck at the cards than I do."

"Luck will change in time. Besides, I am in no hurry for the money."

"I only wish an allowance of two dollars a week. Father will only give me half of it, and mother makes up the rest. So it would take five weeks to pay you, and leave me without a cent to spend."

"Probably you won't have to pay it at all. You may win it all back to-day."

Thus encouraged, Philip began to play, but was as unlucky as usual. He rose from the table owing Congreve five dollars more than when he sat down. "Just my luck!" ejaculated Philip, with a long face. "Just look up the account and let me know what it all amounts to."

Congreve made a little calculation, and announced, in apparent surprise, that Philip owed him twenty-two dollars.

"It can't be!" ejaculated Philip, in dismay.

"There's no doubt about it," said Congreve. "However, don't trouble yourself about it. I can wait. And now for your affair with this Gilbert boy. I've got an idea that I may prove serviceable to you."

During the next fifteen minutes a wicked plot was devised, of which it was intended that Harry should be the victim. The particulars must be reserved for the next chapter.

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 fuming   

愤怒( fume的现在分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟

参考例句：

• She sat in the car, silently fuming at the traffic jam. 她坐在汽车里，心中对交通堵塞感到十分恼火。
• I was fuming at their inefficiency. 我正因为他们效率低而发火。

3 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。

4 villain   

n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因

参考例句：

• He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
• The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

5 impudent   

adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

6 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

7 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

8 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

9 gambling   

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。

10 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。