Chapter 29 Fred Takes The First Step

 "And so you come from New York?" Sinclair repeated, for the want of something better to say.

 

"When did you leave the city, may I ask?"

 

"On Tuesday."

 

"Then you came directly here?"

 

"Yes, I came directly here."

 

"You must then have heard of St. Victor before starting."

 

"Yes."

 

"Yet I fancy it is so obscure that its existence can be known to very few in the great city."

 

"I presume you are right. I was recommended to come here by a friend."

 

"Ah!" commented James Sinclair, beginning to think he was right, though it seemed to him very strange that Mr. Wainwright should have selected so young a messenger. "I should like to see New York once more."

 

"Who wouldn't?" interposed Bowman impatiently. "In New York you can _live._ Here in St. Victor one can only vegetate¹."

 

"Don't you expect to go back to New York some day, Mr. Sinclair?" asked Fred.

 

"I don't know; I hope so."

 

"When our business in Canada is completed," said Bowman, "we shall probably both go back."

 

"Are you going to sleep here to-night, Bowman?" asked Sinclair.

 

"No, I think not. I have taken a room in the hotel."

 

"You must do as you like, of course, but it is lonely for me. Besides I might need assistance."

 

"Let the girl stay here, then. I should make a miserable² sick nurse. I will ask young Fenton, here, if it is reasonable to expect me to bury myself in such a cheerless place when it will do no good."

 

Fred was disgusted with the man's selfishness. "If I had a friend sick," he said, "I think I would be quite willing to keep him company."

 

"You say so now, but wait till the time comes."

 

"Your words, Mr. Fenton," said Sinclair, "embolden³ me to ask you a favor."

 

"Name it," said Fred, in a tone of kindly⁴ encouragement.

 

"I spend all my time alone, except when Claudine is ministering to my wants. Your time is hardly likely to be very much occupied in this dull place. Can't you spare me an hour or two at your convenience during the day?"

 

"You have promised to go hunting with me tomorrow," interrupted Bowman.

 

"That is true. I will go with you in the forenoon, and in the afternoon I will call on Mr. Sinclair."

 

Bowman shrugged⁵ his shoulders.

 

"It is a rash promise. You will be sorry for having made it."

 

"I will risk that," answered Fred.

 

Sinclair gave him a grateful glance. The promise cheered him, and kindled⁶ hopes in his breast. Now he would have a chance of learning, when alone with Fred, whether he came as a messenger from Mr. Wainwright. If so, and through his means he could make restitution⁷ and regain⁸ his place and lost character, he would still have something to live for. He execrated⁹ his folly¹⁰ in weakly submitting to the guidance of Paul Bowman, and for having taken that first step in crime, which is so difficult to retrace¹¹.

 

"Don't forget your promise," he said earnestly as Fred rose to go.

 

"I won't fail you," replied Fred quietly.

 

"You're in for it now," remarked Bowman, as they started to walk home. "You might as well turn sick nurse at once as give up your time to Sinclair."

 

"I might be sick sometime myself," said Fred, "and in that case I should be sorry to be left alone."

 

"Oh, well, suit yourself," said Bowman carelessly. "I'd rather it would be you than me, for that matter. I shall expect you to go out to the woods with me in the forenoon."

 

"All right!"

 

"Well," thought Fred, as he slipped into bed at ten o'clock, "I've made a beginning. I have formed the acquaintance of both parties to the robbery. The next step will be more difficult."

1 vegetate   

v.无所事事地过活

参考例句：

• After a hard day's work,I vegetate in front of the television.经过一整天劳累，我瘫在电视机前一动不动。
• He spends all his free time at home vegetating in front of the TV.他一有空闲时间就窝在家里看电视。

2 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

3 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

4 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。

5 shrugged   

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》

6 kindled   

（使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光

参考例句：

• We watched as the fire slowly kindled. 我们看着火慢慢地燃烧起来。
• The teacher's praise kindled a spark of hope inside her. 老师的赞扬激起了她内心的希望。

7 restitution   

n.赔偿；恢复原状

参考例句：

• It's only fair that those who do the damage should make restitution.损坏东西的人应负责赔偿，这是再公平不过的了。
• The victims are demanding full restitution.受害人要求全额赔偿。

8 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

9 execrated   

v.憎恶( execrate的过去式和过去分词 )；厌恶；诅咒；咒骂

参考例句：

• He felt execrated by all. 他觉得所有人都在诅咒他。 来自辞典例句
• It was Soapy's design to assume the role of the despicable and execrated 'masher'. 索比的计划是装扮成一个下流、讨厌的“捣蛋鬼”。 来自英汉文学 - 欧亨利

10 folly   

n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话

参考例句：

• Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
• Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

11 retrace   

v.折回；追溯，探源

参考例句：

• He retraced his steps to the spot where he'd left the case.他折回到他丢下箱子的地方。
• You must retrace your steps.你必须折回原来走过的路。