Chapter 37 Cousin Ferguson

 In a fortnight Fred received from Colorado an order on a New York banker for six thousand five hundred dollars, being the purchase money on the Colorado lands.

 

He at once carried it to Mr. Wainwright, and invested it in securities recommended by that gentleman.

 

"I congratulate you heartily¹, Fred," said the banker. "I didn't know that I was taking into my employ a young man of fortune."

 

"It has come upon me so suddenly that I can't realize it myself."

 

"I consider you worthy² of your good luck, my boy. You ought to save up money out of your wages."

 

"I intend to sir, but I am going to give my mother a better home now that I can afford it, and will see that my little brother has a better education than I have had."

 

"It is not too late to supply the deficiency in your own case. You cannot do better than join the evening classes of the Young Men's Christian³ Association, and do what you can to improve yourself."

 

"I will follow your advice, Mr. Wainwright. Now that I am no longer anxious about money matters, I want to qualify myself for a better social position."

 

Only two days after the receipt of the money from Colorado, another letter, as unexpected as Mr. Sloan's, reached Mrs. Fenton. The substance of it was comprised in the closing paragraph "Send your son round to my house this evening I am prepared to make you a better offer for the Colorado laud⁴. It's of little value, but some day may be worth more than at present. As you are straitened in means I can better afford to wait than you, and I shall feel satisfaction in relieving your necessities."

 

Fred read this letter attentively⁵. "I hate a hypocrite," he said. "Mr. Ferguson pretends that he wants to help us, while he is scheming to cheat us out of a large sum, relying upon our ignorance of the increased value of the land."

 

"Shall I write and tell him that we have sold the land?" asked Mrs. Fenton.

 

"No, I will call and see him this evening, as he requests."

 

"But it will do no good."

 

"I want to find out how much he is willing to give. I shan't let him know that the land is sold till he has made an offer."

 

"Don't say anything to provoke Cousin Ferguson, Fred."

 

"Don't worry, mother. I will be perfectly⁶ respectful."

 

About half-past seven Fred rang the bell at the door of the house on East Thirty-Ninth Street. Evidently he was expected, for, on his inquiring for Mr. Ferguson, he was shown at once into the presence of his rich relation.

 

"Good evening, Frederick," said Mr. Ferguson, With unusual graciousness. "How is your mother?"

 

"Very well, thank you, sir."

 

"I hope you are getting along comfortably."

 

"Yes, sir; we have no right to complain."

 

"That is well," said Mr. Ferguson condescendingly. "I presume the boy is making five dollars a week or some such matter," he soliloquized. "That is very well for a boy like him."

 

"I made you an offer for your father's land in Colorado a few months ago," he went on carelessly.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"You thought my offer too small."

 

"Yes, sir. Twenty-five dollars would be of very little value to us."

 

"There I disagree with you. Twenty-five dollars to a family situated⁷ as yours is, is no trifle."

 

A faint smile flickered⁸ over Fred's face. He wondered what Mr. Ferguson would say if he knew precisely⁹ how they were situated.

 

"Still," resumed the merchant, "you did right to refuse. I am inclined to think the land is a little more valuable than I supposed."

 

Fred was rather surprised. Was Cousin Ferguson going to act a liberal part, and offer anything like a fair price for the land? He waited curiously¹⁰ to hear what he would say next.

 

"Yes," continued Mr. Ferguson magnanimously, "I admit that I offered you too little for your land."

 

"So I thought at the time, sir," Fred said quietly.

 

"And I am now prepared to rectify¹¹ my mistake. You may tell your mother that I will give her a hundred dollars for it."

 

"A hundred dollars?"

 

"Yes; that is probably more than it is worth at present, but I can afford to wait until it increases in value."

 

Mr. Ferguson sat back in his armchair and fixed¹² his eyes on Fred with the air of one who has made a most generous offer.

 

"Did your mother authorize¹³ you to make a bargain?" he inquired.

 

"No, sir."

 

"She wished you to report to her, I suppose. This offer will hold good for twenty-four hours. You can come around to-morrow evening, and the matter can be settled at once. It may be well for your mother to come round also, as her signature will be required to the bill of sale."

 

"I am sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Ferguson, but I don't think we will sell."

 

"Young man," said Ferguson severely¹⁴, "if you advise your mother to reject this offer, you will take upon yourself a great responsibility."

 

"Mr. Ferguson," rejoined Fred, fixing his eyes on the merchant, "do you advise my mother, as a friend, to accept this offer?"

 

"Of course, of course. It is the best thing she can do."

 

"I have no right to doubt your sincerity¹⁵, but I think the land is worth more than you offer."

 

"What can you know about it?" demanded Ferguson impatiently.

 

"A gentleman who had traveled in Colorado called on us a while ago. He seems to think the land is quite valuable."

 

"Stuff and nonsense! The man was humbugging you."

 

"He was a miner," continued Fred placidly¹⁶. "He promised to look up the matter for us."

 

"You were very rash to trust a stranger. The best thing you can do is to disregard any advice he may have given you, and accept my offer."

 

"There is one difficulty in the way," said Fred.

 

"What is that?"

 

"_We have sold the land!_" 

1 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

2 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

3 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

4 laud   

n.颂歌；v.赞美

参考例句：

• Kathy was very pleased to have graduated cum laud in her class.凯西在班上以优等成绩毕业，她为此而非常高兴。
• We laud him a warmhearted man.我们称赞他是个热心人。

5 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

8 flickered   

（通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The lights flickered and went out. 灯光闪了闪就熄了。
• These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 这些灯象发狂的交通灯一样不停地闪动着。

9 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

10 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

11 rectify   

v.订正，矫正，改正

参考例句：

• The matter will rectify itself in a few days.那件事过几天就会变好。
• You can rectify this fault if you insert a slash.插人一条斜线便可以纠正此错误。

12 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

13 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

14 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

15 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

16 placidly   

adv.平稳地，平静地

参考例句：

• Hurstwood stood placidly by, while the car rolled back into the yard. 当车子开回场地时，赫斯渥沉着地站在一边。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• The water chestnut floated placidly there, where it would grow. 那棵菱角就又安安稳稳浮在水面上生长去了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说