Chapter 22 How Ambrose Kean Was Saved

 "I didn't know you were occupied, Aunt Eliza," said Mrs. Tracy, in a significant tone, as she paused at the door.

 

"My business is not private," returned the old lady. "Come in, Louisa."

 

Mrs. Tracy did come in, but she regarded Luke with a hostile and suspicious glance.

 

"That is all, Luke," said his patroness. "You may go. You can report to me to-morrow."

 

"All right, ma'am."

 

When Luke had left the room, Mrs. Tracy said: "You appear to repose¹ a great deal of confidence in that boy."

 

"Yes; I think he deserves it."

 

Mrs. Tracy coughed.

 

"You seem to trust him with a great deal of money."

 

"Yes."

 

"Of course, I don't want to interfere², but I think you will need to be on your guard. He is evidently bent³ on getting all he can out of you."

 

"That is your judgment⁴, is it, Louisa?"

 

"Yes. Aunt Eliza, since you ask me."

 

"He has done me a service this morning. He has brought to my notice a son of one of my old school mates who is in a strait, and I have just sent him fifty dollars."

 

"By that boy?"

 

"Yes. Why not?"

 

"Are you sure the person to whom you sent the money will ever get it?"

 

"Please speak out what you mean. Don't hint. I hate hints."

 

"In plain terms, then, I think the boy will keep the money himself, or, at any rate, a part of it."

 

"I don't fear it."

 

"Have you any more to say?"

 

"Nothing, except to warn you against that designing boy."

 

"You are very kind, Louisa, but I am not quite a simpleton. I have seen something of the world, and I don't think I am easily taken in."

 

Mrs. Tracy left the room, not very well satisfied. She really thought Luke had designs upon the old lady's money, and was averse⁵ even to his receiving a legacy⁶, since it would take so much from Harold and herself.

 

"Harold, when I entered your aunt's room, what do you think I saw?"

 

This she said to Harold, who was waiting below.

 

"I don't know."

 

"Aunt Eliza was giving money to that boy."

 

"Do you know how much?"

 

"Fifty dollars."

 

"Whew! Was it for himself?"

 

"He came to her with a trumped-up story of an old schoolmate of aunt's who was in need of money."

 

"Do you think he will keep it himself?"

 

"I am afraid so."

 

"What a cheeky young rascal⁷ he is, to be sure! I have no doubt you are right."

 

"Yes; there is too much reason to think he is an unscrupulous adventurer, young as he is."

 

"Why don't you tell aunt so?"

 

"I have."

 

"And what does she say?"

 

"It doesn't make the least impression upon her."

 

"What do you think the boy will do?"

 

"Get her to make a will in his favor, or at least to leave him a large legacy."

 

Harold turned pale.

 

"That would be robbing us," he said.

 

"Of course it would. He wouldn't mind that, you know."

 

"He was very impertinent to me this morning."

 

"I presume so. He depends upon his favor with aunt."

 

"Isn't there anything we can do, mother?"

 

"I must consider."

 

Meanwhile Luke returned at once to the room of Ambrose Kean. He found the young man awaiting him with great anxiety.

 

"What success?" he asked, quickly.

 

"I have got the fifty dollars," answered Luke.

 

"Thank God! I am saved!" ejaculated the young man.

 

"Would you mind taking it round to the office with a note from me?" asked Kean.

 

"I will do so cheerfully."

 

"Then I shall feel at ease."

 

"Mrs. Merton would like to have you call on her. She remembered your mother at once."

 

"I shall be glad to do so, but shall be ashamed to meet her now that she knows of my yielding to temptation."

 

"You need not mind that. She also suffered from the rascality⁸ of Thomas Browning, and she will make allowances for you."

 

"Then I will go some day with you."

 

"You had better give me a letter to take to your employer with the money."

 

"I will."

 

Ambrose Kean wrote the following note:

 

JAMES COOPER:

 

DEAR SIR:--Hiram Crossley called at the office yesterday and paid in fifty dollars due to you. Being busy, I thrust it into my pocket, and inadvertently took it with me. I think I shall be able to be at the office to-morrow, but think it best to send the money by a young friend. I gave Mr. Crossley a receipt.

 

Yours respectfully, AMBROSE KEAN.

 

 

 

 

When Luke reached the office, Mr. Cooper was conversing⁹ with a stout¹⁰, broad-shouldered man, of middle age, and Luke could not help hearing some of their conversation.

 

"You say you paid fifty dollars to my clerk, Mr. Crossley?" asked the merchant.

 

"Yes."

 

"Have you his receipt?"

 

"Here it is."

 

Mr. Cooper examined it.

 

"Yes, that is his signature."

 

"Isn't he here to-day?"

 

"No; he sent word that he had a headache."

 

"And you don't find the money?"

 

"No."

 

"That is singular." And the two men exchanged glances of suspicion.

 

"What sort of a young man is he?"

 

"I never had any cause to suspect him."

 

"I hope it is all right."

 

"If it isn't, I will discharge him," said Cooper, nodding emphatically.

 

"He probably didn't think I would be here so soon. I didn't expect to be, but a telegram summoned me to the city on other business."

 

Of course Luke understood that the conversation related to Kean, and that he had arrived none too soon. He came forward.

 

"I have a letter for you from Mr. Kean," he said.

 

"Ha! Give it to me!"

 

Mr. Cooper tore open the envelope, saw the bank bills, and read the letter.

 

"It's all right, Mr. Crossley," he said, his brow clearing. "Read that letter."

 

"I am really glad," said Crossley.

 

"How is Mr. Kean?" asked Cooper, in a friendly tone.

 

"He had a severe headache, but he is better, and hopes to be at the office to-morrow."

 

"Tell him I shall be glad to see him, but don't want him to come unless he is really able."

 

"Thank you, sir. I will do so." And Luke left the office.

 

He went back to Ambrose Kean, and told him what had happened at the office.

 

"I have escaped better than I deserved," he said. "It will be a lesson to me. Please tell Mrs. Merton that her timely aid has saved my reputation and rescued my poor mother from sorrow and destitution¹¹."

 

"I will, and I am sure she will consider the money well spent."

 

The next morning, as Luke stood at his usual post, he saw Thomas Browning, of Milwaukee, come out of the Sherman House. He knew him at once by the wart¹² on the upper part of his right cheek, which gave him a remarkable¹³ appearance.

 

"Can there be two persons answering this description?" Luke asked himself.

 

Thomas Browning came across the street, and paused in front of Luke.

1 repose   

v.(使)休息；n.安息

参考例句：

• Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
• Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

2 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

3 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 averse   

adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的

参考例句：

• I don't smoke cigarettes,but I'm not averse to the occasional cigar.我不吸烟，但我不反对偶尔抽一支雪茄。
• We are averse to such noisy surroundings.我们不喜欢这么吵闹的环境。

6 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

7 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

8 rascality   

流氓性，流氓集团

参考例句：

9 conversing   

v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I find that conversing with her is quite difficult. 和她交谈实在很困难。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were conversing in the parlor. 他们正在客厅谈话。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 destitution   

n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷

参考例句：

• The people lived in destitution. 民生凋敝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His drinking led him to a life of destitution. 酗酒导致他生活贫穷。 来自辞典例句

12 wart   

n.疣，肉赘；瑕疵

参考例句：

• What does the medicaments with remedial acuteness wet best wart have?治疗尖锐湿疣最好的药物有什么？
• Flat wart is generally superficial,or sometimes a slight itching.扁平疣一般是不痛不痒的，或偶有轻微痒感。

13 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。