Chapter 24 Mrs. Merton Passes A Pleasant Evening

 Ambrose Kean called with Luke an evening or two later to thank Mrs. Merton in person for her kindness. They arrived ten minutes after Mrs. Tracy and Harold had started for Hooley's Theater, and thus were saved an embarrassing meeting with two persons who would have treated them frigidly¹.

 

They were conducted upstairs by the servant, and were ushered² into Mrs. Merton's room.

 

Ambrose Kean was naturally ill at ease, knowing that Mrs. Merton was acquainted with the error he had committed. But the old lady received him cordially.

 

"I am glad to meet the son of my old schoolmate, Mary Robinson," she said.

 

"In spite of his unworthiness?" returned Ambrose, his cheek flushing with shame.

 

"I don't know whether he is unworthy. That remains³ to be seen."

 

"You know I yielded to temptation and committed a theft."

 

"Yes; but it was to help your mother."

 

"It was, but that does not relieve me from guilt⁴."

 

"You are right; still it greatly mitigates⁵ it. Take my advice; forget it, and never again yield to a similar temptation."

 

"I will not, indeed, Mrs. Merton," said the young many earnestly. "I feel that I have been very fortunate in escaping the consequences of my folly⁶, and in enlisting⁷ your sympathy."

 

"That is well! Let us forget this disagreeable circumstance, and look forward to the future. How is Mary your mother?"

 

"She is an invalid⁸."

 

"And poor. There is a remedy for poverty. Let us also hope there is a remedy for her ill-health. But tell me, why did you not come to see me before? You have been some time in Chicago."

 

"True, but I knew you were a rich lady. I didn't think you would remember or care to hear from one so poor and obscure as my mother."

 

"Come, I consider that far from a compliment," said the old lady. "You really thought as badly of me as that?"

 

"I know you better now," said Ambrose, gratefully.

 

"It is well you do. You have no idea how intimate your mother and I used to be. She is five years my junior, I think, so that I regarded her as a younger sister. It is many years since we met. And how is she looking?"

 

"She shows the effects of bad health, but I don't think she looks older than her years."

 

"We have both changed greatly, no doubt. It is to be expected. But you can tell her that I have not forgotten the favorite companion of my school days."

 

"I will do so, for I know it will warm her heart and brighten her up."

 

"When we were girls together our worldly circumstances did not greatly differ. But I married, and my husband was very successful in business."

 

"While she married and lost all she had."

 

"It is often so. It might have been the other way. Your mother might have been rich, and I poor; but I don't think she would have been spoiled by prosperity any more than I have been. Now tell me how you are situated⁹."

 

"I am a clerk, earning twelve dollars a week."

 

"And your employer--is he kind and considerate?"

 

"He is just, but he has strict notions. Had he learned my slip the other day he would have discharged me, perhaps had me arrested. Now, thanks to your prompt kindness, he knows and will know nothing of it."

 

"Is he likely to increase your salary?"

 

"He will probably raise me to fifteen dollars a week next January. Then I can get along very well. At present it is difficult for me, after sending my mother four dollars a week, to live on the balance of my salary."

 

"I should think it would be."

 

"Still, I would have made it do, but for mother's falling sick, and so needing a larger allowance."

 

"I hope she is not seriously ill," said Mrs. Merton, with solicitude¹⁰.

 

"No, fortunately not. I think she will be as well as usual in a few weeks."

 

"Tell her I inquired particularly for her, and that I send her my love and remembrance."

 

"I shall be only too glad to do so."

 

The time slipped away so rapidly that Luke was surprised when, looking at the French clock on the mantel, he saw that it lacked but a quarter of ten o'clock.

 

"Mr. Kean," he said, glancing at the clock, "it is getting late."

 

"So it is," said Ambrose, rising. "I am afraid we have been trespassing¹¹ upon your kindness, Mrs. Merton."

 

"Not at all!" said Mrs. Merton, promptly¹². "I have enjoyed the evening, I can assure you. Mr. Kean, you must call again."

 

"I shall be glad to do so, if you will permit me."

 

"I wish you to do so. Luke will come with you. I shall want to hear more of your mother, and how she gets along."

 

As they were leaving, Mrs. Merton slipped into the hand of Ambrose Kean an envelope.

 

"The contents is for your mother," she said. "I have made the check payable¹³ to you."

 

"Thank you. It is another mark of your kindness."

 

When Ambrose Kean examined the check, he ascertained¹⁴ to his joy that it was for a hundred dollars.

 

"What a splendid old lady she is, Luke!" he said, enthusiastically.

 

"She is always kind, Mr. Kean. I have much to be grateful to her for. I wish I could say the same of other members of the family."

 

"What other members of the family are there?"

 

"A niece, Mrs. Tracy, and her son, Harold."

 

"Why didn't we see them to-night?"

 

"I don't know. I suppose they were out."

 

The next day Ambrose handed the check to his employer and asked if he would indorse it, and so enable him to draw the money.

 

James Cooper took the check and examined the signature.

 

"Eliza Merton," said he. "Is it the rich Mrs. Merton who lives on Prairie Avenue?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Indeed; I did not know that you were acquainted with her."

 

"She and my mother were schoolmates."

 

"And so you keep up the acquaintance?"

 

"I spent last evening at her house. This check is a gift from her to my mother."

 

Ambrose Kean rose greatly in the estimation of his employer when the latter learned that Kean had such an aristocratic friend, and he was treated with more respect and consideration than before.

 

Meanwhile Harold and his mother had enjoyed themselves at the theater.

 

"I suppose Aunt Eliza went to bed early, Harold," said Mrs. Tracy, as they were on their way home.

 

"Went to roost with the hens," suggested Harold, laughing at what he thought to be a good joke.

 

"Probably it is as well for her," said his mother. "It isn't good for old people to sit up late."

 

It was about half-past eleven when they were admitted by the drowsy¹⁵ servant.

 

"I suppose Mrs. Merton went to bed long ago, Laura," said Mrs. Tracy.

 

"No, ma'am, she set up later than usual."

 

"That is odd. I thought she would feel lonely."

 

"Oh, she had company, ma'am."

 

"Company! Who?"

 

"Master Luke was here all the evenin', and a young man with him."

 

Mrs. Tracy frowned ominously¹⁶.

 

"The sly young artful!" she said to Harold when they were alone. "He is trying all he can to get on aunt's weak side. Something will have to be done, or we shall be left out in the cold."

1 frigidly   

adv.寒冷地；冷漠地；冷淡地；呆板地

参考例句：

2 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

5 mitigates   

v.减轻，缓和( mitigate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Data Control is the containment of activity. It is what mitigates risk. 数据控制就是限制攻击者活动的机制，它可以降低安全风险。 来自互联网
• Laziness also mitigates the threat from piracy. 懒散也减轻了来自盗版的威胁。 来自互联网

6 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。

7 enlisting   

v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的现在分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• He thought about enlisting-about the Spanish legion-about a profession. 他想去打仗，想参加西班牙军团，想找个职业。 来自辞典例句
• They are not enlisting men over thirty-five. 他们不召超过35岁的人入伍。 来自辞典例句

8 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

9 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。

10 solicitude   

n.焦虑

参考例句：

• Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。
• He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。

11 trespassing   

[法]非法入侵

参考例句：

• He told me I was trespassing on private land. 他说我在擅闯私人土地。
• Don't come trespassing on my land again. 别再闯入我的地界了。

12 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

13 payable   

adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的

参考例句：

• This check is payable on demand.这是一张见票即付的支票。
• No tax is payable on these earnings.这些收入不须交税。

14 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

16 ominously   

adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地

参考例句：

• The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块，在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘（部分）