Chapter 27 Uncle And Nephew

 "So this boy is an object of interest to your uncle?" resumed Warner Powell.

 

"Yes."

 

"Does he give any reason for his interest?"

 

"No, except that he is inclined to help him when there is an opportunity."

 

"Does the boy know him?"

 

"No."

 

"Has he met your uncle?"

 

"Yes; Uncle Thomas frequently visits Chicago--he lives in Milwaukee--and stays at the Sherman when he is here. He has stopped and bought a paper of Luke once or twice."

 

"I remember my sister told me this boy Luke was a newsboy."

 

"How did he get in with your aunt?"

 

"I don't know. I presume it was a chance acquaintance. However that may be, the young rascal¹ seems to have got on her blind side, and to be installed first favorite."

 

"Your sister doesn't like it?"

 

"Not much. Between you and me, Louisa--Mrs. Tracy--means to inherit all the old lady's property, and doesn't like to have anyone come in, even for a trifle. She'll have me left out in the cold if she can, but I mean to have something to say to that. In such matters you can't trust even your own sister."

 

"I agree with you, Warner."

 

The two young men ate a hearty² dinner, and then adjourned³ to a billiard room, where they spent the afternoon over the game. Warner reached home in time for supper.

 

"Where have you been, Warner?" asked Mrs. Tracy.

 

"Looking for work," was the answer.

 

"What success did you meet with?"

 

"Not much as yet. I fell in with an old acquaintance, who may assist me in that direction."

 

"I am glad you have lost no time in seeking employment. It will please aunt."

 

Warner Powell suppressed a smile. He wondered what Mrs. Merton would have thought could she have seen in what manner he prosecuted⁴ his search for employment.

 

"This is Harold," said Mrs. Tracy, proudly, as her son came in. "Harold, this is your Uncle Warner."

 

"So you are Harold," said his uncle. "I remember you in short pants. You have changed considerably⁵ in five years."

 

"Yes, I suppose so," answered Harold, curtly⁶. "Where have you been?"

 

"In Australia, California, and so on."

 

"How long are you going to stay in Chicago?"

 

"That depends on whether I can find employment. If you hear of a place let me know."

 

"I don't know of any unless Aunt Eliza will take you into her employ in place of that newsboy, Luke Walton."

 

"She can have me if she will pay me enough salary. How much does Luke get?"

 

"I don't know. He won't tell."

 

"Do you like him?"

 

"I don't consider him a fit associate for me. He is a common newsboy."

 

"Does Aunt Eliza know that?"

 

"Yes; it makes no difference to her. She's infatuated with him."

 

"I wish she were infatuated with me. I shall have to ask Luke his secret. Aunt Eliza doesn't prefer him to you, does she?"

 

"I have no doubt she does. She's very queer about some things."

 

"Harold," said his mother, solicitously⁷, "I don't think you pay Aunt Eliza enough attention. Old persons, you know, like to receive courtesies."

 

"I treat her politely, don't I?" asked Harold, aggressively. "I can't be dancing attendance upon her and flattering her all the time."

 

"From what I have seen of Luke Walton," thought Warner Powell, "I should decidedly prefer him to this nephew of mine. He seems conceited⁸ and disagreeable. Of course, it won't do to tell Louisa that, for she evidently admires her graceless cub⁹, because he is hers."

 

"Are you intimate with this Luke?" asked Warner, mischievously¹⁰.

 

"What do you take me for?" demanded Harold, of fended¹¹. "I am not in the habit of getting intimate with street boys."

 

Warner Powell laughed.

 

"I am not so proud as you, Nephew Harold," he said. "Travelers pick up strange companions. In San Francisco I became intimate with a Chinaman."

 

"You don't mean it?" exclaimed Harold, in incredulity and disgust."

 

"Yes, I do."

 

"You weren't in the laundry business with him, were you?" went on Harold, with a sneer¹².

 

"No," he answered aloud. "The laundry business may be a very good one--I should like the income it produces even now--but I don't think I have the necessary talent for it. My Chinese friend was a commission merchant worth at least a hundred thousand dollars. I wasn't above borrowing money from him sometimes."

 

"Of course, that makes a difference," said Mrs. Tracy, desiring to make peace between her brother and son. "He must have been a superior man. Harold thought you meant a common Chinaman, such as we have in Chicago."

 

The reunited family sat down to supper together.

 

After supper Warner made an excuse for going out.

 

"I have an engagement with a friend who knows of a position he thinks I can secure," he said.

 

"I hope you won't be late," said Mrs. Tracy.

 

"No, I presume not, but you had better give me a pass key."

 

Mrs. Tracy did so reluctantly. She was afraid Harold might want to join his uncle; but the nephew was not taken with his new relative, and made no such proposal.

 

In reality, Warner Powell had made an engagement to go to McVicker's Theater with his friend Stephen Webb, who had arranged to meet him at the Sherman House.

 

While waiting, Warner, who had an excellent memory for faces, recognized Luke, who was selling papers at his usual post. There was some startling news in the evening papers--a collision on Lake Michigan--and Luke had ordered an unusual supply, which occupied him later than his ordinary hour. He had taken a hasty supper at Brockway & Milan's, foreseeing that he would not be home till late.

 

"Aunt Eliza's boy!" thought Warner. "I may as well take this opportunity to cultivate his acquaintance."

 

He went up to Luke and asked for a paper.

 

"You don't remember me?" he said, with a smile.

 

"No," answered Luke, looking puzzled.

 

"I saw you on Prairie Avenue this morning. Mrs. Merton is my aunt."

 

"I remember you now. Are you Mrs. Tracy's brother?"

 

"Yes, and the uncle of Harold. How do you and Harold get along?"

 

"Not at all. He takes very little notice of me."

 

"He is a snob¹³. Being his uncle, I take the liberty to say it."

 

"There is no love lost between us," Luke said. "I would like to be more friendly, but he treats me like an enemy."

 

"He is jealous of your favor with my aunt."

 

"There is no occasion for it. He is a relative, and I am only in her employ."

 

"She thinks a good deal of you, doesn't she?"

 

"She treats me very kindly¹⁴."

 

"Harold suggested to me this evening at supper that I should take your place. You needn't feel anxious. I have no idea of doing so, and she wouldn't have me if I had."

 

"I think a man like you could do better."

 

"I am willing to. But here comes my friend, who is going to the theater with me."

 

Looking up, Luke was surprised to see Stephen Webb.

1 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。

2 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

3 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

4 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

5 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

6 curtly   

adv.简短地

参考例句：

• He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 solicitously   

adv.热心地，热切地

参考例句：

• Eyeing Hung-chien he said solicitously, "Hung-chien, you've lost a lot of weight." 他看了鸿渐一眼，关切的说：“鸿渐兄，你瘦得多了。” 来自汉英文学 - 围城
• To their surprise Hung-chien merely asked Jou-chia solicitously, "Can the wine stains be washed out? 谁知道鸿渐只关切地问柔嘉：“酒渍洗得掉么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

8 conceited   

adj.自负的，骄傲自满的

参考例句：

• He could not bear that they should be so conceited.他们这样自高自大他受不了。
• I'm not as conceited as so many people seem to think.我不像很多人认为的那么自负。

9 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

10 mischievously   

adv.有害地；淘气地

参考例句：

• He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
• Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠，是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网

11 fended   

v.独立生活，照料自己( fend的过去式和过去分词 )；挡开，避开

参考例句：

• He neatly fended off a jab at his chest. 他利落地挡开了当胸的一击。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I fended off his sword thrust with my spear. 他一刀砍来，我拿枪架住。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

13 snob   

n.势利小人，自以为高雅、有学问的人

参考例句：

• Going to a private school had made her a snob.上私立学校后，她变得很势利。
• If you think that way, you are a snob already.如果你那样想的话，你已经是势利小人了。

14 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。