Chapter 37 Thomas Browning's Secret

 Warner Powell had learned wisdom and prudence¹ with his increasing years, and, instead of inquiring for the best hotel, was content to put up at a humbler hostelry, where he would be comfortable. He made the acquaintance on the cars of a New York drummer, with whom he became quite sociable².

 

"I suppose you have been in Milwaukee often," said Warner.

 

"I go there once a year--sometimes twice."

 

"Where do you stay?"

 

"At the Prairie Hotel. It is a comfortable house--two dollars a day."

 

"Just what I want. I will go there."

 

So, at quarter-past six. Warner Powell found himself in the office of the hotel. He was assigned a room on the third floor.

 

After making his toilet, he went down to supper. At the table with him were two gentlemen who, from their conversation, appeared to be residents of the city. They were discussing the coming municipal election.

 

"I tell you, Browning will be our mayor," said one. "His reputation as a philanthropist will elect him."

 

"I never took much stock in his claims on that score."

 

"He belongs to all the charitable societies, and is generally an officer."

 

"That may be; how much does he give himself?"

 

"I don't know. I suppose he is a liberal subscriber³."

 

"He wants to give that impression, but the man is as selfish as the average. He is said to be a hard landlord, and his tenants⁴ get very few favors."

 

"I am surprised to hear that."

 

"He is trading on his philanthropy. It would be interesting to learn where his wealth came from. I should not be surprised if he were more smart than honest."

 

Warner Powell found himself getting interested in this Browning. Was he really a good man, who was unjustly criticised, or was he a sham⁵ philanthropist, as charged?

 

"After all, it doesn't concern me," he said to himself. "The good people of Milwaukee may choose whom they please for mayor so far as I am concerned."

 

After supper Warner stepped up to the cigar stand to buy a cigar. This, as the reader will remember, was kept by Jack⁶ King, an old California acquaintance of Thomas Browning, whose first appearance in our story was in the character of a tramp and would-be burglar.

 

"Is business good?" asked Warner, pleasantly.

 

"It is fair; but it seems slow to a man like myself, who has made a hundred dollars a day at the mines in California."

 

"I have been in California myself," said Powell, "but it was recently, and no such sums were to be made in my time."

 

"That is true. It didn't last with me. I have noticed that even in the flush times few brought much money away with them, no matter how lucky they were."

 

"There must become exceptions, however."

 

"There were. We have a notable example in Milwaukee."

 

"To whom do you refer?"

 

"To Thomas Browning, the man who is up for mayor."

 

Jack King laughed.

 

"I've heard a lot of talk about that man. He's very honest and very worthy⁷, I hear."

 

"They call him so," he answered.

 

"I am afraid you are jealous of that good man," said Warner, smiling.

 

"I may be jealous of his success, but not of his reputation or his moral qualities."

 

"Then you don't admire him as much as the public generally?"

 

"No, I know him too well."

 

"He is really rich, is he not?"

 

"Yes, that is, he is worth, perhaps, two hundred thousand dollars."

 

"That would satisfy me."

 

"Or me. But I doubt whether the money was creditably gained."

 

"Do you know anything about it? Were you an acquaintance of his?"

 

"Yes; I can remember him when he was only a rough miner. I never heard that he was very lucky, but he managed to take considerable money East with him."

 

Warner eyed Jack King attentively⁸.

 

"You suspect something," he said, shrewdly.

 

"I do. There was one of our acquaintances who had struck it rich, and accumulated about ten thousand dollars. Browning was thick with him, and I always suspected that when he found himself on his deathbed, he intrusted all his savings⁹ to Butler----"

 

"I thought you were speaking of Browning?"

 

"His name was Butler then. He has changed it since. But, as I was saying, I think he intrusted his money to Browning to take home to his family."

 

"Well?"

 

"The question is, did Browning fulfill¹⁰ his trust, or keep the money himself?"

 

"That would come out, wouldn't it? The family would make inquiries¹¹."

 

"They did not know that the dying man had money. He kept it to himself, for he wanted to go home and give them an agreeable surprise. Butler knew this, and, I think, he took advantage of it."

 

"That was contemptible¹². But can't it be ascertained¹³? Is it known where the family lives? What is the name?"

 

"Walton."

 

"Walton!" repeated Warner Powell, in surprise.

 

"Yes; do you know any family of that name?"

 

"I know a boy in Chicago named Luke Walton. He is in the employ of my aunt. A part of his time he spends in selling papers."

 

"Mr. Browning told me that Walton only left a daughter, and that the family had gone to the Eastern States."

 

"Would he be likely to tell you the truth--supposing he had really kept the money?"

 

"Perhaps not. What more can you tell me about this boy?"

 

Powell's face lighted up.

 

"I remember now, he told me that his father died in California."

 

"Is it possible?" said Jack King, excited. "I begin to think I am on the right track. I begin to think, too, that I can tell where Tom Butler got his first start."

 

"And now he poses as a philanthropist?"

 

"Yes."

 

"And is nominated for mayor?"

 

"Yes, also."

 

"How are your relations with him?"

 

"They should be friendly, for he and I were comrades in earlier days, and once I lent him money when he needed it, but he has been puffed¹⁴ up by his prosperity, and takes very little notice of me. He had to do something for me when I first came to Milwaukee, but it was because he was afraid not to."

 

Meanwhile Warner Powell was searching his memory. Where and how had he become familiar with the name of Thomas Browning? At last it came to him.

 

"Eureka!" he exclaimed, in excitement.

 

"What does that mean? I don't understand French."

 

Warner smiled.

 

"It isn't French," he said; "but Greek, all the Greek I know. It means 'I have discovered'--the mystery of your old acquaintance."

 

"Explain, please!" said Jack King, his interest be coming intense.

 

"I have a friend in Chicago--Stephen Webb, a nephew of your philanthropist--who has been commissioned by his uncle to find out all he can about this newsboy, Luke Walton. He was speculating with me why his uncle should be so interested in an obscure boy."

 

"Had his uncle told him nothing?"

 

"No, except that he dropped a hint about knowing Luke's father."

 

"This Luke and his family are poor, you say?"

 

"Yes, you can judge that from his employment. He is an honest, manly¹⁵ boy, however, and I have taken a fancy to him. I hope it will turn out as you say. But nothing can be proved. This Browning will probably deny that he received money in trust from the dead father."

 

Jack King's countenance¹⁶ fell.

 

"When you go back to Chicago talk with the boy, and find out whether the family have any evidence that will support their claim. Then send the boy on to me, and we will see what can be done."

 

"I accept the suggestion with pleasure. But I will offer an amendment¹⁷. Let us write the boy to come on at once, and have a joint¹⁸ consultation¹⁹ in his interest."

1 prudence   

n.谨慎，精明，节俭

参考例句：

• A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
• The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。

2 sociable   

adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的

参考例句：

• Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
• Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。

3 subscriber   

n.用户，订户；（慈善机关等的）定期捐款者；预约者；签署者

参考例句：

• The subscriber to a government loan has got higher interest than savings. 公债认购者获得高于储蓄的利息。 来自辞典例句
• Who is the subscriber of that motto? 谁是那条座右铭的签字者？ 来自辞典例句

4 tenants   

n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

5 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

6 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

7 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。

8 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》

9 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

10 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

11 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 contemptible   

adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的

参考例句：

• His personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.他气貌不扬，言语粗俗。
• That was a contemptible trick to play on a friend.那是对朋友玩弄的一出可鄙的把戏。

13 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》

14 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

16 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

17 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

18 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

19 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。