Chapter 41 Mr. Browning Comes To Terms

 The destruction of the letter, and the open exultation¹ of the man who had in intention at least doubly wronged him, did not appear to dismay Luke Walton. He sat quite cool and collected, facing Mr. Browning. "Really, I don't see how this letter happened to slip from my hand," continued the philanthropist. "I am afraid you consider it important."

 

"I should if it had been the genuine letter," said Luke.

 

"What!" gasped² Browning.

 

"It was only a copy, as you will be glad to hear."

 

"Boy, I think you are deceiving me," said Browning, sharply.

 

"Not at all! I left the genuine letter in the hands of my lawyer."

 

"Your lawyer?"

 

"Yes. I have put this matter in the hands of Mr. Jordan, of this city."

 

Mr. Browning looked very much disturbed. Mr. Jordan was a well-known and eminent³ attorney. Moreover, he was opposed in politics to the would-be mayor. If his opponent should get hold of this discreditable chapter in his past history, his political aspirations⁴ might as well be given up. Again he asked himself, "How much of the story does this boy know?"

 

"If you are employing a lawyer," he said, after a pause, "I don't understand why you came to me for advice."

 

"I thought you might be interested in the matter," said Luke, significantly.

 

"Why should I be interested in your affairs? I have so many things to think of that really I can't take hold of anything new."

 

"I will tell you, sir. You are the man who received money in trust from my dying father. I look to you to restore it with interest."

 

"How dare you insinuate⁵ any such thing?" demanded Browning, furiously. "Do you mean to extort⁶ money by threats?"

 

"No, sir, I only ask for justice."

 

"There is nothing to connect me with the matter. According to your letter it was a Thomas Butler who received the money you refer to."

 

"True, and your name at that time was Thomas Butler."

 

Mr. Browning turned livid. The net seemed to be closing about him.

 

"What proof have you of this ridiculous assertion?" he demanded.

 

"The testimony⁷ of one who knew you then and now--Mr. King, who keeps a cigar stand at the Prairie Hotel."

 

"Ha! traitor⁸!" ejaculated Browning, apostrophizing the absent King.

 

"This is a conspiracy⁹!" he said. "King has put you up to this. He is a discreditable tramp whom I befriended when in dire¹⁰ need. This is my reward for it."

 

"I have nothing to do with that, Mr. Browning. Mr. King is ready to help me with his testimony. My lawyer has advised me to call upon you, and to say this: If you will pay over the ten thousand dollars with interest I will engage in my mother's name to keep the matter from getting before the public."

 

"And if I don't agree to this?"

 

"Mr. Jordan is instructed to bring suit against you."

 

Drops of perspiration¹¹ gathered on the brow of Mr. Browning. This would never do. The suit, even if unsuccessful, would blast his reputation as a philanthropist, and his prospects¹² as a politician.

 

"I will see Mr. Jordan," he said.

 

"Very well, sir. Then I wish you good-morning."

 

Within two days Thomas Browning had paid over to the lawyer for his young client the full sum demanded, and Luke left Milwaukee with the happy consciousness that his mother was now beyond the reach of poverty.

1 exultation   

n.狂喜，得意

参考例句：

• It made him catch his breath, it lit his face with exultation. 听了这个名字，他屏住呼吸，乐得脸上放光。
• He could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. 他一点都激动不起来。

2 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

4 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

5 insinuate   

vt.含沙射影地说，暗示

参考例句：

• He tried to insinuate himself into the boss's favor.他设法巧妙地渐渐取得老板的欢心。
• It seems to me you insinuate things about her.我觉得你讲起她来，总有些弦外之音。

6 extort   

v.勒索，敲诈，强要

参考例句：

• The blackmailer tried to extort a large sum of money from him.勒索者企图向他勒索一大笔钱。
• They absolutely must not harm the people or extort money from them.严格禁止坑害勒索群众。

7 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

8 traitor   

n.叛徒，卖国贼

参考例句：

• The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
• He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。

9 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

10 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

11 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

12 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。