Chapter 24 Ben On Trial

 "Excuse my intrusion, Cousin Hamilton; I see you are engaged."

 

The speaker was Mrs. Hill, and the person addressed was her wealthy cousin. It was two days after the event recorded in the last chapter.

 

"I am only writing a note, about which there is no haste. Did you wish to speak to me?"

 

Mrs. Hamilton leaned back in her chair, and waited to hear what Mrs. Hill had to say. There was very little similarity between the two ladies. One was stout¹, with a pleasant, benevolent² face, to whom not only children, but older people, were irresistibly³ attracted. The other was thin, with cold, gray eyes, a pursed-up mouth, thin lips, who had never succeeded in winning the affection of anyone. True, she had married, but her husband was attracted by a small sum of money which she possessed⁴, and which had been reported to him as much larger than it really was.

 

When asked if she wished to speak, Mrs. Hill coughed.

 

"There's a matter I think I ought to speak of," she said, "but it is painful for me to do so."

 

"Why is it painful?" asked Mrs. Hamilton, eyeing her steadily⁵.

 

"Because my motives⁶ may be misconstrued. Then, I fear it will give you pain."

 

"Pain is sometimes salutary. Has Conrad displeased⁷ you?"

 

"No, indeed!" answered Mrs. Hill, half indignantly. "My boy is a great comfort to me."

 

"I am glad to hear it," said Mrs. Hamilton dryly.

 

For her own part, Mrs. Hamilton thought her cousin's son one of the least attractive young people she had ever met, and save for a feeling of pity, and the slight claims of relationship, would not have been willing to keep him in the house.

 

"I don't see why you should have judged so ill of my poor Conrad," complained Mrs. Hill.

 

"I am glad you are so well pleased with him. Let me know what you have to communicate."

 

"It is something about the new boy--Benjamin."

 

Mrs. Hamilton lifted her eyebrows⁸ slightly.

 

"Speak without hesitation⁹," she said.

 

"You will be sure not to misjudge me?"

 

"Why should I?"

 

"You might think I was jealous on account of my own boy."

 

"There is no occasion for you to be jealous."

 

"No, of course not. I am sure Conrad and I have abundant cause to be grateful to you."

 

"That is not telling me what you came to tell," said Mrs. Hamilton impatiently.

 

"I am afraid you are deceived in the boy, Cousin Hamilton."

 

"In what respect?"

 

"I am almost sorry I had not kept the matter secret. If I did not consider it my duty to you, I would have done so."

 

"Be kind enough to speak at once. You need not apologize, nor hesitate on my account. What has Ben been doing?"

 

"On Tuesday evening he was seen coming out of a well-known gambling¹⁰ house."

 

"Who saw him?"

 

"Conrad."

 

"How did Conrad know that it was a gambling house?"

 

"He had had it pointed¹¹ out to him as such," Mrs. Hill answered, with some hesitation.

 

"About what time was this?"

 

"A little after nine in the evening."

 

"And where was the gambling house situated¹²?"

 

"On Thirty-first Street."

 

A peculiar¹³ look came over Mrs. Hamilton's face.

 

"And Conrad reported this to you?"

 

"The same evening."

 

"That was Tuesday?"

 

"Yes; I could not make up my mind to tell you immediately, because I did not want to injure the boy."

 

"You are more considerate than I should have expected."

 

"I hope I am. I don't pretend to like the boy. He seems to have something sly and underhand about him. Still, he needs to be employed, and that made me pause."

 

"Till your sense of duty to me overcame your reluctance¹⁴?"

 

"Exactly so, Cousin Hamilton. I am glad you understand so well how I feel about the matter."

 

Mrs. Hill was quite incapable¹⁵ of understanding the irony¹⁶ of her cousin's last remark, and was inclined to be well pleased with the reception her news had met with.

 

"Where is Conrad?"

 

"He is not in the house. He didn't want me to tell you."

 

"That speaks well for him. I must speak to Ben on the subject."

 

She rang the bell, and a servant appeared.

 

"See if Master Ben is in his room," said the lady. "If so ask him to come here for five minutes."

 

Ben was in the house and in less than two minutes he entered the room. He glanced from one lady to the other in some surprise. Mrs. Hamilton wore her ordinary manner, but Mrs. Hill's mouth was more pursed up than ever. She looked straight before her, and did not look at Ben at all.

 

"Ben," said Mrs. Hamilton, coming to the point at once, "did you visit a gambling house in Thirty-first Street on Tuesday evening?"

 

"I did," answered Ben promptly¹⁷.

 

Mrs. Hill moved her hands slightly, and looked horror-stricken.

 

"You must have had some good reason for doing so. I take it for granted you did not go there to gamble?"

 

"No," answered Ben, with a smile. "That is not in my line."

 

"What other purpose could he have had, Cousin Hamilton?" put in Mrs. Hill maliciously¹⁸.

 

Ben eyed her curiously¹⁹.

 

"Did Mrs. Hill tell you I went there?" he asked.

 

"I felt it my duty to do so," said that lady, with acerbity²⁰. "I dislike to see my cousin so deceived and imposed upon by one she had befriended."

 

"How did you know I went there, Mrs. Hill?"

 

"Conrad saw you coming out of the gambling house."

 

"I didn't see him. It was curious he happened be in that neighborhood just at that time," said Ben significantly.

 

"If you mean to insinuate²¹ that Conrad goes to such places, you are quite mistaken," said Mrs. Hill sharply.

 

"It was not that I meant to insinuate at all."

 

"You have not yet told me why you went there, Ben?" said Mrs. Hamilton mildly."

 

"Because I received a mysterious letter, signed James Barnes, asking me to come to that address about nine o'clock in the evening. I was told I would hear something of advantage to myself."

 

"Did you meet any such man there?" asked Mrs. Hill.

 

"No."

 

"Have you got the letter you speak of?" asked Mrs. Hamilton.

 

"No," answered Ben. "I must have dropped it somewhere. I felt in my pocket for it when I reached the gambling house, but it was gone."

 

Mrs. Hill looked fairly triumphant²².

 

"A very queer story!" she said, nodding her head. "I don't believe you received any such letter. I presume you had often been to the same place to misspend your evenings."

 

"Do you think so, Mrs. Hamilton?" inquired Ben anxiously.

 

"It is a pity you lost that letter, Ben."

 

"Yes, it is," answered Ben regretfully.

 

"Mrs. Hill," said Mrs. Hamilton, "if you will withdraw, I would like to say a few words to Ben in private."

 

"Certainly, Cousin Hamilton," returned the poor cousin, with alacrity²³. "I think his race is about run," she said to herself, in a tone of congratulation. 

2 benevolent   

adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的

参考例句：

• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
• He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。

3 irresistibly   

adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地

参考例句：

• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside. 她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was irresistibly attracted by her charm. 他不能自已地被她的魅力所吸引。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

5 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

6 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

7 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

8 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

9 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

10 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

12 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。

13 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

14 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

15 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

16 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

17 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。

18 maliciously   

adv.有敌意地

参考例句：

• He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His enemies maliciously conspired to ruin him. 他的敌人恶毒地密谋搞垮他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

19 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

20 acerbity   

n.涩，酸，刻薄

参考例句：

• His acerbity to his daughter came home to roost.他对女儿的刻薄得到了恶报。
• The biggest to amino acerbity demand still is animal feed additive.对氨基酸需求量最大的仍是动物饲料添加剂。

21 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。

22 triumphant   

adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的

参考例句：

• The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
• There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

23 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。