CHAPTER XXVII. LOUISE MAKES A DISCOVERY.

 Uncle John did not stay to guard the treasure, after all, for he knew very well it would not disappear.

 

As soon as Patsy and the Major had departed for Becker's flats, he took his own hat from the rack and walked away to hunt up another niece, Miss Louise Merrick, whose address he had casually¹ obtained from Patsy a day or two before.

 

It was near by, and he soon found the place—a pretty flat in a fashionable building, although not so exclusive a residence district as Willing Square.

 

Up three flights he rode in the elevator, and then rang softly at the door which here the card of Mrs. Merrick.

 

A maid opened it and looked at him enquiringly.

 

"Are the ladies in?" he asked.

 

"I'll see. Your card, sir?"

 

"I haven't any."

 

She half closed the door.

 

"Any name, then?"

 

"Yes, John Merrick."

 

She closed the door entirely², and was gone several minutes. Then she came back and ushered³ him through the parlor⁴ into a small rear room.

 

Mrs. Merrick arose from her chair by the window and advanced to meet him.

 

"You are John Merrick?" she enquired⁵.

 

"Your husband's brother, ma'am," he replied.

 

"How do you do, Uncle John?" called Louise, from the sofa. "Excuse my getting up, won't you? And where in the world have you come from?"

 

Mrs. Merrick sat down again.

 

"Won't you take a chair?" she said, stiffly.

 

"I believe I will," returned Uncle John. "I just came to make a call, you know."

 

"Louise has told me of you," said the lady. "It was very unfortunate that your sister's death deprived you of a home. An absurd thing, altogether, that fiasco of Jane Merrick's."

 

"True," he agreed.

 

"But I might have expected it, knowing the woman's character as I did."

 

Uncle John wondered what Jane's character had to do with the finding of Tom Bradley's last will; but he said nothing.

 

"Where are you living?" asked Louise.

 

"Not anywhere, exactly," he answered, "although Patsy has offered me a home and I've been sleeping on a sofa in her living-room, the past week."

 

"I advise you to stay with the Doyles," said Mrs. Merrick, quickly. "We haven't even a sofa to offer you here, our flat is so small; otherwise we would be glad to be of some help to you. Have you found work?"

 

"I haven't tried to, yet, ma'am."

 

"It will be hard to get, at your age, of course. But that is a matter in which we cannot assist you."

 

"Oh, I'm not looking for help, ma'am."

 

She glanced at his worn clothing and soiled white necktie, and smiled.

 

"But we want to do something for you," said Louise. "Now," sitting up and regarding him gravely, "I'm going to tell you a state secret. We are living, in this luxurious⁶ way, on the principal of my father's life insurance. At our present rate of expenditure⁷ we figure that the money will last us two years and nine months longer. By that time I shall be comfortably married or we will go bankrupt—as the fates decide. Do you understand the situation?"

 

"Perfectly⁸. It's very simple," said the old man.

 

"And rather uncertain, isn't it? But in spite of this, we are better able to help you than any of your other relatives. The Doyles are hard-working folks, and very poor. Beth says that Professor De Graf is over head and ears in debt and earns less every year, so he can't be counted upon. In all the Merrick tribe the only tangible⁹ thing is my father's life insurance, which I believe you once helped him to pay a premium¹⁰ on."

 

"I'd forgotten that," said Uncle John.

 

"Well, we haven't. We don't want to appear ungenerous in your eyes. Some day we may need help ourselves. But just now we can't offer you a home, and, as mother says, you'd better stay with the Doyles. We have talked of making you a small allowance; but that may not be necessary. When you need assistance you must come to us, and we'll do whatever we can, as long as our money lasts. Won't that be the better way?"

 

Uncle John was silent for a moment. Then he asked:

 

"Why have you thought it necessary to assist me?"

 

Louise seemed surprised.

 

"You are old and seemed to be without means," she answered, "and that five thousand Aunt Jane left to you turned out to be a myth. But tell me, have you money, Uncle John?"

 

"Enough for my present needs," he said, smiling.

 

Mrs. Merrick seemed greatly relieved.

 

"Then there is no need of our trying to be generous," she said, "and I am glad of that on all accounts."

 

"I just called for a little visit," said Uncle John. "It seemed unfriendly not to hunt you up, when I was in town."

 

"I'm glad you did," replied Mrs. Merrick, glancing at the clock. "But Louise expects a young gentleman to call upon her in a few minutes, and perhaps you can drop in again; another Sunday, for instance."

 

"Perhaps so," said Uncle John, rising with a red face. "I'll see."

 

"Good bye, Uncle," exclaimed Louise, rising to take his hand. "Don't feel that we've hurried you away, but come in again, whenever you feel like it."

 

"Thank you, my dear," he said, and went away.

 

Louise approached the open window, that led to a broad balcony. The people in the next flat—young Mr. Isham, the son of the great banker, and his wife—were sitting on the balcony, overlooking the street, but Louise decided¹¹ to glance over the rail to discover if the young gentleman she so eagerly awaited chanced to be in sight.

 

As she did so Mr. Isham cried in great excitement:

 

"There he is, Myra—that's him!" and pointed¹² toward the sidewalk.

 

"Whom?" enquired Mrs. Isham, calmly.

 

"Why John Merrick! John Merrick, of Portland, Oregon."

 

"And who is John Merrick?" asked the lady.

 

"One of the richest men in the world, and the best client our house has. Isn't he a queer looking fellow? And dresses like a tramp. But he's worth from eighty to ninety millions, at least, and controls most of the canning and tin-plate industries of America. I wonder what brought him into this neighborhood?"

 

Louise drew back from the window, pale and trembling. Then she caught up a shawl and rushed from the room. Uncle John must be overtaken and brought back, at all hazards.

 

The elevator was coming down, fortunately, and she descended¹³ quickly and reached the street, where she peered eagerly up and down for the round, plump figure of the little millionaire. But by some strange chance he had already turned a corner and disappeared.

 

While she hesitated the young man came briskly up, swinging his cane¹⁴.

 

"Why, Miss Louise," he said in some surprise, "were you, by good chance, waiting for me?"

 

"No, indeed," she answered, with a laugh; "I've been saying good-bye to my rich uncle, John Merrick, of Portland, who has just called."

 

"John Merrick, the tin-plate magnate? Is he your uncle?"

 

"My father's own brother," she answered, gaily¹⁵. "Come upstairs, please. Mother will be glad to see you!"

 

1 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

2 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

3 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》

4 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

5 enquired   

打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问

参考例句：

• He enquired for the book in a bookstore. 他在书店查询那本书。
• Fauchery jestingly enquired whether the Minister was coming too. 浮式瑞嘲笑着问部长是否也会来。

6 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

7 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

8 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

9 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

10 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 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。

13 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

14 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

15 gaily   

adv.欢乐地，高兴地

参考例句：

• The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
• She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。