Immediately after the departure of Mr. Stevens, Master Kinch began to consider the propriety1 of closing the establishment for the night. Sliding down from the counter, where he had been seated, reflecting upon the strange conduct of his recent customer, he said, "I feels rather queer round about here," laying his hand upon his stomach; "and I'm inclined to think that some of them 'ere Jersey2 sausages and buckwheat cakes that the old man has been stuffing himself with, wouldn't go down slow. Rather shabby in him not to come back, and let me go home, and have a slap at the wittles. I expect nothing else, but that he has eat so much, that he's fell asleep at the supper-table, and won't wake up till bedtime. He's always serving me that same trick."
The old man thus alluded3 to was no other than Master Kinch's father, who had departed from the shop two or three hours previously4, promising5 to return immediately after tea.
This promise appeared to have entirely6 faded from his recollection, as he was at that moment, as Kinch had supposed, fast asleep, and totally oblivious7 of the fact that such a person as his hungry descendant was in existence.
Having fully8 come to the conclusion to suspend operations for the evening, Kinch made two or three excursions into the street, returning each time laden9 with old hats, coats, and shoes. These he deposited on the counter without order or arrangement, muttering, as he did so, that the old man could sort 'em out in the morning to suit himself. The things being all brought from the street, he had only to close the shutters10, which operation was soon effected, and our hungry friend on his way home.
The next morning Mr. De Younge (for the father of Kinch rejoiced in that aristocratic cognomen) was early at his receptacle for old clothes, and it being market-day, he anticipated doing a good business. The old man leisurely11 took down the shutters, assorted12 and hung out the old clothes, and was busily engaged in sweeping13 out the store, when his eye fell upon the paper dropped by Mr. Stevens the evening previous.
"What's dis 'ere," said he, stooping to pick it up; "bill or suthin' like it, I s'pose. What a trial 'tis not to be able to read writin'; don't know whether 'tis worth keeping or not; best save it though till dat ar boy of mine comes, he can read it—he's a scholar. Ah, de children now-a-days has greater 'vantages than deir poor fathers had."
Whilst he was thus soliloquizing, his attention was arrested by the noise of footsteps in the other part of the shop, and looking up, he discerned the tall form of Mr. Walters.
"Why, bless me," said the old man, "dis is an early visit; where you come from, honey, dis time o' day?"
"Oh, I take a walk every morning, to breathe a little of the fresh air; it gives one an appetite for breakfast, you know. You'll let me take the liberty of sitting on your counter, won't you?" he continued; "I want to read a little article in a newspaper I have just purchased."
Assent14 being readily given, Mr. Walters was soon perusing15 the journal with great attention; at last he tossed it from him in an impatient manner, and exclaimed, "Of all lying rascals16, I think the reporters for this paper are the greatest. Now, for instance, three or four nights since, a gang of villains17 assaulted one of my tenants—a coloured man—upon his own doorstep, and nearly killed him, and that, too, without the slightest provocation18; they then set fire to the house, which was half consumed before it could be extinguished; and it is here stated that the coloured people were the aggressors, and whilst they were engaged in the melee19, the house caught fire accidentally." "Yes," rejoined Mr. De Younge; "things are gitting mighty20 critical even in dese 'ere parts; and I wouldn't live furder down town if you was to give me a house rent-free. Why, it's raly dangerous to go home nights down dere."
"And there is no knowing how long we may be any better off up here," continued Mr. Walters; "the authorities don't seem to take the least notice of them, and the rioters appear to be having it all their own way."
They continued conversing21 upon the topic for some time, Mr. De Younge being meanwhile engaged in sponging and cleaning some coats he had purchased the day before; in so doing, he was obliged to remove the paper he had picked up from the floor, and it occurred to him to ask Mr. Walters to read it; he therefore handed it to him, saying—
"Jist read dat, honey, won't you? I want to know if it's worth savin'. I've burnt up two or three receipts in my life, and had de bills to pay over; and I'se got rale careful, you know. 'Taint22 pleasant to pay money twice over for de same thing."
Mr. Walters took the paper extended to him, and, after glancing over it, remarked, "This handwriting is very familiar to me, very; but whose it is, I can't say; it appears to be a list of addresses, or something of that kind." And he read over various names of streets, and numbers of houses. "Why," he exclaimed, with a start of surprise, "here is my own house upon the list, 257, Easton-street; then here is 22, Christian-street; here also are numbers in Baker-street, Bedford-street, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Streets; in some of which houses I know coloured people live, for one or two of them are my own. This is a strange affair."
As he spoke23, he turned over the paper, and read on the other side,—"Places to be attacked." "Why, this looks serious," he continued, with some excitement of manner. "'Places to be attacked,'—don't that seem to you as if it might be a list of places for these rioters to set upon? I really must look into this. Who could have left it here?"
"I raly don't know," replied the old man. "Kinch told me suthin' last night about some gemman comin' here and changing his clothes; p'raps 'twas him. I'd like to know who 'twas myself. Well, wait awhile, my boy will come in directly; maybe he can explain it."
He had scarcely finished speaking, when Master Kinch made his appearance, with his hat, as usual, placed upon nine hairs, and his mouth smeared24 with the eggs and bacon with which he had been "staying and comforting" himself. He took off his hat on perceiving Mr. Walters, and, with great humility25, "hoped that gentleman was well."
"Yes, very well, Kinch," replied Mr. Walters. "We were waiting for you. Can you tell where this came from?" he asked, handing him the mysterious paper.
"Never seen it before, that I know of," replied Kinch, after a short inspection26.
"Well, who was here last night?" asked his father; "you said you sold suthin'?"
"So I did," replied Kinch; "sold a whole suit; and the gentleman who put it on said he was going out for a lark27. He was changing some papers from his pocket: perhaps he dropped it. I'm to take this suit back to him to-day. Here is his card."
"By heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Walters, after looking at the card, "I know the fellow,—George Stevens, 'Slippery George,'—every one knows him, and can speak no good of him either. Now I recognize the handwriting of the list; I begin to suspect something wrong by seeing his name in connection with this."
Hereupon Kinch was subjected to a severe cross-examination, which had the effect of deepening Mr. Walters's impression, that some plot was being concocted28 that would result to the detriment29 of the coloured people; for he was confident that no good could be indicated by the mysterious conduct of Mr. Stevens.
After some deliberation, Kinch received instructions to take home the clothes as directed, and to have his eyes about him; and if he saw or heard anything, he was to report it. In accordance with his instructions, Master Kinch made several journeys to Mr. Stevens's office, but did not succeed in finding that gentleman within; the last trip he made there fatigued30 him to such a degree, that he determined31 to wait his arrival, as he judged, from the lateness of the hour, that, if it was his intention to come at all that day, he would soon be there.
"I'll sit down here," said Kinch, who espied32 an old box in the back part of the entry, "and give myself a little time to blow."
He had not sat long before he heard footsteps on the stairs, and presently the sound of voices became quite audible.
"That's him," ejaculated Kinch, as Mr. Stevens was heard saying, in an angry tone,—"Yes; and a devil of a scrape I got into by your want of sobriety. Had you followed my directions, and met me at Whitticar's, instead of getting drunk as a beast, and being obliged to go home to bed, it wouldn't have happened."
"Well, squire," replied McCloskey, for he was the person addressed by Mr.
Stevens, "a man can't be expected always to keep sober."
"He ought to when he has business before him," rejoined Mr. Stevens, sharply; "how the devil am I to trust you to do anything of importance, when I can't depend on your keeping sober a day at a time? Come up to this top landing," continued he, "and listen to me, if you think you are sober enough to comprehend what I say to you."
They now approached, and stood within a few feet of the place where Kinch was sitting, and Mr. Stevens said, with a great deal of emphasis, "Now, I want you to pay the strictest attention to what I say. I had a list of places made out for you last night, but, somehow or other, I lost it. But that is neither here nor there. This is what I want you to attend to particularly. Don't attempt anything to-night; you can't get a sufficient number of the boys together; but, when you do go, you are to take, first, Christian-street, between Eleventh and Twelfth,—there are several nigger families living in that block. Smash in their windows, break their furniture, and, if possible, set one of the houses on fire, and that will draw attention to that locality whilst you are operating elsewhere. By that time, the boys will be ripe for anything. Then you had better go to a house in Easton-street, corner of Shotwell: there is a rich nigger living there whose plunder33 is worth something. I owe him an old grudge34, and I want you to pay it off for me."
"You keep me pretty busy paying your debts. What's the name of this rich nigger?"
"Walters," replied Mr. Stevens; "everybody knows him. Now about that other affair." Here he whispered so low, that Kinch could only learn they were planning an attack on the house of some one, but failed in discovering the name. McCloskey departed as soon as he had received full directions from Mr. Stevens, and his retreating steps might be still heard upon the stairs, when Mr. Stevens unlocked his office-door and entered.
After giving him sufficient time to get quietly seated, Kinch followed, and delivered the clothes left with him the evening previous. He was very much struck with Mr. Stevens's altered appearance, and, in fact, would not have recognized him, but for his voice.
"You don't seem to be well?" remarked Kinch, inquiringly.
"No, I'm not," he replied, gruffly; "I've caught cold." As Kinch was leaving the office, he called after him, "Did you find a paper in your shop this morning?"
"No, sir," replied Kinch, "I didn't;" but mentally he observed, "My daddy did though;" and, fearful of some other troublesome question, he took leave immediately.
Fatigued and out of breath, Kinch arrived at the house of Mr. Walters, where he considered it best to go and communicate what he had learned.
Mr. Walters was at dinner when he received from the maid a summons to the parlour to see a lad, who said his business was a matter "of life or death." He was obliged to smile at the air of importance with which Kinch commenced the relation of what he had overheard—but the smile gave place to a look of anxiety and indignation long ere he had finished, and at the conclusion of the communication he was highly excited and alarmed.
"The infernal scoundrel!" exclaimed Mr. Walters. "Are you sure it was my house?"
"Yes, sure," was Kinch's reply. "You are the only coloured person living in the square—and he said plain enough for anybody to understand, 'Easton-street, corner of Shotwell.' I heard every word but what they said towards the last in a whisper."
"You couldn't catch anything of it?" asked Mr. Walters.
"No, I missed that; they talked too low for me to hear."
After reflecting a few moments, Mr. Walters said: "Not a word of this is to be lisped anywhere except with my permission, and by my direction. Have you had your dinner?"
"No, sir," was the prompt reply.
"I want to despatch35 a note to Mr. Ellis, by you, if it won't trouble you too much. Can you oblige me?"
"Oh, yes, sir, by all means," replied Kinch, "I'll go there with pleasure."
"Then whilst I'm writing," continued Mr. Walters, "you can be eating your dinner, that will economize36 time, you know."
Kinch followed the servant who answered the bell into the dining-room which Mr. Walters had just left. On being supplied with a knife and fork, he helped himself bountifully to the roast duck, then pouring out a glass of wine, he drank with great enthusiasm, to "our honoured self," which proceeding37 caused infinite amusement to the two servants who were peeping at him through the dining-room door. "Der-licious," exclaimed Kinch, depositing his glass upon the table; "guess I'll try another;" and suiting the action to the word, he refilled his glass, and dispatched its contents in the wake of the other. Having laboured upon the duck until his appetite was somewhat appeased38, he leant back in his chair and suffered his plate to be changed for another, which being done, he made an attack upon a peach pie, and nearly demolished39 it outright40.
This last performance brought his meal to a conclusion, and with a look of weariness, he remarked, "I don't see how it is—but as soon as I have eat for a little while my appetite is sure to leave me—now I can't eat a bit more. But the worst thing is walking down to Mr. Ellis's. I don't feel a bit like it, but I suppose I must;" and reluctantly rising from the table, he returned to the parlour, where he found Mr. Walters folding the note he had promised to deliver.
As soon as he had despatched Kinch on his errand, Mr. Walters put on his hat and walked to the office of the mayor.
"Is his honour in?" he asked of one of the police, who was lounging in the anteroom.
"Yes, he is—what do you want with him?" asked the official, in a rude tone.
"That, sir, is none of your business," replied Mr. Walters; "if the mayor is in, hand him this card, and say I wish to see him."
Somewhat awed41 by Mr. Walters's dignified42 and decided43 manner, the man went quickly to deliver his message, and returned with an answer that his honour would be obliged to Mr. Walters if he would step into his office.
On following the officer, he was ushered44 into a small room—the private office of the chief magistrate45 of the city.
"Take a seat, sir," said the mayor, politely, "it is some time since we have met. I think I had the pleasure of transacting46 business with you quite frequently some years back if I am not mistaken."
"You are quite correct," replied Mr. Walters, "and being so favourably47 impressed by your courtesy on the occasions to which you refer, I have ventured to intrude48 upon you with a matter of great importance, not only to myself, but I think I may say to the public generally. Since this morning, circumstances have come under my notice that leave no doubt on my mind that a thoroughly-concerted plan is afoot for the destruction of the property of a large number of our coloured citizens—mine amongst the rest. You must be aware," he continued, "that many very serious disturbances49 have occurred lately in the lower part of the city."
"Yes, I've heard something respecting it," replied the mayor, "but I believe they were nothing more than trifling50 combats between the negroes and the whites in that vicinity."
"Oh, no, sir! I assure you," rejoined Mr. Walters, "they were and are anything but trifling. I regard them, however, as only faint indications of what we may expect if the thing is not promptly51 suppressed; there is an organized gang of villains, who are combined for the sole purpose of mobbing us coloured citizens; and, as we are inoffensive, we certainly deserve protection; and here," continued Mr. Walters, "is a copy of the list of places upon which it is rumoured52 an attack is to be made."
"I really don't see how I'm to prevent it, Mr. Walters; with the exception of your own residence, all that are here enumerated54 are out of my jurisdiction55. I can send two or three police for your protection if you think it necessary. But I really can't see my way clear to do anything further."
"Two or three police!" said Mr. Walters, with rising indignation at the apathy56 and indifference57 the mayor exhibited; "they would scarcely be of any more use than as many women. If that is the extent of the aid you can afford me, I must do what I can to protect myself."
"I trust your fears lead you to exaggerate the danger," said the mayor, as
"I might have flattered myself with the same idea, did I not feel convinced by what has so recently occurred but a short distance from my own house; at any rate, if I am attacked, they will find I am not unprepared. Good day," and bowing courteously58 to the mayor, Mr. Walters departed.
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收听单词发音
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1
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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7
oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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8
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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9
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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assorted
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| adj.各种各样的，各色俱备的 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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15
perusing
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的现在分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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16
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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taint
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| n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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concocted
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| v.将（尤指通常不相配合的）成分混合成某物( concoct的过去式和过去分词 )；调制；编造；捏造 | |
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detriment
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| n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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economize
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| v.节约，节省 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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39
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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44
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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46
transacting
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| v.办理（业务等）( transact的现在分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
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favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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48
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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disturbances
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| n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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51
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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52
rumoured
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| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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54
enumerated
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| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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56
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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57
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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