第 20 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2024-04-14 09:14      字数:9321
  I   looked up   and   beheld  Captain   Boltrope;  endeavoring   to   calm  his   stern
  features;    but   the   twitching     around    his   mouth    betrayed     his  intense
  enjoyment      of  the   scene。   〃Go   to  the   mastheadup     with   you;   sir!〃  he
  repeated sternly to Briggs。
  〃Very good; sir;〃 said the boy; coolly preparing to mount the shrouds。
  〃Good by; Johnny Crapaud。 Humph!〃 he added; in a tone intended for my
  ear; 〃a pretty way to treat a hero。 The service is going to the devil!〃
  I thought so too。
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  CHAPTER VI。
  We   were   ordered   to   the   West   Indies。   Although   Captain   Boltrope's
  manner toward me was still severe; and even harsh; I understood that my
  name had been favorably mentioned in the despatches。
  Reader; were you ever at Jamaica? If so; you remember the negresses;
  the oranges; Port Royal Tomthe yellow fever。 After being two weeks at
  the   station;   I   was   taken   sick   of   the   fever。   In   a   month   I   was   delirious。
  During   my   paroxysms;   I   had   a   wild   distempered   dream   of   a   stern   face
  bending anxiously over my pillow; a rough hand smoothing my hair; and a
  kind voice saying:
  〃Bess    his  'ittle  heart!  Did   he   have   the  naughty     fever?〃   This   face
  seemed      again    changed     to  the  well…known       stern   features   of   Captain
  Boltrope。
  When I was convalescent; a packet edged in black was put in my hand。
  It contained the news of my father's death; and a sealed letter which he had
  requested to be given to me on his decease。 I opened it tremblingly。 It read
  thus:
  〃My dear Boy:I regret to inform you that in all probability you are
  not   my   son。   Your   mother;   I   am   grieved   to   say;   was   a   highly   improper
  person。   Who   your   father   may   be;   I   really   cannot   say;   but   perhaps   the
  Honorable   Henry   Boltrope;   Captain   R。   N。;   may   be   able   to   inform   you。
  Circumstances over which I have no control have deferred this important
  disclosure。
  〃YOUR STRICKEN PARENT。〃
  And so Captain Boltrope was my father。 Heavens! Was it a dream? I
  recalled his stern manner; his observant eye; his ill…concealed uneasiness
  when in my presence。 I longed to embrace him。 Staggering to my feet; I
  rushed in my scanty apparel to the deck; where Captain Boltrope was just
  then   engaged   in   receiving   the   Governor's   wife   and   daughter。   The   ladies
  shrieked; the youngest; a beautiful girl; blushed deeply。 Heeding them not;
  I sank at his feet; and; embracing them; cried:
  〃My father!〃
  〃Chuck him overboard!〃 roared Captain Boltrope。
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  〃Stay;〃   pleaded   the  soft  voice   of  Clara  Maitland;   the  Governor's
  daughter。
  〃Shave his head! he's a wretched lunatic!〃 continued Captain Boltrope;
  while his voice trembled with excitement。
  〃No; let me nurse and take care of him;〃 said the lovely girl; blushing
  as she spoke。 〃Mamma; can't we take him home?〃
  The daughter's pleading was not without effect。 In the mean time I had
  fainted。   When    I  recovered    my   senses   I  found  myself    in  Governor
  Maitland's mansion。
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  CHAPTER VII。
  The reader will guess what followed。 I fell deeply in love with Clara
  Maitland;   to   whom   I   confided   the   secret   of   my   birth。 The   generous   girl
  asserted that she had detected the superiority of my manner at once。 We
  plighted our troth; and resolved to wait upon events。
  Briggs called to see me a few days afterward。 He said that the purser
  had insulted the whole cockpit; and all the midshipmen had called him out。
  But he added thoughtfully: 〃I don't see how we can arrange the duel。 You
  see there are six of us to fight him。〃
  〃Very easily;〃 I replied。 〃Let your fellows all stand in a row; and take
  his fire; that; you see; gives him six chances to one; and he must be a bad
  shot if he can't hit one of you; while; on the other hand; you see; he gets a
  volley from you six; and one of you'll be certain to fetch him。〃
  〃Exactly〃;   and   away   Briggs   went;   but   soon   returned   to   say   that   the
  purser had declined;〃like a dd coward;〃 he added。
  But the news of the sudden and serious illness of Captain Boltrope put
  off the duel。 I hastened to his bedside; but too late;an hour previous he
  had given up the ghost。
  I resolved to return to England。 I made known the secret of my birth;
  and   exhibited   my   adopted   father's   letter   to   Lady   Maitland;   who   at   once
  suggested my marriage with her daughter; before I returned to claim the
  property。 We were married; and took our departure next day。
  I made no delay in posting at once; in company with my wife and my
  friend Briggs; to my native village。 Judge of my horror and surprise when
  my late adopted father came out of his shop to welcome me。
  〃Then you are not dead!〃 I gasped。
  〃No; my dear boy。〃
  〃And this letter?〃
  My     fatheras   I  must    still  call  himglanced      on   the  paper;   and
  pronounced it a forgery。 Briggs roared with laughter。 I turned to him and
  demanded an explanation。
  〃Why; don't you see; Greeny; it's all a joke;a midshipman's joke!〃
  〃But〃 I asked。
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  〃Don't be a fool。 You've got a good wife;be satisfied。〃
  I   turned   to   Clara;   and   was   satisfied。   Although   Mrs。   Maitland   never
  forgave me; the jolly old Governor laughed heartily over the joke; and so
  well used his influence that I soon became; dear reader; Admiral Breezy; K。
  C。 B。
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  JOHN JENKINS;OR;THE
  SMOKER REFORMED。
  BY T。 S。 ATHR。
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  CHAPTER I。
  One cigar a day!〃 said Judge Boompointer。
  One     cigar   a  day!〃   repeated     John   Jenkins;    as  with    trepidation    he
  dropped his half…consumed cigar under his work…bench。
  〃One cigar a day is three cents a day;〃 remarked Judge Boompointer;
  gravely; 〃and do you know; sir; what one cigar a day; or three cents a day;
  amounts to in the course of four years?〃
  John   Jenkins;   in   his   boyhood;   had   attended   the   village   school;   and
  possessed considerable arithmetical ability。 Taking up a shingle which lay
  upon   his   work…bench;   and   producing   a   piece   of   chalk;   with   a   feeling   of
  conscious pride he made an exhaustive calculation。
  〃Exactly forty…three  dollars   and eighty  cents;〃   he replied;  wiping   the
  perspiration   from   his   heated   brow;   while   his   face   flushed   with   honest
  enthusiasm。
  〃Well;   sir;   if   you   saved   three   cents   a   day;   instead   of   wasting   it;   you
  would now be the possessor of a new suit of clothes; an illustrated Family
  Bible;   a   pew   in   the   church;   a   complete   set   of   Patent   Office   Reports;   a
  hymn…book;   and   a   paid   subscription   to Arthur's   Home   Magazine;   which
  could be purchased for exactly forty… three dollars and eighty cents; and;〃
  added   the   Judge;   with   increasing   sternness;   〃if   you   calculate   leap…year;
  which you seem to have strangely omitted; you have three cents more; sir;
  THREE CENTS MORE! What would that buy you; sir?〃
  〃A cigar;〃 suggested John Jenkins; but; coloring again deeply; he hid
  his face。
  〃No; sir;〃 said the Judge; with a sweet smile of benevolence stealing
  over   his   stern   features;   〃properly  invested;   it   would   buy  you   that   which
  passeth   all   price。   Dropped   into   the   missionary…box;   who   can   tell   what
  heathen; now idly and joyously wantoning in nakedness and sin; might be
  brought to a sense of his miserable condition; and made; through that three
  cents; to feel the torments of the wicked?〃
  With   these   words   the   Judge   retired;   leaving   John   Jenkins   buried   in
  profound thought。 〃Three cents a day;〃 he muttered。 〃In forty years I might
  be worth four hundred and thirty…eight dollars and ten cents;and then