"Is it not wonderful, love?" she said. "I think I must have eyes at the tips of my fingers. But it is Prissy I have to thank for it."
She repaid the girl, be sure. Gradually Prissy's mode of expressing herself underwent improvement; she did not use so many negatives, she dropped fewer h's, she learned to distinguish between g's and k's; and Aaron himself laid the first stone in her education by teaching her the a b c. One thing Prissy would not learn; she obstinately7 refused to have anything to do with the French language. English was good enough for her, she declared, and to the English tongue she nailed her colours.
Fond as she was of babies, she would not countenance8 French babies, and said it was a shame to dress them so. "I'm a troo bloo, sir," she said to Aaron; "please don't force me." And with a hearty9 laugh he desisted.
He himself spoke10 French fluently, and to this may be ascribed the first change in his fortunes. Easy in his mind respecting Rachel, easy respecting money, he found himself at leisure to look about him and observe. He made friends, and among them a poor French engineer of great skill. In conversation one day this engineer mentioned that tenders were invited for the construction of a local bridge. It was not a very important matter; the lake it was to span was of no great dimensions, and the bridge required was by no means formidable.
"There are only two contractors11 who will tender for it," said the engineer, "and they play into each other's hands. They will settle privately12 the amount of their separate tenders, and the lowest will obtain the contract. They will divide the profits between them. If I had a little money to commence with I would tender for the work, and my tender would be at least ten thousand francs below theirs. Then it would be I who would construct the bridge, and public money would be saved."
"What would be your profit?" asked Aaron.
"Twenty thousand francs," was the reply; "perhaps more."
"And the amount of your tender?"
"Eighty thousand francs. I have the plans and specifications13, and every detail of expense for material and labour in my house. Will you come and look over them?"
Aaron examined them, and submitting them to the test of inquiry14 as to the cost of labour and material, found them to be correct. A simple-minded man might have been taken in by a schemer who had prepared complicated figures for the purpose of trading with another person's money, and standing15 the chance of winning if the venture resulted in a profit, and of losing nothing if it resulted in a loss; but Aaron was not simple-minded, the poor engineer was not a schemer, and the figures were honestly set down.
"It would not need a great amount of money," said the engineer. "If a certain sum were deposited in the bank, a further sum could be raised by depositing the contract as security; and, moreover, as the work proceeds, specified16 payments will be made by the local authorities."
"How much would be required to commence operations, and to make everything safe?"
"Ten thousand francs."
Roughly, that was four hundred pounds. The five hundred pounds he had received from the lawyers was as yet untouched, for they lived very economically and were in a part of the world where thrift17 was part of the people's education. Aaron believed the project to be safe.
"If I advanced it," he asked, "what proposition do you make?"
"We would make it a partnership18 affair," replied the poor engineer, eagerly.
Upon that understanding the bridge was tendered for, and the tender accepted. In four months the work was executed and passed by the inspectors19; the contractors received the balance due to them, and a division of the profits was made. After paying all his expenses Aaron was the richer by three hundred pounds. He gave fifty pounds to the poor, which raised him in the estimation of the people among whom he was temporarily sojourning. He had not been idle during the four months occupied by the building of the bridge; under the guidance of his partner he had superintended the workmen and undertaken the correspondence and management of the accounts; and new as these duties were to him he had shown great intelligence and aptitude20.
"We met on a fortunate day," said the engineer.
At about this time a new engineering project presented itself. It was on a larger scale than the first, and the two men, emboldened21 by success, tendered for it. Again did fortune favour them; everybody, with the exception of rival contractors, was on their side. In the carrying out of their first contract there had not been a hitch22; they had paid their workmen better wages, they had behaved honestly and liberally all round, and they had already achieved a reputation for liberal dealing23 with the working man. Moreover, people were talking of Rachel's kindness and of Aaron's benevolence24. Hats were lifted to them, women and children left flowers at their door; rich was the harvest they gathered for their charity.
When it was known that they had obtained another contract, the best workmen came to them for employment, and they learned what all employers of labour may learn, that it is wise policy to pay generously for bone and muscle. The hateful political economy of Ricardo, which trades upon the necessities of the poor, and would grind labour down to starvation pittance25, could never find lodgment in the mind of such a man as Aaron Cohen. The new venture was entirely26 successful, and being of greater magnitude than the first, the profits were larger. Aaron was the possessor of two thousand pounds. He gave two hundred pounds to the poor. He did more than this. The doctor who had attended Rachel in Gosport had declined to accept a fee, and Aaron now wrote him a grateful letter, enclosing in it a draft for five hundred pounds, which he asked the doctor to distribute among the local charities. This five hundred pounds he regarded as a return of the sum he had received from the London lawyers. That the receipt of this money afforded gratification to the doctor was evidenced by his reply. "Every one here," he said, "has kind words for you and your estimable wife, and the general feeling is that if you had continued to reside in Gosport it would have been a source of pleasure to all of us. When I speak of your good fortune all the townsfolk say, 'We are glad to hear it.'" Thus did good spring out of evil.
Aaron felt that his foot was on the ladder. He entered into a regular partnership with his friend the engineer, and they executed many public works and never had a failure. The justness of their trading, their consideration for the toilers who were helping27 to build up a fortune for them, the honest wages they paid, earned for them an exceptional reputation for rectitude and fair dealing. In these matters and in this direction Aaron was the guiding spirit. He left to his partner the technical working out of their operations, and took upon himself the control of wages and finance. Occasionally there were arguments between him and his partner, the latter hinting perhaps that there was a cheaper market, and that money could be saved by employing middlemen who offered to supply labour and material at prices that were not equitable28 from the point of view of the toilers and producers. Aaron would not entertain propositions of this kind. "We are doing well," he said, "we are making money, we are harvesting. Be satisfied." His partner gave way. Aaron's character was too strong for resistance. "Clean and comfortable homes," said Aaron, "a good education for their children, a modest enjoyment29 of the world's pleasures--these are the labourers' due." Hearing of this some large employers called him quixotic, and said he was ruining trade; but he pursued the just and even tenor30 of his way, satisfied that he was a saviour31 and not a spoiler. Upon the conclusion of each transaction, when the accounts were balanced, he devoted32 a portion of his profits to benevolent33 purposes, and he became renowned34 as a public benefactor35. The thanks that were showered upon him did not please him, but tended rather to humiliate36 and humble37 him; he would not listen to expressions of gratitude38; and it will be presently seen that when he returned to England he took steps to avoid the publicity39 which was distasteful to him.
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1
fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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blithe
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| adj.快乐的，无忧无虑的 | |
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invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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6
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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8
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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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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11
contractors
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| n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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12
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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13
specifications
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| n.规格；载明；详述；（产品等的）说明书；说明书( specification的名词复数 )；详细的计划书；载明；详述 | |
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14
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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15
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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specified
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| adj.特定的 | |
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thrift
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| adj.节约，节俭；n.节俭，节约 | |
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partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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19
inspectors
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| n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官 | |
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aptitude
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| n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资 | |
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21
emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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pittance
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| n.微薄的薪水，少量 | |
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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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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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equitable
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| adj.公平的；公正的 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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30
tenor
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| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
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saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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32
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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33
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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34
renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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35
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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36
humiliate
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| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
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37
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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38
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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