Chapter 13 Andy Leaves Home

 Conrad was not slow in learning of Mr. Gale¹'s departure from the hotel. The intelligence pleased him, for, as he supposed, it threw Andy out of employment. He sought an early opportunity of speaking to him on the subject.

 

At five o'clock in the afternoon the mail came in at the post office. Among those who congregated² there at the time were Conrad and Andy.

 

"So you've lost your place?" began Conrad, abruptly³.

 

"What do you mean?" asked Andy.

 

"Mr. Gale has left town, hasn't he?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Where has he gone?"

 

"To Pennsylvania, to stay with an uncle who is very sick."

 

"Do you think he will come back to Arden?"

 

"I don't know, but I think it is doubtful."

 

"I suppose, then, you will go back to work on the farm?"

 

Andy smiled.

 

"Things might be worse," he said.

 

"Yes. I think it is the best thing you can do."

 

"Why do you think so?"

 

"Oh, well, you are a poor boy, and there is nothing else for you to do."

 

"Did you ever think of becoming a farmer?"

 

"I should say not," replied Conrad, haughtily⁴. "I shall probably be a lawyer or a merchant."

 

"I might become a merchant myself--some day."

 

Conrad laughed.

 

"When you do," he said, "let me know."

 

"I will."

 

"By the way, you won't want that boat of yours now."

 

"Why not?"

 

"You won't get time to use it. I'll give you twenty dollars for it."

 

"It is not for sale," answered Andy, firmly.

 

"It will be after a while," said Conrad, in a self-satisfied tone. "I will see the time when you will be glad enough to get the money I offer."

 

During the few days that Andy remained at home he did some work on the farm. Mr. Grant's boy helper was sick with a cold, and Andy stepped into his place.

 

The next time of Conrad's meeting him he was at work digging potatoes. Conrad smiled and nodded. He felt quite friendly as he witnessed what he considered Andy's humiliation⁵.

 

"My father may give you a little job," he said, as he leaned over the fence.

 

"What is it?"

 

"He needs some work done round the house. He will pay you fifty cents a day. When can you come?"

 

"Just at present I am too busy. If I can spare the time I will let you know."

 

"I like to see upstarts brought down to their level," thought Conrad. "Andy Grant won't be putting on any more airs, I reckon."

 

On Monday morning Andy stood on the platform of the railroad station with a good-sized gripsack in his hand. He was about starting for New York to enter upon his duties at the jewelry⁶ store.

 

Swinging a light cane⁷, Conrad Carter appeared on the platform with his father, who was going to the city on business. With a good deal of surprise he recognized Andy.

 

"Where are you going?" he asked, abruptly, with a glance at the gripsack.

 

"To New York," answered Andy.

 

"What business have you there?"

 

"I have a position in a store on Union Square. I shall be pleased to have you call when you are in the city."

 

Conrad was greatly surprised.

 

"What kind of a store is it?" he asked.

 

"A jewelry store. I haven't a card with me, but will send you one."

 

Conrad didn't appear to be glad at Andy's good fortune. He had made up his mind that his humble⁸ rival, as he chose to consider him, would be obliged to work on the farm, and now he had found a way to avoid it.

 

"I think your father will have to find some one else to assist him," Andy continued; "you see, I shall be otherwise occupied."

 

"What pay will you receive?"

 

"If you will excuse me, I would rather not tell."

 

"Oh, just as you like. Where will you live? Will you sleep in the store?"

 

"No; I am to board on Clinton Place, with a Mrs. Norris."

 

"Did you know about this when we were talking the other day?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

 

"I would have done so if I had known how much interest you took in my plans."

 

The rumble⁹ of the approaching train was heard, and Andy was obliged to enter a car. It chanced that it was unusually full, and Andy found but one vacant seat--the one beside Squire¹⁰ Carter.

 

The squire now noticed Andy for the first time.

 

"Where are you going, Andrew?" he asked.

 

"To New York, sir."

 

"On any special errand?"

 

"I am going to work there."

 

"Indeed! What kind of a place?"

 

"I shall have a place with Mr. Flint, of Union Square, a jeweler."

 

"I suppose Mr. Gale obtained you the place?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I am not sure that you are acting¹¹ wisely. I doubt if you can make expenses. What are you to be paid?"

 

"Five dollars a week."

 

"That is very fair pay for a boy of your age, but it won't go very far in New York."

 

"I suppose New York is an expensive place to live in," said Andy, noncommittally.

 

"Yes. You will have to pay all your wages for board. Your other expenses will have to come out of your father's pocket."

 

"I may be advanced."

 

"It will be a good while, first. You seem to be acting very injudiciously."

 

This remark did not trouble Andy. As his board was to be paid by Mr. Gale, his salary would be practically ten dollars a week; but this he did not care to tell.

 

"Country boys are always in a stew¹² to get work in the city," observed the squire. "If they would only take the advice of their elders, they would see that it is better to stay in the country."

 

"They think probably that there is more chance of advancement¹³ in the city. Horace Greeley never would have risen to distinction if he had remained in his native village."

 

"Ahem! there are exceptions. What is the number of the store where you will be employed?"

 

Andy told him.

 

"I may call in upon you some time. I am often in the city on business."

 

"I shall be glad if you will," said Andy, sincerely. "It will seem pleasant to me to see an Arden face."

 

Andy got out of the cars at the Grand Central Depot¹⁴. He was not quite sure of his way to Clinton Place, but he was not in the least disturbed. He was naturally self-reliant.

 

He asked the question of a gentleman, and was advised to take a Fourth Avenue car through the tunnel as far as Eighth Street, but he thought he should prefer to walk, as it would enable him to enjoy the sights and scenes of the metropolis¹⁵. All these were fresh and interesting to him.

 

He had gone but a dozen steps from the depot when a plausible¹⁶ stranger of thirty-five years, apparently¹⁷, stopped him.

 

"Young man, may I have a word with you?" he asked.

 

"If you wish."

 

"I speak to you, because I judge from your appearance that you have a good, kind heart."

 

"I hope you are right, sir."

 

"I am very awkwardly placed. My sister is very sick in Yonkers and has sent for me. On my way to the depot in a horse car I had my pocket picked, and I have not enough money to get to the bedside of my poor sister. If you would kindly¹⁸ lend me a quarter--"

 

Andy was kind-hearted, and he was not versed¹⁹ in city wiles²⁰. He put his hand in his pocket and drew out a twenty-five-cent silver coin.

 

"I am glad to help you," he said, as he passed the coin to the applicant²¹.

 

"You have a noble heart. I thank you," said the stranger, feelingly.

 

Andy felt pleased to think that he had done the man a favor, but his satisfaction was short-lived.

 

A stout²², pleasant-looking man who had caught sight of the conference addressed him.

 

"Did you give that man any money?" he asked.

 

"Yes sir."

 

"What did he need it for?"

 

"His pocket had been picked, and he wanted to go to Yonkers to visit his sick sister."

 

His new friend laughed.

 

"That's a new story," he said. "The man is an arrant²³ fraud. Your money will be spent for drink. He has no sick sister."

 

This was quite a shock to Andy. He saw that he had been victimized, and must hereafter be on his guard against plausible strangers. 

1 gale   

n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）

参考例句：

• We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
• According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

2 congregated   

（使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The crowds congregated in the town square to hear the mayor speak. 人群聚集到市镇广场上来听市长讲话。
• People quickly congregated round the speaker. 人们迅速围拢在演说者的周围。

3 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

4 haughtily   

adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地

参考例句：

• She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
• Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯，走到二楼，我刚好站在那儿。

5 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

6 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

7 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。

8 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

9 rumble   

n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说

参考例句：

• I hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.我听到远处雷声隆隆。
• We could tell from the rumble of the thunder that rain was coming.我们根据雷的轰隆声可断定，天要下雨了。

10 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

11 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

12 stew   

n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑

参考例句：

• The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
• There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。

13 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

14 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

15 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

16 plausible   

adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的

参考例句：

• His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。
• Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

17 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

18 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

19 versed   

adj. 精通，熟练

参考例句：

• He is well versed in history.他精通历史。
• He versed himself in European literature. 他精通欧洲文学。

20 wiles   

n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All her wiles were to persuade them to buy the goods. 她花言巧语想打动他们买这些货物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The woman used all her wiles to tempt him into following her. 那女人用尽了自己的诱骗本领勾引着他尾随而去。 来自《用法词典》

21 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。

23 arrant   

adj.极端的；最大的

参考例句：

• He is an arrant fool.他是个大傻瓜。
• That's arrant nonsense.那完全是一派胡言。