Chapter 15 Andy's Opposite Neighbor

 Andy walked about the city, using his eyes industriously¹. At one o'clock he went into a restaurant on Park Row, where he got a fair lunch for twenty-five cents.

 

This was more than he intended to pay usually, but on this first day in the city he did not care to go back to the boarding house.

 

After lunch he made his way to the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge, and got into one of the cars. He enjoyed the prospect² visible from the windows, and felt that this alone would pay him for visiting New York.

 

Just before they reached the other end there was a cry of alarm from a stout³ German woman who sat on the other side of the car.

 

"I've been robbed!" she exclaimed. "My purse is gone!"

 

Of course this attracted general attention.

 

"Was there much in the purse, madam?" asked a kind-looking, elderly man.

 

"Yes, there was six dollars--it was a great deal to me."

 

"Are you sure you had it when you entered the car?"

 

"Yes; I took it out of my pocket when I paid for a ticket."

 

"I think your pocket must have been picked."

 

Sitting next to the woman was a man who seemed absorbed in reading a morning newspaper; even the woman's complaint did not appear to excite his attention.

 

This led Andy to move his head to get a nearer view of him. He started in surprise. It was the adventurer, whom he had already met twice that morning. He had little doubt that he was the thief.

 

It was perhaps somewhat rash to hazard a charge without proof, but he felt indignant and could not resist the impulse.

 

"I think that man has your purse," he said, pointing to the individual behind the newspaper.

 

"This is an outrage⁴!" exclaimed the latter, with assumed anger. "I am a Boston merchant."

 

He was respectably dressed, and the charge did not seem very plausible⁵.

 

"My boy, you should be careful how you make such charges," said his next neighbor, reprovingly.

 

But Andy was not abashed⁶.

 

"I know something of that man," he said, quietly. "I have met him twice this morning."

 

"Has he robbed you?"

 

"No; but he asked me to give him a quarter to take him to his sick sister in Yonkers. This was at the Grand Central Depot⁷; an hour or two later I met him on Broadway, and he wanted money to take him to Newark."

 

"The boy is entirely⁸ mistaken," said the adventurer.

 

At the same instant, under cover of the newspaper, he adroitly⁹ let the stolen purse drop to the floor at his feet.

 

By this time the cars had reached the Brooklyn end of the bridge.

 

"Why, there is your purse," exclaimed the adventurer, with a sudden glance downward. "You must have dropped it."

 

"Oh, thank you, sir!" said the poor woman, overjoyed.

 

"I hope you won't suspect a gentleman again," said the thief, in lofty indignation.

 

"No, I won't, sir. I was sure you didn't take it."

 

Andy, who had seen the trick, smiled, but he was satisfied with the recovery of the purse.

 

The passengers looked puzzled. They had not made up their minds as to the guilt¹⁰ or innocence¹¹ of the man charge with the theft.

 

"You see, young man," said Andy's neighbor, in a tone of reproof¹², "you were mistaken."

 

Andy smiled again.

 

"I saw him drop the purse on the floor," he answered, quietly.

 

"Bless my soul! Are you sure?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

The passengers left the car, Andy and the thief among them.

 

Andy lost track of his acquaintance till, as they reached Fulton Street, he heard some one hissing¹³ in his ear:

 

"Boy, you are too fresh! I'll get even with you yet!"

 

Then the thief, passing him rapidly, got into a Myrtle Avenue car, and this was the last he saw of him for that day.

 

Andy walked about the streets of Brooklyn for a while and returned by Fulton Ferry. Then he went back to his boarding place, arriving there between three and four o'clock.

 

As he went up to his room he noticed that the door of the large room opposite was open. A young man, of about thirty, was sitting in a rocking-chair, reading.

 

He was of medium height and sallow complexion¹⁴. He wore his hair long, and had a high, narrow forehead.

 

"I suppose that is the man who has fits," thought Andy.

 

The young man had noticed Andy's entrance into his own room, and, rising from the rocking-chair, crossed the hall and knocked lightly at the door.

 

"Come in," said Andy.

 

"I suppose this is Mr. Grant," began the young man, bowing. "I am Mr. Warren, and live in the room opposite."

 

"Won't you come in and sit down?" asked Andy, with a glance at the only chair the room contained.

 

"Don't let me take your only chair. I'll sit on the bed, if you don't mind."

 

"Make yourself at home, Mr. Warren," said Andy, with easy cordiality.

 

"So you know my name?"

 

"Mrs. Norris spoke¹⁵ to me of you."

 

"Did she? What did she say?" asked the young man, showing some curiosity.

 

"I think she said you were literary--that you wrote for some of the magazines."

 

"Yes; I am very fond of writing. Do you write?"

 

"Not for publication."

 

"Ah, yes, I see. You would be rather young for an author."

 

"Are you connected with any particular magazine?"

 

"No. I am a free lance. I contribute to several. I have just sent an article to the _Century_."

 

Andy was rather surprised, for he knew that the _Century_ held high rank among contemporary magazines. It did not occur to him that any one might send an article to that magazine, but that to have it accepted and published would be a different matter.

 

"I suppose you enjoy writing?"

 

"Yes; there is nothing I like so well."

 

"Perhaps you will show me some of your articles."

 

"I can show you a poem which appeared last week in the village paper at home."

 

"Thank you, I should like to see it."

 

Mr. Warren went up to his room, and speedily returned with a small weekly paper.

 

On the front page, at the head of the first column, was a short poem by G. Byron Warren. This was the first stanza¹⁶, which Mr. Warren volunteered to read aloud:

 

 

"'I'd like to be a robin¹⁷,

And flit from bough¹⁸ to bough;

I'd pour sweet music on the air

If God would teach me how.'"

 

 

"I don't quite like that last line," he said looking up from the paper. "Can you suggest any improvement?"

 

"You might say, 'And charm the pensive¹⁹ cow,'" suggested Andy, mischievously²⁰.

 

"True, that might be a striking figure. I will consider it when I revise the poem for publication in book form."

 

The rest of the poem was of similar quality.

 

"I don't think they would accept that for the _Century_," thought Andy.

 

"Do you devote yourself to literary work, or are you in business?" he asked.

 

"I may go into business, but at present I only write. I send a letter once a month to the Greenville _Banner_."

 

"I suppose they pay?"

 

"Oh--ah, yes," answered the poet, in a hesitating voice, "but the terms are strictly²¹ confidential²². If you ever pick up any incidents in your daily walks, Mr. Grant, I shall be glad if you will communicate them to me, that I may weave them into my correspondence."

 

"With pleasure."

 

Then it occurred to Andy to tell his neighbor about the street adventurer whom he had met three times that morning.

 

"Capital!" exclaimed Warren. "I will get that into my next letter. I see, Mr. Grant, you have an observing eye. You would make a good reporter for one of the city dailies."

 

"Do you think so?" asked Andy, feeling complimented.

 

"I am sure of it."

 

"How long have you lived in the city, Mr. Warren?"

 

"About three months. Some time I will tell you why I came here," he continued, with an air of mystery.

 

"I shall be glad to hear."

 

"I will tell you now, for I see you have a sympathetic soul. I loved, and my love was returned, but a heartless parent interposed and separated two loving hearts."

 

He took out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes. Andy hardly knew whether to laugh or to express sympathy.

 

"I suppose that often happens?" he said, rather lamely²³. "Perhaps he may yet repent²⁴."

 

"I live in that hope. When I have become famous, I will go back and offer myself again to Sophia. I suppose you have had no heart experiences as yet, Mr. Grant?"

 

"Not as yet, but I can sympathize with you."

 

"I am so glad you have come. I shall make you my confidential friend."

 

Then the conversation drifted into other channels. 

1 industriously   

参考例句：

• She paces the whole class in studying English industriously. 她在刻苦学习英语上给全班同学树立了榜样。
• He industriously engages in unostentatious hard work. 他勤勤恳恳，埋头苦干。

2 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

4 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

5 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。

6 abashed   

adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He glanced at Juliet accusingly and she looked suitably abashed. 他怪罪的一瞥，朱丽叶自然显得很窘。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The girl was abashed by the laughter of her classmates. 那小姑娘因同学的哄笑而局促不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 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。

9 adroitly   

adv.熟练地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He displayed the cigarette holder grandly on every occasion and had learned to manipulate it adroitly. 他学会了一套用手灵巧地摆弄烟嘴的动作，一有机会就要拿它炫耀一番。 来自辞典例句
• The waitress passes a fine menu to Molly who orders dishes adroitly. 女服务生捧来菜单递给茉莉，后者轻车熟路地点菜。 来自互联网

10 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

11 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

12 reproof   

n.斥责，责备

参考例句：

• A smart reproof is better than smooth deceit.严厉的责难胜过温和的欺骗。
• He is impatient of reproof.他不能忍受指责。

13 hissing   

n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
• His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕

14 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

15 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

16 stanza   

n.（诗）节，段

参考例句：

• We omitted to sing the second stanza.我们漏唱了第二节。
• One young reporter wrote a review with a stanza that contained some offensive content.一个年轻的记者就歌词中包含有攻击性内容的一节写了评论。

17 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

18 bough   

n.大树枝，主枝

参考例句：

• I rested my fishing rod against a pine bough.我把钓鱼竿靠在一棵松树的大树枝上。
• Every bough was swinging in the wind.每条树枝都在风里摇摆。

19 pensive   

a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的

参考例句：

• He looked suddenly sombre,pensive.他突然看起来很阴郁，一副忧虑的样子。
• He became so pensive that she didn't like to break into his thought.他陷入沉思之中,她不想打断他的思路。

20 mischievously   

adv.有害地；淘气地

参考例句：

• He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
• Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠，是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网

21 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

22 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

23 lamely   

一瘸一拐地，不完全地

参考例句：

• I replied lamely that I hope to justify his confidence. 我漫不经心地回答说，我希望我能不辜负他对我的信任。
• The wolf leaped lamely back, losing its footing and falling in its weakness. 那只狼一跛一跛地跳回去，它因为身体虚弱，一失足摔了一跤。

24 repent   

v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔

参考例句：

• He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
• Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。