Chapter 16 Andy At Work

 Punctually as the clock struck eight the next morning Andy entered the store of Mr. Flint on Union Square. He looked for his employer, but the jeweler seldom arrived before nine, his residence being in Harlem.

 

Behind the counter, arranging the goods in one of the cases, was a man with reddish hair who might at a guess be thirty-five years of age. It was Mr. Flint's head clerk, Simon Rich, who had been absent when Andy made his first call.

 

"What can I do for you, boy?" he asked, superciliously¹.

 

"Is Mr. Flint in?"

 

"No. You can tell me your business."

 

"I have come here to work."

 

"Oh!"

 

This exclamation² was long-drawn out. Mr. Rich then proceeded to examine Andy from head to foot in a manner which was extremely offensive.

 

Andy understood that for some reason this man would be his enemy. He would have understood his hostility³ better had he known that the boy just discharged was the head clerk's nephew.

 

"I suppose you are well acquainted with the business?" remarked Rich, with a sneer⁴.

 

"I know nothing about it."

 

"Humph! you stand a chance of being very useful."

 

"I hope to become familiar with it soon," said Andy, coloring.

 

"Suppose you sweep out, to begin with."

 

He pointed⁵ out the broom, and Andy went to work.

 

"I wish he were a more agreeable man," thought Andy. "I am afraid he will make my position unpleasant."

 

Here a customer came in, and Mr. Rich was occupied for the next ten minutes.

 

The customer, a lady, bought a gold chain.

 

"Shall I send it?" asked the clerk.

 

"Yes, but not till twelve o'clock."

 

"To what address?"

 

She gave a number on Fifty-sixth Street.

 

"Very well."

 

"There will be an errand for you," said Rich, as he put back the chains not selected.

 

Andy nodded. He felt that he would rather be absent on an errand than in the company of Simon Rich.

 

"Where did Mr. Flint pick you up?" inquired Rich.

 

This was rude, but Andy felt that it would not be politic⁶ to get into a quarrel with the head clerk so soon.

 

"We met at lunch," he said.

 

"Where?"

 

"At the Sinclair House."

 

"Had you never seen him before?"

 

"No."

 

"Queer that he should engage you at such short notice!"

 

"He was acquainted with the gentleman I was with."

 

"What name?"

 

"Walter Gale⁷."

 

"Yes, I have seen him. Are you related to Mr. Gale?"

 

"No."

 

"Are you aware that the boy you have displaced--John Crandall--is my nephew?"

 

"No, sir; I didn't know it. I am sorry he has lost his place."

 

"He is a good boy, but Mr. Flint became prejudiced against him. Did he say anything about him when he engaged you?"

 

"I believe he said that he was not satisfactory, but as I did not know him I did not notice."

 

Another customer came in, and at nine o'clock Mr. Flint entered.

 

"I see you are on hand," he said, pleasantly, to Andy.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"When did you come to the city?"

 

"Yesterday, sir."

 

"Have you a boarding place?"

 

"Yes, sir, in Clinton Place. I was recommended to it by Mr. Gale."

 

"That is well. Mr. Rich, this is the new boy."

 

"So he told me," said Rich, coldly.

 

"Have you had any customers?"

 

"Yes, sir. There is one article to be sent--a gold chain--to Mrs. Mason, of Fifty-sixth Street."

 

"Any time mentioned?"

 

"Twelve o'clock."

 

"You can send Andrew at that time."

 

"Very well, sir."

 

Andy was very glad of his employer's presence. It checked any manifestation⁸ of rudeness on the part of the clerk.

 

At quarter to twelve a box containing the chain was handed to Andy, addressed to Mrs. Mason.

 

"Did you notice the lady who purchased the chain?" asked Mr. Flint.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I wish this box placed in her hands. Ask her to give you a receipt for it."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Here is money for car fare. You may go to lunch after delivering the box."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Andy took a Broadway car, and just after twelve reached the house. The door was opened by a man-servant.

 

"I have a parcel for Mrs. Mason," said Andy.

 

"All right; I'll take it."

 

"I am only to deliver it into her hands."

 

"She isn't at home."

 

"Then I will wait for her. She said she would be here at twelve."

 

The man was about to speak rudely, when a lady mounted the steps.

 

"Are you from Mr. Flint?" she asked.

 

"Yes, madam."

 

"I am Mrs. Mason."

 

"I remember you," said Andy, bowing. "Will you be kind enough to give me a receipt?"

 

"Certainly. Step into the hall, and I won't keep you waiting long."

 

Andy sat down.

 

"Why didn't you give me the parcel, boy?" asked the servant.

 

"Because you are not Mrs. Mason. I had strict orders to deliver it to her."

 

"Humph! that is being mighty⁹ particular."

 

"I have nothing to do with Mr. Flint's rules."

 

Mrs. Mason returned almost immediately.

 

"Here is the receipt, and thank you," she said, pleasantly.

 

Andy bowed, and opened the door to go out.

 

"I am afraid I have interfered¹⁰ with your lunch," she said.

 

"I am going to it now, thank you."

 

"My lunch is just ready. Perhaps you will accept an invitation to lunch with me?"

 

"I shall be very glad to do so."

 

Andy had been brought up as a gentleman, and was not at all embarrassed, as some boys would have been, by this attention from a lady.

 

"Follow me, then," she said, as she led the way downstairs to the front basement.

 

A small table was set there, and Mrs. Mason pointed to a seat.

 

"You are my only guest," she said. "My boy is out of town just at present. Shall I help you to some cold chicken?"

 

"Thank you."

 

Besides the chicken there was bread and butter, some kind of preserve, and hot tea. It was all very plain, but Andy enjoyed it.

 

"I ought to know the name of my guest," said Mrs. Mason.

 

"My name is Andrew Grant."

 

"Have you been long at Mr. Flint's?"

 

"This is my first day."

 

"I hope you will find the situation a pleasant one. You are not a city boy?"

 

"No, I came from Arden."

 

They were waited upon at table by Gustave, the man who had treated Andy rudely.

 

He did not look at all pleasant at having to wait upon the boy from "Flint's," and evidently considered his mistress very eccentric.

 

Mrs. Mason gossiped pleasantly, and evidently enjoyed her young company.

 

"That is better than eating alone," she said, as she rose from the table. "I feel quite well acquainted with you, Andrew. You must come up sometime when my boy is at home. He is a year or two younger than you, but I think you will get on together."

 

"I shall be very glad to come," replied Andy, gratefully. "Thank you for all your kindness."

 

He went back to the store at once.

 

"You are back early," said Mr. Flint.

 

"Yes, sir; Mrs. Mason invited me to lunch, and that saved time."

 

Simon Rich looked surprised. His nephew had never received so much attention from a customer. 

1 superciliously   

adv.高傲地；傲慢地

参考例句：

• Madame Defarge looked superciliously at the client, and nodded in confirmation. 德伐日太太轻蔑地望了望客人，点头同意。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

2 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

3 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

4 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 politic   

adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政

参考例句：

• He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明，不会与这么重要的人争吵。
• The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。

7 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。

8 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

9 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

10 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》