Chapter 27 Andy Makes A Commission

 Mr. Crawford was busy in his office when a gentleman of fifty entered.

 

"I hope you are at leisure, Crawford," he said.

 

"But I am not, Mr. Grayling. I am unusually busy."

 

"I wanted you to go out and show me that house in Mount Vernon which you mentioned to me the other day. My wife is desirous of moving from the city for the sake of the children."

 

"Won't to-morrow do?"

 

"To-morrow I shall be busy myself. To-day is so fine that I managed to get off. Can't you manage to go?"

 

"No, Grayling, I can't possibly be spared from the office."

 

"Is there no one you can send with me?"

 

Mr. Crawford hesitated a moment. Then, as his eye fell upon Andy, he had a sudden thought.

 

"I will send this young man," he said.

 

Mr. Grayling smiled.

 

"He seems quite a young man," he said.

 

"Yes," said Mr. Crawford, with an answering smile, "he is several years short of forty."

 

"If you think he will do I shall be glad of his company."

 

"Wait five minutes, and I will give him the necessary instructions."

 

"Have you ever been in Mount Vernon, Andy?" asked his employer.

 

"Yes, sir; I have a boy friend there, and I once spent a Sunday there."

 

"Mr. Grayling wishes to purchase a residence there. I shall place him in your charge, and give you an order for the key. I will mention some points to which I wish you to call his attention."

 

Andy was pleased with the commission. It seemed like a step in advance.

 

"Thank you, Mr. Crawford, for your confidence in me."

 

"If you succeed in selling the house to Mr. Grayling, I will give you one per cent. commission."

 

"I will do my best, sir. I have no claim to anything except through your kindness."

 

"Now let me see how much business ability you have."

 

Andy and the prospective¹ purchaser took the cars at the Grand Central Station, and in forty minutes found themselves in Mount Vernon.

 

At the depot², much to his satisfaction, Andy found his friend, Tom Blake.

 

"What brings you here, Andy?" asked Tom, in surprise.

 

"I have come to show the Griffith house to this gentleman. Can you direct me to it?"

 

"I will go with you."

 

"Thank you, Tom. You will be doing me a favor. Is it far?"

 

"Little more than half a mile."

 

"Shall we walk or ride, Mr. Grayling?"

 

"Walk, by all means. It is a charming day, and a walk will do me good."

 

They reached the house. It was a spacious³ country residence in good condition, and Mr. Grayling was favorably impressed. The key was procured⁴ and they entered.

 

The interior bore out the promise of the exterior⁵. The rooms were well and even handsomely finished. They were twelve in number, and there was a good-sized bathroom.

 

"I wonder if the plumbing⁶ is good?" said Mr. Grayling.

 

"I will test it as far as I can," said Andy.

 

"You seem to have a good deal of experience for one so young."

 

"No, sir, not very much, but I have made a careful study of the subject. Mr. Crawford has a good architectural library, and I have made use of it."

 

After a careful inspection⁷, Andy made a favorable report.

 

"Of course," he said, "if I am mistaken we will make matters right."

 

"That will be satisfactory. What is your price for the house?"

 

"Eight thousand dollars."

 

Mr. Grayling, after a brief consideration, said:

 

"That seems reasonable. I will buy the house. How soon can you give me possession?"

 

"In a week."

 

"Very good. Then our business seems to be concluded. We will catch the next train back to the city."

 

"Would you mind giving me a memorandum⁸ stating that you will buy the house?"

 

"I will do so. We will stop at a stationery⁹ store, and I will make it out."

 

When Andy re-entered Mr. Crawford's office the real estate agent inquired:

 

"How does Mr. Grayling like the house?"

 

"He has bought it."

 

"Is it possible? At what figure?"

 

"Eight thousand dollars."

 

"Good! I was authorized¹⁰ to take two hundred dollars less, if need be."

 

"He asked no reduction."

 

"I hope he won't change his mind."

 

"He won't. Here is his written agreement to take the house."

 

"Excellent. Did he offer this assurance?"

 

"No, sir. I asked for it."

 

"Andy, you have succeeded admirably. I shall have great pleasure in keeping my promise and paying you eighty dollars, or one per cent, on the purchase money."

 

"That will be very acceptable, Mr. Crawford. I don't often earn eighty dollars in one day."

 

In reply to Mr. Crawford's inquiries¹¹, Andy gave a detailed¹² account of his visit, and his employer drew a check for eighty dollars, which he placed in his hands.

 

"Now that I see what you can do," he said, "I shall send you out again."

 

"Perhaps you will find my services too expensive."

 

"No. In addition to my regular percentage I receive an extra hundred dollars for getting the full eight thousand dollars."

 

Andy cashed the check, and deposited the money in a savings¹³ bank. He did not pay it to Mr. Crawford on account of the land in Tacoma, for it occurred to him that he might have occasion to use it.

 

In this he proved correct.

 

Three weeks later he received a letter from his father. Sterling¹⁴ Grant was a farmer, little used to writing letters, and Andy knew that there must be some special reason for his writing at this time.

 

He opened the letter quickly, and this was what he read:

 

"DEAR ANDY: I am in trouble. Next Tuesday the semi-annual interest on Squire¹⁵ Carter's three thousand dollars falls due, and I have but twenty dollars to meet it. My crops have not been up to the average. I have lost my best cow, and somehow everything seems to have gone against me. I expected to sell ten tons of hay, and have had but seven to spare. This alone made a difference of sixty dollars.

 

"I saw the squire yesterday, and told him how I was situated¹⁶. I asked him if he would kindly¹⁷ wait for the greater part of the interest, accepting twenty dollars on account. He at once refused. 'I am sorry you have been unlucky, Mr. Grant,' he said, 'but of course I am not responsible for your misfortune. The three thousand dollars I lent you I regard strictly¹⁸ as an investment. Had I supposed the interest would not be paid promptly¹⁹, I should, of course, have declined to lend. You will have to meet the interest, or take the consequences.'

 

"I have tried to borrow the money in the village, but thus far I have been unable to do so. I may have to sell two of my cows, but that will cripple me, for, as you know, I depend a good deal on selling milk and butter. Of course this worries me a good deal. I don't know why I write to you, for with your small pay it is hardly likely that you can help me. Still, if you have ten or fifteen dollars to spare, it will aid me. If your friend, Mr. Gale²⁰, were near at hand, perhaps he would advance a little money. I might get along with selling one cow, in that case. Two would cripple me.

 

"Let me know at once what you can do, that I may make plans. Your mother is as well as usual, except that she is worried. We both send love.

 

"Your affectionate father,

 

"STERLING GRANT."

 

 

When Andy read this letter he felt, with a thrill of joy, that he had it in his power to relieve his father from anxiety. He had, with the commission received recently from Mr. Crawford, a hundred and fifty dollars in the bank. He withdrew eighty dollars of this, and then explaining to Mr. Crawford his reason for it, asked for time for a visit home.

 

"Certainly, Andy," said the real estate agent. "Can I lend you any money?"

 

"No, sir; I have enough."

 

As he could not leave till the next day, he telegraphed his father in this way:

 

"Don't worry. I shall reach home to-morrow. ANDY" 

1 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

2 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。

3 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

4 procured   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• These cars are to be procured through open tender. 这些汽车要用公开招标的办法购买。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• A friend procured a position in the bank for my big brother. 一位朋友为我哥哥谋得了一个银行的职位。 来自《用法词典》

5 exterior   

adj.外部的，外在的；表面的

参考例句：

• The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
• We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

6 plumbing   

n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究

参考例句：

• She spent her life plumbing the mysteries of the human psyche. 她毕生探索人类心灵的奥秘。
• They're going to have to put in new plumbing. 他们将需要安装新的水管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

8 memorandum   

n.备忘录，便笺

参考例句：

• The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
• The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。

9 stationery   

n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封

参考例句：

• She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。
• There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多，心里自会觉得踏实。

10 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

11 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

13 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

14 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

15 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。

16 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

17 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。

18 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。

19 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

20 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。