"The only times," said he, "that me and Andy Tucker ever had any hiatuses in our cordial intents was when we differed on the moral aspects of grafting3. Andy had his standards and I had mine. I didn't approve of all of Andy's schemes for levying4 contributions from the public, and he thought I allowed my conscience to interfere5 too often for the financial good of the firm. We had high arguments sometimes. One word led on to another till he said I reminded him of Rockefeller.
"'I don't know how you mean that, Andy,' says I, 'but we have been friends too long for me to take offense6 at a taunt7 that you will regret when you cool off. I have yet,' says I, 'to shake hands with a subpœna server.'
"One summer me and Andy decided8 to rest up a spell in a fine little town in the mountains of Kentucky called Grassdale. We was supposed to be horse drovers, and good decent citizens besides, taking a summer vacation. The Grassdale people liked us, and me and Andy declared a cessation of hostilities9, never so much as floating the fly leaf of a rubber concession10 prospectus11 or flashing a Brazilian diamond while we was there.
"One day the leading hardware merchant of Grassdale drops around to the hotel where me and Andy stopped, and smokes with us, sociable12, on the side porch. We knew him pretty well from pitching quoits in the afternoons in the court house yard. He was a loud, red man, breathing hard, but fat and respectable beyond all reason.
"After we talk on all the notorious themes of the day, this Murkison—for such was his entitlements—takes a letter out of his coat pocket in a careful, careless way and hands it to us to read.
"'Now, what do you think of that?' says he, laughing—'a letter like that to ME!'
"Me and Andy sees at a glance what it is; but we pretend to read it through. It was one of them old time typewritten green goods letters explaining how for $1,000 you could get $5,000 in bills that an expert couldn't tell from the genuine; and going on to tell how they were made from plates stolen by an employee of the Treasury13 at Washington.
"'Think of 'em sending a letter like that to ME!' says Murkison again.
"'Lot's of good men get 'em,' says Andy. 'If you don't answer the first letter they let you drop. If you answer it they write again asking you to come on with your money and do business.'
"'But think of 'em writing to ME!' says Murkison.
"A few days later he drops around again.
"'Boys,' says he, 'I know you are all right or I wouldn't confide14 in you. I wrote to them rascals15 again just for fun. They answered and told me to come on to Chicago. They said telegraph to J. Smith when I would start. When I get there I'm to wait on a certain street corner till a man in a gray suit comes along and drops a newspaper in front of me. Then I am to ask him how the water is, and he knows it's me and I know it's him.'
"'Ah, yes,' says Andy, gaping16, 'it's the same old game. I've often read about it in the papers. Then he conducts you to the private abattoir17 in the hotel, where Mr. Jones is already waiting. They show you brand new real money and sell you all you want at five for one. You see 'em put it in a satchel18 for you and know it's there. Of course it's brown paper when you come to look at it afterward19.'
"'Oh, they couldn't switch it on me,' says Murkison. 'I haven't built up the best paying business in Grassdale without having witticisms20 about me. You say it's real money they show you, Mr. Tucker?'
"'I've always—I see by the papers that it always is,' says Andy.
"'Boys,' says Murkison, 'I've got it in my mind that them fellows can't fool me. I think I'll put a couple of thousand in my jeans and go up there and put it all over 'em. If Bill Murkison gets his eyes once on them bills they show him he'll never take 'em off of 'em. They offer $5 for $1, and they'll have to stick to the bargain if I tackle 'em. That's the kind of trader Bill Murkison is. Yes, I jist believe I'll drop up Chicago way and take a 5 to 1 shot on J. Smith. I guess the water'll be fine enough.'
"Me and Andy tries to get this financial misquotation out of Murkison's head, but we might as well have tried to keep the man who rolls peanuts with a toothpick from betting on Bryan's election. No, sir; he was going to perform a public duty by catching21 these green goods swindlers at their own game. Maybe it would teach 'em a lesson.
"After Murkison left us me and Andy sat a while prepondering over our silent meditations22 and heresies23 of reason. In our idle hours we always improved our higher selves by ratiocination24 and mental thought.
"'Jeff,' says Andy after a long time, 'quite unseldom I have seen fit to impugn25 your molars when you have been chewing the rag with me about your conscientious26 way of doing business. I may have been often wrong. But here is a case where I think we can agree. I feel that it would be wrong for us to allow Mr. Murkison to go alone to meet those Chicago green goods men. There is but one way it can end. Don't you think we would both feel better if we was to intervene in some way and prevent the doing of this deed?'
"I got up and shook Andy Tucker's hand hard and long.
"'Andy,' says I, 'I may have had one or two hard thoughts about the heartlessness of your corporation, but I retract27 'em now. You have a kind nucleus28 at the interior of your exterior29 after all. It does you credit. I was just thinking the same thing that you have expressed. It would not be honorable or praiseworthy,' says I, 'for us to let Murkison go on with this project he has taken up. If he is determined30 to go let us go with him and prevent this swindle from coming off.'
"Andy agreed with me; and I was glad to see that he was in earnest about breaking up this green goods scheme.
"'I don't call myself a religious man,' says I, 'or a fanatic31 in moral bigotry32, but I can't stand still and see a man who has built up his business by his own efforts and brains and risk be robbed by an unscrupulous trickster who is a menace to the public good.'
"'Right, Jeff,' says Andy. 'We'll stick right along with Murkison if he insists on going and block this funny business. I'd hate to see any money dropped in it as bad as you would.'
"Well, we went to see Murkison.
"'No, boys,' says he. 'I can't consent to let the song of this Chicago siren waft33 by me on the summer breeze. I'll fry some fat out of this ignis fatuus or burn a hole in the skillet. But I'd be plumb34 diverted to death to have you all go along with me. Maybe you could help some when it comes to cashing in the ticket to that 5 to 1 shot. Yes, I'd really take it as a pastime and regalement35 if you boys would go along too.'
"Murkison gives it out in Grassdale that he is going for a few days with Mr. Peters and Mr. Tucker to look over some iron ore property in West Virginia. He wires J. Smith that he will set foot in the spider web on a given date; and the three of us lights out for Chicago.
"On the way Murkison amuses himself with premonitions and advance pleasant recollections.
"'In a gray suit,' says he, 'on the southwest corner of Wabash avenue and Lake street. He drops the paper, and I ask how the water is. Oh, my, my, my!' And then he laughs all over for five minutes.
"Sometimes Murkison was serious and tried to talk himself out of his cogitations, whatever they was.
"'Boys,' says he, 'I wouldn't have this to get out in Grassdale for ten times a thousand dollars. It would ruin me there. But I know you all are all right. I think it's the duty of every citizen,' says he, 'to try to do up these robbers that prey36 upon the public. I'll show 'em whether the water's fine. Five dollars for one—that's what J. Smith offers, and he'll have to keep his contract if he does business with Bill Murkison.'
"We got into Chicago about 7 p.m. Murkison was to meet the gray man at half past 9. We had dinner at a hotel and then went up to Murkison's room to wait for the time to come.
"'Now, boys,' says Murkison, 'let's get our gumption37 together and inoculate38 a plan for defeating the enemy. Suppose while I'm exchanging airy bandage with the gray capper you gents come along, by accident, you know, and holler: "Hello, Murk!" and shake hands with symptoms of surprise and familiarity. Then I take the capper aside and tell him you all are Jenkins and Brown of Grassdale, groceries and feed, good men and maybe willing to take a chance while away from home.'
"'"Bring 'em along," he'll say, of course, "if they care to invest." Now, how does that scheme strike you?'
"'What do you say, Jeff?' says Andy, looking at me.
"'Why, I'll tell you what I say,' says I. 'I say let's settle this thing right here now. I don't see any use of wasting any more time.' I took a nickel-plated .38 out of my pocket and clicked the cylinder39 around a few times.
"'You undevout, sinful, insidious40 hog,' says I to Murkison, 'get out that two thousand and lay it on the table. Obey with velocity,' says I, 'for otherwise alternatives are impending41. I am preferably a man of mildness, but now and then I find myself in the middle of extremities42. Such men as you,' I went on after he had laid the money out, 'is what keeps the jails and court houses going. You come up here to rob these men of their money. Does it excuse you?' I asks, 'that they were trying to skin you? No, sir; you was going to rob Peter to stand off Paul. You are ten times worse,' says I, 'than that green goods man. You go to church at home and pretend to be a decent citizen, but you'll come to Chicago and commit larceny43 from men that have built up a sound and profitable business by dealing44 with such contemptible45 scoundrels as you have tried to be to-day. How do you know,' says I, 'that that green goods man hasn't a large family dependent upon his extortions? It's you supposedly respectable citizens who are always on the lookout46 to get something for nothing,' says I, 'that support the lotteries47 and wild-cat mines and stock exchanges and wire tappers of this country. If it wasn't for you they'd go out of business. The green goods man you was going to rob,' says I, 'studied maybe for years to learn his trade. Every turn he makes he risks his money and liberty and maybe his life. You come up here all sanctified and vanoplied with respectability and a pleasing post office address to swindle him. If he gets the money you can squeal48 to the police. If you get it he hocks the gray suit to buy supper and says nothing. Mr. Tucker and me sized you up,' says I, 'and came along to see that you got what you deserved. Hand over the money,' says I, 'you grass fed hypocrite.'
"I put the two thousand, which was all in $20 bills, in my inside pocket.
"'Now get out your watch,' says I to Murkison. 'No, I don't want it,' says I. 'Lay it on the table and you sit in that chair till it ticks off an hour. Then you can go. If you make any noise or leave any sooner we'll handbill you all over Grassdale. I guess your high position there is worth more than $2,000 to you.'
"Then me and Andy left.
"On the train Andy was a long time silent. Then he says: 'Jeff, do you mind my asking you a question?'
"'Two,' says I, 'or forty.'
"'Was that the idea you had,' says he, 'when we started out with Murkison?'
"'Why, certainly,' says I. 'What else could it have been? Wasn't it yours, too?'
"In about half an hour Andy spoke49 again. I think there are times when Andy don't exactly understand my system of ethics and moral hygiene50.
"'Jeff,' says he, 'some time when you have the leisure I wish you'd draw off a diagram and foot-notes of that conscience of yours. I'd like to have it to refer to occasionally.'"
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1
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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grafting
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| 嫁接法，移植法 | |
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levying
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| 征（兵）( levy的现在分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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6
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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8
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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10
concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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prospectus
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| n.计划书；说明书；慕股书 | |
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12
sociable
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| adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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16
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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abattoir
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| n.屠宰场，角斗场 | |
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satchel
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| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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witticisms
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| n.妙语，俏皮话( witticism的名词复数 ) | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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heresies
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| n.异端邪说，异教( heresy的名词复数 ) | |
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ratiocination
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| n.推理；推断 | |
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impugn
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| v.指责，对…表示怀疑 | |
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conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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retract
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| vt.缩回，撤回收回，取消 | |
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nucleus
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| n.核，核心，原子核 | |
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exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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fanatic
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| n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的 | |
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32
bigotry
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| n.偏见，偏执，持偏见的行为[态度]等 | |
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33
waft
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| v.飘浮，飘荡；n.一股；一阵微风；飘荡 | |
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plumb
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| adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深 | |
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regalement
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| n.盛宴，丰餐 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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gumption
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| n.才干 | |
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38
inoculate
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| v.给...接种，给...注射疫苗 | |
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39
cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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40
insidious
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| adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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41
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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42
extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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43
larceny
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| n.盗窃（罪） | |
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44
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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45
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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46
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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47
lotteries
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| n.抽彩给奖法( lottery的名词复数 )；碰运气的事；彩票；彩券 | |
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48
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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49
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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50
hygiene
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| n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic） | |
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