Ben entered the great store, gazing not without admiration1 at the long counters loaded with piles of clothing.
"My uncle must be a very rich man," he said to himself. "Surely he can find a place for me in so large a store."
"Do you wish to buy a suit?" asked a spruce young man, coming forward to meet our hero.
"No; I would like to see Mr. Walton," answered Ben.
The young man surveyed Ben's country garb2 with a smile of depreciation3. He was apt to judge others by their clothes, being conscious, perhaps, that they were his own chief claim to consideration.
"I don't think Mr. Walton will see you, youngster," he said.
[38]
"Why not?" demanded Ben, looking him calmly in the eye.
"His time is of too much value to waste on country kids."
"Mr. Walton is my uncle," said Ben, quietly.
"Your uncle!" repeated the clerk, in considerable surprise. "Oh, well, that alters the case. Just go through the store and you will find Mr. Walton in his office."
Through the open door he saw a short man, of fifty or thereabouts, sitting at a desk. There was another person in the office—a boy, somewhere near his own age—dressed in the fashion, with a gold watch-chain across his vest, a showy pin in his scarf, and the air of a young coxcomb5.
This was Clarence Plantagenet Walton, the only son of the merchant, and of course Ben's cousin. The two, however, had not met since both were very young boys, and neither would have recognized the other.
Ben overheard a fragment of the conversation between his uncle and cousin.
[39]
"You spend too much money, Plantagenet. It is less than a week since I gave you ten dollars."
"The fellows I go with are all rich, and spend plenty of money. You wouldn't want them to look upon me as mean, pa?"
"The boys of the present day are altogether too extravagant6," said his father, frowning. "Why, when I was a boy, I didn't spend ten dollars in three months."
"You were not in fashionable society like me, pa," said Clarence Plantagenet, consequentially7.
"Much good it does you!" muttered Mr. Walton. "What do you want money for particularly to-day?"
"I am going with Percy Van Dyke8 to a base-ball match this afternoon. Percy lives in a splendid house on Fifth avenue, and his family is one of the first. I suppose we shall get home late, and I want to give him a little supper at Delmonico's."
"The Van Dykes9 stand very high," said Mr. Walton, complacently10. "I am very glad to have you associate with such a high-toned [40] family. I suppose I must let you have the money."
He drew out a ten-dollar bill and tendered it to Clarence.
"Five dollars more, if you please, pa," said the elegant youth. "Suppers at Delmonico's are expensive, and I don't want to economize11 with such a fellow as Percy."
"Very well; here are five dollars more, but don't be foolishly extravagant."
"I should like to speak with my uncle," answered Ben.
"Then don't hang around my father's office. If your uncle is employed in this establishment, you can ask one of the floor-walkers to point him out."
"My uncle is Mr. Nicholas Walton, and you, I suppose, are my cousin Clarence."
[41]
"I don't understand you," he said. "You must be crazy."
Ben was not obliged to vindicate17 his sanity18, for his uncle, who had hitherto remained silent, now spoke19.
"Thank you, Uncle Nicholas," said Ben.
"Is he my cousin?" asked Plantagenet of his father, in evident discomposure.
"Yes, I presume so. His mother is my sister."
"Did you send for him, pa?"
"No."
"Then why is he here?"
"I expect him to explain that to me," said Mr. Walton, coldly. "Benjamin, what brings you to New York?"
"I want to get a position here, so that I may learn business. I thought you might find me a place in your store, Uncle Nicholas."
"Did I not write you to stay in Sunderland?" asked Mr. Walton, coldly.
"Yes."
[42]
"Then why have you disobeyed me?" continued the merchant, with a frown.
"Because I have no taste for farming, and there is no other employment there."
"A boy like you is not qualified21 to judge what is best for him," said Mr. Walton, harshly. "Did I not promise, if you learned farming, that when you got older I would set you up on a farm of your own?"
"I never should succeed as a farmer, for I don't like it," answered Ben.
"None whatever, uncle, except that I am not suited for it."
"You don't look to me suited for anything else," said Clarence Plantagenet, insolently23.
"I don't think you know me well enough to judge what I am fit for," answered Ben, calmly.
"You might make a good blacksmith, perhaps," continued Clarence, in the same offensive tone. "Isn't there any opening in that line in the country?"
"There might be. The business is not to my taste, though it may be to yours."
[43]
"To my taste!" ejaculated the horrified24 Plantagenet. "What have I to do with such a dirty business as that?"
"Stop this foolish discussion, Plantagenet," said his father. "You had better go to meet your friend, Van Dyke, and I will settle matters with your cousin here."
"Pack him back to the country, pa!" said Clarence. "That is the best place for him."
So saying, the young "dude" sauntered out of the office and left the store, several of the clerks who wished to stand well with their employer bowing deferentially25 to him. Plantagenet barely acknowledged their bows by a supercilious26 nod. He did not look upon them as his social equals.
"I am inclined to agree with my son," said the merchant, after Plantagenet had left the office. "I think the country is the best place for you."
"Then, Uncle Nicholas, you won't give me a place in your store?" asked Ben, his face showing his disappointment.
"I will do nothing to encourage you in a [44] step which I consider so ill-advised as coming to the city."
"Then I must bid you good-morning," said Ben, soberly.
"Stay!" said his uncle. "I am willing to make up to you the expense of your trip to the city, on condition that you go back to-day."
He put his hand into his pocket as he spoke.
"Thank you, Uncle Nicholas," said Ben. "I thank you for your offer, but I won't accept it; I shall not go back to Sunderland."
"Look elsewhere for a place," said Ben.
"You are a foolish, headstrong boy. I wash my hands of you. You need not expect any help from me. You must make your own way."
"I mean to," answered Ben, quietly, as he bowed and walked out of the office.
"This is very annoying," said Mr. Walton to himself. "He is an obstinate28 boy. However, his eyes will soon be opened to his folly29, and he will have to go back, after all. Perhaps it is as well for him to try, and fail. He will be more manageable afterward30."
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1
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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2
garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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3
depreciation
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| n.价值低落，贬值，蔑视，贬低 | |
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4
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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5
coxcomb
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| n.花花公子 | |
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6
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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7
consequentially
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| adv.必然地 | |
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8
dyke
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| n.堤，水坝，排水沟 | |
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9
dykes
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| abbr.diagonal wire cutters 斜线切割机n.堤( dyke的名词复数 )；坝；堰；沟 | |
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10
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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economize
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| v.节约，节省 | |
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12
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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14
arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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15
demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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16
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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17
vindicate
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| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
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18
sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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19
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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20
baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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22
testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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24
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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deferentially
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| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
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26
supercilious
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| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
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27
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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28
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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29
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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30
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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