Ben was startled by Major Grafton's abrupt1 proposal. To go to Europe would be delightful2, he admitted to himself, but to start at a few hours' notice was naturally exciting. What would his mother and sister say?
"I suppose there isn't time for me to go home and see my mother before sailing?" he ventured to say, interrogatively.
"As we are to sail at three o'clock this afternoon, you can judge for yourself about that," said the major, coolly. "Don't you want to go?"
"Oh, yes, sir. There is nothing I should like better. I should like to have said good-by to my mother, but——"
"Unfortunately, you can't. I am glad you take so sensible a view of the matter. I will depend on you to be ready."
[109]
"How long shall we probably be gone?" asked Ben.
"I can tell you better some weeks hence, Philip. By the way," he added, after a moment's thought, "if any letters should come here addressed to you, don't open them till I come back."
Ben looked at the major in surprise. Why should he not open any letters that came for him? He was not likely, he thought, to receive any except from Sunderland.
"I will explain," continued the major. "There are some people in the city that are continually writing begging letters to me. They use every method to annoy me, and might go so far as to write to you and ask your intercession."
"I understand," said Ben, unsuspiciously.
"I thought you would," returned the major, evidently relieved. "Of course if you get any letter from home you will open that."
"Thank you, sir."
After breakfast Major Grafton left the hotel without saying where he was going, and Ben [110] addressed himself first to packing his trunk, and then going down to the reading-room. There he sat down and wrote a letter to his mother, which ran thus:
"Dear Mother:—I can imagine how much you will be surprised when I tell you that when this letter reaches you I shall be on my way to Europe. Major Grafton, my employer, only told me an hour since, and we sail this afternoon at three. I should be glad to come home and bid you and my little sister good-by, but there is no time. I know you will miss me, but it is a splendid chance for me to go, and I shall be receiving a liberal salary, out of which I can send you money from time to time. I know I shall enjoy myself, for I have always had a longing3 to go to Europe, though I did not dream that I should have the chance so soon. I will write to you as soon as we get on the other side.
"Your loving son, Ben.
"P. S.—We sail on the Parthia."
It may be readily understood that this letter made a great sensation in Sunderland. Mrs. Baker4 hardly knew whether to be glad or sorry. It was hard to part from Ben for an uncertain period. On the other hand, all her friends congratulated her on Ben's great [111] success in securing so good a position and salary. It was certainly a remarkable5 stroke of good fortune.
Ben was about to write another letter to Clarence, explaining why he could not accept the invitation for dinner on Sunday, but a glance at the clock showed him that he would have a chance to go to his uncle's store, and that seemed, on the whole, more polite.
He jumped on board a Broadway car at Twenty-third street, and half an hour later got out in front of his uncle's large business establishment. He entered with quite a different feeling from that attending his first visit, when, in his country attire6, poor and without prospects7, he came to make an appeal to his rich uncle.
Handsome clothes are apt to secure outward respect, and one of the salesmen came forward, obsequiously8, and asked:
"What can I show you, young gentleman?"
"Nothing, thank you," answered Ben, politely. "Is my uncle in?"
"Your uncle?"
[112]
"Mr. Walton."
"Oh, yes; you will find him in his office."
"Thank you."
Nicholas Walton looked up as Ben entered his presence, and did not immediately recognize the handsomely-dressed boy who stood before him. He concluded that it was one of Clarence's high-toned acquaintances.
"Did you wish to see Clarence?" he asked affably. "I am sorry to say that he has not been in this morning."
"I should like to see him, Uncle Nicholas; but I also wished to see you."
"Oh, it's Ben!" said Mr. Walton, in a slightly changed tone.
"Yes, uncle; I met my cousin at the Windsor last evening."
"He told me so. You are staying there, he says."
"For a very short time. My cousin was kind enough to invite me to dinner on Sunday."
"Yes; we shall be glad to have you dine with us."
"I am sorry I cannot come. I am to sail for Europe this afternoon."
[113]
"Yes, uncle. I knew nothing of it till this morning."
"It is indeed surprising. To what part do you go?"
"I believe we sail for Liverpool in the Parthia. More than that I know nothing."
"You are certainly strangely fortunate," said the merchant, musingly10. "Does this Major Grafton appear to be wealthy?"
"I judge that he is."
"Does he pay you well?"
"He gives me fifty dollars per month."
"And what do you do?"
"I am his private secretary, but thus far I have not been called upon to do much. I suppose I shall have more to do when I get to Europe."
"He seems to be eccentric as well as rich. Perhaps he will want to adopt you. I advise you to try to please him."
"I shall certainly do that, though I don't think he will adopt me."
"Clarence will be sorry not to have seen [114] you. He has taken a trip to Long Branch this morning with Percy Van Dyke11."
"I saw Percy last evening."
"This country nephew of mine gets into fashionable society remarkably12 quick," thought the merchant. "There must be something in the boy, or he would not make his way so readily."
"We are all going to Long Branch next week," said Mr. Walton, aloud. "We are to stay at the West End. If you had remained here you could have tried to persuade Major Grafton to spend part of the season at the Branch."
"I shall be satisfied with Europe," said Ben, smiling.
"You have reason to be satisfied. Clarence will envy you when he hears that you are going."
"It didn't look as if he were likely to envy me for anything when I met him here the other day," thought Ben.
"Please remember me to my cousin," said Ben, and shaking his uncle's extended hand he left the store.
[115]
He was passing through the store when he felt a touch on his shoulder.
Turning, he recognized the tall lady he had met just after his last visit.
"Are you not the boy who told me I had a ticket on my shawl?" she inquired.
"Yes, madam," replied Ben, smiling.
"I recognize your face, but otherwise you look very different."
"You mean I am better dressed."
"Yes; I thought you a country boy when I met you."
"So I am, but I am trying to be mistaken for a city boy."
"I am relieved to meet you, for some one told me you had got into some trouble with the unmannerly boys who were following me."
"I am much obliged to you for your solicitude13 in my behalf," said Ben, not caring to acknowledge the fact of the arrest.
"I had hoped to be of service to you, but I see you don't appear to need it. I am here buying a suit of clothes for a poor boy in whom I am interested. Let me give you my [116] card, and if you ever need a friend, come and see me."
The card bore the name of "Jane Wilmot, 300 Madison avenue."
Ben thanked Miss Wilmot and left his uncle's store.
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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obsequiously
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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dyke
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| n.堤，水坝，排水沟 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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