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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Adrift in New York » CHAPTER VIII. A FRIENDLY COMPACT.
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CHAPTER VIII. A FRIENDLY COMPACT.
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 Florence, as she stepped on the sidewalk, turned, and fixed1 a last sad look on the house that had been her home for so many years. She had never anticipated such a sundering2 of home ties, and even now she found it difficult to realize that the moment had come when her life was to be rent in twain, and the sunlight of prosperity was to be darkened and obscured by a gloomy and uncertain future.
 
She had hastily packed a few indispensable articles in a valise which she carried in her hand.
 
“Let me take your bag, Miss Florence,” said Dodger3, reaching out his hand.
 
“I don’t want to trouble you, Dodger.”
 
“It ain’t no trouble, Miss Florence. I’m stronger than you, and it looks better for me to carry it.”
 
“You are very kind, Dodger. What would I do without you?”
 
“There’s plenty that would be glad of the chance of helping4 you,” said Dodger, with a glance of admiration5 at the fair face of his companion.
 
“I don’t know where to find them,” said Florence, sadly. “Even my uncle has turned against me.”
 
“He’s an old chump!” ejaculated Dodger, in a tone of disgust.
 
“Hush! I cannot hear a word against him. He has always been kind and considerate till now. It is the evil influence of my Cousin Curtis that has turned him against me. When he comes to himself I am sure he will regret his cruelty.”
 
“He would take you back if you would marry your cousin.”
 
“Yes; but that I will never do!” exclaimed Florence, with energy.
 
“Bully for you!” said Dodger. “Excuse me,” he said, apologetically. “I ain’t used to talkin’ to young ladies, and perhaps that ain’t proper for me to say.”
 
“I don’t mind, Dodger; your heart is in the right place.”
 
“Thank you, Miss Florence. I’m glad you’ve got confidence in me. I’ll try to deserve it.”
 
“Where are we going?” asked the young lady, whose only thought up to this moment had been to get away from the presence of Curtis and his persecutions.
 
They had now reached Fourth Avenue, and a surface car was close at hand.
 
“We’re going to get aboard that car,” said Dodger, signaling with his free hand. “I’ll tell you more when we’re inside.”
 
Florence entered the car, and Dodger, following, took a seat at her side.
 
They presented a noticeable contrast, for Florence was dressed as beseemed her station, while Dodger, in spite of his manly6, attractive face, was roughly attired7, and looked like a working boy.
 
When the conductor came along, he drew out a dime8, and tendered it in payment of the double fare. The money was in the conductor’s hand before Florence was fully9 aware.
 
“You must not pay for me, Dodger,” she said.
 
“Why not?” asked the boy. “Ain’t we friends?”
 
“Yes, but you have no money to spare. Here, let me return the money.”
 
And she offered him a dime from her own purse.
 
“You can pay next time, Miss Florence. It’s all right. Now, I’ll tell you where we are goin’. A friend of mine, Mrs. O’Keefe, has a lodgin’ house, just off the Bowery. I saw her last night, and she says she’s got a good room that she can give you for two dollars a week—I don’t know how much you’d be willing to pay, but——”
 
“I can pay that for a time at least. I have a little money, and I must find some work to do soon. Is this Mrs. O’Keefe a nice lady?”
 
“She ain’t a lady at all,” answered Dodger, bluntly. “She keeps an apple-stand near the corner of Bowery and Grand Street; but she’s a good, respectable woman, and she’s good-hearted. She’ll be kind to you, and try to make things pleasant; but if you ain’t satisfied——”
 
“It will do for the present. Kindness is what I need, driven as I am from the home of my childhood. But you, Dodger, where do you live?”
 
“I’m goin’ to take a small room in the same house, Miss Florence.”
 
“I shall be glad to have you near me.”
 
“I am proud to hear you say that. I’m a poor boy, and you’re a rich lady, but——”
 
“Not rich, Dodger. I am as poor as yourself.”
 
“You’re a reg’lar lady, anyway. You ain’t one of my kind, but I’m going to improve and raise myself. I was readin’ the other day of a rich man that was once a poor boy, and sold papers like me. But there’s one thing in the way—I ain’t got no eddication.”
 
“You can read and write, can’t you, Dodger?”
 
“Yes; I can read pretty well, but I can’t write much.”
 
“I will teach you in the evenings, when we are both at leisure.”
 
“Will you?” asked the boy, with a glad smile. “You’re very kind—I’d like a teacher like you.”
 
“Then it’s a bargain, Dodger,” and Florence’s face for the first time lost its sad look, as she saw an opportunity of helping one who had befriended her. “But you must promise to study faithfully.”
 
“That I will. If I don’t, I’ll give you leave to lick me.”
 
“I shan’t forget that,” said Florence, amused. “I will buy a ruler of good hard wood, and then you must look out. But, tell me, where have you lived hitherto?”
 
“I don’t like to tell you, Miss Florence. I’ve lived ever since I was a kid with a man named Tim Bolton. He keeps a saloon on the Bowery, near Houston Street. It’s a tough place, I tell you. I’ve got a bed in one corner—it’s tucked away in a closet in the day.”
 
“I suppose it is a drinking saloon?”
 
“Yes, that’s what it is.”
 
“And kept open very late?”
 
“Pretty much all night.”
 
“Is this Tim Bolton any relation of yours?”
 
“He says he’s my father; but I don’t believe it.”
 
“Have you always lived with him?”
 
“Ever since I was a small kid.”
 
“Have you always lived in New York?”
 
“No; I was out in Australia. Tim was out in the country part of the time, and part of the time he kept a saloon in Melbourne. There was thieves and burglars used to come into his place. I knew what they were, though they didn’t think I did.”
 
“How terrible for a boy to be subjected to such influences.”
 
“But I’ve made up my mind I won’t live with Tim no longer. I can earn my own livin’ sellin’ papers, or smashin’ baggage, and keep away from Tim. I’d have done it before if I’d had a friend like you to care for me.”
 
“We will stand by each other, Dodger. Heaven knows I need a friend, and if I can be a friend to you, and help you, I will.”
 
“We’ll get out here, Miss Florence. I told Mrs. O’Keefe I’d call at her stand, and she’ll go over and show you your room.”
 
They left the car at the corner of Grand Street, and Dodger led the way to an apple-stand, presided over by a lady of ample proportions, whose broad, Celtic face seemed to indicate alike shrewd good sense and a kindly10 spirit.
 
“Mrs. O’Keefe,” said Dodger, “this is the young lady I spoke11 to you about—Miss Florence Linden.”
 
“It’s welcome you are, my dear, and I’m very glad to make your acquaintance. You look like a rale leddy, and I don’t know how you’ll like the room I’ve got for you.”
 
“I cannot afford to be particular, Mrs. O’Keefe. I have had a—a reverse of circumstances, and I must be content with an humble12 home.”
 
“Then I’ll go over and show it to you. Here, Kitty, come and mind the stand,” she called to a girl about thirteen across the street, “and don’t let anybody steal the apples. Look out for Jimmy Mahone, he stole a couple of apples right under my nose this mornin’, the young spalpeen!”
 
As they were crossing the street, a boy of fourteen ran up to Dodger.
 
“Dodger,” said he, “you’d better go right over to Tim Bolton’s. He’s in an awful stew—says he’ll skin you alive if you don’t come to the s’loon right away.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
2 sundering ee55e203f638b8a916aff56de5f748ed     
v.隔开,分开( sunder的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Where were now her discreet plans for sundering their lives for ever? 现在,她那个考虑周到的永远斩断他们之间生活联系的计划哪里去了呢? 来自辞典例句
3 dodger Ku9z0c     
n.躲避者;躲闪者;广告单
参考例句:
  • They are tax dodgers who hide their interest earnings.他们是隐瞒利息收入的逃税者。
  • Make sure she pays her share she's a bit of a dodger.她自己的一份一定要她付清--她可是有点能赖就赖。
4 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
5 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
参考例句:
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
6 manly fBexr     
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地
参考例句:
  • The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
  • He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务,并希望别人效之。
7 attired 1ba349e3c80620d3c58c9cc6c01a7305     
adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服,使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 dime SuQxv     
n.(指美国、加拿大的钱币)一角
参考例句:
  • A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
  • The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。
9 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
10 kindly tpUzhQ     
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。
11 spoke XryyC     
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
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
12 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。


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