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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Adventures of a Telegraph Boy or 'Number 91' » CHAPTER XV. BARCLAY GETS INTO BUSINESS.
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CHAPTER XV. BARCLAY GETS INTO BUSINESS.
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“You’re getting on finely, old fellow,” said James Barclay to himself, as he left the tenement1 house, and steered2 toward Broadway. “I managed that old woman skillfully, and got all the information I want. I think, Jerry Barclay, you won’t long elude3 me. I shall have no trouble now in finding the telegraph boy, and then I shall soon be face to face with the old man.”
Arrived at Printing House Square, he struck across the City Hall Park, the other side of which is skirted by Broadway.
Sitting on one of the benches was a man rather showily dressed, with a red blotched face, and an indefinable expression that stamped him as one who lived by his wits, rather than by honest toil4. As Barclay’s glance rested upon him, he uttered an exclamation5 of surprise.
“Bill Slocum, is that you?” he said.
“Jim Barclay, as I’m a sinner,” said the other, rising and extending a rough hand, on one of whose fingers sparkled a ring, set with what might have been a diamond, but was probably paste. “And how is the world using you, old pal6?”
“Rough,” answered Barclay. “The old man’s gone back on me, and my own wife made a great fuss because I wanted to borrow a dollar. Sometimes I think I was better off in our old boarding place up the river.”
[86]
Bill Slocum was one of his fellow boarders up at Sing Sing.
“The world owes you a living, Barclay,” said his friend.
“So it does, but how’s a chap going to collect his claim? That’s what I’d like to know.”
“O, well, there’s ways if you only know how,” said Slocum, rather enigmatically.
“How are you makin’ it yourself?” asked Barclay, curiously7.
“I get enough to eat and drink and wear. I ain’t in no anxiety about livin’.”
“How do you do it?”
“Just look at that!”
Bill Slocum drew from his pocket a roll of bills, and held it up for his companion to see. It was a thick roll, and amounted to a fair sum, even if the denominations8 were small.
“How’d you get all that?” asked Barclay.
“There’s more where they come from,” answered Slocum.
“Are there any for me?” asked Barclay, eagerly.
“Yes, if I introduce you.”
“You’ll do it, Slocum, won’t you?”
“Yes, if you want me to. But, first, a word in your ear.”
He rose from his seat, and withdrew to a place where he would not be heard.
“They’re flimsies,” he said, briefly9.
“Oh!” ejaculated Barclay, looking a trifle disappointed.
He understood that they were not genuine bills, but counterfeit10.
“Well, and what if they are?” said Slocum, reading his expression.
“There’s a risk about it.”
“Nothin’ venture, nothin’ have, as my old grandmother[87] used to say. Just be foxy, and you won’t get caught. I’m making a good living off of it, myself.”
“What commission do you get for passing them?”
“Fifty cents on a dollar. That’s liberal, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that is liberal,” Barclay admitted. “Have you made anything today?”
“Have I? Well, I reckon I have.”
“How much?”
“I’ve passed a ten and a five.”
“And that gives you seven and a half for your share?”
“Right you are, Barclay. Your knowledge of arithmetic does credit to your education. It’s plain your respected parent took great pains with your trainin’.”
“My respected parent,” repeated Barclay, frowning, “is about the meanest old skinflint you’ll find within a hundred miles. I found him out yesterday, and let him know that I was going to call again today, to raise a loan, but when I called the old fox was gone bag and baggage.”
“A shabby way to treat his offspring. I pity you, Jim. So you are left to the tender mercies of the world.”
“I don’t find ’em very tender,” growled11 Barclay. “Do you see that?” and he drew from his pocket about forty cents in change.
“Yes, but it doesn’t dazzle me.”
“It’s all the money I have in the world.”
“Then you’d better join me.”
Barclay hesitated.
“I don’t quite like it. I don’t care about going up the river again too soon.”
“You needn’t, if you are careful. I’ll give you a few points. If one of your bills is found out, you are at once searched to see if you have any more.”
“There’s the danger.”
[88]
“So there is, but you can guard against it. When I am preparing to offer a bill, I put a number of good bills in my vest pocket, where they will be certain to be found at once. The other counterfeits12 I put in a secret inside pocket where they are not likely to be discovered. Then when it is found that all the other bills are good, I say that some rascal13 must have passed the bad bill on me, taking advantage of my innocence14 and ignorance of the world.”
This seemed to Barclay an excellent joke, and he laughed long and loud.
“Excuse me, Bill, but you don’t look it.”
“I can when it’s necessary.”
After a little more conversation Barclay, who was already half convinced, yielded to the temptation, and agreed to accompany his friend to the secret office of the counterfeiters, and enroll15 himself as one of their agents. Slocum offered to conduct him within at once.
The interview proved a satisfactory one, and Barclay was readily accepted, being vouched16 for by his friend and companion. It may be said also that his appearance was in his favor, though it would hardly have recommended him for any honest business.
When Barclay came out of the office, and again found himself on Broadway, his spirits were perceptibly raised. He was no longer impecunious17, but carried with him fifty dollars in counterfeit bills.
“Well, good by, Jim,” said Slocum. “It is best for us to part, and not work near each other. Then again, it is best not to recognize each other when we meet, so that if one gets into a scrape the other need not be molested18.”
“All right, Slocum. Success to you!”
James Barclay walked up Broadway, when all at once he uttered a half exclamation indicative of astonishment19.
 
He was nearly face to face with a telegraph boy, in whom he recognized the resolute20 lad who had foiled him in his attempt at burglary. But this was not all. On the boy’s cap he recognized, with amazement21, the distinctive22 inscription23:
A. D. T.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 tenement Egqzd5     
n.公寓;房屋
参考例句:
  • They live in a tenement.他们住在廉价公寓里。
  • She felt very smug in a tenement yard like this.就是在个这样的杂院里,她觉得很得意。
2 steered dee52ce2903883456c9b7a7f258660e5     
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 );操纵;控制;引导
参考例句:
  • He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。
  • The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 elude hjuzc     
v.躲避,困惑
参考例句:
  • If you chase it,it will elude you.如果你追逐着它, 它会躲避你。
  • I had dared and baffled his fury.I must elude his sorrow.我曾经面对过他的愤怒,并且把它挫败了;现在我必须躲避他的悲哀。
4 toil WJezp     
vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事
参考例句:
  • The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
  • Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。
5 exclamation onBxZ     
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词
参考例句:
  • He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
  • The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号,以引起读者的注意。
6 pal j4Fz4     
n.朋友,伙伴,同志;vi.结为友
参考例句:
  • He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。
  • Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着,小子,我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。
7 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
8 denominations f2a750794effb127cad2d6b3b9598654     
n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 );教派;面额;名称
参考例句:
  • Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
  • The service was attended by Christians of all denominations. 这次礼拜仪式各教派的基督徒都参加了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 briefly 9Styo     
adv.简单地,简短地
参考例句:
  • I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
  • He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
10 counterfeit 1oEz8     
vt.伪造,仿造;adj.伪造的,假冒的
参考例句:
  • It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
  • The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远,实际是最近的一幅赝品。
11 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 counterfeits 617c71c9e347e377e2a63606fdefec84     
v.仿制,造假( counterfeit的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Objects and people looked like counterfeits of themselves. 各种人和事好象都给自己披上了伪装。 来自辞典例句
  • We have seen many counterfeits, but we are born believers in great men. 我们见过许多骗子,但是我们天生信赖伟人。 来自辞典例句
13 rascal mAIzd     
n.流氓;不诚实的人
参考例句:
  • If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做,我就认为他是个恶棍。
  • The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。
14 innocence ZbizC     
n.无罪;天真;无害
参考例句:
  • There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
  • The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。
15 enroll Pogxx     
v.招收;登记;入学;参军;成为会员(英)enrol
参考例句:
  • I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
  • They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。
16 vouched 409b5f613012fe5a63789e2d225b50d6     
v.保证( vouch的过去式和过去分词 );担保;确定;确定地说
参考例句:
  • He vouched his words by his deeds. 他用自己的行动证明了自己的言辞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Have all those present been vouched for? 那些到场的人都有担保吗? 来自互联网
17 impecunious na1xG     
adj.不名一文的,贫穷的
参考例句:
  • He is impecunious,does not know anyone who can lend mony.他身无分文,也不认识任何可以借钱的人。
  • They are independent,impecunious and able to tolerate all degrees of discomfort.他们独立自主,囊中羞涩,并且能够忍受各种不便。
18 molested 8f5dc599e4a1e77b1bcd0dfd65265f28     
v.骚扰( molest的过去式和过去分词 );干扰;调戏;猥亵
参考例句:
  • The bigger children in the neighborhood molested the younger ones. 邻居家的大孩子欺负小孩子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He molested children and was sent to jail. 他猥亵儿童,进了监狱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
19 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
20 resolute 2sCyu     
adj.坚决的,果敢的
参考例句:
  • He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
  • The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。
21 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
22 distinctive Es5xr     
adj.特别的,有特色的,与众不同的
参考例句:
  • She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
  • This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。
23 inscription l4ZyO     
n.(尤指石块上的)刻印文字,铭文,碑文
参考例句:
  • The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损,无法辨认了。
  • He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。


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