CHAPTER XXXVIII. CONCLUSION.

 Three months passed, during which Paul faithfully attended to his duties as a telegraph boy. He was held in high consideration by the superintendent¹, who was very naturally influenced by the fact that Paul had made so many influential² friends.

But the time was coming when he would no longer be Number 91.

One night he received a note signed Eliot Wade³, asking him to call in the evening at the Albemarle Hotel. He presented himself promptly⁴, and was cordially greeted by the young man from St. Louis, to whom he had rendered an important service.

“I am glad to see you, Paul,” said the young man.

“And I am glad you have not forgotten me, Mr. Wade.”

“There was no danger of that. Well, Paul, I have come to New York for the purpose I mentioned to you—that of starting a branch establishment here.”

“Have you secured a store, sir?”

“Yes, I shall be located at —— Broadway.”

“That is a fine location.”

“I hope it will prove so. And now, Paul, are you engaged—in business, I mean?” he added, smiling.

“I am still a telegraph boy—Number 91.”

“Will you resign your position, and enter my service?”

[204]

“Willingly, sir. In a year or two I shall be too old for a telegraph boy, and it will be well to learn some business. I suppose you will not want me for some time.”

“On the contrary, I need you at once. There will be a good deal of work attendant upon getting started, and I shall find plenty of work for you.”

“I shall be glad to begin next Monday, sir. I don’t want to leave the telegraph office without notice.”

“Very well; let it be so. Will twelve dollars a week satisfy you at first?”

“Do you really mean it, Mr. Wade?” asked Paul, in surprise.

“Certainly.”

“But I shan’t earn so much.”

“Leave that to me,” said the young man, smiling. “I intend to have you earn that sum, and more next year.”

Paul expressed his gratitude⁵, and immediately gave notice at the telegraph office that he was about to leave.

“I expected it, Number 91,” said the superintendent, “knowing what powerful friends you had secured. I am sorry to lose you, but I wish you success and prosperity in your new business.”

Paul thought best to make some change in his residence. He had already secured a separate room for himself in the old tenement⁶ house, Jerry’s sickness making it necessary. Now he persuaded old Jerry to pay the rent of a modest flat up town, to which he and James Barclay’s family removed. Paul hired a room not far away.

The location was not far from Central Park, and the better air and diet very much improved the health of the old man, who has become less miserly, and finds comfort in the society of his son’s family.

[205]

Paul makes frequent calls on Mr. Cunningham, who receives him as a valued friend. Whether Paul’s partiality for Jennie Cunningham will lead to anything when he gets older, I must leave the reader to conjecture⁷. It must be remembered that he is no longer a telegraph boy, but a rising young business man.

Mrs. Granville retains her partiality for him, and makes no secret of the fact that she has remembered Paul in her will. Paul would be surprised if he knew the legacy⁸ he is to receive; but he wisely keeps the matter out of his thoughts, and earnestly hopes the old lady may live many years yet.

It is rather a curious circumstance that Mark Sterling⁹ is employed as a boy in the same establishment where Paul is a clerk.

When Mark applied¹⁰ for the place he was not aware that the telegraph boy, upon whom he had looked down so scornfully, was also employed there. When he found it out, and that Paul was above him, he was tempted¹¹ to resign; but the place was a good one, and he decided¹² to wait awhile. He feared Paul would retaliate¹³ upon him, but he was soon undeceived.

The ex telegraph boy treated him so cordially, and showed such an obliging spirit, that Mark was won in spite of himself, and the two became friends. I have no doubt that the improved social condition of Paul, and the prospect¹⁴ that Mrs. Granville would leave him a legacy, influenced Mark. At any rate, he has now become a friend of Number 91.

The telegraph boys who used to serve in the same office with Paul are proud to point him out as a graduate of the office, and his rise in life encourages them to hope for future advancement¹⁵.

“I have had many boys in the office,” said the superintendent on a recent occasion, “but never one that came up to Number 91.”

THE END.

1 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

2 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

3 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

4 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

5 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

6 tenement   

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。

7 conjecture   

n./v.推测，猜测

参考例句：

• She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。
• This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。

8 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

9 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

10 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

11 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

13 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

14 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

15 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。