CHAPTER XXXIII. THE BLOW ABOUT TO FALL

 All this happened soon after Ben went away. His uncle did not write him of it, for he knew it would trouble the boy, and it could do no good. "No, wife," he said; "Ben will have a hard row of his own to hoe. He mustn't have any part nor lot in our troubles."

 

"It's very hard, Job, at our time of life," said Mrs. Stanton, despondently¹.

 

"So it is, wife, but it may turn out for the best, after all. I haven't given up hope that Mr. Richmond will pay the sum, so that I can take up the mortgage. I'm goin' to see him about it to-morrow."

 

Uncle Job left his work the next day, and walked five miles to the store of the man who had brought this calamity² upon him.

 

"I've come to see you, Mr. Richmond," he said,[Pg 261] wiping his forehead with his red cotton handkerchief, "about that money I've had to pay."

 

"Oh yes," said Richmond, with his usual suavity³. "I'm very sorry it happened so."

 

"It seems to me you didn't treat me just right," said poor Job.

 

"Such things will happen, you know, Mr. Stanton."

 

"But you said it was only a matter of form signin' the note?"

 

"Of course I so regarded it. I could have sworn I should be ready to pay when the note became due. You see, there was money owing to me that I couldn't collect."

 

"Didn't you know that was likely to happen when you tempted⁴ me to indorse the note?"

 

"It wasn't likely to happen, but it was possible. My plans miscarried, as any man's are liable to. If you were more used to business, Uncle Job, you'd see that I hadn't acted wrong in the matter."

 

"I don't understand the ways of business men, but I know you've done me a grievous wrong, John Richmond," said Job Stanton, gravely.[Pg 262] "I've come to ask if you can pay me back a part of that money."

 

"Well, I can't do it this morning. I've got two payments to make. You don't look at it in the right light, Uncle Job."

 

"I want my money," said the old man. "When can you give it to me?"

 

"Since you push me so hard, I can only say I don't know," said Richmond, dropping his soft tones and looking angry.

 

"Is that all the satisfaction you are goin' to give me? Don't you ever mean to pay me that money you've made me pay out on your account, mortgaging my house and risking my home?"

 

"Of course I shall pay you some time, but I can't say exactly when," said the trader, brusquely.

 

"Will you sign a note for the money at three months or six months, John Richmond?"

 

"No, I won't. You'll have to wait, Uncle Job, till I get ready to pay you; that's all about it. I may be ready next week, or it may not be till next month. A business-man can't always foresee how he'll be situated⁵ at any definite time."

 

[Pg 263]With this poor consolation⁶ Job Stanton had to rest content. He looked around him and saw every evidence of prosperity. Several customers were in the store, and the two clerks seemed to have as much as they could do. He saw money paid over for purchases in considerable amounts, and he felt that a part of it might be spared as a partial payment to him; but it was of no avail, and he turned sadly away.

 

The next week passed, and the next month passed, and Job Stanton waited vainly for a payment on account from John Richmond. He didn't like to judge the trader harshly, but it did seem as if he was quite indifferent in the matter. Another month passed, and Job made another visit to the store of his prosperous debtor⁷. Richmond wasted few words on him.

 

"Uncle Job," he said, "it's no use your coming over here. I'll send you the money when I can spare it."

 

Finally, six months passed, the mortgage became due, and Job received a notice from Major Sturgis that he wanted his money.

 

[Pg 264]"If you can't raise it," said the major, "I am willing to cancel the note, give you two hundred and fifty dollars, and take a deed of the place."

 

"That is only allowing seven hundred and fifty dollars for it," said poor Job.

 

"It's all it is worth," said the rich man, coldly. "If you prefer to put it up at auction⁸, I am willing, but you may in that case get less. I'll give you three days to decide."

 

There was great sorrow in Job Stanton's house that evening. Six months before he had considered himself well-to-do. Now, at the age of sixty, poverty and destitution⁹ stared him in the face.

 

1 despondently   

adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地

参考例句：

• It had come to that, he reflected despondently. 事情已经到了这个地步了，他沉思着，感到心灰意懒。 来自辞典例句
• He shook his head despondently. 他沮丧地摇摇头。 来自辞典例句

2 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

3 suavity   

n.温和；殷勤

参考例句：

• He's got a surface flow of suavity,but he's rough as a rasp underneath.他表面看来和和气气的，其实是个粗野狂暴的恶棍。
• But the well-bred,artificial smile,when he bent upon the guests,had its wonted steely suavity.但是他哈着腰向宾客招呼的那种彬彬有礼、故意装成的笑容里，却仍然具有它平时那种沉着的殷勤。

4 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。

5 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

6 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

7 debtor   

n.借方，债务人

参考例句：

• He crowded the debtor for payment.他催逼负债人还债。
• The court granted me a lien on my debtor's property.法庭授予我对我债务人财产的留置权。

8 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

9 destitution   

n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷

参考例句：

• The people lived in destitution. 民生凋敝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His drinking led him to a life of destitution. 酗酒导致他生活贫穷。 来自辞典例句