CHAPTER IX. NEW PLANS FOR CHESTER.

 Two days later Chester found another letter from Mr. Conrad at the post office. In it were two bills—a ten and a five.

 

Mr. Conrad wrote:

 

"I have disposed of your two sketches² to the same paper. The publisher offered me fifteen dollars for the two, and I thought it best to accept. Have you ever thought of coming to New York to live? You would be more favorably placed for disposing of your sketches, and would find more subjects in a large city than in a small village. The fear is that, if you continue to live in Wyncombe, you will exhaust your invention.

 

"There is one objection, the precarious³ nature of the business. You might sometimes go a month, perhaps, without selling a sketch¹, and meanwhile your expenses would go on. I think, however, that I have found a way of obviating⁴ this objection. I have a friend—Mr. Bushnell—who is in the real estate business, and he will take you into his office on my recommendation. He will pay you five dollars a week if he finds you satisfactory. This will afford you a steady income, which you can supplement by your art work. If you decide to accept my suggestion come to New York next Saturday, and you can stay with me over Sunday, and go to work on Monday morning.

 

"Your sincere friend,

 

"Herbert Conrad."

 

Chester read this letter in a tumult⁵ of excitement. The great city had always had a fascination⁶ for him, and he had hoped, without much expectation of the hope being realized, that he might one day find employment there. Now the opportunity had come, but could he accept it? The question arose, How would his mother get along in his absence? She would be almost entirely⁷ without income. Could he send her enough from the city to help her along?

 

He went to his mother and showed her the letter.

 

"Fifteen dollars!" she exclaimed. "Why, that is fine, Chester. I shall begin to be proud of you. Indeed, I am proud of you now."

 

"I can hardly realize it myself, mother. I won't get too much elated, for it may not last. What do you think of Mr. Conrad's proposal?"

 

"To go to New York?"

 

"Yes."

 

Mrs. Rand's countenance⁸ fell.

 

"I don't see how I can spare you, Chester," she said, soberly.

 

"If there were any chance of making a living in Wyncombe, it would be different."

 

"You might go back to Mr. Tripp's store."

 

"After he had charged me with stealing? No, mother, I will never serve Silas Tripp again."

 

"There might be some other chance."

 

"But there isn't, mother. By the way, I heard at the post office that the shoe manufactory will open again in three weeks."

 

"That's good news. I shall have some more binding⁹ to do."

 

"And I can send you something every week from New York."

 

"But I will be so lonely, Chester, with no one else in the house."

 

"That is true, mother."

 

"But I won't let that stand in the way. You may have prospects¹⁰ in New York. You have none here."

 

"And, as Mr. Conrad says, I am likely to run out of subjects for sketches."

 

"I think I shall have to give my consent, then."

 

"Thank you, mother," said Chester, joyfully¹¹. "I will do what I can to pay you for the sacrifice you are making."

 

Just then the doorbell rang.

 

"It is Mr. Gardener, the lawyer," said Chester, looking from the window.

 

A moment later he admitted the lawyer.

 

"Well, Chester," said Mr. Gardener, pleasantly, "have you disposed of your lots in Tacoma yet?"

 

"No, Mr. Gardener. In fact, I had almost forgotten about them."

 

"Sometime they may prove valuable."

 

"I wish it might be soon."

 

"I fancy you will have to wait a few years. By the time you are twenty-one you may come into a competence¹²."

 

"I won't think of it till then."

 

"That's right. Work as if you had nothing to look forward to."

 

"You don't want to take me into your office and make a lawyer of me, Mr. Gardener, do you?"

 

"Law in Wyncombe does not offer any inducements. If I depended on my law business, I should fare poorly, but thanks to a frugal¹³ and industrious¹⁴ father, I have a fair income outside of my earnings¹⁵. Mrs. Rand, my visit this morning is to you. How would you like to take a boarder?"

 

Chester and his mother looked surprised.

 

"Who is it, Mr. Gardener?"

 

"I have a cousin, a lady of forty, who thinks of settling down in Wyncombe. She thinks country air will be more favorable to her health than the city."

 

"Probably she is used to better accommodations than she would find here."

 

"My cousin will be satisfied with a modest home."

 

"We have but two chambers¹⁶, mine and Chester's."

 

"But you know, mother, I am going to New York to work."

 

"That's true; your room will be vacant."

 

Mr. Gardener looked surprised.

 

"Isn't this something new," he asked, "about you going to New York, I mean?"

 

"Yes, sir; that letter from Mr. Conrad will explain all."

 

Mr. Gardener read the letter attentively¹⁷.

 

"I think the plan a good one," he said. "You will find that you will work better in a great city. Then, if my cousin comes, your mother will not be so lonesome."

 

"It is the very thing," said Chester, enthusiastically.

 

"What is your cousin's name, Mr. Gardener?" asked the widow.

 

"Miss Jane Dolby. She is a spinster, and at her age there is not much chance of her changing her condition. Shall I write her that you will receive her?"

 

"Yes; I shall be glad to do so."

 

"And, as Miss Dolby is a business woman, she will expect me to tell her your terms."

 

"Will four dollars a week be too much?" asked Mrs. Rand, in a tone of hesitation¹⁸.

 

"Four dollars, my dear madam!"

 

"Do you consider it too much? I am afraid I could not afford to say less."

 

"I consider it too little. My cousin is a woman of means. I will tell her your terms are eight dollars a week including washing."

 

"But will she be willing to pay so much?"

 

"She pays twelve dollars a week in the city, and could afford to pay more. She is not mean, but is always willing to pay a good price."

 

"I can manage very comfortably on that sum," said Mrs. Rand, brightening up. "I hope I shall be able to make your cousin comfortable."

 

"I am sure of it. Miss Dolby is a very sociable¹⁹ lady, and if you are willing to hear her talk she will be content."

 

"She will keep me from feeling lonesome."

 

When Mr. Gardener left the house, Chester said: "All things seem to be working in aid of my plans, mother, I feel much more comfortable now that you will have company."

 

"Besides, Chester, you will not need to send me any money. The money Miss Dolby pays me will be sufficient to defray the expenses of the table, and I shall still have some time for binding shoes."

 

"Then I hope I may be able to save some money."

 

During the afternoon Chester went to the store to buy groceries. Mr. Tripp himself filled the order. He seemed disposed to be friendly.

 

"Your money holds out well, Chester," he said, as he made change for a two-dollar bill.

 

"Yes, Mr. Tripp."

 

"I can't understand it, for my part. Your mother must be a good manager."

 

"Yes, Mr. Tripp, she is."

 

"You'd orter come back to work for me, Chester."

 

"But you have got a boy already."

 

"The Wood boy ain't worth shucks. He ain't got no push, and he's allus forgettin' his errands. If you'll come next Monday I'll pay you two dollars and a half a week. That's pooty good for these times."

 

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Tripp, but I am going to work somewhere else."

 

"Where?" asked Silas, in great surprise.

 

"In New York," answered Chester, proudly.

 

"You don't say! How'd you get it?"

 

"Mr. Conrad, an artist, a friend of the minister, got it for me."

 

"Is your mother willin' to have you go?"

 

"She will miss me, but she thinks it will be for my advantage."

 

"How's she goin' to live? It will take all you can earn to pay your own way in a big city. In fact, I don't believe you can do it."

 

"I'll try, Mr. Tripp."

 

Chester did not care to mention the new boarder that was expected, as he thought it probable that Mr. Tripp, who always looked out for his own interests, would try to induce Miss Dolby to board with him. As Mr. Tripp had the reputation of keeping a very poor table, he had never succeeded in retaining a boarder over four weeks.

 

Chester found that his clothing needed replenishing, and ventured to spend five dollars for small articles, such as handkerchiefs, socks, etc. Saturday morning he walked to the depot²⁰ with a small gripsack in his hand and bought a ticket for New York.

1 sketch   

n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述

参考例句：

• My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
• I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。

2 sketches   

n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概

参考例句：

• The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。
• You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

4 obviating   

v.避免，消除（贫困、不方便等）( obviate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Citigroup posted a net loss in 2008, obviating a percentage comparison. 花旗集团净亏损在2008年，排除的百分比比较。 来自互联网
• Objective To observe the curative effect of heavy-oxygen-enriched water (HOEW) on obviating acute high altitude reaction. 目的研究富氧水对急性高原反应的预防作用。 来自互联网

5 tumult   

n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹

参考例句：

• The tumult in the streets awakened everyone in the house.街上的喧哗吵醒了屋子里的每一个人。
• His voice disappeared under growing tumult.他的声音消失在越来越响的喧哗声中。

6 fascination   

n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋

参考例句：

• He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
• His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

7 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

8 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

9 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

10 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

11 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

12 competence   

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

• This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
• These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。

13 frugal   

adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的

参考例句：

• He was a VIP,but he had a frugal life.他是位要人，但生活俭朴。
• The old woman is frugal to the extreme.那老妇人节约到了极点。

14 industrious   

adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的

参考例句：

• If the tiller is industrious,the farmland is productive.人勤地不懒。
• She was an industrious and willing worker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。

15 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

16 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

17 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

19 sociable   

adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的

参考例句：

• Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
• Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。

20 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。