CHAPTER XIV. THE TABLES TURNED.

 Under ordinary circumstances, Chester would have handed the receipt to the bookkeeper, but he was convinced that it was the purpose of Mr. Mullins to defraud¹ the tenant² out of a month's rent, and he felt that it would not be in the interest of the latter for him to put this power in the hands of the enemy. Obviously the receipt belonged to James Long, who had lost it.

 

Fortunately, Chester had the address of the mechanic on East Twentieth Street, and he resolved, though it would cost him quite a walk, to call and give him the paper. In twenty minutes after locking the office he found himself in front of a large tenement³ house, which was occupied by a great number of families. He found that Long lived on the third floor back.

 

He knocked at the door. It was opened to him by a woman of forty, who had a babe in her arms, while another—a little girl—was holding onto her dress.

 

"Does Mr. James Long live here?" asked Chester.

 

"Yes."

 

"Is he at home?"

 

"No, but I am expecting him home from work every minute. Will you come in, or shall I give him your message?"

 

"Perhaps I had better see him, if it won't inconvenience you."

 

"Oh, no, if you will excuse my poor rooms," said Mrs. Long, pleasantly.

 

"I am poor myself, and am not used to fine rooms."

 

"Take the rocking-chair," said Mrs. Long, offering him the best chair in the room. "If you will excuse me, I will go on preparing my husband's supper."

 

"Certainly. Shall I take the baby?"

 

"Oh, I wouldn't like to trouble you."

 

"I like babies."

 

Chester had seen that the baby's face was clean, and that it looked attractive. Babies know their friends instinctively⁴, and this particular baby was soon in a frolic with its young guardian⁵.

 

"I guess you are used to babies," said the mother, pleased.

 

"No, I am the only baby in my family, but I am fond of children."

 

I may remark here that manly⁶ boys generally do like children, and I haven't much respect for those who will tease or tyrannize over them.

 

In ten minutes a heavy step was heard on the stairs, and James Long entered. His face was sober, for, after his interview with Chester Rand—he had not had time for a second call—he began to fear that he should have to pay his month's rent over again, and this to him would involve a severe loss.

 

He looked with surprise at Chester, not immediately recognizing him.

 

"I come from Mr. Fairchild's office," explained Chester.

 

"Oh, yes; I remember seeing you there. Has the receipt been found?" he added, eagerly.

 

"Yes."

 

James Long looked very much relieved.

 

"I am very glad," he sighed. "Mr. Mullins wouldn't have believed me. What does he say now?"

 

"He doesn't know that the receipt is found."

 

"How is that?" asked the mechanic, puzzled.

 

"I found it after Mr. Mullins went away."

 

"Where did you find it?"

 

"In the clothes closet, just under where Mr. Mullins hangs his coat," added Chester, significantly.

 

"And you bring it to me?"

 

"Yes, it belongs to you. Besides, after what I heard, I didn't dare to trust it in the hands of the bookkeeper."

 

"I see you think the same of him as I do."

 

"I don't like him."

 

"You think he meant to cheat me?"

 

"It looks like it."

 

"I am all right now. What do you think I had better do?"

 

"Come round to-morrow, but don't show the receipt unless Mr. Fairchild is in the office. He is a very different man from Mr. Mullins. The bookkeeper might still play a trick upon you?"

 

"I believe you're right. Shall I tell him how you found and gave me back the receipt?"

 

"No; let Mr. Mullins puzzle over it. It is fortunate he didn't destroy the receipt, or you would have had no resource."

 

"You're a smart boy, and I'll take your advice. How long have you been in the office?"

 

"This is my first day," answered Chester, smiling.

 

"Well, well! I couldn't have believed it. You will make a smart business man. You've been a good friend to James Long, and he won't forget it. I say, wife, perhaps this young gentleman will stay to supper."

 

"Thank you," answered Chester. "I would, but I am to meet a friend uptown at six o'clock. It is so late," he added, looking at the clock on the mantel, "that I must go at once."

 

When Chester met his friend the artist, he told him of what had happened.

 

"That Mullins is evidently a rascal⁷, and a very mean one," said Mr. Conrad. "If I were going to defraud anyone, it wouldn't be a poor mechanic."

 

"Mr. Mullins has already taken a dislike to me. If he should discover that I have found the receipt and given it to Mr. Long, he would hate me even worse."

 

"You must look out for him. He will bear watching."

 

"I wish he were more like Mr. Fairchild. He seems a fair, honorable man."

 

"He is. I don't understand why he should employ such a fellow as Mullins."

 

"Perhaps he hasn't found him out."

 

"Mullins will find it hard to explain this matter. Let me know how it comes out. I suppose Long will call at the office to-morrow?"

 

"Yes; I advised him to."

 

The next day, about twenty minutes after twelve, James Long entered the office. He looked about him anxiously, and, to his relief, saw that Mr. Fairchild was present. He went up to the table where the broker⁸ was seated.

 

"I came about my rent," he said.

 

"You can speak to Mr. Mullins," said the broker, going on with his writing.

 

"I would rather speak with you, sir."

 

"How is that?" asked Mr. Fairchild, his attention excited.

 

"I will tell you, sir," said the bookkeeper, with an ugly look. "This man came here yesterday and declined to pay his rent, because, he said, he had paid it already."

 

"And I had," said Long, quietly. "I am a mechanic on small wages, and I can't afford to pay my rent twice."

 

"Did you pay the rent to Mr. Mullins?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"When?"

 

"Day before yesterday."

 

"Then he gave you a receipt?"

 

"He did, sir."

 

"It seems to me that than settles the question. Did you give him a receipt, Mr. Mullins?"

 

"If I had, he could show it now. He says that he left it behind in the office here. Of course, that's too thin!"

 

"It is very important to take good care of your receipt, Mr. Long."

 

"Did you ever lose or mislay a receipt, sir?"

 

"Yes, I have on two or three occasions."

 

"So that I am not the only one to whom it has happened."

 

"Mr. Mullins, did Mr. Long come to the office on the day when he says he paid the rent?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"And he didn't pay it?"

 

"No, sir. He said he hadn't the money, but would bring it in a few days."

 

James Long listened in indignant astonishment⁹.

 

"That is untrue, sir. I made no excuse, but handed Mr. Mullins the amount in full."

 

"There is a very extraordinary discrepancy¹⁰ in your statements. You say that he wrote out a receipt?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"It is a pity that you can't produce it."

 

"Yes," chimed in Mullins, with a sneer¹¹, "it is unlucky that you cannot produce it."

 

Then came a sensation.

 

"I can produce it," said Long. "The receipt has been found," and he drew out the slip of paper and passed it to Mr. Fairchild.

 

The face of Mullins was a study. His amazement¹² was deep and genuine.

 

"It must be a forgery," he said. "Mr. Long can't possibly have a receipt."

 

"You are mistaken," said Mr. Fairchild. "The receipt and the signature are genuine, and it is written on one of our letter heads."

 

Mullins took the receipt and faltered¹³:

 

"I don't understand it."

 

"Nor do I," said the broker, sternly. "Did you make any entry on the books?"

 

"I—I don't remember."

 

"Show me the record."

 

Mr. Fairchild opened the book, and saw an entry made, but afterward¹⁴ erased¹⁵.

 

When the bookkeeper found the receipt on the table, a promising¹⁶ piece of rascality¹⁷ was suggested to him. He would keep the money himself, and conceal¹⁸ the record.

 

"Mr. Long," said the broker, "here is your receipt. It is clear that you have paid your rent. You will have no more trouble."

 

Then, as the mechanic left the office, the broker, turning to the bookkeeper, said, sternly:

 

"Another such transaction, Mr. Mullins, and you leave my employ."

 

"But, sir——" stammered¹⁹ Mullins.

 

"You may spare your words. I understand the matter. If you had not been in my employ so long, I would discharge you at the end of this week."

 

Mullins went back to his desk, crushed and mortified²⁰. But his brain was busy with the thought, "Where could James Long have obtained the receipt?" He remembered having put it into the pocket of his overcoat, and it had disappeared.

 

"I was a fool that I didn't destroy it," he reflected.

1 defraud   

vt.欺骗，欺诈

参考例句：

• He passed himself off as the managing director to defraud the bank.他假冒总经理的名义诈骗银行。
• He is implicated in the scheme to defraud the government.他卷入了这起欺骗政府的阴谋。

2 tenant   

n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用

参考例句：

• The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
• The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

3 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。

4 instinctively   

adv.本能地

参考例句：

• As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近，她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

6 manly   

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 rascal   

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。

8 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

9 astonishment   

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。

10 discrepancy   

n.不同；不符；差异；矛盾

参考例句：

• The discrepancy in their ages seemed not to matter.他们之间年龄的差异似乎没有多大关系。
• There was a discrepancy in the two reports of the accident.关于那次事故的两则报道有不一致之处。

11 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

12 amazement   

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。

13 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

14 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

15 erased   

v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除

参考例句：

• He erased the wrong answer and wrote in the right one. 他擦去了错误答案，写上了正确答案。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He removed the dogmatism from politics; he erased the party line. 他根除了政治中的教条主义，消除了政党界限。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

17 rascality   

流氓性，流氓集团

参考例句：

18 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

19 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

20 mortified   

v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等）

参考例句：

• She was mortified to realize he had heard every word she said. 她意识到自己的每句话都被他听到了，直羞得无地自容。
• The knowledge of future evils mortified the present felicities. 对未来苦难的了解压抑了目前的喜悦。 来自《简明英汉词典》