CHAPTER XV. A PLOT AGAINST CHESTER.

 The more the bookkeeper thought of it, the more he was of the opinion that Chester must have had something to do with the events that led to his discovery and humiliation¹. Otherwise, how could James Long have recovered the receipt? He, himself, had found it and kept it in his possession. Chester must have chanced upon the receipt and carried it to Long.

 

Though well convinced of it, he wished to find out positively². Accordingly, he took his cousin Felix into his confidence as far as was necessary, and sent him to the room of the mechanic to find out whether Chester had been there.

 

It was the middle of the forenoon when Felix knocked at the door of James Long's humble³ home.

 

Mrs. Long, with the baby in her arms, answered the knock.

 

"Is this Mrs. Long?" asked Felix.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I am the friend of Chester Rand."

 

"I don't think I know Mr. Rand," said Mrs. Long, who had not heard Chester's name.

 

"The boy from Mr. Fairchild's office. He called here, I believe, one day last week."

 

"Oh, yes and a good friend he was to me and mine."

 

"In what way?" asked Felix, his face lighting⁴ with satisfaction at the discovery he had made.

 

"He brought my husband the receipt he had lost. Didn't he tell you?"

 

"Oh, yes. I wasn't thinking of that. He asked me to inquire if he left his gloves here?"

 

"I haven't found any. I should have seen them if he left them here."

 

"All right. I will tell him. He thought he might have left them. Good morning, ma'am."

 

And Felix hurried downstairs. He was not partial to poor people or tenement⁵ houses, and he was glad to get away.

 

He reached the office in time to go out to lunch with the bookkeeper.

 

"Well?" asked Mullins, eagerly. "Did you go to Long's?"

 

"Yes."

 

"What did you find out?"

 

"I found out that your office boy had been there and carried them the receipt."

 

"The young—viper! So he is trying to undermine me in the office. Well, he'll live to regret it," and the bookkeeper shook his head vigorously.

 

"I'd get even with him if I were you, Cousin David."

 

"Trust me for that! I generally pay off all debts of that kind."

 

"How will you do it?" asked Felix, curiously⁶.

 

"I don't know yet. Probably I'll get him into some bad scrape that will secure his discharge."

 

"And then you'll get me into the place?"

 

"I am afraid I can't. I am not on good terms with Mr. Fairchild, and my recommendation won't do you much good, even if I do manage to get rid of Chester."

 

"Then I don't see how I am going to be benefited by working for you," said Felix, dissatisfied.

 

"I'll pay you in some way. To begin with, here's a dollar. This is for your errand of this morning."

 

"Thank you, Cousin David," said Felix, pocketing the bill with an air of satisfaction. "I think I'll go to Daly's Theater to-night. Father doesn't give me much spending money—only twenty-five cents a week, and what's a fellow to do with such a beggarly sum as that?"

 

"It is more than I had at your age."

 

"The world has progressed since then. A boy needs more pocket money now than he did fifteen years ago. How soon shall you try to get even with that boy?"

 

"I think it will be prudent⁷ to wait a while. Mr. Fairchild may suspect something if I move too soon. The boy has been with us less than a week."

 

"He has been with you long enough to do some harm."

 

"That's true," said Mullins, with an ugly look.

 

"Does he seem to suit Mr. Fairchild?"

 

"Yes; he appears to be intelligent, and he attends to his duties—worse luck!—but he's a thorn in my side, a thorn in my side! I'd give twenty-five dollars if he was out of the office."

 

"Do you want me to break off acquaintance with him?"

 

"No; keep on good terms with him. Let him think you are his intimate friend. It will give me a chance to plot against him—through you."

1 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

2 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

3 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

4 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

5 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。

6 curiously   

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。

7 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。