CHAPTER XXVII. IN THE DRESSING-ROOM.

 Mr. Rogers lived in a handsome brown-stone-front house up town.

 

As Dan approached, he saw the entire house brilliantly lighted. He passed beneath a canopy¹, over carpeted steps, to the front door, and rang the bell.

 

The door was opened by a stylish-looking colored man, whose grand air showed that he felt the importance and dignity of his position.

 

As Dan passed in he said:

 

"Gentlemen's dressing-room third floor back."

 

With a single glance through the open door at the lighted parlors², where several guests were already assembled, Dan followed directions, and went up stairs.

 

Entering the dressing-room, he saw a boy carefully arranging his hair before the glass.

 

"That's my friend, Tom Carver," said Dan to himself.

 

Tom was so busily engaged at his toilet that he didn't at once look at the new guest. When he had[Pg 196] leisure to look up, he seemed surprised, and remarked, superciliously⁴:

 

"I didn't expect to see you here."

 

"Why not?" demanded Dan, who understood his meaning.

 

"Are you engaged to look after this room? If so, just brush me."

 

"With all my heart, if you'll brush me," answered Dan, partly offended and partly amused.

 

"What do you mean?" demanded Tom, haughtily⁵.

 

"Just what I say. One good turn deserves another."

 

"Our positions are rather different, I think."

 

"How so? You are a guest of Miss Rogers, and so am I."

 

"You don't mean to say that you are going down into the parlor³?"

 

"Why not?"

 

"A boy who sells papers in front of the Astor House is not a suitable guest at a fashionable party."

 

"That is not your affair," said Dan, coldly. "But it is not true that I sell papers anywhere."

 

"Oh, I forgot. You're a shop-boy now. You used to sell papers, though."

 

"And I will again, if necessary," answered Dan, as he took Tom's place in front of the glass and began to arrange his toilet.

 

[Pg 197]

 

Then, for the first time, Tom took notice that Dan was dressed as well as himself, in a style with which the most captious⁶ critic could not find fault. Tom was both surprised and disappointed. He would have liked to see Dan in awkward, ill-fitting, or shabby clothes. It seemed to him that an ex-newsboy had no right to dress so well, and he was greatly puzzled to understand how he could afford it.

 

"Where did you borrow those clothes?" he asked, impudently⁷.

 

"Where did you borrow yours?" retorted Dan.

 

"Don't be saucy⁸."

 

"You set me the example."

 

"It is not remarkable⁹ that I should be well dressed. I can afford it."

 

"So can I," answered Dan, laconically¹⁰.

 

"Do you mean to say that you bought that suit and paid for it?"

 

"I do."

 

"It must have taken all your money."

 

"You are very kind to take so much interest in me. It may relieve your mind to see this."

 

Dan took a roll of bills from his pocket, and displayed them to the astonished Tom.

 

"I don't see where you got so much money," said Tom, mystified.

 

"I've got more in the bank," said Dan. "I [Pg 198]mention it to you that you needn't feel bad about my extravagance in buying a party suit."

 

"I wouldn't have come to this party if I had been you," said Tom, changing his tone.

 

"Why not?"

 

"You'll be so awkward, you know. You don't know any one except Miss Rogers, who, of course, invited you out of pity, not expecting you would accept."

 

"Did she tell you so?" asked Dan, smiling.

 

"No, but it stands to reason."

 

"You forget I know you," said Dan, smiling again.

 

"I beg you won't presume upon our former slight acquaintance," said Tom, hastily. "I shall be so busily occupied that I really can't give you any attention."

 

"Then I must shift for myself, I suppose," said Dan, good-humoredly. "Shall we go down?"

 

"Go first, if you like," said Tom, superciliously. "I will follow directly."

 

"He doesn't want to go down with me," thought Dan. "Perhaps I shall surprise him a little;" and he made his way down stairs.

 

1 canopy   

n.天篷，遮篷

参考例句：

• The trees formed a leafy canopy above their heads.树木在他们头顶上空形成了一个枝叶茂盛的遮篷。
• They lay down under a canopy of stars.他们躺在繁星点点的天幕下。

2 parlors   

客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店

参考例句：

• It had been a firm specializing in funeral parlors and parking lots. 它曾经是一个专门经营殡仪馆和停车场的公司。
• I walked, my eyes focused into the endless succession of barbershops, beauty parlors, confectioneries. 我走着，眼睛注视着那看不到头的、鳞次栉比的理发店、美容院、糖果店。

3 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

4 superciliously   

adv.高傲地；傲慢地

参考例句：

• Madame Defarge looked superciliously at the client, and nodded in confirmation. 德伐日太太轻蔑地望了望客人，点头同意。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

5 haughtily   

adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地

参考例句：

• She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
• Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯，走到二楼，我刚好站在那儿。

6 captious   

adj.难讨好的，吹毛求疵的

参考例句：

• There is no captious client but faulty product and service.没有挑剔的客户，只有不完善的产品和服务。
• His criticisms were always captious and frivolous,never offering constructive suggestions.他的评论一向轻率并爱吹毛求疵，从不提出有建设性的建议。

7 impudently   

参考例句：

• She was his favorite and could speak to him so impudently. 她是他的宠儿，可以那样无礼他说话。 来自教父部分
• He walked into the shop and calmly (ie impudently and self-confidently) stole a pair of gloves. 他走进商店若无其事地偷了一副手套。 来自辞典例句

8 saucy   

adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的

参考例句：

• He was saucy and mischievous when he was working.他工作时总爱调皮捣蛋。
• It was saucy of you to contradict your father.你顶撞父亲，真是无礼。

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

10 laconically   

adv.简短地，简洁地

参考例句：

• "I have a key,'said Rhett laconically, and his eyes met Melanie's evenly. "我有钥匙，"瑞德直截了当说。他和媚兰的眼光正好相遇。 来自飘（部分）
• 'says he's sick,'said Johnnie laconically. "他说他有玻"约翰尼要理不理的说。 来自飘（部分）