CHAPTER XIV. DEAN IS ENGAGED AS PRIVATE SECRETARY.

 "Brandon," said his father, "I would like to have you call at Adin Dunham's with a note."

Brandon frowned. He did not fancy being employed as an errand boy.

"Can't you get somebody else?" he asked. "I wouldn't mind going to any other place, but I don't like to go there on an errand."

"Perhaps that will overcome your objections," said his father, producing a silver dollar.

"Thank you, papa, I'll go," said Brandon with alacrity¹, for he was always in want of money. "Who is the note for?"

"For the boy—Dean."

"Oh!"

Brandon's face changed.

"Seems to me Dean Dunham is getting to be a person of a good deal of importance," he said. "What is the note about? If you are going to haul him over the coals I won't mind taking it."

"On the contrary, Mr. Kirby, our guest, is going to offer him a position as his clerk and private secretary."

"And did you recommend him to Mr. Kirby?" asked Brandon, considerably² disgusted.

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Squire³ Bates was sharp enough to understand the cause of Brandon's dissatisfaction.

"I don't mind telling you confidentially," he said with a smile, "that I don't envy the boy who works for Peter Kirby."

"Then it isn't such a great chance after all?"

"I suspect that Dean will be sorry he engaged to work for him within a week. But of course you won't let drop a word to prejudice the boy against accepting Mr. Kirby's offer."

"You may rely upon me, papa," said Brandon with a chuckle⁴.

Dean was reading aloud to his uncle when there was a knock at the door, which was answered by Mrs. Dunham.

"Brandon Bates!" she said in surprise.

"Yes, Mrs. Dunham. Is Dean at home?"

"Won't you come in? Yes, he's at home."

"I won't stop. I should like to see him a minute."

"Dean, here's Brandon Bates wants to see you a minute," said his aunt.

Dean shared in Mrs. Dunham's surprise. He laid down the paper from which he was reading, and went to the door.

"Good-evening, Brandon!" he said politely, "do you wish to see me?"

"Yes. I've got a note for you. I happened to be coming this way, and I told my father I'd take it," continued Brandon, anxious to have it understood that he was not specially⁵ sent to the cottage.

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"Thank you, Brandon. Won't you come in while I am reading it?"

"No, but I'll wait. I think it's short." Dean tore open the envelope, and read as follows in the handwriting of Squire Bates:

"Dean Dunham:

"I understand from my son Brandon that you are seeking employment, and have no objection to leave home. A gentleman at present visiting me is in want of a clerk and secretary, and he would like to have an interview with you. As he leaves town to-morrow, I send for you this evening.

"Renwick Bates."

 

Dean felt that nothing would suit him better.

He felt grateful to Squire Bates for what he regarded as a piece of unexpected kindness.

"Your father is very kind, Brandon," he said as he folded up the note. "He offers me a position with a friend of his."

"He just mentioned the matter to me," Brandon said indifferently.

"I wonder if the gentleman is one to whom I showed the way to your father's house this afternoon?"

"Like as not. I don't know him; I never saw him before."

"Then you don't know whether he lives far from here or not?"

"No."

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"I wonder whether I shall suit him," queried⁶ Dean anxiously.

"My father seems to think you will," answered Brandon. "Of course I don't know anything about it."

"I will try to suit him at any rate," said Dean earnestly.

"Do you think your uncle will let you go?"

"Yes, it is a fair chance. I've talked over the matter with him and he sees that there isn't anything for me to do in Waterford, and that I shall have to leave town to get a place that is worth having."

"I shall envy you for one thing," said Brandon.

"What is that?"

"Because you will be leaving Waterford."

"It is a pretty village."

"I am sick and tired of it. There is nothing going on here. I don't see why a gentleman of my father's wealth should bury himself in such a one-horse place."

"It isn't very lively," Dean admitted.

"I should say not. Why even the circus doesn't come any nearer than ten miles. I shall tease papa to go to New York to live. I should like to live on Madison or Fifth Avenue."

Dean knew very little about either of the avenues referred to, though he had heard of them as tenanted by rich families. He rather congratulated himself that Brandon had not sought the place which was to be offered to him.

By this time they had reached the home of Squire Bates, and Dean followed Brandon into the house.96 He soon found himself in the presence of the squire and of Peter Kirby.

"Good-evening, Dean," said the squire pleasantly. "This is my friend, Mr. Kirby.

"I have seen the young man before," said Kirby, opening his mouth in what he tried to make a pleasant smile.

"Yes, sir. I remember you."

Looking at Kirby as his future employer, Dean was not prepossessed in his favor. He was certainly far from an agreeable looking man, but Dean was disposed to judge him without prejudice. He knew that a fair outside sometimes accompanies very undesirable⁷ traits, and the reverse might also be the case.

"If you read my note, you understand that Mr. Kirby is in want of a young man, or boy, to assist him in the capacity of clerk or private secretary," the squire put in.

"I hope I may suit you, sir," said Dean earnestly, addressing himself to Peter Kirby.

"Oh, I am not very hard to suit. If a boy does his duty, and studies my interests, he won't find me a hard master."

"I think I can promise that I will serve you faithfully, sir."

"Is your uncle willing to have you leave home?" asked the squire.

Dean made the same answer as he had done to Brandon.

"Then there will be no difficulty there."

"How soon would you like to have me begin,97 sir; that is, if you are willing to engage me?"

"Well, you can report at French's Hotel on Saturday—day after to-morrow. I suppose you can find your way to New York alone?"

"Oh, yes, sir. I have never been there, but I am sure I shall have no difficulty."

"I will give the boy the necessary directions, Kirby," said Squire Bates. "He has a tongue in his head, and can ask questions."

"What salary do you expect, Master Dunham?" asked Kirby.

"I will leave that to you, sir."

"I am willing to pay a fair salary, say twenty-five dollars a month and your board and lodging⁸ thrown in. Will that be satisfactory?"

"It is more than I anticipated," said Dean, quite dazzled by the offer. He reckoned that he would be able to send some money home to his uncle and aunt every month—and thus have the pleasure of making up to some extent for the expense which they had incurred⁹ on his account.

"Then that matter is settled. Here is a card with my address on it. You will find me at French's Hotel at one o'clock in the day. If anything occurs to detain me, you can wait in the office till I return. My friend Bates here will supply money for your journey."

Dean understood that there was nothing more to be said, and he rose and took his leave. He went home in a fever of excitement, for he felt that he was about to enter the great world of which he had heard so much, and which he so earnestly longed to see.

1 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

2 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

3 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

4 chuckle   

vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑

参考例句：

• He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
• I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。

5 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

6 queried   

v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问

参考例句：

• She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

7 undesirable   

adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子

参考例句：

• They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。

8 lodging   

n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍

参考例句：

• The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
• Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?

9 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。