CHAPTER X. STOLEN MONEY.

 Saturday afternoon arrived, and with it came Bert's discharge from the shoe shop. He put the four dollars in his pocket, and with a sober face went home.

 

"There are my week's wages, mother," he said. "I don't know when I shall have any more money to hand you."

 

"We won't borrow trouble to-night, Bert," responded Mrs. Barton, concealing¹ her solicitude² under a cheerful exterior³. "To-morrow is Sunday, and we will defer⁴ all worldly anxieties till it is over."

 

"You are right, mother," said Bert, readily70 chiming in with her cheerful humor. "I am young and strong, and there is plenty of work to be done in the world."

 

"Keep up your courage, Bert, and you will be more likely to win success."

 

When Sunday was over, however, Bert felt that he must begin to look about him. But the more he looked the more downhearted he became. He went to the village store, having heard that the boy employed there was about to leave. After buying a pound of sugar for his mother, he ventured to say, "Mr. Jones, don't you want to hire a boy?"

 

"Why should I want to hire a boy?" asked the store-keeper, in a tone of surprise.

 

"I thought that Herman was going to leave you."

 

"So he was, but he has changed his mind."

 

"Oh!" ejaculated Bert, disappointed.

 

"Are you asking for yourself?" inquired the merchant.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I thought you were at work in the shoe shop."

 

"So I was, but I have lost my place."

 

"Ha!" exclaimed the store-keeper suspiciously. "If Squire⁵ Marlowe has discharged you, I don't want to hire you."

 

"You are mistaken, Mr. Jones, about the71 cause of my discharge. He had no fault to find with me."

 

"So you say," returned Jones, in evident skepticism. "Boys don't get discharged for nothing."

 

Bert felt inclined to be angry, but he controlled his temper.

 

"I am a pegger, and the squire has introduced a pegging⁶ machine, so he has discharged all the peggers."

 

"Oh, that's different. Well, I'm sorry for you, but I have no vacancy⁷."

 

"If Herman should change his mind again, will you think of me?"

 

"Yes, I will. I think you are a good boy, and you look strong for your size."

 

Bert felt a little encouraged by this promise, though it was very doubtful if it would ever amount to anything.

 

Day after day passed, and no employment offered. But one morning a bright idea came to Bert. Blueberries were just coming into the market, and he knew of a large pasture a little over a mile away.

 

"Mother," he said, "if you'll give me a large tin pail, I'll go after some berries. I may be able to sell them at the hotel."

 

"If you can't, we can use them ourselves," rejoined Mrs. Barton.72

 

"It will be better to sell them, for I hear they are bringing fifteen cents a quart. They won't stay long at that figure, so we will put off having them ourselves till they are cheaper."

 

It was with a light heart that Bert set out for the berry pasture. He had become tired of having nothing to do. Any sort of employment seemed desirable. Besides, they were very much in want of money, and here seemed a chance of earning some.

 

Bert spent five hours in the pasture. Berries were high, because they were scarce, and it took fully⁸ twice as long to gather a quart as it would two weeks later. But he kept steadily⁹ at his task, and at length the pail—which held four quarts—was full. He was tired enough and his back ached, but still he felt happy as he left the field and trudged¹⁰ toward the Lake House, which was the name of the village hotel. There were a few summer boarders there from New York and Philadelphia, who were glad to exchange the brick walls and crowded city streets for the verdure and pure breezes of the country.

 

Fortunately Bert found the landlord on the piazza¹², and to him he preferred his request.

 

"Would you like to buy some blueberries?"

 

"Go round to the side door, Bert," said Mr.73 Holbrook, the good-natured landlord. "I leave all such matters to Mrs. Holbrook."

 

"Blueberries?" exclaimed the landlady¹³.

 

"Why, it's just what I wanted. Mrs. Casewell, from Philadelphia, has been teasing me for some blueberry pudding. What do you ask?"

 

"Fifteen cents a quart," answered Bert. "You know they have just come into the market."

 

"That's true. Well, I will pay you your price," said Mrs. Holbrook, who received a good income from her boarders, and was willing to be liberal to others. "How many have you got?"

 

"I think there are four quarts, but you can measure them."

 

There proved to be four quarts, and Bert was made happy by receiving sixty cents in silver.

 

"It is almost as much as I made in the shop," he reflected complacently¹⁴. "And perhaps I can sell some more to-morrow."

 

Bert continued to pick berries, but the price fell rapidly until it touched six cents, and it was not so easy to sell the berries at all, for many others engaged in picking them, and the market was overstocked.

 

Bert occasionally fell in with Percy Mar74lowe, but the manufacturer's son usually took very little notice of him. This did not trouble Bert, however, who felt independent, and cared little for the opinion or notice of his wealthy cousin.

 

In one respect, however, Percy resembled Bert. He was always short of money. His father allowed him two dollars a week for spending money, more than any other boy in Lakeville received, but Percy felt that it was too little. He had formed an intimacy¹⁵ with Reginald Ward¹¹, a young man from New York, who was boarding at the hotel, and with him he used to play pool, which he found rather an expensive game; and still worse, he played poker¹⁶ with him in his own room, locking the door carefully, as this game was not looked upon with favor in Lakeville. The young man from the city was much sharper than the country boy, and steadily won his money till Percy found himself in debt to him in the sum of ten dollars. For this Percy gave his note, but no one knew better than Reginald Ward that it was not valid¹⁷ in law, and he resolved to secure the money, if possible.

 

"Percy, you owe me ten dollars," he said one afternoon.

 

"I know it," admitted Percy, rather ruefully.75

 

"When are you going to pay me?"

 

"I don't know," answered Percy.

 

"But that won't do, don't you know," returned Reginald frowning. "I may go away next week, and I want my money."

 

"I would pay it to you if I had it," said Percy; "but you know I have only my allowance of two dollars a week."

 

"Stuff and nonsense! Do you think you are going to put me off that way?" demanded Reginald angrily. "I must have my money."

 

"Then I don't see how you're going to get it," said Percy doggedly¹⁸. "I can't pay what I haven't got."

 

"Go to your father and ask for it."

 

"As if he would give it to me! You don't know him."

 

"Doesn't he ever leave money lying round?" asked Reginald significantly.

 

"What do you mean?" asked Percy, reddening.

 

"I see you understand. I was only suggesting a way to get the money."

 

"I am not a thief."

 

"Who said you were? I see I shall have to take the matter into my own hands."

 

"How? What do you mean?" asked Percy nervously¹⁹.

 

"I will go to your father, show him this76 I O U of yours, and ask him for the money."

 

"You wouldn't do that, Reginald? He would be awful mad with me, and you wouldn't get your money, either."

 

"I must do something. I can't afford to lose the money."

 

"Just wait a day or two. I'll see what I can do."

 

"Mind you do something, then."

 

Percy regretted that he had ever made the acquaintance of Reginald Ward, or consented to play poker with him, but the regret came too late. The mischief²⁰ was done, and he saw from Ward's determined²¹ look that he must do something. He was just in that frame of mind when temptations have the most power.

 

In the evening he went to the village store to purchase a fishing-line, for he had made an arrangement to go out fishing with Reginald Ward the next day. He made the purchase, and was about to go when his eye caught sight of a twenty-dollar bill lying on the desk. Mr. Jones had gone to the other end of the store, and no one was looking. On the impulse of the moment he seized the bill, and with his heart beating quickly, he left the store. As he passed through the door Bert Barton entered with a kerosene²² can in his hand, and walked up to the counter, taking his stand near the desk.

1 concealing   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

2 solicitude   

n.焦虑

参考例句：

• Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。
• He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。

3 exterior   

adj.外部的，外在的；表面的

参考例句：

• The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
• We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

4 defer   

vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从

参考例句：

• We wish to defer our decision until next week.我们希望推迟到下星期再作出决定。
• We will defer to whatever the committee decides.我们遵从委员会作出的任何决定。

5 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。

6 pegging   

n.外汇钉住，固定证券价格v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的现在分词 )；使固定在某水平

参考例句：

• To write a novel,one must keep pegging away at it consistently. 要写小说，必须不断辛勤劳动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She was pegging the clothes out on the line to dry. 她正在把衣服夹在晒衣绳上晾干。 来自辞典例句

7 vacancy   

n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺

参考例句：

• Her going on maternity leave will create a temporary vacancy.她休产假时将会有一个临时空缺。
• The vacancy of her expression made me doubt if she was listening.她茫然的神情让我怀疑她是否在听。

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

10 trudged   

vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He trudged the last two miles to the town. 他步履艰难地走完最后两英里到了城里。
• He trudged wearily along the path. 他沿着小路疲惫地走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

12 piazza   

n.广场；走廊

参考例句：

• Siena's main piazza was one of the sights of Italy.锡耶纳的主要广场是意大利的名胜之一。
• They walked out of the cafeteria,and across the piazzadj.他们走出自助餐厅,穿过广场。

13 landlady   

n.女房东，女地主

参考例句：

• I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
• The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。

14 complacently   

adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地

参考例句：

• He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
• "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

15 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

16 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

17 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

18 doggedly   

adv.顽强地，固执地

参考例句：

• He was still doggedly pursuing his studies.他仍然顽强地进行着自己的研究。
• He trudged doggedly on until he reached the flat.他顽强地、步履艰难地走着，一直走回了公寓。

19 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

20 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

21 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

22 kerosene   

n.(kerosine)煤油，火油

参考例句：

• It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
• Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电，有煤油灯。