CHAPTER 33. GRIT LEAVES PINE POINT.

 "It does seem to be a good offer," said Jesse thoughtfully.

 

"I should think it was—twelve dollars a week and traveling expenses," said Grit¹ enthusiastically.

 

[Pg 236]

 

"I wonder how this Mr. Weaver² came to hear of you?"

 

"I can't think. That's what puzzles me," said Grit.

 

"He says that you have been recommended to him, I see."

 

"Yes. At any rate, I am very much obliged to the one who recommended me."

 

"What will your mother say?"

 

"She won't want to part with me; but when I tell her how good the offer is, she will get reconciled to it."

 

When Grit went home and read the letter to his mother, it was a shock to the good woman.

 

"How can I part from you, Grit?" she said, with a troubled look.

 

"It won't be for long, mother," said Grit hopefully. "I shall soon be able to send for you, and we can settle down somewhere near Boston. I've got tired of this place, haven't you?"

 

"No, Grit. I think Pine Point is very pleasant, as long as I can keep you with me. When you are gone, of course, it will seem very different. I don't see how I am going to stand it."

 

"It won't be for long, mother; and you'll know I am doing well."

 

[Pg 237]

 

"You can make a living with your boat, Grit."

 

"Yes, mother; but it isn't going to lead to anything. It's all very well now, but half a dozen years from now I ought to be established in some good business."

 

"Can't you put off going for a year, Grit?"

 

"A year hence there may be no such chance as this, mother."

 

"That is true."

 

"You'll give your consent, then, mother?"

 

"If you really think it is best, Grit—that is, if you've set your heart on it."

 

"I have, mother," said Grit earnestly. "I was getting tired of boating before this letter came, but I kept at it because there didn't seem to be anything else. Now it would seem worse than ever, and I'm afraid I should be very discontented."

 

"I wish you would call on your friend Mr. Jackson, at the hotel, and see what he thinks of it," said Mrs. Brandon. "He is an experienced man of business, and his judgment³ will be better than ours."

 

"I will do as you say, mother. I am sure he will recommend me to go."

 

Grit went to the hotel, arriving there about eight o'clock, and inquired for Mr. Jackson. He was told that that gentleman had started[Pg 238] in the morning for Augusta, and would not return for a day or two. The young boatman was not, on the whole, sorry to hear this, for it was possible that the broker⁴ might not think favorably of the plan proposed, and he felt unwilling⁵, even in that case, to give it up. He returned, and acquainted his mother with the result of his visit.

 

"Can't you wait till Mr. Jackson returns?" asked his mother.

 

"No, mother; I should run the risk of losing the chance."

 

The evening was spent in getting ready to go. Grit left in his mother's hands all the money he had, except the ten dollars he had last received, and gave an order for the sixty dollars in the hands of Mr. Lawrence, the lawyer, so that even if this Western journey were prolonged for three months, his mother would have enough to provide for her wants.

 

"Now, mother, I can leave home without any anxiety," he said.

 

"You will write me often, Grit?" said Mrs. Brandon anxiously.

 

"Oh, yes, mother; there is no danger I shall forget that."

 

"Your letters will be all I shall have to think of, you know, Grit."

 

[Pg 239]

 

"I won't forget it, mother."

 

Grit kissed his mother good-by, and bent⁶ his steps toward the railway station.

 

On the way he met Ephraim Carver.

 

"Where are you going, Grit?" asked the bank messenger.

 

"I am going to Boston."

 

"It seems to me you have a good deal of business in Boston."

 

"I hope to have."

 

"You ain't going to stay, are you?"

 

"I expect to stay. I've got an offer from a party there."

 

"Of what sort?"

 

"That letter will tell you."

 

Ephraim Carver looked over the letter, and he smiled to himself, for he recognized the handwriting of Colonel Johnson, though the letter was signed by another name.

 

"You're walking into the lion's den⁷, young man," he thought; but he only said: "It seems to be a good offer. Why, you will be paid as much as I get. How old are you?"

 

"Almost sixteen."

 

"Boys get on more rapidly now than they did when I was of your age. Why, I'm more'n twenty years older than you are, and I haven't got any higher than twelve dollars a week yet."

 

[Pg 240]

 

Mr. Carver laughed in what seemed to be an entirely⁸ uncalled-for manner.

 

"I don't believe you'll keep your place long," thought the young boatman; but he, too, was not disposed to tell all he knew. So the two parted, each possessed⁹ of a secret in regard to the other.

 

Mr. Carver, however, was destined¹⁰ to receive the first disagreeable surprise. After parting from Grit he met Mr. Graves in the street.

 

"Good morning, Mr. Graves," he said, in his usual deferential¹¹ manner, for he was a worldly-wise man, though he had committed one fatal mistake.

 

"Good morning, Mr. Carver," said the president of the bank gravely.

 

"Shall you have any errand for me this week?"

 

"I have something to say to you, Mr. Carver," said Mr. Graves, "and I may as well take the present opportunity to do so. We have concluded to dispense¹² with your services, and you are at liberty to look elsewhere for employment."

 

"You are going to dispense with my services!" repeated Carver, in dismay.

 

"Such is the determination of the directors, Mr. Carver."

 

[Pg 241]

 

"But, sir, that is very hard on me. How am I to get along?"

 

"I hope you may find something else to do. We shall pay you a month's salary in advance, to give you an opportunity of looking about."

 

"But, Mr. Graves, why am I treated so harshly? Can't you intercede¹³ for me? I am a poor man."

 

"I feel for your situation, Mr. Carver, but I am compelled to say that I do not feel disposed to intercede for you."

 

"Haven't I always served the bank faithfully?"

 

"I advise you to ask yourself that question, Mr. Carver," said the president significantly. "You can answer it to your own conscience better than I or any one else can do for you."

 

"What does he mean?" thought Carver, startled.

 

Then it occurred to the messenger that nothing had been discovered, but that Mr. Graves, who had recently shown such partiality to Grit, wished to create a vacancy¹⁴ for him.

 

"Are you going to put Grit Morris in my place?" he asked angrily.

 

"What makes you think so?" asked Mr. Graves keenly.

 

"I knew you were partial to him," [Pg 242]answered Carver, who reflected that it would not do to give the source of his information.

 

"I will at any rate answer your question, Mr. Carver. There is no intention of putting Grit in your place. We have every confidence in his fidelity¹⁵ and capacity, but consider him too young for the position."

 

"I was only going to say that Grit has another chance in Boston, so that there will be no need to provide for him."

 

"Grit has a chance in Boston!" said Mr. Graves, in surprise.

 

"Yes; he has just started for the city."

 

"What sort of a chance is it?"

 

"He has received an offer to travel at the West, with a salary of twelve dollars a week and expenses."

 

"That is strange."

 

"It is true. He showed me the letter."

 

"From whom did it come?"

 

"I don't remember."

 

Carver did remember, but for obvious reasons did not think it best to acquaint Mr. Graves.

 

"That is remarkable," thought Mr. Graves, as he walked home. "Grit is a smart boy, but such offers are not often made by strangers to a boy of fifteen. I must speak to Clark about it."

 

[Pg 243]

 

He found Mr. Clark at his house. He was the quiet man who had been employed by the bank as a detective, and who had come to report to the president.

 

There was a look of intelligence as he listened to the news about Grit.

 

"I tell you what I think of it," he said. "The rascals¹⁷ have found out the part which Grit took in circumventing¹⁸ them, and this letter is part of a plot. They mean the boy mischief¹⁹."

 

"I hope not," said Mr. Graves anxiously. "I am attached to Grit, and I wouldn't have harm come to him for a good deal."

 

"Leave the matter in my hands. I will take the next train for Boston, and follow this clue. It may enable me to get hold of this Johnson, who is a dangerous rascal¹⁶, because he has brains."

 

"Do so, and I will see you paid, if necessary, out of my own pocket."

1 grit   

n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关

参考例句：

• The soldiers showed that they had plenty of grit. 士兵们表现得很有勇气。
• I've got some grit in my shoe.我的鞋子里弄进了一些砂子。

2 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

3 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

4 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。

5 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

6 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

7 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

8 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

9 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

10 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

11 deferential   

adj. 敬意的，恭敬的

参考例句：

• They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment.他们喜欢五星级的宾馆和毕恭毕敬的接待。
• I am deferential and respectful in the presence of artists.我一向恭敬、尊重艺术家。

12 dispense   

vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施

参考例句：

• Let us dispense the food.咱们来分发这食物。
• The charity has been given a large sum of money to dispense as it sees fit.这个慈善机构获得一大笔钱，可自行适当分配。

13 intercede   

vi.仲裁，说情

参考例句：

• He was quickly snubbed when he tried to intercede.当他试着说情时很快被制止了。
• At a time like that there has to be a third party to intercede.这时候要有个第三者出来斡旋。

14 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。

15 fidelity   

n.忠诚，忠实；精确

参考例句：

• There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。
• His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。

16 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。

17 rascals   

流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人

参考例句：

• "Oh, but I like rascals. "唔，不过我喜欢流氓。
• "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物，是流氓，是恶棍。

18 circumventing   

v.设法克服或避免（某事物），回避( circumvent的现在分词 )；绕过，绕行，绕道旅行

参考例句：

• They found a way of circumventing the law. 他们找到了规避法律的途径。
• This viewpoint sees the Multinational Corporation as capable of circumventing or subverting national objectives and policies. 这种观点认为，跨国公司能够遏制和破坏国家的目标和政策。 来自辞典例句

19 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。