“Only this morning.”
“I suppose you are surprised to see me in this business,” said Tom, awkwardly.
“There is nothing to be ashamed of,” said Grant. “It is an honest business.”
“It's an awful come down for me,” said Tom, uncomfortably. “The fact is, I've had hard luck.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” said Grant.
“I expected a place in Wall Street, but I came just too late, and things are awful dull anyway. Then I was robbed of my money.”
“I thought you were too smart to be robbed,” said Grant, slyly. “If it had been a green boy from the country like me, now, it wouldn't have been surprising.”
“I was asleep when I was robbed,” explained Tom, hurriedly. “A fellow got into my room in the night, and picked my pocket. I couldn't help that, now, could I?”
“I suppose not.”
“So I had to get something to do, or go back to Colebrook. I say, Grant—-”
“Well?”
“Don't you tell any of the fellers at home what business I'm in, that's a good fellow.”
“I won't if you don't want me to,” said Grant.
“You see, it's only a few days till I can get something else to do.”
“It's a great deal better blacking boots than being idle, in my opinion,” said Grant.
“That's the way I look at it. But you didn't tell me what you came to the city for?”
“I'm coming here for good,” announced Grant.
“You haven't got a place, have you?” ejaculated Tom, in surprise.
“You don't say so I. Why, that's just the sort of place I wanted. How did you get the chance?”
“I got acquainted with Mr. Reynolds on board the cars that day we came to New York together.”
“And you asked him for the place?”
“I asked him this morning.”
“You might have given me the chance,” grumbled7 Tom, enviously8. “You knew it was the sort of place I was after.”
“I don't think I was called upon to do that,” said Grant, smiling. “Besides, he wouldn't have accepted you.”
“Why not? Ain't I as smart as you, I'd like to know?” retorted Tom Calder, angrily.
“He heard us talking in the cars, and didn't like what you said.”
“What did I say?”
“How did he hear?”
“He was sitting just behind us.”
“Was it that old chap that was sittin' with you when I came back from the smoking car?”
“Yes.”
“Just my luck,” said Tom, ruefully.
“When are you goin' to work?” asked Tom, after a pause.
“Next Monday.”
“Where are you going to board? We might take a room together, you know. It would be kind of social, as we both come from the same place.”
It did not occur to Grant that the arrangement would suit him at all, but he did not think it necessary to say so. He only said: “I am going to Mr. Reynolds' house, just at first.”
“You don't say so! Why, he's taken a regular fancy to you.”
“If he has, I hope he won't get over it.”
“I suppose he lives in a handsome brownstone house uptown.”
“Very likely; I've never seen the house.”
“Well, some folks has luck, but I ain't one of 'em,” grumbled Tom.
“Your luck is coming, I hope, Tom.”
“I wish it would come pretty soon, then; I say, suppose your folks won't let you take the place?” he asked, suddenly, brightening up.
“They won't oppose it.” “I thought they wanted you to go to college.”
“I can't afford it. It would take too long before I could earn anything, and I ought to be helping10 the family.”
“I'm goin' to look out for number one,” said Tom, shrugging his shoulders. “That's all I can do.”
Tom's mother was a hard-working woman, and had taken in washing for years. But for her the family would often have lacked for food. His father was a lazy, intemperate11 man, who had no pride of manhood, and cared only for himself. In this respect Tom was like him, though the son had not as yet become intemperate.
“I don't think there is any chance of my giving up the place,” answered Grant. “If I do, I will mention your name.”
“That's a good fellow.”
Grant did not volunteer to recommend Tom, for he could not have done so with a clear conscience. This omission12, however, Tom did not notice.
“Well, Tom, I must be going. Good-by, and good luck.”
Grant went home with a cheerful face, and announced his good luck to his mother.
“I am glad you are going to your employer's house,” she said. “I wish you could remain there permanently13.”
“So do I, mother; but I hope at any rate to get a comfortable boarding place. Tom Calder wants to room with me.”
“I hope you won't think of it,” said Mrs. Thornton, alarmed.
“Not for a moment. I wish Tom well, but I shouldn't like to be too intimate with him. And now, mother, I think I ought to write to Uncle Godfrey, and tell him what I have decided14 upon.”
“That will be proper, Grant.” Grant wrote the following letter, and mailed it at once:
“DEAR UNCLE GODFREY:
I am afraid you won't like what I have to tell you, but I think it is my duty to the family to give up the college course you so kindly15 offered me, in view of father's small salary and narrow means. I have been offered a place in the office of a stock broker in New York, and have accepted it. I enter upon my duties next Monday morning. I hope to come near paying my own way, and before very long to help father. I know you will be disappointed, Uncle Godfrey, and I hope you won't think I don't appreciate your kind offer, but I think it would be selfish in me to accept it. Please do forgive me, and believe me to be
Your affectionate nephew, GRANT THORNTON.”
In twenty-four hours an answer came to this letter. It ran thus:
“NEPHEW GRANT:
I would not have believed you would act so foolishly and ungratefully. It is not often that such an offer as mine is made to a boy. I did think you were sensible enough to understand the advantages of a professional education. I hoped you would do credit to the name of Thornton, and keep up the family reputation as a man of learning and a gentleman. But you have a foolish fancy for going into a broker's office, and I suppose you must be gratified. But you needn't think I will renew my offer. I wash my hands of you from this time forth16, and leave you to your own foolish course. The time will come when you will see your folly17.
GODFREY THORNTON.”
Grant sighed as he finished reading this missive. He felt that his uncle had done him injustice18. It was no foolish fancy, but a conscientious19 sense of duty, which had led him to sacrifice his educational prospects20.
On Monday morning he took the earliest train for New York.
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收听单词发音
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1
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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2
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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3
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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5
glibly
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| adv.流利地，流畅地；满口 | |
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6
broker
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| n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排 | |
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7
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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8
enviously
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| adv.满怀嫉妒地 | |
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9
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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10
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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11
intemperate
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| adj.无节制的，放纵的 | |
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12
omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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13
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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14
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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15
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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16
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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17
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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18
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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19
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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20
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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