When Harry1 Decker left the office at the end of two weeks, Grant was fully2 able to take his place, having, with Harry's friendly assistance, completely mastered the usual routine of a broker3's office. He had also learned the names and offices of prominent operators, and was, in all respects, qualified4 to be of service to his employer.
Mr. Reynolds always treated him with friendly consideration, and appeared to have perfect confidence in him. For some reason which he could not understand, however, Willis Ford5 was far from cordial, often addressing him in a fault-finding tone, which at first disturbed Grant. When he found that it arose from Ford's dislike, he ceased to trouble himself about it, though it annoyed him. He had discovered Ford's relationship to Mrs. Estabrook, who treated him in the same cool manner.
“As it appears I can't please them,” Grant said to himself, “I won't make any special effort to do so.” He contented6 himself with doing his work faithfully, and so satisfying his own conscience.
One evening some weeks later, Grant was returning from a concert, to which the broker had given him a ticket, when, to his great surprise, he met Willis Ford walking with Tom Calder and Jim Morrison. The three were apparently7 on intimate terms.
“Good-evenin', Grant,” said Tom.
“Good-evening, Tom.”
Grant looked at Willis Ford, but the latter's lip curled and he did not speak. Grant, however, bowed and passed on. He was surprised at the intimacy8 which had grown up between Ford and those two, knowing Ford's spirit of exclusiveness. He would have been less surprised had he known that Morrison had first ingratiated himself with Ford by offering to lend him money, and afterward9 had lured10 him into a gambling11 house, where Ford, not knowing that he was a dupe, had been induced to play, and was now a loser to the extent of several hundred dollars, for which Morrison held his notes.
“I don't know when I can pay you,” said Ford, gloomily, when he came to realize his situation.
“Oh, something will turn up.” said Jim Morrison, lightly. “I shan't trouble you.”
Two weeks later, however, he lay in wait for Ford when he left Wall Street.
“I want to speak to you a moment, Mr. Ford,” he said.
“Well, what is it?” asked Ford, uncomfortably.
“I am hard up.”
“So am I,” responded Willis Ford.
“But you owe me a matter of six hundred dollars.”
“I know it, but you said you wouldn't trouble me.”
“I didn't expect I should be obliged to,” said Morrison, smoothly12. “But 'Circumstances alter cases,' you know. I shall have to ask you for it.”
“When do you expect to have?”
“Heaven knows; I don't.”
Ford was about to leave his companion and walk away, but Morrison had no intention of allowing the matter to end so. He laid his hand on Ford's shoulder and said, firmly: “Mr. Ford, this won't do. Yours is a debt of honor, and must be paid.”
“That is your business, not mine, Mr. Ford.”
“Then, if it is my business, I'll give you notice when I can pay you. And now, good-afternoon.”
He made another attempt to walk away, but again there was a hand placed upon his shoulder.
“Understand, Mr. Ford, that I am in earnest,” said Morrison. “I can't undertake to tell you how you are to find the money, but it must be found.”
“Then I shall seek an interview with your respected employer, tell him of the debt, and how it was incurred17, and I think he would look for another clerk.”
“You wouldn't do that!” said Ford, his face betraying consternation18.
“I would, and I will, unless you pay what you owe me.”
“But, man, how am I to do it? You will drive me to desperation.”
“Take three days to think of it. If you can't raise it, I may suggest a way.”
The two parted, and Willis Ford was left to many uncomfortable reflections. He knew of no way to raise the money; yet, if he did not do it, he was menaced with exposure and ruin. Would his stepmother come to his assistance? He knew that Mrs. Estabrook had a thousand dollars in government bonds. If he could only induce her to give him the custody19 of them on any pretext20, he could meet the demand upon him, and he would never again incur16 a debt of honor. He cursed his folly21 for ever yielding to the temptation. Once let him get out of this scrape, and he would never get into another like it.
The next evening he made a call upon Mrs. Estabrook, and made himself unusually agreeable. The cold-hearted woman, whose heart warmed to him alone, smiled upon him with affection.
“I am glad to see you in such good spirits, Willis,” she said.
“If she only knew how I really felt,” thought her stepson. But it was for his interest to wear a mask.
“The fact is, mother,” he said, “I feel very cheerful. I've made a little turn in stocks, and realized three hundred dollars.”
“Have you, indeed, Willis? I congratulate you, my son. No doubt you will find the money useful.”
“No doubt of that. If I had the capital, I could make a good deal more.”
“But there would be the danger of losing,” suggested Mrs. Estabrook.
“That danger is very small, mother. I am in a situation to know all about the course of stocks. I wouldn't advise another to speculate, unless he has some friend in the Stock Exchange; but for me it is perfectly22 safe.”
“Pray be careful, Willis.”
“Oh, yes. I am sure to be. By the way, mother, haven't you got some money in government bonds?”
“A little,” answered Mrs. Estabrook, cautiously.
“How much, now?”
“About a thousand dollars.”
“Let me manage it for you, and I will make it two thousand inside of a month.”
Mrs. Estabrook had a large share of acquisitiveness, but she had also a large measure of caution, which she had inherited from her Scotch23 ancestry24.
“No, Willis,” she said, shaking her head, “I can't take any risk. This money it has taken me years to save. It is the sole dependence25 I have for my old age, and I can't run the risk of losing it.”
“But two thousand dollars will be better than one, mother. Just let me tell you what happened to a customer of ours: He had above five hundred dollars in the savings26 bank, drawing four per cent interest—only twenty dollars a year. He had a friend in the Stock Exchange who took charge of it, bought stocks judiciously27 on a margin28, then reinvested, and now, after three months, how much do you think it amounts to?”
“How much?” asked the housekeeper29, with interest.
This story, by the way, was all a fabrication, intended to influence his stepmother. Mrs. Estabrook never doubted Ford's statement, but her instinctive31 caution saved her from falling into the trap.
“It looks tempting32, Willis,” she said, “but I don't dare to take the risk.” Ford was deeply disappointed, but did not betray it.
“It is for you to decide,” said he, carelessly, then drifted to other subjects.
Ten minutes later he pressed his hand upon his breast, while his features worked convulsively. “I believe I am sick,” he said.
“What can I do for you, my dear son?” asked the housekeeper, in alarm.
“I will go downstairs and get some,” she said, hurriedly.
No sooner had she left the room than Willis sprang to his feet, locked the door, then went to the bureau, unlocked the upper drawer—he had a key in his pocket which fitted the lock and, thrusting in his hand, drew out a long envelope containing one five-hundred-dollar government bond and five bonds of one hundred dollars each, which he thrust into his side pocket. Then, closing the drawer, he unlocked the door of the room, and when his step-mother returned he threw himself back in his chair, groaning34. He took the glass of brandy the housekeeper brought him, and, after a few minutes, professing35 himself much better, left the house.
“Saved!” he exclaimed, triumphantly36. “Now I shall be all right again.”
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1
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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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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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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6
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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15
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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16
incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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17
incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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ancestry
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| n.祖先，家世 | |
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dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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judiciously
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| adv.明断地，明智而审慎地 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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30
glibly
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| adv.流利地，流畅地；满口 | |
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31
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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32
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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33
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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34
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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professing
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| 声称( profess的现在分词 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉 | |
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36
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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