CHAPTER XXXIX. — CONCLUSION.

 When Harry¹ had completed his business in New York, he took the train at once to his native village. His arrival made quite a sensation. Not only Mr. Howard, his father's friend, received him with joy, but there were many other friends besides who rejoiced in his good fortune.

 

"You have been very fortunate, Harry," said Mr. Howard. "You tell me that you have about five thousand dollars?"

 

"Yes, sir, and it makes me feel rich."

 

"Besides the two thousand dollars I have in charge for you."

 

"Two thousand dollars!" ejaculated Harry in amazement². "You mean three hundred, Mr. Howard."

 

"No, I mean what I say," replied his friend, with a smile.

 

"But I don't understand——"

 

"Don't you remember the fifty shares of mining stock you placed in my hands?"

 

"Yes, they were given me by my father. I thought them worthless."

 

"A month ago I learned the contrary. I took the liberty, without consulting you, as you were absent, to sell them. They realized seventeen hundred dollars net, thus carrying up the amount in my hands to two thousand dollars."

 

"Is it possible that I am worth seven thousand dollars? It seems wonderful!"

 

"But the best of it is that it is true. Then was there not a sum of money which you received for saving a railroad train?"

 

"Yes, I have used part of it, but one hundred and fifty dollars remain. It is in the hands of a Mr. Conway, president of the road."

 

"Then it appears to me, Harry, taken in connection with your offer of employment in New York, you are in a very enviable position. How old are you?"

 

"I shall soon be seventeen."

 

"Then you are beginning the world young. Continue to deserve good fortune, and you are likely to prosper³."

 

Before returning to New York Harry felt inclined to visit his would-be guardian⁴, John Fox, whose treatment of him has been recorded at length in "Facing the World."

 

He took the train, as before, to Bolton, and thence went by stage to Colebrook. He walked to the Fox mansion⁵, and going up to the front door knocked.

 

The door was opened by Mrs. Fox herself. She did not immediately recognize Harry in his handsome suit, with a gold chain crossing his vest, attached, it may be added, to a handsome gold watch, which he had bought in New York.

 

"What is your business, young man?" she asked.

 

"Don't you remember me, Mrs. Fox?" asked Harry.

 

"Land's sake! It aint Harry Vane!" she exclaimed in wonder.

 

"Yes, it is," answered Harry, smiling. "I hope Mr. Fox and Joel are well."

 

"Come in, and I'll call Joel. You've been doing well, aint you?" she asked, surveying him with eager curiosity.

 

"I have been very fortunate indeed."

 

"I thought you was drowned—wrecked⁶ on a ship or something."

 

"If I was, I have come to life again."

 

"Well, well, it's strange. I'll call Joel."

 

Joel, who was at the barn, soon entered.

 

He, too, surveyed Harry curiously⁷.

 

"How d'y' do?" he said. "I never expected to set eyes on you again. Is that a gold watch you have?"

 

"Yes, Joel."

 

"Let me see it. How much did it cost?"

 

"A hundred dollars, besides the chain."

 

"Gosh! Aint that a sight of money! Did you spend all your money on it?"

 

"No, I bought a chain too."

 

"To my mind you was very foolish to spend all your hard earnin's that way! There's no fool like a young fool," said Mrs. Fox severely⁸.

 

"But, Mrs. Fox, I have some money left."

 

"How much?" asked Joel eagerly.

 

"Seven thousand dollars."

 

"Gosh all Jerusalem! you aint yarnin', be you? Seven thousand dollars!"

 

"Who's talkin' of seven thousand dollars?" asked a familiar voice, as Mr. Fox entered the room.

 

"Harry Vane says he's worth seven thousand dollars!" exclaimed Joel in a tone made up of amazement, jealousy⁹, and wonder.

 

"Is that true?" asked John Fox in equal amazement.

 

"Yes, Mr. Fox."

 

"But how on 'arth——"

 

Then Harry gave a full explanation, with which I don't propose to trouble the reader, as it would be a twice-told tale.

 

"Some folks seem born to luck!" said Mr. Fox furiously, when Harry had completed his story. "Joel may work and toil¹⁰ all his life, and he won't get no seven thousand dollars. It seems hard!"

 

John Fox had been much impressed by Harry's luck, and his avaricious¹¹ soul was busying itself with some scheme for turning it to his personal advantage.

 

"I'm glad you've been so lucky, Harry," he said with affected¹² cordiality. "It beats all, I must say. I've no doubt you are ready now to carry out your dear father's dyin' wish."

 

"What was that, Mr. Fox?"

 

"He wanted me to be your guardeen. It stands to reason a boy of sixteen aint to be trusted with so much money. Now I'm an experienced man of business, and I'm willin' to be your guardeen, and I won't charge you a cent for takin' care of your property except board money."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Fox," said Harry, with an amused smile, "but I am offered a place in New York at fifteen dollars a week, and I have friends who will advise me about the investment of my money."

 

"Fifteen dollars a week!" repeated Mr. Fox dolefully. "Can't you get a place for Joel in the same store?"

 

"If I can find Joel a satisfactory place in the city I will do so," said Harry, "but I ought to say that my employer only pays me high wages out of favor."

 

"I'll take ten," said Joel eagerly. "You know you and me was always friends, Harry."

 

"Joel always liked you," said politic¹³ Mr. FoX. — Harry knew better, but he was on good terms with the world, and he did not dispute this statement.

 

"I'll do what I can," he said. "Meanwhile, Mr. Fox, I should like to make Joel and his sister a small present."

 

He gave them each a ten-dollar bill, which made Joel's eyes sparkle with joy.

 

Mr. Fox renewed his suggestion that Harry select him as a "guardeen," but Harry politely but firmly declined to entertain the proposal. Nevertheless, when he left the house, he was warmly urged to come again and often. He understood the reason of the cordiality, and knew very well that if he had come back poor his reception would have been very different.

 

Before going back to New York he made a visit of a couple of days to his old friend and employer, Professor Hemmenway, the prestidigitateur, who was delighted with the success of his young friend. He offered Harry a new engagement, but of course it was declined.

 

In New York he met Jack¹⁴, and inquired how he had fared.

 

"I found my step-father dying," answered Jack. "In fact he drank himself to death after wasting all mother's property. But I have bought her a small house, and insured her an income sufficient to keep her comfortable. The last will require some of my principal, but I shall be earning good wages, and can make it up when I return home."

 

"When do you sail, Jack?"

 

"Next week, on one of Mr. Woolson's ships. I am to go to China."

 

"I hope you'll steer¹⁵ clear of the island we were wrecked on, Jack."

 

"I never want to see it again, Harry; still it brought us luck."

 

"I shall be sorry to part with you, Jack. I wish you could be content to stay in New York."

 

"No, Harry, I can't give up the sea yet. It is my great ambition to command a ship myself some time."

 

"I think you will accomplish it, Jack, for you stand well with the owners."

 

Five years have passed. Harry and Jack are each twenty-one. Harry occupies a confidential¹⁶ position with the firm, and is likely to be a partner before he is much older. Jack is first mate, and will be a captain before he is twenty-five. His mother is living, and happy in his success, and enjoying the comfortable home he has provided for her.

 

Harry obtained a position for Joel in the city, but he proved unsatisfactory to his employer and was soon discharged. Another situation he held as brief a time. At last he was obliged to go home and assist his father, who treats him almost as penuriously¹⁷ as he would have done Harry. Joel is dissatisfied and unhappy, and his mother thinks he was born to bad luck, but those who know Joel think his want of success springs from a different source. Harry and Jack obtained success because they deserved it. If Joel were more like them he too might succeed. And I am sorry to say he is looking forward impatiently to the time when he shall inherit his father's property. It is very wrong, but perhaps Mr. Fox himself is partly to blame.

 

Whenever Jack comes home from a voyage he calls upon Harry, and together they talk over their adventures in a New World. Sometimes Obed Stackpole calls also. He has two boys, whom he has named respectively Harry and Jack in honor of his two companions in Australia.

 

THE END.

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

3 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

4 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

5 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

6 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

7 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

8 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

9 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

10 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

11 avaricious   

adj.贪婪的，贪心的

参考例句：

• I call on your own memory as witness:remember we have avaricious hearts.假使你想要保证和证明，你可以回忆一下我们贪婪的心。
• He is so avaricious that we call him a blood sucker.他如此贪婪，我们都叫他吸血鬼。

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

13 politic   

adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政

参考例句：

• He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明，不会与这么重要的人争吵。
• The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。

14 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

15 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

16 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

17 penuriously   

adv.penurious（吝啬的）的变形

参考例句：