CHAPTER XXV PERPLEXITY

 He went out as usual after breakfast, and then walked leisurely¹ downtown. He proposed to go to the shop of the Great Pekin Tea Company and resign his agency. He was on the watch during his walk for any opportunities to repair his unlucky loss:

 

At one place he saw a notice:

 

"BOY WANTED."

Though he felt sure the compensation would not be sufficient to allow of his accepting it, he thought it would do no harm to make inquiry², and accordingly entered.

 

It was an extensive retail³ store, where a large number of clerks were employed.

 

"Is a boy wanted here?" asked Frank of the nearest salesman.

 

"Yes. You may inquire at the desk."

 

He pointed⁴ to a desk some distance back, and Frank went up to it.

 

"You advertise for a boy," he said to a tall, stout⁵ man, who chanced to be the proprietor⁶. "Is the place filled."

 

"No," was the answer; "but I don't think it would suit you."

 

"Do you think I would not be competent, sir?"

 

"No, that is not the difficulty. It would not be worth your acceptance."

 

"May I inquire what are the duties, sir?"

 

"We want a boy to open the door to customers, and this would not be worth your accepting."

 

"No, sir. Thank you for explaining it to me."

 

The gentleman was favorably impressed by Frank's polite and gentlemanly manners.

 

"I wish I had a place for you," he said. "Have you ever had any experience in our line of business?"

 

"No, sir; I have very little experience of any kind. I have acted for a short time as agent for a tea company."

 

"You may leave your name if you like, and I will communicate with you if I have a vacancy⁷ which you can fill."

 

Frank thanked the polite proprietor and walked out of the store.

 

Though this is a story written for boys, it may be read by some business men, who will allow me to suggest that a refusal kindly⁸ and considerately expressed loses half its bitterness, and often inspires hope, instead of discouragement.

 

Frank proceeded to the office of the tea company and formally resigned his agency. He was told that he could resume it whenever he pleased.

 

Leaving the store, he walked down Broadway in the direction of Wall Street.

 

He passed an elderly man, with stooping shoulders and a gait which showed that he was accustomed to live in the country.

 

He was looking about him in rather an undecided way. His glance happened to rest on Frank, and, after a little hesitation⁹, he addressed him.

 

"Boy," he said, "do you live around here?"

 

"I live in the city; sir."

 

"Then I guess you can tell me what I want to know."

 

"I will if I can, sir," said Frank, politely.

 

"Whereabouts is Wall Street?"

 

"Close by, sir. I am going that way, and will be happy to show you."

 

Frank had no idea his compliance¹⁰ with the stranger's request was likely to have an important effect up his fortunes.

1 leisurely   

adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的

参考例句：

• We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。
• He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

2 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

3 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 proprietor   

n.所有人；业主；经营者

参考例句：

• The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
• The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

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 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

9 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

10 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。