He lifted himself on his elbow, and stared around him in transient bewilderment.
"Blest if I hadn't forgot where I was," he said to himself. "So this is my room, is it? Well, it seems kind of 'spectable to have a room and a bed to sleep in. I'd orter be able to afford seventy-five cents a week. I've throwed away more money than that in one evenin'. There aint no reason why I shouldn't live 'spectable. I wish I knowed as much as Frank. He's a tip-top feller. Nobody ever cared enough for me before to give me good advice. It was kicks, and cuffs9, and swearin' at me all the time. I'd like to show him I can do something."
While Dick was indulging in these reflections, he had risen from bed, and, finding an accession to the furniture of his room, in the shape of an ancient wash-stand bearing a cracked bowl and broken pitcher10, indulged himself in the rather unusual ceremony of a good wash. On the whole, Dick preferred to be clean, but it was not always easy to gratify his desire. Lodging2 in the street as he had been accustomed to do, he had had no opportunity to perform his toilet in the customary manner. Even now he found himself unable to arrange his dishevelled locks, having neither comb nor brush. He determined11 to purchase a comb, at least, as soon as possible, and a brush too, if he could get one cheap. Meanwhile he combed his hair with his fingers as well as he could, though the result was not quite so satisfactory as it might have been.
A question now came up for consideration. For the first time in his life Dick possessed12 two suits of clothes. Should he put on the clothes Frank had given him, or resume his old rags?
Now, twenty-four hours before, at the time Dick was introduced to the reader's notice, no one could have been less fastidious as to his clothing than he. Indeed, he had rather a contempt for good clothes, or at least he thought so. But now, as he surveyed the ragged13 and dirty coat and the patched pants, Dick felt ashamed of them. He was unwilling14 to appear in the streets with them. Yet, if he went to work in his new suit, he was in danger of spoiling it, and he might not have it in his power to purchase a new one. Economy dictated15 a return to the old garments. Dick tried them on, and surveyed himself in the cracked glass; but the reflection did not please him.
"They don't look 'spectable," he decided16; and, forthwith taking them off again, he put on the new suit of the day before.
"I must try to earn a little more," he thought, "to pay for my room, and to buy some new clo'es when these is wore out."
He opened the door of his chamber18, and went downstairs and into the street, carrying his blacking-box with him.
It was Dick's custom to commence his business before breakfast; generally it must be owned, because he began the day penniless, and must earn his meal before he ate it. To-day it was different. He had four dollars left in his pocket-book; but this he had previously19 determined not to touch. In fact he had formed the ambitious design of starting an account at a savings20' bank, in order to have something to fall back upon in case of sickness or any other emergency, or at any rate as a reserve fund to expend21 in clothing or other necessary articles when he required them. Hitherto he had been content to live on from day to day without a penny ahead; but the new vision of respectability which now floated before Dick's mind, owing to his recent acquaintance with Frank, was beginning to exercise a powerful effect upon him.
In Dick's profession as in others there are lucky days, when everything seems to flow prosperously. As if to encourage him in his new-born resolution, our hero obtained no less than six jobs in the course of an hour and a half. This gave him sixty cents, quite abundant to purchase his breakfast, and a comb besides. His exertions22 made him hungry, and, entering a small eating-house he ordered a cup of coffee and a beefsteak. To this he added a couple of rolls. This was quite a luxurious23 breakfast for Dick, and more expensive than he was accustomed to indulge himself with. To gratify the curiosity of my young readers, I will put down the items with their cost,—
Coffee, . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 cts.
Beefsteak, . . . . . . . . . . . 15
A couple of rolls, . . . . . . . 5
—25 cts.
It will thus be seen that our hero had expended24 nearly one-half of his morning's earnings25. Some days he had been compelled to breakfast on five cents, and then he was forced to content himself with a couple of apples, or cakes. But a good breakfast is a good preparation for a busy day, and Dick sallied forth17 from the restaurant lively and alert, ready to do a good stroke of business.
Dick's change of costume was liable to lead to one result of which he had not thought. His brother boot-blacks might think he had grown aristocratic, and was putting on airs,—that, in fact, he was getting above his business, and desirous to outshine his associates. Dick had not dreamed of this, because in fact, in spite of his new-born ambition, he entertained no such feeling. There was nothing of what boys call "big-feeling" about him. He was a borough26 democrat27, using the word not politically, but in its proper sense, and was disposed to fraternize with all whom he styled "good fellows," without regard to their position. It may seem a little unnecessary to some of my readers to make this explanation; but they must remember that pride and "big-feeling" are confined to no age or class, but may be found in boys as well as men, and in boot-blacks as well as those of a higher rank.
The morning being a busy time with the boot-blacks, Dick's changed appearance had not as yet attracted much attention. But when business slackened a little, our hero was destined28 to be reminded of it.
Among the down-town boot-blacks was one hailing from the Five Points,—a stout29, red-haired, freckled-faced boy of fourteen, bearing the name of Micky Maguire. This boy, by his boldness and recklessness, as well as by his personal strength, which was considerable, had acquired an ascendancy30 among his fellow professionals, and had a gang of subservient31 followers32, whom he led on to acts of ruffianism, not unfrequently terminating in a month or two at Blackwell's Island. Micky himself had served two terms there; but the confinement33 appeared to have had very little effect in amending34 his conduct, except, perhaps, in making him a little more cautious about an encounter with the "copps," as the members of the city police are, for some unknown reason, styled among the Five-Point boys.
Now Micky was proud of his strength, and of the position of leader which it had secured him. Moreover he was democratic in his tastes, and had a jealous hatred35 of those who wore good clothes and kept their faces clean. He called it putting on airs, and resented the implied superiority. If he had been fifteen years older, and had a trifle more education, he would have interested himself in politics, and been prominent at ward3 meetings, and a terror to respectable voters on election day. As it was, he contented36 himself with being the leader of a gang of young ruffians, over whom he wielded37 a despotic power.
Now it is only justice to Dick to say that, so far as wearing good clothes was concerned, he had never hitherto offended the eyes of Micky Maguire. Indeed, they generally looked as if they patronized the same clothing establishment. On this particular morning it chanced that Micky had not been very fortunate in a business way, and, as a natural consequence, his temper, never very amiable38, was somewhat ruffled39 by the fact. He had had a very frugal40 breakfast,—not because he felt abstemious41, but owing to the low state of his finances. He was walking along with one of his particular friends, a boy nicknamed Limpy Jim, so called from a slight peculiarity42 in his walk, when all at once he espied43 our friend Dick in his new suit.
"My eyes!" he exclaimed, in astonishment44; "Jim, just look at Ragged Dick. He's come into a fortun', and turned gentleman. See his new clothes."
"So he has," said Jim. "Where'd he get 'em, I wonder?"
"Hooked 'em, p'raps. Let's go and stir him up a little. We don't want no gentlemen on our beat. So he's puttin' on airs,—is he? I'll give him a lesson."
So saying the two boys walked up to our hero, who had not observed them, his back being turned, and Micky Maguire gave him a smart slap on the shoulder.
Dick turned round quickly.
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收听单词发音
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1
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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3
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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8
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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9
cuffs
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| n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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10
pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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12
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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13
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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14
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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15
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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16
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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expend
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| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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23
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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24
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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borough
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| n.享有自治权的市镇；(英)自治市镇 | |
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democrat
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| n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员 | |
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28
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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ascendancy
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| n.统治权，支配力量 | |
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subservient
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| adj.卑屈的，阿谀的 | |
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32
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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33
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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amending
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| 改良，修改，修订( amend的现在分词 )； 改良，修改，修订( amend的第三人称单数 )( amends的现在分词 ) | |
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35
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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wielded
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| 手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的过去式和过去分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响） | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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40
frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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41
abstemious
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| adj.有节制的，节俭的 | |
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42
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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43
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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