Paul Morton, seeing the sudden pallor of his companion, knew that his purpose had been accomplished7, and went on to other matters.
"I think," he said, "that you will be able to start on the day after to-morrow. I will see that [Pg 83]Robert is ready, and if you will come around by nine o'clock, there will be ample time to take the middle train."
"Very well," said Cromwell. "I will bear in mind what you say, Mr. Morton."
"And now, I think, Mr. Cromwell, I shall be obliged to leave you, as my business, which I have neglected of late, requires my attention."
James Cromwell took the hint, and left the house. He fell into a fit of musing8, as he rode downtown on a street-car.
"Shall I do this thing which he wants of me?" he said to himself. "There would be danger in it, and there is something ugly in the thought of murder. Still, ten thousand dollars would set me up in life. Besides, I should still have a hold on Mr. Morton. Ah, it would be pleasant to be rich! No more miserable9 drudgery10, no more cringing11 to an employer who cares no more for you than for a dog, and perhaps treats you no better! Money, money is a blessed thing. It brings independence; with it you can lift your head erect12, and walk proudly among men, who are always ready to doff13 their hats to a man who is backed up by wealth. Yes, it is worth something to gain it, but then—murder!"
[Pg 84]
Here James Cromwell shuddered14, and imprisonment15, trial, conviction and the gallows16, loomed17 up, an ugly and forbidding picture, before him. So weighed was his imagination with the terrors of the scene which he had conjured18 up before him, that when he was aroused from his musings by a slap on the shoulder, he started, and turned a terror-stricken countenance19 to the face that bent20 over him. He fancied for a moment that the terrible tragedy had been accomplished, and that the touch was that of a policeman who had been sent to arrest him.
"Why, Cromwell, what's the matter?" asked the other, in wonder. "You look as pale and scared as a ghost."
"Is it you, Hodgson?" said Cromwell, with an air of relief.
"Who did you think it was? You didn't think a policeman was after you, did you?" said Hodgson, jocosely21.
"Oh, dear, no!" said Cromwell, laughing faintly. "I am not afraid of anything from that quarter. But the fact is, I have been getting nervous lately, and I think my health is affected22."
"Why are you not in the shop? Got a furlough?"
[Pg 85]
"Yes, a permanent one. I resigned my situation on account of my health."
"Indeed! I don't see but you look about as usual—that is, now, though a minute ago, you looked pale enough."
"You can't always judge by appearances," said James Cromwell, shaking his head.
"Not exactly. Still I am not wholly without resources. I think of going out West."
"Do you?"
"Yes, I think the change may benefit my health."
"Well, I hope it will. I don't know but I shall go myself, if I can find an opening. If you find anything you think will suit me, I wish you would let me know."
"All right. I will bear you in mind."
"Good-bye. I get out here. Good luck to you!"
The young man, who was salesman in a shoe-store, got out of the car, and James Cromwell rode on to his destination.
When he reached the small room which he had been compelled to call home, because he could [Pg 86]afford nothing better, he looked with disdain24 on its scanty25 and shabby furniture, and said to himself:
"Thank Heaven, I shall not long be compelled to live in such a hole! That reminds me that I must give warning to my landlady26."
"I was just looking for you, Mrs. Warren," he said. "I am intending to leave you this week."
"Indeed!" said the landlady. "I hope you are not dissatisfied, Mr. Cromwell?"
"No; that is not my reason for going. I am going to leave the city."
"Indeed, sir! have you left your place?" asked the woman, in surprise.
"Yes, I have been obliged to on account of my health."
"I am sorry to hear it, sir. What is the matter with you?"
"I expect it is the confinement28."
"I am sorry to lose you, sir. I find it hard to keep my rooms full. If you know of any of your friends who would like a room, I hope you will send them to me."
"I will, certainly."
[Pg 87]
"When were you expecting to leave, Mr. Cromwell?"
"Day after to-morrow, but I will pay you up to the end of the week."
"Thank you, sir."
The landlady went away sighing at the loss of one who represented to her so many dollars a month, and James Cromwell went up again to his little room. He sat down on the bed, and indulged himself in pleasant thoughts.
"What a change has come over my prospects30!" he said, complacently31. "Three weeks ago I was a poor clerk on a miserable salary of ten dollars a week. Now, fortune has opened her doors, and there is a prospect29 of my acquiring an independence, and that without much trouble. It was a lucky day when Paul Morton came into our shop. It is well that my employer was not there, or I should have been unable to act with the promptness which has bettered my fortunes so materially. It isn't every one who would have improved so shrewdly such a chance. I must say that, at least, to the credit of my shrewdness. Would Paul Morton even have thought of intrusting his ward to me, if I had not let him know that I had a hold upon him, and meant to make use of it? In that[Pg 88] hold lies a pile of money, and I mean to squeeze it out of him. I don't think he will deal unfairly by me. He must know that it would not be safe."
Money was the god of James Cromwell's idolatry. He had been in early life a poor orphan32, reared in a poorhouse, kicked and cuffed33 by older boys, who sneered34 at him on account of his poverty. Later, he was apprenticed35 to a druggist, and served a hard apprenticeship36, poorly fed and clothed. When he reached manhood, he came to New York to try his fortune, but his unpromising personal appearance stood in the way of his obtaining a desirable situation. At last, when he was reduced to his last dollar, he obtained a situation as assistant in the small store on the Bowery, where we found him at the commencement of the story, on a salary of six dollars a week. He had remained there for several years, and still his compensation had only reached the low figure of ten dollars a week.
He had pined for riches, and dreamed what he should do if he ever could amass37 a moderate sum of money, but three weeks since, it seemed very improbable whether he would ever be able to compass what he so feverishly38 longed for.
Thus all the circumstances of his past life had[Pg 89] prepared him to become the pliant39 tool of Paul Morton's schemes. In his case, as in so many others, the love of money was likely to become the root of all evil.
So, with weak and vacillating timidity, drawn40 on by the lust41 for gold, James Cromwell thought over the proposal which had been made to him, weighing the risk against the gain proffered42, and the more he thought, the stronger grew the power of the temptation, and the greater became the peril43 which menaced the life of Robert Raymond.
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1
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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2
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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3
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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4
politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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5
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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6
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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7
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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8
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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9
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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10
drudgery
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| n.苦工，重活，单调乏味的工作 | |
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11
cringing
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| adj.谄媚，奉承 | |
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12
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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13
doff
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| v.脱，丢弃，废除 | |
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14
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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15
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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16
gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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17
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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18
conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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19
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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20
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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21
jocosely
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| adv.说玩笑地，诙谐地 | |
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22
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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23
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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24
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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25
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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26
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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27
careworn
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| adj.疲倦的，饱经忧患的 | |
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28
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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29
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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30
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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31
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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32
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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33
cuffed
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| v.掌打，拳打( cuff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
apprenticed
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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37
amass
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| vt.积累，积聚 | |
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38
feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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39
pliant
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| adj.顺从的；可弯曲的 | |
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40
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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41
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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42
proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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