Meaning it to be a surprise, he said nothing to Rose or Martha, but before going down town the next day, went to the box-office, and secured three reserved seats in an excellent situation. They were expensive; but Rufus was resolved that he would not spare expense, for this occasion at least.
When he reached home at half-past five in the afternoon, he went up at once to Martha's room.
"Miss Manning," he said, "have you any engagement this evening?"
"It is hardly necessary to ask, Rufus," she replied; "my company is not in very great demand."
"You have heard of the Japanese jugglers at the Academy of Music?"
"Yes; Mrs. Florence was speaking of them this morning. She and her husband went last evening."
"Ever so much, Rufie. Will you take me?"
"Yes, I have got tickets: see here;" and Rufus drew out the three tickets which he had purchased in the morning.
"Thank you, Rufus," said Miss Manning; "I shall like very much to go. It is long since I went to any place of amusement. How much did the tickets cost?"
"A dollar and a half apiece."
"Isn't that rather extravagant5?"
"It would be if we went every week; but now and then we can afford it."
"You must let me pay for my ticket, Rufus."
"Not if I know it," said Rufus. "It's a pity if a Wall Street banker can't carry a lady to a place of amusement, without charging her for the ticket."
"If you put it that way, I suppose I must yield," said Miss Manning, smiling.
Rose was highly excited at the idea of going to see the Japanese, whose feats6, as described by Mrs. Florence at the breakfast-table, had interested her exceedingly. The prospect7 of sitting up till eleven in the evening also had its charm, and she was quite too excited to eat much dinner.
"Really," said Mrs. Clifton, "I quite envy you, Miss Manning. I tried to get Mr. Clifton to buy tickets, but he hasn't done it."
"First time I heard of it," said her husband.
"You pay very little attention to what I ask,—I am aware of that," said Mrs. Clifton, in an aggrieved8 tone.
"We'll go now, if you say so."
"We couldn't get any decent seats. When did you buy yours, Mr. Rushton?"
"This morning."
Mrs. Clifton, who was thoroughly9 selfish, hinted that probably Rose wouldn't care about going, and that she should be glad to buy the ticket, and accompany Rufus and Miss Manning; but this hint failed to be taken, and she was forced unwillingly10 to stay at home.
To tell the truth, Miss Manning was scarcely less pleased than Rose at the idea of going. Until recently she had been a poor seamstress, earning scarcely enough to subsist11 upon, much less to pay for amusements. Sometimes in the early evening she had passed the portals of places of amusement, and wished that she were able to break the tedious monotony of her daily life by entering; but it was quite out of the question, and with a sigh she would pass on. Now she was very differently situated, and her life was much pleasanter.
"Can I wear my new dress, Martha?" asked Rose.
"Yes, Rosy. It was fortunate that I got it finished to-day."
"And will you wear yours, too, Martha?"
"Yes, I think so," she said. "Rufus has bought us nice seats, and we must look as well as we can."
When both were dressed, they surveyed themselves with satisfaction. Miss Manning was not above the weakness, if it is a weakness, of liking12 to appear well dressed, though she was not as demonstrative as Rose, who danced about the room in high enjoyment13.
When they were quite ready, Rufus came into the room. He had a pair of kid gloves in his hand, which he twirled about in rather an embarrassed way.
"I can't get the confounded things on, Miss Manning," he said. "I've been trying for some time, but it's no go. The fact is, I never owned a pair of kid gloves before. I'd enough sight rather go without any, but I suppose, if I am going to sit in a fashionable seat, I must try to look fashionable."
Miss Manning soon explained to Rufus how the gloves should go on. This time the success was better, and he was soon neatly14 gloved.
"They are pretty gloves, Rufus," she said.
"I don't like the feeling of them," said Rufus; "they feel strange."
"That is because you are not used to them. You'll like them better soon."
"I wonder what some of my old street friends would say to see me now," said Rufus, smiling. "They'd think I was a tip-top swell15."
Though the gloves did not feel comfortable, Rufus looked at his hands with satisfaction. Step by step he was getting into the ways of civilized16 life, and he was very anxious to leave as far behind him as possible his street experiences.
Soon after dinner they left the house, and, proceeding17 to Broadway, walked up as far as union Square. Then they turned down Fourteenth Street, and a few minutes brought them to the Academy of Music.
The entrance and vestibule were brilliantly lighted. On the steps and in front were a number of speculators, who were eagerly offering their tickets to those who appeared unprovided.
Rufus pushed his way through, with Martha and Rose at his side. His tickets were taken at the gate, but the portion indicating the number of their reserved seats was torn off, and given back to them. On showing them to the usher18, they were conducted to their seats, which were in the sixth row from the stage, and fronting it.
"We'll have a good view here, Miss Manning," he said.
Soon the curtain rose, and the performance commenced. To those who have not seen the Japanese in their peculiar19 performance, it is enough to say that they show marvellous skill and agility20 in their feats, some of which are so difficult as to seem almost impossible.
All three enjoyed the performance. Miss Manning, though so much older, was almost as much unaccustomed as little Rose herself to such scenes, and took a fresh interest in it, which those who go often cannot feel. Every now and then, little Rose, unable to restrain her enthusiasm, exhibited her delight openly.
I should like, for the benefit of my younger readers, to give a detailed21 account of some portions of the performance which seemed most wonderful; but my memory is at fault, and I can only speak in general terms.
It was a little after ten when the curtain finally fell.
"Is that all?" asked Rose, half in disappointment.
"That's all, Rosy. Are you sleepy?"
"Not a bit," said Rose, vivaciously22; "I should like to stay here an hour longer. Wasn't it perfectly23 beautiful, Rufie?"
"Yes; it was very good," said Rufus; "I don't know but I like it almost as well as the Old Bowery."
Though he had risen in the social scale, he had not quite lost his relish24 for the style of plays for which the Old Bowery, the favorite theatre with the street boys, is celebrated25. But that he had a suspicion that it was not exactly a fashionable place of amusement, he would like to have taken Rose and Miss Manning there this evening. He would hardly have liked to mention it at the table afterwards, however.
The audience rose from their seats, and Rufus with them. Slowly they moved towards the door, and at last made their way to the entrance. Had Rufus known who was waiting there, he might have felt a little nervous. But he did not know, and it devolves upon us to explain.
Three days before, Mr. Martin, who had been sentenced to the penitentiary26 for three months, on account of his attempt at picking pockets, which we have already chronicled, was released. To say the least, he left the prison no better than he had entered it. Better in one sense he was, for he had been forced for three months to abstain27 from drink, and this he felt to be a great hardship. But it had a favorable influence upon his health, and his skin was clearer, and his nose not quite so ruddy as when he was arrested. But so far as good intentions went, he had not formed any during his exile from society, and now that he was released he was just as averse28 to living by honest industry as before.
However, his resources were still limited. Money had never been very plentiful29 with him, and just at present he was not encumbered30 with any. It did not occur to him that the shortest way to obtain some was to go to work; or, if it did, the suggestion did not strike him favorably. It did occur to him, however, that there were charitable persons in the metropolis31 who might be induced to help him, and he resolved to act upon this suggestion. Accordingly, he haunted the neighborhood of the Academy of Music, until the stream of people began to pour out from it, and then he felt that the time had come for him to carry out his plans.
He went up to a gentleman who was coming out with a young lady leaning on his arm.
"Will you listen to me a minute, sir?" he said, in a whining32 tone. "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday, and I have no money to pay for a night's lodging33."
"Why don't you go to work?" said the gentleman.
"I can't get anything to do, sir. I've been trying for something all day."
The fact was that Mr. Martin had been lounging about a low bar-room all day.
"Here, take this, and clear the way."
The gentleman, more to get rid of him than anything else, dropped five cents into his hand, and passed on.
He looked up, intending to make a similar application to the next person, when he uttered an exclamation35 of surprise and exultation36. Close before him he saw Rufus and his little sister, accompanied by Miss Manning.
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1
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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8
aggrieved
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| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
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9
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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subsist
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| vi.生存，存在，供养 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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19
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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vivaciously
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| adv.快活地；活泼地；愉快地 | |
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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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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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penitentiary
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| n.感化院；监狱 | |
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abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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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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34
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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