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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Rupert's Ambition » CHAPTER XI. RUPERT RECEIVES A COMMISSION.
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CHAPTER XI. RUPERT RECEIVES A COMMISSION.
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 The detective, as he left the reading room, passed Rupert, who was just entering.
 
"Let me see," he said, tapping Rupert on the shoulder, "you are the bell-boy who came near being murdered by a crank?"
 
"Yes, sir."
 
"You escaped very cleverly. You are evidently a sharp boy. Keep your eyes open, don't you?"
 
"Yes, sir; except when I'm asleep."
 
"We detectives have to keep our eyes open all the time, but we can't be everywhere at once. Now I feel a little inclined to make you my deputy—not permanently1, but for a time."
 
"All right, sir."
 
"Have you noticed rather a flashy young man, looking like a dude, with an eyeglass and cane2?"
 
[Pg 104]
 
"Yes, sir; he is frequently in the hotel."
 
"You know, of course, that he isn't a guest?"
 
"Yes, sir. We bell-boys know who are guests and who are not."
 
"Possibly you may have wondered what his business is here?"
 
"Yes, sir."
 
"He is a confidence man. His business is to pick up victims, and make what he can out of them. Do you see that old gentleman over by the window?"
 
"Yes, sir."
 
"He is an honest and probably well-to-do old farmer, I judge. That fellow has been having a talk with him. When he saw me he had business elsewhere. But he hasn't given up his scheme for bleeding the old man. Probably he will have another interview with him to-morrow. Now I should like to have you keep your eye on the two. Find out if you can what the man is after. I can't, for he knows me by sight. I want to foil his schemes and save the old man from loss. Here is my address."
 
[Pg 105]
 
The detective placed in Rupert's hand a small, plain card, bearing the name,
 
RICHARD DARKE.
 
Below he put his address, which need not be given here.
 
"Don't say anything about this," he said, "except to me. Should you mention it to anyone else in the hotel the fellow would soon see that he was watched, and we might fail to catch him. I am reposing3 considerable confidence in a boy."
 
"Yes, sir, but you will not regret it."
 
"I believe you," said the detective, cordially. "I'll see you again soon."
 
"One moment, Mr. Darke. What is the young man's name?"
 
"He has several. The one he uses most frequently is Clarence Clayton."
 
"I will remember it, sir."
 
Clarence Clayton left the Somerset Hotel in good spirits. He felt like an angler who was on the point of landing a fine fish.
 
"I wonder if old Darke saw me talking with that old Granger," he soliloquized. "I[Pg 106] hope not. Probably he knows me, though thus far I have escaped having my picture in the Rogues4' Gallery. Those old fellows know everybody. Fortunately there is no regular detective at the Somerset, and I shall be able to finish my negotiations5 with my country friend before he drops in again."
 
Mr. Clarence Clayton was getting low in funds. Somehow fortune had not favored him of late, and the sums he had realized out of recent victims were very small. Yet he felt so confident of success in the present instance that he sauntered up to the Sinclair House, at the corner of Broadway and Eighth Street, and going into the restaurant, which has a high reputation for choice viands6, he ordered an appetizing repast at a cost of a dollar.
 
He was scarcely half through when a young man, got up in very much the same style, came in and sat down opposite him.
 
"Ha, Clayton!" he said, "so you're in luck."
 
"How do, Mortimer? What makes you think so?"
 
[Pg 107]
 
"Your extravagant7 spread. It isn't permitted to failures like your humble8 servant to dine in such princely style."
 
"Then why come here at all?"
 
"I am only going to order fish balls and coffee, but I want those good, and shall get them good here. Have you made a ten-strike?"
 
"No; business is dull with me, but I think I'm on the track of a fair thing."
 
"What is it, and where?"
 
"Wouldn't you like to know, Mortimer?" said Clarence, putting one finger waggishly9 on one side of his nose. "There isn't enough in it for two."
 
"Oh, I don't want to interfere10 with you, of course. I thought I'd like to know whereabouts you are operating at present."
 
"What do you say to the Windsor Hotel?"
 
"Isn't that rash? Don't the detective know you?"
 
"He can't be everywhere, the worthy11 man. Your friend Clarence knows what he is about. You won't interfere with me?"
 
"Of course not."
 
[Pg 108]
 
In spite of this assurance Mortimer made it in his way to drop into the Windsor Hotel later in the evening, but of course he did not see Clarence Clayton, who had put him on the wrong scent12.
 
A good dinner was not the end of Clayton's extravagance. He dropped into the Star Theatre, and enjoyed an attractive play, though it cost him a dollar.
 
"Josiah Onthank will pay for it, I hope," he said, for he had ascertained13 from the hotel register the name of his Orange County friend. "It will cost something," he laughed, "to get his son into my office in Wall Street. Oh, Clarence, you're a sly one, you are!"
 
Rupert was free from his duties at seven o'clock, but, remembering the commission he had received, he sought out the farmer and opened a conversation with him.
 
"How do you like New York?" he asked.
 
"It's a big city," answered the farmer. "I haven't been here before for twenty years."
 
"Have you ever traveled on the Elevated cars?"
 
"No, I'm a little mite14 afeard to travel so[Pg 109] high in the air. Suppose the train should go through?"
 
"I don't think there's any danger, sir. The road is strongly built."
 
"I s'pose I'm timid, but I guess I won't ventur'. My son Ephraim wouldn't mind. I came to the city mostly on his account. He wanted me to see if there wasn't an opening here. He's got sick of the farm and wants to be a city man. Are you at work here?"
 
"Yes, I'm a bell-boy in this hotel."
 
"Does it pay you well?"
 
"Yes, sir. I get five dollars a week and my board."
 
"That's good for a boy like you. It's more than I pay my hired man, and he's twenty-eight. Is your work hard?"
 
"I have to run upstairs and down a good deal. I got pretty tired at first."
 
"I met quite a slick young man here this afternoon; he says he's a broker15 in Wall Street. He knows how to make money."
 
"Does he, sir?" inquired Rupert, getting interested.
 
"Yes; he says he made two hundred [Pg 110]dollars last month, and he thinks that pretty small."
 
"I should think it a good deal to make."
 
"He doesn't have to work very hard, either. Ephraim would like being a broker. He always did like to dress up, but at home he can't do it till evenin' after he has milked the cows and finished the chores."
 
"Did the gentleman mention his name to you?"
 
"Yes, he said his name was Clarence Clayton. He thinks he may be able to take my son Ephraim into his office."
 
"Did he tell you where his office was?"
 
"Well, down in Wall Street somewhere. I s'pose there's a good deal of money made in Wall Street."
 
"And a good deal lost, too," suggested Rupert.
 
"When are you going to see Mr. Clayton again?"
 
"To-morrow morning. He's goin' down to show me his office, and he'll think it over whether he can take Ephraim or not."
 
"I suppose he is a rich man."
 
[Pg 111]
 
"I expect he is. He dresses fine. Ephraim would like to dress that way, but he hasn't the shape for it. I should feel proud to have him doin' as well as Mr. Clayton."
 
"I hope you won't mind my giving you a little advice, Mr. Onthank, even if I am a boy."
 
"Go ahead, sonny! I'm sure you mean well."
 
"Don't make any arrangements with Mr. Clayton to take your son till you have had a chance to talk over the matter with some one. I have a friend, a very experienced man, and I am sure his advice would be worth taking."
 
"You don't think there's anything wrong about Mr. Clayton, do you?" asked the farmer, startled.
 
"I don't say that, but if he wants you to pay him some money for giving your son a a place, don't do it till you have mentioned it to me."
 
"I won't. There won't be no harm in that."
 
"And don't tell him who it is you are going to consult. Supposing he wasn't all right, it would put him on his guard."
 
[Pg 112]
 
"Thank you, sonny, you are a young boy, but I guess you've got a level head."
 
"I hope so," laughed Rupert.
 
"Do you know where there's a good place to take supper—a good country supper? I've been to the hotel eatin' houses, but it don't exactly suit my country taste."
 
"Yes, Mr. Onthank, I think I can find a place that will suit you."
 
Rupert took the farmer to a plain restaurant not far away, where he got some cream toast, a good cup of strong tea, and a piece of apple pie.
 
"That's good," said the farmer, with a sigh of satisfaction. "It's better than all them fancy dishes I get at some places. There ain't nothing like plain home livin'."
 
Rupert didn't part from Mr. Onthank till nine o'clock, when the farmer expressed a wish to go to bed.
 
"I always go to bed at nine o'clock when I'm to home," he said. "Folks here in York seem to sit up all night."

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 permanently KluzuU     
adv.永恒地,永久地,固定不变地
参考例句:
  • The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
  • The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。
2 cane RsNzT     
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的
参考例句:
  • This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
  • English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。
3 reposing e5aa6734f0fe688069b823ca11532d13     
v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • His parents were now reposing in the local churchyard. 他的双亲现在长眠于本地教堂墓地。 来自辞典例句
  • The picture shows a nude reposing on a couch. 这幅画表现的是一个人赤身体躺在长沙发上。 来自辞典例句
4 rogues dacf8618aed467521e2383308f5bb4d9     
n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 );无赖;调皮捣蛋的人;离群的野兽
参考例句:
  • 'I'll show these rogues that I'm an honest woman,'said my mother. “我要让那些恶棍知道,我是个诚实的女人。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
  • The rogues looked at each other, but swallowed the home-thrust in silence. 那些恶棍面面相觑,但只好默默咽下这正中要害的话。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
5 negotiations af4b5f3e98e178dd3c4bac64b625ecd0     
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过
参考例句:
  • negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
  • Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
6 viands viands     
n.食品,食物
参考例句:
  • Greek slaves supplied them with exquisite viands at the slightest nod.只要他们轻轻点点头希腊奴隶就会供奉给他们精美的食品。
  • The family sat down to table,and a frugal meal of cold viands was deposited beforethem.一家老少,都围着桌子坐下,几样简单的冷食,摆在他们面前。
7 extravagant M7zya     
adj.奢侈的;过分的;(言行等)放肆的
参考例句:
  • They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
  • He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。
8 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
9 waggishly e7240b20e63f666af87c570fdaec79ab     
adv.waggish(滑稽的,诙谐的)的变形
参考例句:
10 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。
11 worthy vftwB     
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
参考例句:
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
12 scent WThzs     
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉
参考例句:
  • The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
  • The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
13 ascertained e6de5c3a87917771a9555db9cf4de019     
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 mite 4Epxw     
n.极小的东西;小铜币
参考例句:
  • The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
  • He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。
15 broker ESjyi     
n.中间人,经纪人;v.作为中间人来安排
参考例句:
  • He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
  • I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。


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