Mr. Lorimer, however, regretted afterwards giving in to the wishes of his son. He recognized the fact that Benton was an experienced salesman whose services were valuable, and that he was getting these at an extraordinary low rate of wages. He could secure a man in his place, doubtless, but it would not be so easy to get one so competent as cheaply.
Accordingly, on the morning succeeding[Pg 155] the dismissal he had a conversation with Julian at the breakfast table.
"I think I shall have to take Benton back, Julian," he said.
"Probably you provoked him. At any rate he is a valuable man. I don't see how I can spare him."
"There are lots of clerks out of employment."
"That may be, but he has long experience."
"If you take him back, pa, he will insult me again. I should think you would have more consideration for me."
"I can require him to apologize to you. The man is poor as poverty, and won't dare to refuse."
"Can't you cut down his pay?"
"Not very well. I pay him very little now. You see, Julian, this is a matter of business. I think you are too much in the store, as you have no employment there. If you want to go to work, that will be a different matter."
[Pg 156]
"If you will be at the store at noon I will have Benton apologize to you."
Mr. Benton was at work in his place when Julian passed through the store and paused in front of his counter.
"Very well, as soon as I fold up these goods," answered the salesman.
"You'd better hurry up if you know what's best for yourself."
"And you'd better cease talking to me in that way or I may teach you better manners."
Julian Lorimer flushed, and his eyes blazed with anger.
"Oho!" he said, "you don't seem to know who I am."
Julian nodded vigorously, and went at once to his father.
"Well, I told Benton to come, and he said he'd come as soon as he got ready."
[Pg 157]
"Are you repeating what he said exactly?"
"Yes, that is, he said he'd come when he'd folded up some goods."
"That is a different matter."
"He called me an impudent boy and threatened to lick me."
Mr. Lorimer did not reply to this. He had a suspicion that Julian had represented matters worse than they were.
Two minutes later Henry Benton presented himself at the office. He was quiet and calm.
"I understand you wish to see me, Mr. Lorimer," he said.
"Yes. My son has complained of you."
"You will excuse my saying that I am not in his employ, but in yours. If he were your partner he would have a right to speak to me about my work. As it is he is only your son, and I don't concede his right."
"As my son he is entitled to your respect."
"He would have been treated with respect had he treated me respectfully."
"Did you ever hear the like?" Julian burst in.
"Silence, Julian!" said his father. "In[Pg 158] your circumstances, Mr. Benton, I think you have acted very unwisely."
"You depend upon the wages I pay you for your livelihood10."
"Very well, sir."
"And you make an enemy in my family and endanger your remaining in my service."
"I understood that you discharged me yesterday."
"Ahem! yes, but I don't want to be too hard upon you. You have a family, have you not?"
"I have a wife and young son."
"If I should discharge you they would suffer."
"What does this mean?" thought Benton.
"Therefore I have decided11 to recall the discharge, on condition that you will apologize to Julian for treating him with insolence12."
"If I am to retain my position on that condition, Mr. Lorimer, I prefer to leave the store."
"I am surprised at your folly13!" said the[Pg 159] merchant, sharply. "Here, I give you a chance to retain your place and your ill-timed pride steps in and interferes14 with your interest."
"May I ask what I am to apologize to your son for, Mr. Lorimer?"
"Do you sustain him in interfering with my work?" asked Benton, calmly.
"I see you are incorrigible," said Lorimer, angrily. "If your family suffers in consequence of your obstinacy16, don't blame me."
"I shall not have occasion to blame you or anyone else."
"What do you mean by that? I don't understand you."
"I mean only that though I shall leave your employment I have another place waiting for me. I shall not be idle for a day."
"Is this true?" asked Lorimer, astonished.
"Yes, sir, quite true."
"For whom are you going to work?"
"You must excuse my keeping that a secret for the present."
[Pg 160]
"When did you make application for a place?"
"I made no application at all. It was offered to me."
"I shall not give you any recommendation."
"None will be necessary, sir. I have worked elsewhere, and my former employer will recommend me."
Benton regarded Julian with contempt, but did not say a word.
"What pay are you to get?" asked Lorimer.
"More than twice what you are paying me, sir. You took advantage of my poverty and my necessities to reduce me to five dollars a week, a lower price, probably, than is paid by any dry-goods merchant in the city to an experienced salesman."
"It seems to me you are getting very independent," said Lorimer, annoyed.
"I feel more independent than I did yesterday. I have one favor to ask."
[Pg 161]
"I have already told you that I cannot give you a recommendation."
"I don't care for one. If you can conveniently spare me I should like to retire from your service to-day."
"Let him go, pa."
But Mr. Lorimer did not agree with Julian.
"I prefer that you should remain here till your week expires. If there is any failure to get the situation you expect, I will continue you in my service at six dollars a week."
"Thank you, sir, but I don't think there is any doubt about my situation. If you have nothing further to say to me I will return to my work."
"There," he said, "I have lost one of my best salesmen, whom I was getting dirt cheap, on account of your misconduct."
Julian was rather taken aback at this reproach.
"You can get lots of men in his place, pa," he said.
[Pg 162]
"Not at the same wages. Now go away, I am busy."
"I wish I knew where he is going to work," thought Julian. "I might write an anonymous19 letter to his employer. I hate him. He puts on too many airs for a cheap clerk."
Julian's malicious20 plot had certainly failed signally. The next day about one o'clock he was passing the Somerset Hotel, on lower Broadway, just as Rupert was coming out on an errand.
Julian at once noticed the watch chain. As he had never known of Rupert's owning a watch, his curiosity was excited.
Rupert took out his watch.
"Five minutes after one," he answered.
The watch was a handsome one, as Julian noticed.
"Is that your watch?" he asked, abruptly.
"Yes."
"Is it oroide?"
"No; it is gold. Do you wish to look at it?"
Julian's curiosity was such that he took it into his hand. He could see at once that it was a genuine and probably expensive gold watch.
"It was a present."
"From whom?"
"A friend up town."
Julian dropped the watch and went on his way in an ill humor. He had a watch himself, but it was of less than half the value of Rupert's. He inwardly resolved to ask his father for a new one.
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1
aspired
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| v.渴望，追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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3
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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4
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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5
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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6
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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7
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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8
impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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livelihood
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| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
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11
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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12
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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13
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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14
interferes
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| vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉 | |
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15
pompously
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| adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样 | |
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16
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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17
bluffing
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| n. 威吓，唬人 动词bluff的现在分词形式 | |
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18
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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19
anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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20
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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21
jeeringly
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| adv.嘲弄地 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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