CHAPTER VI. — SAM'S LUCK.

 When towns and cities find their income insufficient¹ to meet their expenditures², they raise money by selling bonds. Sam would gladly have resorted to this device, or any other likely to replenish³ his empty treasury⁴; but his credit was not good. He felt rather bashful about applying to his roommate for money, being already his debtor⁵, and, in his emergency, thought of the senior clerk, William Budd.

 

"Mr. Budd," he said, summoning up his courage, "will you lend me a dollar?"

 

"What for?" inquired the young man, regarding him attentively⁶.

 

"I haven't got anything to pay for my meals the rest of the week," said Sam.

 

"How does that happen?"

 

"I can't live on five dollars a week."

 

"Then suppose I lend you a dollar, I don't see that you will be able to repay me."

 

"Oh, I'll pay you back," said Sam, glibly⁷.

 

"Have you got any security to offer me?"

 

"Any security?" asked Sam, who was inexperienced in business.

 

"Yes. Have you got any houses or lands, any stocks or bonds, which you can put in my hands as collateral⁸?"

 

"I guess not," said Sam, scratching his head. "If I had any houses, I'd sell 'em, and then I wouldn't have to borrer."

 

"So you can't get along on five dollars a week?"

 

"No."

 

"The boy that was here before you lived on that."

 

"I've had to pay a lot of money for clothes," Sam explained, brightening up with the idea.

 

"How much?"

 

"Well, I had to buy the suit I have on, and then I had to get some shirts the other day."

 

"How much does it cost you for billiards⁹?" asked William Budd, quietly.

 

Sam started and looked embarrassed.

 

"Billiards?" he stammered¹⁰.

 

"Yes, that's what I said."

 

"Who told you I played billiards?"

 

"No one."

 

"I guess you're mistaken, then," said Sam, more boldly, concluding that it was only a conjecture¹¹ of his fellow clerk.

 

"I don't think I am. I had occasion to go into French's Hotel, to see a friend in the office, and I glanced into the billiard room. I saw you playing with another boy of about your age. Did he beat you?"

 

"Yes."

 

"And you had to pay for the game. Don't you think, as your income is so small, that you had better stop playing billiards till you get larger pay?"

 

"I don't play very often," said Sam, uneasily.

 

"I advise you not to let Mr. Dalton know that you play at all. He would be apt to think that you were receiving too high pay, since you could afford to pay for this amusement."

 

"I hope you won't tell him," said Sam, anxiously.

 

"No, I don't tell tales about my fellow clerks."

 

"Then won't you lend me a dollar?" inquired Sam, returning to the charge.

 

"I would rather not, under the circumstances."

 

Sam was disappointed. He had five cents left to buy lunch with, and his appetite was uncommonly¹² healthy.

 

"Why wasn't I born rich?" thought Sam. "I guess I have a pretty hard time. I wish I could find a pocket-book or something."

 

Sam was a juvenile¹³ Micawber, and trusted too much to something turning up, instead of going to work and turning it up himself.

 

However, strangely enough, something did turn up that very afternoon.

 

Restricted to five cents, Sam decided¹⁴ to make his lunch of apples. For this sum an old woman at the corner would supply him with three, and they were very "filling" for the price. After eating his apples he took a walk, being allowed about forty minutes for lunch. He bent¹⁵ his steps toward Wall Street, and sauntered along, wishing he were not obliged to go back to the office.

 

All at once his eye rested on a gold ring lying on the sidewalk at his feet. He stooped hurriedly, and picked it up, putting it in his pocket without examination, lest it might attract the attention of the owner, or some one else who would contest its possession with him.

 

"That's almost as good as a pocket-book," thought Sam, elated. "It's gold—I could see that. I can get something for that at the pawnbroker¹⁶'s. I'll get some supper to-night, even if I can't borrer any money."

 

Some boys would have reflected that the ring was not theirs to pawn¹⁷; but Sam, as the reader has found out by this time, was not a boy of high principles. He had a very easy code of morality, and determined¹⁸ to make the most of his good fortune.

 

When he got a chance he took a look at his treasure.

 

There was a solitary¹⁹ diamond, of considerable size, set in it. Sam did not know much about diamonds, and had no conception of the value of this stone. His attention was drawn²⁰ chiefly to the gold, of which there was considerable. He thought very little of the piece of glass, as he considered it.

 

"I'd orter get five dollars for this," he thought, complacently²¹. "Five dollars will be a great help to a poor chap like me. I'll go round to the pawnbroker's just as soon as I get out of the store."

 

William Budd was rather puzzled by Sam's evident good spirits. Considering that he was impecunious²² enough to require a loan which he had been unable to negotiate, it was rather remarkable²³.

 

"Have you succeeded in borrowing any money, Sam?" he asked, with some curiosity.

 

"No," answered Sam, with truth; "I haven't asked anybody but you."

 

"You don't seem to mind it much."

 

"What's the use of fretting²⁴?" said Sam. "I'm expecting a legacy²⁵ from my uncle."

 

"How much?"

 

"Five dollars."

 

"That isn't very large. I hope you won't have to wait for it too long."

 

"No, I hope not. I guess I'll get along."

 

"Did you get any lunch?"

 

"Yes, I bought three apples."

 

"Did they fill you up?" asked Budd, with a smile.

 

"There's a little room left," answered Sam, "if you'd like to try the experiment."

 

"There's a peanut, then."

 

"Thankful for small favors. I'm afraid it'll be lonely if you don't give me another."

 

"Take that, then; it's the last one I have."

 

"He's a good-natured boy, after all," thought the young clerk. "Some boys would have been offended with me for having refused to lend."

 

He did not understand the cause of Sam's good spirits, but thought him unusually light hearted.

 

When the office closed, and Sam was released from duty, he took his way at once to a small pawn office with which he had become familiar in the course of his varied²⁶ career, though he had not often possessed²⁷ anything of sufficient value to pawn.

 

The pawnbroker, a small old man, a German by birth, scanned Sam attentively, regarding him as a possible customer.

 

"How do you do, my boy?" he said, politely.

 

"Oh, I'm tiptop. Have you got any money to give away?"

 

"What shall I give it for?" asked the old man.

 

"I've got a ring here," said Sam, "that I want to pawn."

 

"Show it to me."

 

The pawnbroker started in surprise and admiration²⁸ when his eye fell on the sparkling brilliant.

 

"Where did you get it?" he asked.

 

"It was left by my grandmother," said Sam, promptly²⁹.

 

The pawnbroker shrugged³⁰ his shoulders, not believing a word of the story.

 

"Isn't it a nice ring?" asked Sam.

 

"So so," answered the old man. "I have seen much better. How much do you want for it?"

 

"How much will you give me?"

 

"Two dollars," answered the old man.

 

"Then you won't get it," said Sam. "You won't get it for a cent under five."

 

"That is too much," said the old man, from force of habit. "I'll give you four."

 

"No, you won't. You'll give me five; and I won't sell it for that, neither. I may want to get it back, as it was my aunt's."

 

"You said your grandmother left it to you," said the old man, shrewdly.

 

"So she did," answered Sam, unabashed; "but she left it to my aunt first. When my aunt died it came to me."

 

Without dwelling³¹ upon the efforts which the pawnbroker made to get the ring cheaper, it is sufficient to say that Sam carried his point, and marched out of the store with five dollars and a pawn ticket in his pocket.

 

1 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

2 expenditures   

n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费

参考例句：

• We have overspent.We'll have to let up our expenditures next month. 我们已经超支了，下个月一定得节约开支。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pension includes an allowance of fifty pounds for traffic expenditures. 年金中包括50镑交通费补贴。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 replenish   

vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满

参考例句：

• I always replenish my food supply before it is depleted.我总是在我的食物吃完之前加以补充。
• We have to import an extra 4 million tons of wheat to replenish our reserves.我们不得不额外进口四百万吨小麦以补充我们的储备。

4 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

5 debtor   

n.借方，债务人

参考例句：

• He crowded the debtor for payment.他催逼负债人还债。
• The court granted me a lien on my debtor's property.法庭授予我对我债务人财产的留置权。

6 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 glibly   

adv.流利地，流畅地；满口

参考例句：

• He glibly professed his ignorance of the affair. 他口口声声表白不知道这件事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He put ashes on his head, apologized profusely, but then went glibly about his business. 他表示忏悔，满口道歉，但接着又故态复萌了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 collateral   

adj.平行的；旁系的；n.担保品

参考例句：

• Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
• Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押，这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。

9 billiards   

n.台球

参考例句：

• John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
• Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

10 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

11 conjecture   

n./v.推测，猜测

参考例句：

• She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。
• This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。

12 uncommonly   

adv. 稀罕(极，非常)

参考例句：

• an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童
• My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。

13 juvenile   

n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的

参考例句：

• For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。
• Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。

14 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

15 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

16 pawnbroker   

n.典当商，当铺老板

参考例句：

• He redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker's.他从当铺赎回手表。
• She could get fifty dollars for those if she went to the pawnbroker's.要是她去当铺当了这些东西，她是可以筹出50块钱的。

17 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

18 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

19 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

20 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

21 complacently   

adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地

参考例句：

• He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
• "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

22 impecunious   

adj.不名一文的，贫穷的

参考例句：

• He is impecunious,does not know anyone who can lend mony.他身无分文，也不认识任何可以借钱的人。
• They are independent,impecunious and able to tolerate all degrees of discomfort.他们独立自主，囊中羞涩，并且能够忍受各种不便。

23 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

24 fretting   

n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的

参考例句：

• Fretting about it won't help. 苦恼于事无补。
• The old lady is always fretting over something unimportant. 那位老妇人总是为一些小事焦虑不安。

25 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

26 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

27 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

28 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

29 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

30 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。