CHAPTER VI. PAUL TAKES A HOUSE ON MADISON AVENUE.

 Paul kept on his way to the office of Mr. Preston. Those who have read the previous volume will remember him as a gentleman whose acquaintance Paul had made accidentally. Attracted by our hero's frank, straightforward¹ manner and manly² bearing, he had given him some work for his mother, and on other occasions had manifested an interest in his welfare. He now held one hundred and fifty dollars belonging to Paul, or rather to Mrs. Hoffman, for which he allowed legal interest.

 

On entering the mercantile establishment, of which Mr. Preston was at the head, Paul inquired for him of one of the salesmen.

 

"He is in his office," said the latter.

 

"Can I see him?"

 

"I don't know. Do you want to see him personally?"

 

"Yes, if he has time to see me."

 

"From whom do you come?"

 

"I come on my own business."

 

"Then I don't think you can see him," said the clerk, judging that a boy's business couldn't be very important.

 

"If you will be kind enough to carry in my name," said Paul, "Mr. Preston will decide that."

 

Paul happened to have in his pocket a business card of the firm from which he bought the silk used in making up his neckties. He wrote on the back his name, PAUL HOFFMAN, and presented it to the clerk.

 

The latter smiled a little superciliously³, evidently thinking it rather a joke that a boy of Paul's age should think himself entitled to an interview with Mr. Preston during business hours, and on business of his own. However, he took the card and approached the office.

 

"There's a boy outside wishes to see you, Mr. Preston," he said.

 

"From whom does he come?" asked his employer, a portly, pleasant-looking gentleman.

 

"On business of his own, he says. Here is his card."

 

"Oh, to be sure. Paul Hoffman!" repeated Mr. Preston, glancing at the card. "Tell him to come in."

 

"I wonder what business he can have with Mr. Preston," thought the clerk, considerably⁴ surprised.

 

"You can go in," he said on his return.

 

Paul smiled slightly, for he observed and enjoyed the other's surprise.

 

"Well, my young friend," said Mr. Preston cordially, "how are you getting on?"

 

"Pretty well in business, sir," answered Paul. "But we got burned out yesterday."

 

"How burned out?"

 

"I mean the tenement⁵ house in which we lodged⁶ was burned down."

 

"No one injured, I hope."

 

"No, sir; but we lost what little we had there."

 

"Were you at home at the time?"

 

"No, sir; my mother and little brother and myself were at Barnum's Museum. But for that we might have saved some of our clothing."

 

"Well, have you got a new place?" "No, sir; we are stopping at the rooms of some friends. I am looking out for some furnished rooms, as I don't want to buy any new furniture. As all our clothes are burned, I may have to draw fifty dollars of the money in your hands."

 

"How much rent do you expect to pay?"

 

"I suppose we must pay as much as twenty dollars a month for comfortable furnished rooms."

 

"Can you afford that?"

 

"My business brings me in as much as fifty dollars a month."

 

"You haven't engaged rooms yet?"

 

"No, sir; my mother and I went out to look at some this morning. We only saw one place that suited us. That we could have got for twenty-two dollars and a half rent, but when they heard of my little brother they wouldn't take us."

 

"I see. Some persons object to young children. I am glad you have not engaged a place yet."

 

Paul looked at Mr. Preston inquiringly.

 

"A gentleman of my acquaintance," proceeded the merchant, "is about sailing to Europe with his family. He is unwilling⁷ to let his house, fearing that his furniture would be injured. Besides, the length of his stay is uncertain, and he would want to go into it at once if he should return suddenly. What I am coming to is this. He wants some small family to go in and take care of the house while he is away. They would be allowed to live in the basement and use the chambers⁸ on the upper floor. In return they would receive the rent free. How would your mother like to make such an arrangement?"

 

"Very much," answered Paul promptly⁹. He saw at a glance that it would be a great thing to save their rent, amounting, at the sum they expected to pay, to more than two hundred and fifty dollars a year. "Where is the house?"

 

"It is in Madison avenue, between Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth streets."

 

This was a considerable distance uptown, about three miles away from his place of business; but then Paul reflected that even if he rode up and down daily in the cars the expense would be trifling¹⁰, compared with what they would save in house-rent. Besides, it would be rather agreeable to live in so fashionable a street.

 

"Do you think my mother can get the chance?" he asked.

 

"I think so. The gentleman of whom I spoke¹¹, Mr. Talbot, expects to sail for Europe next Wednesday, by the Cunard Line. So the matter must be decided¹² soon."

 

"Shall I call upon Mr. Talbot," asked Paul, "or shall you see him?"

 

"Here he is, by good luck," said Mr. Preston, as the door opened and an elderly gentleman entered. "Talbot, you are just the man I want to see."

 

"Indeed! I am glad to hear that. What is it?"

 

"Have you arranged about your house yet?"

 

"No; I came in partly to ask if you knew of any trustworthy family to put in while I am away."

 

"I can recommend some one who will suit you, I think," returned Mr. Preston. "The young man at your side."

 

"He hasn't got a family already?" inquired Mr. Talbot, with a humorous glance at our hero. "It seems to me he is rather forward."

 

"I believe not," said Mr. Preston, smiling; "but he has a mother, a very worthy¹³ woman, and a little brother. As for my young friend himself, I can recommend him from my own knowledge of his character. In fact, he has done me the honor of making me his banker to the extent of a hundred and fifty dollars."

 

"So that you will go bail¹⁴ for him. Well, that seems satisfactory. What is his name?"

 

"Paul Hoffman."

 

"Are you in a counting-room?" asked Mr. Talbot, turning to Paul.

 

"No, sir; I keep a necktie stand below the Astor House."

 

"I must have seen you in passing. I thought your face looked familiar. How much can you make now at that?"

 

"From twelve to fifteen dollars a week, sir."

 

"Very good. That is a good deal more than I made at your age."

 

"Or I," added Mr. Preston. "Paul was burned out yesterday," he added, "and is obliged to seek a new home. When he mentioned this to me, I thought at once that you could make an arrangement for your mutual¹⁵ advantage." "I shall be glad to do so," said Mr. Talbot. "Your recommendation is sufficient, Mr. Preston. Do you understand the terms proposed?" he continued, addressing Paul.

 

"Yes, sir, I think so. We are to have our rent free, and in return are to look after the house."

 

"That is right. I don't wish the house to remain vacant, as it contains furniture and articles of value, and an empty house always presents temptations to rogues¹⁶. You will be free to use the basement and the upper floor. When the rest of the house needs cleaning, or anything of that kind, as for instance when I am about to return, it will be done under your or your mother's oversight¹⁷, but I will pay the bills. Directions will be sent you through my friend Mr. Preston."

 

"All right, sir," said Paul. "How soon would you wish us to come?"

 

"I would like you and your mother to call up this evening and see Mrs. Talbot. You can move in next Tuesday, as we sail for Europe on the following day."

 

"Yes, sir," said Paul in a tone of satisfaction.

 

"I will expect you and your mother this evening. My number is ——."

 

"We will be sure to call, sir."

 

Mr. Talbot now spoke to Mr. Preston on another topic.

 

"Oh, by the way, Paul," said Mr. Preston in an interval¹⁸ of the conversation, "you said you wanted fifty dollars."

 

"I don't think I shall need it now, Mr. Preston," answered Paul. "I have some other money, but I supposed I might have to pay a month's rent in advance. Now that will not be necessary. I will bid you good-morning, sir."

 

"Good-morning, Paul. Call on me whenever you need advice or assistance."

 

"Thank you, sir; I will."

 

"That's what I call a good day's work," said Paul to himself in a tone of satisfaction. "Twenty dollars a month is a good deal to save. We shall grow rich soon at that rate."

 

He determined¹⁹ to go home at once and announce the good news. As he entered the room his mother looked up and inquired:

 

"Well, Paul, what news?"

 

"I've engaged a house, mother."

 

"A house? Where?"

 

"On Madison avenue."

 

"You are joking, Paul."

 

"No, I am not, or if I am, it's a good joke, for we are really to live in a nice house on Madison avenue and pay no rent at all."

 

"I can't understand it, Paul," said his mother, bewildered.

 

Paul explained the arrangement which he had entered into. It is needless to say that his mother rejoiced in the remarkable²⁰ good luck which came to them just after the misfortune of the fire, and looked forward with no little pleasure to moving into their new quarters.

1 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

2 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

3 superciliously   

adv.高傲地；傲慢地

参考例句：

• Madame Defarge looked superciliously at the client, and nodded in confirmation. 德伐日太太轻蔑地望了望客人，点头同意。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

4 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

5 tenement   

n.公寓；房屋

参考例句：

• They live in a tenement.他们住在廉价公寓里。
• She felt very smug in a tenement yard like this.就是在个这样的杂院里，她觉得很得意。

6 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

8 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

9 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。

10 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

11 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 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。

13 worthy   

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。

14 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

15 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

16 rogues   

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

17 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

18 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

19 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。

20 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。