It was fortunate for him that he decided2 to walk. About Thirtieth street he met the one of whom he was in search. Sam was looking in at a shop window, and did not perceive his approach. Overjoyed, Joshua hurried forward and touched him on the shoulder.
“Joshua Drummond!” exclaimed Sam, in surprise; “where in the world did you come from?”
“I came from Stapleton this morning,” said Joshua. “I didn’t know as I should ever find you. I have been walking a long way, going into all the shoe stores I could find, asking for you.”
“Didn’t you know my number? You had it in a letter.”
“I forgot to bring the letter. All I could remember was that you lived somewhere on Eighth avenue.”
“How long are you going to stay in the city?” asked his friend.
“I ain’t going back to Stapleton,” answered Joshua. “I’ve got sick and tired of it.”
“Are you going into a store in New York?”
“Yes, if I can find a place. You’ll help me, won’t you, Sam?”
“I’ll do all I can. So the old man was willing to let you come?”
“No, he wasn’t. I came away without asking him.”
“Did you?” said Sam, cooling a little, for he was afraid that in that case Joshua was not supplied with money. “How do you expect to live while you’re looking out for a place?”
“I can board somewhere. Can’t I get in at your boarding place?”
“Why, you see,” said Sam, “they’ll expect you to pay your board every week in advance unless you can give references. I’m hard up, so I can’t help you.”
“Oh, I’ve got money,” said Joshua.
“Oh, you have!” said Sam, feeling considerably3 relieved. “Have you got enough to last you a month?”
“I’ve got most six hundred dollars.”
“You don’t say so!” said Sam, cordially. “Where did you raise it? Did you draw a prize in the lottery4?”
“No,” said Joshua, “I drew a blank. The old man found out about the ticket and made a row.”
“Then how came he to give you the money?” asked his friend.
“He didn’t give it to me,” said Joshua, a little awkwardly.
“Never mind,” said Sam, quickly, for he suspected the true state of the case, but thought it best not to appear to know that the money was dishonestly acquired. “The main thing is that you’ve got the money. Now, my dear fellow,” he continued, with a remarkable5 increase of cordiality, “I want you to come and room with me.”
“That’s just what I should like,” said Joshua, gratified.
“I have a hall bedroom now; but Mrs. Jones has a larger room with a double bed. We’ll take that together, and I’ll show you round.”
“That’s just what I want,” said Joshua. “You see, I’ve never been in New York before, and I’ve got to get used to it.”
“I know all about it,” said Sam, with an air of consequence. “I know the ropes, if anybody does. I’ll show you life. Have you got the money with you?”
“Five hundred dollars of it is in a government bond. Can I sell it?”
“Oh, yes; that’s easy enough. Have you got some money besides?”
“Yes; I’ve got over seventy dollars in money.”
“I am glad you came to me,” said Sam, who had already made up his mind to help Joshua spend his money. “You are a friend of mine, and of course I feel an interest in you.”
This was quite true; Sam did feel an interest in Joshua, now that he had ascertained6 his ability to pay his own expenses. Otherwise, it is to be feared that the interest would have been considerably less.
“Come with me,” he said; “I’ve got to go back to the store now, but in an hour or more I shall be going out to supper. You can come with me, and then we will fix it about having a room together.”
To this proposal Joshua willingly acceded7. He had walked till he was tired, and was quite willing to rest before going further.
“How do you happen to be out of the store at this time?” asked Joshua.
“I came out on a little business,” said Sam, loftily. “But it is time for me to go back. They can’t get along without me.”
To this Joshua listened with pleasure, for he looked forward to the time when he, too, should be finally settled in business like his friend, for whom he had a high respect, not being aware how insignificant8 his position was.
“How much salary do you get, Sam?” he inquired.
“A thousand a year,” answered Sam, with an air of consequence.
In reality he was receiving eight dollars a week; but he did not intend to be quite candid9 with Joshua, lest the truth should weaken his ascendancy10 over him. He judged shrewdly; for, to the unsophisticated boy from the country a thousand dollars a year seemed like a very large income, as, indeed, Sam himself would have considered it, if by good luck he had obtained it.
“Do you think I will ever get as much, Sam?” asked Joshua.
“Of course not for a long time,” said Sam. “You know you haven’t had experience like me. By the way, you needn’t mention how much I get. I don’t care about letting it be known. If the other clerks in the store knew it, they might be jealous.”
“All right; I won’t say anything about it if you don’t want me to.”
“Here’s the store,” said Sam, suddenly.
Joshua now saw that it was only a block below the point where he had entered Eighth avenue, and realized that he had had a long tramp for nothing.
It was not a very imposing11 establishment. The front was probably about twenty feet, the depth seventy, leaving the back part of the store rather dark and gloomy. A variety of cheap shoes, with the prices attached, were exposed in front of the store. They looked very common to a practiced eye; however, Joshua was not accustomed to seeing superior goods, as the people of Stapleton did not, in general, wear the best French kid.
“Come in, Joshua,” said Sam.
“Where have you been gone so long?” demanded the proprietor12 of the establishment, addressing Sam rather sharply.
“I met a friend from the country,” answered Sam, blushing a little at being thus addressed before Joshua. “I thought he might need a pair of slippers13.”
“Oh, very well,” said the proprietor, more graciously. “I am glad to see you, sir.”
“My friend’s name is Drummond, Mr. Craven,” said Sam. “Joshua, Mr. Craven.”
“Glad to see you, Mr. Drummond,” said Mr. Craven, offering his hand.
“Much obliged,” said Joshua, awkwardly.
“Your friend will show you some slippers. I guess we can fit you.”
“I don’t know as I shall need any slippers,” commenced Joshua, but he was quickly interrupted by Sam.
“Oh, yes you will!” he said. “You need ’em in the evening.”
Joshua yielded to his friend’s superior knowledge of what was necessary in the city, and tried on several pairs, till at last one was found which Sam declared to be just right for him.
“How much will they be?” asked Joshua.
“Two dollars.”
“Ain’t that rather high?” asked Joshua, who privately14 doubted whether it would not be better to keep his money.
“Not at all. We should charge two dollars and a half to anybody else. As you’re a friend, I make allowances. You’ll want some new boots soon. Those you have on are countrified.”
“I guess they’ll last me a little longer,” said Joshua, hurriedly; for, though the money was dishonestly acquired, he was inclined to be frugal15.
“Well, you needn’t buy to-day. Next week will answer.”
Sam’s object in urging Joshua to purchase was to reconcile his employer to his presence in the store, for he foresaw that his visitor would be likely to spend considerable time there. He wished, besides, to obtain an extra evening off duty, meaning to accompany Joshua to the theatre at the latter’s expense. He did not expect that Joshua, who inherited, as he knew, a mean disposition16 from his father, would voluntarily pay for the tickets; but there is such a thing as borrowing without the intention of repaying the money, and this Sam meant to do.
In pursuance of this plan, he soon after went up to the desk behind which Mr. Craven was standing17.
“Mr. Craven,” said he, “can you spare me this evening?”
“You had your regular evening off yesterday,” was the reply.
“I would not ask but for my friend, who is a stranger in the city, and depends upon me to find him a boarding place,” said Sam, whose devotion to friendship was not wholly disinterested18.
“Did you sell him anything?”
“Yes, he took a pair of two-dollar slippers.”
“I will try to do without you this evening, as you particularly desire it,” said Mr. Craven; “but you must not repeat the application.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Sam.
“I’m in luck, Joshua,” he said, returning to his country friend; “I am off for the evening. We’ll go to the theatre and have a high old time.”
“Do you have to work in the evening, Sam?” asked Joshua, surprised.
“Yes,” answered Sam. “You see,” he added, consequentially19, “I know all the business, and they can’t get along very well without me.”
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1
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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lottery
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| n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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acceded
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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ascendancy
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| n.统治权，支配力量 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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consequentially
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| adv.必然地 | |
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