To most boys or young men of eighteen this would not have been a difficult question to solve. But to Joshua it was a perplexing problem. If he saved his entire weekly allowance, it would take him twenty weeks to obtain the needed sum. This delay was not to be thought of. Was there any pretext3 on which he could ask his father for five dollars? He could think of none that would be likely to succeed. Had he been trusted with the purchase of his own clothes, he might have asked for a new coat and misapplied the money; but Mr. Drummond took care to order Joshua's clothes himself from the village tailor, and never did so without grumbling4 at the expense he was obliged[Pg 138] to incur5. Indeed, Joshua was not able to boast much of his clothes, for his father was not disposed to encourage extravagance in dress.
"Perhaps mother may have the money," thought Joshua. "If she has, I'll get it out of her."
He resolved at once to find out whether any help was to be obtained from this quarter, and with this object turned his steps at once homeward.
Mrs. Drummond was engaged in the homely6 employment of darning stockings when Joshua entered the house.
"You're home early, Joshua," she remarked, looking up.
"Yes, mother. Have you got anything good to eat?"
"I baked a small pie for you in a saucer. I thought that was the best way. The other evening your father noticed that a piece was gone from the half pie that was taken from the supper-table."
"How awful mean he is!"
"You shouldn't say that of your father, Joshua."
"It's true, mother, and you know it. He's the meanest man in town."
[Pg 139]
"I don't like to hear you talk in that way, Joshua. Don't forget that he is your father."
"I wish he'd treat me like a father, then. I leave it to you, mother, if twenty-five cents a week isn't a miserable7 allowance for a fellow of my age."
"It is rather small," said Mrs. Drummond, cautiously.
"Small! I should think it was. It's just about right for a boy of ten. That's just the way he treats me."
"Perhaps, if you would speak to your father about it, Joshua—"
"I have spoken to him, and that's all the good it does. He blows me up for my extravagance. Extravagance on twenty-five cents a week!"
"I'll speak to him myself, Joshua," said his mother;—a heroic resolve, for she knew that the request would bring anger upon herself.
"He won't mind your talk any more than mine. But I'll tell you what you can do to oblige me, mother."
"Well, Joshua?"
"I know of a way to make considerable money,[Pg 140] and all I need to go into it is five dollars. If you'll lend me that, I'll pay it back to you as soon as I can. I think it won't be more than a fortnight."
"What is the plan you are thinking of, Joshua?"
But upon this subject Joshua thought it best to preserve a discreet8 silence. He knew that the lottery scheme would not impress his mother favorably, and that she would not lend the money for any such purpose. He was aware in what light lotteries9 are generally regarded. Still his imagination had been inflamed10 by the stories he had read of other persons' luck, and he had succeeded in convincing himself that his own chance would be very good. Thus he referred to it, in speaking to his mother, as if he were sure of obtaining a large amount for his investment.
"I can't tell you just at present, mother," he said; "the fact is, somebody else is concerned in it, and I am not allowed to tell."
"I hope, Joshua, you have not allowed yourself to be imposed upon. You know you are not used to business."
"I know what I'm about, mother. I'm not a[Pg 141] baby. All I want is the money. Can you lend me five dollars?"
"I wish I could; but you know your father doesn't allow me much money. I get my dress patterns and most of what I want out of the store, so I don't need it."
"You have to buy things for the house,—groceries, and so on."
"We have a bill at the grocery store. Your father pays it quarterly; so no money passes through my hands for that purpose."
"Then you haven't got the money, mother," said Joshua, disappointed.
"I haven't had as much as five dollars in my possession at one time for years," answered his mother.
It was true that Mr. Drummond kept his wife uncommonly11 close. She was allowed to obtain a limited amount of goods from the store for her own wardrobe, but apart from that her husband appeared to think she had no need of money. More than once she wished she could have a little money at her control to answer occasional calls for charity.[Pg 142] But on one occasion, having been indiscreet enough to give twenty-five cents and a good meal to a woman, sick and poor, who crawled to her door and asked for help, Mr. Drummond indulged in such a display of ill-humor at her foolish extravagance, as he called it, that she was forced afterwards to deny her generous impulses, or give in the most secret manner, pledging the recipient12 to silence.
"I'm sorry I can't oblige you, Joshua," said his mother. "Will you have the pie?"
"Yes," said Joshua, sullenly13, for he was at a loss where next to apply, and felt that his scheme of sudden riches was blighted14 at its inception15. Notwithstanding his disappointment, however, he was able to dispose of the pie. After consuming it, he went out of doors, to reflect upon other ways of raising the necessary money.
There was his cousin Walter; he was quite sure that he had the money, but quite as sure that he would not lend it. Besides, he would have hesitated to apply, on account of the dislike he had come to entertain for our hero. This dislike had been increased by the result of the boat race between[Pg 143] the "Pioneer" and the "Arrow." He had occasion to know that the defeat of the former boat was generally ascribed to his own imperfect steering17, and he also knew that Walter had obtained considerable credit for his own performance in the same line. Now Joshua knew in his own heart that he could not steer16, but he wanted the reputation of steering well, and it was very irksome to him to have to play second fiddle18 to Walter. He had indicated his dislike ever since by refusing to notice or speak to Walter, except in so far as it was absolutely necessary. Of course Walter noticed this want of cordiality, and was in a measure sorry for it; still he had become pretty thoroughly19 acquainted with Joshua's character by this time, and this knowledge led him to feel that the loss of his friendship was not a very serious one. He had made some other acquaintances, in the village, with boys of his own age, in whose society he found considerable more pleasure than he was ever likely to do in Joshua's.
"He can go his way, and I'll go mine," he said to himself. "I'll paddle my own canoe, and he may[Pg 144] paddle his. Perhaps he will succeed better in that than in steering," he thought with a smile.
Help from Walter, therefore, was not to be expected. Was there any one else to help him?
Joshua thought doubtfully of his father's clerk, young Nichols, who has already been introduced to the reader. He did not think there was much prospect20 of obtaining a loan from Nichols; still there might be. At any rate there seemed no other resource, and he made up his mind to sound him.
He stepped into the store one day when Walter was absent on an errand, and his father was out also.
"Good-morning, Joshua," said the salesman. "What's up this morning?"
"Nothing that I know of."
"You have an easy time. Nothing to do but to lounge about all day. You aint cooped up in a store fourteen hours a day."
"That's so; but I suppose I'll have to begin some time."
"Oh, you're all right. Your father's getting richer every year."
[Pg 145]
"Yes, I suppose he is; but that doesn't give me ready money now. The fact is, I'm hard up for five dollars. Can't you lend it to me for a week? I'll give it back in a week, or ten days at any rate."
"You couldn't come to a worse place for money," said Nichols, laughing. "The fact is, I'm hard up myself, and always am. Old Jones, the tailor, is dunning me for this very suit I have on. Fact is, my salary is so small, I have the hardest kind of work to get along."
"Then you can't lend me the money? It's for only a week I want it."
"I've got less than a dollar in my pocket, and I'm owing about fifty dollars to the tailor and shoemaker. Perhaps Walter can lend you the money."
"I shan't ask him," said Joshua, shortly. "I'll go without first."
"Don't you like him?"
"No, I don't. He's a mean fellow."
Nichols was privately21 of the opinion that the term described Joshua himself much more aptly, but did not express his opinion.
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收听单词发音
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1
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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2
lottery
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| n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事 | |
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3
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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4
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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5
incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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6
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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7
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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8
discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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9
lotteries
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| n.抽彩给奖法( lottery的名词复数 )；碰运气的事；彩票；彩券 | |
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10
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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12
recipient
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| a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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13
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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14
blighted
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| adj.枯萎的，摧毁的 | |
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15
inception
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| n.开端，开始，取得学位 | |
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16
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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17
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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18
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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19
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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20
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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21
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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