CHAPTER V — LUKE RECEIVES AN INVITATION

 "What have you there, Luke?" asked Mrs. Larkin, as Luke entered the little sitting-room¹ with the tin box under his arm.

 

"I met a man on my way home, who asked me to keep it for him."

 

"Do you know the man?" asked his mother, in surprise.

 

"No," answered Luke.

 

"It seems very singular. What did he say?"

 

"He said that he was obliged to leave the neighborhood at once, and could not conveniently carry the box."

 

"Do you think it contains anything of value?"

 

"Yes, mother. It is like the boxes rich men have to hold their stocks and bonds. I was at the bank one day, and saw a gentleman bring in one to deposit in the safe."

 

"I can't understand that at all, Luke. You say you did not know this man?"

 

"I never met him before."

 

"And, of course, he does not know you?"

 

"No, for he asked my name."

 

"Yet he put what may be valuable property in your possession."

 

"I think," said Luke, shrewdly, "he had no one else to trust it to. Besides, a country boy wouldn't be very likely to make use of stocks and bonds."

 

"No, that is true. I suppose the tin box is locked?"

 

"Yes, mother. The owner—he says his name is Roland Reed—wishes it put under lock and key."

 

"I can lock it up in my trunk, Luke."

 

"I think that will be a good idea."

 

"I hope he will pay you for your trouble when he takes away the tin box."

 

"He has already. I forgot to mention it," and Luke drew from his vest pocket, the bank-note he had thrust in as soon as received. "Why, it's a ten-dollar bill!" he exclaimed. "I wonder whether he knew he was giving me as much?"

 

"I presume so, Luke," said his mother, brightening up. "You are in luck!"

 

"Take it, mother. You will find a use for it."

 

"But, Luke, this money is yours."

 

"No, it is yours, for you are going to take care of the box."

 

It was, indeed, quite a windfall, and both mother and son retired² to rest in a cheerful frame of mind, in spite of Luke's failure in the race.

 

"I have been thinking, Luke," said his mother, at the breakfast-table, "that I should like to have you buy a Waterbury watch out of this money. It will only cost three dollars and a half, and that is only one-third."

 

"Thank you, mother, but I can get along without the watch. I cared for it chiefly because it was to be a prize given to the best skater. All the boys know that I would have won but for the accident, and that satisfies me."

 

"I should like you to have a watch, Luke."

 

"There is another objection, mother. I don't want any one to know about the box or the money. If it were known that we had so much property in the house, some attempt might be made to rob us."

 

"That is true, Luke. But I hope it won't be long before you have a watch of your own."

 

When Luke was walking, after breakfast, he met Randolph Duncan, with a chain attached to the prize watch ostentatiously displayed on the outside of his vest. He smiled complacently³, and rather triumphantly⁵, when he met Luke. But Luke looked neither depressed⁶ nor angry.

 

"I hope your watch keeps good time, Randolph," he said.

 

"Yes; it hasn't varied⁷ a minute so far. I think it will keep as good time as my silver watch."

 

"You are fortunate to have two watches."

 

"My father has promised me a gold watch when I am eighteen," said Randolph, pompously⁸.

 

"I don't know if I shall have any watch at all when I am eighteen."

 

"Oh, well, you are a poor boy. It doesn't matter to you."

 

"I don't know about that, Randolph. Time is likely to be of as much importance to a poor boy as to a rich boy."

 

"Oh, ah! yes, of course, but a poor boy isn't expected to wear a watch."

 

Here the conversation ended. Luke walked on with an amused smile on his face.

 

"I wonder how it would seem to be as complacent⁴ and self-satisfied as Randolph?" he thought. "On the whole, I would rather be as I am."

 

"Good morning, Luke!"

 

It was a girl's voice that addressed him. Looking up, he met the pleasant glance of Florence Grant, considered by many the prettiest girl in Groveton. Her mother was a widow in easy circumstances, who had removed from Chicago three years before, and occupied a handsome cottage nearly opposite Mr. Duncan's residence. She was a general favorite, not only for her good looks, but on account of her pleasant manner and sweet disposition⁹.

 

"Good morning, Florence," said Luke, with an answering smile.

 

"What a pity you lost the race yesterday!"

 

"Randolph doesn't think so."

 

"No; he is a very selfish boy, I am afraid."

 

"Did you see the race?" asked Luke.

 

"No, but I heard all about it. If it hadn't been for Tom Harper you would have won, wouldn't you?"

 

"I think so."

 

"All the boys say so. What could have induced Tom to get in the way?"

 

"I don't know. It was very foolish, however. He got badly hurt."

 

"Tom is a friend of Randolph," said Florence significantly.

 

"Yes," answered Luke; "but I don't think Randolph would stoop to such a trick as that."

 

"You wouldn't, Luke, but Randolph is a different boy. Besides, I hear he was trying for something else."

 

"I know; his father offered him ten dollars besides."

 

"I don't see why it is that some fare so much better than others," remarked Florence, thoughtfully. "The watch and the money would have done you more good."

 

"So they would, Florence, but I don't complain. I may be better off some day than I am now."

 

"I hope you will, Luke," said Florence, cordially.

 

"I am very much obliged to you for your good wishes," said Luke, warmly.

 

"That reminds me, Luke, next week, Thursday, is my birthday, and I am to have a little party in the evening. Will you come?"

 

Luke's face flushed with pleasure. Though he knew Florence very well from their being schoolfellows, he had never visited the house. He properly regarded the invitation as a compliment, and as a mark of friendship from one whose good opinion he highly valued.

 

"Thank you, Florence," he said. "You are very kind, and I shall have great pleasure in being present. Shall you have many?"

 

"About twenty. Your friend Randolph will be there."

 

"I think there will be room for both of us," said Luke, with a smile.

 

The young lady bade him good morning and went on her way.

 

Two days later Luke met Randolph at the dry-goods store in the village.

 

"What are you buying?" asked Randolph, condescendingly.

 

"Only a spool¹⁰ of thread for my mother."

 

"I am buying a new necktie to wear to Florence Grant's birthday party," said Randolph, pompously.

 

"I think I shall have to do the same," said Luke, enjoying the surprise he saw expressed on Randolph's face.

 

"Are you going?" demanded Randolph, abruptly¹¹.

 

"Yes."

 

"Have you been invited?"

 

"That is a strange question," answered Luke, indignantly. "Do you think I would go without an invitation?"

 

"Really, it will be quite a mixed affair," said Randolph, shrugging his shoulders.

 

"If you think so, why do you go?"

 

"I don't want to disappoint Florence."

 

Luke smiled. He was privately¹² of the opinion that the disappointment wouldn't be intense.

 

1 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 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

4 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

5 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

6 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

7 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。

8 pompously   

adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样

参考例句：

• He pompously described his achievements. 他很夸耀地描述了自己所取得的成绩。 来自互联网

9 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

10 spool   

n.（缠录音带等的）卷盘（轴）；v.把…绕在卷轴上

参考例句：

• Can you wind this film back on to its spool?你能把这胶卷卷回到卷轴上去吗？
• Thomas squatted on the forward deck,whistling tunelessly,polishing the broze spool of the anchor winch.托马斯蹲在前甲板上擦起锚绞车的黄铜轴，边擦边胡乱吹着口哨。

11 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

12 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。