CHAPTER XX — LUKE TALKS WITH A CAPITALIST

 Luke worked steadily¹ on the task given him by his new patron. During the first week he averaged three hours a day, with an additional two hours on Saturday, making, in all, twenty hours, making, at thirty cents per hour, six dollars. This Luke considered fair pay, considering that he was attending school and maintaining good rank in his classes.

 

"Why don't we see more of you, Luke?" asked his friend Linton one day. "You seem to stay in the house all the time."

 

"Because I am at work, Linny. Last week I made six dollars."

 

"How?" asked Linton, surprised.

 

"By copying and making out bills for Mr. Reed."

 

"That is better than being janitor² at a dollar a week."

 

"Yes, but I have to work a good deal harder."

 

"I am afraid you are working too hard."

 

"I shouldn't like to keep it up, but it is only for a short time. If I gave up school I should find it easy enough, but I don't want to do that."

 

"No, I hope you won't; I should miss you, and so would all the boys."

 

"Including Randolph Duncan?"

 

"I don't know about that. By the way, I hear that Randolph is spending a good deal of his time at Tony Denton's billiard saloon."

 

"I am sorry to hear it. It hasn't a very good reputation."

 

 * * * * * * * * *

One day Luke happened to be at the depot³ at the time of the arrival of the train from New York. A small, elderly man stepped upon the platform whom Luke immediately recognized as John Armstrong, the owner of the missing box of bonds. He was surprised to see him, having supposed that he was still in Europe. Mr. Armstrong, as already stated, had boarded for several weeks during the preceding summer at Groveton.

 

He looked at Luke with a half-glance of recognition.

 

"Haven't I seen you before?" he said. "What is your name?"

 

"My name is Luke Larkin. I saw you several times last summer."

 

"Then you know me?"

 

"Yes, sir, you are Mr. Armstrong. But I thought you were in Europe."

 

"So I was till recently. I came home sooner than I expected."

 

Luke was not surprised. He supposed that intelligence of the robbery had hastened Mr. Armstrong's return.

 

"I suppose it was the news of your box that hurried you home," Luke ventured to say.

 

"No, I hadn't heard of it till my arrival in New York can you tell me anything about the matter? Has the box been found?"

 

"Not that I have heard, sir."

 

"Was, or is, anybody suspected?"

 

"I was suspected," answered Luke, smiling, "but I don't think any one suspects me now."

 

"You!" exclaimed the capitalist, in evident astonishment⁴. "What could induce any one to suspect a boy like you of robbing a bank?"

 

"There was some ground for it," said Luke candidly⁵. "A tin box, of the same appearance as the one lost, was seen in our house. I was arrested on suspicion, and tried."

 

"You don't say so! How did you prove your innocence⁶?"

 

"The gentleman who gave me the box in charge appeared and testified in my favor. But for that I am afraid I should have fared badly."

 

"That is curious. Who was the gentleman?"

 

Luke gave a rapid history of the circumstances already known to the reader.

 

"I am glad to hear this, being principally interested in the matter. However, I never should have suspected you. I claim to be something of a judge of character and physiognomy, and your appearance is in your favor. Your mother is a widow, I believe?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"And you are the janitor of the schoolhouse?"

 

Mr. Armstrong was a close observer, and though having large interests of his own, made himself familiar with the affairs of those whom others in his position would wholly have ignored.

 

"I was janitor," Luke replied, "but when Mr. Duncan became a member of the school committee he removed me."

 

"For what reason?" asked Mr. Armstrong quickly.

 

"I don't think he ever liked me, and his son Randolph and I have never been good friends."

 

"You mean Mr. Duncan, the president of the bank?"

 

"Yes, sir?"

 

"Why are not you and his son friends?"

 

"I don't know, sir. He has always been in the habit of sneering⁷ at me as a poor boy—a working boy—and unworthy to associate with him."

 

"You don't look like a poor boy. You are better dressed than I was at your age. Besides, you have a watch, I judge from the chain."

 

"Yes, sir; but all that is only lately. I have found a good friend who has been very kind to me."

 

"Who is he?"

 

"Roland Reed, the owner of the tin box I referred to."

 

"Roland Reed! I never heard the name. Where is he from?"

 

"From the West, I believe, though at present he is staying in New York."

 

"How much were you paid as janitor?"

 

"A dollar a week."

 

"That is very little. Is the amount important to you?"

 

"No, sir, not now." And then Luke gave particulars of the good fortune of the family in having secured a profitable boarder, and, furthermore, in obtaining for himself profitable employment.

 

"This Mr. Reed seems to be a kind-hearted and liberal man. I am glad for your sake. I sympathize with poor boys. Can you guess the reason?"

 

"Were you a poor boy yourself, sir?"

 

"I was, and a very poor boy. When I was a boy of thirteen and fourteen I ran around in overalls⁸ and bare-footed. But I don't think it did me any harm," the old man added, musingly⁹. "It kept me from squandering¹⁰ money on foolish pleasures, for I had none to spend; it made me industrious¹¹ and self-reliant, and when I obtained employment it made me anxious to please my employer."

 

"I hope it will have the same effect on me, sir."

 

"I hope so, and I think so. What sort of a boy is this son of Mr. Duncan?"

 

"If his father were not a rich man, I think he would be more agreeable. As it is, he seems to have a high idea of his own importance."

 

"So his father has the reputation of being a rich man, eh?"

 

"Yes, sir. We have always considered him so."

 

"Without knowing much about it?"

 

"Yes, sir; we judged from his style of living, and from his being president of a bank."

 

"That amounts to nothing. His salary as president is only moderate."

 

"I am sorry you should have met with such a loss, Mr. Armstrong."

 

"So am I, but it won't cripple me. Still, a man doesn't like to lose twenty-five thousand dollars and over."

 

"Was there as much as that in the box, sir?" asked Luke, in surprise.

 

"Yes, I don't know why I need make any secret of it. There were twenty-five thousand dollars in government bonds, and these, at present rates, are worth in the neighborhood of thirty thousand dollars."

 

"That seems to me a great deal of money," said Luke.

 

"It is, but I can spare it without any diminution¹² of comfort. I don't feel, however, like pocketing the loss without making a strong effort to recover the money. I didn't expect to meet immediately upon arrival the only person hitherto suspected of accomplishing the robbery."

 

He smiled as he spoke¹³, and Luke saw that, so far as Mr. Armstrong was concerned, he had no occasion to feel himself under suspicion.

 

"Are you intending to remain long in Groveton, Mr. Armstrong?" he asked.

 

"I can't say. I have to see Mr. Duncan about the tin box, and concoct¹⁴ some schemes looking to the discovery of the person or persons concerned in its theft. Have there been any suspicious persons in the village during the last few weeks?"

 

"Not that I know of, sir."

 

"What is the character of the men employed in the bank, the cashier and teller¹⁵?"

 

"They seem to be very steady young men, sir. I don't think they have been suspected."

 

"The most dangerous enemies are those who are inside, for they have exceptional opportunities for wrongdoing. Moreover, they have the best chance to cover up their tracks."

 

"I don't think there is anything to charge against Mr. Roper and Mr. Barclay. They are both young married men, and live in a quiet way."

 

"Never speculate in Wall Street, eh? One of the soberest, steadiest bank cashiers I ever knew, who lived plainly and frugally¹⁶, and was considered by all to be a model man, wrecked¹⁷ the man he was connected with—a small country banker—and is now serving a term in State's prison. The cause was Wall Street speculation¹⁸. This is more dangerous even than extravagant¹⁹ habits of living."

 

A part of this conversation took place on the platform of the railroad-station, and a part while they were walking in the direction of the hotel. They had now reached the village inn, and, bidding our hero good morning, Mr. Armstrong entered, and registered his name.

 

Ten minutes later he set out for the house of Prince Duncan.

1 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

2 janitor   

n.看门人，管门人

参考例句：

• The janitor wiped on the windows with his rags.看门人用褴褛的衣服擦着窗户。
• The janitor swept the floors and locked up the building every night.那个看门人每天晚上负责打扫大楼的地板和锁门。

3 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

4 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

5 candidly   

adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地

参考例句：

• He has stopped taking heroin now,but admits candidly that he will always be a drug addict.他眼下已经不再吸食海洛因了,不过他坦言自己永远都是个瘾君子。
• Candidly,David,I think you're being unreasonable.大卫，说实话我认为你不讲道理。

6 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

7 sneering   

嘲笑的，轻蔑的

参考例句：

• "What are you sneering at?" “你冷笑什么？” 来自子夜部分
• The old sorceress slunk in with a sneering smile. 老女巫鬼鬼崇崇地走进来，冷冷一笑。

8 overalls   

n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣

参考例句：

• He is in overalls today.他今天穿的是工作裤。
• He changed his overalls for a suit.他脱下工装裤，换上了一套西服。

9 musingly   

adv.沉思地，冥想地

参考例句：

10 squandering   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• You're faced with ending it all, of squandering what was given. 把到手的东西就这样随随便便弄掉。 来自辞典例句
• I see all this potential And I see squandering. 你们的潜力都被浪费了。 来自互联网

11 industrious   

adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的

参考例句：

• If the tiller is industrious,the farmland is productive.人勤地不懒。
• She was an industrious and willing worker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。

12 diminution   

n.减少；变小

参考例句：

• They hope for a small diminution in taxes.他们希望捐税能稍有减少。
• He experienced no diminution of his physical strength.他并未感觉体力衰落。

13 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。

14 concoct   

v.调合，制造

参考例句：

• I gave her a tip on how to concoct a new kind of soup.我教她配制一种新汤的诀窍。
• I began to concoct explanations of my own.我开始思考自己的解释。

15 teller   

n.银行出纳员；(选举)计票员

参考例句：

• The bank started her as a teller.银行起用她当出纳员。
• The teller tried to remain aloof and calm.出纳员力图保持冷漠和镇静。

16 frugally   

adv. 节约地, 节省地

参考例句：

• They lived frugally off a diet of porridge and lentils. 他们生活节俭，只吃燕麦粥和小扁豆。
• The enterprise is in live frugally, common people criterion enclasp pocket. 企业在节衣缩食，老百姓则握紧了口袋。

17 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

18 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

19 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。