CHAPTER XXXIX — HOW LUKE WAS RECEIVED

 Luke's return to Groveton was received with delight by his mother and his true friend Linton. Naturally Randolph displayed the same feelings toward him as ever. It so chanced that he met Luke only an hour after his arrival. He would have passed him by unnoticed but for the curiosity he felt to know where he had been, and what he was intending to do.

 

"Humph! so you're back again!" he remarked.

 

"Yes," answered Luke, with a smile. "I hope you haven't missed me much, Randolph."

 

"Oh, I've managed to live through it," returned Randolph, with what he thought to be cutting sarcasm¹.

 

"I am glad of that."

 

"Where were you?" asked Randolph, abruptly².

 

"I was in New York a part of the time," said Luke.

 

"Where were you the rest of the time?"

 

"I was traveling."

 

"That sounds large. Perhaps you were traveling with a hand-organ."

 

"Perhaps I was."

 

"Well, what are you going to do now?"

 

"Thank you for your kind interest in me, Randolph. I will tell you as soon as I know."

 

"Oh, you needn't think I feel interest in you."

 

"Then I won't."

 

"You are impertinent," said Randolph, scowling³. It dawned upon him that Luke was chaffing him.

 

"I don't mean to be. If I have been, I apologize. If you know of any situation which will pay me a fair sum, I wish you would mention me."

 

"I'll see about it," said Randolph, in an important tone. He was pleased at Luke's change of tone. "I don't think you can get back as janitor⁴, for my father doesn't like you."

 

"Couldn't you intercede⁵ for me, Randolph?"

 

"Why, the fact is, you put on so many airs, for a poor boy, that I shouldn't feel justified⁶ in recommending you. It is your own fault."

 

"Well, perhaps it is," said Luke.

 

"I am glad you acknowledge it. I don't know but my father will give you a chance to work round our house, make fires, and run errands."

 

"What would he pay?" asked Luke, in a businesslike tone.

 

"He might pay a dollar and a half a week."

 

"I'm afraid I couldn't support myself on that."

 

"Oh, well, that's your lookout⁷. It's better than loafing round doing nothing."

 

"You're right there, Randolph."

 

"I'll just mention it to father, then."

 

"No, thank you. I shouldn't wonder if Mr. Reed might find something for me to do."

 

"Oh, the man that robbed the bank?" said Randolph, turning up his nose.

 

"It may soon be discovered that some one else robbed the bank."

 

"I don't believe it."

 

Here the two boys parted.

 

"Luke," said Linton, the same day, "have you decided⁸ what you are going to do?"

 

"Not yet; but I have friends who, I think, will look out for me."

 

"Because my father says he will find you a place if you fail to get one elsewhere."

 

"Tell your father that I think he is very kind. There is no one to whom I would more willingly be indebted for a favor. If I should find myself unemployed⁹, I will come to him."

 

"All right! I am going to drive over to Coleraine"—the next town—"this afternoon. Will you go with me?"

 

"I should like nothing better."

 

"What a difference there is between Randolph and Linton!" thought Luke.

1 sarcasm   

n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）

参考例句：

• His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
• She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

2 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。

3 scowling   

怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There she was, grey-suited, sweet-faced, demure, but scowling. 她就在那里，穿着灰色的衣服，漂亮的脸上显得严肃而忧郁。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Scowling, Chueh-hui bit his lips. 他马上把眉毛竖起来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

4 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。

5 intercede   

vi.仲裁，说情

参考例句：

• He was quickly snubbed when he tried to intercede.当他试着说情时很快被制止了。
• At a time like that there has to be a third party to intercede.这时候要有个第三者出来斡旋。

6 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

7 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

8 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。

9 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。