He started at length, and had taken two steps, when a dirty hand was thrust out, and he was saluted4 by the request, “Gi’ me a penny, sir?”
“Out of my way, you bundle of rags!” he answered.
10“You’re another!” was the prompt reply.
Frederic Pelham stared at the creature who had dared to imply that he—a leader of fashion—was a bundle of rags.
The street-sweeper was apparently5 about twelve years of age. It was not quite easy to determine whether it was a boy or girl. The head was surmounted6 by a boy’s cap, the hair was cut short, it wore a boy’s jacket, but underneath7 was a girl’s dress. Jacket and dress were both in a state of extreme raggedness9. The child’s face was very dark and, as might be expected, dirty; but it was redeemed10 by a pair of brilliant black eyes, which were fixed11 upon the young exquisite1 in an expression half-humorous, half-defiant, as the owner promptly12 retorted, “You’re another!”
“Clear out, you little nuisance!” said the dandy, stopping short from necessity, for the little sweep had planted herself directly in his path; and to step out on either side would have soiled his boots irretrievably.
“Gi’ me a penny, then?”
11“I aint done nothin’. Gi’ me a penny?”
But Tom (for, in spite of her being a girl, this was the name by which she was universally known; indeed she scarcely knew any other) was wary15. She dodged16 the blow, and by an adroit17 sweep of her broom managed to scatter18 some mud on Mr. Pelham’s boots.
He did not stop to answer, but hurried across the street. His pace was accelerated by an approaching vehicle, and the instinct of self-preservation, more powerful than even the dictates21 of fashion, compelled him to make a détour through the mud, greatly to the injury of his no longer immaculate boots. But there was a remedy for the disaster on the other side.
“Shine your boots, sir?” asked a boot-black, who 12had stationed himself at the other side of the crossing.
Frederic Pelham looked at his boots. Their glory had departed. Their virgin22 gloss23 had been dimmed by plebeian24 mud. He grudged25 the boot-black’s fee, for he was thoroughly26 mean, though he had plenty of money at his command. But it was impossible to walk up Broadway in such boots. Suppose he should meet any of his fashionable friends, especially if ladies, his fashionable reputation would be endangered.
“Go ahead, boy!” he said. “Do your best.”
“All right, sir.”
“It’s the second time I’ve had my boots blacked this morning. If it hadn’t been for that dirty sweep I should have got across safely.”
The boy laughed—to himself. He knew Tom well enough, and he had been an interested spectator of her encounter with his present customer, having an eye to business. But he didn’t think it prudent27 to make known his thoughts.
The boots were at length polished, and Mr. Pelham 13saw with satisfaction that no signs of the street mire28 remained.
“How much do you want, boy?” he asked.
“Ten cents.”
“I thought five cents was the price.”
“Can’t afford to work on no such terms.”
Mr. Pelham might have disputed the fee, but he saw an acquaintance approaching, and did not care to be caught chaffering with a boot-black. He therefore reluctantly drew out a dime29, and handed it to the boy, who at once deposited it in the pocket of a ragged8 vest.
He stood on the sidewalk on the lookout30 for another customer, when Tom marched across the street, broom in hand.
“I say, Joe, how much did he give you?”
“Ten cents.”
“How much yer goin’ to give me?”
“Nothin’!”
“You wouldn’t have got him if I hadn’t muddied his boots.”
“Did you do it a-purpose?”
Tom nodded.
14“What for?”
“He called me names. That’s one reason. Besides, I wanted to give you a job.”
Joe seemed struck by this view, and, being alive to his own interest, did not disregard the application.
“Here’s a penny,” he said.
“Gi’ me two.”
He hesitated a moment, then diving once more into his pocket, brought up another penny, which Tom transferred with satisfaction to the pocket of her dress.
“Shall I do it ag’in?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Joe. “I say, Tom, you’re a smart un.”
“I’d ought to be. Granny makes me smart whenever she gets a chance.”
Tom returned to the other end of the crossing, and began to sweep diligently31. Her labors32 did not extend far from the curbstone, as the stream of vehicles now rapidly passing would have made it dangerous. However, it was all one to Tom where she swept. The cleanness of the crossing was to her a matter of comparative indifference33. Indeed, considering her own disregard of neatness, it could hardly have been 15expected that she should feel very solicitous34 on that point. Like some of her elders who were engaged in municipal labors, she regarded street-sweeping as a “job,” out of which she was to make money, and her interest began and ended with the money she earned.
There were not so many to cross Broadway at this point as lower down, and only a few of these seemed impressed by a sense of the pecuniary35 value of Tom’s services.
He tossed a coin into the mud.
“Aint you afraid of soiling your dress?” asked the philanthropist, smiling.
“You’re a philosopher,” said the stout gentleman.
“Don’t you go to callin’ me names!” said Tom; “’cause if you do I’ll muddy up your boots.”
“So you don’t want to be called a philosopher?” said the gentleman.
16“No, I don’t,” said Tom, eying him suspiciously.
He took a dime from his pocket, and handed it to the astonished Tom.
“Is this for me?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Tom’s eyes glistened40; for ten cents was a nugget when compared with her usual penny receipts. She stood in a brown study till her patron was half across the street, then, seized with a sudden idea, she darted after him, and tugged41 at his coat-tail.
“What’s wanted?” he asked, turning round in some surprise.
“I say,” said Tom, “you may call me that name ag’in for five cents more.”
The ludicrous character of the proposal struck him, and he laughed with amusement.
“Well,” he said, “that’s a good offer. What’s your name?”
“Tom.”
“Which are you,—a boy or a girl?”
“I’m a girl, but I wish I was a boy.”
“What for?”
17“’Cause boys are stronger than girls, and can fight better.”
“Do you ever fight?”
“Sometimes.”
“Whom do you fight with?”
“Sometimes I fight with the boys, and sometimes with granny.”
“What makes you fight with your granny?”
“She gets drunk and fires things at my head; then I pitch into her.”
“I was right,” he said; “you’re a philosopher,—a practical philosopher.”
“That’s more’n you said before,” said Tom; “I want ten cents for that.”
The ten cents were produced. Tom pocketed them in a business-like manner, and went back to her employment. She wondered, slightly, whether a philosopher was something very bad; but, as there was no means of determining, sensibly dismissed the inquiry43, and kept on with her work.
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收听单词发音
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1
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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2
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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3
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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4
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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5
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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6
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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7
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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8
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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raggedness
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| 破烂，粗糙 | |
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10
redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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11
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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12
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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13
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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14
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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15
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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16
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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17
adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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18
scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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19
brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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20
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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21
dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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22
virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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23
gloss
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| n.光泽，光滑；虚饰；注释；vt.加光泽于；掩饰 | |
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24
plebeian
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| adj.粗俗的；平民的；n.平民；庶民 | |
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25
grudged
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| 怀恨（grudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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26
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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27
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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28
mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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29
dime
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| n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角 | |
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30
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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31
diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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32
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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33
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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34
solicitous
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| adj.热切的，挂念的 | |
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35
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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37
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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38
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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39
amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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40
glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
spoke
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| 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 | |
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43
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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