CHAPTER XVIII IN SEARCH OF A PLACE.

 Tom went out into the street angry, and justly so, at the unfounded charge which had been made against her. The change in her circumstances had been so sudden, that she hardly realized, as she walked along, that she must return to her old street life. When she did realize it, it was with a feeling of disappointment, not unmixed with apprehension¹.

Tom had only been living at Mrs. Merton’s for three months, but this short time had wrought² a considerable change in her. She was no longer the wild, untamed girl who once swept the crossing. She had begun to feel the advantages of respectability, and had become ambitious of acquiring a good education. This feeling originated in the desire of surprising Captain Barnes with her improvement; but she soon began to feel an interest in learning for its own 189sake. She was still spirited and independent, but in a different way. Her old life looked far less attractive, since she had acquired such different tastes. Now to be suddenly thrust back into it seemed rather hard to Tom.

One thing at least could be said, she was no longer “Tattered Tom.” Her old rags had been cast aside, and she was now dressed as well as most school-girls. She no longer looked like a child having no home but the street, but would be supposed by any who noticed her to belong to some family in good circumstances. Now, good clothes exert more influence upon the wearer than we may at first suppose. So it was with Tom. When she wore her old tatters she was quite ready to engage in a fight with any boy who jeered³ at her, provided he was not too large. Now she would hesitate before doing it, having an undefined idea that her respectable dress would make such a scene unbecoming.

There was one question that presented itself to Tom as she walked along, and demanded her earnest attention. This was, “How was she to live?”

She could no longer sweep the crossing; she was 190too well-dressed for that. Indeed she was likely to attract attention if she engaged in any of the street occupations to which she had in former times been accustomed. But something must be done. Her whole stock of money consisted of five cents, and this was not likely to last very long. It was far too little to buy such a meal as she got at Mrs. Merton’s. It was doubtful, Tom reflected with a sigh, when she would get another square meal.

Suddenly the thought came to Tom, could she not hire out to do chamber-work? She had learned to do this at Mrs. Merton’s. It would be a great deal better than sweeping⁴ the crossing, or selling papers.

Tom did not know how such situations were obtained, but it occurred to her that she could go from one house to another, and apply.

With this plan in her mind, she turned round, and walked up town again. When she reached Twenty-First Street she decided⁵ to try her luck. Accordingly she went up to the front door of a handsome house with a brown stone front, and rang the bell.

The door was opened by a servant, who waited 191respectfully for her to announce her errand, supposing her to be a school-mate of one of the children of the family. Her neat dress favored this mistake.

“Is the lady of the house at home?” inquired Tom.

“Who shall I say wishes to see her?” asked the servant, doubtfully.

“Does she want to hire a girl to do chamber-work?” continued Tom.

“Who wants the place?”

“I do,” said Tom.

“Then, she don’t want any,” said the girl, preparing to shut the door, with an entire change of manner. “Don’t you know better than to come to the front door? There’s the basement door below.”

“One door’s as good as another,” said Tom, independently.

“Both are too good for you,” said the servant, angry that under the influence of a mistake she had at first treated Tom with the respect due to a visitor.

“How much are you paid extra for your politeness?” asked Tom.

192“Never you mind! You needn’t call again.”

Such was the result of Tom’s first application. However, she was not discouraged. She reflected that there were a good many streets in the city, and a good many houses in each street. So she walked on, and rang the bell at the next house. She concluded to take the hint which had excited her indignation, and rang the basement bell.

“Do you want a girl to do chamber-work?” she asked.

Now it so happened that a chamber-maid was wanted here, and an order had been sent to an intelligence office for one. It was naturally supposed that Tom had come in answer to the application.

“Come in,” said the servant. “I’ll tell the missis that you are here.”

She went upstairs, and shortly reappeared.

“You’re to come up,” she said.

Tom followed her upstairs, and took a seat in the hall.

Soon a lady came downstairs, with a languid step.

193“Are you the girl that has applied⁶ to do chamberwork?” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” answered Tom.

“You seem very young. How old are you?”

“Twelve,” answered Tom.

“Only twelve? I am surprised that so young a girl should have been sent to me. Have you any experience?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Where have you lived?”

“At Mrs. Merton’s, No. — Sixteenth Street.”

“How long were you there?”

“Three months.”

“Have you a recommendation from her?”

“No,” answered Tom.

“Why did you leave?” asked the lady, suspiciously.

“Because she said I took some money, when I didn’t,” replied Tom, promptly⁷.

A change came over the lady’s face,—a change that betokened⁸ little encouragement to Tom.

“I shall not be able to take you,” she said. “I 194wonder they should have sent you from the intelligence office.”

“They didn’t send me.”

“You were not sent from the office? How did you know I wanted a chamber-maid?”

“I didn’t know,” said Tom. “I thought you might.”

“If I had known that, I should have refused you at once. You can go downstairs, and the servants will let you out at the basement door,—down those stairs.”

“All right,” said Tom. “I can find the way; you needn’t come with me.”

This last remark led the lady to stare at Tom, uncertain whether she meant to be impudent⁹ or not. But Tom looked so unconscious of having said anything out of the way that she passed it over in silence.

Tom made two more applications, which proved equally unsuccessful. She began to think it would be more difficult to obtain a situation than she had supposed. At any rate, she resolved to defer¹⁰ further 195applications till the morrow. Something might turn up then, she reflected with something of her old philosophy.

1 apprehension   

n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑

参考例句：

• There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。
• She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

2 wrought   

v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的

参考例句：

• Events in Paris wrought a change in British opinion towards France and Germany.巴黎发生的事件改变了英国对法国和德国的看法。
• It's a walking stick with a gold head wrought in the form of a flower.那是一个金质花形包头的拐杖。

3 jeered   

v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The police were jeered at by the waiting crowd. 警察受到在等待的人群的嘲弄。
• The crowd jeered when the boxer was knocked down. 当那个拳击手被打倒时，人们开始嘲笑他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

5 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。

6 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

7 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

8 betokened   

v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Nothing betokened that the man know anything of what had occurred. 显然那个人还不知道已经发生了什么事。 来自互联网
• He addressed a few angry words to her that betokened hostility. 他对她说了几句预示敌意的愤怒的话。 来自互联网

9 impudent   

adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

10 defer   

vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从

参考例句：

• We wish to defer our decision until next week.我们希望推迟到下星期再作出决定。
• We will defer to whatever the committee decides.我们遵从委员会作出的任何决定。