To begin with he would need money, and on opening his pocket-book he ascertained4 that his available funds consisted of only a dollar and thirty-seven cents. That wasn't quite enough to begin the world with. But he had other resources. He owned a gun, which a friend of his would be ready to take off his hands. He had a boat, also, which he could probably sell.
On the village street he met Reuben Gordon, a young journeyman carpenter, who was earning good wages, and had money to spare.
“How are you, Phil,” said Reuben in a friendly way.
“You are just the one I want to meet,” said Phil earnestly. “Didn't you tell me once you would like to buy my gun?”
“Yes. Want to sell it?”
“No, I don't; but I want the money it will bring. So I'll sell it if you'll buy.”
“What d'ye want for it?” asked Reuben cautiously.
“Six dollars.”
“Too much. I'll give five.”
“You can have it,” said Phil after a pause. “How soon can you let me have the money?”
“Bring the gun round to-night, and I'll pay you for it.”
“All right. Do you know of any one who wants to buy a boat?”
“What? Going to sell that, too?”
“Yes.”
“Seems to me you're closin' up business?” said Reuben shrewdly.
“So I am. I'm going to leave Planktown.”
“You don't say? Well, I declare! Where are you goin'?”
“To New York, I guess.”
“Yes.”
This was not, perhaps, strictly5 true—that is, Phil had no definite prospect, but he felt that there must be a chance in a large city like New York for any one who was willing to work, and so felt measurably justified6 in saying what he did.
“I hadn't thought of buyin' a boat,” said Reuben thoughtfully.
“You'd better buy mine,” he said quickly; “I'll sell it cheap.”
“How cheap?”
“Ten dollars.”
“That's too much.”
“It cost me fifteen.”
“But it's second-hand8 now, you know,” said Reuben.
“It's just as good as new. I'm taking off five dollars, though, you see.”
“I don't think I want it enough to pay ten dollars.”
“What will you give?”
Reuben finally agreed to pay seven dollars and seventy-five cents, after more or less bargaining, and to pay the money that evening upon delivery of the goods.
“I don't think I've got anything more to sell,” said Phil thoughtfully. “There's my skates, but they are not very good. I'll give them to Tommy Kavanagh. He can't afford to buy a pair.”
Tommy was the son of a poor widow, and was very much pleased with the gift, which Phil conveyed to him just before supper.
Just after supper he took his gun and the key of his boat over to Reuben Gordon, who thereupon gave him the money agreed upon.
“Shall I tell Mrs. Brent I am going away?” Phil said to himself, “or shall I leave a note for her?”
He decided9 to announce his resolve in person. To do otherwise would seem too much like running away, and that he had too much self-respect to do.
So in the evening, after his return from Reuben Gordon's, he said to Mrs. Brent:
“I think I ought to tell you that I'm going away to-morrow.”
“You are going away!” she replied. “Where are you going?”
“I think I shall go to New York.”
“What for?”
“Seek my fortune, as so many have done before me.”
“Yes; it's chiefly on account of what you told me yesterday. You said that I was dependent upon you.”
“So you are.”
“And that I wasn't even entitled to the name of Brent.”
“Yes, I said it, and it's true.”
“Well,” said Phil, “I don't want to be dependent upon you. I prefer to earn my own living.”
“I am not prepared to say but that you are right. But do you know what the neighbors will say?”
“What will they say?”
“That I drove you from home.”
“It won't be true. I don't pretend to enjoy my home, but I suppose I can stay on here if I like?”
“Yes, you can stay.”
“You don't object to my going?”
“No, if it is understood that you go of your own accord.”
“I am willing enough to take the blame of it, if there is any blame.”
“Very well; get a sheet of note-paper, and write at my direction.”
Phil took a sheet of note-paper from his father's desk, and sat down to comply with Mrs. Brent's request.
“I leave home at my own wish, but with the consent of Mrs. Brent, to seek my fortune. It is wholly my own idea, and I hold no one else responsible.
“PHILIP BRENT.”
“You may as well keep the name of Brent,” said his step-mother, “as you have no other that you know of.”
Phil winced13 at those cold words. It was not pleasant to reflect that this was so, and that he was wholly ignorant of his parentage.
“One thing more,” said Mrs. Brent. “It is only eight o'clock. I should like to have you go out and call upon some of those with whom you are most intimate, and tell them that you are leaving home voluntarily.”
“I will,” answered Phil.
“Perhaps you would prefer to do so to-morrow.”
“No; I am going away to-morrow morning.”
“Very well.”
“Going away to-morrow morning?” repeated Jonas, who entered the room at that moment.
“Then give me your skates,” said Jonas.
“I can't. I've given them to Tommy Kavanagh.”
“I don't know why. Tommy Kavanagh is my friend and you are not.”
“Anyway, you can let me have your boat and gun.”
“I have sold them.”
“That's too bad.”
“I don't know why you should expect them. I needed the money they brought me to pay my expenses till I get work.”
“I will pay your expenses to New York if you wish,” said Mrs. Brent.
“Thank you; but I shall have money enough,” answered Phil, who shrank from receiving any favor at the hands of Mrs. Brent.
“As you please, but you will do me the justice to remember that I offered it.”
“Thank you. I shall not forget it.”
That evening, just before going to bed, Mrs. Brent opened a trunk and drew from it a folded paper.
She read as follows—for it was her husband's will:
“To the boy generally known as Philip Brent, and supposed, though incorrectly, to be my son, I bequeath the sum of five thousand dollars, and direct the same to be paid over to any one whom he may select as guardian16, to hold in trust for him till he attains17 the age of twenty-one.”
“He need never know of this,” said Mrs. Brent to herself in a low tone. “I will save it for Jonas.”
She held the paper a moment, as if undecided whether to destroy it, but finally put it carefully back in the secret hiding-place from which she had taken it.
“He is leaving home of his own accord,” she whispered. “Henceforth he will probably keep away. That suits me well, but no one can say I drove him to it.”
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收听单词发音
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1
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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3
bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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4
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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7
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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8
second-hand
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| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
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9
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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10
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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11
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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12
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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13
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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15
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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16
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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17
attains
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的第三人称单数 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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