CHAPTER V. TOM RAISES THE MONEY.

 Tom got up early the next morning—in fact, he was up first in the house—and attended to his usual "chores." He was splitting wood when his father passed him on the[34] way to the barn with the milk-pail in his hand.

 

"You are up early, Tom," he said.

 

"Yes," answered our hero.

 

Tom could not help wondering whether his father had come to any decision about letting him go to California; but he did not like to ask. In due time he would learn, of course. He felt that he should like to have it decided¹ one way or the other. While his plans were in doubt he felt unsettled and nervous.

 

At an early hour the family gathered about the breakfast table. Tom noticed that his father and mother looked grave, and spoke² in a subdued³ tone, as if they had something on their minds; but he did not know what to infer from this, except that they had his prospects⁴ still in consideration.

 

When breakfast was over, Mark Nelson pushed back his chair, and said: "How soon can you get Tom ready to start, Mary?"

 

"Am I going, father?" asked Tom, his heart giving an eager bound.

 

"Is Tom really going?" asked the younger children, with scarcely less eagerness.

 

"If Squire⁵ Hudson doesn't go back on his[35] promise. Tom, you can go with me to the squire's."

 

"How soon?"

 

"In about an hour. He doesn't breakfast as early as we do. I think he will be ready to receive us in about an hour."

 

"Thank you, father," said Tom. "You are doing a great deal for me."

 

"I can't do much for you, my boy. I can probably get you to California, and then you will be thrown upon your own exertions⁶."

 

"I mean to work very hard. I think I shall succeed."

 

"I hope so, at least, Tom. When the time comes to start the other boys, I shall be glad to have your help in doing it."

 

Tom was pleased to hear this, though it placed upon his shoulders a new and heavy responsibility. He was assuming the responsibility not only for his own future, but for that of his brothers. But it made him feel more manly⁷, as if the period of his dependent boyhood were over, and he had become a young man all at once.

 

"I hope I sha'n't disappoint you, father," he said.

 

"If you do, I don't think it will be your[36] fault, Tom," said his father kindly⁸. "Fortune may be against you, but we must take the risk of that."

 

"I don't know what to think about it, Tom," said his mother, in a tone of doubt and mental disturbance⁹. "I feel as if you were too young to go out in the wide world to seek your fortune."

 

"I am not so very young, mother. I am old enough to make my way."

 

"So your father says, and I have yielded to his judgment¹⁰; but, Tom, I don't know how to let you go."

 

There were tears in Mrs. Nelson's eyes as she spoke. Tom was moved, and if he needed anything to strengthen him in the good resolutions he had formed, his mother's emotion supplied it.

 

"You sha'n't regret giving your consent, mother," he said manfully, and, rising from his seat, he went to his mother and kissed her.

 

"Mary," said Mr. Nelson, "you haven't answered my question. How long will it take to get Tom ready? If he is to go, he may as well start as soon as possible."

 

"Let me see," said Mrs. Nelson, "how many shirts have you got, Tom?"[37]

 

"Five."

 

"Are they all in good order?"

 

"I believe one needs mending."

 

"I don't know whether that will be enough," said Mrs. Nelson doubtfully.

 

"Mary," said her husband, "don't provide too large a supply of clothing. Tom may find it a burden. Remember, in California, he will have to travel on foot and carry his own baggage."

 

"Then I think he is already pretty well provided. But some of his clothes may need mending. That won't take long, and I will attend to it at once."

 

"Perhaps Squire Hudson will go back on you, after all," said Walter.

 

Tom's face was overcast¹¹. That would be a disappointment he could not easily bear.

 

"I shall soon know," he said.

 

An hour later Tom and his father set out for Squire Hudson's residence. Tom felt nervous; he could not well help it.

 

"Tom," said his father, "this is an important visit for you."

 

"Yes, sir," said Tom.

 

"You are feeling nervous, I see. Try to[38] take it coolly, and don't feel too low-spirited if things don't turn out as you hope."

 

"I will try to follow your advice, father, but I am not sure as I can."

 

"If you are disappointed, try to think it is for the best. A boy of your age had made all arrangements to visit Europe with a party of friends. The day before starting something happened which made it impossible for him to go. For weeks he had been looking forward with eager anticipation¹² to his journey, and now it was indefinitely postponed¹³."

 

"What a terrible disappointment!" said Tom.

 

"Yes, it seemed so, but mark the issue. The steamer was lost, and all on board were drowned. The disappointment saved his life."

 

"It might not always turn out so," objected Tom.

 

"No, that is true. Still, if we are willing to think that our disappointments are not always misfortunes, we shall go through life with more cheerfulness and content."

 

"Still, I hope I shall not be disappointed in this," said Tom.

 

"You are perhaps too young to be philosophical," said his father.[39]

 

Mark Nelson had enjoyed only the usual advantages of education afforded by a common school; but he was a man of good natural capacity, and more thoughtful than many in his vocation¹⁴. From him Tom inherited good natural abilities and industrious¹⁵ habits. It would not be fair, however, to give all the credit to his father. Mrs. Nelson was a superior woman, and all her children were well endowed by nature.

 

As they turned into Squire Hudson's gravel-path, the squire himself opened the front door.

 

"Were you coming to see me?" he asked.

 

"We would like to speak with you a few minutes, squire, if you can spare the time."

 

"Oh, yes, I have nothing pressing on hand," said the squire, with unusual affability. "Walk in, Mr. Nelson."

 

He led the way into the room where Tom had had his interview with him the day before.

 

"Your son did me a good turn yesterday," he said graciously. "He behaved in a very creditable manner."

 

"He told me that he found your pocketbook, Squire Hudson."[40]

 

"Yes; it contained a large sum of money. Some boys would have kept it."

 

"None of my boys would," said Mark Nelson proudly.

 

"Of course not. They're too well brought up."

 

"Tom told me that you offered to advance money enough to get him to California," said Mr. Nelson, coming to business.

 

"On satisfactory security," added the squire cautiously.

 

"You proposed to increase the mortgage on my place?"

 

"Yes," said the squire. "I wouldn't have done it, though, Neighbor Nelson, but for the good turn the boy did me. I am not at all particular about increasing the amount of the mortgage, but, if by so doing it I can promote Tom's views, I won't object."

 

"Thank you, sir," said Tom gratefully.

 

"It is a serious step for me to take," continued Mr. Nelson, "for I feel the incumbrance to be a heavy one already. In fact, it is with difficulty that I pay the interest. But the time has come when Tom should start in life, and in this village there seems to be no opening."[41]

 

"None whatever," said the squire, in a tone of decision.

 

"What do you think of the prospects in California?" asked Mark Nelson. "You are a man of business, and can judge better than I. Are the stories we hear of fortunes made in a short time to be relied upon?"

 

"As to that," said the squire deliberately¹⁶, "I suppose we can't believe all we hear; we must make some allowances. But, after all, there's no doubt of the existence of gold in large quantities; I am satisfied of that."

 

"Then about the wisdom of sending out a boy like Tom, alone; do you think it best?"

 

"It depends altogether on the boy," responded the squire. "If he is honest, industrious, and energetic, he will make his way. You know your own boy better than I do."

 

"He is all you say, Squire Hudson. I have a great deal of confidence in Tom."

 

Tom looked at his father gratefully. Sometimes it does a boy good to learn that the older people have confidence in him.

 

"Then let him go," said the squire. "I stand ready to furnish the money. I think you said you needed two hundred dollars."[42]

 

This question was put to Tom, and the boy answered in the affirmative.

 

"Very well," said the squire. "As soon as the necessary writings are made out, the money shall be ready."

 

"It's all settled!" thought Tom triumphantly¹⁷.

 

At that moment Sinclair Hudson, the squire's only son, opened the door and looked into the room.

 

"Hello, Tom Nelson," said he, rather rudely. "What brings you here?"

1 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。

2 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。

3 subdued   

adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
• I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

4 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

5 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

6 exertions   

n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使

参考例句：

• As long as they lived, exertions would not be necessary to her. 只要他们活着，是不需要她吃苦的。 来自辞典例句
• She failed to unlock the safe in spite of all her exertions. 她虽然费尽力气，仍未能将那保险箱的锁打开。 来自辞典例句

7 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

8 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

9 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。

10 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

11 overcast   

adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天

参考例句：

• The overcast and rainy weather found out his arthritis.阴雨天使他的关节炎发作了。
• The sky is overcast with dark clouds.乌云满天。

12 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

13 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

14 vocation   

n.职业，行业

参考例句：

• She struggled for years to find her true vocation.她多年来苦苦寻找真正适合自己的职业。
• She felt it was her vocation to minister to the sick.她觉得照料病人是她的天职。

15 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。

16 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

17 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。