CHAPTER XV. THE ALLEGHANY HOUSE.

 It was a bright, sunny morning when the River Belle¹ touched her pier² at Cincinnati. The passengers gathered on deck, and discussed their plans. In one group were Tom,[118] Mr. Waterbury, Jennie Watson, and her mother.

 

"I am sorry you are going to leave us, Tom," said Jennie; "I shall feel awfully³ lonely."

 

"So shall I," said Tom.

 

"What's the use of going to that hateful California? Why can't you stay here with us?"

 

"Business before pleasure, Jennie," said her mother. "You mustn't forget that Tom has his fortune to make."

 

"I wish he could make it in Cincinnati, mother."

 

"So do I; but I must admit that California presents a better prospect⁴ just at present. You are both young, and I hope we may meet Tom in after years."

 

"When I have made my pile," suggested Tom.

 

"Precisely⁵."

 

"You won't go right on, Tom, will you?" asked Jennie. "You'll stay here a day or two."

 

"Yes; I should like to see something of Cincinnati."

 

"And you'll call on us?"[119]

 

"I shall be very happy to do so. Where are you going to stay?"

 

"At the Burnet House. Won't you come there, too?"

 

"Is it a high-priced hotel?"

 

"I believe it is."

 

"Then I can't afford to stay there; but I can call on you all the same."

 

"Stay there as my guest, Tom," said Mr. Waterbury cordially. "It shall not cost you anything."

 

"Thank you, sir. You are very kind, but I don't like to accept unnecessary favors. I will put up at some cheap hotel, and call upon you both."

 

"You would be heartily⁶ welcome, my boy," said Mr. Waterbury.

 

"I don't doubt it, sir, and the time may come when I will gladly accept your kindness," replied Tom.

 

"But now you mean to have your own way; is that it, Tom."

 

"You won't be offended, sir?"

 

"On the contrary, I respect you for your manly⁷ independence. You won't forget that I am your friend?"[120]

 

"I don't want to forget that, sir."

 

So it happened that while Mrs. Watson, Jennie, and Mr. Waterbury registered at the Burnet House, Tom, carpetbag in hand, walked through the streets till he came to a plain inn, bearing the name Alleghany House. It is not now in existence, having given way to an imposing⁸ business block.

 

"That looks as if it might suit my purse," thought Tom.

 

He walked in, and, approaching the desk, inquired: "How much do you charge at this hotel?"

 

"A dollar a day," answered the clerk. "Will you have a room?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Please register your name." Tom did so.

 

"Cato," called the clerk—summoning a colored boy, about Tom's size—"take this young man to No. 18."

 

"All right, sar," said Cato, showing his ivories.

 

"When do you have dinner?" asked Tom.

 

"One o'clock."

 

Preceded by Cato, Tom walked up-stairs, and was ushered¹⁰ into a small, dingy¹¹ room on[121] the second floor. There was a single window, looking through dingy panes¹² upon a back yard. There was a general air of cheerlessness and discomfort¹³, but at any rate it was larger than the stateroom on the River Belle.

 

"Is this the best room you have?" asked Tom, not very favorably impressed.

 

"Oh, no, sar," answered Cato. "If your wife was with you, sar, we'd give you a scrumptious room, 'bout⁹ twice as big."

 

"I didn't bring my wife along, Cato," said Tom, amused. "Are you married?"

 

"Not yet, sar," answered his colored guide, with a grin.

 

"I think we can wait till we are a little older."

 

"Reckon so, sar."

 

"Just bring up a little water, Cato. I feel in need of washing."

 

"Dirt don't show on me," said Cato, with a guffaw¹⁴.

 

"I suppose you do wash, now and then, don't you?"

 

"Yes, sar, sometimes," answered Cato equivocally.

 

When Tom had completed his toilet he[122] found that it was but ten o'clock. He accordingly went down-stairs, intending to see a little of the city before dinner.

1 belle   

n.靓女

参考例句：

• She was the belle of her Sunday School class.在主日学校她是她们班的班花。
• She was the belle of the ball.她是那个舞会中的美女。

2 pier   

n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱

参考例句：

• The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。
• The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

3 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

5 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

6 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

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 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

9 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

10 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 dingy   

adj.昏暗的，肮脏的

参考例句：

• It was a street of dingy houses huddled together. 这是一条挤满了破旧房子的街巷。
• The dingy cottage was converted into a neat tasteful residence.那间脏黑的小屋已变成一个整洁雅致的住宅。

12 panes   

窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sun caught the panes and flashed back at him. 阳光照到窗玻璃上，又反射到他身上。
• The window-panes are dim with steam. 玻璃窗上蒙上了一层蒸汽。

13 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

14 guffaw   

n.哄笑；突然的大笑

参考例句：

• All the boys burst out into a guffaw at the joke.听到这个笑话，男孩子们发出一阵哄笑。
• As they guffawed loudly,the ticket collector arrived.他们正哈哈大笑的时候，检票员到了。