CHAPTER XXV. A CHANGE OF NAME.

 Wilkesville was an inland city, of from fifteen to twenty thousand inhabitants.

As Philip and the professor passed along the principal street, they saw various stores of different kinds, with here and there a large, high, plain-looking structure, which they were told was used for the manufacture of shoes.

“Wilkesville will give us a large audience,” he said, in a tone of satisfaction.

“I hope so,” said our hero.

“Hope so? I know so!” said the professor confidently. “The town is full of young men, employed in shoe-making. They are fond of amusement, and they will gladly seize an opportunity of patronizing a first-class entertainment like ours.”

The professor's reasoning seemed good, but logic¹ sometimes fails, and Philip was not quite so sanguine². He said nothing, however, to dampen the ardor³ of his partner.

“Let me see,” said the professor, pausing, “yonder stands the Wilkesville Hotel. We had better put up there.”

It was a brick structure of considerable size, and seemed to have some pretensions⁴ to fashion.

“Do you know how much they charge?” asked Philip prudently⁵.

“No; I neither know nor care,” answered Professor Riccabocca loftily.

“But,” said Philip, “I haven't much money.”

“Nor I,” admitted Riccabocca. “But it is absolutely necessary for us to stop at a first-class place. We must not let the citizens suppose that we are tramps or vagabonds. They will judge us by our surroundings.”

“There is something in that,” said Philip. “But suppose we don't succeed!”

“Succeed? We must succeed!” said the professor, striking an attitude. “In the vocabulary of youth, there's no such word as 'fail'! Away with timid caution! Our watchword be success!”

“Of course, you have much more experience than I,” said Philip.

“Certainly I have! We must keep up appearances. Be guided by me, and all will come right.”

Philip reflected that they could not very well make less than their expenses, and accordingly he acceded⁶ to the professor's plans. They entered the hotel, and Professor Riccabocca, assuming a dignified⁷, important step, walked up to the office. “Sir,” said he, to the clerk, “my companion and myself would like an apartment, one eligibly⁸ located, and of ample size.”

“You can be accommodated, sir,” answered the young man politely. “Will you enter your names?”

Opening the hotel register, the elocutionist, with various flourishes, entered, this name: “Professor Lorenzo Riccabocca, Elocutionist and Dramatic Reader.”

“Shall I enter your name?” he asked of Philip.

“If you please.”

This was the way Professor Riccabocca complied with his request: “Philip de Gray, the Wonderful Boy-musician.”

He turned the book, so that the clerk could see the entries.

“We propose to give an entertainment in Wilkesville,” he said.

“I am glad to hear it,” said the clerk politely.

“After dinner I will consult you as to what steps to take. Is there anything in the way of amusement going on in town this evening?”

“Yes, there is a concert, chiefly of home-talent, in Music Hall. There is nothing announced for to-morrow evening.”

“Then we will fix upon to-morrow evening. It will give us more time to get out hand-bills, etc. Is there a printing-office in town?”

“Oh, yes, sir. We have a daily paper.”

“Is the office near at hand?”

“Yes, sir. It is on the corner of the next street.”

“That will do for the present. We will go up to our apartment. Will dinner be ready soon?”

“In half an hour.”

Here the servant made his appearance, and the professor, with a wave of his hand, said:

“Lead on, Mr. de Gray! I will follow.”

1 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

2 sanguine   

adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的

参考例句：

• He has a sanguine attitude to life.他对于人生有乐观的看法。
• He is not very sanguine about our chances of success.他对我们成功的机会不太乐观。

3 ardor   

n.热情，狂热

参考例句：

• His political ardor led him into many arguments.他的政治狂热使他多次卷入争论中。
• He took up his pursuit with ardor.他满腔热忱地从事工作。

4 pretensions   

自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力

参考例句：

• The play mocks the pretensions of the new middle class. 这出戏讽刺了新中产阶级的装模作样。
• The city has unrealistic pretensions to world-class status. 这个城市不切实际地标榜自己为国际都市。

5 prudently   

adv. 谨慎地，慎重地

参考例句：

• He prudently pursued his plan. 他谨慎地实行他那计划。
• They had prudently withdrawn as soon as the van had got fairly under way. 他们在蓬车安全上路后立即谨慎地离去了。

6 acceded   

v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职

参考例句：

• He acceded to demands for his resignation. 他同意要他辞职的要求。
• They have acceded to the treaty. 他们已经加入了那个条约。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

8 eligibly   

适当地

参考例句：