CHAPTER XXXVIII. AN OFFER DECLINED.

 After his interview with Squire¹ Pope, Philip came down to the office, where he saw Professor Riccabocca, apparently² waiting for him.

“Well, Mr. Gray, where shall we go next?” asked the professor, with suavity³.

“I haven't decided⁴ where to go—have you?” asked Philip coolly.

“I suppose we had better go to Raymond. That is a good-sized place. I think we can get together a good audience there.”

“You seem to be under the impression that we are in partnership,” said Philip.

“Of course,” answered Riccabocca.

“I have made no agreement of that sort, professor.”

“But, of course, it is understood,” said Riccabocca quickly, “as long as we draw so well.”

“You must excuse me, Professor Riccabocca. I must decline the proposal.”

“But why?” inquired the professor anxiously.

“I hope you won't press me for an explanation.”

“But I do. I can't understand why you should act so against your own interest. You can't expect people will come just to hear you play. You need me to help you.”

“It may be as you say, professor, but if you insist upon my speaking plainly, I don't care to travel with a man who has treated me as you have.”

“I don't understand you,” said Riccabocca nervously⁵; but it was evident, from his expression, that he did.

“Then you seem very forgetful,” said Philip. “You tried to deprive me of my share of the proceeds of the entertainment at Wilkesville, and would have succeeded but for a lucky accident.”

“I told you that it was all owing to neuralgia,” said Professor Riccabocca. “I had such an attack of neuralgic headache that it nearly drove me wild.”

“Then,” said Philip, “I would rather find a partner who is not troubled with neuralgic headache. I think it would be safer.”

“It won't happen again, Mr. Gray, I assure you,” said the professor apologetically.

He endeavored to persuade Philip to renew the combination, but our hero steadily⁶ refused. He admitted that it might be to his pecuniary⁷ advantage, but he had lost all confidence in the eminent⁸ professor, and he thought it better to part now than to give him another opportunity of playing a similar trick upon him.

The professor thereupon consulted the landlord as to whether it would be advisable for him to give another entertainment unaided, and was assured very emphatically that it would not pay expenses.

“You make a great mistake, Mr. Gray,” said Riccabocca. “It would be a great advantage for you to have my assistance at this stage of your professional career.”

“I don't expect to have any professional career,” answered Philip.

“Don't you intend to become a professional musician?” asked the professor, surprised.

“Probably not. I have only been playing because I needed money, and my violin helped me to a living.”

“You can't make as much money in any other way.”

“Not at present; but I want to get a chance to enter upon some kind of business. I am going to New York.”

“You will some time have a chance to hear me there, in the Academy of Music,” said Riccabocca pompously⁹.

“I will go and hear you,” said Philip, laughing, “if I can afford a ticket.”

“Say the word and we will appear there together, Mr. Gray.”

“I think not, professor.”

In fact, though Philip had found himself unexpectedly successful as a musician, he knew very well that he was only a clever amateur, and that years of study would be needed to make him distinguished¹⁰.

He was glad that he had the means of paying his expenses for a considerable time, and had in his violin a trusty friend upon which he could rely in case he got into financial trouble. Directly after breakfast he set out on his journey.

1 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。

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 suavity   

n.温和；殷勤

参考例句：

• He's got a surface flow of suavity,but he's rough as a rasp underneath.他表面看来和和气气的，其实是个粗野狂暴的恶棍。
• But the well-bred,artificial smile,when he bent upon the guests,had its wonted steely suavity.但是他哈着腰向宾客招呼的那种彬彬有礼、故意装成的笑容里，却仍然具有它平时那种沉着的殷勤。

4 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。

5 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

6 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

7 pecuniary   

adj.金钱的；金钱上的

参考例句：

• She denies obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.她否认通过欺骗手段获得经济利益。
• She is so independent that she refused all pecuniary aid.她很独立，所以拒绝一切金钱上的资助。

8 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

9 pompously   

adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样

参考例句：

• He pompously described his achievements. 他很夸耀地描述了自己所取得的成绩。 来自互联网

10 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。