CHAPTER XX AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE.

 HE MERCHANT stared at Tom in undisguised amazement¹.

 

“Send you!” he repeated.

 

“Yes, sir,” said Tom composedly. “My time is at my disposal, and it is necessary for me to do something.”

 

“Necessary to do something? Have you no other property than that which I have lost for you?”

 

“No,” said Tom, “or very little. I too have met with losses.”

 

He set forth² the condition of his affairs briefly³. The merchant listened attentively⁴.

 

“I am very sorry for you,” he said. “Without any fault of your own, you are reduced to comparative poverty.”

 

“Yes, sir,” said Tom, “but I don’t let it trouble me. I am sorry, of course, but I can make my way.”

 

“I think you can,” said Mr. Armstrong, observing him attentively. “You look like one who is destined⁵ to succeed. If I were where I was a month ago, I would take you into my employ, and give you a start in life.”

 

“Can’t you do it now, sir?”

 

“I shall be compelled to wind up my business.”

 

“I mean, can’t you employ me to find the clerk who has defrauded⁶ you?”

 

“How old are you, Tom?” asked the merchant abruptly⁷.

 

“Sixteen, sir.”

 

“And you really think a boy of sixteen can succeed in such a difficult task?” demanded the merchant incredulously.

 

“Yes, sir,” said Tom confidently. “He would have one advantage over an older person.”

 

“What is that?”

 

“He would be less likely to excite suspicion of his errand.”

 

“That is true,” said Mr. Armstrong thoughtfully.

 

“Then, sir, are you willing to send me?” asked Tom eagerly.

 

“I am afraid I am not in a position to send anybody,” said the merchant.

 

“Why not, sir?”

 

“Do you forget that my estate belongs to my creditors⁸? I am a bankrupt.”

 

“But your creditors are interested in your finding the clerk.”

 

“True; but they may consider it a wild-goose chase.”

 

“I don’t, and I am one of them.”

 

“If I could recover that money,” said the merchant reflectively, “I could pay my creditors dollar for dollar.”

 

Tom pricked⁹ up his ears.

 

“Then you could pay me back ten thousand dollars?”

 

“Yes, and with interest.”

 

“Then I’ll go on speculation,” said Tom resolutely¹⁰.

 

“How can you go? It will cost money.”

 

“I know that, sir, but I have a few hundred dollars left.”

 

“You will have more, my boy. I feel confident, even as it is, of paying thirty cents on the dollar.”

 

“Why,” said Tom, “that would be three thousand dollars.”

 

“You are right.”

 

“Capital!” exclaimed our hero. “I feel rich already. Mr. Sharp thought you would only pay five per cent.”

 

“Mr. Sharp was misinformed.”

 

“I am glad to hear it. Suppose, then, I spend the four hundred dollars cash I take with me, I shall have something to fall back upon.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then I’ll do it—that is, if Mr. Sharp consents.”

 

“I am afraid you will soon get to the end of your small stock of money, Tom.”

 

“Oh, I mean to earn money as well as spend it. When I get to California I shall see what I can find to do.”

 

“You seem to be an energetic young man.”

 

“I hope I shall prove so. It is time, for I never earned a penny in my life; but if you are willing, I should like to ask you a few questions, Mr. Armstrong?”

 

“Go on.”

 

“How shall I know this clerk if I happen to come across him?”

 

“You want me to describe him? Let me see. He is about five feet six in height, of rather stout¹¹ build, dark in complexion¹², has a cast in the left eye.”

 

“Wait a moment, sir. I should like to write that down.”

 

And Tom, producing a pencil, wrote down the description.

 

“Is there anything else, sir?”

 

“He usually wears an emerald ring on the middle finger of his right hand, but it might occur to him to throw this aside. However, there is one thing that he could not lay aside.”

 

“What is that, sir?”

 

“He had a scar on the back of his left hand, the result of a burn. This is a permanent mark.”

 

“Good,” said Tom. “He will be easily recognized. How old is he?”

 

“Probably about thirty-five.”

 

“What colored hair?”

 

“Black.”

 

“Thank you, sir. You’ve given me all the information I need, except the name.”

 

“His name is Samuel Lincoln, but as he will undoubtedly¹³ change it, the information will do you little good.”

 

“It is as well to know it,” said Tom, noting it down.

 

“Yes, no information will come amiss; but Tom I must warn you that I may be mistaken in thinking he has gone to California.”

 

“I’ll risk it,” said Tom. “Something tells me that he is there. If I had stolen money that is where I would go.”

 

Mr. Armstrong laughed.

 

“I hope you’ll never be under the necessity,” he said. “When do you propose to start?”

 

“Next Monday,” answered Tom, “if I can. I must go and see Mr. Sharp first.”

 

“Shall I see you again?”

 

“I will come if I need any more information. I will write you from California. Good-morning, sir.”

 

“Good-morning, Tom, and good luck, for both our sakes.”

 

As Tom passed through the outer room he saw the clerk who had admitted him surveying him curiously¹⁴.

 

“Good-by,” said Tom. “You see I had some business here after all.”

 

“I shouldn’t think Mr. Armstrong would waste his wind with a boy like you.”

 

“Shouldn’t you? He has intrusted me with a confidential¹⁵ mission.”

 

“I don’t believe any such nonsense.”

 

“Just as you like,” said Tom carelessly.

 

“I’d like to have that boy under me,” muttered the clerk. “I’d cure him of his impudence¹⁶.”

1 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

3 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

4 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

6 defrauded   

v.诈取，骗取( defraud的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He defrauded his employers of thousands of dollars. 他诈取了他的雇主一大笔钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He defrauded them of their money. 他骗走了他们的钱。 来自辞典例句

7 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

8 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 pricked   

刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

10 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

12 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

13 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

14 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

15 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

16 impudence   

n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼

参考例句：

• His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。
• What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。