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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Tom, The Bootblack or, The Road to Success » CHAPTER VII. TOM TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF.
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CHAPTER VII. TOM TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF.
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 The communication which he had just read gave Tom much to think of. Up to this time he knew nothing of his past history. Now a clear light was thrown upon it, and it remained for him to decide what he would do. He knew as much as this, that the man who had wronged him was still living. Where he lived was unknown. That was the first thing to discover. The next was, to make him disgorge the property of which he was in unlawful possession. It seemed wonderful to Tom to reflect that, if he had his rights, he would be heir to a large fortune.
 
"There's a lot of money lyin' around loose somewheres that belongs to me," said Tom to himself. "Blest if it don't seem like a dream. I'd like to set eyes on that old feller with a scar again."
 
Tom leaned his head on his hand, and devoted1 five minutes to reflection. During that brief interval2, he made up his mind what to do. He would leave New York, giving up his business into other hands, and set his face westward3, in search of his fraudulent guardian4 and his fortune. He might have been embarrassed about this, but for the opportune5 legacy6 of old Jacob. It wasn't very large, but it would, at all events, start him on his journey. Then he must trust to luck and his own exertions7 for the rest.
 
He was not in the least afraid but that he could get along. He had supported himself for years, and he knew he could again.
 
I may as well warn my young readers here that there is no occasion for them to forsake8 comfortable homes to follow Tom's example. Circumstances alter cases, and, what was right for Tom, would not be right for them. I have in mind the case of two boys who left comfortable homes in quest of adventure, without any good reason, and were very glad to get back again in a few days, without a penny in their pockets, utterly9 unsuccessful. If fortune drives you out, do your best, but never leave a good home when you are well off, or you will repent10 it.
 
"I'll take some of this money," said Tom to himself, "and buy some clo'es. I ain't goin' to travel in these rags. Considerin' I'm heir to a fortune, I'll dress respectable."
 
Tom withdrew fifty dollars from the miser's hoard11, then went to the hospital and left fifteen dollars to defray the expenses of Jacob's burial.
 
"It's the last I can do for him," thought Tom. "I hope, if I live to be as old as he was, somebody'll do as much for me."
 
The thought of his old companion made him sad for the moment, but his mind was full of his future plans, and he quickly became cheerful again.
 
Before going to buy new clothes, it struck Tom that it would be a good plan to take a bath. I should not like to say how long it was since he had washed himself all over, but it is well known that excessive neatness is not a characteristic of street-boys. It had never troubled Tom much to have a spot of blacking on his face, or to see his hands bearing the traces of the business by which he made his living. Now, however, he determined12 to turn over a new leaf.
 
"I'm going to set up for a gentleman," he said, "and I must look respectable."
 
There was a hotel near by, where warm and cold baths were provided to the general public, at twenty-five cents apiece. He made his way thither13, and entered the barber shop adjoining. Just before him was a gentleman who inquired for a bath, and was led into the adjoining apartment. When the attendant came back, Tom went up to him.
 
"Well, boy; what's wanted?" he asked.
 
"I want a warm bath," answered Tom, boldly.
 
"You!" exclaimed the attendant, surveying the boy in alarm.
 
"Yes," said Tom. "Don't you think I need it?"
 
"I should say you did," returned the other. "How long since you took one?"
 
"I can't exactly remember," said Tom.
 
"Did you ever take a bath in your life?"
 
"That's a leadin' question," said Tom. "I never took any except at the Fifth Avenoo Hotel. They've got bully14 baths there."
 
"Have they? Then I think you'd better go there now."
 
"It's too far off, and I'm in a hurry. I'm invited to dine with the mayor, and I wouldn't like to go dirty."
 
"If you bathe here, we shall charge you double price."
 
"How much is that?"
 
"Fifty cents."
 
"Well, I am rich. I can afford it."
 
"Money payable15 in advance."
 
"All right," said Tom. "Here's fifty cents. I'm a young man of fortun', though I don't look like it. I've been boot-blackin' for a joke. When I come in to my money, I'll get shaved here regular."
 
"You're a case," said the attendant, laughing.
 
"That's so," said Tom. "Now, just show me the bath-tub, and give me a bar of soap, and I'll get my money's worth."
 
The attendant led the way to the bath-room, first collecting the fifty cents which he had decided16 to charge. The water was turned on, and Tom went to work energetically to wash off the stains and dirt which, in the course of his street-life, he had contrived17 to accumulate. Tom never did anything by halves, and he set himself to work with a will, sparing neither strength nor soap. The result was that he effected a very great change for the better.
 
"I wish I'd got some better clo'es to put on," he thought, as with reluctance18 he drew on the ragged19 attire20 which had served him for some months, getting more ragged and dirty every day. "I'll buy some as soon as I get out."
 
He surveyed himself in the mirror and his long, unkempt locks attracted his attention.
 
"I must have my hair cut," he decided.
 
On his way out he saw a vacant chair, and seated himself in it.
 
"Do you want to be shaved?" asked one of the barbers.
 
"Not to-day," said Tom. "You may cut off some of my wool. Mind you give me a fashionable cut."
 
"Oh, I'll take care of that," said the journeyman.
 
"If you do what's right," said Tom, "I'll recommend all my friends on Fifth avenoo to come here."
 
"Is that the Fifth avenue style of coat?" asked the barber, pointing to several large holes in Tom's most prominent article of dress.
 
"It's a dress I wore to a masquerade ball last evenin'," said Tom. "I went in the character of a bootblack."
 
"You made a pretty good imitation," said the knight21 of the scissors, who had already commenced operations on Tom's head.
 
"That's what all the ladies told me," said Tom. "They said they wouldn't have knowed me from the genooine article."
 
In about twenty minutes the task was completed.
 
"How's that?" said the barber.
 
Tom looked in the mirror, and hardly recognized his image, so much was it altered by the careful arrangement of his hair.
 
"If it wasn't for the clo'es," he said, "I would think it was another boy."
 
He paid his bill and left the hotel.
 
"The next thing must be some new clo'es," he said to himself; "then I'll begin to feel respectable."

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
2 interval 85kxY     
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息
参考例句:
  • The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
  • There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。
3 westward XIvyz     
n.西方,西部;adj.西方的,向西的;adv.向西
参考例句:
  • We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
  • Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。
4 guardian 8ekxv     
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者
参考例句:
  • The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
  • The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。
5 opportune qIXxR     
adj.合适的,适当的
参考例句:
  • Her arrival was very opportune.她来得非常及时。
  • The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。
6 legacy 59YzD     
n.遗产,遗赠;先人(或过去)留下的东西
参考例句:
  • They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
  • He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。
7 exertions 2d5ee45020125fc19527a78af5191726     
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
8 forsake iiIx6     
vt.遗弃,抛弃;舍弃,放弃
参考例句:
  • She pleaded with her husband not to forsake her.她恳求丈夫不要抛弃她。
  • You must forsake your bad habits.你必须革除你的坏习惯。
9 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
10 repent 1CIyT     
v.悔悟,悔改,忏悔,后悔
参考例句:
  • He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
  • Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。
11 hoard Adiz0     
n./v.窖藏,贮存,囤积
参考例句:
  • They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
  • How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩?
12 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
13 thither cgRz1o     
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的
参考例句:
  • He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
  • He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。
14 bully bully     
n.恃强欺弱者,小流氓;vt.威胁,欺侮
参考例句:
  • A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
  • The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
15 payable EmdzUR     
adj.可付的,应付的,有利益的
参考例句:
  • This check is payable on demand.这是一张见票即付的支票。
  • No tax is payable on these earnings.这些收入不须交税。
16 decided lvqzZd     
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。
17 contrived ivBzmO     
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的
参考例句:
  • There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
  • The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。
18 reluctance 8VRx8     
n.厌恶,讨厌,勉强,不情愿
参考例句:
  • The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
  • He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。
19 ragged KC0y8     
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
参考例句:
  • A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
  • Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。
20 attire AN0zA     
v.穿衣,装扮[同]array;n.衣着;盛装
参考例句:
  • He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
  • Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。
21 knight W2Hxk     
n.骑士,武士;爵士
参考例句:
  • He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
  • A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。


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