CHAPTER XVI. MAURICE IS ASTONISHED.

 Maurice Walton felt very much annoyed at the prospect¹ of having Tom for a fellow-clerk. He felt jealous of him on account of the evident partiality of Bessie Benton for his society. He suspected, from Tom's style of talking, that he was "low and uneducated," and he would have given considerable to know that his hated rival had been a New York bootblack. But this knowledge he could not obtain from Tom. The latter delighted in mystifying him, and exciting suspicions which he afterward² learned to be groundless.

 

Bright and early Tom made his appearance in front of Mr. Ferguson's establishment. As he came up one way, he met Maurice, looking sleepy and cross, coming from a different direction.

 

"Good-morning, Maurice," said our hero, good-naturedly. "Have you just got out of bed?"

 

"No," answered Maurice, crossly. "My name is Walton."

 

"How are you, Walton?"

 

"Mr. Walton, if you please," said Maurice, with dignity.

 

"Don't we feel big this morning, Mr. Walton?" said Tom, mischievously³.

 

"Do you mean to insult me?"

 

"Wouldn't think of such a thing, Mr. Walton. My name is Mr. Grey."

 

Maurice didn't think proper to answer this remark—perhaps because he had nothing in particular to say. He opened the warehouse⁴, and Tom entered.

 

"I don't know what made Mr. Ferguson take you," he said, amiably⁵.

 

"Nor I," said Tom; "particularly as he had your valuable services."

 

"Very likely he took you out of charity," said Maurice.

 

"Did he take you out of charity?" asked Tom, innocently—"Mr. Walton?"

 

"How dare you speak of me in that way?" demanded Maurice, haughtily⁶.

 

"It didn't take much courage," said Tom, coolly. "How dared you speak of me in that way?"

 

"That's different."

 

"Why is it?"

 

"You haven't got much money—you're almost a beggar."

 

"Where did you find out all that?"

 

"Anybody can tell by just looking at you."

 

"That's the way, then? Have you got much money?"

 

"My uncle has."

 

"So has my uncle."

 

"I don't believe it."

 

"That don't alter the fact."

 

"How much is he worth?"

 

"Over a hundred thousand dollars—I don't know how much more."

 

"Where does he live."

 

"He used to live in this city, but he's gone farther West."

 

Maurice was not decided⁷ whether to believe this statement or not. He wanted to disbelieve it, but was afraid it might be true. He tried a different tack⁸.

 

"Where do you board? Are you at the Ohio Hotel? I hear it's a low place—third-class."

 

"You're about right. It isn't first-class."

 

"I suppose you had to go there because it was cheap?"

 

"It was the first hotel I came across. But I'm not there now—I've moved."

 

"Have you? Where are you now?"

 

"No. 12 Crescent Place."

 

Now Maurice knew that Crescent Place was in a fashionable quarter of the city. It astonished him that our hero, whose salary was but five dollars a week, should live in such a neighborhood.

 

"Twelve Crescent Place?" he repeated. "How much board do you pay?"

 

"That's a secret between me and the landlady," said Tom. "If you'll come round and see me this evening, you can judge for yourself."

 

Having a strong curiosity about Tom's circumstances, Maurice accepted the invitation.

 

"Perhaps there are two Crescent Places," he thought. "I don't believe he can afford to live in a fashionable boarding-house."

 

"Mr. Mordaunt," said Tom, when they were getting ready for supper, "I've invited a friend to call this evening."

 

"That's right. I shall be glad to see him."

 

"It's that boy that loves me so much, Maurice Walton. He's awfully⁹ jealous of me—tries to snub me all the time."

 

"Then why did you invite such a fellow to call?"

 

"Because he thinks I live in a poor place, and it will make him mad to find me in such a nice room."

 

"I see," said Mordaunt, laughing. "It isn't as a friend you invite him."

 

"I'm as much his friend as he is mine."

 

"What makes him dislike you."

 

"I don't know, except because Bessie Benton is polite to me, and seems to like my company."

 

Mordaunt laughed.

 

"That explains it fully," he said. "So you are rivals for the young lady's hand?"

 

"Not quite. I ain't quite ready to be married yet. I'll wait awhile. But Bessie's a tip-top girl."

 

"You must introduce me some time."

 

"All right. I'll try and get an invitation for you to call with me."

 

About eight o'clock Maurice reached Crescent Place, and, scanning the numbers, found No. 12.

 

"He can't live in such a house," thought he. "It's ridiculous."

 

Still, he rang the bell, and, when the servant appeared, he asked, rather hesitatingly:

 

"Does Gilbert Grey live here?"

 

"Yes, sir," said the servant. "Will you go up to his room?"

 

"I don't know where his room is. Will you ask him to come down?"

 

"There is somebody to see you, Mr. Grey," said the servant, after mounting the stairs.

 

"He's come," said our hero, in a low voice, to Mordaunt. "I'll go down and bring him up."

 

Tom descended¹⁰ the stairs and welcomed Maurice.

 

"I'm glad you're come, Mr. Walton," he said. "Come up stairs to my room."

 

Finding that he did, after all, live in this handsome house, Maurice expected that it was on the upper floor, and was surprised when Tom led the way into a handsome parlor¹¹ on the second floor.

 

"My roommate, Mr. Mordaunt, Mr. Walton," said Tom, introducing the visitor.

 

"I am glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Walton," said Mordaunt. "Take a seat," and he indicated a luxurious¹² armchair.

 

Maurice sank into its depths, and looked around him with wonder. How in the world could a fellow like Tom, earning a salary of five dollars a week, afford to board so luxuriously¹³? Why, it quite eclipsed even his uncle's rooms. Handsome pictures, books, statuary, and choice furniture, under the brilliant blaze of an argand burner, made a beautiful apartment.

 

"You've got a nice room," he could not help saying.

 

"Won't you look at the bedroom?" said Mordaunt, politely.

 

Maurice looked in, and found it in proportion to the parlor.

 

"Gilbert and I manage to make ourselves comfortable," said Mordaunt. "We enjoy it ourselves, and are glad to have a pleasant place to invite our friends to."

 

Maurice was astonished; but such is the influence of wealth, or apparent wealth, upon a disposition¹⁴ like his, that he thawed¹⁵, and made up his mind that he had better change his manner toward one who was able to afford living in such a style.

 

"He must have money," he thought. "Perhaps it's his rich uncle. I thought he was lying, but I guess it's true, after all."

 

Tom saw the change in his manner, and it amused him.

 

"He thinks I'm somebody, after all," he said to himself. "What would he say if he knowed what I used to be?—how I went round the streets of New York calling out: 'Shine yer boots!' and was glad if I could earn a dollar a day that way? I don't believe Mordaunt would mind. I'm going to tell him some time, and see."

 

"Do you ever play checkers, Mr. Walton?" asked Mordaunt.

 

"Sometimes."

 

"Then suppose we try a game, or perhaps you will play with him, Gilbert?"

 

"I'd rather look on," said Tom. "I don't know how to play, but maybe I'll learn lookin' at you."

 

"Very well."

 

Two games were played, and then a waiter appeared from a neighboring restaurant with some cake and ice-cream, of which Maurice partook with evident enjoyment¹⁶. His ideas with regard to our hero were quite revolutionized. He was a good fellow, after all. So when he took leave, at the close of the evening, he readily promised to come again, and did not forget to do so.

 

"He'll take more notice of me now," said Tom, laughing. "He'll think I'm somebody."

 

"It's the way of the world, Gilbert," said Mordaunt. "We must take it as it comes."

 

"Maybe," said Tom, looking at his companion earnestly, "you wouldn't like to have me room with you if you knew what I used to be."

 

"What did you used to be?" asked Mordaunt, not without curiosity.

 

"A New York bootblack."

 

"Is it possible?"

 

"Don't you want me to go?"

 

"No, Gilbert; my friendship is too strong for that. But I want to hear about your former life. Sit down and tell me all about it."

 

Mordaunt listened with interest and surprise to the story of his roommate.

 

"It seems," he said, in conclusion, "that there is a fortune somewhere to which you are entitled."

 

"Yes," said our hero, "but my uncle will take pretty good care that I don't get it."

 

"From your description he doesn't seem to be a credit to the family. What are you going to do about it? Have you any plan?"

 

"Mr. Ferguson advises me to stay here for the present. He says I am as likely to hear of my uncle, if I stay in Cincinnati, as if I travel round the country after him."

 

"I presume he is right. As your uncle was formerly¹⁷ in business here, he is likely to come here some time on a visit. If he does, he will be likely to call at your establishment. The best thing you can do is to attend to your business, learn as much as possible, and keep your eyes open."

 

"I guess you're right," said Tom. "I ain't very old yet. I'll try to learn something, so that, when I come into my fortune, I can appear like a gentleman."

1 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。

2 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

3 mischievously   

adv.有害地；淘气地

参考例句：

• He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
• Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠，是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网

4 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

5 amiably   

adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地

参考例句：

• She grinned amiably at us. 她咧着嘴向我们亲切地微笑。
• Atheists and theists live together peacefully and amiably in this country. 无神论者和有神论者在该国和睦相处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 haughtily   

adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地

参考例句：

• She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
• Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯，走到二楼，我刚好站在那儿。

7 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。

8 tack   

n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝

参考例句：

• He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
• We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。

9 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。

10 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

11 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

12 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

13 luxuriously   

adv.奢侈地，豪华地

参考例句：

• She put her nose luxuriously buried in heliotrope and tea roses. 她把自己的鼻子惬意地埋在天芥菜和庚申蔷薇花簇中。 来自辞典例句
• To be well dressed doesn't mean to be luxuriously dressed. 穿得好不一定衣着豪华。 来自辞典例句

14 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

15 thawed   

解冻

参考例句：

• The little girl's smile thawed the angry old man. 小姑娘的微笑使发怒的老头缓和下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He thawed after sitting at a fire for a while. 在火堆旁坐了一会儿，他觉得暖和起来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

17 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。