Chapter XXVI — Ben Finds a Boarding-Place

 Henry Porter had a fine suite¹ of rooms in the Back Bay District of Boston. Ben spent the night with him.

 

"You've got a nice home," said our hero.

 

"Yes," said the bookkeeper. "My rooms alone cost me fifteen dollars a week."

 

"Without board?" ejaculated Ben.

 

"Yes," said the young man, smiling.

 

"Why, that is almost eight hundred dollars a year."

 

"Quite correct. I see you think me extravagant²."

 

"I was wondering how you could afford it."

 

"Your surprise is natural. If I only depended on my salary, I certainly should not hire such expensive apartments. But a good aunt left me twenty thousand dollars, two years since, and this being well invested yields me about fourteen hundred dollars a year."

 

"I wonder you don't go into business."

 

"I have thought of it, but doubt whether I should manage a business of my own judiciously³. If not, I should run the risk of losing all my money. I like keeping books for my uncle, and he pays me a good salary. With this and the income from my property I can live as well as I wish without incurring⁴ any risk at all."

 

"I don't know but that is best," said Ben.

 

"Now let me speak of your own plans, Ben. Your income is six dollars a week."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"You must regulate your expenses accordingly."

 

"I want to do so, Mr. Porter. How much board shall I have to pay?" asked Ben anxiously.

 

"I cannot tell without inquiring. There is a boarding-house on Warren Avenue, kept by a worthy⁵ lady of my acquaintance. How much do you fell able to pay?"

 

"I should like to have enough over to buy my clothes."

 

"We will see if we can manage it Get your hat and we will go to the boarding-house now."

 

It was a three-story brick house, such as is common in Boston. It was unusually neat for a boarding-house of medium grade, Mrs. Draper being an excellent housekeeper⁶, with a horror of dirt.

 

"How do you do, Mr. Porter?" was the landlady's greeting. Mr. Porter had once boarded with her.

 

"Very well, thank you, Mrs. Draper. How is business? Pretty full, eh?"

 

"Yes, sir; I've only got one small room vacant."

 

"May we see it?"

 

"It won't suit you, Mr. Porter."

 

"It may suit my young friend here."

 

"A relative of yours?" inquired Mrs. Draper.

 

"No, but he is a young friend in whom I feel an interest."

 

"I shall be very glad if the room suits him, then."

 

Mrs. Draper led the way up-stairs to the vacant room. It was small, but neatly⁷ carpeted, and provided all that was needful in a chamber⁸.

 

"How much do you like it, Ben?" asked the bookkeeper.

 

"Very much," said Ben, in a tone of satisfaction.

 

Mr. Porter walked to the other end of the room and discussed terms with Mrs. Draper in a low tone.

 

"What is your price for this room with board?"

 

"I have generally got six dollars a week."

 

"I want you to let my young friend have it for four."

 

"I really couldn't do it, Mr. Porter. You have no idea how much I have to pay at the market for meat and vegetables. Then my landlord won't reduce my rent."

 

"You don't understand me, Mrs. Draper," said the bookkeeper. "You are to charge him only four dollars; but I propose to make up the difference."

 

"That is, of course, satisfactory."

 

"One thing more. My young friend is not to know about this arrangement. He is to suppose that four dollars a week is payment in full."

 

"There is only one objection to that, Mr. Porter. If my other boarders suppose that is all he pays, they will make a fuss, and want their rate of board reduced."

 

"Then he shall be cautioned to keep the price he pays secret. Ben!"

 

Ben walked over to where they were standing⁹.

 

"Mrs. Draper agrees to take you at the very low price of four dollars a week for room and board."

 

Ben looked delighted.

 

"Then I shall have money enough from my wages to pay all my expenses without calling on Aunt Jane."

 

"Yes, if you are economical. As this price is extremely low, you are not to mention to any of the other boarders how much you pay."

 

"I will be sure to remember it," said Ben.

 

As they were leaving the house Mr. Porter said: "Don't suppose, Ben, that I am anxious to get rid of you. I had half a mind to keep you with me a week or two. But one thing deterred¹⁰ me. You are a poor boy, and have your own way to make in the world. You can't for years afford to live as I am doing. If I accustomed you to living expensively it would be harder for you to accommodate yourself to your means."

 

"I understand you, Mr. Porter, and thank you. I consider you a true friend," said Ben earnestly.

 

"I see you are a sensible boy, Ben. You are right in looking upon me as a friend. I hope you will come and call upon me often."

 

"Thank you, sir. I shall consider it a privilege to do so. And I hope you will give me any advice that you think will benefit me."

 

"I will, Ben, and I will begin now. We have a large public library in Boston, of which we are very proud. I advise you to draw books from it."

 

"I shall be glad to," said Ben eagerly.

 

"Come round, and I will show it to you."

 

Together they entered the handsome building on Copley Square. Ben, who had never seen a large library, or, indeed, any library containing over a thousand books, was amazed at what he saw.

 

"I didn't suppose there was any library in the world so large," he said.

 

"Here is the newspaper and magazine room. You can come in here any evening. It will be much better than to spend your time where many boys and young men do—in billiard and drinking saloons."

 

"I shall enjoy living in Boston very much."

 

"I think you will. While a large city has more temptations than a small town, it also has more opportunities for improvement. I hope, Ben, you will start right, and prepare the way for a useful manhood."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Porter. I mean to try."

 

The next day Ben took formal possession of his room in the boarding-house on Warren Avenue. He found a pleasant class of boarders there and a good table. Though not luxurious¹¹, it was better than he had been used to at home, and he felt himself fortunately placed.

 

1 suite   

n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员

参考例句：

• She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
• That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

2 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

3 judiciously   

adv.明断地，明智而审慎地

参考例句：

• Let's use these intelligence tests judiciously. 让我们好好利用这些智力测试题吧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His ideas were quaint and fantastic. She brought him judiciously to earth. 他的看法荒廖古怪，她颇有见识地劝他面对现实。 来自辞典例句

4 incurring   

遭受，招致，引起( incur的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。
• He spoke to the Don directly, taking a chance on incurring Michael's ill will. 他直接向老头子谈自己的意见，这显然要冒引起迈克尔反感的风险。 来自教父部分

5 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

6 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

7 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

8 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 deterred   

v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't deterred. 我已告诉他我不感兴趣，可他却不罢休。
• Jeremy was not deterred by this criticism. 杰里米没有因这一批评而却步。 来自辞典例句

11 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。