Chapter XXXIV — Solomon Brief

 On his arrival in Montreal, Ben ascertained¹ where Mr. Brief's office was, but deferred² going to see him. He felt very properly that he ought to attend to the business of his employers first, and then, when he could do so without detriment³ to their interests look after his own. He was very anxious to succeed. He knew very well that Jones & Porter had serious doubts about the expediency⁴ of sending so young a representative to Montreal.

 

In calling upon different booksellers he exerted himself to the utmost. Though but sixteen, his address was pleasing, his manner self-possessed and he was courteous⁵ and gentlemanly, so that he won favorable regards of those with whom he had business relations. The result was that he received quite a number of orders, which he at once sent forward by mail.

 

Thus three days were spent. On the morning of the fourth, he called at the office of Solomon Brief.

 

"What do you want, boy?" asked a clerk.

 

"I want to see Mr. Brief."

 

"His time is too valuable to be taken up by boys."

 

"If I had a clerk like you I would soon get rid of him."

 

"You would, hey?" blustered⁶ the young man, advancing threateningly.

 

Ben didn't budge⁷ and the clerk stopped short.

 

"Did you say you came on business?" he inquired.

 

"That I will tell Mr. Brief," said Ben firmly.

 

"You are from the States, aren't you?"

 

"Yes."

 

"That accounts for your impudence⁸."

 

"I should know you were not from the States."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because you are so uncivil."

 

"Look here, young fellow, you'd better clear out, if you don't want to get kicked out."

 

"Who is to do the kicking?"

 

"I am."

 

"I wouldn't advise you to try it."

 

"Why not?"

 

"It wouldn't be prudent⁹."

 

"Ho! ho!" laughed the clerk sarcastically¹⁰.

 

"Once more," said Ben. "I request you to announce me to Mr. Brief. He is executor of Mr. Baldwin's estate, I believe."

 

"Yes."

 

"Why didn't you tell me that was your business?"

 

"I couldn't see that it mattered to you."

 

At this moment the inner door opened, and a tall man, with reddish hair and mutton-chop whiskers of the same hue¹¹, made his appearance.

 

"What's this Frederic? Who is this boy?"

 

"I wish to see you on business connected with Mr. Baldwin's estate sir," said Ben; "but this young man appears to have an objection to the interview."

 

"Why don't you bring him in?"

 

"I didn't suppose he had any business with you."

 

"Who constituted you a judge of that, sir? Hereafter leave me to decide. Boy, come in."

 

Mr. Brief threw himself into an office chair.

 

"Well, who are you?" he asked.

 

"My name is Benjamin Bradford."

 

"Well?"

 

"You wrote a letter to my aunt, Mrs. Jane Bradford, of Milltown, Massachusetts, not long since."

 

"Exactly. Do you represent her?"

 

"I do."

 

"Very well. Did you bring the three hundred dollars which she owes to the estate of my client?"

 

"No, sir."

 

"What then?"

 

"I came to repeat what I have written you, that my aunt was authorized¹² to occupy the house rent-free."

 

"It was hardly worth while to come so far to say that," said Mr. Brief, with a sneer¹³.

 

"I am here in Montreal on other business, and have taken the opportunity to see you about my own."

 

"Indeed! Then you are a business man?"

 

"I represent the firm of Jones & Porter, publishers."

 

"Humph! Can't they get any one but a boy to represent them?"

 

"That, sir, is their business," he answered emphatically. "I have not chosen to inquire whether my uncle could not have found a better lawyer to act as executor."

 

"You are impudent¹⁴, young man!" exclaimed Solomon Brief, his face being as red for the moment as his hair.

 

"We have neither of us been overcivil," said Ben. "Suppose we come back to business."

 

"Come now, you're a cool one."

 

"Perhaps I am. I have always understood that coolness is desirable in business. May I inquire of what disease my uncle died?"

 

"It would serve you right if I declined to answer your questions after your impudence to me. However, I will overlook it this time. Your uncle committed suicide."

 

"Good gracious!" ejaculated Ben, who was quite unprepared for this announcement. "How did he do it?"

 

"He drowned himself."

 

"What could possibly have driven him to it?"

 

"Of that we are ignorant. He left a letter at his lodgings¹⁵, directing me to open and carry out the provisions of his will, which he had deposited with me."

 

"May I ask what were the provisions of his will?"

 

"You seem to be curious."

 

"I have a right to be. My aunt and myself are among his nearest relations, if not the nearest. We had a right to suppose that we might be remembered in his will."

 

"You were not."

 

"You can understand that we wish, at all events, to know the contents of the will. We should have been apprised¹⁶ of his death sooner."

 

As a lawyer Mr. Brief understood that Ben was in the right, and he produced a copy of the will.

 

The will was brief. The entire estate of the deceased was left to John Tremlett with this provision, that for the first year only the income should be paid to him; afterward¹⁷ he was to come into full possession.

 

"It seems regular," said Ben.

 

"Of course it is regular. I helped him make the will."

 

"Who is Mr. Tremlett? I never heard of him."

 

"A second or third cousin. He was a sort of adopted son of Mr. Baldwin."

 

Just here the inner door opened by the clerk, who announced, "Mr. Tremlett, sir."

1 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 deferred   

adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从

参考例句：

• The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。
• a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划

3 detriment   

n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源

参考例句：

• Smoking is a detriment to one's health.吸烟危害健康。
• His lack of education is a serious detriment to his career.他的未受教育对他的事业是一种严重的妨碍。

4 expediency   

n.适宜；方便；合算；利己

参考例句：

• The government is torn between principle and expediency. 政府在原则与权宜之间难于抉择。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was difficult to strike the right balance between justice and expediency. 在公正与私利之间很难两全。 来自辞典例句

5 courteous   

adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的

参考例句：

• Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一，但她总是很谦恭有礼。
• He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善，而且彬彬有礼。

6 blustered   

v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹

参考例句：

• He blustered his way through the crowd. 他吆喝着挤出人群。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The wind blustered around the house. 狂风呼啸着吹过房屋周围。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 budge   

v.移动一点儿；改变立场

参考例句：

• We tried to lift the rock but it wouldn't budge.我们试图把大石头抬起来，但它连动都没动一下。
• She wouldn't budge on the issue.她在这个问题上不肯让步。

8 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。

9 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

10 sarcastically   

adv.挖苦地，讽刺地

参考例句：

• 'What a surprise!' Caroline murmured sarcastically.“太神奇了!”卡罗琳轻声挖苦道。
• Pierce mocked her and bowed sarcastically. 皮尔斯嘲笑她，讽刺地鞠了一躬。

11 hue   

n.色度；色调；样子

参考例句：

• The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
• The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。

12 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

13 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

14 impudent   

adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的

参考例句：

• She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
• The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。

15 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

16 apprised   

v.告知，通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 )；评价

参考例句：

• We were fully apprised of the situation. 我们完全获悉当时的情况。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have apprised him of your arrival. 我已经告诉他你要来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 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。