CHAPTER XVII. ROBERT IS GIVEN A MISSION.

"Well, what luck?" asked Livingston Palmer, when he and Robert met again.

"No luck at all," answered Robert.

"That's bad."

"One man said he might have an opening in the near future."

"That's all right, but a fellow can't live on promises."

"Exactly my idea."

"Why don't you try the stage, as I am going to do."

"I don't believe I can act."

"No one knows what is in him until he tries. Didn't you ever recite?"

"In school, yes. But I don't think I ever made a hit, as actors call it."

"If you managed to get in with Jack¹ Dixon I might be able to coach you in your part," said Livingston Palmer loftily.

[Pg 144]

"Have you had a part assigned to you yet?" asked Robert curiously².

"Yes. We are to play two plays, 'The Homeless Sister,' and 'All for Love.' In 'The Homeless Sister' I am to take the part of a heartless landlord, and in 'All for Love' I am a butler in a Fifth Avenue mansion³ in New York."

"Are they leading parts?"

"Well—er—hardly. Dixon says he can't put me in leading parts yet, for it would make the older actors jealous."

"I see."

"He says he will shove me ahead as soon as I've made a hit."

"Then I trust you make a hit on the opening night."

"Oh, I certainly shall. I have my lines down fine, and Dixon says my make-up is just what it ought to be."

"Aren't you afraid of being nervous?"

"Nervous? Not a bit. Did you ever see me nervous, Frost?"

"No—excepting——" Robert was going to mention the time when the adorable Alameda's husband had called at the ticket office, but cut himself short.

"Excepting when?"

[Pg 145]

"It's of no consequence, Palmer."

"But I demand to know when I was ever nervous," insisted the would-be actor.

"Well, you were rather put out when the husband of that variety actress called upon you."

"Oh! Well—er—I'll admit it. But that was an unusual case, wasn't it?"

"I presume so. Does she know you are going on the stage?"

"Yes; I took particular pains to let her hear of it, through one of the ladies of our combination."

"And did you hear what she said?"

"The lady says she laughed and said I would ruin Dixon. But I'll show her that she is mistaken," added Livingston Palmer, drawing himself up to his full height and inflating⁴ his chest. "Robert, I am a born actor—I feel it in my bones."

"Do your bones ache?"

"You know what I mean. Shall I give you a sample of what I am to do?"

"If you get through by the time the supper bell rings. My walk has made me tremendously hungry."

"The part of the landlord is not a long one—in fact it contains but six speeches each about thirty[Pg 146] words in length. At first I come into the parlor⁵ where the guests have arrived. I make a low bow and turn to the gentleman and say: 'What, it is my father's friend, Roger Brockbury, as I live! Thrice welcome to the Lion Inn, sir. And what is the matter with the lady, sir?'"

As Palmer began to recite he strutted⁶ around in grand style, ending by elevating his eyebrows⁷, clenching⁸ his fists and throwing his head so far back that he nearly lost his balance.

"Is that what you have to say?" questioned Robert, who could scarcely keep from laughing outright⁹.

"Yes. How do you like it?"

"You'll certainly make them take notice of you?"

"I knew you would say that. Why, Robert, it won't be a month before I'm the star of the combination."

"You have my best wishes."

"Shall I take you to see Jack Dixon?"

"No—at least, not for the present."

"But you may be missing the chance of your life."

"No, I'm no actor. I believe I was cut out for some office business and nothing else."

"Do you mean to say you would be content to[Pg 147] sit on a high stool keeping books all your life? That wouldn't suit me."

"No, I don't mean that exactly. I would like to manage some large office business—after I had learned it thoroughly¹⁰."

"Of course that is somewhat better."

At that moment the supper bell rang, and Palmer took his leave, to go to the theater for rehearsal¹¹. As Robert went down to the dining room of the boarding house he could not help but utter a short sigh.

"Poor Palmer," he mused¹². "He means well, but I'm afraid he will make an awful mess of it."

The evening was spent in his room reading a paper, for Robert was in no humor to go anywhere, even if he had felt like spending any money.

"I must try my luck again to-morrow," was his resolve. "And I must get around early, too."

He was up before seven o'clock, and dressing¹³ hastily, went out and purchased several newspapers. At the house he sat down in the sitting room to examine the Help Wanted columns, as he had done the day before.

Presently he heard the postman's whistle and[Pg 148] ring. Soon after one of the servant girls came in with a letter for him.

It was from Timberville, as he could see by the postmark, and he tore it open eagerly, feeling it must have been sent by Dick Marden.

The communication interested Robert deeply. It ran as follows:

    "My Dear Robert:

    "I have just learned by the newspapers that Peter Gray's office was burnt out last Sunday. I see that the loss was heavy, and in an interview Gray says he may not resume.

    "This will, of course, throw you out of a position. In one way I am sorry of it; in another, I am glad.

    "I hate to have you compelled to make a change, yet, as matters have turned, I would like to have a smart boy like you up here to help me, since my uncle is worse than before and those swindlers—for such they are—are determined¹⁴ to get the lumber¹⁵ lands away from him.

    "In the crowd are two men, a French Canadian Le Fevre and an Englishman named Hammerditch. They want to get hold of an old map which was in the possession of a certain lumberman named Herman Wenrich. This lumber[Pg 149]man used to live in upper Michigan but now resides in Chicago.

    "If you can do so, I would like you to find Herman Wenrich and get the map from him, even if you have to pay fifty or a hundred dollars for it. The map will be valuable in showing up the actual grants which belong to my uncle.

    "In case Wenrich cannot be found in the course of two or three days you can drop the matter and come on to here without further delay. I send you some money in case the fire has left you short, and in case you have a chance to buy the map.

    "Yours truly,
    "Richard Marden."

Enclosed in the letter were money orders amounting to one hundred and fifty dollars.

"I'm glad I didn't get a job now," thought Robert. "If I had I would only had to have thrown it up. I'll go down to the post-office at once, get those money orders cashed, and then go on a hunt for Herman Wenrich."

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 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。

3 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

4 inflating   

v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的现在分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• I felt myself inflating slowly with rage, like a tyre. 我感到自己体内的怒气正慢慢膨胀，像一只轮胎那样。 来自互联网
• Many are already overheating, with prices rising and asset bubbles inflating. 随着物价日益上涨、资产泡沫膨胀，很多新兴国家经济已经过热。 来自互联网

5 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？

6 strutted   

趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The players strutted and posed for the cameras. 运动员昂首阔步，摆好姿势让记者拍照。
• Peacocks strutted on the lawn. 孔雀在草坪上神气活现地走来走去。

7 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

8 clenching   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I'll never get used to them, she thought, clenching her fists. 我永远也看不惯这些家伙，她握紧双拳，心里想。 来自飘（部分）
• Clenching her lips, she nodded. 她紧闭着嘴唇，点点头。 来自辞典例句

9 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

10 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

11 rehearsal   

n.排练，排演；练习

参考例句：

• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
• You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。

12 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

13 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

14 determined   

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。

15 lumber   

n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动

参考例句：

• The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
• They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。