CHAPTER XXII. A ROUGH DIAMOND.

“RATHER a rough fellow that,” said Percy Burnett, as he resumed his seat beside Tom.

“Yes, sir.”

“A rough diamond, I call him,” said Burnett.

Perhaps he saw by Tom’s face that his friend had not struck his young secretary as a diamond, rough or otherwise, for he proceeded:

“He has sterling¹ qualities, Jack² has, and an excellent heart. He is not refined, I grant. Indeed, he is rather coarse—never moved in good society, but he’ll stand by a friend through thick and thin. Why, he once watched beside my sick bed, when I had a fever, day and night, and wouldn’t leave me till I was out of danger.”

“That was very kind,” Tom was forced to admit.

“Yes, I shall never forget it. We became very intimate. You may have noticed that he called me Jim?”

“Yes, I did.”

“The fact is, he took a dislike to the name of Percy. I believe he had been injured by some party of that name. So he asked if he might call me Jim, and I consented. Names don’t matter much if the heart’s in the right place.”

127

“No, I suppose not,” answered Tom, who was satisfied with the explanation.

“I haven’t seen Jack for a good while,” said Mr. Burnett, “and he was curious to know what I was doing. He expressed himself rather oddly.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The fact is, Tom—and I suppose you may have guessed—I am a dealer³ in watches and jewelry⁴. I was in business in Cincinnati till recently, but decided⁵ to remove to San Francisco, upon learning that there is an excellent opening there for a man in my business. A small part of my stock I have in the satchel⁶ which you are carrying. Did you ever think of learning the jewelry business?”

“No, I never thought of it,” Tom replied.

“When we get to San Francisco I may be able to offer you inducements.”

“I shall want to travel about the State a little first,” said Tom. “Thank you for the offer, though.”

“Oh, well, I shall be in a hurry. Will you go to the mines?”

“I think so.”

“Perhaps I may go, too. I have never been in any mining district, and I have a curiosity to see what it looks like. Will you have a cigar?”

“No, thank you.”

“Oh, I forgot you don’t smoke. I suppose I must go into the smoking-car—be back soon.”

The reader may have a curiosity to know what passed between Percy Burnett and his friend, the rough diamond, when they left the car together.

128 “Who’s that boy you’ve got with you, Jim?” asked Jack.

“A young man who is under my guardianship,” said Mr. Burnett, hesitating.

Jack laughed.

“A pretty sort of guardian⁷ you’ll make,” he said, winking⁸ at his friend.

“Don’t speak so loud, Jack. You’ll attract attention.”

“And that’s just what you don’t want, I reckon.”

“Well, yes, if you will have it so.”

“Come, now, tell me what’s your game anyhow? Is the boy rich?”

“No.”

“Then what good can he do you?”

“He has a little money,” said Percy Burnett, cautiously.

“It won’t be his long, then.”

“You wrong me—indeed, you do. I am taking him out as far as Salt Lake City, and my expenses are to be paid by his friends.”

This was the best story that Mr. Burnett could devise upon the spur of the moment.

“All I can say is that his friends can’t know much about you. You didn’t mention to them the term you had served in——”

“Hush!” said Burnett, looking about him in alarm. “Don’t you know any better than to blurt⁹ out such things where people may hear?”

“Well, I’ll keep mum for your sake.”

129 “Do so, and I’ll make it worth your while, Jack.”

“When?”

“When I return to St. Joe.”

“When will that be?”

“Before long.”

“No, it won’t, if you go all the way to Salt Lake City.”

“Perhaps I may not go all the way there,” said Percy, in a low voice.

“Oh, I see!” responded Jack, winking. “I begin to see your game.”

“You were always a shrewd, long-headed fellow, Jack.”

“So I am,” said Jack, evidently gratified by the praise.

“Of course, when I am in funds——”

“As you expect to be before long.”

“Well, as I expect to be before long, if you don’t interfere¹⁰ with my plans. I shall remember my friends.”

“Enough said! Now, honor bright! how soon do you expect to get back to St. Joe?”

“Perhaps in two or three days.”

“You won’t bring the boy back with you?”

“Not if he wants to go on.”

“I say, Jim, I’m hard up. Let me have five dollars now.”

“I assure you, Jack, I am not in a situation to part with any money just now.”

“I must have it,” said Jack, significantly.

“Oh, well, if you must,” and Mr. Percy Burnett130 drew it from his vest pocket, and reluctantly put it into the hand of the “rough diamond.”

“It’s rough luck meeting that fellow!” he muttered as he returned to his young secretary, “I was hoping I should not meet a soul that knew me till this job was fairly off my hands. Jack is always hard up, but it wasn’t safe to refuse him. I must not allow him to have any conversation with the boy. I will take care to steer¹¹ clear of him when I come back this way.”

It was clear that Mr. Percy Burnett was not so much attached to the “rough diamond” as he led Tom to suppose.

1 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

2 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。

3 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

4 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

5 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。

6 satchel   

n.(皮或帆布的)书包

参考例句：

• The school boy opened the door and flung his satchel in.那个男学生打开门，把他的书包甩了进去。
• She opened her satchel and took out her father's gloves.打开书箱，取出了她父亲的手套来。

7 guardian   

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。

8 winking   

n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• Anyone can do it; it's as easy as winking. 这谁都办得到，简直易如反掌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The stars were winking in the clear sky. 星星在明亮的天空中闪烁。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 blurt   

vt.突然说出，脱口说出

参考例句：

• If you can blurt out 300 sentences,you can make a living in America.如果你能脱口而出300句英语，你可以在美国工作。
• I will blurt out one passage every week.我每星期要脱口而出一篇短文！

10 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

11 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。