Chapter 11 Missing Goods

    James Redwood was summoned one morning to the counting room of his employer.

    "Mr. Redwood," said the merchant "I have reason to think that one of my clerks is dishonest."

    "Who, sir?"

    "That is what I want you to find out."

    "What reason have you for suspecting any one?"

    "Some ladies' cloaks and some dress patterns are missing."

    "Are you sure they were not sold?"

    "Yes: the record of sales has been examined, and they are not included."

    "That is strange, Mr. Goodnow" said Redwood thoughtfully. "I hope I am not under suspicion."

    "Oh, not at all."

    "The losses seem to have taken place in my department."

    "True, but that doesn't involve you."

    "What do you want me to do?"

    "Watch those under you. Let nothing in your manner, however, suggest that you are suspicious. I don't want you to put any one on his guard."

    "All right, sir. I will be guided by your instructions. Have you any idea how long this has been going on?"

    "Only a few weeks."

    Mr. Redwood turned to go back to his room, but Mr. Goodnow called him back.

    "I needn't suggest to you," he said, "that you keep this to yourself. Don't let any clerk into the secret."

    "Very well, sir."

    James Redwood, however, did not keep his promise. After supper he called back Jasper as he was about putting on his hat to go out, and said, "Jasper, I wish to speak with you for five minutes."

    "Won't it do tomorrow morning? I have an engagement."

    "Put it off, then. This is a matter of importance."

    "Very well, sir," and Jasper, albeit¹ reluctantly, laid down his hat and sat down.

    "Jasper," said his uncle, "there's a thief in our establishment."

    Jasper started, and his sallow complexion² turned yellower than usual.

    "What do you mean, uncle?" he asked nervously³.

    "What I say. Some articles are missing that have not been sold."

    "Such as what?"

    "Ladies' cloaks and dress patterns."

    "Who told you?" asked Jasper in a low tone.

    "Mr. Goodnow."

    "What the boss?"

    "Certainly."

    "How should he know?"

    "I didn't inquire, and if I had he probably wouldn't have told me. The main thing is that he does know."

    "He may not be sure."

    "He is not a man to speak unless he feels pretty sure."

    "I don't see how any one could steal the articles without being detected."

    "It seems they are detected."

    "Did -- did Mr. Goodnow mention any names?"

    "No. He wants to watch and find out the thief. I wish you to help me, though I am acting⁴ against instructions. Mr. Goodnow asked me to take no one into my confidence. You will see, therefore, that it will be necessary for you to say nothing."

    "I won't breathe a word," said Jasper, who seemed to feel more at ease.

    "Now that I have told you so much, can you suggest any person who would be likely to commit the theft?"

    Jasper remained silent for a moment, then with a smile of malicious⁵ satisfaction said, "Yes, I can suggest a person."

    "Who is it?"

    "The new boy, Rodney Ropes."

    James Redwood shook his head.

    "I can't believe that it is he. I am not in love with the young fellow, who seems to stand in the way of your advancement⁶ but he seems straight enough, and I don't think it at all likely that he should be the guilty person."

    "Yes, Uncle James, he seems straight but you know that still waters run deep."

    "Have you seen anything that would indicate guilt⁷ on his part?"

    "I have noticed this, that, he is very well dressed for a boy of his small salary, and seems always to have money to spend."

    "That will count for something. Still he might have some outide means. Have you noticed anything else?"

    Jasper hesitated.

    "I noticed one evening when he left the store that he had a sizable parcel under his arm."

    "And you think it might have contained some article stolen from the stock?"

    "That's just what I think now. Nothing of the kind occurred to me at that time, for I didn't know any articles were missing."

    "That seems important. When was it that you noticed this?"

    "One day last week," answered Jasper hesitatingly.

    "Can you remember the day?"

    "No."

    "Couldn't you fix it some way?"

    "No. You see, I didn't attach any particular importance to it at the time, and probably it would not have occurred to me again, but for your mentioning that articles were missing."

    "There may be something in what you say," said his uncle thoughtfully. "I will take special notice of young Ropes after this."

    "So will I."

    "Don't let him observe that he is watched. It would defeat our chances of detecting the thief."

    "I'll be careful. Do you want to say anything more, uncle?"

    "No. By the way, where were you going this evening?"

    "I was going to meet a friend, and perhaps go to the theater. You couldn't lend me a dollar, could you, Uncle James?"

    "Yes, I could, but you are not quite able to pay for your own pleasures. It costs all my salary to live, and its going to be worse next year, for I shall have to pay a higher rent."

    "When I have my pay raised, I can get along better."

    "If Ropes loses his place, you will probably step into it."

    "Then I hope he'll go, and that soon."

    When Jasper passed through the front door and stood on the sidewalk, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    "So, they are on to us," he said to himself. "But how was it found out? That's what I'd like to know. I have been very careful. I must see Carton at once."

    A short walk took him to a billiard room not far from Broadway. A young man of twenty five, with a slight mustache, and a thin, dark face, was selecting a cue.

    "Ah, Jasper!" he said. "Come at last. Let us have a game of pool."

    "Not just yet. Come outide. I want to speak to you."

    Jasper looked serious, and Philip Carton, observing it, made no remonstrance⁸, but taking his hat, followed him out.

    "Well, what is it?" he asked.

    "Something serious. It is discovered at the store that goods are missing."

    "You don't mean it? Are we suspected?"

    "No one is suspected -- yet."

    "But how do you know?"

    "My uncle spoke⁹ to me about it this evening -- just after supper."

    "He doesn't think you are in it."

    "No."

    "How did he find out?"

    "Through the boss. Goodnow spoke to him about it today."

    "But how should Goodnow know anything about it?"

    "That no one can tell but himself. He asked Uncle James to watch the clerks, and see if he could fasten the theft on any of them."

    "That is pleasant for us. It is well we are informed so that we can be on our guard. I am afraid our game is up."

    "For the present at any rate we must suspend operations. Now, have you some money for me?"

    "Well, a little."

    "A little? Why there are two cloaks and a silk dress pattern to be accounted for."

    "True, but I have to be very careful. I have to submit to a big discount for the parties I sell to undoubtedly¹⁰ suspect that the articles are stolen."

    "Wouldn't it be better to pawn¹¹ them?"

    "It would be more dangerous. Besides you know how liberal pawnbrokers¹² are. I'll tell you what would be better. If I had a sufficient number of articles to warrant it, I could take them on to Boston or Philadelphia, and there would be less risk selling them there."

    "That is true. I wish we had thought of that before. Now we shall have to give up the business for a time. How much money have you got for me?"

    "Seven dollars."

    "Seven dollars!" exclaimed Jasper in disgust. "Why, that is ridiculous. The articles must have been worth at retail¹³ a hundred dollars."

    "Perhaps so, but I only got fourteen for them. If you think you can do any better you may sell them yourself next time."

    "I thought I should assuredly get fifteen dollars out of it," said Jasper, looking deeply disappointed. "I had a use for the money too."

    "Very likely. So had I."

    "Well, I suppose I must make it do. Listen and I will tell you how I think I can turn this thing to my advantage."

    "Go ahead!"

1 albeit   

conj.即使；纵使；虽然

参考例句：

• Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
• Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。

2 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

3 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

6 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

7 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

8 remonstrance   

n抗议，抱怨

参考例句：

• She had abandoned all attempts at remonstrance with Thomas.她已经放弃了一切劝戒托马斯的尝试。
• Mrs. Peniston was at the moment inaccessible to remonstrance.目前彭尼斯顿太太没功夫听她告状。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

11 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

12 pawnbrokers   

n.当铺老板( pawnbroker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• To exploit this demand, pawnbrokers are shedding their dingy, Dickensian image. 为了开拓市场，典当商人正在试图摆脱他们过去阴暗的狄更斯时代的形象。 来自互联网
• Each state and territory has legislation that requires pawnbrokers to be licensed. 各个州和地区的法律都规定当铺老板必须取得特许执照。 来自互联网

13 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。