Chapter 10 Ben Goes To New York

 Pentonville was thirty-five miles distant from New York, and the fare was a dollar, but an excursion ticket, carrying a passenger both ways, was only a dollar and a half. Ben calculated that his extra expenses, including dinner, might amount to fifty cents, thus making the cost of the trip two dollars. This sum, small as it was, appeared large both to Ben and his mother. Some doubts about the expediency¹ of the journey suggested themselves to Mrs. Barclay.

 

"Do you think you had better go, Ben?" she said doubtfully. "Two dollars would buy you some new stockings and handkerchiefs."

 

"I will do without them, mother. Something has got to be done, or we shall be turned into the street when three months are up. Squire² Davenport is a very selfish man, and he will care nothing for our comfort or convenience."

 

"That is true," said the widow, with a sigh. "If I thought your going to New York would do any good, I would not grudge³ you the money--"

 

"Something will turn up, or I will turn up something," said Ben confidently.

 

When he asked Mr. Crawford for a day off, the latter responded: "Yes, Ben, I think I can spare you, as Monday is not a very busy day. Would you be willing to do an errand for me?"

 

"Certainly Mr. Crawford, with pleasure."

 

"I need a new supply of prints. Go to Stackpole & Rogers, No. ---- White Street, and select me some attractive patterns. I shall rely upon your taste."

 

"Thank you, sir," said Ben, gratified by the compliment.

 

He received instructions as to price and quantity, which he carefully noted⁴ down.

 

"As it will save me a journey, not to speak of my time, I am willing to pay your fare one way."

 

"Thank you, sir; you are very kind."

 

Mr. Crawford took from the money drawer a dollar, and handed it to Ben.

 

"But I buy an excursion ticket, so that my fare each way will be but seventy-five cents."

 

"Never mind, the balance will go toward your dinner."

 

"There, mother, what do you say now?" said Ben, on Saturday night. "Mr. Crawford is going to pay half my expenses, and I am going to buy some goods for him."

 

"I am glad he reposes⁵ so much confidence in you, Ben. I hope you won't lose his money."

 

"Oh, I don't carry any. He buys on thirty days. All I have to do is to select the goods."

 

"Perhaps it is for the best that you go, after all," said Mrs. Barclay. "At any rate, I hope so."

 

At half-past seven o'clock on Monday morning Ben stood on the platform of the Pentonville station, awaiting the arrival of the train.

 

"Where are you going?" said a voice.

 

Ben, turning, saw that it was Tom Davenport who had spoken.

 

"I am going to New York," he answered briefly⁶.

 

"Has Crawford discharged you?"

 

"Why do you ask? Would you like to apply for the position?" asked Ben coolly.

 

"Do you think I would condescend⁷ to be a grocer's boy?" returned Tom disdainfully.

 

"I don't know."

 

"If I go into business it will be as a merchant."

 

"I am glad to hear it."

 

"You didn't say what you were going to New York for?"

 

"I have no objection to tell you, as you are anxious to know; I am going to the city to buy goods."

 

Tom looked not only amazed, but incredulous.

 

"That's a likely story," said he, after a pause.

 

"It is a true story."

 

"Do you mean to say Crawford trusts you buy goods for him?"

 

"So it seems."

 

"He must be getting weak-headed."

 

"Suppose you call and give him that gratifying piece of information."

 

Just then the train came thundering up, and Ben jumped aboard. Tom Davenport looked after him with a puzzled glance.

 

"I wonder whether that boy tells the truth," he said to himself. "He thinks too much of himself, considering what he is."

 

It never occurred to Tom that the remark would apply even better to him than the boy he was criticising. As a rule we are the last to recognize our own faults, however quick we may be to see the faults of others.

 

Two hours later Ben stood in front of the large dry-goods jobbing house of Stackpole & Rogers, in White Street.

 

He ascended⁸ the staircase to the second floor, which was very spacious⁹ and filled with goods in great variety.

 

"Where is the department of prints?" he inquired of a young man near the door.

 

He was speedily directed and went over at once. He showed the salesman in charge a letter from Mr. Crawford, authorizing¹⁰ him to select a certain amount of goods.

 

"You are rather a young buyer," said the salesman, smiling.

 

"It is the first time I have served in that way," said Ben modestly; "but I know pretty well what Mr. Crawford wants."

 

Half an hour was consumed in making his selections.

 

"You have good taste," said the salesman, "judging from your selections."

 

"Thank you."

 

"If you ever come to the city to look for work, come here, and I will introduce you to the firm."

 

"Thank you. How soon can you ship the goods?"

 

"I am afraid not to-day, as we are very busy. Early next week we will send them."

 

His business concluded, Ben left the store and walked up to Broadway. The crowded thoroughfare had much to interest him. He was looking at a window when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

 

It was a young man foppishly attired¹¹, who was smiling graciously upon him.

 

"Why, Gus Andre," he said, "when did you come to town, and how did you leave all the folks in Bridgeport?"

 

"You have made a mistake," said Ben.

 

"Isn't your name Gus Andre?"

 

"No, it is Ben Barclay, from Pentonville."

 

"I really beg your pardon. You look surprisingly like my friend Gussie."

 

Five minutes later there was another tap on our hero's shoulder, as he was looking into another window, and another nicely dressed young man said heartily¹²: "Why, Ben, my boy, when did you come to town?"

 

"This morning," answered Ben. "You seem to know me, but I can't remember you."

 

"Are you not Ben Barclay, of Pentonville."

 

"Yes, but----"

 

"Don't you remember Jim Fisher, who passed part of the summer, two years since, in your village?"

 

"Where were you staying?" asked Ben.

 

It was the other's turn to looked confused.

 

"At--the Smiths'," he answered, at random¹³.

 

"At Mrs. Roxana Smith's?" suggested Ben.

 

"Yes, yes," said the other eagerly, "she is my aunt."

 

"Is she?" asked Ben, with a smile of amusement, for he had by this time made up his mind as to the character of his new friend. "She must be proud of her stylish¹⁴ nephew. Mrs. Smith is a poor widow, and takes in washing."

 

"It's some other Smith," said the young man, discomfited¹⁵.

 

"She is the only one by that name in Pentonville."

 

Jim Fisher, as he called himself, turned upon his heel and left Ben without a word. It was clear that nothing could be made out of him.

 

Ben walked all the way up Broadway, as far as Twenty-first Street, into which he turned, and walked eastward¹⁶ until he reached Gramercy Park, opposite which Lexington Avenue starts. In due time he reached the house of Mr. Absalom Peters, and, ascending¹⁷ the steps, he rang the bell.

 

"Is Mr. Peters in?" he asked of the servant who answered the bell.

 

"No."

 

"Will he be in soon?"

 

"I guess not. He sailed for Europe last week."

 

Ben's heart sank within him. He had hoped much from Mr. Peters, before whom he meant to lay all the facts of his mother's situation. Now that hope was crushed.

 

He turned and slowly descended¹⁸ the steps.

 

"There goes our last chance of saving the house," he said to himself sadly. 

1 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

2 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

3 grudge   

n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做

参考例句：

• I grudge paying so much for such inferior goods.我不愿花这么多钱买次品。
• I do not grudge him his success.我不嫉妒他的成功。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 reposes   

v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Below this stone reposes the mortal remains of his father. 在此石块下长眠的是他的父亲的遗体。 来自辞典例句
• His body reposes in the local church. 他的遗体安放在当地教堂里。 来自辞典例句

6 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

7 condescend   

v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑

参考例句：

• Would you condescend to accompany me?你肯屈尊陪我吗？
• He did not condescend to answer.He turned his back on me.他不愿屈尊回答我的问题。他不理睬我。

8 ascended   

v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

10 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

11 attired   

adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 heartily   

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

• He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
• The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

13 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

14 stylish   

adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的

参考例句：

• He's a stylish dresser.他是个穿着很有格调的人。
• What stylish women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world.巴黎女性时装往往会引导世界时装潮流。

15 discomfited   

v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败

参考例句：

• He was discomfited by the unexpected questions. 意料不到的问题使得他十分尴尬。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He will be particularly discomfited by the minister's dismissal of his plan. 部长对他计划的不理会将使他特别尴尬。 来自辞典例句

16 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

17 ascending   

adj.上升的，向上的

参考例句：

• Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

18 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。