Chapter 21 At The Theater

 After dinner, Ben and Conrad started to walk to the theater. The distance was about a mile, but in the city there is so much always to be seen that one does not think of distance.

 

Conrad, who was very curious to ascertain¹ Ben's status in the household, lost no time in making inquiries².

 

"What does my aunt find for you to do?" he asked.

 

It may be remarked, by the way, that no such relationship ever existed between them, but Mrs. Hill and her son thought politic³ to make the relationship seem as close as possible, as it would, perhaps, increase their apparent claim upon their rich relative.

 

Ben answered the question.

 

"You'll have a stupid time," said Conrad. "All the same, she ought to have given the place to me. How much does she pay you?"

 

Ben hesitated, for he knew that his answer would make his companion discontented.

 

"I am not sure whether I am at liberty to tell," he answered, with hesitation⁴.

 

"There isn't any secret about it, is there?" said Conrad sharply.

 

No, I suppose not. I am to receive ten dollars a week."

 

"Ten dollars a week!" ejaculated Conrad, stopping short in the street.

 

"Yes."

 

"And I get but four! That's a shame!"

 

"I shall really have no more than you, Conrad. I have a mother to provide for, and I shall send home six dollars a week regularly."

 

"That doesn't make any difference!" exclaimed Conrad, in excitement. "It's awfully⁵ mean of aunt to treat you so much better than she does me."

 

"You mustn't say that to me," said Ben. "She has been kind to us both, and I don't like to hear anything said against her."

 

"You're not going to tell her?" said Conrad suspiciously.

 

"Certainly not," said Ben indignantly. "What do you take me for?"

 

"Some fellows would, to set Aunt Hamilton against me."

 

"I am not so mean as that."

 

"I am glad I can depend on you. You see, the old lady is awfully rich--doesn't know what to do with her money--and as she has no son, or anybody nearer than me and mother, it's natural we should inherit her money."

 

"I hope she will enjoy it herself for a good many years."

 

"Oh, she's getting old," said Conrad carelessly. "She can't expect to live forever. It wouldn't be fair for young people if their parents lived to a hundred. Now, would it?"

 

"I should be very glad to have my mother live to a hundred, if she could enjoy life," said Ben, disgusted with his companoin's sordid⁶ selfishness.

 

"Your mother hasn't got any money, and that makes a difference."

 

Ben had a reply, but he reflected it would be of little use to argue with one who took such widely different views as Conrad. Moreover, they were already within a block or two of the theater.

 

The best seats were priced at a dollar and a half, and Mrs. Hamilton had given Conrad three dollars to purchase one for Ben and one for himself.

 

"It seems an awful price to pay a dollar and a half for a seat," said Conrad. "Suppose we go into the gallery, where the seats are only fifty cents?"

 

"I think Mrs. Hamilton meant us to take higher-priced seats."

 

"She won't care, or know, unless we choose to tell her."

 

"Then you don't propose to give her back the difference?"

 

"You don't take me for a fool, do you? I'll tell you what I'll do. If you don't mind a fifty-cent seat, I'll give you twenty-five cents out of this money."

 

Ben could hardly believe Conrad was in earnest in this exhibition of meanness.

 

"Then," said he, "you would clear seventy-five cents on my seat and a dollar on your own?"

 

"You can see almost as well in the gallery," said Conrad. "I'll give you fifty cents, if you insist upon it."

 

"I insist upon having my share of the money spent for a seat," said Ben, contemptuously. "You can sit where you please, of course."

 

"You ain't very obliging," said Conrad sullenly⁷. "I need the money, and that's what made me propose it. As you've made so much fuss about it, we'll take orchestra seats."

 

This he did, though unwillingly⁸.

 

"I don't think I shall ever like that boy," thought Ben. "He's a little too mean."

 

They both enjoyed the play, Ben perhaps with the most zest⁹, for he had never before attended a city theater. At eleven o'clock the curtain fell, and they went out.

 

"Come, Ben," said Conrad, "you might treat a fellow to soda¹⁰ water."

 

"I will," answered Ben. "Where shall we go?"

 

"Just opposite. They've got fine soda water across the street."

 

The boys drank their soda water, and started to go home.

 

"Suppose we go in somewhere and have a game of billiards¹¹?" suggested Conrad.

 

"I don't play," answered Ben.

 

"I'll teach you; come along," urged Conrad.

 

"It is getting late, and I would rather not."

 

"I suppose you go to roost with the chickens in the country?" sneered¹² Conrad. You'll learn better in the city--if you stay."

 

"There is another reason," continued Ben. "I suppose it costs money to play billiards, and I have none to spare."

 

"Only twenty-five cents a game."

 

"It will be cheaper to go to bed."

 

"You won't do anything a fellow wants you to," grumbled¹³ Conrad. "You needn't be so mean, when you are getting ten dollars a week."

 

"I have plenty to do with my money, and I want to save up something every week."

 

On the whole the boys did not take to each other. They took very different views of life and duty, and there seemed to be small prospect¹⁴ of their becoming intimate friends.

 

Mrs. Hamilton had gone to bed when they returned, but Mrs. Hill was up watching for her son. She was a cold, disagreeable woman, but she was devoted¹⁵ to her boy.

 

"I am glad you have come home so soon," she said.

 

"I wanted to play a game of billiards, but Ben wouldn't," grumbled Conrad.

 

"If you had done so, I should have had to sit up later for you, Conrad."

 

"There was no use in sitting up for me. I ain't a baby," responded Conrad ungratefully.

 

"You know I can't sleep when I know you are out, Conrad."

 

"Then you're very foolish. Isn't she, Ben?"

 

"My mother would feel just so," answered Ben.

 

Mrs. Hill regarded him almost kindly¹⁶. He had done her a good turn in bringing her son home in good season.

 

"She may be a disagreeable woman," thought Ben, "but she is good to Conrad," and this made him regard the housekeeper¹⁷ with more favor. 

1 ascertain   

vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清

参考例句：

• It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。
• We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。

2 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 politic   

adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政

参考例句：

• He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明，不会与这么重要的人争吵。
• The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。

4 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

5 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

6 sordid   

adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的

参考例句：

• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。
• They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。

7 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。

8 unwillingly   

adv.不情愿地

参考例句：

• He submitted unwillingly to his mother. 他不情愿地屈服于他母亲。
• Even when I call, he receives unwillingly. 即使我登门拜访，他也是很不情愿地接待我。

9 zest   

n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣

参考例句：

• He dived into his new job with great zest.他充满热情地投入了新的工作。
• He wrote his novel about his trip to Asia with zest.他兴趣浓厚的写了一本关于他亚洲之行的小说。

10 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

11 billiards   

n.台球

参考例句：

• John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
• Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

12 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

13 grumbled   

抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
• The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

14 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

15 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

16 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

17 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。