Chapter 30 Ben ＂Goes West＂

 Undisturbed by the thought that his departure was viewed with joy by Conrad and his mother, Ben set out on his Western journey.

 

His destination was Centerville, in Western Pennsylvania. I may as well say that this is not the real name of the place, which, for several reasons, I conceal¹.

 

Though Ben was not an experienced traveler, he found no difficulty in reaching his destination, having purchased a copy of "Appleton's Railway Guide," which afforded him all the information he required. About fifty miles this side of Centerville he had for a seat companion a man of middle age, with a pleasant face, covered with a brown beard, who, after reading through a Philadelphia paper which he had purchased of the train-boy, seemed inclined to have a social chat with Ben.

 

"May I ask your destination, my young friend?" he asked.

 

Ben felt that it was well for him to be cautious, though he was pleasantly impressed with the appearance of his companion.

 

"I think I shall stop over at Centerville," he said.

 

"Indeed! That is my destination."

 

"Do you live there?" asked Ben.

 

"No," said the other, laughing. "Do I look like it? I thought you would read 'New York' in my face and manner."

 

"I am not an experienced observer," said Ben modestly.

 

"Centerville has a prosperous future before it," said the stranger.

 

"Has it? I don't know much about the place. I never was there."

 

"You know, of course, that it is in the oil region?"

 

"I didn't even know that."

 

"A year ago," resumed the stranger, "it was a humdrum² farming town, and not a very prosperous one either. The land is not of good quality, and the farmers found it hard work to get a poor living. Now all is changed."

 

Ben's attention was aroused. He began to understand why Mr. Jackson wished to buy the farm he rented from Mrs. Hamilton.

 

"This is all new to me," he said. "I suppose oil has been found there?"

 

"Yes; one old farm, which would have been dear at three thousand dollars, is now yielding hundreds of barrels daily, and would fetch fifty thousand dollars easily."

 

Ben began to be excited. If he could only sell Mrs. Hamilton's farm for half that he felt that he would be doing an excellent thing.

 

"I suppose you are interested in some of the petroleum³ wells?" he said.

 

"Not yet, but I hope to be. In fact, I don't mind confessing that I represent a New York syndicate, and that my object in making this journey is to purchase, if I can, the Jackson farm."

 

"The Jackson farm!" repeated Ben, his breath almost taken away by his surprise.

 

"Yes; do you know anything about it?" asked his companion.

 

"I have heard of a farmer in Centerville named Peter Jackson."

 

"That is the man."

 

"And his farm is one of the lucky ones, then?"

 

"It promises to be."

 

"I suppose, then, you will have to pay a large sum for it?" said Ben, trying to speak calmly.

 

"Jackson is very coy, and, I think, grasping. He wants fifty thousand dollars."

 

"Of course you won't pay so much?"

 

"I should hardly feel authorized⁴ to do so. I may go as high as forty thousand dollars."

 

Ben was dazzled. If he could effect a sale at this price he would be doing a splendid stroke of business, and would effectually defeat the plans of Mr. Jackson, who, it appeared, had pretended that he was the owner of the farm, hoping to obtain it from Mrs. Hamilton at a valuation which would have been suitable before the discovery of oil, but now would be ludicrously disproportionate to its real value.

 

"Shall or shall I not, tell this gentleman the truth?" he reflected.

 

He thought over the matter and decided⁵ to do so. The discovery must be made sooner or later, and there would be no advantage in delay.

 

"I don't think Jackson will sell," he said.

 

"Why not?" asked the stranger, in surprise. "Do you know him?"

 

"I never saw him in my life."

 

"Then how can you form any opinion on the subject?"

 

Ben smiled.

 

"The answer is easy enough," he said. "Mr. Jackson can't sell what he doesn't own."

 

"Do you mean to say that he is not the owner of the farm which he proposes to sell us?"

 

"That is just what I mean. He is no more the owner than you or I."

 

"You speak confidently, young man. Perhaps you can tell me who is the owner?"

 

"I can. The owner is Mrs. Hamilton, of New York."

 

"Indeed! That is a genuine surprise. Can you give me her address? I should like to communicate with her."

 

"I will cheerfully give you her address, but it won't be necessary, for I represent her."

 

"You!" exclaimed the stranger incredulously.

 

"Yes; and I am going out to Centerville now as her agent. This Jackson, who is her tenant⁶, has been urging her to sell him the farm for some time. He has offered a sum larger than the farm would be worth but for the discovery of petroleum, but has taken good care not to speak of this."

 

"How much does he offer?"

 

"Five thousand dollars."

 

"The rascal⁷!" He offers five thousand, and expects us to pay him fifty thousand dollars for his bargain. What an unmitigated swindle it would have been if he had carried out his scheme!"

 

"Perhaps you would like to see his last letter?" said Ben.

 

"I should. I want to see what the old rascal has to say for himself."

 

Ben took from his pocket the letter in question, and put it into the hands of his new acquaintance.

 

It was dated at Centerville, October 21. It was written in a cramped⁸ hand, showing that the farmer was not accustomed to letter-writing.

 

It ran thus:

 

"Respected Madam:

 

"As I have already wrote you, I would like to buy the farm, and will give you more than anybody else, because I am used to living on it, and it seems like home. I am willing to pay five thousand dollars, though I know it is only worth four, but it is worth more to me than to others. I offer you more because I know you are rich, and will not sell unless you get a good bargain. Please answer right away.

 

 

"Yours respectfully,

Peter Jackson.

 

 

"P.S.--My offer will hold good for only two weeks."

 

"He seems to be very much in earnest," said Ben.

 

"He has reason to be so, as he hopes to make forty-five thousand dollars on his investment."

 

"He will be bitterly disappointed," said Ben.

 

"I don't care anything about Jackson," said the stranger. "I would just as soon negotiate with you. Are you authorized to sell the farm?"

 

"No," answered Ben; "but Mrs. Hamilton will probably be guided by my advice in the mater."

 

"That amounts to the same thing. I offer you forty thousand dollars for it."

 

"I think favorably of your proposal, Mr. ----"

 

"My name is Taylor."

 

"Mr. Taylor; but I prefer to delay answering till I am on the ground and can judge better of the matter."

 

"You are right. I was surprised at first that Mrs. Hamilton should have selected so young an agent. I begin to think her choice was a judicious⁹ one."

1 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

2 humdrum   

adj.单调的，乏味的

参考例句：

• Their lives consist of the humdrum activities of everyday existence.他们的生活由日常生存的平凡活动所构成。
• The accountant said it was the most humdrum day that she had ever passed.会计师说这是她所度过的最无聊的一天。

3 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

4 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

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 tenant   

n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用

参考例句：

• The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
• The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

7 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

8 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

9 judicious   

adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的

参考例句：

• We should listen to the judicious opinion of that old man.我们应该听取那位老人明智的意见。
• A judicious parent encourages his children to make their own decisions.贤明的父亲鼓励儿女自作抉择。