Chapter 10 Ben Receives a Call

 Ben had scarcely left the room when it occurred to him that he ought to send home for the remainder of his clothes. He did not like to do so, however, without first consulting Miss Sinclair.

 

'Well, Ben?' said the young lady inquiringly.

 

'I would like to write home for my clothes, if you have no objection.'

 

'Certainly; but don't say anything about me.'

 

'All right.'

 

Ben went to the reading-room, and, procuring² writing-materials, penned the following letter to his uncle:

 

'ASTOR HOUSE, NEW YORK.

 

'DEAR UNCLE JOB: Will you send me the rest of my clothes at once, by express? You may direct to this hotel, where I am now staying. The firm that I came to see turned out to be swindlers, and I was at first quite disappointed; but I have made other friends, and am to sail for California next Saturday. This may seem sudden to you. At any rate it does to me, and I don't expect to realize it till I am fairly at sea. It will be some time before I can write you, but I will send you a line from Panama, if possible. You needn't send me any more of my money, for I have with me all I shall need at present.

 

'Give my love to aunt and Cousin Jenny. I should like to see you all again before I start, but I cannot spare the time. I am in good health and spirits, and I think my prospects⁴ are good. Your affectionate nephew, BEN.'

 

This letter excited considerable surprise in Hampton.

 

'I'm afraid Ben's gettin' extravagant,' said Uncle Job. 'I've always heerd that the Astor House is a fashionable hotel where they charge big prices. Ben ought to have gone to a cheap place, and saved his money.'

 

'He says he's got money enough with him, father,' said Mrs. Stanton. 'How much did he take away with him?'

 

'Seventy-five dollars.'

 

'And he had to pay his passage to California out of that?'

 

'Of course.'

 

'He won't have much left when he gets to California, then.' 'No, he won't.'

 

'Don't you think you'd better send him some?' 'No, wife. Ben says no, and I'm goin' accordin' to his directions. I suppose he knows best what he wants.'

 

Sam Sturgis did not often condescend⁵ to notice Job Stanton, but his curiosity got the better of his pride, and, meeting the old man a short time afterward⁶, he asked: 'Have you heard anythiug from Ben?'

 

'Yes, he writ¹ me a letter from New York. I got it this mornin'?'

 

'Has he got a chance to black boots?' asked Sam, with a sneer⁷.

 

'He's stayin' at the Astor House,' said Job, enjoying Sam's surprise.

 

'Staying at the Astor House!' exclaimed the young aristocrat⁸ in astonishment⁹. 'Why, that is a tip-top hotel.'

 

'I always heerd it was,' returned Job. 'How can he afford to stay there?' 'He didn't say.'

 

'Oh, I understand,' said Sam, with an air of relief. 'He's got a place to black boots, or clean knives. That must be the way of it.'

 

'I don't think it is, for he has engaged passage to Californy.'

 

'Is that so? When does he sail?'

 

'On Saturday. We're goin' to send him his clothes. Do you want to send him any word or message?'

 

'No; why should I?'

 

'I thought you was one of his friends.'

 

'Yes, I will send him a message,' said Sam. 'Just tell him that when he has spent all his money, I'll give him the place I offered him before he left Hampton.'

 

'You're very kind,' said Job, concealing¹⁰ his amusement; 'but I don't think Ben will need to take up with your offer.'

 

'I think he will,' said Sam.

 

'I wonder whether Ben is really staying at the Astor House, and paying his expenses there,' he said to himself. 'If he is, he's a fool. I've a great mind to ask father if I may go up to New York, and see. Maybe he's only humbugging his uncle.'

 

So when Sam got home he preferred a request to visit New York, and obtained permission.

 

We now return to the Astor House.

 

Miss Sinclair and Ben went in to supper together. The young lady had scarcely taken her place, and looked around her, when she started, and turned pale.

 

'Ben,' she said hurriedly, 'I must leave the table. Do you see that tall man sitting by the window?'

 

'Yes, Cousin Ida.'

 

'It is my guardian¹¹. He has not seen me yet, but I must be cautious. Direct a servant to bring me some supper in my room, and come up there yourself when you are through.'

 

'All right!'

 

Miss Sinclair left the room, but Ben maintained his place. He took particular notice of the gentleman who had been pointed³ out to him. He was a tall, slender man, with iron-gray hair, and a stern, unpleasant look. Ben judged that her guardian had not seen Miss Sinclair, for he seemed wholly intent upon his supper.

 

'I don't wonder she wanted to run away from him,' thought our hero. Ben smiled as it flashed upon him that this young lady was running away with him.

 

'I didn't expect, when I left home, to meet with any such adventure as this,' he said to himself. 'But I do mean to help Miss Sinclair all I possibly can. It doesn't seem quite natural to call her Ida, but I will do as she wants me to.'

 

Meanwhile Mr. Campbell had made inquiries¹² at the office if a young lady from Albany was staying at the hotel.

 

'No,' said the clerk.

 

It will be remembered that Miss Sinclair had registered from Philadelphia, or, rather, Ben had done so for her.

 

'Have you any young lady here without escort?' asked Mr. Campbell.

 

'No, sir. There is a young lady from Philadelphia, but she arrived with her cousin, a lad of fifteen or sixteen.'

 

'That cannot be the one I am in search of,' said the unsuspecting guardian.

 

Of course, as the reader will readily surmise¹³, Ida Sinclair was not the young lady's real name, but it is the name by which we shall know her for the present.

 

After supper Ben went to Miss Sinclair's room, as directed.

 

'I think, Ben,' she said, 'it will be best for me to take all my meals in my room during the short time I stay here. Should my guardian catch sight of me he might give me some trouble, and that I wish to avoid.'

 

'I guess you're right,' said Ben.

 

'I shall wish you to come to my room two or three times a day, as I may have some errands for you to do.'

 

'All right, Miss Sinclair.'

 

'You had better call me 'Cousin Ida,' so as to get used to it.'

 

The next day as Ben was standing¹⁴ on the steps of the hotel he saw, with surprise, Sam Sturgis approaching. It did not occur to him, however, that he was responsible for Sam's presence in the city. He was glad to see a familiar Hampton face, and he said cordially: 'How are you, Sam?'

 

Sam nodded.

 

'You don't mean to say that you are stopping here, do you?'

 

'Yes, I do,' said Ben, smiling. 'Why not?'

 

'Because it's a first-class hotel.'

 

'Why shouldn't I stay at a first-class hotel, Sam?'

 

'Because you are a poor boy. Maybe you've got some relations among the servants?'

 

'If I have I don't know it.'

 

'Your uncle told me you were stopping here, but I didn't believe it.'

 

'Do you believe it now?' asked Ben.

 

'Perhaps you just stay round here to make people believe you are a guest of the house.'

 

'Why should I care what people think? Nobody knows me here. However, Sam, if you want to be convinced, just come up to my room with me.'

 

Sam concluded to accept the invitation, and accompanied Ben to the desk.

 

'Please give me the key to number sixty-six,' said Ben.

 

'Here it is, sir.'

 

Sam began to think Ben's statement was true, after all. There was no room for doubt when Ben ushered¹⁵ him into the handsome chamber¹⁶ which he occupied.

 

'Make yourself at home, Sam,' said Ben, enjoying his companion's surprise.

 

'It's very queer,' thought Sam. 'I wonder whether he won't run off without paying his bill.'

 

Sam rather hoped that this might be the case, as it would involve Ben in disgrace.

 

'Your uncle tells me you are going to sail for California on Saturday.'

 

'Yes, Sam.'

 

'Have you bought your ticket?'

 

'Yes.'

 

'How much did you pay?'

 

'Excuse me. I would rather not tell just now.'

 

'I suppose he goes in the steerage,' thought Sam.

 

As he could learn nothing more from our hero, Sam soon left him.

 

It was certainly remarkable¹⁷ that the boy to whom he had recently offered the position of his bootblack should be a guest of a fashionable New York hotel. 

1 writ   

n.命令状，书面命令

参考例句：

• This is a copy of a writ I received this morning.这是今早我收到的书面命令副本。
• You shouldn't treat the newspapers as if they were Holy Writ. 你不应该把报上说的话奉若神明。

2 procuring   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句
• She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句

3 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

4 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

5 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。

6 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

7 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

8 aristocrat   

n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物

参考例句：

• He was the quintessential english aristocrat.他是典型的英国贵族。
• He is an aristocrat to the very marrow of his bones.他是一个道道地地的贵族。

9 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

10 concealing   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

11 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。

12 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》

13 surmise   

v./n.猜想，推测

参考例句：

• It turned out that my surmise was correct.结果表明我的推测没有错。
• I surmise that he will take the job.我推测他会接受这份工作。

14 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

15 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

17 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。