CHAPTER IV. TEA-TABLE TALK.

There was a regular flutter in the boarding-house of Miss Scrimp when the bindery girls got in that Friday evening; for they brought the news that Hattie Butler had been promoted in the bindery, a new position given her, and her wages raised to ten dollars a week. Some of the girls were really glad, for Hattie had ever been so gentle, so quiet, so kind when any of them were sick, that she had few enemies. But others were envious¹ of her good fortune, as they ever had been of her beauty, so there were a few to sneer² and hint that Mr. Jones, the foreman, or Mr. W——, one of the proprietors³, had only promoted her because she was handsome, and they wanted her off by herself where they could talk to her and say things the other girls couldn’t hear.

 

The object of the flutter, the laudation, and the envy, seemed all this time to care the least for her promotion⁴ of any that knew it. She did not speak of it, even to Miss Scrimp, at whose right hand her chair at table was always placed; but the latter had heard of it before Hattie got home, and was ready with her congratulations the instant Hattie sat down.

 

“I’m awful glad to hear you’ve been set up in the bindery, and get so much better wages, dear,” she said.

 

And she screwed her sallow cheeks and thin lips into a picture of a smile which Nast would glory to copy, if he could only have seen it.

 

“Thank you, Miss Scrimp; but I do not know as it[22] will be much better for me. My former work was very easy. It only exercised my fingers. This will tax both fingers and brain. My head aches over it already.”

 

“Dear, dear! Well, I’ll have Biddy Lanigan make you a real strong cup of tea and some toast.”

 

“No, thank you, Miss Scrimp, I do not wish it. The food which is good enough for the rest always satisfies me.”

 

“I know it, dear. You never find fault, and that makes me so much the more ready to better your fare when I can. And that reminds me—Miss Dolhear has got sick and gone home to the country; she that came here, poor thing, to learn dress-making; and her room, on the second floor, front, is empty now, and you shall have it for only one dollar more than you pay now, though I charged her two. Her folks were well off: they used to write and send her money, and I guess she got sick a-eatin’ too much cake and candy. Her room is all stuck up with it. But I’ll have Little Jess clean it out for you, if you’ll take it.”

 

“Thank you, Miss Scrimp, I do not wish to change. I feel very much at home in my little chamber⁵, and the higher one gets in the city the purer is the air they breathe.”

 

“Dear, dear! I thought you’d like to change. But you know what you like best. Do let me call Biddy and have some toast made for you.”

 

“No, thank you, Miss Scrimp. There is plenty before me, I am sure.”

 

“Dear! dear! That’s just your own nice way always. I never heard a complaint from your lips, and there’s some that are never satisfied.”

 

And here Miss Scrimp sent a scornful, cross eyed[23] glance down the table. But no one could tell exactly at whom she was looking, so the look didn’t hurt anybody.

 

As Hattie made no further remark, the usual clatter⁶ of knives and forks on slenderly-filled plates was alone heard for a time.

 

But when Hattie, as usual, arose earliest of all, and went to her room, quite an unusual rush of conversation, and all about her, commenced.

 

“Such luck! From four dollars a week to ten, and all because she can talk Dutch!” said one—a very plain and a very ignorant girl.

 

“Ten dollars? How she’ll shine out in silk on Sundays, I’ll bet, and look for a beau as fast as the best of us,” said another. “She couldn’t do it in ten-cent calico. Oh, no, the proud thing!”

 

“She is not a girl of that kind,” cried another, warmly. “She is the prettiest girl in this house to-night, and you all know it.”

 

“Yes, stick up for her, Sally Perkins. We know why. When you had the measles⁷ so bad she lost three days work sitting up with you and waiting on you.”

 

“Thank Heaven she did,” cried Sally, earnestly. “I might have died before one of you would have done as much for me. She is a living angel if ever there was one. So there now. I’ll never speak to a girl that breathes a word against her so long as I live.”

 

“Good for Sally Perkins,” cried a dozen in a breath, for more than one in that crowd of girls had received kindness from Hattie Butler when kindness was so much needed.

 

And the battle of tongues grew less and less, and soon tea was over, and the girls scattered⁸ as usual.[24] Some to their rooms, weary enough to go right to rest—others to linger a little while in the old parlor⁹ and get others to fix up their scanty¹⁰ wardrobe so as to be ready for their only day of rest or pleasure—the blessed Sunday so near at hand—but one day of toil¹¹ to intervene.

 

Our heroine—where was she? In her little chamber thanking her Heavenly Father that at last the stern strife¹² for daily bread was made easier to her, and that a glimmer¹³ of light could be seen through the dark clouds of poverty.

 

Pure-hearted and innocent, she did not dream that any one could so envy her good fortune as to hate her for it. If she had she would have prayed God to forgive them.

 

1 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。

2 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。

3 proprietors   

n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These little proprietors of businesses are lords indeed on their own ground. 这些小业主们，在他们自己的行当中，就是真正的至高无上的统治者。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Many proprietors try to furnish their hotels with antiques. 许多经营者都想用古董装饰他们的酒店。 来自辞典例句

4 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

5 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。

6 clatter   

v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声

参考例句：

• The dishes and bowls slid together with a clatter.碟子碗碰得丁丁当当的。
• Don't clatter your knives and forks.别把刀叉碰得咔哒响。

7 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

8 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

9 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

10 scanty   

adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的

参考例句：

• There is scanty evidence to support their accusations.他们的指控证据不足。
• The rainfall was rather scanty this month.这个月的雨量不足。

11 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

12 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

13 glimmer   

v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光

参考例句：

• I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她，感到了一线希望。
• A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。