But once in this and walking about, how different it all seemed to the world to which so recently he had beenaccustomed. For here, as he had thus far seen, all was on a so much smaller scale. The depot1, from which only ahalf hour before he had stepped down, was so small and dull, untroubled, as he could plainly see, by muchtraffic. And the factory section which lay opposite the small city--across the Mohawk--was little more than a redand gray assemblage of buildings with here and there a smokestack projecting upward, and connected with thecity by two bridges--a half dozen blocks apart--one of them directly at this depot, a wide traffic bridge acrosswhich traveled a car-line following the curves of Central Avenue, dotted here and there with stores and smallhomes.
But Central Avenue was quite alive with traffic, pedestrians2 and automobiles4. Opposite diagonally from thehotel, which contained a series of wide plate-glass windows, behind which were many chairs interspersed5 withpalms and pillars, was the dry-goods emporium of Stark6 and Company, a considerable affair, four stories inheight, and of white brick, and at least a hundred feet long, the various windows of which seemed bright andinteresting, crowded with as smart models as might be seen anywhere. Also there were other large concerns, asecond hotel, various automobile3 showrooms, a moving picture theater.
He found himself ambling7 on and on until suddenly he was out of the business district again and in touch with awide and tree-shaded thoroughfare of residences, the houses of which, each and every one, appeared to possessmore room space, lawn space, general ease and repose8 and dignity even than any with which he had ever been incontact. In short, as he sensed it from this brief inspection9 of its very central portion, it seemed a veryexceptional, if small city street--rich, luxurious10 even. So many imposing11 wrought-iron fences, flower-borderedwalks, grouped trees and bushes, expensive and handsome automobiles either beneath porte-cocheres within or speeding along the broad thoroughfare without. And in some neighboring shops--those nearest Central Avenueand the business heart where this wide and handsome thoroughfare began, were to be seen such expensive-looking and apparently12 smart displays of the things that might well interest people of means and comfort-motors,jewels, lingerie, leather goods and furniture.
But where now did his uncle and his family live? In which house? What street? Was it larger and finer than anyof these he had seen in this street?
He must return at once, he decided13, and report to his uncle. He must look up the factory address, probably in thatregion beyond the river, and go over there and see him. What would he say, how act, what would his uncle sethim to doing? What would his cousin Gilbert be like? What would he be likely to think of him? In his last letterhis uncle had mentioned his son Gilbert. He retraced15 his steps along Central Avenue to the depot and foundhimself quickly before the walls of the very large concern he was seeking. It was of red brick, six stories high-almosta thousand feet long. It was nearly all windows--at least that portion which had been most recently addedand which was devoted16 to collars. An older section, as Clyde later learned, was connected with the newerbuilding by various bridges. And the south walls of both these two structures, being built at the water's edge,paralleled the Mohawk. There were also, as he now found, various entrances along River Street, a hundred feetor more apart--and each one, guarded by an employee in uniform--entrances numbered one, two and three-whichwere labeled "for employees only"--an entrance numbered four which read "office"--and entrances fiveand six appeared to be devoted to freight receipts and shipments.
Clyde made his way to the office portion and finding no one to hinder him, passed through two sets of swingingdoors and found himself in the presence of a telephone girl seated at a telephone desk behind a railing, in whichwas set a small gate--the only entrance to the main office apparently. And this she guarded. She was short, fat,thirty-five and unattractive.
"Well?" she called as Clyde appeared.
"I want to see Mr. Gilbert Griffiths," Clyde began a little nervously17.
"What about?""Well, you see, I'm his cousin. Clyde Griffiths is my name. I have a letter here from my uncle, Mr. SamuelGriffiths. He'll see me, I think."As he laid the letter before her, he noticed that her quite severe and decidedly indifferent expression changed andbecame not so much friendly as awed18. For obviously she was very much impressed not only by the informationbut his looks, and began to examine him slyly and curiously19.
"I'll see if he's in," she replied much more civilly, and plugging at the same time a switch which led to Mr.
Gilbert Griffiths' private office. Word coming back to her apparently that Mr. Gilbert Griffiths was busy at themoment and could not be disturbed, she called back: "It's Mr. Gilbert's cousin, Mr. Clyde Griffiths. He has aletter from Mr. Samuel Griffiths." Then she said to Clyde: "Won't you sit down? I'm sure Mr. Gilbert Griffithswill see you in a moment. He's busy just now."And Clyde, noting the unusual deference20 paid him--a form of deference that never in his life before had beenoffered him--was strangely moved by it. To think that he should be a full cousin to this wealthy and influentialfamily! This enormous factory! So long and wide and high--as he had seen--six stories. And walking along theopposite side of the river just now, he had seen through several open windows whole rooms full of girls andwomen hard at work. And he had been thrilled in spite of himself. For somehow the high red walls of thebuilding suggested energy and very material success, a type of success that was almost without flaw, as he sawit.
He looked at the gray plaster walls of this outer waiting chamber--at some lettering on the inner door whichread: "The Griffiths Collar & Shirt Company, Inc. Samuel Griffiths, Pres. Gilbert Griffiths, Sec'y."--andwondered what it was all like inside--what Gilbert Griffiths would be like--cold or genial21, friendly or unfriendly.
And then, as he sat there meditating22, the woman suddenly turned to him and observed: "You can go in now. Mr.
Gilbert Griffiths' office is at the extreme rear of this floor, over toward the river. Any one of the clerks inside willshow you."She half rose as if to open the door for him, but Clyde, sensing the intent, brushed by her. "That's all right.
Thanks," he said most warmly, and opening the glass-plated door he gazed upon a room housing many over ahundred employees--chiefly young men and young women. And all were apparently intent on their duties beforethem. Most of them had green shades over their eyes. Quite all of them had on short alpaca office coats or sleeveprotectors over their shirt sleeves. Nearly all of the young women wore clean and attractive gingham dresses oroffice slips. And all about this central space, which was partitionless and supported by round white columns,were offices labeled with the names of the various minor23 officials and executives of the company--Mr. Smillie,Mr. Latch24, Mr. Gotboy, Mr. Burkey.
Since the telephone girl had said that Mr. Gilbert Griffiths was at the extreme rear, Clyde, without muchhesitation, made his way along the railed-off aisle25 to that quarter, where upon a half-open door he read: "Mr.
Gilbert Griffiths, Sec'y." He paused, uncertain whether to walk in or not, and then proceeded to tap. At once asharp, penetrating26 voice called: "Come," and he entered and faced a youth who looked, if anything, smaller and alittle older and certainly much colder and shrewder than himself--such a youth, in short, as Clyde would haveliked to imagine himself to be--trained in an executive sense, apparently authoritative27 and efficient. He wasdressed, as Clyde noted28 at once, in a bright gray suit of a very pronounced pattern, for it was once moreapproaching spring. His hair, of a lighter29 shade than Clyde's, was brushed and glazed30 most smoothly31 back fromhis temples and forehead, and his eyes, which Clyde, from the moment he had opened the door had felt drillinghim, were of a clear, liquid, grayish-green blue. He had on a pair of large horn-rimmed glasses which he wore athis desk only, and the eyes that peered through them went over Clyde swiftly and notatively, from his shoes tothe round brown felt hat which he carried in his hand.
"You're my cousin, I believe," he commented, rather icily, as Clyde came forward and stopped--a thin andcertainly not very favorable smile playing about his lips.
"Yes, I am," replied Clyde, reduced and confused by this calm and rather freezing reception. On the instant, as henow saw, he could not possibly have the same regard and esteem32 for this cousin, as he could and did have for his uncle, whose very great ability had erected33 this important industry. Rather, deep down in himself he felt that thisyoung man, an heir and nothing more to this great industry, was taking to himself airs and superiorities which,but for his father's skill before him, would not have been possible.
At the same time so groundless and insignificant34 were his claims to any consideration here, and so grateful washe for anything that might be done for him, that he felt heavily obligated already and tried to smile his best andmost ingratiating smile. Yet Gilbert Griffiths at once appeared to take this as a bit of presumption35 which oughtnot to be tolerated in a mere36 cousin, and particularly one who was seeking a favor of him and his father.
However, since his father had troubled to interest himself in him and had given him no alternative, he continuedhis wry37 smile and mental examination, the while he said: "We thought you would be showing up to-day or tomorrow.
Did you have a pleasant trip?""Oh, yes, very," replied Clyde, a little confused by this inquiry38.
"So you think you'd like to learn something about the manufacture of collars, do you?" Tone and manner wereinfiltrated by the utmost condescension39.
"I would certainly like to learn something that would give me a chance to work up, have some future in it,"replied Clyde, genially40 and with a desire to placate41 his young cousin as much as possible.
"Well, my father was telling me of his talk with you in Chicago. From what he told me I gather that you haven'thad much practical experience of any kind. You don't know how to keep books, do you?""No, I don't," replied Clyde a little regretfully.
"And you're not a stenographer42 or anything like that?""No, sir, I'm not."Most sharply, as Clyde said this, he felt that he was dreadfully lacking in every training. And now GilbertGriffiths looked at him as though he were rather a hopeless proposition indeed from the viewpoint of thisconcern.
"Well, the best thing to do with you, I think," he went on, as though before this his father had not indicated tohim exactly what was to be done in this case, "is to start you in the shrinking room. That's where themanufacturing end of this business begins, and you might as well be learning that from the ground up.
Afterwards, when we see how you do down there, we can tell a little better what to do with you. If you had anyoffice training it might be possible to use you up here." (Clyde's face fell at this and Gilbert noticed it. It pleasedhim.) "But it's just as well to learn the practical side of the business, whatever you do," he added rather coldly,not that he desired to comfort Clyde any but merely to be saying it as a fact. And seeing that Clyde said nothing,he continued: "The best thing, I presume, before you try to do anything around here is for you to get settledsomewhere. You haven't taken a room anywhere yet, have you?""No, I just came in on the noon train," replied Clyde. "I was a little dirty and so I just went up to the hotel tobrush up a little. I thought I'd look for a place afterwards.""Well, that's right. Only don't look for any place. I'll have our superintendent43 see that you're directed to a goodboarding house. He knows more about the town than you do." His thought here was that after all Clyde was a fullcousin and that it wouldn't do to have him live just anywhere. At the same time, he was greatly concerned lestClyde get the notion that the family was very much concerned as to where he did live, which most certainly itwas NOT, as he saw it. His final feeling was that he could easily place and control Clyde in such a way as tomake him not very important to any one in any way--his father, the family, all the people who worked here.
He reached for a button on his desk and pressed it. A trim girl, very severe and reserved in a green ginghamdress, appeared.
"Ask Mr. Whiggam to come here."She disappeared and presently there entered a medium-sized and nervous, yet moderately stout44, man who lookedas though he were under a great strain. He was about forty years of age--repressed and noncommittal--andlooked curiously and suspiciously about as though wondering what new trouble impended45. His head, as Clyde atonce noticed, appeared chronically46 to incline forward, while at the same time he lifted his eyes as though actuallyhe would prefer not to look up.
"Whiggam," began young Griffiths authoritatively47, "this is Clyde Griffiths, a cousin of ours. You remember Ispoke to you about him.""Yes, sir.""Well, he's to be put in the shrinking department for the present. You can show him what he's to do. Afterwardsyou had better have Mrs. Braley show him where he can get a room." (All this had been talked over and fixedupon the week before by Gilbert and Whiggam, but now he gave it the ring of an original suggestion.) "Andyou'd better give his name in to the timekeeper as beginning to-morrow morning, see?""Yes, sir," bowed Whiggam deferentially49. "Is that all?""Yes, that's all," concluded Gilbert smartly. "You go with Whiggam, Mr. Griffiths. He'll tell you what to do."Whiggam turned. "If you'll just come with me, Mr. Griffiths," he observed deferentially, as Clyde could see--andthat for all of his cousin's apparently condescending50 attitude--and marched out with Clyde at his heels. Andyoung Gilbert as briskly turned to his own desk, but at the same time shaking his head. His feeling at the momentwas that mentally Clyde was not above a good bell-boy in a city hotel probably. Else why should he come onhere in this way. "I wonder what he thinks he's going to do here," he continued to think, "where he thinks he'sgoing to get?"And Clyde, as he followed Mr. Whiggam, was thinking what a wonderful place Mr. Gilbert Griffiths enjoyed.
No doubt he came and went as he chose--arrived at the office late, departed early, and somewhere in this very interesting city dwelt with his parents and sisters in a very fine house--of course. And yet here he was--Gilbert'sown cousin, and the nephew of his wealthy uncle, being escorted to work in a very minor department of thisgreat concern.
Nevertheless, once they were out of the sight and hearing of Mr. Gilbert Griffiths, he was somewhat divertedfrom this mood by the sights and sounds of the great manufactory itself. For here on this very same floor, butbeyond the immense office room through which he had passed, was another much larger room filled with rowsof bins52, facing aisles54 not more than five feet wide, and containing, as Clyde could see, enormous quantities ofcollars boxed in small paper boxes, according to sizes. These bins were either being refilled by stock boys whobrought more boxed collars from the boxing room in large wooden trucks, or were being as rapidly emptied byorder clerks who, trundling small box trucks in front of them, were filling orders from duplicate check listswhich they carried in their hands.
"Never worked in a collar factory before, Mr. Griffiths, I presume?" commented Mr. Whiggam with somewhatmore spirit, once he was out of the presence of Gilbert Griffiths. Clyde noticed at once the Mr. Griffiths.
"Oh, no," he replied quickly. "I never worked at anything like this before.""Expect to learn all about the manufacturing end of the game in the course of time, though, I suppose." He waswalking briskly along one of the long aisles as he spoke48, but Clyde noticed that he shot sly glances in everydirection.
"I'd like to," he answered.
"Well, there's a little more to it than some people think, although you often hear there isn't very much to learn."He opened another door, crossed a gloomy hall and entered still another room which, filled with bins as was theother, was piled high in every bin53 with bolts of white cloth.
"You might as well know a little about this as long as you re going to begin in the shrinking room. This is thestuff from which the collars are cut, the collars and the lining55. They are called webs. Each of these bolts is a web.
We take these down in the basement and shrink them because they can't be used this way. If they are, the collarswould shrink after they were cut. But you'll see. We tub them and then dry them afterwards."He marched solemnly on and Clyde sensed once more that this man was not looking upon him as an ordinaryemployee by any means. His MR. Griffiths, his supposition to the effect that Clyde was to learn all about themanufacturing end of the business, as well as his condescension in explaining about these webs of cloth, hadalready convinced Clyde that he was looked upon as one to whom some slight homage56 at least must be paid.
He followed Mr. Whiggam, curious as to the significance of this, and soon found himself in an enormousbasement which had been reached by descending51 a flight of steps at the end of a third hall. Here, by the help offour long rows of incandescent57 lamps, he discerned row after row of porcelain58 tubs or troughs, lengthwise of theroom, and end to end, which reached from one exterior59 wall to the other. And in these, under steaming hot waterapparently, were any quantity of those same webs he had just seen upstairs, soaking. And near-by, north andsouth of these tubs, and paralleling them for the length of this room, all of a hundred and fifty feet in length, were enormous drying racks or moving skeleton platforms, boxed, top and bottom and sides, with hot steam pipes,between which on rolls, but festooned in such a fashion as to take advantage of these pipes, above, below and oneither side, were more of these webs, but unwound and wet and draped as described, yet moving along slowly onthese rolls from the east end of the room to the west. This movement, as Clyde could see, was accompanied byan enormous rattle60 and clatter61 of ratchet arms which automatically shook and moved these lengths of clothforward from east to west. And as they moved they dried, and were then automatically re-wound at the west endof these racks into bolt form once more upon a wooden spool62 and then lifted off by a youth whose duty it was to"take" from these moving platforms. One youth, as Clyde saw, "took" from two of these tracks at the west end,while at the east end another youth of about his own years "fed." That is, he took bolts of this now partiallyshrunk yet still wet cloth and attaching one end of it to some moving hooks, saw that it slowly and properlyunwound and fed itself over the drying racks for the entire length of these tracks. As fast as it had gone the wayof all webs, another was attached.
Between each two rows of tubs in the center of the room were enormous whirling separators or dryers63, intowhich these webs of cloth, as they came from the tubs in which they had been shrinking for twenty-four hours,were piled and as much water as possible centrifugally extracted before they were spread out on the drying racks.
Primarily little more than this mere physical aspect of the room was grasped by Clyde--its noise, its heat, itssteam, the energy with which a dozen men and boys were busying themselves with various processes. Theywere, without exception, clothed only in armless undershirts, a pair of old trousers belted in at the waist, and withcanvas-topped and rubber-soled sneakers on their bare feet. The water and the general dampness and the heat ofthe room seemed obviously to necessitate64 some such dressing65 as this.
"This is the shrinking room," observed Mr. Whiggam, as they entered. "It isn't as nice as some of the others, butit's where the manufacturing process begins. Kemerer!" he called.
A short, stocky, full-chested man, with a pate66, full face and white, strong-looking arms, dressed in a pair of dirtyand wrinkled trousers and an armless flannel67 shirt, now appeared. Like Whiggam in the presence of Gilbert, heappeared to be very much overawed in the presence of Whiggam.
"This is Clyde Griffiths, the cousin of Gilbert Griffiths. I spoke to you about him last week, you remember?""Yes, sir.""He's to begin down here. He'll show up in the morning.""Yes, sir.""Better put his name down on your check list. He'll begin at the usual hour.""Yes, sir."Mr. Whiggam, as Clyde noticed, held his head higher and spoke more directly and authoritatively than at anytime so far. He seemed to be master, not underling, now.
"Seven-thirty is the time every one goes to work here in the morning," went on Mr. Whiggam to Clydeinformatively, "but they all ring in a little earlier--about seven-twenty or so, so as to have time to change theirclothes and get to the machines.
"Now, if you want to," he added, "Mr. Kemerer can show you what you'll have to do to-morrow before you leavetoday. It might save a little time. Or, you can leave it until then if you want to. It don't make any difference tome. Only, if you'll come back to the telephone girl at the main entrance about five-thirty I'll have Mrs. Braleythere for you. She's to show you about your room, I believe. I won't be there myself, but you just ask thetelephone girl for her. She'll know." He turned and added, "Well, I'll leave you now."He lowered his head and started to go away just as Clyde began. "Well, I'm very much obliged to you, Mr.
Whiggam." Instead of answering, he waved one fishy68 hand slightly upward and was gone--down between thetubs toward the west door. And at once Mr. Kemerer--still nervous and overawed apparently--began.
"Oh, that's all right about what you have to do, Mr. Griffiths. I'll just let you bring down webs on the floor aboveto begin with to-morrow. But if you've got any old clothes, you'd better put 'em on. A suit like that wouldn't lastlong here." He eyed Clyde's very neat, if inexpensive suit, in an odd way. His manner quite like that of Mr.
Whiggam before him, was a mixture of uncertainty69 and a very small authority here in Clyde's case--of extremerespect and yet some private doubt, which only time might resolve. Obviously it was no small thing to be aGriffiths here, even if one were a cousin and possibly not as welcome to one's powerful relatives as one mightbe.
At first sight, and considering what his general dreams in connection with this industry were, Clyde was inclinedto rebel. For the type of youth and man he saw here were in his estimation and at first glance rather below thetype of individuals he hoped to find here--individuals neither so intelligent nor alert as those employed by theunion League and the Green-Davidson by a long distance. And still worse he felt them to be much moresubdued and sly and ignorant--mere clocks, really. And their eyes, as he entered with Mr. Whiggam, while theypretended not to be looking, were very well aware, as Clyde could feel, of all that was going on. Indeed, he andMr. Whiggam were the center of all their secret looks. At the same time, their spare and practical manner ofdressing struck dead at one blow any thought of refinement70 in connection with the work in here. Howunfortunate that his lack of training would not permit his being put to office work or something like that upstairs.
He walked with Mr. Kemerer, who troubled to say that these were the tubs in which the webs were shrunk overnight--these the centrifugal dryers--these the rack dryers. Then he was told that he could go. And by then it wasonly three o'clock.
He made his way out of the nearest door and once outside he congratulated himself on being connected with thisgreat company, while at the same time wondering whether he was going to prove satisfactory to Mr. Kemererand Mr. Whiggam. Supposing he didn't. Or supposing he couldn't stand all this? It was pretty rough. Well, ifworst came to worst, as he now thought, he could go back to Chicago, or on to New York, maybe, and get work.
But why hadn't Samuel Griffiths had the graciousness to receive and welcome him? Why had that young GilbertGriffiths smiled so cynically71? And what sort of a woman was this Mrs. Braley? Had he done wisely to come on here? Would this family do anything for him now that he was here?
It was thus that, strolling west along River Street on which were a number of other kinds of factories, and thennorth through a few other streets that held more factories--tinware, wickwire, a big vacuum carpet cleaning plant,a rug manufacturing company, and the like--that he came finally upon a miserable72 slum, the like of which, smallas it was, he had not seen outside of Chicago or Kansas City. He was so irritated and depressed73 by the povertyand social angularity and crudeness of it--all spelling but one thing, social misery74, to him--that he at onceretraced his steps and recrossing the Mohawk by a bridge farther west soon found himself in an area which wasvery different indeed--a region once more of just such homes as he had been admiring before he left for thefactory. And walking still farther south, he came upon that same wide and tree-lined avenue--which he had seenbefore--the exterior appearance of which alone identified it as the principal residence thoroughfare of Lycurgus.
It was so very broad and well-paved and lined by such an arresting company of houses. At once he was verymuch alive to the personnel of this street, for it came to him immediately that it must be in this street very likelythat his uncle Samuel lived. The houses were nearly all of French, Italian or English design, and excellent periodcopies at that, although he did not know it.
Impressed by their beauty and spaciousness77, however, he walked along, now looking at one and another, andwondering which, if any, of these was occupied by his uncle, and deeply impressed by the significance of somuch wealth. How superior and condescending his cousin Gilbert must feel, walking out of some such place asthis in the morning.
Then pausing before one which, because of trees, walks, newly-groomed if bloomless flower beds, a largegarage at the rear, a large fountain to the left of the house as he faced it, in the center of which was a boy holdinga swan in his arms, and to the right of the house one lone75 cast iron stag pursued by some cast iron dogs, he feltespecially impelled78 to admire, and charmed by the dignity of this place, which was a modified form of oldEnglish, he now inquired of a stranger who was passing--a middle-aged79 man of a rather shabby working type,"Whose house is that, mister?" and the man replied: "Why, that's Samuel Griffiths' residence. He's the man whoowns the big collar factory over the river."At once Clyde straightened up, as though dashed with cold water. His uncle's! His residence! Then that was oneof his automobiles standing80 before the garage at the rear there. And there was another visible through the opendoor of the garage.
Indeed in his immature81 and really psychically82 unilluminated mind it suddenly evoked83 a mood which was as ofroses, perfumes, lights and music. The beauty! The ease! What member of his own immediate76 family had evereven dreamed that his uncle lived thus! The grandeur84! And his own parents so wretched--so poor, preaching onthe streets of Kansas City and no doubt Denver. Conducting a mission! And although thus far no single memberof this family other than his chill cousin had troubled to meet him, and that at the factory only, and although hehad been so indifferently assigned to the menial type of work that he had, still he was elated and uplifted. For,after all, was he not a Griffiths, a full cousin as well as a full nephew to the two very important men who livedhere, and now working for them in some capacity at least? And must not that spell a future of some sort, betterthan any he had known as yet? For consider who the Griffiths were here, as opposed to "who" the Griffiths werein Kansas City, say--or Denver. The enormous difference! A thing to be as carefully concealed85 as possible. Atthe same time, he was immediately reduced again, for supposing the Griffiths here--his uncle or his cousin or some friend or agent of theirs--should now investigate his parents and his past? Heavens! The matter of that slainchild in Kansas City! His parents' miserable makeshift life! Esta! At once his face fell, his dreams being sothickly clouded over. If they should guess! If they should sense!
Oh, the devil--who was he anyway? And what did he really amount to? What could he hope for from such agreat world as this really, once they knew why he had troubled to come here?
A little disgusted and depressed he turned to retrace14 his steps, for all at once he felt himself very much of anobody.
可是，克莱德在中央大道逛了一圈以后，马上觉得这个地方跟他最近所熟稔的那个世界该有多么不一样。这里的一切，在他看来，规模要小得多了。半个钟头前下车的那个火车站是那么小，那么死气沉沉，他一看就很明白压根儿没有多少车马的喧嚣声。工厂区正好位于这座小城闹市中心区对面，莫霍克河对岸，也不过是一片红色和灰色的建筑物，偶尔才有一个烟囱森然矗立。那儿有两座桥……相距五六个街区……跟市区连接起来……其中有一座桥直接通往火车站。这是一座路面宽阔可以通车的大桥，有一条有轨电车通过这里，然后沿着两旁稀稀落落。点缀着商店和小小家园的中央大道转弯而去。
不过，中央大道上车辆。行人。汽车，倒是相当热闹。他下榻的这家饭店，临街有一长溜大块玻璃窗，窗后可以后到一些棕榈树和高大圆柱，以及散放其间的许多椅子。它的斜对面，是斯塔克公司的棉毛纺织品商场，规模很大，有四层楼，由白砖砌成，至少有一百英尺长，在它的明亮。有趣的橱窗里，陈列着到处可见的一些眼下最时髦的模特儿。此外还有好几家大商店，一家普通旅馆，几个汽车样品间和一座电影院。
他往前走啊走的，突然发现自己又走出了市区，置身于街道宽敞。浓荫蔽日的住宅区。那一带房子，不管是哪一幢，看来地面都很开阔，有草坪，一般还有一种舒适。静谧和庄严的气派，甚至比他所见过的任何一幢房子还要有过之无不及。总之，他只是走马看花地逛过了这座小城中心区以后，就觉得它别具一格，虽然区区一座小城的街道，却也说得上富丽奢华了。那么多威风凛凛的铁栅栏，两旁栽上花的小径，成片树林子和一簇簇灌木丛，还有漂亮的豪华汽车，有的停放在门廊里，有的奔驰在户外宽阔的大道上。邻近有一些商店……离中央大道和商业中心区最近，这条宽敞。漂亮的大道就从这里开始……这些商店里，陈列着豪华。漂亮的商品，诸如汽车。珠宝。女用内衣。皮货和家具，而且只有讲究享受的有钱人才感兴趣。
不过，他的伯父和伯父的家，又在哪儿呢?
是哪一所房子?
在哪一条街上?
是不是比他在这条街上见到的更宽大。更漂亮?
他转念一想，他非得马上回去，上伯父那儿去报到。他还得找到工厂地址，大概是在河那边吧，他也得上那儿看他去。见面时他该说些什么呢?
举止态度又该怎样呢?
伯父会给他一个什么样的位置呢?
他的堂兄弟吉尔伯特，是个什么样儿呢?
他对他可能会有什么个想法?
伯父在最近一封信里就提到过自己的儿子吉尔伯特。他沿着中央大道朝火车站往回走，没有多久就来到了他正要寻摸的那家很大的工厂墙根前。这是一幢用红砖砌成。高六层的大楼，差不多有一千英尺长。四面几乎都是窗子……至少最近增设的专做领子的那一部分是这样。后来克莱德知道，老厂区已通过几座桥与新建的大楼连成一片。河沿着两座厂房南墙，跟莫霍克河平行。他发现里佛街还有好几处大门，相距一百英尺以上……每一处都有一个身穿制服的工人把守……一。二。三号门上都标着"只准职工出入"……四号门上写着"办公处"……五。六号大门，看来是装卸货物专用的。
克莱德径直往办公处大门走去，发现并没有人拦阻他。他通过两重转门，走到坐在铁栅栏后电话桌旁的一个接电话的女士跟前。铁栅栏上有个小门……显然是通向总办公处唯一的一道门，而这道门就归这位女士把守。她身子又矮又胖，三十五岁，长得一点儿都不好看。
"您有什么事?
"她一见克莱德就大声问。
"我要见吉尔伯特。格里菲思先生，"克莱德一开头不免有些心神不安地说。
"什么事?
""哦，我是他的堂兄弟。我的名字叫克莱德。格里菲思。这里是我伯父塞缪尔。格里菲思的信。我想，他会见我的。"他把那封信一放到她面前，发现她那相当严峻。非常冷淡的表情就一下子变了，变得与其说是和蔼可亲，还不如说肃然起敬了。她之所以对他产生很深印象，显然不仅仅因为他所说的话，而是因为他的仪态风度。她佻巧。好奇地开始仔细打量着他。
"让我看看他在不在呢，"她彬彬有礼地回答他，一面接通了吉尔伯特。格里菲思办公室的电话。回话显然是说:
吉尔伯特。格里菲思现在很忙，不能打扰他;她也回话说:
"来客是吉尔伯特先生的堂兄弟……克莱德。格里菲思先生。他还带着塞缪尔。格里菲思先生的一封信。"随后，她对克莱德说:
"请坐吧。也许吉尔伯特。格里菲思先生马上就接见您的。现在他正忙着呢。"克莱德注意到她说话时对他异乎寻常地恭恭敬敬，这是他一辈子都没领受过的，因而感到异常激动。只要想一想，他就是这样有钱有势的人家的近亲。
堂兄弟啊!
偌大的工厂!
厂房有这么宽。这么长。这么高……他看清楚了……有六层楼。刚才他从河对岸走过，从好几个敞开的窗子里望见许多宽敞房间里许许多多姑娘和妇女在紧张地工作。他情不自禁地一下子激动起来。因为，这幢大楼高高的红墙，仿佛体现了活力和真正物质成就，这种成就在他后来简直是无懈可击。
他两眼望着这个接待室的灰色墙壁……里面一道门上有这么几个字:
"格里菲思领子衬衫公司总经理:
塞缪尔。格里菲思秘书:
吉尔伯特。格里菲思"……心里纳闷，真不知道厂里是什么个样子，吉尔伯特。格里菲思又是个什么样的人，冷淡呢，还是和气?
友好呢，还是不友好?
克莱德正坐在那儿沉思默想的时候，那个女人突然侧过脸来对他说:
"现在您可以进去了。吉尔伯特。格里菲思的办公室在这一层楼最里面，是对着河边的。
里面每个职员都会指给你看的。"她欠了一下身子，仿佛要给他开门，但克莱德一望而知她的想法，就打她身边匆匆走过。"谢谢你，不打扰你了，"他非常热情地说，同时推开玻璃门，两眼注视这个差不多有一百来个工人的房间……里面多半是青年男女。所有的人显然都在专心干活。他们大多戴着绿色遮护罩。几乎人人穿着短的羊驼呢工作服，或则衬衫袖子上罩着防护袖套。年轻的女工，差不多个个都穿着整洁。漂亮的格子布衣服，或是工作时穿的套裙。这个大房间，中间不隔开，有许多白色圆柱。举目四顾，都是办公室，上面写着厂内各部门负责人的名字……斯米利先生。拉奇先生。戈特博伊先生。伯基先生。
接电话的女士说过吉尔伯特。格里菲思先生的办公室在最后一间，克莱德毫不犹豫地沿着有铁栅栏的过道径直往前走去，只见一个半敞开着的门上写着:
"吉尔伯特。格里菲思先生，秘书"。他迟疑了半晌，心里真不知道该进去呢，还是不进去，随后才轻轻敲了一下门，马上听见一个尖细刺耳的声音喊道:
"进来。
"克莱德就走了进去，迎面看见一个年轻人，个儿也许比他矮小些。年纪稍微大些，当然头脑比他要冷静。精明得多……总之，正好就是克莱德梦想自己也能成为那样的年轻人……精通管理业务，显然很威严，很能干。克莱德马上发觉，他身穿一套淡灰色长条子西服，因为春天快要到了。他的头发颜色比克莱德淡一些，从太阳穴和额角往后梳去，而且搽得油光锃亮。克莱德一开门，就觉得他那明亮。澄澈。淡蓝色眼睛，仿佛钻孔似的盯住自己。他戴着一副只在办公时才戴的大型角质边框眼镜。那对透过镜片窥探着的眼睛，一下子就把克莱德仔细打量一番，从他的鞋子一直到他手里拿着的圆形棕色呢帽。
"你……大概就是我的堂兄弟吧?
"克莱德走上来。一站住时，他冷冰冰地说……嘴边露出当然不太友好的微笑。
"是啊，我就是，"克莱德回答说。这种故作镇静。乃至于冷冰冰的接见，不由得使他扫兴和困惑不解。他顿时觉得，眼前这家大工厂，伯父毕竟是以其非常卓越的才干建起来的，他可不能象自己尊敬伯父那样尊敬他的堂兄。他内心深处倒是觉得:
眼前这个年轻人，至多只不过是这个大厂商的继承人，别的没有什么了不起，要不是由于他父亲的才干，他压根儿没法神气活现，摆出一副顶头上司的架子来。
可是，克莱德要求在这里得到器重，本来就是毫无特别理由，同时也无足轻重。而他对人们可能做到的一切，却是非常感激的。所以，他早就觉得深深地欠了人情债，就竭力陪着一副奉承讨好的笑脸来。殊不知吉尔伯特。格里菲思似乎一下子把这副笑脸当成一种傲慢无礼的标志，对此断断乎不能容忍，再说，克莱德只不过是一个堂兄弟，况且还是一个向他父亲恳求帮助的人。
不过话又说回来，既然父亲不怕麻烦，对自己侄子发生兴趣，并使吉尔伯特毫无选择的余地，所以，他便一面继续讥刺地笑着，心中暗自琢磨堂兄弟，一面说道:
"我们都是这样认为，你在今。明两天会来的。一路上很愉快吗?
""哦，是的，很愉快，"克莱德回答说。这一问让他心里感到有点儿别扭。
"这么说，你很想学做领子这一行，是吗?
"瞧他那语调和态度，简直已是大大地降贵纡尊了。
"我当然很想学点本领，赶明儿好歹让我也能出人头地，"克莱德和颜悦色地回答说，心想尽可能抚慰一下这位堂兄弟。
"哦，我父亲已把他在芝加哥跟你的谈话说给我听了。不过，从他的话里，我觉得你不论在哪个方面都是没有实际经验。比方说，管帐你就不懂，是不是?
""是的，我不懂，"克莱德有些遗憾似的回答说。
"你也不会速记，或是类似这样的工作吧?
""不会，先生，我不会。"克莱德说话时，深感自己不论在哪个实际知识领域都是严重缺少训练，颇有切肤之痛。吉尔伯特。格里菲思两眼直瞅着他，仿佛在说，从本公司的观点来看，他简直是一点儿用处都没有的。
"哦，我看，你最好是，"吉尔伯特接下去说，好象只是此刻作出这样决定，事前父亲并没有对他作出过明确指示似的，"先到防缩车间去工作。本厂产品制造过程是从那里开始的，你不妨从头学起就得了。我们先让你在下面试试看，往后了解清楚了，给你再作安排。你要是多少熟悉办公室的工作的话，也许这里就用得着你了。"(克莱德一听这话，脸就一沉。这表情立即被吉尔伯特所察觉并使他感到高兴)"不过，无论你做什么事，这一行的实际方面学会了，同样也好嘛。"他冷冰冰地找补着说，压根儿不想安慰克莱德，只不过是实话实说罢了。
他见克莱德没有吭声，又接下去说:
"我看，你上这儿来工作以前，最好先在什么地方安顿下来。你还没有租好房间，是吧?
""没有，我是中午火车才到的，"克莱德回答说。"一路上有点脏，需要洗一洗，因此，我就借宿在一家旅馆。我想过后另找个地方。""那敢情好啊。不过，你自己不用去找了。我会关照总务给你找一家好的寄宿舍。本城的情况他可比你熟悉。"这时，吉尔伯特心里想克莱德毕竟是近亲。
堂弟，让他随便住在什么地方总是不很合适。同时，他也非常担心，生怕克莱德会以为吉尔伯特家对自己住在哪儿也很关注似的。但他自己心里明白，实际情况并不是这样。最后，他暗自寻思，既然自己轻而易举地已把克莱德安排好。
控制住了，克莱德便不论在吉尔伯特家里，还是在他父亲，以及所有在厂里工作的人心目中，都不会得到非常器重了。
他伸手摁了一下桌上一个电钮。一个身穿绿格子布衣服。正经八百。沉默寡言的姑娘走了进来。
"请惠甘先生来一趟。"她告退后不一会儿，走进来一个中等身材。惴惴不安，但身体相当结实的人。瞧他那副神气仿佛心情紧张到了极点。他大约四十岁……从来俯首听命，唯唯诺诺……这时好奇而疑惑地东张西望着，好象心中纳闷，不知哪儿又出了新的差错。克莱德马上发觉，此人的头总是朝前耷拉着，当他的眼睛抬起来的时候，那神情仿佛他真的不敢仰望他的主子呢。
"惠甘，"年轻的格里菲思威风凛凛地开口说，"这位是克莱德。格里菲思，是我的堂弟。你记得前次我跟你谈到过他吧。""是的，先生。""这样吧，他暂时分配到防缩车间。你不妨先给他说说该怎么做。随后，你最好让布雷莉太太告诉他上哪儿能找到一个房间。"(所有这一切，吉尔伯特和惠甘在一周前就已经谈定了，可他现在说起来，就象他此刻出的主意似的。)"还有，你最好让考勤员把他的名字登记入册，从明天上午算起，明白了吗?
""是，先生，"惠甘必恭必敬地鞠了一躬。"就是这些吗?
""是的，就是这些，"吉尔伯特神气活现地结束了这场谈话。"你跟惠甘一块去，格里菲思先生。一切他都会关照你的。"惠甘侧过身去对克莱德说:
"跟我一块走，格里菲思先生，"克莱德发觉此人说话很客气……尽管堂兄对自己显然持屈尊俯就的态度，惠甘一走出办公室，克莱德就跟在他后面。年轻的吉尔伯特马上精神奕奕地掉过头去办公，一面还直晃着脑袋。这时，他认为:
论智力，克莱德也许只不过跟大酒店里侍应生不相上下。要不然他又干吗上这儿来。"我真不知道他想在这儿做些什么?
"他继续想道，"他又打算在这儿得到些什么呢?
"克莱德跟在惠甘后头边走边想:
吉尔伯特。格里菲思先生的地位，可真了不起啊。他无疑是来去全凭自己高兴……来得迟，走得早，而且在城里什么地方，跟他的父母姐妹住在一幢很漂亮的府邸里……那是不消说了。可是他自己呢……吉尔伯特的堂兄弟，富翁塞缪尔。格里菲思的侄子，此刻被打发到这家大厂一个极小的部门去干活。
到了吉尔伯特。格里菲思先生视听范围以外的地方，克莱德已被这家大厂的种种景象和声响所吸引，他的心情倏然为之一变。就在这同一层楼上，他刚走过的宽大的办公室的另一边，有一个更大的房间，里面堆满了一排排箱子，每排箱子之间只留出宽不足五英尺的过道。据克莱德看见，箱子里有大量领子，依照尺码大小，分装在小纸盒里。这些箱子有时由装卸工用大型木板车从装盒间把许多装盒的领子推到这儿，再把箱子装得满满的;也有时定货员推着装盒的小车进来，依照他们手里拿的清单副本来取货，一下子就全给提空了。
"我说，也许你以前没有在领子工厂工作过吧，格里菲思先生?
"惠甘先生一到吉尔伯特。格里菲思先生看不见的地方，多少就有点儿精神了。克莱德顿时发觉自己被尊称为"格里菲思先生"了。
"哦，没有，"他连忙接话说。"过去我从没有在这么一个地方工作过。""我说，大概你很想逐步了解清楚本厂产品的全部制造过程吧。"他一边说话，一边兴冲冲走过一条长长的过道，但是克莱德注意到此人狡黠的目光正在到处扫视着。
"我可巴不得这样，"克莱德回答说。
"是啊，虽然有人说这可没有什么好学的，其实，真的学起来可也真不易呀。
"他打开另一道门，穿过一个阴暗的过道，走进另一个房间，那里就象刚才所看见的，箱子码得高高的，每个箱子里头都装着一卷卷白布。
"你既然先从防缩车间做起，就得对这个东西了解一些。领子和里子，就是用这个东西做的。它叫做坯布。每一卷布都是坯布。我们把这些坯布送往地下室，先要落水防缩，因为不防缩是不能就这样去剪裁的。要不然，领子裁好之后都会皱缩的。不过，赶明儿你自己就会明白的。我们要把这些东西浸湿泡透，然后再把它们烘干。"他严肃地往前大步走去，克莱德再一次感到自己在这个人的心目中绝对不是做一名普通工人。他不时使用那个格里菲思先生的尊称，他认为克莱德愿意了解清楚产品全部制造过程的想法，以及他屈尊俯就不厌其烦地介绍了坯布的性质……所有这一切，早已使克莱德确信:
惠甘就象看待一个至少应该受到相当尊敬的人那样来看待自己了。
克莱德跟在惠甘后面，心里暗自琢磨这一切意味着什么。他们在第三个过道尽头下了楼，突然来到一个偌大的地下室。在这里，借着长长的四排令人耀眼的灯光，他方才看清楚一排排瓷缸或是瓷槽，其长度和房间相同，头尾相接，从这儿墙根一直延伸到那儿墙根。浸泡在这些瓷缸里的，就是刚才他在楼上看见的大批坯布，瓷缸里显然都是热气腾腾的开水。就在一排排瓷缸的南北两头，跟这些瓷缸并排架设着与这个房间全长一百五十英尺相同的一长溜。一长溜巨大的烘干架，或是活动钢骨台架，四周围都有滚烫的蒸汽管道，这些烘干架中间滚轴上，就象悬灯结彩似的挂着许许多多坯布，以充分利用四周围蒸汽管道，但象上面所说的那样，一卷卷都打开，湿漉漉地垂挂在那儿，通过滚轴从地下室的东头向西头缓缓移动。克莱德看到，坯布移动时，棘轮吊杆就发出吱吱嘎嘎的噪声。这些棘轮吊杆可以自动转动，把长长的坯布从东头缓慢地送到西头。
坯布就在移动过程中烘干了，并在西头烘干架自动卷起来，在一根木轴上又成为一卷卷形状，随后由一个年轻小伙子专门负责把它从这些活动台架上"卸下来"。克莱德看见一个年轻小伙子从西头这些轨道上把两卷布一块卸下来;而在东头，另一个跟他年龄相仿的人正在"投料"。那就是说，此人把已经浸泡过的。湿漉漉的坯布，一头搭在缓缓移动中的挂钩上，看着坯布慢慢地。一丝不错地全部展开，铺在烘干架上，沿着整个轨道向前伸展过去。一俟坯布完全通过了，再把另一卷坯布搭在挂钩上。
在地下室中央，每两排瓷缸中间，有很多转动着的脱水机，亦即烘干机。
坯布在瓷缸里浸泡二十四个小时以后，就一堆堆码在那里，由脱水机尽量把水分吸出来，然后再把它们铺开在烘干架上。
开头，克莱德只知道这个房间外部环境特点……它的噪声。热度。蒸汽，以及十几个成年人和小伙子在各个工段忙活的劲儿。他们个个穿着无袖衬衫。
旧裤子，腰里扎一根带子，没有袜子的脚上穿一双帆布面。树胶底运动鞋，没有一个例外。这样穿戴，显然是满屋子里有这么多的水和潮气，以及这么炎热逼出来的。
"这是防缩车间，"他们一走进去，惠甘就这样说。"说真的，这儿没有别的车间舒服，不过，本厂产品制造过程，却是在这儿开始的。凯默勒!
"他大声喊道。
走过来一个身体矮胖。胸脯厚实的人，长着苍白的圆脸膛，身穿一条皱巴巴的脏裤子。一件无袖法兰绒衬衣。如同惠甘在吉尔伯特面前，此人在惠甘面前也显得必恭必敬。
"这位是克莱德。格里菲思，是吉尔伯特。格里菲思的堂兄弟。上星期我跟你说到过他，你记得吗?
""记得，先生。""他先从这儿做起。明儿早上他就来。""是，先生。""最好把他的名字记入花名册。他根据通常规定的时间开始工作。""是，先生。"克莱德发觉，惠甘先生的头昂得比刚才更高了，话儿说得更坚决。更威严。
现在看来他就象是主人，而不是下属了。
"在这里，早上七点半开始干活，"惠甘先生继续对克莱德说，"不过，大伙儿来得总要早一些……大约在七点二十分左右，好有时间换衣服，来到机器跟前。""现在你要是乐意的话，"他找补着说，"趁你还没有走，凯默勒先生可以把明天你应该做的事情告诉你。这样也许可以省一点儿时间。不过，你不妨也可以留到明天再说。反正对我都是无所谓的。只不过你要是在五点半左右到大门口接电话小姐那里，我就会派布雷莉太太到那里去。我想，她可以领你去看一看你的房间。我自己不会去了，但你不妨向接电话小姐打听一下布雷莉太太就得了。她会知道的。"他掉过身来，找补着说:
"哦，我得先走了。"他点一点头以示告别，很快大步流星地走了。这时，克莱德才开口说:
"哦，我实在非常感谢您，惠甘先生。"他并没有答话，只是稍微抬起一只手，冷冰冰地摆了一下就走了……打从两排瓷缸中间走向西头的出口处。这时，凯默勒先生，依然心神紧张不安，显然带着敬畏的神色，开始说道。
"哦，讲到你的工作嘛，那你可不要着急，格里菲思先生。明天你开始上班，我只叫你把坯布从上面卸下来。不过，要是你找得到旧衣服，还是穿上的好。
象眼前这样的衣服，在这儿是穿不了多久的。"他两眼古里古怪地直瞅着克莱德身上那套非常洁净。但又不太昂贵的衣服。他对待克莱德的态度，很象对待惠甘那样，可以说半信半疑和稍感敬畏，极端尊敬和私下里又有些犯疑掺杂在一起，而这种怀疑心理，只有随着时间推移才能加以解决。在这里，一个姓格里菲思的人，显然非同小可，哪怕他仅仅是一个堂兄弟，而且可能还不是有钱有势的亲戚十分欢迎的人。
克莱德看到地下室之后得到的印象，跟自己原来对伯父这个厂的种种梦想大相径庭，就有点儿恼火了。他在这儿见到的那些年轻人和成年男子，依他看，一望可知比他原先想象要粗野得多……论才智和机警，跟联谊俱乐部和格林戴维逊大酒店那些侍应生相比，更要差远了。最精的是，他觉得他们更加低三下四。更加狡黠。更加愚笨……说真的，不过是些机器罢了。克莱德还发觉，他和惠甘先生一进去的时候，他们假装没看见，实际上对这一切都看在眼里。
说实话，他和惠甘先生已成为他们偷偷地观察的中心人物。他们如此爱惜衣服与切合实际的作风，又给了他原先以为这儿工作该有多么高雅的想法以致命打击。他就是因为过去没有受过专门训练，如今不能在办公室里，或在楼上担任什么工作，该有多么不幸啊。
他跟着凯默勒先生往前走，凯默勒先生不厌其烦地跟他说，这些是瓷缸，坯布都要浸泡在里面过夜……这些是脱水烘干机……这些是台架式烘干机。随后，凯默勒先生关照克莱德可以走了。这时才三点钟。
克莱德从最近的一道门走了出去，心里一想到自己能在这家大公司做事，自然深感高兴。同时，他又担心自己能不能让凯默勒先生和惠甘先生感到满意。
要是不能呢?
或者说，这一切他要是受不了呢?
这活儿实在不轻啊。他暗自寻思，好吧，反正最糟的话，他还可以回芝加哥，或是，比方说，到纽约去，另谋工作。
不过，塞缪尔。格里菲思为什么没有亲自接见他，欢迎他呢?
这位年轻的吉尔伯特。格里菲思为什么对他一个劲儿冷笑呢?
这个布雷莉太太，又是个什么样的女人呢?
他上这儿来，是不是明智之举?
现在既然他已到了这儿，格里菲思一家人肯不肯助他一臂之力呢?
他就这样一边想，一边顺着还有一些别的工厂的里佛街往西走去，随后又朝北走过一些街道，那儿工厂更多了……有制造马口铁的，编织柳藤的，还有一家制造真空吸尘器的大厂，一家地毯织造公司等等。后来，他闯进了一个可怜的贫民窟，虽然很小，可是，他在芝加哥或是堪萨斯城郊外都没看到过这种景象，使他心中感到激愤与压抑，因为这里居民的贫穷与粗鲁，以及社会地位低下，这一切他觉得全都体现出了社会的不幸。于是，他就马上折返，走过西边一座桥，又过了莫霍克河，来到了迥然不同的另一个地区……这一带的房子，同他去工厂前不胜羡慕过的那些房子一样。再往南走，又来到那条两旁有树的宽阔的大街……就是他刚到此地时观赏过的……单就这条大街的外观，就一望可知是莱柯格斯主要的住宅区。路面很宽敞，铺得很讲究，两旁都是一排排令人瞩目的府邸。他马上对住在这条街上的人发生惊人的兴趣，因为他立时就想到，他伯父塞缪尔。格里菲思必定是住在这条街上。这里府邸差不多都是法国式。意大利式，或是英国式的，而且是集各个时代最佳式样的大成，虽说这些玩意儿克莱德都是一窍不通。
这些府邸美丽。宽敞，给他留下很深印象。但他还是往前走去，而且还不时东张西望，被这种高门鼎贵的情景深深激动，心想真不知道自己伯父究竟住的是哪一座府邸。每天早上，他的堂兄吉尔伯特从这类府邸步出大门时，想必是够神气活现的。
不一会儿，他就在一座府邸前停步不前，看到宅园里有树木。有小径，花坛新近整修过，虽然眼前花朵还没有吐蕊。屋后有一大间汽车房，左边有一座大喷泉，喷泉中央，有一个小孩双手抱着一头天鹅。屋子右侧有一头铁铸的公鹿，被几只铁铸的狗紧追不舍。这座府邸原是仿照古老英国形式而又稍有变异建成，富有一种庄严的气派，他不由得艳羡不已，乃至于完全倾倒，便开口问一个过路行人……一个衣衫褴褛。好象工人模样的中年人:
"先生，您知道这是谁家的公馆?
"那个人回答说:
"怎么你不知道?
这是塞缪尔。格里菲思的府邸啊。此人就是河对岸制造领子的大工厂的老板。"克莱德身子马上震颤一下，好象被浇上了一阵凉水似的。是他伯父的!
他的府邸!
那末，屋后汽车房前停着的，就是他的汽车中的一辆。透过汽车房敞着的门，还看得见另外一辆呢。
是的，在克莱德还没有成熟的。实质上愚昧混沌的心灵里，突然一下子触发了他类似玫瑰。芳香。色彩和音乐的奇思遐想。多美!
多豪华!
在他自己家里，有哪一位做梦都不会想到他伯父过着如此的生活!
如此富丽堂皇!
可是回过头来，看看他自己的父母，却是那么可怜……那么穷愁潦倒，如今正在堪萨斯城沿街传道，在丹佛当然也是这样。经办一个传道馆!
虽说这个巨富之家迄今还没有一个人出面接见过他，除了他那个冷冰冰的堂兄(而且还是在工厂里)，如此无动于衷地指派他去干这种下贱的工作，即使这样，他依然感到扬扬自得。反正说到底，他不是也姓格里菲思吗?
他还是莱柯格斯两个大人物的名正言顺的堂兄弟和亲侄子吗?
但不管怎么说，如今他已开始为他们干活了。难道说这不意味着……等待着他的，将是比他所能想象得到的更好的前途吗?
只要想一想:
莱柯格斯城的格里菲思是何许人也，而在堪萨斯城……或是比方说，在丹佛吧……那里的格里菲思，又是何许人也。真有天壤之别啊!
这事可非得想方设法隐瞒起来不可。
想到这里，他马上又垂头丧气了，因为，万一此地的格里菲思……他的伯父，或是堂兄，或是他们的一些朋友或是职员……现在要调查他的父母和他的过去，那该怎么办?
老天爷哪!
堪萨斯城那个小女孩惨死案啊!
他父母颠沛流离的悲惨生活啊!
还有爱思达啊。他马上满脸愁云，他的梦想正在化为乌有。他们要是突然猜到了呢!
?
他们要是突然发觉了呢!
?
哦，见鬼去吧……他到底算什么人呢?
说真的，他又算得上什么?
一旦他们知道了他干吗要投奔这里来，那么，他能指望从这么一个富丽堂皇的世界得到些什么呢?
克莱德掉过头去，原路折回。他心里有些懊恼，有些沮丧，因为他突然觉得自己完全微不足道。
收听单词发音 |
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depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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automobiles
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| n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 ) | |
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interspersed
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| adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词 | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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ambling
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| v.（马）缓行( amble的现在分词 )；从容地走，漫步 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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presumption
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| n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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placate
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| v.抚慰，平息(愤怒) | |
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stenographer
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| n.速记员 | |
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superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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impended
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| v.进行威胁，即将发生( impend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chronically
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| ad.长期地 | |
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authoritatively
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| 命令式地，有权威地，可信地 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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deferentially
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| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
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condescending
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| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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bins
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| n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 )；宽口箱（如面包箱，垃圾箱等）v.扔掉，丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 ) | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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aisles
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| n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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porcelain
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| n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的 | |
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exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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spool
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| n.（缠录音带等的）卷盘（轴）；v.把…绕在卷轴上 | |
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dryers
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| n.干燥机( dryer的名词复数 )；干燥器；干燥剂；干燥工 | |
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necessitate
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| v.使成为必要，需要 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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pate
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| n.头顶；光顶 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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fishy
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| adj. 值得怀疑的 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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cynically
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| adv.爱嘲笑地，冷笑地 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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spaciousness
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| n.宽敞 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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immature
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| adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的 | |
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psychically
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| adv.精神上 | |
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evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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