ABOUT ten days after the happenings recorded in the foregoing chapter old Simon Walton sat alone in his office. A typewriter was clicking in the counting-room adjoining, its sound deadened by the closed door and thin partition through which it passed. With noiseless tread Toby Lassiter, now older, more careworn¹, more machine-like than ever, entered and laid a bulky express envelope before his employer.

“What is this?” the banker asked, as he examined the heavy wax seals and reached for his paper-knife.

“I don’t know, sir; it came just now,” and Toby silently withdrew.

Walton clipped the twine², pried³ under the seals, and tore open the thick paper. It contained money. Six five-hundred-dollar bills were drawn⁴ out and laid on the desk. Wondering what it meant, the old man looked into the envelope. There was a letter, and it covered several pages of paper. A glance at the writing caused him a dull thrill of surprise. There was no address from which it was written, and it bore no date. It ran as follows:

My dear Father,—I am sure you will be surprised to hear from me. I would have written before this if it could have done either of us any good. As I wrote you when I left, I had determined⁵ to turn over a new leaf, if such a thing were possible. It was an awful fight against big odds⁶.

Finally, however, I happened to meet—and it was when I had almost given up—a rich man with a good heart who befriended me, and offered me a position in his big wholesale⁷ store. I had a struggle with myself as to what I ought to do in regard to revealing my past life, but I finally decided⁸ to tell him the truth, and I am glad to say he overlooked it all and became my friend and benefactor

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1 careworn
adj.疲倦的，饱经忧患的
参考例句：
It's sad to see the careworn face of the mother of a large poor family.看到那贫穷的一大家子的母亲忧劳憔悴的脸庞心里真是难受。 The old woman had a careworn look on her face.老妇脸上露出忧心忡忡的神色。

2 twine
v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕
参考例句：
He tied the parcel with twine.他用细绳捆包裹。 Their cardboard boxes were wrapped and tied neatly with waxed twine.他们的纸板盒用蜡线扎得整整齐齐。

3 pried
v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的过去式和过去分词 )；撬开
参考例句：
We pried open the locked door with an iron bar. 我们用铁棍把锁着的门撬开。 来自《简明英汉词典》 So Tom pried his mouth open and poured down the Pain-killer. 因此汤姆撬开它的嘴，把止痛药灌下去。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

4 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

5 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 odds
n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别
参考例句：
The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。 Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

7 wholesale
n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售
参考例句：
The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。 Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

8 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。

9 benefactor
n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人
参考例句：
The chieftain of that country is disguised as a benefactor this time. 那个国家的首领这一次伪装出一副施恩者的姿态。 The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain. 我所做的第一件事, 就是报答我那最初的恩人, 那位好心的老船长。

10 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

11 incentive
n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机
参考例句：
Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。 He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

12 refund
v.退还，偿还；n.归还，偿还额，退款
参考例句：
They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。 We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意，我们愿意退款给你。

13 earnings
n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得
参考例句：
That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。 Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

14 worthiness
价值，值得
参考例句：
It'satisfies the spraying robot's function requirement and has practical worthiness. " 运行试验表明，系统工作稳定可靠，满足了喷雾机器人的功能要求，具有实用价值。 The judge will evaluate the worthiness of these claims. 法官会评估这些索赔的价值。

15 deliberately
adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地
参考例句：
The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。 They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

16 veins
n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理
参考例句：
The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 savings
n.存款，储蓄
参考例句：
I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。 By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

18 advantageous
adj.有利的；有帮助的
参考例句：
Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous.注射维生素C显然是有利的。 You're in a very advantageous position.你处于非常有利的地位。

19 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。

20 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

21 dictating
v.大声讲或读( dictate的现在分词 )；口授；支配；摆布
参考例句：
The manager was dictating a letter to the secretary. 经理在向秘书口授信稿。 来自辞典例句 Her face is impassive as she listens to Miller dictating the warrant for her arrest. 她毫无表情地在听米勒口述拘留她的证书。 来自辞典例句

22 stenographer
n.速记员
参考例句：
The police stenographer recorded the man's confession word by word. 警察局速记员逐字记下了那个人的供词。 来自《简明英汉词典》 A qualified stenographer is not necessarily a competent secretary. 一个合格的速记员不一定就是个称职的秘书。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

23 curtly
adv.简短地
参考例句：
He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 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。

25 calf
n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮
参考例句：
The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。 The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

26 craftily
狡猾地，狡诈地
参考例句：
He craftily arranged to be there when the decision was announced. 在决议宣布之时，他狡猾地赶到了那里。 Strengthen basic training of calculation, get the kids to grasp the radical calculating ability craftily. 加强计算基本训练，通过分、小、百互化口算的练习，使学生熟练地掌握基本的计算技能。

27 dreads
n.恐惧，畏惧( dread的名词复数 )；令人恐惧的事物v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The little boy dreads going to bed in the dark. 这孩子不敢在黑暗中睡觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》 A burnt child dreads the fire. [谚]烧伤过的孩子怕火（惊弓之鸟，格外胆小）。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

28 lethargic
adj.昏睡的，懒洋洋的
参考例句：
He felt too miserable and lethargic to get dressed.他心情低落无精打采，完全没有心思穿衣整装。 The hot weather made me feel lethargic.炎热的天气使我昏昏欲睡。

29 snarled
v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说
参考例句：
The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。 As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 sprouting
v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出
参考例句：
new leaves sprouting from the trees 树上长出的新叶 They were putting fresh earth around sprouting potato stalks. 他们在往绽出新芽的土豆秧周围培新土。 来自名作英译部分

31 hearth
n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面
参考例句：
She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。 She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

32 runaway
n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的
参考例句：
The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。 He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

33 plumb
adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深
参考例句：
No one could plumb the mystery.没人能看破这秘密。 It was unprofitable to plumb that sort of thing.这种事弄个水落石出没有什么好处。

34 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

35 lookout
n.注意，前途，瞭望台
参考例句：
You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。 It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

36 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

37 plight
n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定
参考例句：
The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。 She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

38 mole
n.胎块；痣；克分子
参考例句：
She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。 The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。

39 burrowed
v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的过去式和过去分词 )；翻寻
参考例句：
The rabbits burrowed into the hillside. 兔子在山腰上打洞。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She burrowed her head into my shoulder. 她把头紧靠在我的肩膀上。 来自辞典例句

40 fluffy
adj.有绒毛的，空洞的
参考例句：
Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.刚孵出的小鸡像绒毛球。 The steamed bread is very fluffy.馒头很暄。

41 hemmed
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围
参考例句：
He hemmed and hawed but wouldn't say anything definite. 他总是哼儿哈儿的，就是不说句痛快话。 The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides. 士兵们被四面包围了。

42 fiddle
n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动
参考例句：
She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。 Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。

43 watts
（电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 )
参考例句：
My lamp uses 60 watts; my toaster uses 600 watts. 我的灯用60瓦，我的烤面包器用600瓦。 My lamp uses 40 watts. 我的灯40瓦。

44 wagon
n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车
参考例句：
We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。 The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

45 blurted
v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She blurted it out before I could stop her. 我还没来得及制止，她已脱口而出。 He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime. 他不慎说出了真相，说是他犯了那个罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

46 streak
n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动
参考例句：
The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。 Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

47 poker
n.扑克；vt.烙制
参考例句：
He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。 I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

48 futures
n.期货，期货交易
参考例句：
He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。 Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。