Strong and Steady Or, Paddle Your Own Canoe
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CHAPTER IV. JACOB DRUMMOND, OF STAPLETON.

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 Jacob Drummond kept a dry-goods store in the village of Stapleton. As the village was of considerable size, and he had no competitors, he drove a flourishing trade, and had already acquired quite a comfortable property. In fact, even had he been less favorably situated1, he was pretty sure to thrive. He knew how to save money better, even, than to earn it, being considered, and with justice, a very mean man. He carried his meanness not only into his business, but into his household, and there was not a poor mechanic in Stapleton, and scarcely a poor laborer2, who did not live better than Mr. Drummond, who was the rich man of the place.
 
No one, to look at Jacob Drummond, would have been likely to mistake his character. All the lines of his face, the expression of his thin lips, his cold gray eyes, all bespoke3 his meanness. Poor Mrs.[Pg 34] Drummond, his wife, could have testified to it, had she dared; but in this house, at least, the husband was master, and she dared not express the opinions she secretly entertained of the man to whom she was bound for life.
 
At five o'clock on the afternoon of the day after Mr. Conrad's death, Mr. Drummond entered the house, which was on the opposite side of the street from the store.
 
This was the supper hour, and supper was ready upon the table.
 
A single glance was sufficient to show that Mr. Drummond was not a man to indulge in luxurious4 living. There was a plate of white bread, cut in thin slices, a small plate of butter, half a pie, and a plate of cake. A small pitcher5 of milk, a bowl of coarse brown sugar, and a pot of the cheapest kind of tea completed the preparations for the evening meal. Certainly there was nothing extravagant6 about these preparations; but Mr. Drummond thought otherwise. His attention was at once drawn7 to the cake, and instantly a frown gathered upon his face.
 
[Pg 35]

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1 situated JiYzBH     
adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的
参考例句：
  • The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
  • She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。
2 laborer 52xxc     
n.劳动者，劳工
参考例句：
  • Her husband had been a farm laborer.她丈夫以前是个农场雇工。
  • He worked as a casual laborer and did not earn much.他当临时工，没有赚多少钱。
3 bespoke 145af5d0ef7fa4d104f65fe8ad911f59     
adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求
参考例句：
  • His style of dressing bespoke great self-confidence. 他的衣着风格显得十分自信。
  • The haberdasher presented a cap, saying,"Here is the cap your worship bespoke." 帽匠拿出一顶帽子来说：“这就是老爷您定做的那顶。” 来自辞典例句
4 luxurious S2pyv     
adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的
参考例句：
  • This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
  • The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。
5 pitcher S2Gz7     
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手
参考例句：
  • He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
  • Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。
6 extravagant M7zya     
adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的
参考例句：
  • They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
  • He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。
7 drawn MuXzIi     
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。
8 nervously tn6zFp     
adv.神情激动地，不安地
参考例句：
  • He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
  • He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
9 overflowing df84dc195bce4a8f55eb873daf61b924     
n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式
参考例句：
  • The stands were overflowing with farm and sideline products. 集市上农副产品非常丰富。
  • The milk is overflowing. 牛奶溢出来了。
10 grudged 497ff7797c8f8bc24299e4af22d743da     
怀恨（grudge的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • The mean man grudged the food his horse ate. 那个吝啬鬼舍不得喂马。
  • He grudged the food his horse ate. 他吝惜马料。
11 niggardly F55zj     
adj.吝啬的，很少的
参考例句：
  • Forced by hunger,he worked for the most niggardly pay.为饥饿所迫，他为极少的工资而工作。
  • He is niggardly with his money.他对钱很吝啬。
12 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
13 prospect P01zn     
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
  • This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
  • The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。
14 meekly meekly     
adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地
参考例句：
  • He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时，他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 frugality XhMxn     
n.节约，节俭
参考例句：
  • We must build up our country with industry and frugality.我们必须勤俭建国。
  • By frugality she managed to get along on her small salary.凭着节俭，她设法以自己微薄的薪水生活。
16 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

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