Tom, The Bootblack or, The Road to Success
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CHAPTER I. INTRODUCING TOM, THE BOOTBLACK.

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 "How do you feel this morning, Jacob?" asked a boy of fifteen, bending over an old man crouched1 in the corner of an upper room, in a poor tenement-house, distant less than a quarter of a mile from the New York City Hall.
 
"Weak, Tom," whined2 the old man, in reply. "I—I ain't got much strength."
 
"Would you like some breakfast?"
 
"I—I don't know. Breakfast costs money."
 
"Never you mind about that, Jacob. I can earn money enough for both of us. Come, now, you'd like some coffee and eggs, wouldn't you?"
 
There was a look of eager appetite in the old man's eyes as he heard the boy speak.
 
"Yes," he answered, "I should like them; but we can't afford it."
 
"Don't you be afraid of that. I'll go and ask Mrs. Flanagan to get some ready at once. I've earned thirty cents this morning already, Jacob, and that'll pay for breakfast for the two of us. I think I could eat some breakfast myself."
 
Jacob uttered a feeble remonstrance3, but the boy did not stop to hear it. He went down the rough staircase, and knocked at the door of the room below. It was opened by a stout4, wholesome-looking Irish woman, who saluted5 the boy heartily6.
 
"Well, Tom, and how's your grandfather this mornin'?"
 
"He's weak, Mrs. Flanagan; but he'll be the better for some breakfast, and so shall I. I'll go and buy half a dozen eggs, if you'll be kind enough to cook them, and make some coffee for us. I'll pay you for your trouble."
 
"Of course I will, Tom. And for the eggs you needn't go out, for I've got the same in the closet; but I'm short of bread, and, if you'll buy a loaf, I'll have the coffee and eggs ready in no time."
 
While Tom is on his way to the baker's shop, a few words of explanation and description may be in place. First, for our hero. I have already said he was fifteen. Let me add that he was stout and strongly built, with an open, prepossessing face, and the air of one who is ready to fight his own battles without calling for assistance. His position in life is

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1 crouched 62634c7e8c15b8a61068e36aaed563ab     
v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
  • The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身，准备猛扑。
2 whined cb507de8567f4d63145f632630148984     
v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨
参考例句：
  • The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句
3 remonstrance bVex0     
n抗议，抱怨
参考例句：
  • She had abandoned all attempts at remonstrance with Thomas.她已经放弃了一切劝戒托马斯的尝试。
  • Mrs. Peniston was at the moment inaccessible to remonstrance.目前彭尼斯顿太太没功夫听她告状。
5 saluted 1a86aa8dabc06746471537634e1a215f     
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
  • The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。
  • He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很
参考例句：
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。
7 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
8 vocations bd35d8380ee2ae73e19e0d106d4c66c4     
n.（认为特别适合自己的）职业( vocation的名词复数 )；使命；神召；（认为某种工作或生活方式特别适合自己的）信心
参考例句：
  • The term profession originally denoted a limited number of vocations. 专业这个术语起初表示数量有限的职业。 来自辞典例句
  • I understood that Love encompassed all vocations, that Love was everything "." 我明白爱含有一切圣召，爱就是一切。 来自互联网
9 reticent dW9xG     
adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的
参考例句：
  • He was reticent about his opinion.他有保留意见。
  • He was extremely reticent about his personal life.他对自己的个人生活讳莫如深。
10 unwilling CjpwB     
adj.不情愿的
参考例句：
  • The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
  • His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。
11 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒，生气，烦恼
参考例句：
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
12 interfered 71b7e795becf1adbddfab2cd6c5f0cff     
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉
参考例句：
  • Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 decided lvqzZd     
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。
14 justified 7pSzrk     
a.正当的，有理的
参考例句：
  • She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
  • The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。
15 humbly humbly     
adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地
参考例句：
  • We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy. 我们恳请陛下发发慈悲。
  • "You must be right, Sir,'said John humbly. “你一定是对的，先生，”约翰恭顺地说道。
16 miser p19yi     
n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)
参考例句：
  • The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
  • The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。
17 secreted a4714b3ddc8420a17efed0cdc6ce32bb     
v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏
参考例句：
  • Insulin is secreted by the pancreas. 胰岛素是胰腺分泌的。
  • He secreted his winnings in a drawer. 他把赢来的钱藏在抽届里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 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。
19 earnings rrWxJ     
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%。
20 bustling LxgzEl     
adj.喧闹的
参考例句：
  • The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
  • This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。
21 fable CzRyn     
n.寓言；童话；神话
参考例句：
  • The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable. 他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
22 crouching crouching     
v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • a hulking figure crouching in the darkness 黑暗中蹲伏着的一个庞大身影
  • A young man was crouching by the table, busily searching for something. 一个年轻人正蹲在桌边翻看什么。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译
23 inhaled 1072d9232d676d367b2f48410158ae32     
v.吸入( inhale的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. 她合上双眼，深深吸了一口气。
  • Janet inhaled sharply when she saw him. 珍妮特看到他时猛地吸了口气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 bully bully     
n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮
参考例句：
  • A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
  • The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
25 specially Hviwq     
adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地
参考例句：
  • They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
  • The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。
26 relish wBkzs     
n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味
参考例句：
  • I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
  • I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

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