Tom, The Bootblack or, The Road to Success
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CHAPTER XIII. AN ADVENTURE.

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 The next morning, at the time appointed, Tom called at the establishment of Mr. Ferguson. The first he met was Maurice Walton. Maurice, in fact, was the youngest clerk, having received the appointment six weeks before, through the influence of his uncle.
 
"Did you come round to see me? I'm busy," said Maurice.
 
"Haven't you swept out yet?" asked Tom, mischievously1.
 
"Do you think I would demean myself by sweeping2 out?" returned Maurice, disgusted.
 
"I thought that might be your business."
 
"That would be good business for you. Perhaps Mr. Ferguson will engage you."
 
"All right; I'll accept, if he'll pay me enough. Is he in?"
 
"Who?"
 
"Your boss."
 
"I don't understand such low terms," said Maurice, loftily.
 
"Then it's time you did. Is Mr. Ferguson in?—if you can understand that better."
 
"Yes, he is, but he won't see you."
 
"Why not?"
 
"Because his time is too valuable."
 
"Then I wonder why he asked me to come round this morning?"
 
"Did he?"
 
"Of course he did; and, if you've got through sweeping out, you'd better let him know I'm on hand."
 
"Go yourself."
 
"Thank you for your polite invitation. They didn't examine you in good manners when they took you in here, did they?"
 
"You're an impertinent fellow."
 
"Thank you. You ought to be a good judge of impudence3. I'll see you again soon—hope you won't miss me much."
 
Our hero, who, it must be confessed, was not troubled by bashfulness, made a low bow to his opponent, and, advancing to the counting-room, opened the door. Mr. Ferguson looked up from his letters.
 
"Take a seat, Grey," he said, "and I'll speak to you in a moment."
 
"Thank you," said Tom, who knew how to be polite when it was proper to be so.

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1 mischievously 23cd35e8c65a34bd7a6d7ecbff03b336     
adv.有害地；淘气地
参考例句：
  • He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
  • Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠，是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网
2 sweeping ihCzZ4     
adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的
参考例句：
  • The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
  • Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？
3 impudence K9Mxe     
n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼
参考例句：
  • His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。
  • What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。
4 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
5 luxuriously 547f4ef96080582212df7e47e01d0eaf     
adv.奢侈地，豪华地
参考例句：
  • She put her nose luxuriously buried in heliotrope and tea roses. 她把自己的鼻子惬意地埋在天芥菜和庚申蔷薇花簇中。 来自辞典例句
  • To be well dressed doesn't mean to be luxuriously dressed. 穿得好不一定衣着豪华。 来自辞典例句
6 maxim G2KyJ     
n.格言，箴言
参考例句：
  • Please lay the maxim to your heart.请把此格言记在心里。
  • "Waste not,want not" is her favourite maxim.“不浪费则不匮乏”是她喜爱的格言。
7 bent QQ8yD     
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。
8 buffalo 1Sby4     
n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛
参考例句：
  • Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
  • The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。
9 sneeringly ffa6f8b8590d036547dae88a112a204e     
嘲笑地，轻蔑地
参考例句：
  • Guan and Zhang had nothing more to say, But they walked away sneeringly. 关羽、张飞无话，冷笑着走了。
10 curt omjyx     
adj.简短的，草率的
参考例句：
  • He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
  • He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。
11 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。
12 turbid tm6wY     
adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的
参考例句：
  • He found himself content to watch idly the sluggish flow of the turbid stream.他心安理得地懒洋洋地望着混浊的河水缓缓流着。
  • The lake's water is turbid.这个湖里的水混浊。
13 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

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