章节正文
He may go to the store to see him.''
``That is true. I should not like that. How shall
we prevent it, that's the question.''
``If Gilbert & Mack knew that he was not honest
they would discharge him.''
``Exactly,'' said John Wade; ``and as probably he
would be unable to get another situation, he would
be compelled to leave the city, and we should get rid
of him. I commend your shrewdness, Mrs. Bradley.
Your plan is most excellent.''
John Wade had more reasons than the housekeeper
knew of for desiring the removal of our young hero
from the city--reasons which the reader has probably
guessed. There was a dark secret in his life
connected with a wrong done in years past, from which
he hoped some day to reap personal benefit. Unconsciously
Frank Fowler stood in his way, and must
be removed. Such was his determination.
``I am going out this morning,'' said the
housekeeper. ``I will make it in my way to call at Gilbert
& Mack's. My nephew is a salesman there, as I
have told you. I will drop a word in his ear, and
that will be enough to settle that boy's hash.''
``Your language is professional, Mrs. Bradley,''
said John Wade, laughing, ``but you shouldn't allude
to hash in an aristocratic household. I shall be glad
to have you carry out your plan.''
``I hope you'll speak to your uncle about my
nephew, Mr. John. He gets very poor pay where
he is.''
``I won't forget him,'' said John, carelessly.
In his heart he thought Thomas Bradley a very
low, obtrusive fellow, whom he felt by no means
inclined to assist, but it was cheap to make promises.
The reader understands now why Mrs. Bradley
made a morning call at Gilbert & Mack's store.
She knew at what part of the counter her nephew
was stationed, and made her way thither at once.
He did not at first recognize her, until she said:
``Good-morning, Thomas.''
``Good-morning, aunt. What brings you here this
morning? Any good news for me? Has the old
gentleman come around and concluded to do something handsome?''
``Mr. Wharton is not in the city. He has gone to
Washington. But that isn't what I came about this
morning. You remember that boy who has been
reading to Mr. Wharton?''
``One of our cash-boys. Yes; there he is, just
gone by.''
``Well, he has stolen Mr. John's pocketbook and
some jewelry belonging to him.''
``What have you done about it? What does Mr.
Wharton say?''
``He's away from home. He doesn't know yet. Mr.
John gave him a lecture, and ordered him to leave
the house.''
``Does he admit that he took the things?''
``No; he denied it as bold as brass, but it didn't
do him any good. There were the things in his
trunk. He couldn't get over that.''
Thomas fastened a shrewd glance on his aunt's
face, for he suspected the truth.
``So you've got rid of him?'' he said. ``What do
you propose to do next?''
``Mr. John thinks your employer ought to know
that he is a thief.''
``Are you going to tell them?''
``I want you to do it.''
``You must tell them yourself, aunt. I shan't.''
``Then introduce me to Mr. Gilbert, Thomas, and
I'll do it.''
``Follow me, aunt.''
He led his aunt to the rear of the store, where
Mr. Gilbert was standing.
``Mr. Gilbert,'' he said, ``allow me to introduce my
aunt, Mrs. Bradley.''
The housekeeper was courteously received, and
invited to be seated. She soon opened her business,
and blackened poor Frank's character as she had intended.
``Really, Mrs. Bradley, I am sorry to hear this,''
said Mr. Gilbert. ``You think there is no doubt of
the boy's guilt?''
``I am sorry to say that I have no doubt at all,''
said the housekeeper, hypocritically.
``Mr. Mack and myself have had a very good opinion
of him. He is faithful and prompt.''
``Of course, sir, you will retain him in your
employ if you are willing to take the risk, but I thought
it my duty to put you on your guard.''
``I am obliged to you, Mrs. Bradley; though, as
I said, I regret to find that my confidence in the boy
has been misplaced.''
Late in the afternoon, Frank was called to the
cashier's desk.
``I am directed by Mr. Gilbert to say that your
services will not be required after to-day,'' he said.
``Here are the week's wages.''
``Why am I discharged? What have I done?''
demanded Frank, while his heart sank within him.
``I don't know. You must ask Mr. Gilbert,''
answered the cashier.
``I will speak to him, at any rate,'' and Frank
walked up to the seniorpartner, and addressed to
him the same question.
``Can you not guess?'' asked Mr. Gilbert, sternly.
``I can guess that a false accusation has been
brought against me,'' said Frank.
``A respectable lady has informed me that you
are not honest. I regret it, for I have been pleased
with your diligence. Of course, I cannot retain you
in my employ.''
``Mr. Gilbert,'' said Frank, earnestly, ``the charge
is false. Mrs. Bradley is my enemy, and wishes me
harm. I don't understand how the things came into
my trunk, but I didn't put them there.''
``I hope you are innocent, but I must discharge
you. Business is dull now, and I had decided to part
with four of my cash-boys. I won't pass judgment
upon you, but you must go.''
Frank bowed in silence, for he saw that further
entreaty would be vain, and left the store more
dispirited than at any moment since he had been in
the city.
Ten days Frank spent in fruitless efforts to obtain
a place.
All this time his money steadily diminished. He
perceived that he would soon be penniless. Evidently,
something must be done. He formed two determinations.
The first was to write to Mr. Wharton,
who, he thought, must now have returned from
Washington, asserting his innocence and appealing
to him to see Gilbert & Mack, and re-establish him
in their confidence. The second was, since he could
not obtain a regular place, to frequent the wharves
and seek chances to carry bundles. In this way he
might earn enough, with great economy, to pay for
his board and lodging.
One morning the housekeeper entered the library
where John Wade sat reading the daily papers.
``Mr. John,'' she said, holding out a letter, ``here
is a letter from that boy. I expected he would write
to your uncle.''
John Wade deliberately opened the letter.
``Sit down, Mrs. Bradley, and I will read the letter
aloud.''
It will be only necessary to quote the concluding
sentences:
`` `I hope, Mr. Wharton, you will not be influenced
against me by what Mrs. Bradley and your nephew
say. I don't know why it is, but they are my enemies,
though I have always treated them with respect.
I am afraid they have a desire to injure me in your
estimation. If they had not been, they would have
been content with driving me from your house, without
also slandering me to my employers, and inducing
them to discharge me. Since I was discharged,
I have tried very hard to get another place, but as
I cannot bring a recommendation from Gilbert &
Mack, I have everywhere been refused. I ask you,
Mr. Wharton to consider my situation. Already my
small supply of money is nearly gone, and I do not
know how I am to pay my expenses. If it was any
fault of mine that had brought me into this situation,
I would not complain, but it seems hard to
suffer when I am innocent.
`` `I do not ask to return to your house, Mr.
Wharton, for it would not be pleasant, since your nephew
and Mrs. Bradley dislike me, but I have a right to
ask that the truth may be told to my employers, so
that if they do not wish me to return to their service,
they may, at least, be willing to give me a recommendation
that will give me a place elsewhere.'''
``I must prevent the boy communicating with my
uncle, if it is a possible thing. `Strike while the iron
is hot,' I say.''
``I think that is very judicious, Mr. John. I have
no doubt you will know how to manage matters.''
John Wade dressed himself for a walk, and drawing
out a cigar, descended the steps of his uncle's
house into the street.
He reached Fifth Avenue, and walked slowly
downtown. He was about opposite Twenty-eighth Street,
when he came face to face with the subject of his
thoughts.
``Where are you going?'' John Wade demanded
sternly.
``I don't know that I am bound to answer your
question,'' answered Frank, quietly, ``but I have no
objection. I am going to Thirty-ninth Street with
this bundle.''
``Hark you, boy! I have something to say to you,''
continued John Wade, harshly. ``You have had the
impudence to write to my uncle.''
``What did he say?''
``Nothing that you would like to hear. He looks
upon you as a thief.''
``You have slandered me to him, Mr. Wade,'' he
said, angrily. ``You might be in better business than
accusingly a poor boy falsely.''
``Hark you, young man! I have had enough of
your impudence. I will give you a bit of advice,
``That is true. I should not like that. How shall
we prevent it, that's the question.''
``If Gilbert & Mack knew that he was not honest
they would discharge him.''
``Exactly,'' said John Wade; ``and as probably he
would be unable to get another situation, he would
be compelled to leave the city, and we should get rid
of him. I commend your shrewdness, Mrs. Bradley.
Your plan is most excellent.''
John Wade had more reasons than the housekeeper
knew of for desiring the removal of our young hero
from the city--reasons which the reader has probably
guessed. There was a dark secret in his life
connected with a wrong done in years past, from which
he hoped some day to reap personal benefit. Unconsciously
Frank Fowler stood in his way, and must
be removed. Such was his determination.
``I am going out this morning,'' said the
housekeeper. ``I will make it in my way to call at Gilbert
& Mack's. My nephew is a salesman there, as I
have told you. I will drop a word in his ear, and
that will be enough to settle that boy's hash.''
``Your language is professional, Mrs. Bradley,''
said John Wade, laughing, ``but you shouldn't allude
to hash in an aristocratic household. I shall be glad
to have you carry out your plan.''
``I hope you'll speak to your uncle about my
nephew, Mr. John. He gets very poor pay where
he is.''
``I won't forget him,'' said John, carelessly.
In his heart he thought Thomas Bradley a very
low, obtrusive fellow, whom he felt by no means
inclined to assist, but it was cheap to make promises.
The reader understands now why Mrs. Bradley
made a morning call at Gilbert & Mack's store.
She knew at what part of the counter her nephew
was stationed, and made her way thither at once.
He did not at first recognize her, until she said:
``Good-morning, Thomas.''
``Good-morning, aunt. What brings you here this
morning? Any good news for me? Has the old
gentleman come around and concluded to do something handsome?''
``Mr. Wharton is not in the city. He has gone to
Washington. But that isn't what I came about this
morning. You remember that boy who has been
reading to Mr. Wharton?''
``One of our cash-boys. Yes; there he is, just
gone by.''
``Well, he has stolen Mr. John's pocketbook and
some jewelry belonging to him.''
``What have you done about it? What does Mr.
Wharton say?''
``He's away from home. He doesn't know yet. Mr.
John gave him a lecture, and ordered him to leave
the house.''
``Does he admit that he took the things?''
``No; he denied it as bold as brass, but it didn't
do him any good. There were the things in his
trunk. He couldn't get over that.''
Thomas fastened a shrewd glance on his aunt's
face, for he suspected the truth.
``So you've got rid of him?'' he said. ``What do
you propose to do next?''
``Mr. John thinks your employer ought to know
that he is a thief.''
``Are you going to tell them?''
``I want you to do it.''
``You must tell them yourself, aunt. I shan't.''
``Then introduce me to Mr. Gilbert, Thomas, and
I'll do it.''
``Follow me, aunt.''
He led his aunt to the rear of the store, where
Mr. Gilbert was standing.
``Mr. Gilbert,'' he said, ``allow me to introduce my
aunt, Mrs. Bradley.''
The housekeeper was courteously received, and
invited to be seated. She soon opened her business,
and blackened poor Frank's character as she had intended.
``Really, Mrs. Bradley, I am sorry to hear this,''
said Mr. Gilbert. ``You think there is no doubt of
the boy's guilt?''
``I am sorry to say that I have no doubt at all,''
said the housekeeper, hypocritically.
``Mr. Mack and myself have had a very good opinion
of him. He is faithful and prompt.''
``Of course, sir, you will retain him in your
employ if you are willing to take the risk, but I thought
it my duty to put you on your guard.''
``I am obliged to you, Mrs. Bradley; though, as
I said, I regret to find that my confidence in the boy
has been misplaced.''
Late in the afternoon, Frank was called to the
cashier's desk.
``I am directed by Mr. Gilbert to say that your
services will not be required after to-day,'' he said.
``Here are the week's wages.''
``Why am I discharged? What have I done?''
demanded Frank, while his heart sank within him.
``I don't know. You must ask Mr. Gilbert,''
answered the cashier.
``I will speak to him, at any rate,'' and Frank
walked up to the seniorpartner, and addressed to
him the same question.
``Can you not guess?'' asked Mr. Gilbert, sternly.
``I can guess that a false accusation has been
brought against me,'' said Frank.
``A respectable lady has informed me that you
are not honest. I regret it, for I have been pleased
with your diligence. Of course, I cannot retain you
in my employ.''
``Mr. Gilbert,'' said Frank, earnestly, ``the charge
is false. Mrs. Bradley is my enemy, and wishes me
harm. I don't understand how the things came into
my trunk, but I didn't put them there.''
``I hope you are innocent, but I must discharge
you. Business is dull now, and I had decided to part
with four of my cash-boys. I won't pass judgment
upon you, but you must go.''
Frank bowed in silence, for he saw that further
entreaty would be vain, and left the store more
dispirited than at any moment since he had been in
the city.
Ten days Frank spent in fruitless efforts to obtain
a place.
All this time his money steadily diminished. He
perceived that he would soon be penniless. Evidently,
something must be done. He formed two determinations.
The first was to write to Mr. Wharton,
who, he thought, must now have returned from
Washington, asserting his innocence and appealing
to him to see Gilbert & Mack, and re-establish him
in their confidence. The second was, since he could
not obtain a regular place, to frequent the wharves
and seek chances to carry bundles. In this way he
might earn enough, with great economy, to pay for
his board and lodging.
One morning the housekeeper entered the library
where John Wade sat reading the daily papers.
``Mr. John,'' she said, holding out a letter, ``here
is a letter from that boy. I expected he would write
to your uncle.''
John Wade deliberately opened the letter.
``Sit down, Mrs. Bradley, and I will read the letter
aloud.''
It will be only necessary to quote the concluding
sentences:
`` `I hope, Mr. Wharton, you will not be influenced
against me by what Mrs. Bradley and your nephew
say. I don't know why it is, but they are my enemies,
though I have always treated them with respect.
I am afraid they have a desire to injure me in your
estimation. If they had not been, they would have
been content with driving me from your house, without
also slandering me to my employers, and inducing
them to discharge me. Since I was discharged,
I have tried very hard to get another place, but as
I cannot bring a recommendation from Gilbert &
Mack, I have everywhere been refused. I ask you,
Mr. Wharton to consider my situation. Already my
small supply of money is nearly gone, and I do not
know how I am to pay my expenses. If it was any
fault of mine that had brought me into this situation,
I would not complain, but it seems hard to
suffer when I am innocent.
`` `I do not ask to return to your house, Mr.
Wharton, for it would not be pleasant, since your nephew
and Mrs. Bradley dislike me, but I have a right to
ask that the truth may be told to my employers, so
that if they do not wish me to return to their service,
they may, at least, be willing to give me a recommendation
that will give me a place elsewhere.'''
``I must prevent the boy communicating with my
uncle, if it is a possible thing. `Strike while the iron
is hot,' I say.''
``I think that is very judicious, Mr. John. I have
no doubt you will know how to manage matters.''
John Wade dressed himself for a walk, and drawing
out a cigar, descended the steps of his uncle's
house into the street.
He reached Fifth Avenue, and walked slowly
downtown. He was about opposite Twenty-eighth Street,
when he came face to face with the subject of his
thoughts.
``Where are you going?'' John Wade demanded
sternly.
``I don't know that I am bound to answer your
question,'' answered Frank, quietly, ``but I have no
objection. I am going to Thirty-ninth Street with
this bundle.''
``Hark you, boy! I have something to say to you,''
continued John Wade, harshly. ``You have had the
impudence to write to my uncle.''
``What did he say?''
``Nothing that you would like to hear. He looks
upon you as a thief.''
``You have slandered me to him, Mr. Wade,'' he
said, angrily. ``You might be in better business than
accusingly a poor boy falsely.''
``Hark you, young man! I have had enough of
your impudence. I will give you a bit of advice,
- discharge [dis´tʃɑ:dʒ]
vt.&n.卸货；释放；解雇 (初中英语单词) - unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)
- nephew [´nevju:, ´nɛfju] n.侄子；外甥 (初中英语单词)
- professional [prə´feʃənəl] a.职业的 n.自由职业 (初中英语单词)
- assist [ə´sist] v.协助；援助；搀扶 (初中英语单词)
- thither [´ðiðə] ad.到那里 a.那边的 (初中英语单词)
- stolen [´stəulən] steal 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- employer [im´plɔiə] n.雇佣者，雇主 (初中英语单词)
- character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
- faithful [´feiθfəl] a.忠实的；可靠的 (初中英语单词)
- retain [ri´tein] vt.保持；保留；留住 (初中英语单词)
- willing [´wiliŋ] a.情愿的，乐意的 (初中英语单词)
- partner [´pɑ:tnə] n.伙伴 v.同....合作 (初中英语单词)
- diligence [´dilidʒəns] n.勤奋，努力 (初中英语单词)
- innocent [´inəsənt] a.无罪的；单纯的 (初中英语单词)
- steadily [´stedili] ad.坚定地；不断地 (初中英语单词)
- obtain [əb´tein] v.获得；买到；得到承认 (初中英语单词)
- frequent [´fri:kwənt] a.常见的，频繁的 (初中英语单词)
- economy [i´kɔnəmi] n.经济；机制；组织 (初中英语单词)
- reading [´ri:diŋ] n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词)
- injure [´indʒə] vt.伤害，损害，毁坏 (初中英语单词)
- complain [kəm´plein] vi.抱怨，叫屈；控诉 (初中英语单词)
- dislike [dis´laik] vt.&n.不喜爱，厌恶 (初中英语单词)
- commend [kə´mend] vt.把...交托给；称赞 (高中英语单词)
- removal [ri´mu:vəl] a.可移动的；可去除的 (高中英语单词)
- salesman [´seilzmən] n.店员；推销员 (高中英语单词)
- counter [´kauntə] n.计算者；柜台；计算机 (高中英语单词)
- jewelry [´dʒu:əlri] n.珠宝(饰物) (高中英语单词)
- shrewd [ʃru:d] a.精明的；狡猾的 (高中英语单词)
- housekeeper [´haus,ki:pə] n.主妇，女管家 (高中英语单词)
- senior [´si:niə] a.年长的 n.前辈 (高中英语单词)
- respectable [ri´spektəbəl] a.可敬的；有身价的 (高中英语单词)
- earnestly [´ə:nistli] ad.认真地；急切地 (高中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- innocence [´inəsəns] n.无罪；天真 (高中英语单词)
- deliberately [di´libərətli] ad.故意地；慎重地 (高中英语单词)
- recommendation [,rekəmen´deiʃən] n.推荐；劝告 (高中英语单词)
- angrily [´æŋgrili] ad.生气地；愤怒地 (高中英语单词)
- aristocratic [,æristə´krætik] a.贵族政治的；贵族的 (英语四级单词)
- accusation [ækju:´zeiʃən] n.谴责；告发 (英语四级单词)
- pocketbook [´pɔkitbuk] n.袖珍本；皮夹子；财力 (英语六级单词)
- courteously [´kə:tjəsli] ad.有礼貌地；殷勤地 (英语六级单词)
- holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)
- judicious [dʒu:´diʃəs] a.明智的；贤明的 (英语六级单词)
- harshly [´hɑ:ʃli] ad.粗糙地，冷酷地 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
章节正文
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