章节正文
have been of great service to me--the money, I
mean; for I have found it hard to live on five dollars
a week. Now I have not even that."
"Is it possible that Alonzo could have suppressed
the letter?" said Mr. Carter to himself.
"At any rate I never received it."
"Here is something else to inquire into," said Mr.
Carter. "If Alonzo has tampered with my letter,
perhaps appropriated the money, it will be the worse
for him."
"I hardly think he would do that, sir; though I
don't like him."
"You are generous; but I know the boy better
than you do. He is fond of money, not for the sake
of spending it, but for the sake of hoarding it. Tell
me, then, how did you learn that I had gone to
Florida?"
"I learned it at the house in Twelfth Street."
"Then you called there?"
"Yes, sir; I called to see you. I found it hard to
get along on my salary, and I did not want Mrs.
Forbush to lose by me, so I----"
"Mrs. Forbush?" repeated the old gentleman
quickly. "That name sounds familiar to me."
"Mrs. Forbush is your niece," said Phil, a hope
rising in his heart that he might be able to do his
kind landlady a good turn.
"Did she tell you that?"
"No, sir; that is, I was ignorant of it until I met
her just as I was going away from Mrs. Pitkin's."
"Did she call there, too--to see me?" asked the
old gentleman,
"Yes, sir; but she got a very cold reception. Mrs.
Pitkin was very rude to her, and said that you were
so much prejudiced against her that she had better
not call again."
"That's like her cold selfishness" target="_blank" title="n.自私；不顾别人">selfishness. I understand
her motives very well. I had no idea that Mrs. Forbush
was in the city. Is she--poor?"
"Yes, sir; she is having a hard struggle to
maintain herself and her daughter."
"And you board at her house?"
"Yes, sir."
"How strangely things come about! She is as
nearly related to me as Lavinia--Mrs. Pitkin."
"She told me so."
"She married against the wishes of her family,
but I can see now that we were all unreasonably
prejudiced against her. Lavinia, however, trumped
up stories against her husband, which I am now led
to believe were quite destitute of foundation, and
did all she could to keep alive the feud. I feel now
that I was very foolish to lend myself to her selfish
ends. Of course her object was to get my whole
fortune for herself and her boy."
Phil had no doubt of this, but he did not like to
say so, for it would seem that he, too, was influenced
by selfish motives.
"Then you are not so much prejudiced against
Mrs. Forbush as she was told?" he allowed himself
to say.
"No, no!" said Mr. Carter earnestly. "Poor
Rebecca! She has a much better nature and disposition
than Mrs. Pitkin. And you say she is poor?"
"She had great difficulty in paying her last
month's rent," said Philip.
"Where does she live?"
Phil told him.
"What sort of a house is it?"
"It isn't a brown-stone front," answered Phil,
smiling. "It is a poor, cheap house; but it is as
good as she can afford to hire."
"And you like her?"
"Very much, Mr. Carter. She has been very
kind to me, and though she finds it so hard to get
along, she has told me she will keep me as long as
she has a roof over her head, though just now I cannot
pay my board, because my income is gone."
"It will come back again, Philip," said the old
gentleman.
Phil understood by this that he would be restored
to his place in Mr. Pitkin's establishment. This did
not yield him unalloyed satisfaction, for he was sure
that it would be made unpleasant for him by Mr.
Pitkin. Still he would accept it, and meet disagreeable
things as well as he could.
By this time they had reached the Astor House.
Phil jumped out first, and assisted Mr. Carter to
descend.
He took Mr. Carter's hand-bag, and followed him
into the hotel.
Mr. Carter entered his name in the register.
"What is your name?" he asked--"Philip
Brent?"
"Yes, sir."
"I will enter your name, too."
"Am I to stay here?" asked Phil, in surprise.
"Yes; I shall need a confidential clerk, and for
the present you will fill that position. I will take
two adjoining rooms--one for you."
Phil listened in surprise.
"Thank you, sir," he said.
Mr. Carter gave orders to have his trunk sent for
from the steamer, and took possession of the room.
Philip's room was smaller, but considerably more
luxurious than the one he occupied at the house of
Mrs. Forbush.
"Have you any money, Philip?" asked the old
gentleman.
"I have twenty-five cents," answered Philip.
"That isn't a very large sum," said Mr. Carter,
smiling. "Here, let me replenish your pocketbook."
He drew four five-dollar bills from his wallet and
handed them to Phil.
"How can I thank you, sir?" asked Phil gratefully.
"Wait till you have more to thank me for. Let
me tell you this, that in trying to harm you, Mr.
and Mrs. Pitkin have done you a great service."
"I should like to see Mrs. Forbush this evening,
if you can spare me, to let her know that she
needn't be anxious about me."
"By all means. You can go."
"Am I at liberty to mention that I have seen you,
sir?"
"Yes. Tell her that I will call to-morrow. And
you may take her this."
Mr. Carter drew a hundred-dollar bill from his
wallet and passed it to Phil.
"Get it changed at the office as you go out," he
said. "Come back as soon as you can."
With a joyful heart Phil jumped on a Fourth
Avenue car in front of the hotel, and started on his
way up town.
CHAPTER XXIV.
RAISING THE RENT.
Leaving Phil, we will precede him to the
house of Mrs. Forbush.
She had managed to pay the rent due, but she was
not out of trouble. The time had come when it was
necessary to decide whether she would retain the
house for the following year. In New York, as
many of my young readers may know, the first of
May is moving-day, and leases generally begin at
that date. Engagements are made generally by or
before March 1st.
Mr. Stone, the landlord, called upon the widow to
ascertain whether she proposed to remain in the
house.
"I suppose I may as well do so," said Mrs. Forbush.
She had had difficulty in making her monthly
payments, but to move would involve expense, and
it might be some time before she could secure
boarders in a new location.
"You can't do better," said the landlord. "At
fifty dollars a month this is a very cheap house."
"You mean forty-five? Mr. Stone?" said Mrs. Forbush.
"No, I don't," said the landlord.
"But that is what I have been paying this last
year."
"That is true, but I ought to get fifty dollars, and
if you won't pay it somebody else will."
"Mr. Stone," said the widow, in a troubled voice,
"I hope you will be considerate. It has been as
much as I could do to get together forty-five dollars
each month to pay you. Indeed, I can pay no
more."
"Pardon me for saying that that is no affair of
mine," said the landlord brusquely. "If you can't
pay the rent, by all means move into a smaller
house. If you stay here you must be prepared to
pay fifty dollars a month."
"I don't see how I can," answered the widow in
dejection.
"I'll give you three days to consider it," said the
landlordindifferently. "You'll make a mistake if
you give the house up. However, that is your
affair."
The landlord left the house, and Mrs. Forbush sat
down depressed.
"Julia," she said to her daughter, "I wish you
were old enough to advise me. I dislike to move,
but I don't dare to engage to pay such a rent. Fifty
dollars a month will amount to----"
"Six hundred dollars a year!" said Julia, who was
good at figures.
"And that seems a great sum to us."
"It would be little enough to Mrs. Pitkin," said
Julia, who felt that lady's prosperityunjust, while
her poor, patient mother had to struggle so hard for
a scanty livelihood.
"Oh, yes; Lavinia is rolling in wealth," sighed
Mrs. Forbush. "I can't understand how Uncle
Oliver can bestow his favors on so selfish a woman."
"Why don't you ask Philip's advice about keeping
the house?" said Julia.
It must be explained that Philip and Julia were
already excellent friends, and it may be said that
each was mutually attracted by the other.
"Poor Philip has his own troubles," said Mrs.
Forbush. "He has lost his place through the malice
and jealousy of Mr. and Mrs. Pitkin, for I am sure
mean; for I have found it hard to live on five dollars
a week. Now I have not even that."
"Is it possible that Alonzo could have suppressed
the letter?" said Mr. Carter to himself.
"At any rate I never received it."
"Here is something else to inquire into," said Mr.
Carter. "If Alonzo has tampered with my letter,
perhaps appropriated the money, it will be the worse
for him."
"I hardly think he would do that, sir; though I
don't like him."
"You are generous; but I know the boy better
than you do. He is fond of money, not for the sake
of spending it, but for the sake of hoarding it. Tell
me, then, how did you learn that I had gone to
Florida?"
"I learned it at the house in Twelfth Street."
"Then you called there?"
"Yes, sir; I called to see you. I found it hard to
get along on my salary, and I did not want Mrs.
Forbush to lose by me, so I----"
"Mrs. Forbush?" repeated the old gentleman
quickly. "That name sounds familiar to me."
"Mrs. Forbush is your niece," said Phil, a hope
rising in his heart that he might be able to do his
kind landlady a good turn.
"Did she tell you that?"
"No, sir; that is, I was ignorant of it until I met
her just as I was going away from Mrs. Pitkin's."
"Did she call there, too--to see me?" asked the
old gentleman,
"Yes, sir; but she got a very cold reception. Mrs.
Pitkin was very rude to her, and said that you were
so much prejudiced against her that she had better
not call again."
"That's like her cold selfishness" target="_blank" title="n.自私；不顾别人">selfishness. I understand
her motives very well. I had no idea that Mrs. Forbush
was in the city. Is she--poor?"
"Yes, sir; she is having a hard struggle to
maintain herself and her daughter."
"And you board at her house?"
"Yes, sir."
"How strangely things come about! She is as
nearly related to me as Lavinia--Mrs. Pitkin."
"She told me so."
"She married against the wishes of her family,
but I can see now that we were all unreasonably
prejudiced against her. Lavinia, however, trumped
up stories against her husband, which I am now led
to believe were quite destitute of foundation, and
did all she could to keep alive the feud. I feel now
that I was very foolish to lend myself to her selfish
ends. Of course her object was to get my whole
fortune for herself and her boy."
Phil had no doubt of this, but he did not like to
say so, for it would seem that he, too, was influenced
by selfish motives.
"Then you are not so much prejudiced against
Mrs. Forbush as she was told?" he allowed himself
to say.
"No, no!" said Mr. Carter earnestly. "Poor
Rebecca! She has a much better nature and disposition
than Mrs. Pitkin. And you say she is poor?"
"She had great difficulty in paying her last
month's rent," said Philip.
"Where does she live?"
Phil told him.
"What sort of a house is it?"
"It isn't a brown-stone front," answered Phil,
smiling. "It is a poor, cheap house; but it is as
good as she can afford to hire."
"And you like her?"
"Very much, Mr. Carter. She has been very
kind to me, and though she finds it so hard to get
along, she has told me she will keep me as long as
she has a roof over her head, though just now I cannot
pay my board, because my income is gone."
"It will come back again, Philip," said the old
gentleman.
Phil understood by this that he would be restored
to his place in Mr. Pitkin's establishment. This did
not yield him unalloyed satisfaction, for he was sure
that it would be made unpleasant for him by Mr.
Pitkin. Still he would accept it, and meet disagreeable
things as well as he could.
By this time they had reached the Astor House.
Phil jumped out first, and assisted Mr. Carter to
descend.
He took Mr. Carter's hand-bag, and followed him
into the hotel.
Mr. Carter entered his name in the register.
"What is your name?" he asked--"Philip
Brent?"
"Yes, sir."
"I will enter your name, too."
"Am I to stay here?" asked Phil, in surprise.
"Yes; I shall need a confidential clerk, and for
the present you will fill that position. I will take
two adjoining rooms--one for you."
Phil listened in surprise.
"Thank you, sir," he said.
Mr. Carter gave orders to have his trunk sent for
from the steamer, and took possession of the room.
Philip's room was smaller, but considerably more
luxurious than the one he occupied at the house of
Mrs. Forbush.
"Have you any money, Philip?" asked the old
gentleman.
"I have twenty-five cents," answered Philip.
"That isn't a very large sum," said Mr. Carter,
smiling. "Here, let me replenish your pocketbook."
He drew four five-dollar bills from his wallet and
handed them to Phil.
"How can I thank you, sir?" asked Phil gratefully.
"Wait till you have more to thank me for. Let
me tell you this, that in trying to harm you, Mr.
and Mrs. Pitkin have done you a great service."
"I should like to see Mrs. Forbush this evening,
if you can spare me, to let her know that she
needn't be anxious about me."
"By all means. You can go."
"Am I at liberty to mention that I have seen you,
sir?"
"Yes. Tell her that I will call to-morrow. And
you may take her this."
Mr. Carter drew a hundred-dollar bill from his
wallet and passed it to Phil.
"Get it changed at the office as you go out," he
said. "Come back as soon as you can."
With a joyful heart Phil jumped on a Fourth
Avenue car in front of the hotel, and started on his
way up town.
CHAPTER XXIV.
RAISING THE RENT.
Leaving Phil, we will precede him to the
house of Mrs. Forbush.
She had managed to pay the rent due, but she was
not out of trouble. The time had come when it was
necessary to decide whether she would retain the
house for the following year. In New York, as
many of my young readers may know, the first of
May is moving-day, and leases generally begin at
that date. Engagements are made generally by or
before March 1st.
Mr. Stone, the landlord, called upon the widow to
ascertain whether she proposed to remain in the
house.
"I suppose I may as well do so," said Mrs. Forbush.
She had had difficulty in making her monthly
payments, but to move would involve expense, and
it might be some time before she could secure
boarders in a new location.
"You can't do better," said the landlord. "At
fifty dollars a month this is a very cheap house."
"You mean forty-five? Mr. Stone?" said Mrs. Forbush.
"No, I don't," said the landlord.
"But that is what I have been paying this last
year."
"That is true, but I ought to get fifty dollars, and
if you won't pay it somebody else will."
"Mr. Stone," said the widow, in a troubled voice,
"I hope you will be considerate. It has been as
much as I could do to get together forty-five dollars
each month to pay you. Indeed, I can pay no
more."
"Pardon me for saying that that is no affair of
mine," said the landlord brusquely. "If you can't
pay the rent, by all means move into a smaller
house. If you stay here you must be prepared to
pay fifty dollars a month."
"I don't see how I can," answered the widow in
dejection.
"I'll give you three days to consider it," said the
landlordindifferently. "You'll make a mistake if
you give the house up. However, that is your
affair."
The landlord left the house, and Mrs. Forbush sat
down depressed.
"Julia," she said to her daughter, "I wish you
were old enough to advise me. I dislike to move,
but I don't dare to engage to pay such a rent. Fifty
dollars a month will amount to----"
"Six hundred dollars a year!" said Julia, who was
good at figures.
"And that seems a great sum to us."
"It would be little enough to Mrs. Pitkin," said
Julia, who felt that lady's prosperityunjust, while
her poor, patient mother had to struggle so hard for
a scanty livelihood.
"Oh, yes; Lavinia is rolling in wealth," sighed
Mrs. Forbush. "I can't understand how Uncle
Oliver can bestow his favors on so selfish a woman."
"Why don't you ask Philip's advice about keeping
the house?" said Julia.
It must be explained that Philip and Julia were
already excellent friends, and it may be said that
each was mutually attracted by the other.
"Poor Philip has his own troubles," said Mrs.
Forbush. "He has lost his place through the malice
and jealousy of Mr. and Mrs. Pitkin, for I am sure
- generous [´dʒenərəs]
a.慷慨的；丰盛的 (初中英语单词) - ignorant [´ignərənt] a.无知的，愚昧的 (初中英语单词)
- strangely [´streindʒli] ad.奇怪地；陌生地 (初中英语单词)
- foundation [faun´deiʃən] n.建立；基金；地基 (初中英语单词)
- selfish [´selfiʃ] a.自私的，利己的 (初中英语单词)
- income [´inkʌm] n.收入，所得 (初中英语单词)
- establishment [i´stæbliʃmənt] n.建(成)立；研究所 (初中英语单词)
- satisfaction [,sætis´fækʃən] n.满意；满足 (初中英语单词)
- steamer [´sti:mə] n.汽船；轮船；蒸笼 (初中英语单词)
- anxious [´æŋkʃəs] a.担忧的；渴望的 (初中英语单词)
- retain [ri´tein] vt.保持；保留；留住 (初中英语单词)
- landlord [´lændlɔ:d] n.地主；房东；店主 (初中英语单词)
- involve [in´vɔlv] vt.卷缠；包括；使专注 (初中英语单词)
- advise [əd´vaiz] vt.忠告；建议；通知 (初中英语单词)
- dislike [dis´laik] vt.&n.不喜爱，厌恶 (初中英语单词)
- amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)
- prosperity [prɔ´speriti] n.繁荣；成功；幸运 (初中英语单词)
- bestow [bi´stəu] vt.(把...)赠给；使用 (初中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- repeated [ri´pi:tid] a.反复的；重复的 (高中英语单词)
- landlady [´lænd,leidi] n.女房东；女店主 (高中英语单词)
- reception [ri´sepʃən] n.接待；欢迎；招待会 (高中英语单词)
- related [ri´leitid] a.叙述的；有联系的 (高中英语单词)
- earnestly [´ə:nistli] ad.认真地；急切地 (高中英语单词)
- unpleasant [ʌn´plezənt] a.不愉快的；不合意的 (高中英语单词)
- considerably [kən´sidərəbli] ad.显著地；十分 (高中英语单词)
- joyful [´dʒɔifəl] a.高兴的，充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)
- precede [pri´si:d] v.领先；先于 (高中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- scanty [´skænti] a.贫乏的；节省的 (高中英语单词)
- jealousy [´dʒeləsi] n.妒忌；猜忌 (高中英语单词)
- confidential [,kɔnfi´denʃəl] a.极受信任的；心腹的 (英语四级单词)
- wallet [´wɑ:lit] n.(放钞票等的)皮夹子 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- unjust [ʌn´dʒʌst] a.不公平(正)的 (英语四级单词)
- selfishness [´selfiʃnis] n.自私；不顾别人 (英语六级单词)
- destitute [´destitju:t] a.贫穷的；缺乏...的 (英语六级单词)
- replenish [ri´pleniʃ] v.(再)装满；补充 (英语六级单词)
- considerate [kən´sidərit] a.考虑周到的；体谅的 (英语六级单词)
- indifferently [in´difrəntli] ad.不关心地；冷淡地 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
章节正文
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