paul the peddler-第10部分

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Paul　found　himself　standing　before　a　handsome　house　of　brown

stone。　　He　ascended　the　steps；　and　inquired；　on　the　door　being

opened；　if　Mr。　Preston　was　at　home。



〃I'll　see；〃　said　the　servant。



She　returned　in　a　short　time；　and　said：　〃He　says　you　may　come

upstairs。〃



Paul　followed　the　servant；　who　pointed　out　a　door　at　the　head　of

the　first　staircase。



Paul　knocked；　and；　hearing　〃Come　in〃　from　within；　he　opened　the

door　and　entered。



He　found　himself　in　a　spacious　chamber；　handsomely　furnished。　

Mr。　Preston；　in　dressing…gown　and　slippers；　sat　before　a

cheerful；　open　fire。



〃Come　and　sit　down　by　the　fire；〃　he　said；　sociably。



〃Thank　you；　sir；　I　am　warm　with　walking；〃　and　Paul　took　a　seat

near　the　door。



〃I　am　one　of　the　cold　kind；〃　said　Mr。　Preston；　〃and　have　a　fire

earlier　than　most　people。　　You　come　about　the　shirts；　I　suppose？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃Will　your　mother　undertake　them？〃



〃With　pleasure；　sir。　　She　can　no　longer　get　work　from　the　shop。〃



〃Business　dull；　I　suppose？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃Then　I　am　glad　I　thought　of　giving　her　the　commission。　　How's

business　with　you　to…day；　eh？〃



〃Pretty　good；　sir。〃



〃How　many　neckties　did　you　sell？〃



〃Nineteen；　sir。〃



〃And　how　much　do　you　get　for　that？〃



〃Nine　shillings　and　a　halfa　dollar　and　eighteen　cents。〃



〃That's　pretty　good　for　a　boy　like　you。　　When　I　was　of　your　age　I

was　working　on　a　farm　for　my　board　and　clothes。〃



〃Were　you；　sir？〃　asked　Paul；　interested。



〃Yes；　I　was　bound　out　till　I　was　twenty…one。　　At　the　end　of　that

time　I　was　to　receive　a　hundred　dollars　and　a　freedom　suit　to

begin　the　world　with。　　That　wasn't　a　very　large　capital；　eh？〃



〃No；　sir。〃



〃But　the　death　of　my　employer　put　an　end　to　my　apprenticeship　at

the　age　of　eighteen。　　I　hadn't　a　penny　of　money　and　was　thrown

upon　my　own　resources。　　However；　I　had　a　pair　of　good　strong

arms；　and　a　good　stock　of　courage。　　I　knew　considerable　about

farming；　but　I　didn't　like　it。　　I　thought　I　should　like　trade

better。　　So　I　went　to　the　village　merchant；　who　kept　a　small

dry…goods　store；　and　arranged　with　him　to　supply　me　with　a　small

stock　of　goods；　which　I　undertook　to　sell　on　commission　for　him。　

His　business　was　limited；　and　having　confidence　in　my　honesty；　he

was　quite　willing　to　intrust　me　with　what　I　wanted。　　So　I　set　out

with　my　pack　on　my　back　and　made　a　tour　of　the　neighboring

villages。〃



Paul　listened　with　eager　interest。　　He　had　his　own　way　to　make；

and　it　was　very　encouraging　to　find　that　Mr。　Preston；　who　was

evidently　rich　and　prosperous；　was　no　better　off　at　eighteen　than

he　was　now。　



〃You　will　want　to　know　how　I　succeeded。　　Well；　at　first　only

moderately；　but　I　think　I　had　some　tact　in　adapting　myself　to　the

different　classes　of　persons　with　whom　I　came　in　contact；　at　any

rate；　I　was　always　polite；　and　that　helped　me。　　So　my　sales

increased；　and　I　did　a　good　thing　for　my　employer　as　well　as

myself。　　He　would　have　been　glad　to　employ　me　for　a　series　of

years；　but　I　happened　to　meet　a　traveling　salesman　of　a　New　York

wholesale　house；　who　offered　to　obtain　me　a　position　similar　to

his　own。　　As　this　would　give　me　a　larger　field　and　larger

profits；　I　accepted　gladly；　and　so　changed　the　nature　of　my

employment。　　I　became　very　successful。　　My　salary　was　raised　from

time　to　time；　till　it　reached　five　thousand　dollars。　　I　lived

frugally　and　saved　money；　and　at　length　bought　an　interest　in　the

house　by　which　I　had　been　so　long　employed。　　I　am　now　senior

partner；　and；　as　you　may　suppose；　very　comfortably　provided　for。



〃Do　you　know　why　I　have　told　you　this？〃　asked　Mr。　Preston；

noticing　the　eagerness　with　which　Paul　had　listened。



〃I　don't　know；　sir；　but　I　have　been　very　much　interested。〃



〃It　is　because　I　like　to　give　encouragement　to　boys　and　young　men

who　are　now　situated　as　I　used　to　be。　　I　think　you　are　a　smart

boy。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir。〃



〃And；　though　you　are　poor；　you　can　lift　yourself　to　prosperity；

if　you　are　willing　to　work　hard　enough　and　long　enough。〃



〃I　am　not　afraid　of　work；〃　said　Paul；　promptly。



〃No；　I　do　not　believe　you　are。　　I　can　tell　by　a　boy's　face；　and

you　have　the　appearance　of　one　who　is　willing　to　work　hard。　　How

long　have　you　been　a　street　peddler？〃



〃About　a　year；　sir。　　Before　that　time　my　father　was　living；　and　I

was　kept　at　school。〃



〃You　will　find　the　street　a　school；　though　of　a　different　kind；

in　which　you　can　learn　valuable　lessons。　　If　you　can　get　time　in

the　evening；　however；　it　will　be　best　to　keep　up　your　school

studies。〃



〃I　am　doing　that　now；　sir。〃



〃That　is　well。　　And　now；　about　the　shirts。　　Did　your　mother　say

how　long　it　would　take　her　to　make　them？〃



〃About　three　weeks；　I　think；　sir。　　Will　that　be　soon　enough？〃



〃That　will　do。　　Perhaps　it　will　be　well；　however；　to　bring　half

the　number　whenever　they　are　finished。〃



〃All　right；　sir。〃



〃I　suppose　your　mother　can　cut　them　out　if　I　send　a　shirt　as　a

pattern？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Mr。　Preston　rose；　and；　going　to　a　bureau；　took　therefrom　a　shirt

which　he　handed　to　Paul。　　He　then　wrote　a　few　lines　on　a　slip　of

paper；　which　he　also　handed　our　hero。



〃That　is　an　order　on　Barclay　&　Co。；〃　he　explained；　〃for　the

requisite　materials。　　If　either　you　or　your　mother　presents　it；

they　will　be　given　you。〃



〃Very　good；　sir；〃　said　Paul。



He　took　his　cap；　and　prepared　to　go。



〃Good…evening；　Mr。　Preston；〃　he　said。



〃Good…evening。　　I　shall　expect　you　with　the　shirts　when　they　are

ready。〃



Paul　went　downstairs　and　into　the　street；　thinking　that　Mr。

Preston　was　very　sociable　and　agreeable。　　He　had　fancied　that

rich　men　were　generally　〃stuck　up；〃　but　about　Mr。　Preston　there

seemed　an　absence　of　all　pretense。　　Paul's　ambition　was　aroused

when　he　thought　of　the　story　he　had　heard；　and　he　wondered

whether　it　would　be　possible　for　him　to　raise　himself　to　wealth

and　live　in　as　handsome　a　house　as　Mr。　Preston。　　He　thought　what

a　satisfaction　it　would　be　if　the　time　should　ever　come　when　he

could　free　his　mother　from　the　necessity　of　work；　and　give　little

Jimmy　a　chance　to　develop　his　talent　for　drawing。　　However；　such

success　must　be　a　long　way　off；　if　it　ever　came。



He　had　intended　to　ride　home；　but　his　mind　was　so　preoccupied

that　he　forgot　all　about　it；　and　had　got　some　distance　on　his　way

before　it　occurred　to　him。　　Then；　not　feeling　particularly　tired；

he　concluded　to　keep　on　walking；　as　he　had　commenced。



〃It　will　save　me　six　cents；〃　he　reflected；　〃and　that　is

something。　　If　I　am　ever　going　to　be　a　prosperous　merchant；　I

must　begin　to　save　now。〃



So　he　kept　on　walking。　　Passing　the　Cooper　Institute；　he　came

into　the　Bowery；　a　broad　and　busy　street；　the　humble　neighbor　of

Broadway；　to　which　it　is　nearly　parallel。



He　was　still　engaged　in　earnest　thought；　when　he　felt　a　rude　slap

on　the　back。　　Looking　round；　he　met　the　malicious　glance　of　Mike

Donovan；　who　probably　would　not　have　ventured　on　such　a　liberty

if　he　had　not　been　accompanied　by　a　boy　a　head　taller　than

himself；　and；　to　judge　from　appearances；　of　about　the　same

character。



〃What　did　you　do　that　for；　Mike？〃　demanded　Paul。



〃None　of　your　business。　　I　didn't　hurt　you；　did　I？〃　returned

Mike；　roughly。



〃No；　but　I　don't　care　to　be　hit　that　way　by　you。〃



〃So　you're　putting　on　airs；　are　you？〃



〃No；　I　don't　do　that；〃　returned　Paul；　〃but　I　don't　care　about

having　anything　to　do　with　you。〃



〃That's　because　you've　got　a　new　shirt；　is　it？〃　sneered　Mike。



〃It　isn't　mine。〃



〃That's　what　I　thought。　　Who　did　you　steal　it　from？〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　insult　me；　Mike　Donovan？〃　demanded　Paul；

angrily。



〃Just　as　you　like；〃　said　Mike；　independently。



〃If　you　want　to　know　why　I　don't　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with

you；　I　will　tell　you。〃



〃Tell　ahead。〃



〃Because　you're　a　thief。〃



〃If　you　say　that　again；　I'll　lick　you；〃　said　Mike；　reddening　with

anger。



〃It's　true。　　You　stole　my　basket　of　candy　the　other　day；　and　that

isn't　the　only　time　you've　been　caught　stealing。〃



〃I'll　give　you　the　worst　licking　you　ever　had。　　Do　you　want　to

fight？〃　said　Mike；　flourishing　his　fist。



〃No；　I　don't；〃　said　Paul。　　〃Some　time　when　I　haven't　a　bundle；

I'll　accommodate　you。〃



〃You're　a　coward！〃　　sneered　Mike；　gaining　courage　as　he　saw　Paul

was　not　disposed　for　an　encounter。



〃I　don't　think　I　am；〃　said　Paul；　coolly。



〃I'll　hold　your　shirt；〃　said　Mike's　companion；　with　a　grin；　〃if

you　want　to　fight。〃



Paul；　however；　did　not　care　to　intrust　the　shirt　to　a　stranger　of

so　unprepossessing　an　appearance。



He；　therefore；　attempted　to　pass　on。　　But　Mike；　encouraged　by　his

reluctance；　stepped　up　and　shook　his　fist　within　an　inch　of

Paul's　nose；　calling　him　at　the　same　time　a　coward。　　This　was　too

much　for　Paul's　self…restraint。　　He　dropped　the　shirt　and　pitched

into　Mike　in　so　scientific　a　manner　that　the　latter　was　compelled

to　retreat；　and　finally　to　flee　at　the　top　of　his　speed；　not

without　having　first　received　several　pretty　hard　blows。



〃I　don't　think　he　will　meddle　with　me　again；〃　said　Paul　to

himself；　as　he　pulled　down　the　sleeves　of　his　jacket。



He　walked　back；　and　looked　for　the　shirt　which　he　had　laid　down

before　commencing　the　combat。　　But　he　looked　in　vain。　　Nothing

was　to　be　seen　of　the　shirt　or　of　Mike's　companion。　　Probably

both　had　disappeared　together。







CHAPTER　XI



BARCLAY　&　CO。



The　loss　of　the　shirt　was　very　vexatious。　　It　was　not　so　much　the

value　of　it　that　Paul　cared　for；　although　this　was　a

consideration　by　no　means　to　be　despised　by　one　in　his

circumstances；　but　it　had　been　lent　as　a　pattern；　and　without　it

his　mother　would　be　unable　to　make　Mr。　Preston's　shirts。　　As　to

recovering　it；　he　felt　that　there　was　little　chance　of　this。　

Besides；　it　would　involve　delay