american tragedy

Chapter 33

Chapter 24
In retrospect, though, Clyde's lifelong downfall was due to the fact that he never had a real education.He has been wandering since he was a child, and has never received any really useful training, so that he lacks a capital that prevents him from climbing into the gate of the upper world.But he is eagerly looking forward to one day entering this world.Some people live in luxury villas, go out to live in big hotels, and are served by waiters, but he is just a waiter now, and he is almost 21 years old.It really hurt his heart.He is looking forward to an opportunity that will come to him and make him a career instead of just being a waiter.Sometimes, he even felt that he had no chance.

At this moment, Uncle Samuel Griffiths came to Chicago.He's here, he's a member of the club, people are very kind to him.He came directly to the club, or talked with visitors here, or ran around, calling on some important people.

Less than an hour after his uncle arrived, Ratterer, who was in charge of passenger registration at the gate, had just hung up a sign with Uncle Clyde's name on it, and said to Clyde who was coming towards him:

"Didn't you say you had an uncle who traded in collars in New York State with the same last name as you?

"Yes," replied Clyde, "his name is Samuel Griffiths, and he owns a large collar factory in Lycurgus. He's been advertised in every paper, Michigan and his advertising lights."

"If you saw him, would you know him?"

"I don't know him," Clyde replied, "I've never met him."

"I bet that's him," said Ratterer, pointing him to the registration slip. "You see, Samuel Griffiths, Lycurgus, New York, is that the man?"

"He just walked past here a few minutes ago," Ratterer continued. "Divoe led him into Room K. He's very handsome, and when he comes down, you'll have to keep your eyes open, maybe. He's really your uncle. He's of middle height, not too fat, with a moustache, and a silver-gray hat. If it's him, go up and get close. Maybe he can help you a little. Here are two collars for you." He said with a smile.

Clyde also laughed, seemingly very happy, but in fact he was very confused.Uncle Samuel, lives in this club! This is the perfect time to introduce yourself to Uncle!

But no.What would my uncle think if I just introduced myself to him? He was just a waiter, and at such an age, what would my uncle do to him? It's too big to be a waiter.A person with money and status like my uncle might think that the waiter is too lowly, and he would not recognize a relative who is a waiter.He might not want to talk to him, or even get tired of talking to him.Ever since he learned that his uncle was in this club, he has been hesitating.

By the next afternoon he had seen his uncle five or six times and had a good impression.His uncle appeared very energetic, very different from his father.He is so rich and everyone respects him.He was hesitant, even a little worried, worried that he would miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.Although he could see that his uncle was very kind, not the kind of cold person.Later, Ratterer suggested that he go to his uncle's room to get a letter and send it to a special messenger.Clyde was too excited to speak.But this time, his uncle didn't even look at him, and only handed him a letter and a half dollar. "Send it immediately, the money is for you."

He thought that perhaps his uncle could not recognize his nephew.Sure enough, he walked away dejectedly.

Later, there were five or six letters in his uncle's mailbox, and Rattler reminded him again: "The opportunity is here! I think he is in the room now, you send these letters to him." Clyde summoned up his courage , picked up the letter, walked to the door of the apartment where uncle lived, and knocked on the door.

Uncle was writing something and said "Come in".Clyde went in and said, "Mr. Griffiths, here are some of your letters."

"Thank you, young man," replied the uncle, looking for some change in his pocket.Clyde hurriedly said: "Oh, don't ask for tips, what is this little thing?" Before the uncle had time to say anything, he continued: "We may be relatives, Mr. Griffiths. You are in Lyco Gus, Mr. Griffiths who runs a collar factory?"

"Yes, I have something to do with this factory. Who are you, boy?" asked the uncle, looking him over with his eyes.

"My name is Clyde Griffiths, and my father is Asa."

When Samuel Griffiths heard the name of his younger brother, who was a dissolute man in the eyes of the whole family, he felt a faint displeasure in his heart.Asa's figure appeared in front of his eyes: short and fat, disheveled.These years, have not seen each other.The last time they saw each other was when Asa was Clyde's age, at his father's house near Bitwick, Vermont.But he was nothing like Clyde: short, squat, misshapen, dull-witted, goofy, with pale blue eyes, sluggish, curly hair.In contrast, his son is clean, smart, witty, and handsome, and he likes him very much.

Samuel and his older brother, Alan, together inherited most of his father's estate, because Joseph Griffiths didn't like the younger son very much.Samuel felt that this might be unfair to Asa.Asa is cranky and stupid, and his father has long wanted to kick him out.Then ignored him for a long time and finally kicked him out in his 20s.The inheritance of about 1000 US dollars was divided equally between the two eldest sons, and only [-] yuan was left for Asa.

Thinking of this brother, he looked at Clyde curiously.He found that the child was not at all like the brother who had been thrown out by his father, but more like him, his son Gilbert.Although Clyde was quite worried, he actually thought that it was pretty good for Clyde to be able to work in this club.Because in his opinion, the nature and status of this club is respectable.The servers here are generally nice.So, seeing Clyde in his neat gray and black uniform and his manners, he fell in love with him.

"So that's it!" He was very interested, "You are Asa's son! Very good, very good, really unexpected. You know, I haven't seen your father for at least twenty... 25, six years, I haven't heard from him either. The last time I heard from him, I remember he lived in Great Falls, Michigan. Does he not live there now?"

"Yes, I don't live there anymore. I live in Denver, and I'm here alone." Clyde said excitedly.

"Are your parents okay?"

"Yes, they are all still alive."

"Your father, he still...he still does those religious work?"

"Well, yes, sir." Clyde replied hesitantly.Because he considered his father's religious work to be the most disrespectful and lowest-paying of all occupations.He continued: "But now he presides over a church, and that church has a boarding house attached. There are about... about 40 houses. He and his mother are managing the business of the church and the boarding house."

"I see."

In order to give his uncle a better impression, he exaggerated a little.

"They're doing well, and I'm happy about that," continued Samuel Griffiths. "Are you happy with your job?"

"No, not very satisfied, Mr. Griffiths." Clyde responded, noticing how important this sentence was. "The income is quite high, but I don't like to make money this way. It's not the way I imagined to make money. I do this because I don't have the opportunity to learn to do other things. Only when I work in a company can I have the opportunity to make progress and become a person like me. Kind of a guy. Mama asked me to write to you once asking if you could give me a chance at the factory to learn from scratch, but I didn't write because I was afraid you might not like it."

He paused for a moment, with an inquiring look in his eyes, and looked at his uncle with a smile.

Uncle looked at him carefully for a while, feeling more satisfied.He replied, "Well, that's fine, if you really want to go, you should write..." Then, as he usually does with everything, he paused cautiously.Clyde found that he was not sure what to do to make this happen.

"I wonder if there is anything I can do in your place?" he asked boldly.

Griffiths liked and disliked being so forthright about making a request, but on the whole it was advisable.He seemed bright and ambitious, much like his own son.If he understands the production process, it would be appropriate for him to be the head or assistant of a department under his son.In any case, it wouldn't hurt to let him try.What's more, his brother was also involved: although he and his elder brother Allen had an obligation to him, although it could not be said to compensate for the loss.

"Well, I'll go back and think about this matter, and I can't make a decision right away. You have to be clear: I didn't pay as much as here at the beginning." He reminded.

"It's nothing," Clyde said.Nothing thrilled him more than connecting with his uncle. "Until I can afford to earn that much, I don't want to make too much."

"Also, once you get into it, you might find that you don't like it, or we might not like you. It's not for everyone."

"Then you can fire me." Clyde promised, "However, since I heard about you and your big company, I have decided that I like this line of work."

Samuel was very happy to hear this.Obviously, this young man has regarded him and his achievements as his own goal.

"Well," he said, "I don't have time to think about it right now. But I'm going to be here for a few days anyway, and I'm going to think it over. Maybe I can help you, but I don't know." He After speaking, look back at the letter.

Clyde felt that he had tried his best to leave a good impression on his uncle, so he thanked him repeatedly and left in a hurry.

The next day, after consideration, Samuel felt that with Clyde's intelligence, he could roughly do as well as others, so he promised Clyde that as long as there was a small opportunity in the factory, he would be notified immediately. .But he can't guarantee that he will have the opportunity immediately, he has to wait and see.

From then on, Clyde looked forward to his uncle to arrange a job for him every day.

Samuel returned to Lycurgus, and after discussing with his son, he decided to give Clyde a most humble job, working in the basement of the Griffith factory.The fabric for the collar must be washed and shrunk there first.Beginners who want to understand this line of technology from the beginning are arranged there.He wanted Clyde to master the trade step by step.The salary offered was fifteen dollars, which was quite generous considering the status of the Griffith family of Lycurgus.

But both Samuel and his son Gilbert know that these wages are really not high (not for ordinary interns, but for Clyde, after all, he is a relative), but they have always taken a practical approach to workers. point of view, not that of charity.For beginners in our factory, the less income they earn, which is barely enough to make ends meet, the better.They are extremely opposed to socialist theories about capitalist exploitation, and feel that there should be some higher classes in society so that people of lower classes can admire them.There must be a class. No matter who you are, even your relatives, if you take care of them too much, you will foolishly destroy the social order.If you interact with people of lower classes for commercial purposes, you should treat them according to this set of standards.One of the most basic ones is to let them understand that money is hard-won.Realizing that anyone doing what they consider to be the only truly constructive material-creating work in the world must be trained in all aspects and throughout the process that constitutes such work, and must be rigorously Train systematically.This will habituate them to a narrow but restrained life, which will benefit their minds.Make those who will be promoted in the future receive spiritual education and become more solid.As for those who are not born to be promoted, let them stay where they are.

So a week later, when it was basically decided what kind of work Clyde was going to do, Samuel Griffiths personally sent him a letter saying that if he wanted to come, he would come any day in the next few weeks. You can check in.However, he must write and inform as soon as possible, so that everything can be arranged for him.When he got there, he could go to Gilbert in the factory office and he would make arrangements for him.

When Clyde received the letter, he was very excited, and immediately wrote to his mother, announcing that he had found a place with his uncle, and was going to Lycurgos at once.And promise to do a good job in order to be promising.She wrote back a long letter, exhorting him to be extra cautious in his behavior, especially not to make bad friends.If a young man like him encounters any setbacks, it must be because he has made bad friends.As long as he managed to avoid those vicious, boring, ignorant young men and women, everything would be all right.With a character like his, he is easily led astray by bad women, and what happened in Kansas City clearly illustrates this point.Fortunately, he is changing.She wanted him to tell her often about his work achievements.

Clyde set off for Lycurgos as his uncle ordered.But his uncle did not stipulate that he must go to the factory within a few minutes of his arrival, so he first found a famous hotel—the Lycurgus Hotel.

He felt that he should first understand the situation of the city and his uncle's status in the city.If I went to report immediately, I might not be able to do these things.He first came to the central block, which was the bustling area of ​​Lycurgus.

(End of this chapter)