american tragedy

Chapter 6 (2)
Chapter 14 (2)
Today, because he was eager to find a way for himself, he walked into that grocery store as a last resort.This store is located at the intersection of Baltimore Street, with NO.14 Street in front, and its status is quite important.He saw a cashier in a small glass cabinet near the door and asked her who was in charge of the soda counter.The girl became interested in him at the sight of his tentative and hesitant expression and his deep, rather pleasing eyes.She instinctively guessed that he was looking for something to do, so she said, "Oh! Mr. Secor, over there, he's the manager of our store." She pointed in the direction of a short man of about thirty-five.The man was well dressed, not sloppy at all.He was arranging a novelty of cosmetics on a glass case, to be arranged in a special pattern.Clyde came to him, still hesitating, not knowing how to find a way out.At the same time, he saw that the other person was engrossed in what he was doing, so he stood aside and took a rest from foot to foot.Later, the manager seemed to find that someone was guarding him and wanted to talk to him about something, so he turned around and said, "Is there something wrong?"

Clyde glanced at him, his eagerness could not have been more clearly expressed. "Do you want an assistant at your soda counter? If so, please let me do it. I'm looking for this job."

"No, no, no," the man replied.He is good-looking, full of energy, a little irritable by nature, and likes to quarrel.He was about to go away, but seeing a look of disappointment and frustration flash across Clyde's face, he turned and said, "Have you ever been in a place like this before?"

"Not in such a fine place. Not at all," Clyde replied.All the sights here dazzled and excited him. "I'm on the corner of [-]th and Brooklyn, and Mr. Klinker's shop is helping me. It's nothing compared to here. If I can find something better, I'd like to move somewhere."

"Oh," said the man he was talking to, quite pleased to hear him so innocently admiring his shop, and said, "Well, that's only natural. But I don't have anything to do for you at the moment, and we don't Changing around a lot. But if you'd like to be a waiter in a restaurant, I can tell you to get a spot there. The restaurant in here needs a waiter right now. That job must be as good as helping at the soda counter."

He saw the sudden look of joy on Clyde's face, and he went on, "But don't say I introduced you, because I don't know you. Just go up there and find Squeal under the stairs." Just Mr. Ernes, and he'll tell you everything."

When Clyde heard that there was a job offer in such a grand hotel as Green-Davidson, and that he might get it, he was dumbfounded and trembling with excitement.Then, thanking the man who had pointed him out, he headed straight for the green marble passage behind the grocery store through the hotel lounge.When he entered the door, he saw a very elegant lounge.Since he was born, he has always felt timid because of poverty, and never dared to look into this luxurious world, so now he feels that this place is more fascinating than any place he has ever seen.This is really exciting.He stepped on a black and white square marble floor.Overhead is a gilded ceiling inlaid with copper panels and painted with colored paint.

The ceiling was supported by columns of black marble, almost like a forest.The pillars were polished as bright as the floor and as smooth as glass.These stone pillars were arranged one after the other, leading to three gates, one on the right, one on the left, and one facing directly into Dalrymple Street.Among the pillars are flowers, statues, carpets, palm trees, chairs and benches, mandarin duck chairs, etc., all of which are luxurious furnishings.In short, all kinds of grotesque and luxurious furniture are available here, and they are filled everywhere.This kind of decoration has been said sarcastically before, saying that it is specially designed to "close the door for ordinary people." In fact, in a first-class hotel in a prosperous commercial city in the United States, this kind of decoration can also be said. It is too extravagant.The rooms, halls, lounges, and dining-rooms there were all too richly furnished for austere, useful elegance.

Clyde stood there and carefully looked around the lounge, only to see a lot of people, some of them were women and children.But he could see that it was mainly men, some walking or standing here and there, others sitting in chairs talking or lounging, both side by side and alone.In the recessed places against the walls, in some richly hung and ornately furnished wooden suites, there are writing-writer board racks.There was a telegraph office, a general store, and a flower shop, and these places were also crowded with crowds. The city's dentists were having a meeting here, and many of them gathered here with their wives and children.But Clyde was not aware of this, and he didn't understand the method and significance of this kind of meeting, so he thought that this was the way it was in this hotel every day.

He stared for a moment in awe and amazement, then remembered the name Squires, and sought him out in his office "under the stairs."On his right there is a large black and white double-lane staircase, which is divided into left and right sides, turning a big and square bend, leading from the bottom floor to the upper floor.Between these two stairs was evidently the office of the hotel, for there were many clerks in it.But behind the nearest staircase in the middle, against the wall by which he had just come in, was a tall writing-table, and beside it stood a young man about his own age, in a suit with many shining brass buttons. He buttoned up his maroon uniform, and on his head was a small round cap that looked like a cardboard box, which was perkyly worn against one ear.The man, pencil in hand, was busily registering in an open book.

There were also a few boys of his age, wearing the same uniform as him, some sitting on a bench next to him, some running around in front of people, sometimes holding a piece of paper, He ran back to hand the key or a note to the waiter, and then sat down on the bench again, apparently waiting for another order.They seemed to be very industrious, and there was a small writing desk near the young man in uniform, on which was a telephone that beeped almost constantly.After he asked what was the matter, he rang a small bell in front of him, or called "Come on," and the first waiter on the bench responded.The attendants, after being told, hurried down the stairs this way or that, or went straight for the doors or the elevator.Almost every time you can see them carrying the guests' bags and suitcases, or holding other people's coats and golf clubs, etc., to accompany the guests, and some waiters have gone back, carrying drinks on trays, or Take something like a small bag and send it to the room upstairs.If he was lucky enough to get a job at the restaurant, he was going to be asked to do something, obviously that sort of thing.

Everything was alive and alive here, so he wished he was lucky enough to find a place here.But could he be so lucky? Where is Mr. Squires? He went to the young man at the small desk and asked, "Where can I find Mr. Squires?"

Looking up, the young man looked up at Clyde with his keen gray eyes, and replied, "He's just coming."

Clyde looked intently in the direction he pointed, and saw a man in his 30s approaching.This person is full of energy, lively and quick-witted, and obviously has a sophisticated look.Slender, shrewd, with a slender face and well-dressed, Clyde was not only impressed, but immediately admired him, he seemed to be a capable and agile man.His nose was long and narrow, his eyes were sharp, his lips were thin, and his chin was pointed.

"Did you see that tall gray-haired man wearing a Scottish plaid scarf who passed by here just now?" He stopped and said to the assistant in front of the desk.The assistant nodded. "Oh, he told me, he said it was the Earl of Landrell. He just came this morning with fourteen trunks and four servants. My fellow! He's quite a man in Scotland. But I I hear he's out on a tour and doesn't use that name. He's registered as Mr. Brent. Can you keep up with his British style? Of course he can look superior, eh?"

His assistant replied respectfully: "That's right!"

He just turned around and glanced at Clyde, but ignored him.The assistant helped Clyde a little.

"Is this young man waiting to see you?" he explained.

The head waiter turned around, looked at his poor suit, and said, "Do you want to see me?"

"The gentleman in the grocery store asked," Clyde began, "I mean, he said, can I ask you if I can find an opportunity to be a waiter here. I'm on the corner of Seventh Street and Brooklyn Street. I was working as a clerk in that grocery store, but I wanted to get out of there. He thought there was a vacancy right in front of you looking for someone." The man in front of Clyde stared at him with cold eyes, which confused him. very embarrassed.

For the first time in his life, it occurred to him that if he wanted to find a way out, he had to flatter and win people's favor.So he put on a courteous, ingratiating smile to Mr. Squires, and went on: "I'll work hard and be good, if you'll give me a chance."

The person in front of him just gave him a cold look, but he likes the kind of person who has a set of communication skills and is willing to establish a good relationship with others, but because he originally planned to shake his head to express his rejection, but now he didn't do so, so Say, "You don't have much experience with this kind of work."

"Yes, sir, I shall soon learn."

"Well, let me think about it," said the head waiter. "I don't have time to talk to you right now. Come back on Monday afternoon. I can see you then." He turned and walked away.

Clyde was thrown aside like this.I could only stare blankly, wondering.Did they really tell him to come back on Monday? Was it true... He turned around and walked out, a faint sense of pleasure flowing through his body.Asked this guy for a place in a nice restaurant in Kansas City, and he was told to come back on Monday.What does that mean? Could it be possible that he would be allowed to step into such a luxurious world... and so soon? Would it really be such a good thing?

(End of this chapter)