Anthony Rockwell has been calling on servants not to ring the bell. He went to the door of the study and shouted, "Mike!" " That sounds like the sky that once shattered the Kansas prairie.
"Tell the young master," Anthony said to the servant, "that he should come to my place before going out."
When little Rockwell walked into the study, the old man put down the newspaper and looked at his son with a loving and serious look on his smooth and ruddy face. He rubbed his silver hair with one hand and fiddled with the key in his pocket with the other.
"Richard," Anthony Rockwell said, "how much did you spend on the soap?"
Richard was a little surprised to hear that he had only been away from school for six months. He is not sure about the old man's judgment. The old man is always like a girl who has just entered the society, asking you some unexpected things from time to time.
"About six dollars a dozen, Dad."
"Where are your clothes?"
"Usually it's about sixty dollars."
"You come from high society," Anthony said firmly. "I heard that dudes now use 24 yuan a dozen of soap to wear clothes that exceed the 100-yuan mark. You have plenty of money, you can spend it like them, but you are always serious and measured. Now, I still use the old Eureka soap, not only because of emotional problems, but also because it is the purest soap. You spend more than 10 cents on a bar of soap, and you only buy spices and packaging marks. However, at your age, fifty cents a piece of soap is good enough for young people with status and status. As I just said, you are from the upper class. It is said that it takes three generations to bring up a high-class person. They are wrong. With money, everything is handy, just like the grease of soap. Money makes you a gentleman. Ah, I almost became a gentleman, too However, I am almost equal to the Dutch living on both sides of us, with vulgar language, eccentric behavior and rude behavior. They couldn't sleep for two nights because I bought a property among them.
"Some things can't be done even if you have money," said Rockwell Jr. rather sadly.
"Don't talk about it now," old Anthony said in surprise. "I always believe that money can connect the gods. I looked up the encyclopedia and found the letter y, but I haven't found anything that money can't do. I will check the appendix next week. I absolutely believe that money can deal with everything in the world. Tell me something money can't buy. "
"For example," Richard said with a little resentment, "money can't be squeezed into exclusive social circles."
"aha! Is that so? " The money advocate at the root of all evil thundered. "Tell me, if the first Astor people can't afford a steerage ticket to come to the United States, where will your exclusive social circle be?"
Richard sighed.
"That's what I want to talk to you about," the old man said, and his voice softened. "That's why I called you here. There's something wrong with you recently, son. I've been watching you for two weeks. Say it. In my opinion, within 24 hours, we can mobilize11million dollars, not counting real estate. If you have a liver attack, the Xiaoyao will dock in the bay, full of coal, and send you to the Bahamas in two days.
"You guessed it, Dad, not far apart."
"Ah?" Anthony asked enthusiastically, "What's her name?"
Richard began pacing back and forth in the study. His rude old father was so concerned about sympathy that he strengthened his confidence in telling the truth.
"Why don't you propose to her?" Old Anthony asked. "She will jump into your arms. You are rich, beautiful and a serious young man. Your hands are clean. You have never touched any Eureka soap. You went to college again, but she won't care. "
"I never had a chance." Richard said.
"Create opportunities," Anthony said. "Take her for a walk in the park, or go out by car, or go home with her after church. There are many opportunities! "
"You don't understand the current social situation, dad. She is one of the leading figures in society, and her hours and minutes were arranged in advance a few days ago. I must get that girl, dad, or the city will become a rotten swamp, and I will hold a grudge for life. I can't write a confession, I can't do it. "
"Bah!" The old man said. "Are you trying to tell me that the money I gave you can't let a girl accompany you for an hour or two?"
"I started too late. She will sail to Europe for two years at noon the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow night, I can stay alone with her for a few minutes. Now, she still lives in menstruation's home in Richmond, and I can't go. But I am allowed to pick her up at Central Railway Station by carriage tomorrow evening. She arrived by train at 8: 30. We drove to the Volak Theatre on Broadway, and her mother and other relatives and friends were waiting for us in the theatre lounge. Do you think she will only listen to me for six to eight minutes in that situation? Never. What chance do I have in the theater or after the play? It's impossible. No, dad, this is a problem that your money can't solve. We can't buy it for a minute with money. If possible, the rich will live forever. I don't expect to have a good talk with Miss rowntree before she sets sail. "
"Well, Richard, son," old Anthony said happily. "Now, you can go to the club to play. I'm glad your liver is fine, but don't forget to go to the temple often to burn incense and bow down and pray for the great god of wealth. You said money can't buy time? Well, of course, you can't be wrapped up and sent to your door for eternity, but I have seen that the old days were scarred by stones when crossing the gold mine. "
That night, a gentle, sentimental, wrinkled and sighing woman was overwhelmed by wealth. Aunt Allen came to visit her brother. Anthony is reading the evening paper. They talked about their lover's troubles.
"He told me everything!" Anthony yawned and said. "I told him that all my deposits in the bank were dominated by him, but he began to belittle money and said that money was not good. It is also said that ten millionaires together can't move the social law a yard away. "
"Oh, Anthony," Ellen menstruation sighed, "I hope you don't take money too seriously. When it comes to true feelings, wealth is nothing. Love is everything. If only he had said it earlier! She can't refuse our Richard, but I'm afraid it's too late now. He had no chance to tell her. All your money cannot bring happiness to your son. "
At eight o'clock the next night, Ellen menstruation took out an antique gold ring from a box full of moths and handed it to Richard.
"Put it on tonight, son." She pleaded. "This ring is entrusted to me by your mother. She said that this ring can bring good luck to my lover and told me to wait until you find the right person before giving it to you. "
Little Rockwell took the ring seriously, tried it on his little finger, and only slipped to the second knuckle and stopped. He took it down, put it in the vest pocket according to the man's habit, and then called a carriage.
At 8: 32, he met Miss rowntree in the chaotic crowd at the railway station.
"Let's not keep mom and others waiting too long," she said.
"Go to Volak Theatre, the sooner the better!" Richard commanded the coachman as she wished.
They turned from 42nd Street to Broadway, and then crossed a star-studded alley, from the dimly lit green grass area to the brightly lit and steep building area.
On 34th Street, Richard quickly pushed open the window partition and told the driver to stop.
"I dropped a ring," he said apologetically as he got off the bus. "This is my mother's legacy, and I regret losing it. I can't delay a minute, I know where it fell. "
In less than a minute, he returned to the carriage with the ring.
But at that minute, a city tram stopped in front of the carriage, and the carriage tried to turn left, but it was blocked by a mail truck. The coachman tried to turn right, but he had to back off to avoid a carriage carrying furniture, which inexplicably appeared there. He tried to retreat, but he could not. He had to put down the stiff rope and swear dutifully. He was stopped by a group of tangled cars and horses.
Traffic jams are not uncommon in big cities, and sometimes they suddenly break down.
"Why don't you hurry up?" Miss rowntree asked distractedly. "We will miss it."
Richard got up and stood in the carriage and looked around. He saw that a large area at the intersection of Broadway, Sixth Street and Thirty-fourth Street was crowded with all kinds of trucks, vans, carriages, vans and trams, just like a girl with a waist of 26 inches insisted on wearing a belt of 22 inches. Moreover, in these streets, vehicles are coming at a rapid speed, and they are thrown into the unavoidable traffic and horses. In the original noise, new curses and roars were added. All the cars in Manhattan seem to be crowded here. The sidewalks were crowded with thousands of people from new york, the most experienced of whom couldn't remember when the traffic jam was comparable in scale.
"I'm very sorry," Richard said when he sat down again. "It seems that we are blocked. Within an hour, this mess can't be let go. It's all my fault. If there is no ring, we ... "
"Let me see the ring," said Miss rowntree. "Since unexpected, I don't care. Actually, I don't think it's interesting to go to the theatre. "
At eleven o'clock that night, someone knocked on Anthony Rockwell's door.
"Come in," Anthony shouted. He is wearing red pajamas and reading a pirate thriller.
Aunt Allen came in. She looks like a white-haired angel who broke into the world by mistake.
"They are engaged, Anthony," she said quietly. "She promised to marry our Richard, and there was a traffic jam on the way to the theater. It took their carriage two hours to get out of trouble. "
"Oh, Anthony's brother, don't brag about everything. The token of sincere love-a small ring symbolizes eternal love that money can't buy, which is the fundamental reason for Richard's happiness. He dropped his ring in the street and got off to look for it. The street was blocked before they got back on the road. In the traffic jam, he confessed to her and finally won her. Compared with true love, money has become dirt, Anthony. "
"Good, good," said old Anthony. "I'm so happy that the child got the person he wanted. I told him, in this matter, I will pay any price, as long as ... "
"But, Brother Anthony, what role did your money play in this matter?"
"Sister," Anthony Rockwell said, "my pirates are at a critical juncture. His ship has just been sunk. He values the value of money too much and will never drown. I hope you let me finish reading this chapter. "
The story should have ended here. I hope so as much as you do. However, in order to find out the answer, we must find out the truth.
The next day, a man who called himself Kelly with a red hand and a blue tie came to Anthony Rockwell and was immediately received in the study.
"Well," Anthony said, reaching for his checkbook, "this pot of soap is not bad. Look, you have paid five thousand dollars in cash. "
"I even paid 300 miles myself," Kelly said. "The budget has to exceed a little. Most mail wagons and carriages pay five dollars, but trucks and two-horse carriages are raised to ten dollars. Ten dollars for the driver and twenty dollars for the car. What a wonderful performance, Mr. Rockwell? Fortunately, William A. Brady did not attend the outdoor vehicle scene. I don't want William to be heartbroken with jealousy. I haven't rehearsed at all! Guys, get to the scene on time, not for a second. It was blocked for two hours, and even a snake could not get off the statue of grilli. "
"This is 1300 dollars, Kelly," Anthony said and tore off a check. "One thousand dollars is your reward, you get back three hundred dollars. You don't despise money, do you? Kelly? "
"Me?" Kelly said. "I can beat the guy who invented poverty."
When Kelly walked to the door, Anthony stopped him.
"Have you noticed?" He said, "Are there any naked fat dolls shooting with bows and arrows in traffic jams?"
"Why, no," Kelly said inexplicably. "I didn't notice. If it's really like what you said, maybe the police will have cleaned him up before I get there. "
"I don't think this rascal will be there," Anthony giggled. "Goodbye, Kelly."