At any rate he sat at his desk all day, giving every appearance of industry, for he wished to be on equal terms with his respectable fellow townsmen who worked and worked hard.

不管怎样，他整天坐在办公桌前，装出非常认真的模样，因为他希望同那些有工作而且勤奋工作的有声望的市民建立彼此平等的关系。