poor and proud-第26节

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〃Just　come　in　the　house；　then；〃　and　he　led　her　into　the　sitting…room；　being；　in　the　absence　of　the　mistress；　the　lord　and　master　of　the　mansion；　and　feeling　quite　at　home　in　that　position。

In　a　few　words　she　explained　to　him　her　situation；　though　her　rebellious　pride　caused　her　to　paint　the　picture　in　somewhat　brighter　colors　than　the　truth　would　justify。　She　stated　her　intention　to　borrow　twenty　dollars　of　Mrs。　Gordon；　and　offer　her　the　watch　as　security；　at　the　same　time　exhibiting　the　cherished　treasure。

〃Now　Michael；　if　you　will　lend　me　three　dollars　till　Mrs。　Gordon　returns；　I　will　pay　you　then；　for　I　know　she　will　let　me　have　the　money；　or　at　least　let　me　have　enough　to　pay　you；〃　continued　she；　when　she　had　finished　her　narrative。

〃Indeed　I　will；　Katy！〃　exclaimed　he；　promptly　pulling　out　his　wallet。　〃And　if　you　will　come　at　this　time　to…morrow；　you　shall　have　the　whole　twenty　dollars。〃

〃Thank　you；　Michael。〃

〃There's　six　dollars；　take　it；　Katy；　and　my　blessing　with　it。〃

〃Only　three　dollars；　Michael；〃　replied　Katy；　firmly。

Michael　insisted；　but　all　his　persuasion　would　not　induce　her　to　accept　more　than　the　sum　she　had　mentioned；　and　he　was　reluctantly　compelled　to　yield　the　point。

〃Here　is　the　watch；　Michael；　you　shall　keep　that　till　I　pay　you。〃

〃Is　it　me！〃　exclaimed　he；　springing　to　his　feet；　with　an　expression　very　like　indignation　on　his　countenance。　〃Sure；　you　don't　think　I'd　take　the　watch。〃

〃Why　not　you　as　well　as　Mrs。　Gordon？〃　asked　Katy。

〃She　didn't　take　it；〃　replied　Michael　triumphantly。　〃You　couldn't　make　her　take　it；　if　you　try　a　month。　Don't　I　know　Mrs。　Gordon？〃

〃But　please　to　take　it；　I　should　feel　much　better　if　you　would。〃

〃Bad　luck　to　me　if　I　do！　I　wouldn't　take　it　to　save　my　neck　from　the　gallows。　Where's　my　Irish　heart？　Did　I　leave　it　at　home；　or　did　I　bring　it　with　me　to　America？〃

〃If　you　will　not　take　it；　Michael

〃I　won't。〃

〃If　you　won't；　I　will　say　no　more　about　it；〃　replied　Katy；　as　she　returned　the　watch　to　her　pocket。　〃You　have　got　a　very　kind　heart；　and　I　shall　never　forget　you　as　long　as　I　live。〃

Katy；　after　glancing　at　the　portrait　of　the　roguish　lady　that　hung　in　the　room；　took　leave　of　Michael；　and　hastened　home。　On　her　way；　she　could　not　banish　the　generous　servant　from　her　mind。　She　could　not　understand　why　he　should　be　so　much　interested　in　her　as　to　offer　the　use　of　all　he　had；　and　she　was　obliged　to　attribute　it　all　to　the　impulses　of　a　kind　heart。　If　she　had　been　a　little　older；　she　might　have　concluded　that　the　old　maxim；　slightly　altered　would　explain　the　reason：　〃Like　mistress；　like　man；〃　that　the　atmosphere　of　kindness　and　charity　that　pervaded　the　house　had　inspired　even　the　servants。

〃Where　have　you　been；　Katy？〃　asked　Mrs。　Redburn；　as　she　entered　the　sick　chamber；　and　Mrs。　Sneed　hastened　home。

〃I　have　been　to　Mrs。　Gordon。〃

〃What　for？〃

Katy　did　not　like　to　tell。　She　knew　it　would　make　her　mother　feel　very　unhappy　to　know　that　she　had　borrowed　money　of　Mrs。　Gordon's　servant。

〃Oh；　I　went　up　to　see　her；〃　replied　Katy。

〃No　matter；　if　you　don't　like　to　tell　me；〃　faintly　replied　Mrs。　Redburn。

〃I　will　tell　you；　mother；〃　answered　Katy；　stung　by　the　gentle　rebuke　contained　in　her　mother's　words。

〃I　suppose　our　money　is　all　gone；〃　sighed　the　sick　woman。

〃No；　mother；　see　here！　I　have　three　dollars；〃　and　Katy　pulled　out　her　porte…monnaie；　anxious　to　save　her　even　a　moment　of　uneasiness。

But　in　taking　out　the　money　she　exhibited　the　watch　also；　which　at　once　excited　Mrs。　Redburn's　curiosity。

〃What　have　you　been　doing　with　that；　Katy？〃　she　asked。　〃Ah；　I　fear　I　was　right。　We　have　no　money！　Our　business　is　gone！　Alas；　we　have　nothing　to　hope　for！〃

〃O；　no；　mother；　it　is　not　half　so　bad　as　that！〃　exclaimed　Katy。　〃I　went　up　to　Mrs。　Gordon　for　the　purpose　of　borrowing　twenty　dollars　of　her；　I　didn't　want　it　to　look　like　charity；　so　I　was　going　to　ask　her　to　keep　the　watch　till　it　was　paid。　That's　all；　mother。〃

〃And　she　refused？〃

〃No；　she　was　not　at　home。〃

〃But　your　money　is　not　all　gone？〃

Katy　wanted　to　say　it　was　not；　but　her　conscience　would　not　let　her　practise　deception。　She　had　the　three　dollars　which　she　had　just　borrowed　of　Michael；　and　that　was　not　all　gone。　But　this　was　not　the　question　her　mother　asked；　and　it　would　be　a　lie　to　say　the　money　was　not　all　gone；　when　she　fully　understood　the　meaning　of　the　question。　Perhaps　it　was　for　her　mother's　good　to　deceive　her；　but　she　had　been　taught　to　feel　that　she　had　no　right　to　do　evil　that　good　might　follow。

〃It　was　all　gone；　but　I　borrowed　three　dollars；〃　she　replied；　after　a　little　hesitation。

〃Of　whom？〃

〃Of　Michael。〃

〃Who's　he？〃

〃Mrs。　Gordon's　man。

〃O　Katy！　How　could　you　do　so？〃　sighed　Mrs。　Redburn。

〃I　couldn't　help　it；　mother。　He　would　make　me　take　it；〃　and　she　gave　all　the　particulars　of　her　interview　with　Michael　and　reviewed　the　considerations　which　had　induced　her　to　accept　the　loan。

〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Katy。　My　pride　would　not　have　let　me　borrow　of　a　servant；　but　it　is　wicked　for　me　to　cherish　such　a　pride。　I　try　very　hard　to　banish　it。〃

〃Don't　talk　any　more　now；　mother。　We　are　too　poor　to　be　too　proud　to　accept　a　favor　of　one　who　is　in　a　humble　station。〃　replied　Katy。

〃I　don't　know　what　will　become　of　us；〃　said　Mrs。　Redburn；　as　she　turned　her　head　away　to　hide　the　tears　that　flooded　her　eyes。

Katy　took　up　the　Bible　that　lay　by　the　bedside；　and　turning　to　the　twenty…third　psalm；　she　read；　〃The　Lord　is　my　Shepherd；　I　shall　not　want。　He　maketh　me　to　lie　down　in　green　pastures；　he　leadeth　me　beside　the　still　waters。〃

〃Go　on；　Katy；　those　words　are　real　comfort；〃　said　Mrs。　Redburn；　drying　her　tears。　〃I　know　it　is　wicked　for　me　to　repine。〃

Katy　read　the　whole　psalm；　and　followed　it　with　others；　which　produced　a　healing　influence　upon　her　mother's　mind；　and　she　seemed　to　forget　that　the　purse　was　empty；　and　that　they　had　placed　themselves　under　obligations　to　a　servant。

The　sufferer　rested　much　better　than　usual　that　night；　and　Katy　was　permitted　to　sleep　the　greater　part　of　the　timea　boon　which　her　exhausted　frame　very　much　needed。　About　ten　o'clock　in　the　forenoon；　Michael　paid　her　a　visit；　to　inform　her　that　Mrs。　Gordon　had　just　arrived：　and　that；　when　he　mentioned　her　case；　she　had　sent　him　down　to　request　her　immediate　attendance　and　that　his　mistress　would　have　come　herself；　only　she　was　so　much　fatigued　by　her　journey。

Katy　could　not　leave　then；　for　she　had　no　one　to　stay　with　her　mother；　but　Mrs。　Sneed　could　come　in　an　hour。　Michael　hastened　home　with　the　intelligence　that　Mrs。　Redburn　was　better；　and　Katy　soon　followed　him。



CHAPTER　XX。

MRS。　GORDON　FEELS　FAINT；　AND　KATY　ENTERS　A　NEW　SPHERE。


On　her　arrival　at　Temple　Street；　Katy　was　promptly　admitted　by　Michael；　and　shown　in　the　sitting…room；　where　Mrs。　Gordon　and　Grace　were　waiting　for　her。

〃I　was　very　sorry　to　hear　that　your　mother　is　sick；　Katy；〃　said　the　former；　〃and　I　should　have　paid　you　a　visit；　instead　of　sending　for　you；　if　I　had　not　been　so　much　exhausted　by　my　journey　from　Baltimore。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；　ma'am。〃

〃Did　Dr。　Flynch　call　upon　you　at　the　first　of　the　month？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；　and　we　paid　the　rent　as　usual；〃　replied　Katy。

〃I　am　sorry　you　did　so；　Katy；　you　should　have　told　him　you　were　not　in　a　condition　to　pay　the　rent。〃

〃I　couldn't　tell　him　so；　he　is　so　cold　and　cruel。〃

〃I　think　you　misjudge　him；　for　he　has　a　really　kind　heart；　and　would　not　have　distressed　you　for　all　the　world。　Besides；　I　told　him　he　need　not　collect　your　rent　any　time　when　you　did　not　feel　ready　to　pay　it。　I　hope　he　gave　you　no　trouble？〃

〃No；　ma'am；　I　didn't　give　him　a　chance；　for　I　paid　him　as　soon　as　he　demanded　it；　though　it　took　nearly　all　the　money　we　had。　I　hope　you　will　excuse　me；　ma'am；　but　I　haven't　liked　him　since　the　trouble　we　had　a　year　ago；　when　he　accused　my　dear　mother　of　telling　a　lie。〃

〃Perhaps　he　was　hasty。〃

〃I　forgive　him；　ma'am；　but　I　can't　help　thinking　he　is　a　very　wicked　man；〃　answered　Katy；　with　considerable　emphasis。

〃I　hope　not　so　bad　as　that；　for　I　am　sure；　if　you　had　told　him　it　was　not　convenient　for　you　to　pay　the　rent；　he　would　not　have　insisted。　But　you　want　some　assistance　Katy？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；　that　is；　I　want　to　borrow　some　money；〃　replied　Katy；　blushing　deeply。

〃That's　just　like　you；〃　interposed　Grace；　laughing。　〃I　suppose　you　will　want　to　give　your　note　this　time。〃

〃I　don't　care　about　giving　a　note；　but　I　mean　to　pay　the　money　back　again；　every　cent　of　it。〃

〃And　the　interest　too；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Katy；　though　she　had　not　a　very　clear　idea　of　the　value　of　money；　as　an　article　of　merchandise。

〃Don't　distress　her；　Grace；　you　forget　that　her　mother　is　very　sick；　and　she　cannot　feel　like　listening　to　your　pleasantries；〃　said　Mrs。　Gordon。

〃Forgive　me；　Katy；〃　replied　Grace；　tenderly。

Katy　burst　into　tears；　though　she　could　not　exactly　tell　why。　She　was　overcome　with　emotion　as　the　beautiful　young　lady　took　her　hand；　and　looked　so　sorrowfully　in　her　face。　She　was　not　used　to　so　much　kindness；　so　much　sympathy；　so　much　love；　for　it　seemed　as　though　both　Grace　and　her　mother　loved　herthat　their　hearts　beat　with　hers。

〃Don　t　cry；　Katy；　I　am　sorry　I　said　a　word；〃　p