poor and proud-第4节

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Katy's　mother　lived　in　a　small　house；　with　three　other　families。　She　occupied　two　rooms；　for　which　she　paid　four　dollars　a　month；　the　amount　of　rent　now　due　and　unpaid。　Dr。　Flynch　took　a　great　deal　of　pleasure　in　telling　Mrs。　Redburn　how　his　humanity　and　his　regard　for　the　welfare　of　the　poor　had　induced　him　to　fix　the　rent　at　so　cheap　a　rate；　but　he　always　finished　by　assuring　her　that　this　sum　must　be　promptly　paid；　and　that　no　excuses　could　ever　have　any　weight。

The　next　house　to　Mrs。　Redburn　was　tenanted　by　Mr。　Sneed；　the　mason。　I　don't　know　whether　I　ought　to　say　that　Mr。　Sneed　had　a　son；　or　that　Master　Simon　Sneed　had　a　father；　being　at　a　loss　to　determine　which　was　the　more　important　personage　of　the　two；　but　I　am　not　going　to　say　anything　against　either　of　them；　for　the　father　was　a　very　honest　mason　and　the　son　was　a　very　nice　young　man。

Katy　knocked　at　the　door　of　this　house；　and　inquired　for　Master　Simon　Sneed。　She　was　informed　that　he　had　not　yet　finished　his　dinner；　and　she　decided　to　wait　in　the　court　till　he　made　his　appearance。　Seating　herself　on　the　door　stone；　she　permitted　her　mind　to　wander　back　to　the　narrative　her　mother　had　related　to　her。　She　glanced　at　her　coarse　clothes；　and　could　hardly　believe　that　her　grandfather　was　a　rich　merchant；　and　lived　in　a　fine　house。　How　nice　it　would　be　if　she　could　only　find　the　old　gentleman！　He　could　not　be　cross　to　her；　he　would　give　her　all　the　money　she　could　spend；　and　make　a　great　lady　of　her。

〃Pooh！　what　a　fool　I　am　to　think　of　such　a　thing！〃　exclaimed　she　impatiently；　as　she　rose　from　the　door　stone。　〃I　am　a　beggar；　and　what　right　have　I　to　think　of　being　a　fine　lady；　while　my　poor　sick　mother　has　nothing　to　eat　and　drink？　It　is　very　hard　to　be　so　poor；　but　I　suppose　it　is　all　for　the　best。〃

〃Do　you　want　me；　Katy？〃　said　a　voice　from　the　door；　which　Katy　recognized　as　that　of　Master　Simon　Sneed。

〃I　want　to　see　you　very　much；〃　replied　Katy。

〃Wait　a　moment；　and　I　will　join　you。〃

And　in　a　moment　Master　Simon　Sneed　did　join　her；　but　he　is　so　much　of　a　curiosity；　and　so　much　of　a　character；　that　I　must　stop　to　tell　my　young　readers　all　about　him。

Master　Simon　Sneed　was　about　fifteen　years　old；　and　tall　enough　to　have　been　two　years　older。　He　was　very　slim；　and　held　his　head　very　straight。　In　1843；　the　period　of　which　I　write；　it　was　the　fashion　for　gentlemen　to　wear　straps　upon　their　pantaloons；　and　accordingly　Master　Simon　Sneed　wore　straps　on　his　pantaloons；　though；　it　is　true；　the　boys　in　the　street　used　to　laugh　and　hoot　at　him　for　doing　so；　but　they　were　very　ill…mannered　boys；　and　could　not　appreciate　the　dignity　of　him　they　insulted。

Master　Sneed's　garments　were　not　of　the　finest　materials；　but　though　he　was　a　juvenile　dandy；　it　was　evident　that　it　required　a　great　deal　of　personal　labor　to　make　him　such。

Clearly　those　straps　were　sewed　on　by　himself；　and　clearly　those　cowhide　shoes　had　been　thus　elaborately　polished　by　no　other　hands　than　his　own。　In　a　word；　the　appearance　of　his　clothes；　coarse　as　was　their　texture；　and　unfashionable　as　was　their　cut；　indicated　the　most　scrupulous　care。　It　was　plain　that　he　had　a　fondness　for　dress；　which　his　circumstances　did　not　permit　him　to　indulge　to　any　very　great　extent。

Master　Simon　Sneed　was　a　great　man　in　his　own　estimation；　and；　as　he　had　read　a　great　many　exciting　novels；　and　had　a　good　command　of　language；　he　talked　and　acted　like　a　great　man。　He　could　hold　his　own　in　conversation　with　older　and　wiser　persons　than　himself。　He　could　astonish　almost　any　person　of　moderate　pretensions　by　the　largeness　of　his　ideas；　and；　of　late　years；　his　father　had　not　pretended　to　hold　an　argument　with　him；　for　Simon　always　overwhelmed　him　by　the　force　and　elegance　of　his　rhetoric。　He　spoke　familiarly　of　great　men　and　great　events。

His　business　relationsfor　Master　Sneed　was　a　business　manwere　not　very　complicated。　According　to　his　own　reckoning；　he　was　the　chief　person　in　the　employ　of　Messrs。　Sands　&　Co。；　wholesale　and　retail　dry　good　Washington　Street；　one　who　had　rendered　immense　service　to　the　firm；　and　one　without　whom　the　firm　could　not　possibly　get　along　a　single　day；　in　short；　a　sort　of　Atlas；　on　whose　broad　shoulders　the　vast　world　of　the　Messrs。　Sands　&　Co。's　affairs　rested。　But　according　to　the　reckoning　of　the　firm；　and　the　general　understanding　of　people；　Master　Simon　was　a　boy　in　the　store；　whose　duty　it　was　to　make　fires；　sweep　out；　and　carry　bundles；　and；　in　　consideration　of　the　fact　that　he　boarded　himself　to　receive　two　dollars　and　a　half　a　week　for　his　services。　There　was　a　vast　difference　between　Master　Simon　Sneed's　estimate　of　Masters　Simon　Sneed；　and　the　Messrs。　Sands　&　Co。's　idea　of　Master　Simon　Sneed。

But　I　beg　my　young　friends　not　to　let　anything　I　have　written

create　a　prejudice　against　him；　for　he　was　really　a　very　kind…hearted　young　man；　and　under　certain　circumstances　would　have　gone　a　great　way　to　oblige　a　friend。　He　had　always　been　exceedingly　well　disposed　towards　Katy；　perhaps　it　was　because　the　simple…hearted　little　girl　used　to　be　so　much　astonished　when　he　told　her　about　his　mercantile　relations　with　the　firm　of　Sands　&　Co。；　and　how　he　managed　all　their　business　for　them　after　the　store　was　closed　at　night；　and　before　the　front　door　was　unlocked　in　the　morning；　how　he　went　to　the　bank　after　immense　sums　of　money；　and　how　the　firm　would　have　to　give　up　business　if　he　should　die；　or　be　obliged　to　leave　them。　Katy　believed　that　Master　Simon　was　a　great　man；　and　she　wondered　how　his　long；　slim　arms　could　accomplish　so　much　labor；　and　how　his　small　head　could　hold　such　a　heap　of　magnificent　ideas。　But　Master　Simon；　notwithstanding　his　elevated　position　in　the　firm；　was　condescending　to　her；　he　had　more　than　once　done　her　a　favor　and　had　always　expressed　a　lively　interest　in　her　welfare。　Therefore　she　did　not　scruple　to　apply　to　him　in　the　present　emergency。

〃Well；　Katy；　in　what　manner　can　I　serve　you？〃　inquired　Simon；　as　he　elevated　his　head；　and　stood　picking　his　teeth　before　her。

〃I　want　you　to　do　something　for　me　very　much　indeed。〃

〃State　your　business；　Katy。〃

〃Dr。　Flynch　has　been　to　our　house　to…day；　and　wants　the　rent；　mother　hasn't　any　money　〃

〃And　you　wish　me　to　lend　you　the　amount？〃　continued　Simon；　when　Katy　hesitated　to　reveal　the　family　trouble。　〃It　is　really　unfortunate；　Katy；　it　is　after　bank　hours　now；　and　I　don't　see　that　I　can　accommodate　you。〃

〃O；　I　don't　want　to　borrow　the　money。〃

〃Ah；　you　don't。〃

〃I　have　got　a　watch　here；　which　belonged　to　my　father；　and　I　want　to　pawn　it　for　the　money　to　pay　the　rent。〃

〃Well；　it　is　rather　out　of　our　line　of　business　to　lend　money　on　collateral。〃

〃I　don't　want　you　to　lend　it。　I　want　you　to　take　it　to　the　pawnbroker's。　Mother　says　I　am　so　young　and　so　small　that　they　might　cheat　me；　and　I　thought　perhaps；　may　be；　you'd　be　so　kind　as　to　go　with　me。〃

〃Go　with　you！〃　exclaimed　Master　Simon；　as　he　eyed　her　coarse；　ill…made　garments。

〃I　thought　you　would；〃　replied　Katy；　with　a　look　of　disappointment。

〃Well；　Katy；　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　assist　you　in　this　matter；　but〃

Master　Simon　paused；　and　glanced　again　at　the　unfashionable　dress　of　the　suppliant。　He　was；　as　he　said；　willing　to　aid　her；　but　the　idea　of　the　principal　personage　of　the　house　of　Sands　&　Co。　walking　through　the　streets　of　the　great　city　with　such　an　ill…dressed　young　lady　was　absurd；　and　not　to　be　tolerated。　Master　Sneed　reflected。　It　is　undoubtedly　true　that　〃where　there　is　a　will　there　is　a　way。〃

〃Where　do　you　wish　to　go？〃　demanded　he。

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Do　you　know　where　Brattle　Street　is？〃

〃I　don't；　but　I　can　find　it。〃

〃Very　well；　important　business　in　another　street　requires　my　personal　attention　for　a　moment；　but　I　will　join　you　in　Brattle　Street　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　attend　you　to　a　pawnbroker's。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

Master　Sneed　gave　her　directions　so　that　she　could　find　the　street；　and　at　the　end　of　the　court；　as　she　turned　one　way；　he　turned　the　other。

Katy　was　first　at　the　appointed　place　of　meeting；　where　Simon　soon　joined　her；　and　directing　her　to　follow　him；　he　led　the　way　into　another　street；　and　entered　a　shop。

〃This　young　person　wishes　to　raise　some　money　on　a　watch；〃　said　Simon；　as　he　directed　the　attention　of　the　astonished　broker　to　Katy；　who　was　scarcely　tall　enough　to　be　seen　over　the　high　counter。

〃Let　me　see　it。〃

Katy　handed　up　the　watch；　which　the　money　lender　opened　and　carefully　examined。　His　practised　eye　soon　discovered　that　the　works　of　the　watch　were　of　the　best　quality。

〃Where　did　you　get　this？〃　asked　the　broker。

〃My　mother　gave　it　to　me；〃　and　Katy　told　without　reserve　the　pitiful　story　of　want　and　destitution　which　compelled　Mrs。　Redburn　to　part　with　the　cherished　memento　of　the　past。

〃I　will　give　you　three　dollars　for　the　watch；〃　added　the　broker。

〃Come；　come；　sir；〃　interposed　Master　Simon；　with　a　smile；　〃that　is　a　little　too　bad。　A　gentleman　of　your　judgment　and　discretion　has　already　assured　himself　that　the　article　is　worth　at　least　twenty。〃

The　broker　drew　a　long　breath　after　this　speech；　and　seemed　very　much　impressed　by　the　style　of　the　remark。　But　Katy　declared　she　did　not　want　to　sell　the　watch；　only　to　pawn　it。

〃Your　story　i