poor and proud-第28章

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〃Do　you　think　so？〃

〃I　do　not　regard　your　case　as　a　critical　one。〃

〃I　wish　you　had　told　me　so　last　night。　It　would　have　saved　my　poor　child　a　very　bitter　pang。〃

〃I　was　not　aware　that　you　thought　yourself　alarmingly　sick；　or　I　certainly　should；　for　such　an　opinion　on　your　part　would　do　more　to　bring　about　a　fatal　result　than　could　be　counteracted　by　the　most　skilful　treatment。　A　physician　does　not　hold　the　issues　of　life　and　death；　he　can　only　assist　nature；　as　the　patient　may　by　a　cheerful　view　of　his　case。　This　is　not　your　old　complaint；　you　have　taken　cold；　and　have　considerable　fever；　but　I　think　it　is　a　very　hopeful　case。〃

The　return　of　Katy　interrupted　the　conversation；　but　the　doctor's　opinion　was　immediately　imparted　to　her；　and　it　sent　a　thrill　of　joy　to　her　heart。

〃I　was　low…spirited　this　morning；　Katy；〃　said　Mrs。　Redburn；　when　the　physician　had　gone。　〃I　really　felt　as　though　my　end　was　rapidly　approaching。　I　am　sorry　I　mentioned　my　thoughts　to　you。〃

〃It　was　all　for　the　best；　I　suppose；〃　replied　Katy。

But　Mrs。　Redburn　was　very　sick；　and　even　now　the　disease　might　have　a　fatal　termination。　The　best　of　care　would　be　required　to　restore　her　to　health；　and　Katy　was　very　anxious。　Her　mother　was　still　suffering　the　most　acute　pain。

The　doctor　had　left　a　prescription；　and　Katy　was　again　obliged　to　call　in　Mrs。　Howard　while　she　went　to　the　apothecary's　to　procure　it；　but　the　good　woman　declared　she　was　glad　to　come；　and　would　bring　her　work　and　stay　all　the　forenoon。　The　medicine；　when　obtained；　to　some　extent　relieved　the　sufferer's　pain。

As　her　presence　was　not　required　in　the　chamber；　Katy　went　down…stairs　to　what　she　called　the　candy　room。　She　had　an　hour　or　two　to　spare；　and　she　put　on　the　kettle　with　the　intention　of　making　a　part　of　the　next　day's　candy。　She　was　nearly　worn　out　by　watching　and　anxiety；　and　not　fit　to　perform　such　hard　work；　but　weak　and　weary　as　she　felt；　her　spirit　was　still　earnest；　and　she　resolutely　commenced　her　labors。

At　noon　she　had　made　half　the　quantity　required。　Mrs。　Howard　was　then　obliged　to　go　home；　and　attend　to　her　own　family；　for　she　had　two　children　besides　Tommy；　who　had　not　yet　returned　from　the　East　Indies。　Mrs。　Redburn　was　very　restless　during　the　afternoon；　and　could　not　be　left　alone　for　more　than　a　short　time　at　once。　Mrs。　Howard　had　promised　to　come　again　in　the　evening；　and　make　the　rest　of　the　candy；　but　Charley　came　home　from　school　quite　sick；　seemingly　threatened　with　the　scarlet　fever；　so　that　she　could　not　keep　her　promise。　Mrs。　Sneed；　however；　dropped　in；　and　consented　to　remain　for　two　hours；　which　enabled　Katy　to　make　the　rest　of　the　candy。

By　this　time　the　poor　girl　was　completely　worn　out。　Her　resolute　will；　even；　could　no　longer　impart　its　strength　to　the　body。　Her　mother　worried　sadly　about　her；　and　finally　induced　her　to　lie　down　on　the　bed　by　her　side；　on　condition　that　she　should　be　awakened　in　an　hour。　In　this　manner　she　obtained　a　few　hours'　sleep　during　the　night；　but　these　severe　labors　were　a　fearful　task　to　be　imposed　upon　a　mere　child。

The　next　day　Mrs。　Redburn；　who　could　not　fail　to　observe　Katy's　pale　face　and　sunken　eye；　fretted　so　much　about　her　that　she　was　obliged　to　promise　she　would　not　attempt　to　make　any　more　candy。　Mrs。　Howard's　son　was　still　very　sick；　so　that　she　was　unable　to　render　much　assistance。　The　rest　of　the　neighbors；　though　kindly　disposed；　had　their　own　families　to　care　for；　and　could　do　very　little　for　others。

With　what　slight　aid　her　friends　could　afford；　Katy　struggled　through　a　week；　when　Dr。　Flynch　appeared；　and　demanded　the　rent。　There　was　but　little　more　than　money　enough　left　to　pay　it；　but　Katy　would　not　ask　him　for　any　indulgence；　and　paid　him　in　full。

In　a　few　days　more　the　purse　was　empty。　Katy's　most　dreaded　hour　had　come。　She　had　no　money；　and　almost　every　day　some　new　thing　was　required　for　her　mother。　But　this　time　she　had　friends；　and　she　determined　to　use　them；　as　all　true　friends　wish　to　be　used　in　the　day　of　sorrow　and　trial。　After　considerable　debate　with　herself；　she　decided　to　apply　to　Mrs。　Gordon　for　a　loan　of　twenty　dollars。　She　was　still　poor　and　proud；　and　she　could　not　endure　the　thought　of　asking　a　loan；　which　might　be　regarded　as　a　gift；　or　which；　by　her　own　inability　to　pay　it；　might　virtually　become　such；　therefore　she　proposed　to　present　her　father's　silver　watch　as　security　for　the　payment　of　the　debt。



CHAPTER　XIX。

KATY　RESORTS　TO　A　LOAN。


Katy　was　not　at　all　pleased　with　the　mission　which　her　duty　seemed　to　impose　upon　her。　Again　she　felt　the　crushing　weight　of　poverty；　and　pride　rose　up　to　throw　obstacles　in　her　path。　She　was　a　child　of　twelve；　and　to　ask　a　loan　of　twenty　dollars；　though　she　offered　sufficient　security　for　the　payment　of　the　debt；　seemed　like　demanding　a　great　deal　of　her　friendslike　inviting　them　to　repose　a　vast　amount　of　confidence　in　her　ability　and　honesty。　They　would　not　want　the　watch；　it　would　be　of　no　value　to　them；　and　the　more　she　considered　the　matter；　the　more　like　an　act　of　charity　appeared　the　favor　she　was　about　to　ask。

More　than　once　on　her　way　to　Temple　Street　did　she　stop　short；　resolved　to　get　the　money　of　some　other　personthe　grocer；　Mr。　Sneed；　or　even　of　a　pawnbroker；　but　as　often　she　rebuked　the　pride　that　tormented　her　like　a　demon；　and　went　forward　again。　She　stood　some　time　at　Mrs。　Gordon's　door　before　she　had　the　resolution　to　ring　the　bell。

〃What　right　have　I　to　be　so　proud？〃　said　she；　grasping　the　bell　handle。　〃I　must　get　this　money；　or　my　mother　may　suffer。〃

She　rang　with　a　force　that　must　have　astonished　Michael；　and　led　him　to　think　some　extraordinary　character　had　arrived；　for　he　ran　to　the　door　at　full　speed；　and　burst　out　into　a　violent　fit　of　laughter；　when　he　saw　no　one　but　the　little　candy　merchant。

〃Good　morning；　to　you；　Katy。　Are　you　nervous　this　morning？〃　said　he。

〃Good　morning；　Michael。　I　am　not　very　nervous。〃

〃I　thought　you　would　pull　down　the　bell；〃　he　added；　good…naturedly。

〃I　didn't　mean　to；　Michael；　I　hope　you　will　excuse　me　if　I　did　any　harm。〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　harm；　but　you're　looking　as　sober　as　a　deacon。　What　ails　you；　Katy？〃

〃I　feel　very　sad；　Michael；　for　my　mother　is　very　sick；　and　I　don't　know　as　she　will　ever　get　well。〃

〃Indeed？　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that　of　her；〃　and　Michael；　whatever　he　felt；　looked　very　much　concerned　about　Mrs。　Redburn's　health。

〃Is　Mrs。　Gordon　at　home？〃

〃She　isn't。〃

〃Is　Miss　Grace？〃

〃Neither　of　them；　they　went　to　Baltimore　ten　days　ago　but　I　am　expecting　them　back　every　day。〃

Katy's　heart　sank　within　her；　for　now　that　Mrs。　Gordon　was　not　at　hand；　she　did　not　feel　like　asking　any　other　person；　and　if　the　case　had　not　been　urgent；　she　would　have　been　satisfied　to　return　home；　and　regard　the　lady's　absence　as　a　sufficient　excuse　for　not　procuring　the　money。

〃You　want　to　see　her　very　much？〃　asked　Michael。

〃Very　much；　indeed。〃

〃Can　I　be　of　any　service　to　you？〃

〃No；　Michael。〃

〃Perhaps　I　can；　Katy。〃

〃No；　I'm　much　obliged　to　you。〃

〃If　it's　anything　in　the　house　you　want；　I　can　get　it　for　you。〃

〃No；　I　must　see　Mrs。　Gordon。〃

〃If　it's　any　nice　preserve　or　jelly　you　want　just　say　the　word；　and　I'll　bring　it　to　you　at　once。〃

〃I　do　not　want　anything　of　that　kind。　Do　you　think　Mrs。　Gordon　will　return　by　to…morrow？〃

〃I　thought　she　would　be　here　yesterday；　and　she　may　come　to…night。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will；　perhaps；　call　again　to…morrow；〃　and　she　turned　to　leave。

〃I'll　tell　Mrs。　Gordon　you　came。　Stop　a　minute；　Katy。　Won't　you　tell　me　what　you　want？〃

〃I　would　rather　not；　Michael；　but　I　will　come　again　to…morrow。〃

〃See　here；　Katy；　maybe　you're　short　of　money。　If　you　are；　I　have　a　matter　of　three　hundred　dollars　in　the　Savings　Bank；　and　you　may　be　sure　you　shall　have　every　cent　of　it　if　you　want　it。〃

This　was　a　very　liberal　offer；　though　it　is　probable　he　did　not　think　she　would　want　any　considerable　portion　of　it；　or　that　she　could　even　comprehend　the　meaning　of　so　large　a　sum。　Katy　was　sorely　tempted　to　negotiate　with　him　for　the　loan　but　she　was　not　sure　that　it　would　be　proper　to　borrow　money　of　the　servant；　and　perhaps　Mrs。　Gordon　would　not　like　it。

〃I　thank　you；　Michael；　you　are　very　k