poor and proud-第30章

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〃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；〃　pleaded　Grace。　〃I　would　not　have　hurt　your　feelings　for　all　the　world。〃

〃You　did　not　hurt　my　feelings；　you　are　so　kind　to　me　that　I　could　not　help　crying。　I　suppose　I　am　very　silly。〃

〃No；　you　are　not；　Katy；　now　dry　up　your　tears；　and　tell　us　all　about　it；〃　added　Mrs。　Gordon；　in　soothing　tones。　〃How　long　has　your　mother　been　sick？〃

〃Almost　two　weeks。〃

〃What　ails　her？〃

〃She　has　got　a　fever；　but　she　is　much　better　to…day。　The　doctor　says　she　hasn't　got　it　very　bad；　but　she　has　been　very　sick；　I　think。〃

〃Who　takes　care　of　her？〃

〃I　do；　ma'am。〃

〃You！　She　must　need　a　great　deal　of　attention。　But　who　takes　care　of　her　at　night？〃

〃I　do；　ma'am。　I　have　been　up　a　great　deal　every　night。〃

〃Poor　child！　It　is　enough　to　wear　you　out。〃

〃I　wouldn't　mind　it　at　all；　if　I　had　nothing　else　to　trouble　me。〃

〃What　other　troubles　have　you？〃

〃I　can't　make　any　candy　now；　and　haven't　made　any　for　nearly　a　fortnight；　so　that　we　have　no　money　coming　in。　We　spent　nearly　all　we　had　in　buying　our　winter　clothing　and　fuel。　It　worries　me　very　much；　for　we　had　plenty　of　money　before　mother　was　taken　sick。〃

〃I　hope　you　haven't　wanted　for　anything。〃

〃No；　ma'am；　for　when　my　purse　was　empty；　I　came　up　here；　only　yesterday；　to　borrow　some　of　you；　if　you　would　please　to　lend　it　me。〃

〃Certainly；　I　will；　my　child。　I　am　very　glad　you　came。〃

〃Michael　would　make　me　tell　what　I　wanted；　and　then　he　let　me　have　three　dollars；　and　offered　to　let　me　have　as　much　as　I　wanted。　I　didn't　know　as　you　would　like　it　if　I　borrowed　money　of　your　servant。〃

〃You　did　just　right：　and　I　am　glad　that　Michael　has　a　kind　heart。　Now；　how　much　money　do　you　want？〃

〃I　thought　I　would　ask　you　to　lend　me　twenty　dollars；　and　just　as　soon；　after　mother　gets　well；　as　I　can　gather　the　money　together；　I　will　pay　youand　the　interest；〃　she　added；　glancing　at　Grace。

〃Now；　Katy；　that　is　too　bad！〃　exclaimed　Grace；　catching　her　by　the　hand；　while　a　tear　started　from　her　eye。　〃You　know　I　didn't　mean　that。〃

〃I　know　you　didn't；　but　I　don't　know　much　about　such　things；　and　thought　likely　it　was　right　for　us　to　pay　interest；　if　we　borrowed　money。〃

〃I　should　be　very　glad　to　give　you　twenty　dollars；　Katy；　if　you　would　only　let　me；　for　I　am　rich；　as　well　as　mother；　and　I　certainly　should　not　think　of　taking　interest。〃

〃We　will　say　no　more　about　that；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Gordon。　〃I　will　let　you　have　the　money　with　the　greatest　pleasure；　for　I　know　you　will　make　good　use　of　it。〃

〃I　will；　indeed。〃

〃And　you　must　promise　me　that　you　will　not　distress　yourself　to　pay　it　again；〃　continued　the　kind　lady；　as　she　took　out　her　purse。

〃I　will　not　distress　myself；　but　I　will　pay　it　as　soon　as　I　can。〃

〃You　must　not　be　too　proud。〃

〃No；　ma'am；　but　just　proud　enough。〃

〃Yes；　that's　it；〃　replied　Mrs。　Gordon；　smiling。　〃Pride　is　a　very　good　thing　in　its　place。　It　keeps　people　from　being　mean　and　wicked　sometimes。〃

〃That's　true　pride；〃　added　Katy。

〃Yes；　for　there　is　a　false　pride；　which　makes　people　very　silly　and　vain；　which　keeps　them　from　doing　their　duty　very　often。　You　have　none　of　this　kind　of　pride。〃

〃I　hope　not。〃

〃Your　friend　Simon　Sneed；　whom　the　mayor　spoke　to　me　about；　affords　us　a　very　good　example　of　the　folly　of　cherishing　false　pride。　Where　is　Simon　now？〃

〃He　keeps　a　store　in　Washington　Street。　He　is　a　salesman　now；　and　I　don't　think　he　is　so　foolish　as　he　was。〃

〃Perhaps　the　lesson　he　learned　did　him　good。　But　I　am　keeping　you　away　from　your　mother；　Katy。　Who　stays　with　her　while　you　are　away？〃

〃Mrs。　SneedSimon's　mother。〃

〃Then　she　is　a　good　woman。〃

〃And　Simon　is　very　kind；　he　has　done　a　great　many　things　for　me；　and　I　hope　I　shall　be　able　to　do　something　for　him　one　of　these　days。〃

〃That's　right；　Katy。　Think　well　of　your　friends；　though　others　speak　ill　of　them；〃　said　Grace。　〃Ah；　there　comes　the　carriage。　I　am　going　home　with　you；　Katy；　to　see　your　mother。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；　Miss　Grace。〃

〃Here　is　the　money；〃　added　Mrs。　Gordon；　handing　her　a　little　roll　of　bills。

〃Thank　you；　ma'am；〃　replied　Katy；　as　she　placed　the　money　in　her　porte…monnaie。　〃But〃

Here　she　came　to　a　full　stop；　and　her　face　was　as　crimson　as　a　blush　rose；　but　she　took　out　the　silver　watch；　and　approached　Mrs。　Gordon。

〃What　were　you　going　to　say；　Katy？〃

〃I　brought　this　watch　up；〃　stammered　she。

〃What　for？〃

〃You　know　I　am　a　poor　girl；　my　mother　is　a　poor　woman；　and　we　didn't　want　you　to　think　you　were　giving　us　the　money；　for　we　are　very　proud；　that　is；　my　mother　is　very　proud；　and　so　am　I；　and〃

Here　Katy　drew　a　long　breath；　and　came　to　a　full　stop　again；　unable　to　say　what　she　wanted　to　say。

〃If　you　want　anything　else；　Katy；　don't　hesitate　to　mention　it；　for　I　will　not　do　anything　to　mortify　your　pride；　even　if　it　is　unreasonable；〃　said　Mrs。　Gordon。　〃I　understand　you　perfectly；　the　twenty　dollars　is　not　a　gift；　but　a　loan。〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；　but　if　we　should　never　be　able　to　pay　it；　then　it　would　be　a　gift。〃

〃No；　it　wouldn't。〃

〃I　think　so；　and　so　I　brought　this　watch；　which　you　will　please　to　take　as　security　for　the　payment　of　the　loan；〃　said　Katy；　much　confused；　as　she　offered　the　watch　to　Mrs。　Gordon。

〃My　dear　child；　I　do　not　want　any　security。　Your　word　is　just　as　good　as　your　bond。〃

〃But　I　would　rather　you　would　take　it。　My　mother　is　prouder　than　I　am；　for　she　wasn't　always　as　poor　as　she　is　now。〃

Katy　suddenly　clapped　her　hand　over　her　mouth；　when　she　recollected　that　this　was　a　forbidden　topic。

〃Some　time　you　may　tell　me　all　about　your　mother；　and　I　will　call　and　see　her　to…morrow；　and　help　you　take　care　of　her。〃

〃Please　to　take　the　watch。　ma'am。〃

〃If　you　very　much　desire　it；　I　shall　do　so；　though　I　cannot　take　it　as　security。　Is　this　the　watch　you　carried　to　the　pawnbroker？〃　said　Mrs。　Gordon　as　she　took　the　treasure。

〃Yes；　ma'am。　It　belonged　to　my　father。〃

Mrs。　Gordon　turned　over　the　watch；　and　looked　at　it　with　considerable　interest；　as　she　thought　of　it　as　a　memento　of　the　dead；　and　how　highly　it　must　be　prized　by　the　poor　woman。

〃Mercy；　what's　th