poor and proud-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　is　not　a　very　plausible　one；〃　said　the　broker；　〃and　there　is　some　risk　in　taking　it。〃

〃I　give　you　my　personal　assurance；　on　honor　that　her　story　is　all　true；〃　added　Simon。

The　broker　burst　out　into　a　loud　laugh。　He　could　not　stand　Simon's　fine　speeches；　and　would　not　take　the　watch　at　any　rate；　so　they　departed　to　find　another　place；　and　entered　a　shop　close　by。

〃Where　did　you　get　this？〃　asked　the　broker　sourly；　and　Katy　repeated　her　story；　and　Simon　vouched　for　its　truth。

〃It　is　all　a　lie；〃　exclaimed　the　broker；　〃I　will　put　the　watch　into　my　safe　and　hand　it　over　to　the　police。〃

〃This　is　a　most　extraordinary　proceeding；〃　protested　Master　Simon。

〃Get　out　of　the　shop；　both　of　you；　or　I　will　hand　you　over　to　the　police！　You　stole　the　watch；　and　have　the　audacity　to　bring　it　into　the　shop　of　an　honest　man。　I　don't　buy　stolen　goods。〃

Katy　began　to　cry；　as　the　last　hope　of　redemption　from　the　fangs　of　Dr。　Flynch　fled。　Even　Master　Simon　Sneed　was　alarmed　at　the　idea　of　being　handed　over　to　the　police；　but　his　sense　of　dignity　compelled　him　to　enter　his　earnest　protest；　against　the　proceeding　of　the　broker；　and　even　to　threaten　him　with　the　terrors　of　the　law。　The　money…lender　repeated　his　menace；　and　even　went　to　the　door；　for　the　apparent　purpose　of　putting　it　into　execution。

〃Come；　Katy；　let　us　go；　but　I　assure　you　I　will　represent　this　outrage　to　my　friend　the　mayor；　in　such　a　manner　that　entire　justice　shall　be　done　you；〃　whispered　Simon。　〃I　cannot　remain　any　longer　away　from　my　business；　or　I　would　recover　the　watch　at　once。〃

〃O；　dear！　my　poor　mother！〃　sobbed　Katy。

〃Don't　cry；　my　child；　leave　it　all　to　me；　and　run　home　as　fast　as　you　can。　You　shall　have　the　watch　again；　for　I　will　call　in　the　whole　police　force　of　Boston　to　your　aid；〃　and　Master　Simon　ran　away　to　attend　to　the　affairs　of　Sands　&　Co。；　which　Katy　innocently　concluded　must　be　suffering　by　this　time　from　his　absence。

Poor　Katy！　with　a　heavy　heart　she　wandered　home　to　tell　her　mother　of　this　new　misfortune。



CHAPTER　IV。

KATY　MATURES　A　MAGNIFICENT　SCHEME。


〃I　suppose　it　is　all　for　the　best；　mother；〃　said　Katy；　when　she　had　told　her　sad　story　of　disappointment。　〃I　can't　get　those　words　out　of　my　head；　since　you　have　told　me　about　my　father。　I　feel　just　as　though　everything　would　come　out　right；　it　does　go　very　bad　just　now。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　feel　so；　Katy；〃　added　Mrs。　Redburn。　〃It　will　make　you　much　better　contented　with　your　lot。　I　have　suffered　so　much　that　I　cannot　help　repining　a　little；　though　I　feel　that　my　destiny　and　yours　is　in　the　hands　of　the　wise　Father；　who　bringeth　good　out　of　evil。〃

Katy　had　not　yet　reached　that　spirit　of　meek　submission　to　the　will　of　Heaven　which　looks　upward　in　the　hour　of　trial；　not　doubting　that　the　all…wise　God　knows　best　what　is　for　the　good　of　his　children。　If　she　believed　that　misfortunes　were　all　for　the　best；　it　was　only　an　impulse　derived　from　the　story　of　her　father；　a　kind　of　philosophy　which　was　very　convenient　for　the　evil　day；　because　it　permitted　the　sufferer　to　lie　down　and　take　things　easily。　It　was　not　a　filial　trust　in　the　wisdom　and　mercy　of　the　heavenly　Father　that　sustained　her　as　the　clouds　grew　thicker　and　blacker　around　her；　it　was　only　a　cold　indifference；　a　feeling　of　the　head　rather　than　the　heart。

But　Mrs。　Redburn　had　been　reading　the　New　Testament　during　Katy's　absence；　and　a　better　and　purer　spirit　pervaded　her　soul　than　when　the　weight　of　the　blow　first　struck　so　heavily　upon　her。　She　was　well　educated；　and　capable　of　reasoning　in　a　just　manner　over　her　misfortunes；　and　those　words　on　the　watch　seemed　to　convey　a　new　meaning　to　her；　as　she　considered　them　in　the　light　of　Christian　revelation。　They　were　not　the　basis　of　a　cold　philosophy；　they　assured　her　of　the　paternal　care　of　God。　The　thought　strengthened　and　revived　her；　and　when　Katy　appeared　to　announce　a　new　trial；　she　received　the　intelligence　with　calmness；　and　felt　more　ready　than　ever　before　to　leave　her　destiny　in　the　hands　of　Heaven。　For　an　hour　she　conversed　with　Katy　on　this　subject；　and