登陆注册
5249500000046

第46章 CHAPTER XIX(2)

"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 time--a 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.

同类推荐
  • 萨昙分陀利经

    萨昙分陀利经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大业杂记

    大业杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 紫金光耀大仙修真演义

    紫金光耀大仙修真演义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • HECUBA

    HECUBA

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 三辅黄图

    三辅黄图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • King Richard II

    King Richard II

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 小儿脏腑形证门

    小儿脏腑形证门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书旨述

    书旨述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 快穿之攻略前世男神

    快穿之攻略前世男神

    兰言又名无言仙子,是三千世界中修仙界面中令人痛恨的存在,最终被自己的徒弟搞死了.但天道不让她亡让她绑定了系统.
  • 万世魔缘子树花开

    万世魔缘子树花开

    我是一只上古神兽,貌美、力强、还机智过人。初见他时,他只是个倔强纯傻的小小少年郎。再见他时,他竟已成性情暴戾魔界魔尊继位者。无意间,我被卷入魔界权位的争夺阴谋中。渐渐发现,在他那暴戾残酷的表象下,藏了几千年的纯纯爱恋之心。好吧,既然,你都爱惨了我了,那我就勉为其难的接受你吧!这是一部上古神兽与天地间魔尊后裔的酸甜苦辣的爱恋宠文,天地间第一对打破种族界限在一起的神魔眷侣。
  • 我家七爷太霸道

    我家七爷太霸道

    柒柒的新书《盛世余生只为遇见你》已在连载中,求支持~梦境中的雪白色,伴随着长剑直穿而入,染成了血红色,覆盖住她那双璀璨如光,独具一格的暗紫色双眸。而遗留下的,只有那魂牵梦绕的噩梦,以及像是孤魂野鬼一般,苟且偷生的她。她一生为复仇而来,却没想到被某人盯上,纠缠不休,抵死缠绵。她一句“皇上问我,愿不愿意入后宫”某位摄政王直接发疯,将她往死里吻去......并发誓,这个小东西,只能属于他一个人!至死不休!
  • 盛爱晚夏

    盛爱晚夏

    两年的时间,当盛夏走出那扇坚固的铁门后,她终于重获自己。可是现在的她,到底还剩什么呢?她在最好的时光,失去了一切,现在,一无所有……但正是在这个时候,她一直以来追逐向往的光明,却对她伸出来手。他说她会保护她,会照顾她……季长生:盛夏,你不能要求一个不喜欢你的人对你多好。盛夏:那你现在为什么要对我好!季长生:因为我喜欢你。这个夏天,她没有了奔跑了草坪,却依旧能站在缝隙里,迎风飞舞。
  • 砚压群芳

    砚压群芳

    【广西师大出版社出版】桃叶父母双亡,家徒四壁,母亲只给她留下了一个刚刚出生的小妹妹。为养活自己和妹妹,桃叶去书法名家卫夫人的私塾里打杂,结果遇到了四位爱捉弄人的贵公子:王献之、谢玄、郗超、桓济,和几位极具特色的教书先生:猫先生、墙头草先生、子曰先生、惊堂木先生;以及声称爱财如命,兼有奇特嗜好的卫夫人。不久,桃叶就被神秘女子骚扰毒打,她原本以为不过是爱慕王献之的女子在跟自己争风吃醋,最后却惊惧地发现,自己居然卷入了一场宫廷争斗之中。**************************************桃叶心语:都说我心比天高,可惜身为下贱,那又如何?就算是小麻雀,也有一双飞翔的翅膀,也可以仰望天堂.(我的其它书:《极恶皇后》由陕西师大出版社出版;《美人卷珠帘》正在连载中)
  • 刺猬

    刺猬

    硬派成长小说、新青年文学、新校园题材、青春。从小到大,只要照着老哥所说的做,就准没有错,他是我的爸爸妈妈,我的哥哥姐姐,我的良师益友,我的心灵寄托。我们活得简单,但并不容易,我们人生中的每一步都如履薄冰;我们活得拮据,但并不痛苦,所以老哥对我说,你应当去追求自己的自由,去发挥你人生当中的价值。他说得对,正如他一直都是对的,只是自由并不代表着你不用付出一些代价……本书给我们展现了青春少年心中对外来美好的愿景和想象,积极向上,充满阳光。
  • 雨夜杀人游戏

    雨夜杀人游戏

    又一个晦暗连绵的雨夜,第四起命案发生了。被挖出的左眼珠,满脸满身的割伤,被敲断骨骼的四肢无力地瘫在垃圾堆里……一切似乎表明,这与之前三起女性虐杀案是同一人所为。这些案子都发生在新任警察局长到任之后的一个月内,他的女儿甚至也成了凶手的刀下冤魂。平静的小城被笼罩在恐惧中,警察却束手无策。侦探高峰接手了此案,经过细致的观察和思考,他似乎发现了凶手的秘密。死者脸上那神秘的“Z”形签名,是挑衅还是纪念?他抽丝剥茧,层层深入,案情却越来越扑朔迷离,甚至牵扯进了境外雇佣兵势力!是变态连环杀手的杀戮狂欢?还是凶暴残忍的报复性仇杀?雨,又开始下了。这一次,高峰能阻止得了凶手吗?