登陆注册
5287900000110

第110章 CHAPTER XXX(1)

MISTRESS KITTY FAGAN CALLS ON MASTER BYLES GRIDLEY.

"I 'd like to go down to the store this mornin', Miss Withers, plase.

Sure I've niver a shoe to my fut, only jist these two that I've got on, an' one other pair, and thim is so full of holes that whin I 'm standin' in 'em I'm outside of 'em intirely.""You can go, Kitty," Miss Silence answered, funereally.

Thereupon Kitty Fagan proceeded to array herself in her most tidy apparel, including a pair of shoes not exactly answering to her description, and set out straight for the house of the Widow Hopkins.

Arrived at that respectable mansion, she inquired for Mr. Gridley, and was informed that he was at home. Had a message for him,--could she see him in his study? She could if she would wait a little while. Mr. Gridley was busy just at this minute. Sit down, Kitty, and warm yourself at the cooking-stove.

Mistress Kitty accepted Mrs. Hopkins's hospitable offer, and presently began orienting herself, and getting ready to make herself agreeable. The kindhearted Mrs. Hopkins had gathered about her several other pensioners besides the twins. These two little people, it may be here mentioned, were just taking a morning airing in charge of Susan Posey, who strolled along in company with Gifted Hopkins on his way to the store."Mistress Kitty soon began the conversational blandishments so natural to her good-humored race. "It's a little blarney that'll jist suit th' old lady," she said to herself, as she made her first conciliatory advance.

"An' sure an' it's a beautiful kitten you've got there, Mrs. Hopkins.

An' it's a splendid mouser she is, I'll be bound. Does n't she look as if she'd clans the house out o'them little bastes, bad luck to em.

Mrs. Hopkins looked benignantly upon the more than middle-aged tabby, slumbering as if she had never known an enemy, and turned smiling to Mistress Kitty. "Why, bless your heart, Kitty, our old puss would n't know a mouse by sight, if you showed her one. If I was a mouse, I'd as lieves have a nest in one of that old cat's ears as anywhere else. You couldn't find a safer place for one.""Indade, an' to be sure she's too big an' too handsome a pussy to be after wastin' her time on them little bastes. It's that little tarrier dog of yours, Mrs. Hopkins, that will be after worryin' the mice an' the rats, an' the thaves too, I 'll warrant. Is n't he a fust-rate-lookin' watch-dog, an' a rig'ler rat-hound?"Mrs. Hopkins looked at the little short-legged and short-winded animal of miscellaneous extraction with an expression of contempt and affection, mingled about half and half. "Worry 'em! If they wanted to sleep, I rather guess he would worry 'em! If barkin' would do their job for 'em, nary a mouse nor rat would board free gratis in my house as they do now. Noisy little good-for-nothing tike,--ain't you, Fret?"Mistress Kitty was put back a little by two such signal failures.

There was another chance, however, to make her point, which she presently availed herself of,--feeling pretty sure this time that she should effect a lodgement. Mrs. Hopkins's parrot had been observing Kitty, first with one eye and then with the other, evidently preparing to make a remark, but awkward with a stranger. "That 's a beautiful part y 've got there," Kitty said, buoyant with the certainty that she was on safe ground this time; "and tahks like a book, I 'll be bound. Poll! Poll! Poor Poll!"She put forth her hand to caress the intelligent and affable bird, which, instead of responding as expected, "squawked," as our phonetic language has it, and, opening a beak imitated from a tooth-drawing instrument of the good old days, made a shrewd nip at Kitty's forefinger. She drew it back with a jerk.

"An' is that the way your part tahks, Mrs. Hopkins?""Talks, bless you, Kitty! why, that parrot hasn't said a word this ten year. He used to say Poor Poll! when we first had him, but he found it was easier to squawk, and that's all he ever does nowadays, --except bite once in a while.""Well, an' to be sure," Kitty answered, radiant as she rose from her defeats, " if you'll kape a cat that does n't know a mouse when she sees it, an' a dog that only barks for his livin', and a part that only squawks an' bites an' niver spakes a word, ye must be the best-hearted woman that's alive, an' bliss ye, if ye was only a good Catholic, the Holy Father 'd make a saint of ye in less than no time!"So Mistress Kitty Fagan got in her bit of Celtic flattery, in spite of her three successive discomfitures.

"You may come up now, Kitty," said Mr. Gridley over the stairs. He had just finished and sealed a letter.

"Well, Kitty, how are things going on up at The Poplars? And how does our young lady seem to be of late?""Whisht! whisht! your honor."

Mr. Bradshaw's lessons had not been thrown away on his attentive listener. She opened every door in the room, "by your lave," as she said. She looked all over the walls to see if there was any old stovepipe hole or other avenue to eye or ear. Then she went, in her excess of caution, to the window. She saw nothing noteworthy except Mr. Gifted Hopkins and the charge he convoyed, large and small, in the distance. The whole living fleet was stationary for the moment, he leaning on the fence with his cheek on his hand, in one of the attitudes of the late Lord Byron; she, very near him, listening, apparently, in the pose of Mignon aspirant au ciel, as rendered by Carlo Dolce Scheffer.

Kitty came back, apparently satisfied, and stood close to Mr.

同类推荐
  • 宿吉祥寺寄庐山隐者

    宿吉祥寺寄庐山隐者

    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。
  • Michael Strogoff

    Michael Strogoff

    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。
  • The Governess

    The Governess

    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。
  • 玄门报孝追荐仪

    玄门报孝追荐仪

    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。
  • 温公琐语

    温公琐语

    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
  • 弃皇恩负天下:绝世师尊

    弃皇恩负天下:绝世师尊

    【师徒恋】如她这般两世平庸之人——打酱油的路人甲才是她的最终身份!可上天却给她安排了一位地位超过亲王、权利盖过丞相、辈分高过皇帝,传闻中绝世风华的师父。他说:“她是我亲自教出来的徒弟,即使我亲手杀她一万次,也绝不容许你们动她分毫。”她说:“弟子子惜向师父端华发誓,除非死,今生今世绝不背叛和欺骗师父,也绝不忤逆师父。”宫廷、朝野、市井、江湖,桃源深处,有你便有我。
  • 四灵风云志之黑龙再生

    四灵风云志之黑龙再生

    一个年轻王子即将成,祥派和的景象。在圣湖之滨,乎冷山下一个来自南方的部落有10万多人,生活在草原之中,享受着安宁和富庶。年轻的乎冷族王子皮罗哥,满心期待成庆典。但是不知道为何的脑海中有个声音呼唤着他。乎冷族有一条禁忌,那就是:任何人都不能触碰圣湖之水否则将遭受天谴。在圣湖边上,所有人都静看着从来没踏入半步。但是强烈的好奇心驱使着皮罗哥骑马来到圣湖边,摔倒在地、血流入内中魔幻的声音……
  • 太上正一阅箓仪

    太上正一阅箓仪

    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。
  • 汤姆索亚历险记(世界最美儿童文学第二辑)

    汤姆索亚历险记(世界最美儿童文学第二辑)

    《汤姆·索亚历险记》是美国著名小说家马克·吐温的代表作,发表 于1876年。小说描述的是以汤姆·索亚为首的一群孩子丰富多彩的浪漫生 活。他们为了摆脱枯燥无味的功课、虚伪的教义和呆板的生活环境,做出 了种种冒险的事。《汤姆·索亚历险记》这部小说虽是为儿童写的,但又是一本写给所 有人看的读物。正如马克·吐温在原序中写的:“写这本小说,我主要是 为了娱乐孩子们,但我希望大人们不要因为这是本小孩子看的书就将它束 之高阁。”因为阅读这部小说能让“成年人从中想起当年的自己,那时的 情感、思想、言谈以及一些令人不可思议的做法”。
  • 盛世风华,朱门嫡女

    盛世风华,朱门嫡女

    【正剧版简介】:孟窈是死喜堂之上的,曾经许她一生一世一双人的夫君执着别人的手让她成全,她抱着生死不明的嫡子在材房内喊了一夜,只为他慈悲的一眼。五年夫妻,她助他平步青云、权倾楚国,他还她一场笑话和三岁幼子未寒的尸骨。她含恨大闹喜堂,许下恶毒诅咒,愿他们卧不能寐、情不善终生生世世被恶鬼所缠。最后,她却不得不撞墙自戕,让蔓延的血色洒遍喜堂,她怒睁着眼睛看向那对逼死她的人,便是死了她也要化为厉鬼将那些伤的人生吞活剥了。睁开眼,她再也不是相府的怨妇孟窈了。她叫萧绰,风姿绰绰,人若其名,艳光四射。前生,她是高平孟家嫡女丞相爱妻,是九州密宗‘离恨天’天策宗宗主。今世,她是辽国南院大王嫡女长乐郡主,是九州密宗‘离恨天’天机宗传人。前世,她为爱而奔,舍家叛宗、逆天改命只为助他一人成就大业。今世,她愿为魔,顺她者昌逆她者亡,翻手江山覆手云。她萧绰,宁可负尽天下人,也不会让一人负她!【剧情版简介】:【父王】“王爷…您可要给妾身做主啊…萧绰那个死丫头竟然敢打我…您看这伤…”三夫人委屈的道。“看这伤倒像是燕燕出的手…”王爷喜呵呵的说道。“王爷…她这是目无尊长!”“我惯的,怎么你有意见?”王爷吹了吹胡子,眼睛瞪得大大的。【竹马】“你这伤是怎么回事?”萧绰抬眼看了看不断在她眼前溜达的人。“哼,路见不平教训了几个纨绔!”某个鼻青脸肿的人说得脸不红气不喘。“喔,是被教训的吧!”萧绰悠悠的道。“谁叫他们玷污燕燕你的名节,拼了命也要打!”“我韩楚墓的未婚妻就是我也不能欺负的,岂能容得他人折辱!”【知己】“子车世子不知这平阳城已经成了一座死城?”萧绰看着马车上的白衣美少年,恼火的吼道!“知道。”“那你还来…”找死。“永夜不求与燕燕生能同寝,但求死能同穴!”子车央莞尔一笑不知令多少人折了腰。“随你!”萧绰甩袖暴走。…【离恨天批语】:名花倾国承恩前,只为回眸一笑间。(耶律贤)蓝颜三千衣不染,一见子车误终生!(子车央)最是花间倾国色,万凤朝凰九州同。(萧绰)【墨朱】:此文架空,如有雷同纯属巧合!为您推荐十泗的女强文:《溺宠——至尊狂妃》
  • 终极幻界师

    终极幻界师

    幻术终极是什么?是假作了真。从假中来,林念破开天壁,把虚幻凝了真。
  • 我欲修仙称帝

    我欲修仙称帝

    我欲修仙称帝!天下间种族林立,妖界妖王横行,魔界魔尊主宰,狱族狱王掌权……极北寒冰族称霸,炎火域焚月灵族威震一方……而如今天下正是多事之秋,少年夜凡从而开始他的修仙之路,修仙路上不断突破自我,看破红尘,最终修仙称帝!!
  • 符箓大师

    符箓大师

    李冥天的一生,大概是这样子吧,这个是所有书的情节连接线,只有想不到没有做不到,看看《长梦决》也不错哟(说这话的时候总有点心虚的感觉)
  • Forever, Plus One (The Inn at Sunset Harbor—Book 6

    Forever, Plus One (The Inn at Sunset Harbor—Book 6

    "Sophie Love's ability to impart magic to her readers is exquisitely wrought in powerfully evocative phrases and descriptions….This is the perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads."--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan re For Now and Forever)FOREVER, PLUS ONE is book #6 in the bestselling romance series The Inn at Sunset Harbor, which begins with book #1, For Now and Forever—a free download!35 year old Emily Mitchell is still reeling from the surprise news that she is pregnant. Just married, she and Danielle have no time to process the news as they are thrust into doctor appointments, preparing for the baby's arrival—and, in a surprise party, the revelation of their baby's gender.
  • 冷帝的倾城皇后

    冷帝的倾城皇后

    初遇时一见钟情、再见倾心,世间有百媚千红、而我唯独对你情有所终。皇帝:我想用这江山如画、换你笑靥如花,你可愿陪我君临天下。纳兰幽若;“好”万语千言表达不出我内心的悸动,简简单单的一个“好”字是我对余生的托付,君若不离不弃、妾定生死相依。从冷情到深情、从霸气侧漏到温柔妻奴,他萧宸昊翻天覆地的变化,不过是因为遇到了她。情不知所起、一往而深。这是一个冰山皇帝的宠妻日常。