poor and proud-第6部分

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not　like　to　enter　the　store；　so　she　waited　on　the　sidewalk　for　half　an　hour；　hoping　he　would　come　out。　As　he　did　not　appear；　her　impatience　would　not　permit　her　to　lose　any　more　time；　and　she　timidly　opened　the　door；　and　inquired　of　the　first　salesman　she　saw　if　Mister　Sneed　was　in。

〃Mister　Sneed！〃　laughed　the　clerk。　〃Here；　Simon；　is　one　of　your　friends。　Wait　upon　her。〃

Simon；　with　a　flushed　cheek；　came　to　the　door。　He　was　horrified　at　the　insinuation　of　the　salesman　and　wished　Katy　had　been　on　the　other　side　of　the　ocean　before　she　had　come　there　to　scandalize　him　by　claiming　his　acquaintance。

〃What　do　you　want　now？〃　he　demanded；　rather　rudely。　〃Is　it　not　enough　that　I　am　willing　to　help　you；　without　your　coming　here　to　bring　me　into　contempt　with　my　associates？〃　

〃I　didn't　think　there　was　any　harm　in　it。　I　waited　outside　for　half　an　hour；　and　you　didn't　come　out。〃

〃I　can't　leave　the　affairs　of　this　firm　to　attend　to　every　little〃　and　Master　Simon's　naturally　good　heart　prevented　him　from　uttering　the　unkind　words　that　had　been　on　his　tongue。　〃I　suppose　you　come　to　know　about　the　watch。　I　haven't　had　time　to　call　upon　the　mayor　yet；　but　I　will　do　so　at　dinner　time。〃

〃I　only　wanted　to　ask　you　if　you　know　where　Mrs。　Gordon　lives；〃　replied　Katy；　very　sad　at　the　thought　of　the　mischief　she　had　done。

〃She　lives　in　Temple　Street；　over　back　of　the　State　House。　What　do　you　want　of　her？〃

〃I　want　to　see　her。　Do　you　suppose　you　can　get　that　watch　back？〃

〃I'm　certain　I　can。　When　my　friend　the　mayor　hears　my　story；　you　may　depend　upon　it　he　will　get　the　watch；　or　upset　all　the　pawn…brokers'　shops　in　the　city。〃

〃Are　you　acquainted　with　the　mayor？〃　asked　Katy；　timidly；　for；　since　the　adventure　of　the　previous　day；　she　had　entertained　some　slight　doubts　in　regard　to　the　transcendent　abilities　of　Master　Simon　Sneed。

〃Certainly　I　am。　It　was　only　last　week　that　I　had　a　long　and　extremely　interesting　conversation　with　his　honor　on　the　sidewalk　here　before　the　store。〃

Katy　was　satisfied；　though　Simon　did　not　offer　to　introduce　her　to　his　distinguished　friend。　How　could　she　help　being　satisfied　in　the　face　of　such　astounding　evidence？　And　Simon's　declaration　was　true；　for　whatever　faults　he　had；　he　never　made　up　a　story　out　of　whole　cloth。　It　was　undeniably　true　that　he　had　conversed　with　the　mayor　for　ten　full　minutes；　at　the　time　and　place　represented。　Simon　had　been　sent　out　to　hold　his　honor's　horse；　while　a　lady　with　him　did　some　shopping；　but　his　honor　preferred　to　hold　his　own　horse；　and　amused　himself　for　the　time　in　listening　to　the　big　talk　of　the　nice　young　man。

After　receiving　more　explicit　directions　in　regard　to　the　residence　of　Mrs。　Gordon；　Katy　took　her　leave　of　Simon。　Next　door　to　Sands　&　Co。's　was　the　store　of　a　celebrated　confectioner。　In　the　window；　with　sundry　sugar　temples；　cob　houses　of　braided　candy　and　stacks　of　cake；　was　a　great　heap　of　molasses　candy；　and　as　Katy　paused　for　an　instant　to　gaze　at　the　profusion　of　sweet　things；　a　great　thought　struck　through　her　brain。

〃Mother　used　to　make　molasses　candy　for　me；　and　I　know　just　how　it　is　done；〃　said　she　to　herself。　〃What　is　the　reason　I　can't　make　candy　and　sell　it？〃

She　walked　on　towards　School　Street；　up　which　she　had　been　directed　to　turn；　full　of　this　idea。　She　would　become　a　little　candy　merchant。　She　felt　sure　she　could　find　purchasers　enough；　if　her　merchandise　only　looked　clean　and　good。　It　was　a　great　deal　better　than　begging；　and　she　thought　her　mother　would　consent　to　her　making　and　selling　the　candy。　What　a　glorious　idea！　If　she　could　only　make　money　enough　to　support　her　mother　and　herself；　how　happy　she　should　be！

Full　of　enthusiasm　at　the　idea　of　accomplishing　such　a　vast　project；　she　scarcely　heeded　the　crowds　of　people　that　thronged　the　street　and　rudely　jostled　her。　If　she　saw　them　at　all；　it　was　only　to　regard　them　as　so　many　purchasers　of　molasses　candy。　With　her　brain　almost　reeling　with　the　immensity　and　magnificence　of　her　scheme；　she　reached　Temple　Street。　After　a　little　search；　she　found　the　number　of　Mrs。　Gordon's　residence　on　a　splendid　house；　whose　grandness　quite　abashed　her。　But　her　courage　revived　as　she　thought　of　the　purpose　that　had　brought　her　there；　and　she　boldly　rang　the　bell。　The　door　was　opened　by　a　servant　man　in　a　white　jacket；　of　whom　she　inquired　if　Mrs。　Gordon　was　at　home。

〃Mrs。　Gordon　is　at　home；　but　we　don't　trouble　her　at　the　call　of　a　beggar；〃　replied　the　well…fed　servant　as　he　glanced　at　the　homely　apparel　of　Katy。

〃I　am　not　a　beggar；〃　she　replied；　with　spirit；　her　cheek　reddening　with　indignation　at　the　charge。

〃You　can't　see　her；　so　go　about　your　business。〃

〃Who　is　it　Michael？〃　said　a　gentle　voice　within。

〃Only　a　beggar；　Miss　Grace；　she　wants　to　see　Mrs。　Gordon；〃　replied　the　man；　and　then　a　beautiful　young　lady　came　to　look　at　her。

〃I　am　not　a　beggar；　ma'am；　indeed　I　am　not。　I　want　to　see　Mrs。　Gordon　very　much。　Please　to　let　me　speak　to　her。〃

The　sweet；　pleading　tones　of　the　child　produced　their　impression　on　the　beautiful　lady；　and　she　bade　her　come　in。　Katy　entered；　and　Michael　told　her　to　stand　in　the　entry　while　Miss　Grace　went　up…stairs　to　call　Mrs。　Gordon。



CHAPTER　V。

KATY　VISITS　MRS。　GORDON；　AND　GETS　RID　OF　DR。　FLYNCH。


Katy　gazed　with　wonder　and　admiration　at　the　rich　furniture　of　the　house；　and　thought　that　perhaps　her　grandfather　lived　in　as　good　style　as　Mrs。　Gordon；　and　that　she　might　some　day　go　to　Liverpool　and　be　an　inmate　of　just　such　a　palace。　The　door　of　the　sitting…room　was　open；　and　she　had　an　opportunity　to　look　at　all　the　fine　things　it　contained。　She　had　never　seen　anything　so　luxurious　before；　and　I　must　say　that　she　regretted　the　poverty　of　her　lot；　which　deprived　her　mother　and　herself　of　them。

All　round　the　room　hung　pictures　in　costly　frames。　Some　of　them　were　portraits；　and　one　which　hung　over　the　mantelpiece　directly　before　her；　soon　attracted　her　attention；　and　made　her　forget　the　soft　divans；　the　beautiful　carpet；　and　the　rich　draperies　of　the　windows。　It　was　the　portrait　of　a　lady；　and　her　expression　was　very　like　that　of　her　motherso　like　that　she　could　almost　believe　the　picture　had　been　painted　for　her　mother。　Yet　that　could　not　be；　for　the　lady　was　young；　and　plump；　and　rosy；　and　wore　rich　laces；　and　a　costly　dress。　She　seemed　to　look　down　upon　her　from　the　golden　frame　with　a　smile　of　satisfaction。　There　was　something　roguish　in　her　eye；　as　though　she　was　on　the　point　of　bursting　into　a　laugh　at　some　mischief　she　had　perpetrated。　O；　no！　that　could　not　be　her　mother；　she　had　never　seen　her　look　like　that。　But　there　was　something　that　seemed　very　much　like　her；　and　the　more　she　looked　at　it；　the　more　the　picture　fascinated　her。　She　tried　to　look　at　something　else；　but　the　lady　appeared　to　have　fixed　her　gaze　upon　her；　and；　whichever　way　she　turned；　those　laughing　eyes　followed　her；　and　brought　back　her　attention　to　the　canvas　again。

In　vain　she　attempted　to　fasten　her　mind　upon　some　of　the　other　portraits。　There　was　an　elderly　gentleman；　with　a　full　red　face；　but　the　jealous　lady　would　not　let　her　look　at　him。　She　turned　round　and　looked　out　the　windows　at　the　side　of　the　door；　but　the　spell　of　the　lady　was　upon　her；　and　she　could　not　resist　the　charm。　The　more　she　studied　the　portrait；　the　more　convinced　she　became　that　it　looked　like　her　mother；　though　there　was　something　about　it　which　was　as　unlike　her　as　anything　could　be。　〃What　makes　you　keep　looking　at　me？〃　said　Katy　to　herself；　or　rather　to　the　lady　on　the　canvas。　〃You　needn't　watch　me　so　closely；　I　shall　not　steal　anything。〃

The　lady；　however；　insisted　on　watching　her；　and　kept　her　roguish　glance　fixed　upon　her　with　a　steadiness　that　began　to　make　her　feel　nervous　and　uneasy；　and　she　was　greatly　relieved　when　she　heard　footsteps　on　the　stairs。

〃Mrs。　Gordon　will　be　down　in　a　moment；〃　said　Miss　Grace；　in　kind　tones。　〃Won't　you　come　into　this　room　and　sit　down？〃

Katy　thanked　her；　and　Grace　led　her　to　a　small　chair　directly　under　the　mischievous…looking　lady　in　the　frame；　and　she　felt　a　kind　of　satisfaction　in　being　placed　out　of　her　sight。　But　it　seemed；　even　then；　as　she　cast　a　furtive　glance　upward；　that　those　roguish　eyes　were　trying　to　peer　over　the　picture　frame；　and　get　a　look　at　her。

〃Well；　little　girl；　what　do　you　wish　with　me？〃　said　Mrs。　Gordon；　a　benevolent　looking　lady；　apparently　of　more　than　forty　years　of　age；　who　now　entered　the　room。

The　expression　of　her　countenance　was　very　pleasant；　and　though　there　were　a　few　wrinkles　on　her　brow　and　she　wore　a　lace　cap；　Katy　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　portrait　had　been　taken　for　her。　She　wondered　if　such　a　dignified　lady　could　ever　have　been　so　roguish　as　the　picture　indicated。

〃Please；　ma'am；〃　stammered　she；　rising　from　her　chair；　〃I　come　to　see　you　about　the　house　we　live　in。〃

〃What　is　your　name；　child？〃

〃Katy　Redburn；　ma'am。〃

〃In　what　house　do　you　live　in？〃

〃In　one　of　yours　in　Colvin　Court。　Mother　is　a　poor　woman；　and　has　been　sick　so　much　this　summer　that　she　can't　pay　the　rent。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　you；　my　child；　but　I　refer　you　to　my　agent；　Dr。　Flynch。　I　do　not　like　to　meddle　with　these　things；　as　I　have　given　him　the　whole　care　of　my　houses。　You　will　find　h