ails you, Katy?"

"I feel very sad, Michael; for my mother is very sick, and I



don't know as she will ever get well."

"Indeed? I'm sorry to hear that of her;" and Michael, whatever he



felt, looked very much concerned about Mrs. Redburn's health.

"Is Mrs. Gordon at home?"



"She isn't."

"Is Miss Grace?"



"Neither of them; they went to Baltimore ten days ago but I am

expecting them back every day."



Katy's heart sank within her; for now that Mrs. Gordon was not at

hand, she did not feel like asking any other person; and if the



case had not been urgent, she would have been satisfied to return

home, and regard the lady's absence as a sufficient excuse for



not procuring the money.

"You want to see her very much?" asked Michael.



"Very much, indeed."

"Can I be of any service to you?"



"No, Michael."

"Perhaps I can, Katy."



"No, I'm much obliged to you."

"If it's anything in the house you want, I can get it for you."



"No, I must see Mrs. Gordon."

"If it's any nice preserve or jelly you want just say the word,



and I'll bring it to you at once."

"I do not want anything of that kind. Do you think Mrs. Gordon



will return by to-morrow?"

"I thought she would be here yesterday, and she may come



to-night."

"Very well; I will, perhaps, call again to-morrow," and she



turned to leave.

"I'll tell Mrs. Gordon you came. Stop a minute, Katy. Won't you



tell me what you want?"

"I would rather not, Michael; but I will come again to-morrow."



"See here, Katy; maybe you're short of money. If you are, I have

a matter of three hundred dollars in the Savings Bank; and you



may be sure you shall have every cent of it if you want it."

This was a very liberal offer, though it is probable he did not



think she would want any considerableportion of it, or that she

could even comprehend the meaning of so large a sum. Katy was



sorely tempted to negotiate with him for the loan but she was not

sure that it would be proper to borrow money of the servant, and



perhaps Mrs. Gordon would not like it.

"I thank you, Michael; you are very kind, but I think I would



rather see Mrs. Gordon."

"I have a matter of five or six dollars in my pocket now; and it



that'll be of any service to you, take it and welcome."

Katy stopped to think. A few dollars would be all that she needed



before the return of Mrs. Gordon; and yet she did not feel like

accepting it. What would the lady say on her return, when told



that she had borrowed money of her servant? Yet the servant had a

kind heart, and really desired to serve her. Was it not pride



that prevented her from accepting his offer? Did she not feel too

proud to place herself under obligations to the servant? She felt



rebuked at her presumption; for what right had she to make such

distinctions? If she had been a lady, like Mrs. Gordon, she might



have been excusable for cherishing such pride; but she was a poor

girl; she was actually in want.



"Michael, you are so good, that I will tell you my story," said

she, conquering her repugnance.



"Just come in the house, then;" and he led her into the

sitting-room; being, in the absence of the mistress, the lord and



master of the mansion, and feeling quite at home in that

position.



In a few words she explained to him her situation, though her

rebellious pride caused her to paint the picture in somewhat



brighter colors than the truth would justify. She stated her

intention to borrow twenty dollars of Mrs. Gordon, and offer her



the watch as security, at the same time exhibiting the cherished

treasure.



"Now Michael, if you will lend me three dollars till Mrs. Gordon

returns, I will pay you then, for I know she will let me have the



money; or at least let me have enough to pay you," continued she,

when she had finished her narrative.

• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)


• presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)


• procure [prə´kjuə] v.获得；完(达)成；实现 (初中英语单词)


• absence [´æbsəns] n.不在，缺席；缺乏 (初中英语单词)


• conceal [kən´si:l] vt.藏；隐瞒 (初中英语单词)


• feeble [´fi:bəl] a.虚弱的，无力的 (初中英语单词)


• treatment [´tri:tmənt] n.待遇；对待；治疗 (初中英语单词)


• physician [fi´ziʃən] n.(内科)医生 (初中英语单词)


• assist [ə´sist] v.协助；援助；搀扶 (初中英语单词)


• cheerful [´tʃiəful] a.快乐的；高兴的 (初中英语单词)


• complaint [kəm´pleint] n.抱怨；叫屈 (初中英语单词)


• considerable [kən´sidərəbəl] a.重要的；值得重视 (初中英语单词)


• thrill [θril] v.震惊；激动；刺激 (初中英语单词)


• anxious [´æŋkʃəs] a.担忧的；渴望的 (初中英语单词)


• suffering [´sʌfəriŋ] n.痛苦；灾害 (初中英语单词)


• extent [ik´stent] n.长度；程度；范围 (初中英语单词)


• kettle [´ketl] n.水壶 (初中英语单词)


• intention [in´tenʃən] n.意图；打算；意义 (初中英语单词)


• anxiety [æŋ´zaiəti] n.挂念；渴望；焦虑的事 (初中英语单词)


• earnest [´ə:nist] a.认真的 n.认真；诚恳 (初中英语单词)


• restless [´restləs] a.没有休息的 (初中英语单词)


• scarlet [´skɑ:lit] n.猩红色 a.猩红的 (初中英语单词)


• severe [si´viə] a.严厉的；苛刻的 (初中英语单词)


• unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)


• assistance [ə´sistəns] n.协作；援助；帮助 (初中英语单词)


• debate [di´beit] n.&v.讨论，辩论 (初中英语单词)


• security [si´kjuəriti] n.安全；证券；抵押品 (初中英语单词)


• payment [´peimənt] n.支付；报酬；报偿 (初中英语单词)


• mission [´miʃən] n.代表团；使馆vt.派遣 (初中英语单词)


• impose [im´pəuz] v.课税；强加；利用 (初中英语单词)


• amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)


• temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)


• extraordinary [ik´strɔ:dinəri] a.非常的；额外的 (初中英语单词)


• character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)


• violent [´vaiələnt] a.强暴的；猛烈的 (初中英语单词)


• nervous [´nə:vəs] a.神经的；神经过敏的 (初中英语单词)


• whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)


• preserve [pri´zə:v] v.保藏 n.保藏物 (初中英语单词)


• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)


• liberal [´libərəl] a.大方的 n.开明的人 (初中英语单词)


• probable [´prɔbəbəl] a.大概的n.很可能的事 (初中英语单词)


• portion [´pɔ:ʃən] n.嫁妆；命运 vt.分配 (初中英语单词)


• actually [´æktʃuəli] ad.事实上；实际上 (初中英语单词)


• mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)


• recovery [ri´kʌvəri] n.重获；获得；恢复 (高中英语单词)


• implore [im´plɔ:] vt.乞求，恳求 (高中英语单词)


• critical [´kritikəl] a.批评的；关键性的 (高中英语单词)


• chamber [´tʃeimbə] n.房间；议院；会议室 (高中英语单词)


• indies [´indiz] n.东(西)印度群岛 (高中英语单词)


• impart [im´pɑ:t] vt.传授；赋予；告知 (高中英语单词)


• sunken [´sʌŋkən] sink的过去分词 (高中英语单词)


• decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)


• repose [ri´pəuz] v.&n.(使)休息；安息 (高中英语单词)


• honesty [´ɔnisti] n.诚实，老实 (高中英语单词)


• charity [´tʃæriti] n.施舍；慈悲；博爱 (高中英语单词)


• grocer [´grəusə] n.食品商，杂货商 (高中英语单词)


• concerned [kən´sə:nd] a.有关的；担心的 (高中英语单词)


• baltimore [´bɔ:ltimɔ:] n.巴尔的摩 (高中英语单词)


• comprehend [,kɔmpri´hend] vt.了解；领会；包含 (高中英语单词)


• presumption [pri´zʌmpʃən] n.推测；专横；冒昧 (高中英语单词)


• mansion [´mænʃən] n.大厦；宅第；官邸 (高中英语单词)


• narrative [´nærətiv] a.叙述的 n.记事 (高中英语单词)


• considering [kən´sidəriŋ] prep.就…而论 (英语四级单词)


• foresee [fɔ:´si:] vt.预见，预知 (英语四级单词)


• hopeful [´həupfəl] a.有希望的，激励人的 (英语四级单词)


• forenoon [´fɔ:nu:n] n.午前，上午 (英语四级单词)


• seemingly [´si:miŋli] ad.表面上；似乎 (英语四级单词)


• indulgence [in´dʌldʒəns] n.沉迷；宽容；恩惠 (英语四级单词)


• virtually [´və:tʃuəli] ad.实际上，实质上 (英语四级单词)


• urgent [´ə:dʒənt] a.急迫的，紧急的 (英语四级单词)


• negotiate [ni´gəuʃieit] v.谈判；解决；转让 (英语四级单词)


• termination [,tə:mi´neiʃən] n.终止，结束；结局 (英语六级单词)


• inability [,inə´biliti] n.无能，无力 (英语六级单词)


• deacon [´di:kən] n.(教会的)执事 (英语六级单词)