CHAPTER IV. BE YE KIND-HEARTED.

‘I   WENT first,’ said Mrs Leddam, ‘to the houses where I supposed rich people lived.’

‘There’s handsome houses in that wide street,’ interrupted John. ‘I saw, through the windows, pictures hanging on the walls, and such beautiful curtains! Did you go to them?’

‘I stopped at one door,’ his mother replied: ‘the servant was dressed as fine as a gentleman. He looked at me with contempt¹, and said his mistress² had company.[21] At another house, I got to see the lady. She was sitting in a velvet³ chair, rocking her baby, and was handsome and pleasant spoken, and asked me to sit down.’

‘She gave you some work?’ said John.

‘Ah!’ replied Mrs Leddam, sighing, ‘I don’t think she ever felt trouble. For a moment she seemed sorry for me; but she was so much taken up with her little girl, that she seemed to forget for a while that I was in the room, and then dismissed me hastily⁴, telling me to call again. As I rung the bell at another fine house, the mistress came out to the door, elegantly⁵ dressed, and stepped into a carriage which was waiting. I asked her for work, and told her of my starving children. She looked cross, and said there was no end to the calls of poor people. I looked at a bright purse which she held in her hand, and thought that one of the gold pieces[22] that shone through the silk would make me easy for a week. At last I felt faint and sick, and came home.’

‘Wasn’t you glad, mother,’ said Henry, ‘when you found us so well off?’

‘Yes, my son; I felt that God had not forsaken⁶ us. And now, John, read me the chapter we had yesterday.’

‘Which, mother? where Jesus fed the five thousand?’

‘Yes; I love to hear that part which speaks of women and children: surely He will take care of us helpless ones.’

It has been said, and whoever feels sorrow may know it to be true, ‘A dark hour makes Jesus bright.’ Before I close this chapter, let me ask my young reader to remember the words at the beginning, and try to put them in practice.

You may not always have money to give to the poor, but you can be kind[23] and thoughtful. A few kind words will often cheer the sad heart of the widow or orphan⁷.
Would you be like Jesus,
And show His gentle mind?
Then in all your actions
Remember to be kind.

1 contempt   

n.轻视，藐视，受辱，丢脸

参考例句：

• She looked at him with immediate and undisguised contempt.她用毫不掩饰的轻蔑眼光看着他。
• He refused to answer in contempt of the rules of the court.他藐视法院规章，拒绝回答。

2 mistress   

n.（文学用语）使男子为之倾倒的女人，女主人

参考例句：

• Does his wife know he has a mistress?他的妻子知道他有一个情妇吗？
• Is your mistress at home?你家女主人在家吗？

3 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

4 hastily   

ad.过于匆忙地，急急忙忙地

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily. 我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• Nothing must be done hastily but killing of fleas. 除非要捉跳蚤，做事不可匆忙。

5 elegantly   

adv.优美地，雅致地，高雅地

参考例句：

• She turned on her elegantly shod heel. 她突然转身，迈开穿着雅致的皮鞋的双脚离去了。
• Susan always dresses very elegantly. 苏珊总是穿得很雅致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 Forsaken   

adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词

参考例句：

• He was forsaken by his friends. 他被朋友们背弃了。
• He has forsaken his wife and children. 他遗弃了他的妻子和孩子。

7 orphan   

n.孤儿；adj.无父母的

参考例句：

• He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大，并且把自己的医术传给了他。
• The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。