She could not settle her mind to any plan of self-support.
She was too unhappy in her enforced exile from her home, and it saddened her to think that the uncle who had always been so kind was permanently1 estranged2 from her.
Though Mrs. O’Keefe was kind, and Dodger3 was her faithful friend, she could not accustom4 herself to her poor surroundings.
She had not supposed luxury so essential to her happiness.
This Mrs. O’Keefe was clear-sighted enough to see.
“I am sorry to see you so downcast like, my dear young lady,” she said.
“How can I help it, Mrs. O’Keefe?” returned Florence.
“Try not to think of your wicked cousin, my dear.”
“It isn’t of him that I think—it is of my uncle. How could he be so cruel, and turn against me after years of kindness?”
“It’s that wicked Curtis that is settin’ him against you, take my word for it, Miss Florence. Shure, he must be wake-minded to let such a spalpeen set him against a swate young leddy like you.”
“He is weak in body, not in mind, Mrs. O’Keefe. You are right in thinking that it is Curtis that is the cause of my misfortune.”
“Your uncle will come to his right mind some day, never fear! And now, my dear, shall I give you a bit of advice?”
“Go on, my kind friend. I will promise to consider whatever you say.”
“Then you’d better get some kind of work to take up your mind—a bit of sewin’, or writin’, or anything that comes to hand. I suppose you wouldn’t want to mind my apple-stand a couple of hours every day?”
“No,” answered Florence. “I don’t feel equal to that.”
“It would do you no end of good to be out in the open air. It would bring back the roses to your pale cheeks. If you coop yourself up in this dark room, you’ll fade away and get thin.”
“You are right. I will make an effort and go out. Besides, I must see about work.”
Here Dodger entered the room in his usual breezy way. In his hand he brandished6 a morning paper.
“How are you feelin’, Florence?” he asked; he had given up saying Miss Florence at her request. “Here’s an advertisement that’ll maybe suit you.”
“Show it to me, Dodger,” said Florence, beginning to show some interest.
The boy directed her attention to the following advertisement:
“Wanted.—A governess for a girl of twelve. Must be a good performer on the piano, and able to instruct in French and the usual English branches. Terms must be moderate. Apply to Mrs. Leighton, at 127 W. —— Street.”
“There, Florence, what do you say to that? That’s better than sewin’.”
“I don’t know, Dodger, whether I am competent.”
“You play on the pianner, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Well enough to teach?”
“I think so; but I may not have the gift of teaching.”
“Yes, you have. Haven’t you been teachin’ me every evenin’? You make everything just as clear as mud—no, I don’t mean that. You just explain so that I can’t help understandin’.”
“Then,” said Florence, “I suppose I am at liberty to refer to you.”
“Yes; you can tell the lady to call at the office of Dodger, Esq., any mornin’ after sunrise, and he’ll give her full particulars.”
Florence did not immediately decide to apply for the situation, but the more she thought of it the more she felt inclined to do so. The little experience she had had with Dodger satisfied her that she should enjoy teaching better than sewing or writing.
Accordingly, an hour later, she put on her street dress and went uptown to the address given in the advertisement.
No. 127 was a handsome brown-stone house, not unlike the one in which Florence had been accustomed to live. It was a refreshing7 contrast to the poor tenement8 in which she lived at present.
“Is Mrs. Leighton at home?” inquired Florence. “Yes, miss,” answered the servant, respectfully. “Whom shall I say?”
“I have come to apply for the situation of governess,” answered Florence, feeling rather awkward as she made the statement.
“Ah,” said the servant, with a perceptible decline in respect. “Won’t you step in?”
“Thank you.”
“Well, she do dress fine for a governess,” said Nancy to herself. “It’s likely she’ll put on airs.”
The fact was that Florence was dressed according to her past social position—in a costly9 street attire—but it had never occurred to her that she was too well dressed for a governess.
She took her seat in the drawing-room, and five minutes later there was a rustling10 heard, and Mrs. Leighton walked into the room.
“Are you the applicant11 for the position of governess?” she asked, surveying the elegantly attired12 young lady seated on the sofa.
“Yes, Mrs. Leighton,” answered Florence, easily, for she felt more at home in a house like this than in the tenement.
“Have you taught before?”
“Very little,” answered Florence, smiling to herself, as she wondered what Mrs. Leighton would say if she could see Dodger, the only pupil she ever had. “However, I like teaching, and I like children.”
“Pardon me, but you don’t look like a governess, Miss——”
“I mean as to dress. You are more expensively dressed than the average governess can afford.”
“It is only lately that my circumstances required me to support myself. I should not be able to buy such a dress out of my present earnings14.”
“I am glad to hear you say that, for I do not propose to give a large salary.”
“I do not expect one,” said Florence, quietly. “You consider yourself competent to instruct in music, French and the English branches?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Do you speak French?”
“Yes, madam.”
There was a piano in the back parlor16. Florence removed her gloves, and taking a seat before it, dashed into a spirited selection from Strauss.
Mrs. Leighton listened with surprised approval.
“Certainly you are a fine performer,” she said. “What—if I should engage you—would you expect in the way of compensation?”
“How much time would you expect me to give?”
“Three hours daily—from nine to twelve.”
“I hardly know what to say. What did you expect to pay?”
“About fifty cents an hour.”
Florence knew very well, from the sums that had been paid for her own education, that this was miserably17 small pay; but it was much more than she could earn by sewing.
“I will teach a month on those terms,” she said, after a pause.
Mrs. Leighton looked well pleased. She knew that she was making a great bargain.
“Oh, by the way,” she said, “can you give references?”
“I can refer you to Madam Morrison,” naming the head of a celebrated18 female seminary. “She educated me.”
“That will be quite satisfactory,” said Mrs. Leighton, graciously. “Can you begin to-morrow?”
“Yes, madam.”
“You will then see your pupil. At present she is out.”
Florence bowed and withdrew.
She had been afraid Mrs. Leighton would inquire where she lived, and she would hardly dare to name the humble19 street which she called home.
She walked toward Fifth Avenue, when, just as she was turning the corner, she met Mr. Percy de Brabazon, swinging a slender cane20, and dressed in the extreme of the fashion.
“Miss Linden!” he exclaimed, eagerly. “This is—aw—indeed a pleasure. Where are you walking this fine morning? May I—aw—have the pleasure of accompanying you?”
Florence stopped short in deep embarrassment21.
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1
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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estranged
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| adj.疏远的，分离的 | |
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dodger
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| n.躲避者；躲闪者；广告单 | |
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accustom
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| vt.使适应，使习惯 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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6
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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7
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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8
tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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9
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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10
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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11
applicant
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| n.申请人，求职者，请求者 | |
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12
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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15
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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18
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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19
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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20
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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21
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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