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CHAPTER XXXI. FLORENCE IS DISCHARGED.
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 Mrs. Leighton sat in her boudoir with a stern face and tightly compressed lips. Miss Carter had called the previous afternoon and informed her of the astounding1 discoveries she had made respecting the governess.
 
She rang the bell.
 
“Janet,” she said, “when the governess comes you may bring her up here to me.”
 
“Yes, ma’am.”
 
“She’s going to catch it—I wonder what for?” thought Janet, as she noted2 the grim visage of her employer.
 
So when Florence entered the house she was told that Mrs. Leighton wished to see her at once.
 
“I wonder what’s the matter now?” she asked herself. “Has she heard of my meeting her nephew in the car?”
 
When she entered the room she saw at once that something was wrong.
 
“You wished to see me, Mrs. Leighton?” she said.
 
“Yes,” answered Mrs. Leighton, grimly. “Will you be seated?”
 
Florence sat down a few feet from her employer and waited for an explanation.
 
She certainly was not prepared for Mrs. Leighton’s first words:
 
“Miss Linden, where do you live?”
 
Florence started, and her face flushed.
 
“I live in the lower part of the city,” she answered, with hesitation3.
 
“That is not sufficiently4 definite.”
 
“I live at No. 27 — Street.”
 
“I think that is east of the Bowery.”
 
“You are right, madam.”
 
“You lodge5 with an apple-woman, do you not?”
 
“I do,” answered Florence, calmly.
 
“In a tenement6 house?”
 
“Yes, madam.”
 
“And you actually come from such a squalid home to instruct my daughter!” exclaimed Mrs. Leighton, indignantly. “It is a wonder you have not brought some terrible disease into the house.”
 
“There has been no case of disease in the humble7 dwelling8 in which I make my home. I should be as sorry to expose your daughter to any danger of that kind as you would be to have me.”
 
“It is a merciful dispensation of Providence9, for which I ought to be truly thankful. But the idea of receiving in my house an inmate10 of a tenement house! I am truly shocked. Is this apple-woman your mother?”
 
“I assure you that she is not,” answered Florence, with a smile which she could not repress.
 
“Or your aunt?”
 
“She is in no way related to me. She is an humble friend.
 
“Miss Linden, your tastes must be low to select such a home and such a friend.”
 
“The state of my purse had something to do with the selection, and the kindness shown me by Mrs. O’Keefe, when I needed a friend, will explain my location further.”
 
“That is not all. You met in the Madison Avenue car yesterday my nephew, Mr. Percy de Brabazon.”
 
“It is coming,” thought Florence. “Who could have seen us?” Then aloud:
 
“Yes, madam.”
 
“Was it by appointment?”
 
“Do you mean to insult me, Mrs. Leighton?” demanded Florence, rising and looking at the lady with flashing eyes.
 
“I never insult anybody,” replied Mrs. Leighton. “Pray, resume your seat.”
 
Florence did so.
 
“Then I may assume that it was accidental. You talked together with the freedom of old friends?”
 
“You are correctly informed.”
 
“You seem to make acquaintances very readily, Miss Linden. It seems singular, to say the least, that after meeting my nephew for a single evening, you should become such intimate friends.”
 
“You will be surprised, Mrs. Leighton, when I say that Mr. de Brabazon and I are old friends. We have met frequently.”
 
“Where, in Heaven’s name?” ejaculated Mrs. Leighton.
 
“At my residence.”
 
“Good Heavens!” exclaimed the scandalized lady. “Does my nephew Percy visit at the house of this apple-woman?”
 
“No, madam. He does not know where I live.”
 
“Then you will explain your previous statement?” said Mrs. Leighton, haughtily11.
 
“I am at present suffering reversed circumstances. It is but a short time since I was very differently situated12.”
 
“I won’t inquire into your change of circumstances. I feel compelled to perform an unpleasant duty.”
 
Florence did not feel called upon to make any reply, but waited for Mrs. Leighton to finish speaking.
 
“I shall be obliged to dispense13 with your services as my daughter’s governess. It is quite out of the question for me to employ a person who lives in a tenement-house.”
 
Florence bowed acquiescence14, but she felt very sad. She had become attached to her young charge, and it cost her a pang15 to part from her.
 
Besides, how was she to supply the income of which this would deprive her?
 
“I bow to your decision, madam,” she said, with proud humility16.
 
“You will find here the sum that I owe you, with payment for an extra week in lieu of notice.”
 
“Thank you. May I bid Carrie good-by, Mrs. Leighton?”
 
“It is better not to do so, I think. The more quietly we dissolve our unfortunate connection the better!”
 
Florence’s heart swelled17, and the tears came to her eyes, but she could not press her request.
 
She was destined18, however, to obtain the privilege which Mrs. Leighton denied her. Carrie, who had become impatient, came downstairs and burst into the room.
 
“What keeps you so long, Miss Linden?” she said. “Is mamma keeping you?”
 
Florence was silent, leaving the explanations to Mrs. Leighton.
 
“Miss Linden has resigned her position as your governess, Carrie.”
 
“Miss Linden going away! I won’t have her go! What makes you go, Miss Linden?”
 
“Your mamma thinks it best,” answered Florence, with moistened eyes.
 
“Well, I don’t!” exclaimed Carrie, stamping her foot, angrily. “I won’t have any other governess but you.”
 
“Carrie, you are behaving very unbecomingly,” said her mother.
 
“Will you tell me, mamma, why you are sending Miss Linden away?”
 
“I will tell you some other time.”
 
“But I want to know now.”
 
“I am very much displeased19 with you, Carrie.”
 
“And I am very much displeased with you, mamma.”
 
I do not pretend to defend Carrie, whose conduct was hardly respectful enough to her mother; but with all her faults she had a warm heart, while her mother had always been cold and selfish.
 
“I am getting tired of this,” said Mrs. Leighton. “Miss Linden, as you are here to-day, you may give Carrie the usual lessons. As I shall be out when you get through, I bid you good-by now.”
 
“Good-by, Mrs. Leighton.”
 
Carrie and Florence went to the schoolroom for the last time.
 
Florence gave her young pupil a partial explanation of the cause which had led to her discharge.
 
“What do I care if you live in a poor house, Miss Linden?” said Carrie, impetuously. “I will make mamma take you back!”
 
Florence smiled; but she knew that there would be no return for her.
 
When she reached her humble home she had a severe headache and lay down. Mrs. O’Keefe came in later to see her.
 
“And what’s the matter with you, Florence?” she asked.
 
“I have a bad headache, Mrs. O’Keefe.”
 
“You work too hard, Florence, wid your teacher. That is what gives you the headache.”
 
“Then I shan’t have it again, for I have got through with my teaching.”
 
“What’s that you say?”
 
“I am discharged.”
 
“And what’s it all about?”
 
Florence explained matters. Mrs. O’Keefe became indignant.
 
“She’s a mean trollop, that Mrs. Leighton!” she exclaimed, “and I’d like to tell her so to her face. Where does she live?”
 
“It will do no good to interfere20, my good friend. She is not willing to receive a governess from a tenement house.“
 
“Shure you used to live in as grand a house as herself.”
 
“But I don’t now.”
 
“Don’t mind it too much, mavoureen. You’ll soon be gettin’ another scholar. Go to sleep now, and you’ll sleep the headache away.”
 
Florence finally succeeded in following the advice of her humble friend.
 
She resolved to leave till the morrow the cares of the morrow.
 
She had twelve dollars, and before that was spent she hoped to be in a position to earn some more.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 astounding QyKzns     
adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊,使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)
参考例句:
  • There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
  • The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊,所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
3 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
4 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
5 lodge q8nzj     
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆
参考例句:
  • Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗?
  • I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。
6 tenement Egqzd5     
n.公寓;房屋
参考例句:
  • They live in a tenement.他们住在廉价公寓里。
  • She felt very smug in a tenement yard like this.就是在个这样的杂院里,她觉得很得意。
7 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
8 dwelling auzzQk     
n.住宅,住所,寓所
参考例句:
  • Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
  • He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。
9 providence 8tdyh     
n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝
参考例句:
  • It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
  • To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事,是违背上帝的意志的。
10 inmate l4cyN     
n.被收容者;(房屋等的)居住人;住院人
参考例句:
  • I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
  • The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。
11 haughtily haughtily     
adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地
参考例句:
  • She carries herself haughtily. 她举止傲慢。
  • Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing. 他傲然跨出电梯,走到二楼,我刚好站在那儿。
12 situated JiYzBH     
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的
参考例句:
  • The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
  • She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。
13 dispense lZgzh     
vt.分配,分发;配(药),发(药);实施
参考例句:
  • Let us dispense the food.咱们来分发这食物。
  • The charity has been given a large sum of money to dispense as it sees fit.这个慈善机构获得一大笔钱,可自行适当分配。
14 acquiescence PJFy5     
n.默许;顺从
参考例句:
  • The chief inclined his head in sign of acquiescence.首领点点头表示允许。
  • This is due to his acquiescence.这是因为他的默许。
15 pang OKixL     
n.剧痛,悲痛,苦闷
参考例句:
  • She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。
  • She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。
16 humility 8d6zX     
n.谦逊,谦恭
参考例句:
  • Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
  • His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和,甚至有点谦卑。
17 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
18 destined Dunznz     
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句:
  • It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
  • The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。
19 displeased 1uFz5L     
a.不快的
参考例句:
  • The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了,瞪了我一眼。
  • He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。
20 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。


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