CHAPTER XXXII — MRS. PRESTON'S REVENGE

 Andy Burke was passing the house of Mrs. Preston, within a month after Colonel Preston's death, when Godfrey, who had not gone back to boarding school, showed himself at the front door.

 

"Come here!" said Godfrey, in an imperious tone.

 

Andy turned his head, and paused.

 

"Who are you talking to?" he asked.

 

"To you, to be sure."

 

"What's wanted?"

 

"My mother wants to see you."

 

"All right; I'll come in."

 

"You can go around to the back door," said Godfrey, who seemed to find pleasure in making himself disagreeable.

 

"I know I can, but I don't mean to," said Andy, walking up to the front entrance, where Godfrey was standing¹.

 

"The back door is good enough for you," said the other, offensively.

 

"I shouldn't mind going to it if you hadn't asked me," said Andy. "Just move away, will you?"

 

Godfrey did not stir.

 

"Very well," said Andy, turning; "tell your mother you would not let me in."

 

"Come in, if you want to," said Godfrey, at length, moving aside.

 

"I don't care much about it. I only came to oblige your mother."

 

"Maybe you won't like what she has to say," said Godfrey, with a disagreeable smile.

 

"I'll soon know," said Andy.

 

He entered the house, and Godfrey called upstairs: "Mother, the Burke boy is here."

 

"I'll be down directly," was the answer. "He can sit down."

 

Andy sat down on a chair in the hall, not receiving an invitation to enter the sitting-room², and waited for Mrs. Preston to appear. He wondered a little what she wanted with him, but thought it likely that she had some errand or service in which she wished to employ him. He did not know the extent of her dislike for him and his mother.

 

After a while Mrs. Preston came downstairs. She was dressed in black, but showed no other mark of sorrow for the loss of her husband. Indeed, she was looking in better health than usual.

 

"You can come into the sitting-room," she said, coldly.

 

Andy followed her, and so did Godfrey, who felt a malicious³ pleasure in hearing what he knew beforehand his mother intended to say.

 

"I believe your name is Andrew?" she commenced.

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"Your mother occupies a house belonging to my late husband."

 

"Yes, ma'am," answered Andy, who now began to guess at the object of the interview.

 

"I find, by examining my husband's papers, that she has paid no rent for the last six months."

 

"That's true," said Andy. "She offered to pay it, but Colonel Preston told her he didn't want no rent from her. He said she could have it for nothing."

 

"That's a likely story," said Godfrey, with a sneer⁴.

 

"It's a true story," said Andy, in a firm voice, steadily⁵ eying his young antagonist⁶.

 

"This may be true, or it may not be true," said Mrs. Preston, coldly. "If true, I suppose my husband gave your mother a paper of some kind, agreeing to let her have the house rent-free."

 

"She hasn't got any paper," said Andy.

 

"I thought not," said Godfrey, sneering⁷. "You forgot to write her one."

 

"Be quiet, Godfrey," said his mother. "I prefer to manage this matter myself. Then, your mother has no paper to show in proof of what you assert?"

 

"No, ma'am. The colonel didn't think it was necessary. He just told my mother, when she first came with the rent, that she needn't trouble herself to come again on that errand. He said that she had nursed him when he was sick with the smallpox⁸, and he'd never forget it, and that he'd bought the house expressly for her."

 

"I am aware that your mother nursed my husband in his sickness," said Mrs. Preston, coldly. "I also know that my husband paid her very handsomely for her services."

 

"That's true, ma'am," said Andy. "He was a fine, generous man, the colonel was, and I'll always say it."

 

"There really seems no reason why, in addition to this compensation, your mother should receive a present of her rent. How much rent did she pay before my husband bought the house?"

 

"Fifteen dollars a quarter."

 

"Then she has not paid rent for six months. I find she owes my husband's estate thirty dollars."

 

"Colonel Preston told her she wasn't to pay it."

 

"How do I know that?"

 

"My mother says it, and she wouldn't tell a lie," said Andy, indignantly.

 

"I have nothing to say as to that," said Mrs. Preston. "I am now managing the estate, and the question rests with me. I decide that your mother has been sufficiently⁹ paid for her services, and I shall claim rent for the last six months."

 

Andy was silent for a moment. Then he spoke¹⁰:

 

"It may be so, Mrs. Preston. I'll speak to the doctor, and I'll do as he says."

 

"I don't know what the doctor has to do with the matter," said Mrs. Preston, haughtily¹¹.

 

"He wants to get an excuse for not paying," said Godfrey, with a sneer.

 

"Mind your business," said Andy, excusably provoked.

 

"Do you hear that, mother?" said Godfrey. "Are you going to let that beggar insult me before your very face?"

 

"You have spoken very improperly¹² to my son," said Mrs. Preston.

 

"He spoke very improperly to me at first," said Andy, sturdily.

 

"You do not appear to understand the respect due to me," said Mrs. Preston, with emphasis.

 

"If I've treated you disrespectfully, I'm sorry," said Andy; "but Godfrey mustn't insult me, and call me names."

 

"We have had enough of this," said Mrs. Preston. "I have only to repeat that your mother is indebted to me for six months' rent—thirty dollars—which I desire she will pay as soon as possible. One thing more: I must request her to find another home, as I have other plans for the house she occupies."

 

"You're not goin' to turn her out of her house, sure?" said Andy, in some dismay.

 

"It is not her house," said Mrs. Preston; though it occurred to her that it might have been, if she had not suppressed the will. But, of course, Andy knew nothing of this, nor did he suspect anything, since neither he nor his mother had the faintest idea of being remembered in Colonel Preston's will, kind though he had been to them both in his life.

 

"I know it isn't," said Andy; "but she's got used to it. I don't know any other place we can get."

 

"That is your lookout," said Mrs. Preston. "I have no doubt you can get in somewhere. As I said, the house is mine, and I have other views for it."

 

"Can't we stay till the end of the quarter, ma'am?"

 

"No; I wish to finish my business here as soon as possible, and then shall go to Boston."

 

"How long can we stay, then?"

 

"Till the first of the month."

 

"That's only three days."

 

"It is long enough to find another place. That is all I have to say," and Mrs. Preston turned to go.

 

Andy rose, and followed her, without a word. He saw that it would be of no use to appeal for more time. Her tone was so firm and determined¹³ that there evidently was no moving her.

 

"What will we do?" thought Andy, as he walked slowly and silently along the road.

 

He felt the need of consulting somebody older and more experienced than himself. Just in the nick of time he met Dr. Townley, in whose friendship he felt confidence.

 

"Can you stop a minute, Dr. Townley?" he said. "I want to speak to you about something."

 

"I can spare two minutes, if you like, Andy," said the doctor, smiling.

 

Andy explained the case.

 

"It is quite true," said the doctor. "Colonel Preston intended your mother to pay no rent—he told me so himself; but, as your mother has no written proof, I suppose you will have to pay it. Shall I lend you the money?"

 

"No need, doctor. We've got money enough for that. But we must move out in three days. Where shall we go?"

 

"I'll tell you. I own the small house occupied by Grant Melton. He sets out for the West to-morrow, with his family. I'll let it to your mother for the same rent she's been paying."

 

"Thank you," said Andy, gratefully. "It's better than the house we've been living in. It's a good change."

 

"Perhaps you won't like me for a landlord so well as Mrs. Preston," said the doctor, smiling.

 

"I'll risk it," said Andy.

 

Two days afterward¹⁴ the transfer was made. Mrs. Preston was disappointed, and Godfrey still more so, to find their malice¹⁵ had done the widow Burke no harm.

 

By advice of the doctor, Andy deferred¹⁶ paying the thirty dollars claimed as rent, availing himself of the twelve months allowed for the payment of debts due the estate of one deceased.

 

"If it was anybody else, I'd pay at once," said Andy; "but Mrs. Preston has treated us so meanly that I don't mean to hurry."

 

The delay made Mrs. Preston angry, but she was advised that it was quite legal.

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

3 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

4 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

5 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

6 antagonist   

n.敌人，对抗者，对手

参考例句：

• His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
• The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。

7 sneering   

嘲笑的，轻蔑的

参考例句：

• "What are you sneering at?" “你冷笑什么？” 来自子夜部分
• The old sorceress slunk in with a sneering smile. 老女巫鬼鬼崇崇地走进来，冷冷一笑。

8 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

9 sufficiently   

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。

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 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 improperly   

不正确地，不适当地

参考例句：

• Of course it was acting improperly. 这样做就是不对嘛！
• He is trying to improperly influence a witness. 他在试图误导证人。

13 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

14 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

15 malice   

n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋

参考例句：

• I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks.我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。
• There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.他的许多肖像画中都透着一股强烈的怨恨。

16 deferred   

adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从

参考例句：

• The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。
• a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划