In the midst of the sorting this morning Sam suddenly remarked that Mr. Colin Hayward had not made a long stay with his people.
“I seen him at the station,” he continued. “I couldna say where he was bound for, but he had a pickle3 luggage, and he wasna looking extra cheery. Been getting lectured for no passing his examination, I suppose. Poor lad, I’m vexed5 for him. He never got on with his folk, and he’s p. 26the only real gentleman in the family. They’re a cauld-hearted stuck-up lot. Him an’ me used often to gang fishing—that was afore your time, Miss—and a kinder, blither chap I never hope to meet. Well, well, if he’s the black sheep, the others ha’ used a queer lot o’ whitewash6.”
Kitty felt that she was expected to say something, but just then Sam came on an address that required deciphering, and the subject dropped, not a little to her relief.
When the sorting was finished, Sam set out on his round, and she made her way to the cottage for breakfast. Her uncle was already at table looking more than usually morose7; her aunt was muttering to something on the stove—a habit of hers when annoyed. Kitty perceived that she was still in disgrace, and her heart sank. After all, those two people constituted her whole kin4, and she would have pleased them had it been possible, if only for the sake of peace and cheerfulness. More, she would have loved them had they given her the slightest encouragement.
Mr. Corrie took no notice of his niece as she approached her accustomed seat. To his sister he growled8 over his shoulder—
“The paper’s late again! I’ve a good mind to start selling newspapers myself. That woman p. 27seems to think she can play wi’ her customers just because she’s a widow.”
“I’ll speak to her,” said Miss Corrie, coming over with a dish of bacon.
“Tell her she had best bring the paper here—or send it—within five minutes o’ the train’s arrival. D’ye hear?”
“Ay, I hear ye, John. Take yer breakfast now, and ha’ patience for the paper.”
Kitty was not unprepared for the question, and she answered calmly enough that she had not further considered the matter—which was not, perhaps, quite accurate—because she had assumed that it was closed.
“Then ye’d better think it over now, for Mr. Symington’s pretty sure to come again to-night.”
“If he comes, I can only tell him what I told you—of course, I’ll do it politely. . . . Uncle John, why are you so anxious for me to marry that man? Tell me straight—do you and Aunt Rachel want to get rid of me?”
Corrie hesitated. He dared not say, as he was tempted11 to say, that he could not afford to give p. 28her a home any longer, because, for one thing, the girl was as well aware as himself that he kept the allowance made by the post-office for her services as assistant—an assistant, by the way, who did practically all the work.
“Not so long ago you thought very little of Mr. Symington,” she pursued, “and I’ve often heard Aunt Rachel call him anything but a nice man. Besides, he must be nearly forty.”
“That’s enough,” said Corrie sharply. “Your aunt and me know him better than we used to. We want you to marry him because we see ’twould be a good thing for you. Same time, he’s come into a heap of money.”
“Ay,” said Miss Corrie, “he has that! He’s talking o’ giving up the farm and setting up house in the city—Glasgow, maybe. That would suit ye fine, Kitty.”
“I’m sorry I can’t do what you want,” the girl said slowly. “I’d rather be dead than married to him. He—”
“Don’t talk trash!” exclaimed Corrie, lowering upon her. “Ye’ll give him ‘ay’ to-night or it’ll be the worse for ye. Don’t you try to cross me, ye daughter o’ a beggar!”
Kitty was on her feet, her beautiful eyes p. 29blazing from her white face. “How dare you?” she cried, shaking with furious indignation, “how dare you speak so of my father, a man with a great, noble mind?—you, you miserable13 thing, with not an idea in your head, not a thought in your heart, but money, money, money! My father owes you nothing—nothing, do you hear? His daughter has earned every penny she has cost you.”
John Corrie, unused to contradiction, much less to retaliation14, rose, grey of countenance15, shaking with passion. Probably he was not aware that he had the bread knife in his hand, but his sister grabbed his wrist.
“Listen to me,” he began in a thick voice.
“I won’t! You are not sane,” said Kitty, “or you would never have spoken such words about my father, your own sister’s husband—not that I’ll ever forgive them or you. But you are mad—mad with greed! I tell you, once and for all, I’m not for sale to Mr. Symington!”
“Go, go!” whispered Miss Corrie, motioning frantically17 with her free hand. “It’s eight o’clock—time the office was open.”
Kitty turned and went. She was glad to go, for her courage was already burned out.
p. 30Miss Corrie shook her brother. “Ye fool, ye forsaken18 fool!” she sputtered19. “That temper o’ yours has ruined everything. Ye’ll never get her to marry him now.”
“Me? Never a word.”
“Then what did she mean by saying she wasna for sale? . . . God! she must ha’ heard—”
“Guessed maybe. Why did ye tell her the man had come into a heap o’ money? I warned ye to go canny21.”
He flung her from him and got up. “Let her guess what she likes, think what she likes, do what she likes—but she’s no going to beat me. I’ll find a way! I’ll manage her yet! Ten thousand—twenty—maybe twenty-five thousand pound—no, by heavens, I’m not to be done out o’ that by a stubborn lass.”
“Let be, John. Ye ha’ siller enough. Ye dinna spend a trifle o’ your income. Ye’ll rue22 the day that ye cheated your sister’s daughter, for that’s what it comes to.”
“Hold your silly tongue, woman. I’ve cheated nobody but myself.”
She shook her head, saying, “I would like to read Hugh Carstairs’ letter again.”
p. 31“Ye’re welcome—another time. There’s the paper at last.” He almost ran to the front door.
He returned, opening the paper at the financial page. Seating himself, he cleared a space on the table and laid it thereon. Then his thick forefinger23 began to move down one of the columns as though it was feeling for something. At last it stopped, and he gazed awhile. . . . His breath went in with a hiss24. “Zeniths!” he muttered.
His sister was staring over his shoulder, but her sight was indifferent. “What is it?” she gasped25. “What about the Zeniths?”
In a hushed voice he replied, “They rose seven-and-sixpence yesterday. They’re now worth ninety shillings a share. That means ￡22,500 for the five thousand. . . . That would be ￡11,260 for me—us. . . . I wonder if Symington shouldna sell now. Wait till I see if it says anything about them here.” He turned to some paragraphs, headed “Mining Notes.” . . . “Ay, here it is! Oh, listen, Rachel! It says they’ll likely go to eight pound! Almighty! We munna let him sell!”
She sighed and said, “It’s time the shop was open.”
“Ay, so it is—but wait a minute.”
p. 32With another headshake she began to clear the table.
He rose suddenly. “There’s the keys,” he said, throwing them on to the table. “Ye can open the shop. I’m going up to White Farm.”
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2
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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3
pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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4
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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whitewash
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| v.粉刷，掩饰；n.石灰水，粉刷，掩饰 | |
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7
morose
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| adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的 | |
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8
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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9
spoke
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| 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 | |
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10
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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11
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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12
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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14
retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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15
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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16
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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17
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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18
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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19
sputtered
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| v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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21
canny
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| adj.谨慎的，节俭的 | |
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22
rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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23
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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24
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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25
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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