"No! The mail isn't come yet! leastways it isn't opened yet! Fan that fire, you little black imp1, you! and make that kittle bile; if you don't, I shall never git this wafer soft! and then I'll turn you up, and give you sich a switching as ye never had in your born days! for I won't be trampled2 on by you any longer! you little black willyan, you! 'Scat! you hussy! get out o' my way, before I twist your neck for you!"
The first part of this oration3 was delivered by Miss Nancy Skamp, to some half-dozen negro grooms4 who were cooling their shins while waiting for the mail, before she closed the doors and windows of the post-office; the second part was addressed to Chizzle, her little negro waiter—and the third concluding sentence, emphasized by a smart kick, was bestowed5 upon poor Molly, the mottled cat. The village post-office was kept in the lower front room of the little lonely house on the hill, occupied by the solitary7 spinster.
The mail-bags were stuffed remarkably8 full, and there were several wonderful letters, that she felt it her duty to open and read before sending to their owners.
"Let's see," said the worthy9 postmistress, as she sorted the letters in her hand. "What's this? oh! a double letter for Colonel Thornton—pshaw! that's all about political stuff! Who cares about reading that? I don't! He may have it to-night if he wants it! Stop! what's this? Lors! it's a thribble letter for—for Marian Mayfield! And from furrin parts, too! Now I wonder—(Can't you stop that caterwauling out there?" she said, raising her voice. "Sposen you niggers were to wait till I open the office. I reckon you'd get your letters just as soon.) Who can be writing from furrin parts to Marian Mayfield? Ah! I'll keep this and read it before Miss Marian gets it."
When Miss Nancy had closed up for the night she took out the letter directed to Marian, opened, and began to read it. And as she read her eyes and mouth grew wider and wider with astonishment10, and her wonder broke forth11 in frequent exclamations12 of: "M—y conscience! Well now! Who'd a dreamt of it! Pity but I'd a let Solomon court her when he wanted to—but Lors! how did I ever know that she'd—M—y conscience!" etc., etc.
Her fit of abstraction was at last broken by a smart rap at the door.
She started and turned pale, like the guilty creature that she was.
The rap was repeated sharply.
"Who's that?" she asked, trembling violently.
"It's me, Aunt Nancy! Do for goodness' sake don't keep a fellow out here in the storm till he's nearly perished. It's coming on to hail and snow like the last judgment17!"
"Oh! it's you, is it, Sol? I didn't know but what it was—Do, for mercy's sake don't be talking about the last judgment, and such awful things—I declare to man, you put me all of a trimble," said Miss Nancy, by way of accounting18 for her palpitations, as she unbarred the door, and admitted her learned nephew. Dr. Solomon Weismann seemed dreadfully downhearted as he entered. He slowly stamped the snow from his boots, shook it off his clothes, took off his hat and his overcoat, and hung them up, and spoke—never a word! Then he drew his chair right up in front of the fire, placed a foot on each andiron, stooped over, spread his palms over the kindly20 blaze, and still spoke—never a word!
"Well! I'd like to know what's the matter with you to-night," said Miss
Nancy, as she went about the room looking for her knitting.
But the doctor stared silently at the fire.
"It's the latest improvement in politeness—I shouldn't wonder—not to answer your elders when they speak to you."
"Were you saying anything to me, Aunt Nancy?"
"'Was I saying anything to you, Aunt Nancy?' Yes I was! I was asking you what's the matter?"
"Oh! I never was so dreadfully low-spirited in my life, Aunt Nancy."
"And what should a young man like you have to make him feel low-spirited, I should like to know? Moping about Marian, I shouldn't wonder. The girl is a good girl enough, if she'd only mind her own business, and not let people spoil her. And if you do like her, and must have her, why I shan't make no further objections."
Here the young doctor turned shortly around and stared at his aunt in astonishment!
"Hem19!" said Miss Nancy, looking confused, "well, yes, I did oppose it once, certainly, but that was because you were both poor."
"And we are both poor still, for aught that I can see, and likely to continue so."
"Hish-ish! no you're not! leastways, she's not. I've got something very strange to tell you," said Miss Nancy, mysteriously drawing her chair up close to her nephew, and putting her lips to his ear, and whispering—"Hish-ish!"
"'Hish-ish!' What are you 'hish-ish'ing for, Aunt Nancy, I'm not saying anything, and your breath spins into a fellow's ear enough to give him an ear-ache!" said Dr. Solomon, jerking his head away.
"Now then listen—Marian Mayfield has got a fortune left to her."
Miss Nancy paused to see the effect of this startling piece of news upon her companion.
But the doctor was not sulky, and upon his guard; so after an involuntary slight start, he remained perfectly21 still. Miss Nancy was disappointed by the calm way in which he took this marvelous revelation. However, she went on to say:
"Yes! a fortune left her, by a grand-uncle, a bachelor, who died intestate in Wiltshire, England. Now, what do you think of that!"
"Why, I think if she wouldn't have me when she was poor, she won't be apt to do it now she's rich."
"Ah! but you see, she don't know a word of it!"
"How do you know it, then?"
"Hish-ish! I'll tell you if you will never tell. Oh, Lord, no, you mustn't indeed! You wouldn't, I know, 'cause it would ruin us! Listen—"
"Now, Aunt Nancy, don't be letting me into any of your capital crimes and hanging secrets—don't, because I don't want to hear them, and I won't neither! I ain't used to such! and I'm afraid of them, too!"
"'Fraid o' what? Nobody can prove it," answered Miss Nancy, a little incoherently.
"You know what better than I do, Aunt Nancy; and let me tell you, you'd better be careful. The eyes of the community are upon you."
"Let 'em prove it! Let 'em prove it! They ain't got no witnesses! Chizzle and the cat ain't no witnesses," said Miss Nancy, obscurely; "let 'em do their worse! I reckon I know something about law as well as they do! if I am a lone6 'oman!"
"They can procure22 your removal from office without proving anything against you except unpopularity."
"That's Commodore Waugh's plan! the ugly, wicked, old buggaboo! 'Tain't such great shakes of an office neither, the dear knows!"
"Never mind, Aunt Nancy, mend your ways, and maybe they'll not disturb you. And don't tell me any of your capital secrets, because I might be summoned as a witness against you, which would not be so agreeable to my feelings—yon understand! And now tell me, if you are absolutely certain that Miss Mayfield has had that fortune left her. But stop! don't tell me how you found it out!"
"Well, yes, I am certain—sure, she has a great fortune left her. I have the positive proofs of it. And, moreover, nobody in this country don't know it but myself—and you. And now I tell you, don't hint the matter to a soul. Be spry! dress yourself up jam! and go a courting before anybody else finds it out!"
"You're mighty24 particular! Yes, it would, too! Jest you listen to me! Now if so be we were to go and publish about Marian's fortune, we'd have a whole herd25 of fortune hunters, who don't care a cent for anything but fortune, running after and worrying the life out of her, and maybe one of them marrying of her, and spending of her money, and bringing of her to poverty, and breaking of her heart. Whereas, if we keep the secret of the estate to ourselves, you, who desarve her, because you 'counted her all the same when she was poor, and who'd take good care of her property, and her, too—would have her all to yourself, and nobody to interfere26. Don't you see?"
"Well, to be sure—when one looks at the thing in this light," deliberated the sorely-tempted lover.
"Of course! And that's the only light to look at it in! Don't you see? Why, by gracious! it seems to me as if we were doing Marian the greatest favor."
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1
imp
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| n.顽童 | |
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trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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grooms
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| n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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8
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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9
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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purloined
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| v.偷窃( purloin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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authoritatively
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| 命令式地，有权威地，可信地 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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accounting
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| n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表 | |
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hem
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| n.贴边，镶边；vt.缝贴边；(in)包围，限制 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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