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Aunt Jane’s Nieces by L. Frank Baum, CHAPTER II. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER.

CHAPTER II. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER.

In the cosy chamber of an apartment located in a fashionable quarter of New York Louise Merrick reclined upon a couch, dressed in a dainty morning gown and propped and supported by a dozen embroidered cushions.

Upon a taboret beside her stood a box of bonbons, the contents of which she occasionally nibbled as she turned the pages of her novel.

The girl had a pleasant and attractive face, although its listless expression was singular in one so young. It led you to suspect that the short seventeen years of her life had robbed her of all the anticipation and eagerness that is accustomed to pulse in strong young blood, and filled her with experiences that compelled her to accept existence in a half bored and wholly matter-of-fact way.

The room was tastefully though somewhat elaborately furnished; yet everything in it seemed as fresh and new as if it had just come from the shop—which was not far from the truth. The apartment itself was new, with highly polished floors and woodwork, and decorations undimmed by time. Even the girl's robe, which she wore so gracefully, was new, and the books upon the center-table were of the latest editions. The portiere was thrust aside and an elderly lady entered the room, seating herself quietly at the window, and, after a single glance at the form upon the couch, beginning to embroider patiently upon some work she took from a silken bag. She moved so noiselessly that the girl did not hear her and for several minutes absolute silence pervaded the room.

Then, however, Louise in turning a leaf glanced up and saw the head bent over the embroidery. She laid down her book and drew an open letter from between the cushions beside her, which she languidly tossed into the other's lap. "Who is this woman, mamma?" she asked.

Mrs. Merrick glanced at the letter and then read it carefully through, before replying.

"Jane Merrick is your father's sister," she said, at last, as she thoughtfully folded the letter and placed it upon the table. "Why have I never heard of her before?" enquired the girl, with a slight accession of interest in her tones.

"That I cannot well explain. I had supposed you knew of your poor father's sister Jane, although you were so young when he died that it is possible he never mentioned her name in your presence." "They were not on friendly terms, you know. Jane was rich, having inherited a fortune and a handsome country place from a young man whom she was engaged to marry, but who died on the eve of his wedding day." "How romantic!" exclaimed Louise.

"It does seem romantic, related in this way," replied her mother. "But with the inheritance all romance disappeared from your aunt's life. She became a crabbed, disagreeable woman, old before her time and friendless because she suspected everyone of trying to rob her of her money. Your poor father applied to her in vain for assistance, and I believe her refusal positively shortened his life. When he died, after struggling bravely to succeed in his business, he left nothing but his life-insurance." "Thank heaven he left that!" sighed Louise.

"Yes; we would have been beggared, indeed, without it," agreed Mrs. Merrick. "Yet I often wonder, Louise, how we managed to live upon the interest of that money for so many years." "We didn't live—we existed," corrected the girl, yawning. "We scrimped and pinched, and denied ourselves everything but bare necessities. And had it not been for your brilliant idea, mater dear, we would still be struggling in the depths of poverty." Mrs. Merrick frowned, and leaned back in her chair.

"I sometimes doubt if the idea was so brilliant, after all," she returned, with a certain grimness of expression. "We're plunging, Louise; and it may be into a bottomless pit." "Don't worry, dear," said the girl, biting into a bonbon. "We are only on the verge of our great adventure, and there's no reason to be discouraged yet, I assure you. Brilliant! Of course the idea was brilliant, mamma. The income of that insurance money was insignificant, but the capital is a very respectable sum. I am just seventeen years of age—although I feel that I ought to be thirty, at the least—and in three years I shall be twenty, and a married woman. You decided to divide our capital into three equal parts, and spend a third of it each year, this plan enabling us to live in good style and to acquire a certain social standing that will allow me to select a wealthy husband. It's a very brilliant idea, my dear! Three years is a long time. I'll find my Croesus long before that, never fear." "You ought to," returned the mother, thoughtfully. "But if you fail, we shall be entirely ruined." "A strong incentive to succeed." said Louise, smiling. "An ordinary girl might not win out; but I've had my taste of poverty, and I don't like it. No one will suspect us of being adventurers, for as long as we live in this luxurious fashion we shall pay our bills promptly and be proper and respectable in every way. The only chance we run lies in the danger that eligible young men may prove shy, and refuse to take our bait; but are we not diplomats, mother dear? We won't despise a millionaire, but will be content with a man who can support us in good style, or even in comfort, and in return for his money I'll be a very good wife to him. That seems sensible and wise, I'm sure, and not at all difficult of accomplishment." Mrs. Merrick stared silently out of the window, and for a few moments seemed lost in thought.

"I think, Louise," she said at last, "you will do well to cultivate your rich aunt, and so have two strings to your bow." "You mean that I should accept her queer invitation to visit her?" "Yes." "She has sent me a check for a hundred dollars. Isn't it funny?" "Jane was always a whimsical woman. Perhaps she thinks we are quite destitute, and fears you would not be able to present a respectable appearance at Elmhurst without this assistance. But it is an evidence of her good intentions. Finding death near at hand she is obliged to select an heir, and so invites you to visit her that she may study your character and determine whether you are worthy to inherit her fortune." The girl laughed, lightly.

"It will be easy to cajole the old lady," she said. "In two days I can so win her heart that she will regret she has neglected me so long." "Exactly." "If I get her money we will change our plans, and abandon the adventure we were forced to undertake. But if, for any reason, that plan goes awry, we can fall back upon this prettily conceived scheme which we have undertaken. As you say, it is well to have two strings to one's bow; and during July and August everyone will be out of town, and so we shall lose no valuable time." Mrs. Merrick did not reply. She stitched away in a methodical manner, as if abstracted, and Louise crossed her delicate hands behind her head and gazed at her mother reflectively. Presently she said:

"Tell me more of my father's family. Is this rich aunt of mine the only relative he had?" "No, indeed. There were two other sisters and a brother—a very uninteresting lot, with the exception, of your poor father. The eldest was John Merrick, a common tinsmith, if I remember rightly, who went into the far west many years ago and probably died there, for he was never heard from. Then came Jane, who in her young days had some slight claim to beauty. Anyway, she won the heart of Thomas Bradley, the wealthy young man I referred to, and she must have been clever to have induced him to leave her his money. Your father was a year or so younger than Jane, and after him came Julia, a coarse and disagreeable creature who married a music-teacher and settled in some out-of-the-way country town. Once, while your father was alive, she visited us for a few days, with her baby daughter, and nearly drove us all crazy. Perhaps she did not find us very hospitable, for we were too poor to entertain lavishly. Anyway, she went away suddenly after you had a fight with her child and nearly pulled its hair out by the roots, and I have never heard of her since." "A daughter, eh," said Louise, musingly. "Then this rich Aunt Jane has another niece besides myself." "Perhaps two," returned Mrs. Merrick; "for her youngest sister, who was named Violet, married a vagabond Irishman and had a daughter about a year younger than you. The mother died, but whether the child survived her or not I have never learned." "What was her name?" asked Louise.

"I cannot remember. But it is unimportant. You are the only Merrick of them all, and that is doubtless the reason Jane has sent for you." The girl shook her blonde head.

"I don't like it," she observed. "Don't like what?" "All this string of relations. It complicates matters." Mrs. Merrick seemed annoyed.

"If you fear your own persuasive powers," she said, with almost a sneer in her tones, "you'd better not go to Elmhurst. One or the other of your country cousins might supplant you in your dear aunt's affections." The girl yawned and took up her neglected novel.

"Nevertheless, mater dear," she said briefly, "I shall go."

CHAPTER II. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER. ||||дочка KAPITEL II. MUTTER UND TOCHTER. 第二章.母と娘 챕터 II. 어머니와 딸. CAPÍTULO II. MÃE E FILHA. ГЛАВА II. МАТЬ И ДОЧЬ. 第二章。母亲和女儿。

In the cosy chamber of an apartment located in a fashionable quarter of New York Louise Merrick reclined upon a couch, dressed in a dainty morning gown and propped and supported by a dozen embroidered cushions. ||затишний|кімната||||розташоване|||модний район|район||||Луїза||відкинулася|||диван||||вишуканій||сукня||підпертий|||||дюжина|вишитих|подушки في الغرفة المريحة لشقة تقع في حي أنيق في نيويورك ، استلق لويز ميريك على أريكة ، مرتديًا ثوبًا أنيقًا في الصباح ومدعومًا ومدعومًا بعشرات الوسائد المطرزة. Dans la chambre douillette d'un appartement situé dans un quartier à la mode de New York, Louise Merrick est allongée sur un canapé, vêtue d'une délicate robe du matin et soutenue par une douzaine de coussins brodés.

Upon a taboret beside her stood a box of bonbons, the contents of which she occasionally nibbled as she turned the pages of her novel. ||табурет|поряд з||стояла||||цукерки||||||іноді|покусувала|||||сторінки|||роман فوق تابوريت بجانبها كان هناك صندوق من البونبون ، كانت تقضم محتوياته من حين لآخر وهي تقلب صفحات روايتها.

The girl had a pleasant and attractive face, although its listless expression was singular in one so young. |||||||обличчя|хоча||байдужий|||одиничний|||| كان للفتاة وجه لطيف وجذاب ، على الرغم من أن تعبيرها الفاتر كان فريدًا في فتاة صغيرة جدًا. La jeune fille avait un visage agréable et séduisant, même si son expression apathique était singulière chez une personne aussi jeune. It led you to suspect that the short seventeen years of her life had robbed her of all the anticipation and eagerness that is accustomed to pulse in strong young blood, and filled her with experiences that compelled her to accept existence in a half bored and wholly matter-of-fact way. |привело|тебе||підозрювати||||||||||позбавила її|||||очікування||прагнення нетерплячість|||привичний||пульс||||||наповнили|||||змушували її||||існування||||нудьгуючий||повністю|||| قادك ذلك إلى الشك في أن السنوات السبع عشرة القصيرة من حياتها قد سلبتها كل الترقب والحماس الذي اعتاد أن ينبض بدم شاب قوي ، وملأها بالتجارب التي أجبرتها على قبول الوجود بنصف ملل وبطريقة واقعية تمامًا. Cela vous a amené à soupçonner que les dix-sept courtes années de sa vie l'avaient privée de toute l'anticipation et de l'impatience qui ont l'habitude de pulser dans le sang jeune et fort, et l'avaient remplie d'expériences qui l'ont obligée à accepter l'existence d'une manière à moitié ennuyeuse et entièrement factuelle. Це змусило вас запідозрити, що короткі сімнадцять років її життя позбавили її всього очікування та нетерпіння, які зазвичай пульсують у сильній молодій крові, і наповнили її досвідом, який змусив її приймати існування в напівнудному та абсолютно приземленому стилі.

The room was tastefully though somewhat elaborately furnished; yet everything in it seemed as fresh and new as if it had just come from the shop—which was not far from the truth. |||стильно|хоча||досить вишукано|обставлений||||||||||||||||||||||||| كانت الغرفة مؤثثة بذوق رغم أنها مؤثثة بشكل متقن ؛ ومع ذلك ، بدا كل شيء فيه جديدًا وجديدًا كما لو كان قد جاء للتو من المتجر - وهو ما لم يكن بعيدًا عن الحقيقة. La pièce était meublée avec goût, quoique de façon un peu élaborée, mais tout y semblait aussi frais et neuf que s'il venait de sortir du magasin, ce qui n'était pas loin de la vérité. Кімната була вигідно, хоча й дещо розкішно мебльована; проте все в ній здавалося таким же свіжим і новим, ніби тільки що вийшло з магазину, що не дуже далеко від істини. The apartment itself was new, with highly polished floors and woodwork, and decorations undimmed by time. |||||||гладко відшліфовані|||дерев'яна обробка||декорації|незатемнені|| كانت الشقة نفسها جديدة ، بأرضيات وأشغال خشبية مصقولة للغاية ، وديكورات لم تتأثر بمرور الوقت. L'appartement lui-même était neuf, avec des sols et des boiseries bien cirés, et des décorations qui n'avaient pas été altérées par le temps. Сама квартира була новою, з високополірованими підлогами та дерев'яними частинами, а також прикрасами, які не потьмяніли з часом. Even the girl's robe, which she wore so gracefully, was new, and the books upon the center-table were of the latest editions. |||халат|||||елегантно||||||||||||||видання حتى رداء الفتاة ، الذي كانت ترتديه برشاقة ، كان جديدًا ، والكتب الموجودة على الطاولة المركزية كانت من أحدث الإصدارات. The portiere was thrust aside and an elderly lady entered the room, seating herself quietly at the window, and, after a single glance at the form upon the couch, beginning to embroider patiently upon some work she took from a silken bag. |портьє||потягнута вбік|вбік|||літня|||||посідаючи|||||||||||||||||||вишивати|терпляче||||||||шовковий| تم دفع الباب جانباً ودخلت سيدة مسنة الغرفة ، جلست بهدوء عند النافذة ، وبعد نظرة واحدة على الشكل على الأريكة ، بدأت في التطريز بصبر على بعض الأعمال التي أخذتها من حقيبة حريرية. La portière fut écartée et une dame âgée entra dans la pièce, s'assit tranquillement à la fenêtre et, après avoir jeté un seul coup d'œil à la forme sur le canapé, commença à broder patiemment sur un ouvrage qu'elle sortit d'un sac de soie. Порт'єра відсунули, і в кімнату увійшла літня жінка, тихо сівши біля вікна, і, кинувши один погляд на постать на дивані, почала терпляче вишивати на якійсь роботі, яку вона витягла з шовкової сумки. She moved so noiselessly that the girl did not hear her and for several minutes absolute silence pervaded the room. |||безшумно||||||||||||абсолютна|тиша|заполонила|| Вона рухалася так безшумно, що дівчина не почула її, і протягом кількох хвилин у кімнаті панувала абсолютна тиша.

Then, however, Louise in turning a leaf glanced up and saw the head bent over the embroidery. ||||||лист|||||||схилений|||вишивка C'est alors que Louise, en tournant une feuille, jeta un coup d'œil en l'air et vit la tête penchée sur la broderie. Але потім, коли Луїза перевертала сторінку, вона підняла голову і побачила, що жінка нахилилася над вишивкою. She laid down her book and drew an open letter from between the cushions beside her, which she languidly tossed into the other's lap. |поклала|||||витягнула||||||||||||мляво|кинула|||іншого|коліна Elle posa son livre et tira d'entre les coussins à côté d'elle une lettre ouverte qu'elle jeta langoureusement sur les genoux de l'autre. Вона поклала свою книгу і витягнула з-під подушок поруч із собою відкритий лист, який мляво кинула на коліна іншій. "Who is this woman, mamma?" ||||мамо "Хто ця жінка, мамо?" she asked. спитала вона.

Mrs. Merrick glanced at the letter and then read it carefully through, before replying. |||||||||||через||відповідаючи

"Jane Merrick is your father's sister," she said, at last, as she thoughtfully folded the letter and placed it upon the table. ||||||||||||замислено|склала|||||||| "Why have I never heard of her before?" enquired the girl, with a slight accession of interest in her tones. запитала|||||легкий|додаток|||||тонах demanda la jeune fille, avec une légère montée d'intérêt dans son ton.

"That I cannot well explain. I had supposed you knew of your poor father's sister Jane, although you were so young when he died that it is possible he never mentioned her name in your presence." ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||присутності J'avais supposé que vous connaissiez la sœur de votre pauvre père, Jane, bien que vous ayez été si jeune lorsqu'il est mort qu'il est possible qu'il n'ait jamais mentionné son nom en votre présence". "They were not on friendly terms, you know. |||||стосунках|| "Ils n'étaient pas en bons termes, vous savez. Jane was rich, having inherited a fortune and a handsome country place from a young man whom she was engaged to marry, but who died on the eve of his wedding day." |||||||||||||||||||||||||||напередодні|||| Jane était riche, ayant hérité d'une fortune et d'une belle maison de campagne d'un jeune homme qu'elle s'était fiancée, mais qui est mort la veille de son mariage". "How romantic!" exclaimed Louise. вигукнула Луїза|

"It does seem romantic, related in this way," replied her mother. "But with the inheritance all romance disappeared from your aunt's life. ||||||зникла|||| She became a crabbed, disagreeable woman, old before her time and friendless because she suspected everyone of trying to rob her of her money. |||суперечлива|неприємна|||||||без друзів||||||||грабувати|||| Вона стала закомплексованою, неприємною жінкою, постаріла раніше часу і не мала друзів, тому що підозрювала всіх у спробі відібрати у неї гроші. Your poor father applied to her in vain for assistance, and I believe her refusal positively shortened his life. |||||||марно||допомога|||||відмова||скорочила|| Votre pauvre père s'est adressé à elle en vain pour obtenir de l'aide, et je crois que son refus a positivement abrégé sa vie. Твій бідний батько просив у неї допомоги марно, і я вірю, що її відмова позначилася на його житті. When he died, after struggling bravely to succeed in his business, he left nothing but his life-insurance." ||||борючись|мужньо||досягти||||||||||страхування життя Коли він помер, після відваги боротися за успіх у своєму бізнесі, він залишив нічого, окрім своєї страховки життя. "Thank heaven he left that!" |небу||| "Дякувати небесам, що він залишив це!" sighed Louise. зітхнула Луїза|

"Yes; we would have been beggared, indeed, without it," agreed Mrs. Merrick. |||||збанкрутіли|||||| "Yet I often wonder, Louise, how we managed to live upon the interest of that money for so many years." "Pourtant, je me demande souvent, Louise, comment nous avons pu vivre des intérêts de cet argent pendant tant d'années." "We didn't live—we existed," corrected the girl, yawning. |||||виправила|||позіхаючи "We scrimped and pinched, and denied ourselves everything but bare necessities. |економили||економили||відмовили собі||||голі|необхідності "Nous avons fait des économies et nous nous sommes privés de tout, sauf du strict nécessaire. And had it not been for your brilliant idea, mater dear, we would still be struggling in the depths of poverty." |||||||блискуча||матусю дорога||||||||||| Et sans votre brillante idée, ma chère, nous serions encore en train de nous débattre dans les profondeurs de la pauvreté". І якби не твоя геніальна ідея, матінко, ми б досі борсалися у злиднях". Mrs. Merrick frowned, and leaned back in her chair. ||насупився||нахилилася||||

"I sometimes doubt if the idea was so brilliant, after all," she returned, with a certain grimness of expression. ||сумніваюся||||||||||||||похмурість|| "We're plunging, Louise; and it may be into a bottomless pit." |пірнаємо||||||||безодня|яма "Nous plongeons, Louise, et peut-être dans un puits sans fond." "Don't worry, dear," said the girl, biting into a bonbon. ||||||кушуючи|||конфета "We are only on the verge of our great adventure, and there's no reason to be discouraged yet, I assure you. |||||край|||||||||||зневірений|||запевняю вас| Brilliant! Of course the idea was brilliant, mamma. The income of that insurance money was insignificant, but the capital is a very respectable sum. |||||||незначний|||||||| Le revenu de cette assurance était insignifiant, mais le capital est une somme très respectable. I am just seventeen years of age—although I feel that I ought to be thirty, at the least—and in three years I shall be twenty, and a married woman. ||||||||||||повинен|||тридцять||||||||||||||| You decided to divide our capital into three equal parts, and spend a third of it each year, this plan enabling us to live in good style and to acquire a certain social standing that will allow me to select a wealthy husband. ||||||||||||||||||||дозволяючи нам|||||||||||||||||||||| It's a very brilliant idea, my dear! Three years is a long time. I'll find my Croesus long before that, never fear." |||кронос|||||не бійся "You ought to," returned the mother, thoughtfully. |повинен був||||| "But if you fail, we shall be entirely ruined." |||провалишся||||повністю цілком|знищені "A strong incentive to succeed." ||інcentив|| said Louise, smiling. "An ordinary girl might not win out; but I've had my taste of poverty, and I don't like it. "Une fille ordinaire ne gagnerait peut-être pas ; mais j'ai goûté à la pauvreté et je n'aime pas ça. No one will suspect us of being adventurers, for as long as we live in this luxurious fashion we shall pay our bills promptly and be proper and respectable in every way. |||підозрювати||||пригодники|||||||||розкішний||||||рахунки|швидко|||пристойні||||| The only chance we run lies in the danger that eligible young men may prove shy, and refuse to take our bait; but are we not diplomats, mother dear? |||||лежить|||небезпека||придатні||чоловіки||виявитися|сором'язливі||відмовитися||||приманка|||||дипломати|| Le seul risque que nous courons est que les jeunes gens éligibles se révèlent timides et refusent de mordre à l'hameçon ; mais ne sommes-nous pas des diplomates, ma chère mère ? We won't despise a millionaire, but will be content with a man who can support us in good style, or even in comfort, and in return for his money I'll be a very good wife to him. ||зневажати||мільйонер||||задоволені|||||||||||||||||||||||||||| That seems sensible and wise, I'm sure, and not at all difficult of accomplishment." ||розумний|||||||||||досягнення Cela semble raisonnable et sage, j'en suis sûr, et pas du tout difficile à réaliser". Mrs. Merrick stared silently out of the window, and for a few moments seemed lost in thought. ||||||||||||||загублена в думках||

"I think, Louise," she said at last, "you will do well to cultivate your rich aunt, and so have two strings to your bow." ||||||||||||розвивати стосунки||||||||мотузки|||лука "Je pense, Louise, dit-elle enfin, que vous ferez bien de cultiver votre riche tante et d'avoir ainsi deux cordes à votre arc. "You mean that I should accept her queer invitation to visit her?" |||||||незвичайну|||| "Yes." "She has sent me a check for a hundred dollars. Isn't it funny?" "Jane was always a whimsical woman. ||||казкова| Perhaps she thinks we are quite destitute, and fears you would not be able to present a respectable appearance at Elmhurst without this assistance. ||||||злиденні||боїться||||||||||||||| Peut-être pense-t-elle que nous sommes tout à fait démunis et craint-elle que vous ne puissiez pas présenter une apparence respectable à Elmhurst sans cette aide. But it is an evidence of her good intentions. ||||доказ|||добрих|намірів Mais c'est une preuve de ses bonnes intentions. Finding death near at hand she is obliged to select an heir, and so invites you to visit her that she may study your character and determine whether you are worthy to inherit her fortune." |||||||зобов'язана||обрати||наступник|||запрошує||||||||||||визначити||||гідний||успадкувати|| The girl laughed, lightly. |||легко

"It will be easy to cajole the old lady," she said. |||||вмовити||||| "In two days I can so win her heart that she will regret she has neglected me so long." ||||||||||||шкодувати|||знехтувала||| "Exactly." "If I get her money we will change our plans, and abandon the adventure we were forced to undertake. |||||||||||покинути|||||вимушені||проводити But if, for any reason, that plan goes awry, we can fall back upon this prettily conceived scheme which we have undertaken. ||||||||не так|||||||гарно|продуманий|схема||||взяли на себе As you say, it is well to have two strings to one's bow; and during July and August everyone will be out of town, and so we shall lose no valuable time." ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||цінний| Mrs. Merrick did not reply. Mme Merrick n'a pas répondu. She stitched away in a methodical manner, as if abstracted, and Louise crossed her delicate hands behind her head and gazed at her mother reflectively. |вишивала||||методичний||||відсторонена|||||тонкі||||||пильно дивилася||||рефлексивно Louise croisa ses mains délicates derrière sa tête et regarda sa mère d'un air pensif. Presently she said:

"Tell me more of my father's family. Is this rich aunt of mine the only relative he had?" ||||||||родич|| "No, indeed. |дійсно There were two other sisters and a brother—a very uninteresting lot, with the exception, of your poor father. ||||||||||нудний|||||||| Il y avait deux autres sœurs et un frère - un groupe très inintéressant, à l'exception de votre pauvre père. Були ще дві сестри і брат - дуже нецікава компанія, за винятком твого бідолашного батька. The eldest was John Merrick, a common tinsmith, if I remember rightly, who went into the far west many years ago and probably died there, for he was never heard from. |найстарший||||||мідник||||правильно||||||||||||||||||| L'aîné était John Merrick, un simple ferblantier, si je me souviens bien, qui est parti dans le Far West il y a de nombreuses années et y est probablement mort, car on n'a jamais entendu parler de lui. Then came Jane, who in her young days had some slight claim to beauty. ||||||||||небагато|претензія||красота Puis vint Jane, qui, dans sa jeunesse, avait une certaine prétention à la beauté. Anyway, she won the heart of Thomas Bradley, the wealthy young man I referred to, and she must have been clever to have induced him to leave her his money. |||||||||||||згадав|||||||розумний|||викликаний|||||| Quoi qu'il en soit, elle a conquis le cœur de Thomas Bradley, le jeune homme riche dont j'ai parlé, et elle a dû être intelligente pour l'inciter à lui laisser son argent. Your father was a year or so younger than Jane, and after him came Julia, a coarse and disagreeable creature who married a music-teacher and settled in some out-of-the-way country town. |||||||молодший|||||||||грубий||неприємна|створіння|||||||оселилася|||||||| Once, while your father was alive, she visited us for a few days, with her baby daughter, and nearly drove us all crazy. |||||||||||||||||||зводила||| Perhaps she did not find us very hospitable, for we were too poor to entertain lavishly. |||||||гостинні|||||||розважати|розкішно Elle ne nous a peut-être pas trouvés très hospitaliers, car nous étions trop pauvres pour recevoir généreusement. Anyway, she went away suddenly after you had a fight with her child and nearly pulled its hair out by the roots, and I have never heard of her since." |||||||||||||||||||||коріння|||||||| Quoi qu'il en soit, elle est partie soudainement après que tu te sois disputé avec son enfant et que tu lui aies presque arraché les cheveux par la racine, et je n'ai jamais entendu parler d'elle depuis." "A daughter, eh," said Louise, musingly. ||жінка|||міркуючи "Then this rich Aunt Jane has another niece besides myself." "Perhaps two," returned Mrs. Merrick; "for her youngest sister, who was named Violet, married a vagabond Irishman and had a daughter about a year younger than you. ||||||||||||Фіалка|||бомж|ірландець|||||||||| The mother died, but whether the child survived her or not I have never learned." "What was her name?" asked Louise.

"I cannot remember. But it is unimportant. |||неважливо You are the only Merrick of them all, and that is doubtless the reason Jane has sent for you." |||||||||||безсумнівно||||||| The girl shook her blonde head.

"I don't like it," she observed. |||||зауважила "Don't like what?" "All this string of relations. It complicates matters." |ускладнює| Mrs. Merrick seemed annoyed. |||роздратована

"If you fear your own persuasive powers," she said, with almost a sneer in her tones, "you'd better not go to Elmhurst. |||||переконливі|||||||зневажливий тон||||||||| One or the other of your country cousins might supplant you in your dear aunt's affections." |||||||кузени||зайняти твоє місце||||||пристрастях The girl yawned and took up her neglected novel. ||позіхнула|||||забутній| La jeune fille baille et reprend son roman négligé.

"Nevertheless, mater dear," she said briefly, "I shall go." Тим не менше|||||коротко|||