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Aunt Jane’s Nieces by L. Frank Baum, CHAPTER XIX. DUPLICITY.

CHAPTER XIX. DUPLICITY.

Aunt Jane had a bad night, as might have been expected after her trials of the previous day.

She sent for Patricia early in the forenoon, and when the girl arrived she was almost shocked by the change in her aunt's appearance. The invalid's face seemed drawn and gray, and she lay upon her cushions breathing heavily and without any appearance of vitality or strength. Even the sharpness and piercing quality of her hard gray eyes was lacking and the glance she cast at her niece was rather pleading than defiant.

"I want you to reconsider your decision of yesterday, Patricia," she begun. "Don't ask me to do that, aunt," replied the girl, firmly. "My mind is fully made up." "I have made mistakes, I know," continued the woman feebly; "but I want to do the right thing, at last." "Then I will show you how," said Patricia, quickly. "You mustn't think me impertinent, aunt, for I don't mean to be so at all. But tell me; why did you wish to leave me your money?" "Because your nature is quite like my own, child, and I admire your independence and spirit." "But my cousins are much more deserving," said she, thoughtfully. "Louise is very sweet and amiable, and loves you more than I do, while Beth is the most sensible and practical girl I have ever known." "It may be so," returned Aunt Jane, impatiently; "but I have left each a legacy, Patricia, and you alone are my choice for the mistress of Elmhurst. I told you yesterday I should not try to be just. I mean to leave my property according to my personal desire, and no one shall hinder me." This last with a spark of her old vigor.

"But that is quite wrong, aunt, and if you desire me to inherit your wealth you will be disappointed. A moment ago you said you wished to do the right thing, at last. Don't you know what that is?" "Perhaps you will tell me," said Aunt Jane, curiously. "With pleasure," returned Patsy. "Mr. Bradley left you this property because he loved you, and love blinded him to all sense of justice. Such an estate should not have passed into the hands of aliens because of a lover's whim. He should have considered his own flesh and blood." "There was no one but his sister, who at that time was not married and had no son," explained Aunt Jane, calmly. "But he did not forget her and asked me to look after Katherine Bradley in case she or her heirs ever needed help. I have done so. When his mother died, I had the boy brought here, and he has lived here ever since." "But the property ought to be his," said Patricia, earnestly. "It would please me beyond measure to have you make your will in his favor, and you would be doing the right thing at last." "I won't," said Aunt Jane, angrily. "It would also be considerate and just to the memory of Mr. Bradley," continued the girl. "What's going to became of Kenneth?" "I have left him five thousand," said the woman. "Not enough to educate him properly," replied Patsy, with a shake of her head. "Why, the boy might become a famous artist, if he had good masters; and a person with an artistic temperament, such as his, should have enough money to be independent of his art." Aunt Jane coughed, unsympathetically.

"The boy is nothing to me," she said. "But he ought to have Elmhurst, at least," pleaded the girl. "Won't you leave it to him, Aunt Jane?" "No." "Then do as you please," cried Patsy, flying angry in her turn. "As a matter of justice, the place should never have been yours, and I won't accept a dollar of the money if I starve to death!" "Think of your father," suggested Aunt Jane, cunningly. "Ah, I've done that," said the girl, "and I know how many comforts I could buy for the dear Major. Also I'd like to go to a girl's college, like Smith or Wellesley, and get a proper education. But not with your money, Aunt Jane. It would burn my fingers. Always I would think that if you had not been hard and miserly this same money would have saved my mother's life. No! I loathe your money. Keep it or throw it to the dogs, if you won't give it to the boy it belongs to. But don't you dare to will your selfish hoard to me." "Let us change the subject, Patricia." "Will you change your will?" "No. ". "Then I won't talk to you. I'm angry and hurt, and if I stay here I'll say things I shall be sorry for." With these words she marched out of the room, her cheeks flaming, and Aunt Jane looked after her with admiring eyes.

"She's right," she whispered to herself. "It's just as I'd do under the same circumstances!" This interview was but the beginning of a series that lasted during the next fortnight, during which time the invalid persisted in sending for Patricia and fighting the same fight over and over again. Always the girl pleaded for Kenneth to inherit, and declared she would not accept the money and Elmhurst; and always Aunt Jane stubbornly refused to consider the boy and tried to tempt the girl with pictures of the luxury and pleasure that riches would bring her.

The interviews were generally short and spirited, however, and during the intervals Patsy associated more than ever with her cousins, both of whom grew really fond of her.

They fully believed Patricia when she declared she would never accept the inheritance, and although neither Beth nor Louise could understand such foolish sentimentality they were equally overjoyed at the girl's stand and the firmness with which she maintained it. With Patsy out of the field it was quite possible the estate would be divided between her cousins, or even go entire to one or the other of them; and this hope constantly buoyed their spirits and filled their days with interest as they watched the fight between their aunt and their cousin.

Patricia never told them she was pleading so hard for the boy. It would only pain her cousins and make them think she was disloyal to their interests; but she lost no opportunity when with her Aunt Jane of praising Kenneth and proving his ability, and finally she seemed to win her point.

Aunt Jane was really worn out with the constant squabbling with her favorite niece. She had taken a turn for the worse, too, and began to decline rapidly. So, her natural cunning and determination to have her own way enhanced by her illness, the woman decided to deceive Patricia and enjoy her few remaining days in peace.

"Suppose," she said to Mr. Watson, "my present will stands, and after my death the estate becomes the property of Patricia. Can she refuse it?" "Not legally," returned the lawyer. "It would remain in her name, but under my control, during her minority. When she became of age, however, she could transfer it as she might choose." "By that time she will have gained more sense," declared Aunt Jane, much pleased with this aspect of the case, "and it isn't reasonable that having enjoyed a fortune for a time any girl would throw it away. I'll stick to my point, Silas, but I'll try to make Patricia believe she has won me over." Therefore, the very next time that the girl pleaded with her to make Kenneth her heir, she said, with a clever assumption of resignation:

"Very well, Patricia; you shall have your way. My only desire, child, is to please you, as you well know, and if you long to see Kenneth the owner of Elmhurst I will have a new will drawn in his favor." Patricia could scarcely believe her ears.

"Do you really mean it, aunt?" she asked, flushing red with pleasure.

"I mean exactly what I say, and now let us cease all bickerings, my dear, and my few remaining days will be peaceful and happy." Patricia thanked her aunt with eager words, and said, as indeed she felt, that she could almost love Aunt Jane for her final, if dilatory, act of justice.

Mr. Watson chanced to enter the room at that moment, and the girl cried out:

"Tell him, aunt! Let him get the paper ready at once." "There is no reason for haste," said Aunt Jane, meeting; the lawyer's questioning gaze with some embarrassment. Silas Watson was an honorable and upright man, and his client's frequent doubtful methods had in past years met his severe censure. Yet he had once promised his dead friend, Tom Bradley, that he would serve Jane Merrick faithfully. He had striven to do so, bearing with her faults of character when he found that he could not correct them. His influence over her had never been very strong, however, and he had learned that it was the most easy as well as satisfactory method to bow to her iron will.

Her recent questionings had prepared him for some act of duplicity, but he had by no means understood her present object, nor did she mean that he should. So she answered his questioning look by saying:

"I have promised Patricia that you shall draw a new will, leaving all my estate to Kenneth Forbes, except for the bequests that are mentioned in the present paper." The lawyer regarded her with amazement. Then his brow darkened, for he thought she was playing with the girl, and was not sincere.

"Tell him to draw up the paper right away, aunt!" begged Patricia, with sparkling eyes.

"As soon as you can, Silas," said the invalid. "And, aunt, can't you spare a little more to Louise and Beth? It would make them so happy." "Double the amount I had allowed to each of them," the woman commanded her lawyer. "Can it all be ready to sign tonight?" asked Patsy, excitedly.

"I'll try, my dear," replied the old lawyer, gravely. Then he turned to Jane Merrick.

"Are you in earnest?" he asked.

Patsy's heart suddenly sank. "Yes," was the reply. "I am tired of opposing this child's wishes. What do I care what becomes of my money, when I am gone? All that I desire is to have my remaining days peaceful." The girl spring forward and kissed her rapturously.

"They shall be, aunt!" she cried. "I promise it."

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CHAPTER XIX. DUPLICITY. ||двозначність РОЗДІЛ XIX. ПОДВІЙНІСТЬ.

Aunt Jane had a bad night, as might have been expected after her trials of the previous day. |||||||||||||випробування|||| Tante Jane a passé une mauvaise nuit, comme on pouvait s'y attendre après les épreuves de la veille.

She sent for Patricia early in the forenoon, and when the girl arrived she was almost shocked by the change in her aunt's appearance. |||||||||||||||||||||||зовнішності Elle envoya chercher Patricia tôt dans l'après-midi, et lorsque la jeune fille arriva, elle fut presque choquée par le changement d'apparence de sa tante. The invalid's face seemed drawn and gray, and she lay upon her cushions breathing heavily and without any appearance of vitality or strength. ||||виснажене||||||||||||||означення||життєво|| Le visage de l'invalide semblait tiré et gris, et elle était allongée sur ses coussins, respirant bruyamment et sans aucune apparence de vitalité ou de force. Even the sharpness and piercing quality of her hard gray eyes was lacking and the glance she cast at her niece was rather pleading than defiant. ||гострота||пронизливий|||||||||||погляд||||||||благаючий|| Même l'acuité et la qualité perçante de ses yeux gris durs n'étaient pas au rendez-vous et le regard qu'elle jeta à sa nièce était plus suppliant que provocateur.

"I want you to reconsider your decision of yesterday, Patricia," she begun. ||||переглянути||||||| "Don't ask me to do that, aunt," replied the girl, firmly. ||||||||||рішуче "My mind is fully made up." "I have made mistakes, I know," continued the woman feebly; "but I want to do the right thing, at last." "Then I will show you how," said Patricia, quickly. "You mustn't think me impertinent, aunt, for I don't mean to be so at all. "Ne me prenez pas pour un impertinent, ma tante, car ce n'est pas du tout mon intention. But tell me; why did you wish to leave me your money?" Mais dites-moi, pourquoi vouliez-vous me laisser votre argent ?" "Because your nature is quite like my own, child, and I admire your independence and spirit." |||||||||||пишаюсь|||| "But my cousins are much more deserving," said she, thoughtfully. "Mais mes cousins sont bien plus méritants", dit-elle pensivement. "Louise is very sweet and amiable, and loves you more than I do, while Beth is the most sensible and practical girl I have ever known." |||||дружелюбна|||||||||||||||||||| "Louise est très douce et aimable, et vous aime plus que moi, tandis que Beth est la fille la plus sensée et la plus pratique que j'aie jamais connue. "It may be so," returned Aunt Jane, impatiently; "but I have left each a legacy, Patricia, and you alone are my choice for the mistress of Elmhurst. |||||||нетерпляче||||||||||||||||||| "C'est possible, reprit tante Jane avec impatience, mais j'ai laissé à chacune un héritage, Patricia, et vous seule êtes mon choix pour la maîtresse d'Elmhurst. I told you yesterday I should not try to be just. I mean to leave my property according to my personal desire, and no one shall hinder me." J'ai l'intention de quitter ma propriété selon mon désir personnel, et personne ne m'en empêchera." This last with a spark of her old vigor. ||||іскра||||енергія Cette dernière avec une étincelle de son ancienne vigueur.

"But that is quite wrong, aunt, and if you desire me to inherit your wealth you will be disappointed. "Mais c'est une erreur, ma tante, et si vous voulez que j'hérite de votre fortune, vous serez déçue. A moment ago you said you wished to do the right thing, at last. Don't you know what that is?" "Perhaps you will tell me," said Aunt Jane, curiously. "With pleasure," returned Patsy. "Mr. Bradley left you this property because he loved you, and love blinded him to all sense of justice. Such an estate should not have passed into the hands of aliens because of a lover's whim. Un tel patrimoine n'aurait pas dû passer entre les mains d'étrangers à cause d'un caprice d'amoureux. He should have considered his own flesh and blood." |||врахувати|||плоть|| "There was no one but his sister, who at that time was not married and had no son," explained Aunt Jane, calmly. "But he did not forget her and asked me to look after Katherine Bradley in case she or her heirs ever needed help. ||||||||||||||||||||коли-небудь|| "Mais il ne l'a pas oubliée et m'a demandé de veiller sur Katherine Bradley au cas où elle ou ses héritiers auraient besoin d'aide. I have done so. When his mother died, I had the boy brought here, and he has lived here ever since." "But the property ought to be his," said Patricia, earnestly. |||повинна|||||| "It would please me beyond measure to have you make your will in his favor, and you would be doing the right thing at last." "Je serais très heureux que vous fassiez votre testament en sa faveur, et vous feriez enfin ce qu'il faut. "I won't," said Aunt Jane, angrily. "It would also be considerate and just to the memory of Mr. Bradley," continued the girl. ||||уважно||||||||||| "Це було б також ввічливо і справедливо по відношенню до пам'яті пана Бредлі", - продовжила дівчина. "What's going to became of Kenneth?" "Que va devenir Kenneth ?" "I have left him five thousand," said the woman. "Not enough to educate him properly," replied Patsy, with a shake of her head. |||навчити|||||||||| "Why, the boy might become a famous artist, if he had good masters; and a person with an artistic temperament, such as his, should have enough money to be independent of his art." |||||||||||||||||||артистичний||||||||||||| Aunt Jane coughed, unsympathetically. |||без співчуття

"The boy is nothing to me," she said. "But he ought to have Elmhurst, at least," pleaded the girl. ||повинен||||||вимагала|| "Won't you leave it to him, Aunt Jane?" "No." "Then do as you please," cried Patsy, flying angry in her turn. "Alors faites ce que vous voulez", s'écria Patsy, se mettant à son tour en colère. "As a matter of justice, the place should never have been yours, and I won't accept a dollar of the money if I starve to death!" ||питання справедлив||||||||||||||||||||||| "En toute justice, cet endroit n'aurait jamais dû être le vôtre, et je n'accepterai pas un dollar de l'argent si je meurs de faim !" "По справедливості, це місце ніколи не повинно було належати вам, і я не прийму жодного долара з цих грошей, навіть якщо помру з голоду!" "Think of your father," suggested Aunt Jane, cunningly. ||||порадивa|||підступно "Ah, I've done that," said the girl, "and I know how many comforts I could buy for the dear Major. "Ah, je l'ai fait", dit la jeune fille, "et je sais combien de confort je pourrais acheter pour le cher Major. Also I'd like to go to a girl's college, like Smith or Wellesley, and get a proper education. ||||||||||||||||достойну| J'aimerais aussi aller dans une université pour filles, comme Smith ou Wellesley, et recevoir une bonne éducation. But not with your money, Aunt Jane. It would burn my fingers. Always I would think that if you had not been hard and miserly this same money would have saved my mother's life. No! I loathe your money. |ненавиджу|| Keep it or throw it to the dogs, if you won't give it to the boy it belongs to. |||||||||||||||||якому належить| But don't you dare to will your selfish hoard to me." |||наважуйся|||||скарб|| Mais n'osez pas me léguer votre magot égoïste." "Let us change the subject, Patricia." ||змінимо||| "Will you change your will?" "No. ". "Then I won't talk to you. I'm angry and hurt, and if I stay here I'll say things I shall be sorry for." |||поранений||||||||||||| With these words she marched out of the room, her cheeks flaming, and Aunt Jane looked after her with admiring eyes. ||||вийшла|||||||палаючі||||||||захопленими| Sur ces mots, elle sortit de la pièce, les joues enflammées, et tante Jane la suivit des yeux avec admiration.

"She's right," she whispered to herself. "It's just as I'd do under the same circumstances!" This interview was but the beginning of a series that lasted during the next fortnight, during which time the invalid persisted in sending for Patricia and fighting the same fight over and over again. ||||||||||||||два тижні||||||наполягав||||||||||||| Always the girl pleaded for Kenneth to inherit, and declared she would not accept the money and Elmhurst; and always Aunt Jane stubbornly refused to consider the boy and tried to tempt the girl with pictures of the luxury and pleasure that riches would bring her. |||благала|||||||||||||||||||уперто|відмовлялася||||||||спокусити||||||||||||||

The interviews were generally short and spirited, however, and during the intervals Patsy associated more than ever with her cousins, both of whom grew really fond of her. ||||||жвавими|||||||||||||||||стали дійс||прив'язалися|| Cependant, les entretiens sont généralement brefs et animés, et pendant les intervalles, Patsy fréquente plus que jamais ses cousins, qui se prennent tous deux d'affection pour elle. Інтерв'ю, як правило, були короткими і жвавими, а під час перерв Петсі більше спілкувалася зі своїми кузинами, які дуже полюбили її.

They fully believed Patricia when she declared she would never accept the inheritance, and although neither Beth nor Louise could understand such foolish sentimentality they were equally overjoyed at the girl's stand and the firmness with which she maintained it. ||||||||||||спадщина||||||||||||||||||||||твердість||||відстоювала| Elles ont cru Patricia lorsqu'elle a déclaré qu'elle n'accepterait jamais l'héritage, et bien que ni Beth ni Louise ne puissent comprendre un sentimentalisme aussi stupide, elles ont été également ravies de la position de la jeune fille et de la fermeté avec laquelle elle l'a maintenue. With Patsy out of the field it was quite possible the estate would be divided between her cousins, or even go entire to one or the other of them; and this hope constantly buoyed their spirits and filled their days with interest as they watched the fight between their aunt and their cousin. ||||||||||||||поділена|||||||цілком|||||||||||постійно|||||||||||||||||||| Avec Patsy hors jeu, il était tout à fait possible que la succession soit divisée entre ses cousins, ou même qu'elle aille entièrement à l'un ou l'autre d'entre eux ; et cet espoir soutenait constamment leur esprit et remplissait leurs journées avec intérêt tandis qu'ils observaient la lutte entre leur tante et leur cousin.

Patricia never told them she was pleading so hard for the boy. ||||||благаючи||||| It would only pain her cousins and make them think she was disloyal to their interests; but she lost no opportunity when with her Aunt Jane of praising Kenneth and proving his ability, and finally she seemed to win her point. ||||||||||||||||||||можливість|||||||хвалити|||||здатність||||здавалося|||| Cela ne ferait que peiner ses cousins et leur donnerait l'impression qu'elle était déloyale envers leurs intérêts ; mais elle ne perdait aucune occasion, lorsqu'elle était avec sa tante Jane, de faire l'éloge de Kenneth et de prouver son habileté, et finalement elle semblait avoir gagné son point de vue. Це тільки образило б її кузенів і змусило б їх подумати, що вона не віддана їхнім інтересам; але вона не втрачала нагоди похвалити Кеннета і довести його здібності в розмові з тіткою Джейн, і врешті-решт, здавалося, вона виграла справу.

Aunt Jane was really worn out with the constant squabbling with her favorite niece. ||||втомлена||||||||| Тітка Джейн дуже втомилася від постійних сварок зі своєю улюбленою племінницею. She had taken a turn for the worse, too, and began to decline rapidly. Son état s'est également aggravé et elle a commencé à décliner rapidement. Їй теж стало гірше, і вона почала стрімко занепадати. So, her natural cunning and determination to have her own way enhanced by her illness, the woman decided to deceive Patricia and enjoy her few remaining days in peace. |||||рішучість||||||посилилися||||||||обманути||||||||| Alors, sa ruse naturelle et sa détermination à faire ce qu'elle veut, renforcées par sa maladie, la femme décide de tromper Patricia et de profiter en paix des quelques jours qui lui restent à vivre. Тож, маючи природну хитрість і рішучість діяти по-своєму, посилені хворобою, жінка вирішила обдурити Патрицію і насолодитися кількома днями, що залишилися, у спокої.

"Suppose," she said to Mr. Watson, "my present will stands, and after my death the estate becomes the property of Patricia. "Supposons", dit-elle à M. Watson, "que mon testament actuel soit maintenu et qu'après ma mort, le domaine devienne la propriété de Patricia. "Припустімо, - сказала вона містеру Ватсону, - що мій теперішній заповіт залишиться в силі, а після моєї смерті маєток перейде у власність Патриції. Can she refuse it?" ||відмовитися| "Not legally," returned the lawyer. ||||адвокат "It would remain in her name, but under my control, during her minority. "Він залишиться на її ім'я, але під моїм контролем на час її неповноліття. When she became of age, however, she could transfer it as she might choose." |||||однак|||||||| "By that time she will have gained more sense," declared Aunt Jane, much pleased with this aspect of the case, "and it isn't reasonable that having enjoyed a fortune for a time any girl would throw it away. ||||||набула|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||викинула б|| "D'ici là, elle aura acquis plus de bon sens", déclara tante Jane, très satisfaite de cet aspect de l'affaire, "et il n'est pas raisonnable qu'après avoir joui d'une fortune pendant un certain temps, une fille la jette par la fenêtre. I'll stick to my point, Silas, but I'll try to make Patricia believe she has won me over." Je m'en tiendrai à mon point de vue, Silas, mais j'essaierai de faire croire à Patricia qu'elle m'a conquis." Therefore, the very next time that the girl pleaded with her to make Kenneth her heir, she said, with a clever assumption of resignation: ||||||||благає|||||||||||||припущення||відмови C'est pourquoi, la fois suivante où la jeune fille l'a suppliée de faire de Kenneth son héritier, elle a dit, avec une habile apparence de résignation :

"Very well, Patricia; you shall have your way. "Très bien, Patricia, tu auras ce que tu veux. My only desire, child, is to please you, as you well know, and if you long to see Kenneth the owner of Elmhurst I will have a new will drawn in his favor." |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||складений||| Patricia could scarcely believe her ears. ||ледве|||

"Do you really mean it, aunt?" she asked, flushing red with pleasure.

"I mean exactly what I say, and now let us cease all bickerings, my dear, and my few remaining days will be peaceful and happy." ||||||||||припинимо|||||||||||||| "Je pense exactement ce que je dis, et maintenant cessons toute chamaillerie, ma chère, et les quelques jours qui me restent seront paisibles et heureux." Patricia thanked her aunt with eager words, and said, as indeed she felt, that she could almost love Aunt Jane for her final, if dilatory, act of justice. |||||нетерплячими|||||||||||||||||||||| Patricia remercia sa tante avec empressement et déclara, comme elle le ressentait, qu'elle pouvait presque aimer tante Jane pour son dernier acte de justice, même s'il était tardif.

Mr. Watson chanced to enter the room at that moment, and the girl cried out: ||випадково|||||||||||| M. Watson entra par hasard dans la pièce à ce moment-là, et la jeune fille poussa un cri :

"Tell him, aunt! Let him get the paper ready at once." "There is no reason for haste," said Aunt Jane, meeting; the lawyer's questioning gaze with some embarrassment. |||||поспіх|||||||питальним||||сором "Il n'y a aucune raison de se hâter", dit tante Jane, rencontrant le regard interrogateur de l'avocate avec un certain embarras. Silas Watson was an honorable and upright man, and his client's frequent doubtful methods had in past years met his severe censure. ||||||||||||сумнівні||||||||сувора| Silas Watson était un homme honorable et droit, et les fréquentes méthodes douteuses de son client lui avaient valu, les années précédentes, une sévère censure. Yet he had once promised his dead friend, Tom Bradley, that he would serve Jane Merrick faithfully. |||||||||||||служити|||вірно Pourtant, il avait promis à son ami décédé, Tom Bradley, de servir Jane Merrick avec loyauté. He had striven to do so, bearing with her faults of character when he found that he could not correct them. ||прагнув||||терплячи|||||||||||||| Il s'était efforcé de le faire, supportant ses défauts de caractère lorsqu'il constatait qu'il ne pouvait pas les corriger. Він прагнув до цього, терпляче ставлячись до її недоліків характеру, коли розумів, що не може їх виправити. His influence over her had never been very strong, however, and he had learned that it was the most easy as well as satisfactory method to bow to her iron will. |вплив||||||||однак|||||||||||||||||підкоритися|||| Son influence sur elle n'avait jamais été très forte, cependant, et il avait appris que c'était la méthode la plus facile et la plus satisfaisante pour se plier à sa volonté de fer. Однак його вплив на неї ніколи не був дуже сильним, і він зрозумів, що це найлегший і найзадовільніший спосіб підкоритися її залізній волі.

Her recent questionings had prepared him for some act of duplicity, but he had by no means understood her present object, nor did she mean that he should. ||||||||||двозначність||||||||||||||||| Ses récentes questions l'avaient préparé à un acte de duplicité, mais il n'avait en aucun cas compris son objectif actuel, et elle ne voulait pas qu'il le comprenne. Її нещодавні розпитування підготували його до якогось акту дволикості, але він жодним чином не зрозумів її теперішньої мети, та й вона не мала на увазі, що він повинен її зрозуміти. So she answered his questioning look by saying:

"I have promised Patricia that you shall draw a new will, leaving all my estate to Kenneth Forbes, except for the bequests that are mentioned in the present paper." "J'ai promis à Patricia que vous rédigeriez un nouveau testament, laissant tous mes biens à Kenneth Forbes, à l'exception des legs mentionnés dans le présent document. The lawyer regarded her with amazement. |||||подивом Адвокат дивився на неї з подивом. Then his brow darkened, for he thought she was playing with the girl, and was not sincere. ||||||||||||||||щирою Son front s'assombrit, car il pensait qu'elle jouait avec la jeune fille et qu'elle n'était pas sincère.

"Tell him to draw up the paper right away, aunt!" begged Patricia, with sparkling eyes.

"As soon as you can, Silas," said the invalid. "And, aunt, can't you spare a little more to Louise and Beth? ||||пожертвувати||||||| It would make them so happy." "Double the amount I had allowed to each of them," the woman commanded her lawyer. ||||||||||||||адвокат "Can it all be ready to sign tonight?" asked Patsy, excitedly.

"I'll try, my dear," replied the old lawyer, gravely. Then he turned to Jane Merrick.

"Are you in earnest?" |||серйозно "Vous êtes sérieux ?" he asked.

Patsy's heart suddenly sank. |||потонуло "Yes," was the reply. "I am tired of opposing this child's wishes. What do I care what becomes of my money, when I am gone? All that I desire is to have my remaining days peaceful." The girl spring forward and kissed her rapturously.

"They shall be, aunt!" she cried. "I promise it."