CHAPTER II. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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. 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. The apartment itself was new, with highly polished floors and woodwork, and decorations undimmed by time. 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. Even the girl's robe, which she wore so gracefully, was new, and the books upon the center-table were of the latest editions. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. "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. 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." 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. "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." 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.

"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. 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. 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." "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. "We scrimped and pinched, and denied ourselves everything but bare necessities. "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." Et sans votre brillante idée, ma chère, nous serions encore en train de nous débattre dans les profondeurs de la pauvreté". 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." "Nous plongeons, Louise, et peut-être dans un puits sans fond." "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. 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. 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. "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. 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? 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. That seems sensible and wise, I'm sure, and not at all difficult of accomplishment." 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.

"I think, Louise," she said at last, "you will do well to cultivate your rich aunt, and so have two strings to your bow." "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?" "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. 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. 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." 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. 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. 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?" "No, indeed. There were two other sisters and a brother—a very uninteresting lot, with the exception, of your poor father. Il y avait deux autres sœurs et un frère - un groupe très inintéressant, à l'exception de votre pauvre père. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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." 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. "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. La jeune fille baille et reprend son roman négligé.

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