CHAPTER XIII. THE OTHER NIECE. CAPÍTULO XIII. A OUTRA SOBRINHA.

Patricia sat down opposite her Aunt Jane. She still wore her hat and the gray wrap. Elle porte toujours son chapeau et son écharpe grise.

"Well, here I am," she exclaimed, with a laugh; "but whether I ought to be here or not I have my doubts." "Eh bien, me voilà", s'exclame-t-elle en riant, "mais je ne sais pas si je dois être ici ou non". Aunt Jane surveyed her critically. Tante Jane l'examine d'un œil critique.

"You're a queer little thing," she said, bluntly. "Vous êtes une petite chose bizarre", dit-elle sans ambages. "I wonder why I took so much trouble to get you." "Je me demande pourquoi je me suis donné tant de mal pour t'avoir." "So do I," returned Patsy, her eyes twinkling. "Moi aussi", répond Patsy, les yeux pétillants. "You'll probably be sorry for it." Lawyer Watson, who had remained standing, now broke in nervously. L'avocat Watson, qui était resté debout, intervient alors nerveusement.

"I explained to Miss Doyle," said he, "that you were ill, and wanted to see her. And she kindly consented to come to Elmhurst for a few days." "You see," said Patsy, "I'd just got Daddy away on his vacation, to visit his old colonel. "Tu vois, dit Patsy, je venais juste de faire partir papa en vacances, pour rendre visite à son vieux colonel. I've wanted him to go this three years back, but he couldn't afford it until I got a raise this Spring. Cela fait trois ans que je veux qu'il y aille, mais il ne pouvait pas se le permettre jusqu'à ce que j'obtienne une augmentation de salaire au printemps. He'll have a glorious old time with the colonel, and they'll fish and hunt and drink whiskey all day, and fight the war all over again every evening. Il s'amusera comme un fou avec le colonel, ils pêcheront, chasseront, boiront du whisky toute la journée et recommenceront la guerre tous les soirs. So I was quite by myself when Mr. Watson came to me and wouldn't take no for his answer." J'étais donc tout seul quand M. Watson est venu me voir et n'a pas accepté de réponse négative." "Why did you object to come here?" asked Aunt Jane.

"Well, I didn't know you; and I didn't especially want to know you. Not that I bear grudges, understand, although you've been little of a friend to my folks these past years. Ce n'est pas que je sois rancunier, comprenez-moi bien, même si vous avez été un peu l'ami de mes parents ces dernières années. But you are rich and proud—and I suspect you're a little cross, Aunt Jane—while we are poor and proud and like to live our lives in our own way." Mais vous êtes riche et fière - et je soupçonne que vous êtes un peu fâchée, tante Jane - alors que nous sommes pauvres et fiers et que nous aimons vivre notre vie à notre manière". "Are you a working girl?" enquired Miss Merrick.

"Surely," said Patsy, "and drawing a big lump of salary every Saturday night. "Bien sûr", dit Patsy, "et il touche un gros salaire tous les samedis soirs. I'm a hair-dresser, you know—and by the way, Aunt Jane, it puzzles me to find a certain kink in your hair that I thought I'd invented myself." Je suis coiffeuse, vous savez - et d'ailleurs, tante Jane, j'ai du mal à trouver un certain pli dans vos cheveux que je pensais avoir inventé moi-même". "Louise dressed my hair this way," said Miss Merrick, a bit stiffly. "Your maid?" "My niece, Louise Merrick." Patsy whistled, and then clapped her hand over her mouth and looked grave. Patsy a sifflé, puis s'est mis la main sur la bouche et a pris un air grave.

"Is she here?" she asked, a moment later.

"Yes, and your other cousin, Elizabeth De Graf, is here also." "That's just the trouble," cried Patsy, energetically. "C'est justement le problème, s'écria Patsy avec énergie. "That's why I didn't want to come, you know." "I don't understand you, Patricia." "Why, it's as plain as the nose on your face, even if I hadn't pumped Mr. Watson until I got the truth out of him. "C'est clair comme de l'eau de roche, même si je n'avais pas pompé M. Watson jusqu'à ce que j'obtienne la vérité. You want us girls here just to compare us with each other, and pick out the one you like best." "Well?" "The others you'll throw over, and the favorite will get your money." "Haven't I a right to do that?" "N'ai-je pas le droit de le faire ?" asked the invalid, in an amazed tone.

"Perhaps you have. But we may as well understand each other right now, Aunt Jane. Mais nous pouvons tout aussi bien nous comprendre maintenant, tante Jane. I won't touch a penny of your money, under any circumstances." Je ne toucherai pas un centime de votre argent, quelles que soient les circonstances." "I don't think you will, Patricia." The girl laughed, with a joyous, infectious merriment that was hard to resist.

"Stick to that, aunt, and there's no reason we shouldn't be friends," she said, pleasantly. "Tenez-vous en à cela, ma tante, et il n'y a aucune raison pour que nous ne soyons pas amies", dit-elle d'un ton plaisant. "I don't mind coming to see you, for it will give me a bit of a rest and the country is beautiful just now. More than that, I believe I shall like you. You've had your own way a long time, and you've grown crochetty and harsh and disagreeable; but there are good lines around your mouth and eyes, and your nature's liable to soften and get sunny again. Vous avez longtemps suivi votre propre voie et vous êtes devenue dure et désagréable ; mais il y a de bonnes lignes autour de votre bouche et de vos yeux, et votre nature est susceptible de s'adoucir et de redevenir ensoleillée. I'm sure I hope so. So, if you'd like me to stay a few days, I'll take off my things and make myself at home. Alors, si vous voulez que je reste quelques jours, je me débarrasse de mes affaires et je fais comme chez moi. But I'm out of the race for your money, and I'll pay my way from now on just as I have always done." Mais je ne suis plus dans la course à l'argent et je paierai à partir de maintenant comme je l'ai toujours fait". Silas Watson watched Aunt Jane's face during this speech with an anxious and half-frightened expression upon his own. No one but himself had ever dared to talk to Jane Merrick as plainly as this before, and he wondered how she would accept such frankness from a young girl.

But Patricia's manner was not at all offensive. Mais les manières de Patricia n'étaient pas du tout offensantes. Her big eyes were as frank as her words, but they glistened with kindliness and good nature, and it was evident the girl had no doubt at all of her aunt's reply, for she straightway begun to take off her hat. Ses grands yeux étaient aussi francs que ses paroles, mais ils brillaient de gentillesse et de bonne nature, et il était évident que la jeune fille ne doutait pas du tout de la réponse de sa tante, car elle commença immédiatement à enlever son chapeau. The invalid had kept her eyes sternly fastened upon her young niece ever since the beginning of the interview. Depuis le début de l'entretien, l'invalide avait gardé les yeux rivés sur sa jeune nièce. Now she reached out a hand and touched her bell.

"Misery," she said to the old housekeeper, "show my niece, Miss Patricia, to the rose chamber. And see that she is made comfortable." Et veillez à ce qu'elle soit à l'aise." "Thank you," said Patsy, jumping up to go. "Make yourself perfectly free of the place," continued Aunt Jane, in an even tone, turning to Patricia, "and have as good a time as you can. Faites en sorte de vous libérer complètement de l'endroit", a poursuivi tante Jane, d'un ton égal, en se tournant vers Patricia, "et amusez-vous autant que vous le pouvez". I'm afraid it's rather stupid here for girls, but that can't be helped. Je crains que ce soit un peu stupide ici pour les filles, mais on ne peut rien y faire. Stay as long as you please, and go home whenever you like; but while you are here, if you ever feel like chatting with a harsh and disagreeable old woman, come to me at any time and you will be welcome." Restez aussi longtemps qu'il vous plaira et rentrez chez vous quand vous le voudrez ; mais pendant que vous êtes ici, si vous avez envie de bavarder avec une vieille femme dure et désagréable, venez me voir à n'importe quel moment et vous serez le bienvenu". Patsy, standing before her, looked down into her worn face with a pitying expression. Patsy, debout devant elle, regarda son visage usé avec une expression de pitié.

"Ah! I've been cruel to you," she exclaimed, impulsively, "and I didn't mean to hurt you at all, Aunt Jane. J'ai été cruelle avec toi, s'exclama-t-elle impulsivement, et je ne voulais pas du tout te blesser, tante Jane. You must forgive me. It's just my blunt Irish way, you see; but if I hadn't been drawn to you from the first I wouldn't have said a word—good or bad!" Mais si je n'avais pas été attiré par vous dès le début, je n'aurais pas dit un mot, qu'il soit bon ou mauvais ! "Go now," replied Aunt Jane, turning in her chair rather wearily. "Allez-y maintenant", a répondu tante Jane, en se tournant dans son fauteuil avec une certaine lassitude. "But come to me again whenever you like." Patsy nodded, and followed the housekeeper to the rose chamber—the prettiest room old Elmhurst possessed, with broad windows opening directly upon the finest part of the garden. Patsy acquiesça et suivit la gouvernante jusqu'à la chambre des roses, la plus belle pièce que possédait le vieil Elmhurst, avec de larges fenêtres donnant directement sur la plus belle partie du jardin.

Lawyer Watson sat opposite his old friend for some moments in thoughtful silence. "The child is impossible." he said, at last.

"You think so?" she enquired, moodily.

"Absolutely. Either of the others would make a better Lady of Elmhurst. L'une ou l'autre ferait une meilleure Dame d'Elmhurst. Yet I like the little thing, I confess. Pourtant, j'aime bien cette petite chose, je l'avoue. She quite won my old heart after I had known her for five minutes. Elle a conquis mon vieux cœur après l'avoir connue pendant cinq minutes. But money would ruin her. Mais l'argent la ruinerait. She's a child of the people, and ought not to be raised from her proper level. C'est une enfant du peuple, et elle ne doit pas être élevée à un niveau inférieur à celui qui est le sien. Jane, Jane—you're making a grave mistake in all this. Why don't you do the only right thing in your power, and leave Elmhurst to Kenneth?" Pourquoi ne faites-vous pas la seule bonne chose en votre pouvoir, et ne laissez-vous pas Elmhurst à Kenneth ?" "You bore me, Silas," she answered, coldly. "The boy is the most impossible of all." "Le garçon est le plus impossible de tous. It was the old protest and the old reply. Il s'agit de la même protestation et de la même réponse. He had hardly expected anything different. Il ne s'attendait guère à autre chose.

After a period of thought he asked;

"What is this I hear about John Merrick having returned from the West?" "He came yesterday. It was a great surprise to me." "I never knew this brother, I believe." "No; he had gone away before I became acquainted with either you or Tom." "What sort of a man is he?" "Honest and simple, hard-headed and experienced." "Honnête et simple, déterminé et expérimenté". "Is he independent?" "I believe so; he has never mentioned his affairs to me. But he has worked hard all his life, he says, and now means to end his days peacefully. John is not especially refined in his manner, nor did he have much of an education; but he seems to be a good deal of a man, for all that. John n'est pas particulièrement raffiné dans ses manières, et il n'a pas reçu beaucoup d'éducation ; mais il semble être un bon homme, malgré tout. I am very glad he appeared at Elmhurst just at this time." "You had believed him dead?" "Vous l'aviez cru mort ?" "Yes. He had passed out of my life completely, and I never knew what became of him." "He must be an eccentric person," said Mr. Watson, with a smile. "He is." she acknowledged. a-t-elle reconnu. "But blood is thicker than water, Silas, and I'm glad brother John is here at last." "Mais le sang est plus épais que l'eau, Silas, et je suis heureux que frère John soit enfin là." A little later the lawyer left her and picked his way through the gardens until he came to Kenneth's wing and the stair that led to his room. Here he paused a moment, finding himself surrounded by a profound stillness, broken only by the chirping of the birds in the shrubbery. Il s'y arrêta un instant, se retrouvant entouré d'un calme profond, interrompu seulement par le gazouillis des oiseaux dans les arbustes. Perhaps Kenneth was not in. He half decided to retrace his steps, but finally mounted the stair softly and stood within the doorway of the room.

The boy and a little stout man were playing chess at a table, and both were in a deep study of the game. Le garçon et un petit homme corpulent jouaient aux échecs à une table, et tous deux étudiaient profondément le jeu. The boy's back was toward him, but the man observed the newcomer and gave a nod. Then he dropped his eyes again to the table.

Kenneth was frowning sullenly. Kenneth fronçait les sourcils d'un air maussade.

"You're bound to lose the pawn, whichever way you play," said the little man quietly. "Vous perdrez forcément le pion, quelle que soit la façon dont vous jouez", dit tranquillement le petit homme. The boy gave an angry cry, and thrust the table from him, sending the chess-men clattering into a corner. Le garçon poussa un cri de colère et repoussa la table, envoyant les joueurs d'échecs s'écraser dans un coin. Instantly the little man leaned over and grasped the boy by the collar, and with a sudden jerk landed him across his own fat knees. Instantanément, le petit homme se pencha, saisit le garçon par le col et, d'un coup sec, le fit tomber sur ses propres gros genoux. Then, while the prisoner screamed and struggled, the man brought his hand down with a slap that echoed throughout the room, and continued the operation until Master Kenneth had received a sound spanking. Puis, tandis que le prisonnier criait et se débattait, l'homme abattit sa main avec une gifle qui résonna dans toute la pièce, et poursuivit l'opération jusqu'à ce que Maître Kenneth ait reçu une bonne fessée.

Then he let the boy slip to the floor, from whence he arose slowly and backed toward the door, scowling and muttering angrily. Puis il laissa le garçon glisser sur le sol, d'où il se releva lentement et recula vers la porte, en se renfrognant et en marmonnant de colère.

"You broke the bargain, and I kept my word," said Uncle John, calmly taking his pipe from his pocket and filling it. "Vous avez rompu le marché, et j'ai tenu parole", dit l'oncle John, en sortant calmement sa pipe de sa poche et en la remplissant. "The compact was that if you raised a rough-house, like you did yesterday, and got unruly, that I'd give you a good thrashing. "L'accord était que si tu faisais du grabuge, comme tu l'as fait hier, et que tu devenais indiscipliné, je te donnerais une bonne raclée. Now, wasn't it?" N'est-ce pas ?" "Yes," acknowledged the boy. "Well, that blamed temper o' your'n got away with you again, and you're well spanked for not heading it off. "Eh bien, ton sale caractère s'est encore emparé de toi, et tu es bien fessé pour n'avoir pas su l'arrêter. Pick up the board. Ken, my lad, and let's try it again." Ken, mon garçon, et essayons encore une fois". The boy hesitated. Then he looked around and saw Lawyer Watson, who had stood motionless by the doorway, and with a cry that was half a sob Kenneth threw himself into his old friend's arms and burst into a flood of tears. Il regarda autour de lui et vit l'avocat Watson, qui était resté immobile près de la porte, et avec un cri qui était à moitié un sanglot, Kenneth se jeta dans les bras de son vieil ami et éclata en un flot de larmes. Uncle John struck a match, and lighted his pipe.

"A bargain's a bargain," he observed, composedly. "Une bonne affaire est une bonne affaire", observe-t-il calmement. "He whipped me!" sobbed the boy. "He whipped me like a child." "Your own fault," said Uncle John. "You wanted me to play a game with you, and I agreed, providin' you behaved yourself. "Vous vouliez que je joue à un jeu avec vous, et j'ai accepté, à condition que vous vous comportiez bien. And you didn't. Now, look here. Do you blame me any?" "No," said the boy. "No harm's done, is there?" "Il n'y a pas de mal, n'est-ce pas ?" "No." "Then stop blubberin', and introduce me to your friend," continued Uncle John. "Alors arrête de déblatérer et présente-moi ton ami", poursuit l'oncle John. "Name's Watson, ain't it." "Silas Watson, sir, at your service," said the lawyer, smiling. "And this must be John Merrick, who I understand has arrived at Elmhurst during my absence." "Exactly," said Uncle John, and the two men shook hands cordially. "Glad to welcome you to Elmhurst, sir," continued the lawyer. "I've known it ever since I was a boy, when it belonged to my dear friend Thomas Bradley. "Je la connais depuis mon enfance, lorsqu'elle appartenait à mon cher ami Thomas Bradley. And I hope you'll love it as much as I do, when you know it better." Et j'espère que tu l'aimeras autant que moi, quand tu le connaîtras mieux." "Bradley must have been a fool to give this place to Jane," said Uncle John, reflectively. "He was in love, sir," observed the other, and they both smiled. Then the lawyer turned to Kenneth. "How are things going?" he asked. "Have the girls bothered you much, as yet?" "No," said the boy. "I keep out of their way." "That's a good idea. By the bye, sir," turning to John Merrick. Au fait, monsieur", se tournant vers John Merrick. "I've just brought you a new niece." "Patricia?" "She prefers to be called Patsy. A queer little thing; half Irish, you know." "And half Merrick. That's an odd combination, but the Irish may be able to stand it," said Uncle John. C'est une drôle de combinaison, mais les Irlandais pourraient la supporter", a déclaré l'oncle John. "These nieces are more than I bargained for. "Ces nièces sont plus que ce que j'avais prévu. I came to see one relative, and find three more—and all women!" "I think you'll like Patsy, anyhow. And so will you, Kenneth." Et toi aussi, Kenneth." The boy gave an indignant roar. Le garçon poussa un rugissement indigné.

"I hate all girls!" he said.

"You won't hate this one. She's as wild and impulsive as you are, but better natured. She'll make a good comrade, although she may box your ears once in a while." Elle fera une bonne camarade, même si elle risque de vous casser les oreilles de temps en temps." The boy turned away sulkily, and began picking up the scattered chess-men. The two men walked down the stair and strolled together through the garden.

"A strange boy," said Uncle John, presently. "I'm glad to see you've made friends with him," replied the lawyer, earnestly. "Until now he has had no one to befriend him but me, and at times he's so unmanageable that it worries me dreadfully." "There's considerable character about the lad," said John Merrick; "but he's been spoiled and allowed to grow up wild, like a weed. "Ce garçon a beaucoup de caractère, dit John Merrick, mais il a été gâté et on l'a laissé grandir comme une mauvaise herbe. He's got it in him to make a criminal or a gentleman, whichever way his nature happens to develop." Il a en lui de quoi faire un criminel ou un gentleman, selon l'évolution de sa nature." "He ought to go to a military school," replied Lawyer Watson. "Il devrait aller dans une école militaire", a répondu l'avocat Watson. "Proper training would make a man of Kenneth; but I can't induce Jane to spend the money on him. "Une formation adéquate ferait de Kenneth un homme, mais je ne peux pas inciter Jane à dépenser de l'argent pour lui. She gives him food and clothing and lodging—all of the simplest description—but there her generosity ends. Elle lui donne de la nourriture, des vêtements et un logement - tout ce qu'il y a de plus simple - mais sa générosité s'arrête là. With thousands of dollars lying idle, she won't assist the only nephew of Tom Bradley to secure a proper education." Avec des milliers de dollars inutilisés, elle n'aidera pas le seul neveu de Tom Bradley à obtenir une bonne éducation". "Jane's queer, too," said that lady's brother, with a sigh. "Jane aussi est bizarre", dit le frère de cette dame avec un soupir. "In fact, Mr. Watson, it's a queer world, and the longer I live in it the queerer I find it. "En fait, M. Watson, c'est un monde étrange, et plus j'y vis, plus je le trouve étrange. Once I thought it would be a good idea to regulate things myself and run the world as it ought to be run; but I gave it up long ago. Il fut un temps où je pensais que ce serait une bonne idée de régler les choses moi-même et de diriger le monde comme il devrait l'être, mais j'y ai renoncé depuis longtemps. The world's a stage, they say; but the show ain't always amusing, by a long chalk, and sometimes I wish I didn't have a reserved seat." Le monde est une scène, dit-on, mais le spectacle n'est pas toujours amusant, loin s'en faut, et parfois je regrette de ne pas avoir de siège réservé".