One thousand dollars
"One thousand dollars," repeated Lawyer Tolman solemnly, "and here is the money."
Young Gillian took the thin package of new fifty-dollar notes.
"It's such an awkward sum of money," he said to the lawyer. I don't know what to do with it. I know how I could have spent ten thousand dollars. Even fifty dollars would have been less trouble."
"You heard your uncle's will," continued Lawyer Tolman, "I do not know if you paid attention to its details. I must remind you of one. You have to give us an account of the manner in which you spend this $1000. I believe you will fulfil this wish of the late Mr. Gillian." "Certainly," replied the young man. Gillian went to his club. There he found a friend of his who was known by the name of Old Bryson.
Old Bryson was sitting in a corner of the room reading a book. When he saw Gillian, he sighed, laid down his book and took off his glasses.
"Hello, Old Bryson," said Gillian. "I have a funny story to tell you."
"I wish you would tell it to some one else," said Old Bryson. "You know how I hate your stories."
"This is a better one than usual," said Gillian, "and I want to tell it to you. I have just come from my late uncle's lawyers. He has left me a thousand dollars. Now, what can a man do with a thousand dollars?"
"I thought," said Old Bryson, "that the late Mr. Gillian was worth something like half a million."
"He was," Gillian agreed, "but he left all his money to a microbe. That is, part of it goes to a man who invents a new microbe, and the rest to establish a hospital1 that would do away with2 it again. There are two more people who got a ring and $10 each—the butler and the housekeeper. His nephew gets $1000."
"Any other heirs?" asked Old Bryson. "There is a Miss Hayden,3 a ward of my uncle, who lived in his house. She's a quiet girl—musical—the daughter of one of my uncle's friends. I forgot to say that she also got a ring and $10. Now, really, Bryson, tell me what a fellow can do with a thousand dollars?" Old Bryson smiled.
"A thousand dollars," he said, "means much or little. One man may buy a happy home with it.
1 to establish a hospital — построить больницу
2 to do away with — зд. уничтожить
3 a Miss Hayden (неопределённый артикль перед собственным именем придаёт ему значение»некая») – некая Мисс Хэйден
Another could send his wife South and save her life. A thousand dollars would buy milk for one hundred babies during June, July and August and save fifty of their lives. It would pay for the education of an ambitious boy. A picture of Corot1 was sold for this sum at an auction yesterday. You could go to a little town and live decently for two years on $1000.
"Oh, Bryson, don't moralize," said Gillian, "I asked you to tell me what I could do with a thousand dollars."
"You?" said Bryson, with a laugh. "Why, Bobby Gillian, there is only one thing you can do. You can buy a diamond necklace for Miss Lauriere with the money and then go to the West and live on a sheep ranch."
"Thanks," said Gillian, rising. "That's exactly what I'll do. I wanted to spend the money in a lump,2 because I have to turn in an account for it, and I hate itemizing."
Gillian took a taxi and said to the driver:
"The stage entrance of the Columbine Theatre."
Miss Lauriere was almost ready for her call at the performance when her dresser said that Mr. Gillian wanted to see her.
"Let him in," she said. "Now, what is it, Bobby? I'm going in two minutes."
"Oh, I won't take more than two minutes," said Gillian. "What would you say if I gave you a thousand dollar necklace?"
"As you wish," replied Miss Lauriere. "By the way, did you see the necklace Delia Stacey wore last night? It cost 2,500 dollars."
"Miss Lauriere!" cried the call boy.3
Gillian went out to where his taxi was waiting.
"What would you do with a thousand dollars if you had it?" he asked the driver.
"I would open a saloon," answered the driver. "I know a place that would be wonderful for a saloon. If you want to invest a capital I can show you "
"No, thank you. I just asked from curiosity. Drive till I tell you to stop."
1 Corot ['koro:] — Камиль Коро (1796-1875) — известный французский художник- пейзажист
2 in a lump — cpaзу, целиком
3 call boy — мальчик в театре, вызывающий артистов на сцену
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They drove silently for a while, then Gillian said suddenly: "I forgot something. You may drive to the law offices of Tolman and Sharp, on Broadway."
Lawyer Tolman looked at Gillian with surprise as he entered the office.
"1 beg your pardon," said Gillian, cheerfully, "but may I ask you a question? Has my uncle left anything to Miss Hayden besides the ring and the $10?"
"Nothing, "said Mr. Tolman.
"I thank you very much, sir," said Gillian, and went out to his taxi. He gave the driver the address of his late uncle's home.
Miss Hayden, dressed in black, was writing letters in the library. She was small and slender and she had beautiful eyes.
The door of the library opened and Gillian came in.
"I've just come from Mr. Tolman," he explained. "They have been going over1 the papers there and found"—Gillian tried hard to recall the legal term—"a codicil to the will.2 It seemed that the old man left you a thousand dollars. I was driving up this way and Mr. Tolman asked me to bring you the money. Here it is." And Gillian laid the money beside her on the desk.
Miss Hayden turned white, "Oh," she said, and again "Oh!"
Gillian turned to the window.
"I suppose," he said in a low voice, "that you know that I love you."
"I am sorry,"3 said Miss Hayden, taking the money.
"There is no use?" asked Gillian.
"I am sorry," she said again.
"May I write a note?" asked Gillian, with a smile. He sat down at the big library table. She gave him a pen and some paper and then went back to her desk.
Gillian made out4 his account of his expenditure of the thousand dollars in these words:
"Paid by Robert Gillian $1000 for the happiness of the best and dearest woman on earth."
1 to go over — просматривать
2 a codicii to the will — дополнительная приписка к духовному завещанию
3 I am sorry — простите ( этой фразой Мисс Хэйден хочет сказать, что она не разделяет чувство Джиллиана)
4 made out — зд. написал
Gillian put the note into an envelope, bowed and went out.
His taxi stopped again at the offices of Tolman and Sharp.
"I have spent the thousand dollars," he said cheerfully to Tolman, "and here is the account." And he put the white envelope on the lawyer's table.
Without touching the envelope, Mr. Tolman went to the door and called his partner, Mr. Sharp. Together they opened a large safe and took out a big envelope sealed with wax. They opened it and, together, they read the contents of the document that was inside. Then Mr. Tolman spoke.
"Mr. Gillian," he said, formally, "there was a codicil to your uncle's will. It was given to us privately, with instructions not to open it until you have given us a full account of how you spent the thousand dollars. As you have already done so, my partner and I have read the codicil. As it is written in legal phraseology, I'll tell you its contents in simpler language.
"If you have spent the $1000 in a way that deserves reward, that is, if your disposal of the money has been prudent,1 wise, or unselfish, you are to get $50,000. But if you have used this money as you have used money in the past— the $50,000 is to be paid to Miriam Hayden—ward of the late Mr. Gillian. Now, Mr. Gillian, Mr. Sharp and I shall look through your account."
Mr. Tolman reached for the envelope. But Gillian was a little quicker than he. He seized the envelope and tore the account into pieces2 and put them into his pocket.
"It's all right," he said, smilingly. "You needn't bother about this. I have lost all the money on the races. Good-day to you, gentlemen. "He went out of the office, whistling gaily in the corridor as he waited for the lift.
1 if your disposal ... has been prudent — если вы распорядились … разумно
2 tore the account into pieces — paзорвал отчёт в клочки
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