"Stoker, Bram - The Lady Of The Shroud" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stoker Bram)

When my cousin--I shall call him cousin henceforth in this record,
lest it might seem to any unkind person who might hereafter read it
that I wished to taunt Rupert St. Leger with his somewhat obscure
position, in reiterating his real distance in kinship with my family-
-when my cousin, Rupert St. Leger, wished to commit a certain idiotic
act of financial folly, he approached my father on the subject,
arriving at our estate, Humcroft, at an inconvenient time, without
permission, not having had even the decent courtesy to say he was
coming. I was then a little chap of six years old, but I could not
help noticing his mean appearance. He was all dusty and dishevelled.
When my father saw him--I came into the study with him--he said in a
horrified voice:

"Good God!" He was further shocked when the boy brusquely
acknowledged, in reply to my father's greeting, that he had travelled
third class. Of course, none of my family ever go anything but first
class; even the servants go second. My father was really angry when
he said he had walked up from the station.

"A nice spectacle for my tenants and my tradesmen! To see my--my--a
kinsman of my house, howsoever remote, trudging like a tramp on the
road to my estate! Why, my avenue is two miles and a perch! No
wonder you are filthy and insolent!" Rupert--really, I cannot call
him cousin here--was exceedingly impertinent to my father.

"I walked, sir, because I had no money; but I assure you I did not
mean to be insolent. I simply came here because I wished to ask your
advice and assistance, not because you are an important person, and
have a long avenue--as I know to my cost--but simply because you are
one of my trustees."

"YOUR trustees, sirrah!" said my father, interrupting him. "Your
trustees?"

"I beg your pardon, sir," he said, quite quietly. "I meant the
trustees of my dear mother's will."

"And what, may I ask you," said father, "do you want in the way of
advice from one of the trustees of your dear mother's will?" Rupert
got very red, and was going to say something rude--I knew it from his
look--but he stopped, and said in the same gentle way:

"I want your advice, sir, as to the best way of doing something which
I wish to do, and, as I am under age, cannot do myself. It must be
done through the trustees of my mother's will."

"And the assistance for which you wish?" said father, putting his
hand in his pocket. I know what that action means when I am talking
to him.