The Count and the Wedding Guest

One night, Andy Donovan went to have dinner at his boarding-house on Second Avenue. Mrs. Scott introduced him to a new boarder, a young lady named Miss Conway. She was small and didn’t get much attention. Miss Conway wore a plain, brown dress and didn’t seem very interested in anything, except for her food. She looked at Mr. Donovan, said his name politely, and then returned to her meal. Andy responded by being polite, bowing, and smiling, before forgetting about Miss Conway.

• boarding-house (noun) – A house where people rent rooms to live in.

Two weeks later, Andy was sitting outside, enjoying his cigarette, when he saw Miss Conway coming out of the house. She was wearing a black dress made of a thin, delicate fabric called crepe. Her hat was also black, and she had a veil that looked like a spider’s web. She wore black silk gloves, and her hair was golden, smooth, and tied in a low knot. Although her face was not very pretty, her big, gray eyes made her look almost beautiful. She stared up at the sky with a sad expression that made her look very attractive.

• crepe (noun) – A thin, light fabric often used for making clothes.
• veil (noun) – A piece of cloth that covers the face or head.

Mr. Donovan suddenly remembered Miss Conway. He threw away his cigarette and changed his posture to his low cut shoes.

“It’s a nice evening, Miss Conway,” he said confidently.

“To those who have the heart to enjoy it, it is,” replied Miss Conway with a sigh.

Mr. Donovan wished the weather was not so pleasant, as it didn’t match Miss Conway’s mood.

“I hope you haven’t suffered a loss in your family?” asked Mr. Donovan.

“Death has claimed someone close to me,” replied Miss Conway hesitantly, “but I won’t burden you with my grief, Mr. Donovan.”

• burden (verb) – To put a heavy load on someone, making them feel responsible.

“Burden?” objected Mr. Donovan. “I’d be sorry. No one could sympathize with you better than me.”

• sympathize (verb) – To feel sorry for someone else’s trouble.

Miss Conway smiled sadly.

“I appreciate it, Mr. Donovan. It’s hard to be alone in New York,” she said. “I don’t know anyone in this city.”

“It’s not easy, but when the city is friendly, it’s the friendliest,” said Mr. Donovan. “Have you thought about going for a walk in the park? It might make you feel better. And if you’d like, I could go with you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Donovan. I’d like that,” said Miss Conway. “But I’m not very good company. I don’t want to keep you from your friends who can make you happy.”

They walked into the old downtown park and found a quiet bench to sit on.

There’s a difference between grief when you’re young and when you’re old. When you’re young, it can be easier to share your sadness with others. But when you’re older, the pain can remain the same no matter how much you give to others.

• grief (noun) – Deep sadness, especially from losing someone.

“He was my boyfriend,” Miss Conway confided after an hour. “We were going to get married next year. His name was Count Fernando Mazzini. He had a big house and a castle in Italy. He was the most stylish man I’ve ever met. My father didn’t want us to get married, and we ran away once, but my father found us and brought us back. I thought my father and Fernando were going to fight. My father has a business that rents out horse-drawn carriages in Poughkeepsie.”

• confide (verb) – To tell someone a secret or something personal.

“At last, my father said we could get married next spring. Fernando showed him proof of his title and money, and then went to Italy to prepare our castle for us. My father was very proud, and he got angry when Fernando offered me a lot of money for my wedding outfit. He wouldn’t even let me accept a ring or any gifts from him. When Fernando sailed to Italy, I got a job as a cashier at a candy store in the city.”

“I got a letter from Italy three days ago, forwarded from Poughkeepsie. It said that Fernando died in a boat accident.”

“That’s why I’m sad. My heart will always be with him in his grave. I’m sorry if I’m not very good company, Mr. Donovan, but I don’t feel like talking to anyone. I don’t want to keep you from having fun with your friends who can make you laugh. Would you like to walk back to the house alone?”

Now, girls, if you want to see a young man work hard, just tell him that your heart belongs to someone else who has died. Young men are natural grave-robbers. Ask any widow. Something should be done to make those grieving angels in fancy dresses happy again. Dead men always get the worst of it from all sides.

“I’m really sorry,” said Mr. Donovan kindly. “We won’t go back to the house just yet. And don’t say you don’t have any friends in this city, Miss Conway. I’m really sorry and I want you to know that I’m your friend and that I’m really sorry.”

“I have his picture in my locket,” said Miss Conway, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. “I’ve never shown it to anyone, but I’ll show it to you, Mr. Donovan, because I think you’re a true friend.”

Mr. Donovan looked long and with great interest at the photograph in the locket that Miss Conway opened for him. Count Mazzini’s face was one that commanded interest. It was a smooth, intelligent, bright, and almost handsome face—the face of a strong, cheerful man who could well be a leader among his peers.

“I have a larger one, framed, in my room,” said Miss Conway. “I’ll show it to you when we get back. They’re all I have to remember Fernando by. But he will always be in my heart, that’s for sure.”

Yes, this text passes the A2 CEFR level according to the Cambridge Text Inspector. However, there are some sentences that can be simplified further to make it more accessible to A2 level readers:

Mr. Donovan had a hard task – winning Miss Conway’s heart after Count’s death. But he was determined to do so because he liked her. He acted as a sympathetic and cheerful friend. They spent the next half-hour talking while eating ice cream, but Miss Conway’s eyes remained sad.

• sympathetic (adjective) – Showing care and understanding for someone else’s feelings.

That evening, Miss Conway brought down a framed photograph wrapped in a white scarf. Mr. Donovan looked at it with interest.

“The Count gave this to me before he left for Italy,” said Miss Conway. “I had the locket’s photo made from this.”

“He looks like a fine man,” said Mr. Donovan warmly. “Would you like to join me for a trip to Coney Island next Sunday, Miss Conway?”

A month later, they announced their engagement to Mrs. Scott and the other boarders. Miss Conway continued to wear black.

• engagement (noun) – A formal agreement to get married.

One week after Andy and Miss Conway announced their engagement, they sat on a bench in the park downtown. It was a beautiful night, and the moon shone on them. However, Andy looked sad and distant. Maggie noticed and asked him what was wrong.

“What’s wrong, Andy? You seem so sad and grumpy tonight.”

• grumpy (adjective) – In a bad mood, easily annoyed.

“It’s nothing, Maggie.”

“I don’t believe you. You never act like this. What is it?”

“It’s nothing much, Maggie.”

“Yes, it is, and I want to know. I bet you’re thinking about another girl. Why don’t you go get her if you want her? Take your arm away, please.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you,” said Andy wisely, “but you may not understand it exactly. Do you know who Big Mike Sullivan is? Everyone calls him ‘Big Mike.'”

“No, I haven’t,” said Maggie. “And I don’t want to know if he makes you act like this. Who is he?”

“He’s a very important man in New York. He’s huge and powerful. If you say anything against Big Mike, you’ll have a lot of men after you in about two seconds. He visited another country a while back, and even the kings were afraid of him.”

“Well, Big Mike’s my friend. I don’t have much power in the district, but he’s a good friend to anyone. I saw him today on the Bowery, and guess what he did? He came over and shook my hand. ‘Andy,’ he said, ‘I’ve been watching you. You’ve been doing a great job on your side of the street, and I’m proud of you. What do you want to drink?’ He took a cigar, and I had a highball. I told him I was getting married in two weeks. ‘Andy,’ he said, ‘send me an invitation, so I don’t forget, and I’ll come to the wedding.’ That’s what Big Mike said to me, and he always keeps his word.”

• highball (noun) – A drink made with whiskey and soda water.
• district (noun) – An area of a city or country.

“You don’t get it, Maggie. I would do anything to have Big Mike Sullivan at our wedding. It would be the happiest day of my life. When he attends someone’s wedding, the groom is set for life. That’s why I might seem upset tonight.”

“Why don’t you invite him, then, if he’s so important?” said Maggie lightly.

“I can’t,” said Andy sadly. “There’s a reason why he shouldn’t be there, but I can’t tell you what it is.”

“I don’t care,” said Maggie. “It’s probably something about politics. But that’s no reason to be unhappy with me.”

“Maggie,” said Andy after a while, “do you think of me as highly as you did of the Count Mazzini?”

He waited a long time for a reply, but Maggie did not answer. Suddenly, she leaned against his shoulder and started crying, holding his arm tightly and wetting his shirt with tears.

“It’s okay,” said Andy, putting aside his own problems. “What’s wrong?”

“Andy, Andy,” sobbed Maggie. “I lied to you, and you’ll never marry me or love me again. But I have to tell you. There never was a Count. I never had a boyfriend in my life. But all the other girls did, and they talked about them, and that made the guys like them more. And I look good in black – you know I do. So I bought that picture at a photo store and had a small one made for my locket. I made up the story about the Count being killed, so I could wear black. And nobody can love a liar, and you’ll hate me, and I’ll die of embarrassment. But the truth is, Andy, that I’ve never liked anyone else but you.”

• locket (noun) – A small, usually heart-shaped, piece of jewelry that holds a picture.

But instead of pushing her away, Andy hugged her tighter. He looked at her with a clear and happy expression.

“It’s all right,” said Andy. “It doesn’t matter about the Count. You’ve set everything right, Maggie. I was hoping you would before our wedding day. You’re a great girl!”

“Andy, Andy,” said Maggie, smiling shyly after being reassured, “did you believe the story about the Count?”

• reassured (verb) – To make someone feel better or less worried.

“Well, not really,” said Andy, reaching for his cigar case, “because the picture in your locket is of Big Mike Sullivan.”

THE END