365个英语简短小故事-111. Dog Inherits Millions

The late Leona Bridges, a New York woman who married into millions, left her mansion¹ and her $12 million fortune to her pet, a little white Chihuahua named Duchess. Although Leona is survived by one son, Wilbur, and three grandchildren, they received nothing in her will.

Wilbur was not surprised. He had already hired a lawyer to fight the will. The lawyer said there would be no problem proving that Leona wasn’t “all there” when she signed her will. No one, said the lawyer, in their right mind could be so cruel to their own flesh and blood while being so generous to a dog that had been rescued from an animal shelter. “The dog doesn’t even have papers,” said the lawyer.

Leona had not spoken to Wilbur in five years. They used to get along very well. Then Wilbur made an unfortunate joke. He was visiting Leona one afternoon. She had just spent $400 at a dog beauty parlor². The employees had washed, shampooed, and blow-dried Duchess, and then tied a big pink ribbon around her neck. Leona mentioned to Wilbur how beautiful Duchess looked. Wilbur said, “Yes, if your idea of beauty is a large rodent³ with a pink ribbon around its skinny neck.” Leona gave him a dirty look.

Wilbur apologized, saying he was just joking, but Leona told him to leave immediately. How dare her son belittle⁴ her “baby.” She didn’t respond to any of his emails or phone messages. Leona told her staff to never use the words “Wilbur” or “rodent” in her presence⁵. Days later, she fired her butler when he said he was going to “polish the silver”—she thought he said he was going to “watch for Wilbur.” The butler had worked for Leona for 25 years.

 

1 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

2 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

3 rodent   

n.啮齿动物；adj.啮齿目的

参考例句：

• When there is a full moon,this nocturnal rodent is careful to stay in its burrow.月圆之夜，这种夜间活动的啮齿类动物会小心地呆在地洞里不出来。
• This small rodent can scoop out a long,narrow tunnel in a very short time.这种小啮齿动物能在很短的时间里挖出一条又长又窄的地道来。

4 belittle   

v.轻视，小看，贬低

参考例句：

• Do not belittle what he has achieved.不能小看他取得的成绩。
• When you belittle others,you are actually the one who appears small.当你轻视他人时， 真正渺小的其实是你自己。

5 presence   

n.出席；到场；存在

参考例句：

• Her presence lent an air of respectability to the occasion.她的到场使那种场合增添了崇高的气氛。
• His presence is indicative of his willingness to help.他的出席表示他愿意帮忙。