Page 85 - Unit 4 - Exercise 1A

Page 85 - Unit 4 - Exercise 1A

The Model Millionaire

Hughie Erskine wasn’t the cleverest person in the world, but he was very good-looking and had a charming, easy-going personality. Everybody liked him. Hughie, however, had one big problem. He wasn’t very good at making money. He tried lots of different jobs, but he didn’t do very well in any of them.

To make matters worse, he was in love. Her name was Laura Merton and she lived with her father, a retired colonel. They were both very fond of Hughie, but they didn’t have much money. So, when one day Hughie said to the colonel, ‘Can I marry your daughter?’ the colonel said, ‘My daughter needs a husband who can support her. Have you got ten thousand pounds?’ ‘No, I haven’t,’ replied Hughie. ‘Well, ask me again when you have,’ said the colonel.

A few weeks later, Hughie visited his friend, Alan Trevor.

Alan was a well-known painter and that day he was painting a portrait of an old beggar. The model was standing on a platform in the comer of the room. He looked very sad. His clothes were old and torn, and he was holding out a hat for people to put money in. ‘Why does he look so miserable?’ said Hughie. ‘Well, you don’t want a cheerful beggar, do you?’ smiled Alan.

A servant came in with a message. ‘Just a minute, Hughie,’ said Alan, and he left the room.

The old beggar sat down.

Hughie looked at him.

Then he put his hand in his pocket and took out some money. He only had a pound and some smaller coins. ‘It isn’t much,’ he thought, ‘but this old man needs it more than I do.’ And he gave the pound to the beggar.

The beggar looked very surprised. ‘Thank you, sir,’ he said.

When Alan returned, Hughie said goodbye and went to spend the day with Laura. Afterwards he had to walk home, because he had no money for a taxi.

The next day Hughie was having a cup of tea in a cafe when Alan came in.

‘Hello,1 said Hughie. ‘Did you finish your painting?’ ‘Yes, I did,’ said Alan. ‘My model asked me lots of questions about you after you left: Are you married? What do you do?

Where do you live?’ ‘What did you tell him?’ said Hughie. ‘I told him all about Laura, the colonel, the ten thousand pounds and so on.’ ‘What?’ cried Hughie. ‘Why did you give all my private details to an old beggar?’

Alan laughed. ‘That old beggar, as you call him,’ he said, ‘is Baron Hausberg, the international banker. He buys lots of my paintings.’ ‘But why was he wearing those old clothes?’ ‘He wanted a portrait of himself as a beggar - as a kind of joke.’ ‘Oh no!’ said Hughie. ‘Do you mean that I gave a pound to one of the richest men in the world?’

Alan laughed even louder. ‘What on earth did you do that for?’ he said. ‘He just looked so poor,’ said Hughie. ‘Why didn’t you tell me who he was?’

‘I didn’t know if Baron Hausberg would like it.’ ‘Oh, how embarrassing,’ said Hughie.

The next morning Hughie was having breakfast when a visitor arrived.

Tve come from Baron Hausberg,’ he said. ‘Oh, yes,’ said Hughie, ‘I’m very sorry. I didn’t know The visitor smiled and he gave Hughie an envelope. On the outside was written: ‘A wedding present for Hughie Erskine and Laura Merton from an old beggar.’ Inside there was a cheque for £10,000.