chapter 1 it was a beautiful summer evening Paul was happy no more exams College was finished now he needed a job he wanted to be a writer and work for a newspaper but first he needed a rest it was hot in the house there was no wind I'll go for a walk said Paul to himself I'll go down to the river Paul lived in a small town and he was soon outside in the country he walked near the river and watched the water birds suddenly he saw the girl she was standing alone looking into the
water she was young and very beautiful she had long dark hair and she was wearing a pretty white dress Paul went up to her her hello he said what's your name I'm Maria she said and she smiled at him Paul and Maria talked for a long time the sun went down it was nearly dark I must go home said Maria where do you live asked Paul in the big white house on the hill said Maria where do you live in the little brown house near the market said Paul they laughed but Paul was sad the
house on the hill was big and important Maria was rich and he was poor and Paul was in love after that Paul and Maria often met near the river Maria always wore beautiful clothes she always looked lovely Paul thought about Maria all day and every day one evening Paul said listen Maria I've written a poem about you he took a piece of paper from his pocket and read the poem I met her in the evening by the Riverside her dress was creamy white and her hair was with ribbon tied she turned and smiled at me
and I asked her for her name though I am young and poor my love will stay the same you are wonderful Paul said Maria I love your poem Paul took Maria's hand he looked into her eyes I love you Maria he said do you love me she smiled yes of course I love you she said she stood up I must go home now Paul was very happy she loves me Maria loves me he thought Paul went home the little brown house was small and poor but it was always clean and tidy Paul lived alone with
his mother his father was dead that evening his mother watched him what's happened Paul she asked why are you so happy it's nothing mother said Paul his mother smiled he's in love she thought the next day Paul and Maria met again Again by the river Maria looked sad but Paul did not notice he took her hand Maria he said I am poor now but one day I am going to be a famous writer Maria said nothing will you marry me Maria say yes we will be so happy and he stopped Maria looked at him for
a moment there were Tears In Her Eyes slowly she shook her head then she turned and ran away Maria shouted Paul but Maria had gone Paul went home slowly he did not understand Maria what is wrong he thought she loves me doesn't she his mother was waiting for him she saw his face poor boy she thought the girl doesn't love him Paul and his mother ate their supper in silence suddenly somebody knocked on the door Paul opened it a man in a servant's uniform stood outside I'm from the house on the hill he said my
mistress wants to see Paul that's me said Paul can you come with me now said the servant yes said Paul he was excited perhaps Maria has changed her mind he thought perhaps she does want to marry me Paul's mother stood at the door of the house she watched Paul and the servant the house on the hill she said to herself I know those people a rich old woman and her beautiful daughter my poor son it was not far to the house on the hill the servant took Paul up the wide steps and into the house
Paul was excited and his heart was beating fast everything was rich and Grand there were beautiful carpets pictures and mirrors Paul saw himself in a mirror he looked terrible this place was so rich and he looked so poor the servant opened a door Paul went inside an old lady was sitting in a big chair Maria stood behind her the old woman was ugly her eyes were small and cold and her mouth was thin and hard her old hands were covered with big Rings she looked proud and angry Paul looked at the old woman then at
Maria what an ugly old woman he thought is she Maria's mother so you want to marry my daughter the old woman said her voice was hard Paul looked at her bravely yes he said I love Maria and I want to marry her the old woman laughed you a poor student no money no father nothing my daughter will never marry you Paul said nothing he looked at Maria she did not look at him I am poor now he said but one day I'll be a famous writer the old woman laughed again no she said my daughter
is not for you she is going to be married soon you will never see her again the old woman got up and left the room Maria and Paul were alone Paul looked at Maria but she did not look at him she stood still and did not say anything Paul went up to her and put his arm around her Maria moved away from him I'm sorry Paul said Maria my mother is right I can't marry you I don't want to be poor I want money and clothes and a big car but you love me Maria said
Paul and I love you he did not understand her he was angry yes I love you Paul said Maria but love isn't enough she looked at him her face was sad I'm getting married in two weeks she said goodbye Paul I'm sorry Paul left the big house and ran down the hill to the river he sat there for a long time Maria loves me I know she loves me he thought but she is marrying another man she is marrying him for money it's her mother Maria is afraid of that ugly old woman oh Maria Maria
what shall I do after a long time Paul went home there was a light in the window of the little house the door was open his mother was waiting for him she looked at his face then she put her arms around him they are bad people my son she said you must forget her chapter 2 for many days Paul did not see any of his friends his mother was worried about him he did not talk to her he did not eat or sleep he often went to the river and sat there alone all the time
he thought about Maria one day he saw a headline in the newspaper rich man's beautiful bride there was a picture picture of Maria and her husband she was wearing a long white dress and a diamond necklace her husband was old and fat Paul turned the newspaper over angrily there was a large notice on the back page of the newspaper it was an advertisement Paul sat down and read the advertisement carefully write a story and win win a prize our story competition offers a chance to Young Writers to win recognition and earn money stories can be
on any theme but must not be longer than 1,500 words send your entry to this newspaper before the end of the month first prize $500 10 other prizes of $50 this is my chance he said to himself I'll write the story of Paul and Maria and I'll win the competition she'll read our story and she'll be sorry Paul was very busy now every day he got up early and worked at his story his mother watched him she was pleased he was eating his food again he was talking and smiling sometimes Paul felt pleased with his
story it was a good story but sometimes it was difficult to write he was unhappy and he wanted to stop writing but he did not stop at last the story was finished Paul read it to his mother she was very pleased it's a good story Paul she said it's very good Paul wrote the story out again carefully and sent it to the newspaper two weeks later A letter came from the newspaper Paul did not open it he was too excited he gave it to his mother you read it for me mother he said his mother
opened the letter and read it read it yourself she said and gave it to him she was laughing and crying too Paul read the letter dear sir I am very happy to inform you that you have won first prize in the story competition if you would kindly call at this office on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. the manager will present you with your prize Yours Faithfully Paul jumped up he danced round the kitchen and waved the letter from the newspaper I've won he shouted mother I've got the prize I'll be a writer we'll have some money
at last I'll buy you a new dress and some furniture for the house he stopped will Maria see my story in the paper he asked his mother looked at him she was not smiling now do you still love that girl Paul she asked yes mother said Paul I'll always love her on Thursday Paul went to the newspaper office the manager was very friendly your story is good he said very good indeed here is the prize money he gave Paul an envelope $500 $ Paul did not believe it he thanked the manager and started to go
don't go said the manager I want to talk to you what's your job I haven't got a job sir said Paul I want to be a writer good said the manager we need young men like you come and work on our newspaper Paul was very surp surprised you want me on your newspaper yes yes of course I'll come he said chapter 3 Paul loved his work on the newspaper he worked hard but he did not forget Maria one day a reporter came into the office listen everybody he said here's a story for the paper do
you remember that that beautiful girl Maria and her rich husband there was a photograph of the wedding in our paper she ran away from her husband last week everybody in the office stopped talking this was news Paul sat still he felt cold Maria left her husband he thought why they were married only a few months ago the reporter was still talking the girl's mother died last week he said she heard the news and the shock killed her that ugly old woman thought Paul the mother was rich wasn't she somebody asked oh yes she was very
rich said the reporter Maria will have all her money of course and her husband gave her a lot of money clothes jewels and a car Maria is a very very rich woman I don't like rich women said another reporter Maria is rich said Paul but she is also gentle and kind and he stopped do you know Maria the reporter asked yes said Paul quietly I know Maria well said the reporter somebody must go to her mother's funeral we need a report about it for the paper why don't you go Paul Paul went to the funeral
the next day it was a long way to the church but he walked he wanted to think Maria loved me he thought but she married another man why because she was afraid of her mother but now her mother is dead Paul Paul was happy and he was sad he was at the church now crowds of people were there it was a big funeral there were many big black cars outside the church in the first one was the coffin there were a lot of flowers on the coffin and on the roof of the car Paul stood
at the back of the crowd he took out his pencil and paper he rode about the cars and the people then he saw Maria she was wearing a black dress she looked sad but very beautiful she was standing alone nobody spoke to her nobody went near her the man next to Paul spoke that's the daughter he said she's a bad woman she left her husband and it killed her mother look at her nobody wants to speak to her Paul said nothing poor Maria he thought everybody went inside the church the funeral began after the funeral
Paul went home his mother was smiling good news Paul she said do you remember your cousin Elsa she is coming coming to stay with us she is 17 now and very pretty you will like her yes I remember Elsa said Paul he did not look pleased his mother was disappointed he is still thinking about Maria she thought Elsa will help him to forget but Paul did not want to see Elsa I must see Maria he said to himself I must talk to her chapter 4 Paul wanted to see Maria he wanted to talk to her
I'll go to the house on the hill he thought perhaps Maria will be there but the house on the hill looked empty there were no curtains at the windows there was a big notice on the gate it said for sale Paul looked over the gate there was nobody in the garden everything was quiet I'll get into the house and look round he thought perhaps I'll find Maria's address then I can write to her Paul pushed open the gate and went up the steps to the house it was very quiet he pushed at the front door
it was closed he walked around the house there was a window open quickly Paul climbed through the open window he was excited and his heart was beating fast he was in Maria's old home he remembered her mother he remembered that terrible evening but the house was different now there was no furniture in the room there were no carpets and pictures it was empty Paul felt a little afraid is anybody in the house he thought no he did not hear anything quietly Paul went to the door of the room and opened it there was nobody there
he went from room to room all the rooms were big and they were all empty at last he came to a very big room he stopped he knew this room he had met Maria's mother here he remembered everything the old woman her hard face the big rings on her hands and now the old woman was dead suddenly Paul heard a noise somebody was inside the room the door opened somebody was standing in the doorway it was a woman Maria said Paul Paul Maria said what are you doing here I was looking for you said Paul
you were looking for me asked Maria she smiled Maria said Paul why did you marry that man mother was old said Maria I was unhappy here I never went to parties never went out I wanted money I wanted a good time and friends I understand Paul said you were not afraid of your mother you were tired of her she was old and you wanted a new life but why did you leave your husband my husband said Maria that fat old man he was stupid Paul he gave me money he gave me Jewels a car everything
but he didn't like my friends he likes old people I like clever young people Paul I like you you understand don't you yes said Paul slowly I understand now I am glad said Maria I was unhappy about you Paul I liked you I liked your funny poems my funny poems said Paul he stopped you loved me didn't you Paul said Maria do you still love me you are married said Paul you have a husband but I didn't love him said Maria quickly I want to be free I want to go to parties and enjoy myself
come with me I have money now we'll be happy together no said Paul no everything is over Maria was angry her eyes were small and cold and her mouth was thin and hard her hands were covered with big Rings Maria looked like her mother I'm sorry Maria he said I don't love you anymore I loved you very much but now everything is different goodbye Maria but you can't leave me said Maria I want you go back to your husband said Paul he looked to her the last time then he turned and walked to another room
Paul leaved the house on the hill and walk turn he was free I was a fool he thought Maria never loved me how stupid I was Maria is beautiful but she is hard and cold she is like her mother I loved Maria's Beauty but I never loved Maria it was the lovely evening Paul felt very happy the door of brown house was open his mother was at home she was talking to a pretty girl Paul She said this is your cousin Elsa hello Elsa said Paul he smiled the voice over in this video is given
by English 5 days copying or re-uploading is totally forbidden
