英国“超级守财奴”留25万英镑遗产

Gordon Hewitt, a penny-pinching eccentric who used to read his paper in his car to save electricity, has left behind a £250,000 fortune after a lifetime of scrimping.

To a casual observer Mr Hewitt, who died 14 months ago, may have appeared virtually destitute in his trademark duffel coat, ill-fitting trousers and canvas pumps, as he sold newspapers on the streets.

But in reality twice-married Mr Hewitt, who lived in the same house all his life, had a quarter-of-a-million pounds located in at least 20 savings and investment schemes, which he has left to six different people.

Former neighbours of Mr Hewitt's in Huddersfield, West Yorks., told how he used to save money by reading the paper in his Reliant Robin so he didn't have to turn on the light in his house, and wore his clothes wet rather than using his tumble dryer.

They recalled his obsessive approach to saving money - including never putting the heating on, eating for free at churches and relying on the same duffel coat for years.

Friend and neighbour Jean Buckley, 68, remembered his obsessively thrifty ways which even included him helping out at a soup kitchen just for the free soup and calling into churches for the warmth.

"He used to sit in his Reliant Robin reading a newspaper with the light on so he didn't have to turn the light on in the house. He was just a character.

"He'd do anything to get warm, walk miles to find somewhere warm to sit even walking through the rain in his pumps to find somewhere.

"I think he enjoyed saving the money. It gave him power to have that much in the bank," said mum-of-two Jean.

Neighbour David Cheeseman, 68, said: "I have known him for over 50 years and he was always eccentric and comical in his manner. I told him many times to look after himself and install central heating in his house. He just laughed.

"He wouldn't spend a penny if he had to. He went to every different church to sit in the warm, have a cup of tea or meal. He knew where to go.

"He wouldn't put the heat on in his house. When the police found him he was in his chair dead with his overcoat. I asked if the fire was on and they said no, I didn't think it would have been.

"He had a dryer in his house but used to wash his clothes and put them on wet. He said it cost money to use the dryer."

In an odd twist to Mr Hewitt's tale, six ladies benefited from his will and at least three of them barely knew him.

(Read by Emily Cheng. Emily Cheng is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

双语资讯

(Agencies)

英国守财奴戈登•休伊特在吝啬了一生之后，留下25万英镑的遗产。这位守财达人曾经为了省电而在车里读报。

乍一看，休伊特似乎穷困潦倒。他在街上卖报时，身穿标志性的粗呢大衣和不合身的裤子，脚蹬一双帆布鞋。休伊特在14个月之前去世。

但实际上，曾有过两次婚姻的休伊特有25万英镑储蓄，至少放在20个储蓄和投资项目中，并且留给了6个不同的人。他一生都没有搬过家。

休伊特位于西约克郡哈德斯菲尔德的住宅处的前邻居描述了他的省钱秘籍，比如在他的三轮汽车“依赖罗宾”里面读报，这样就不用开房间的灯了，或者就算穿湿衣服也不用滚筒式烘干机。

他们回忆了休伊特对守财的痴迷，包括从不安装暖气，在教堂蹭吃蹭喝，以及常年穿一件粗呢大衣。

68岁的友人邻居珍•巴克利还记得他的极端守财方式，甚至包括在施舍处帮忙，就为了喝免费汤，以及去教堂取暖。

“他总是坐在‘依赖罗宾’里开着车灯读报，这样就不用打开房间的灯了。他真是个怪人。”

“他想尽办法暖和自己，走上好几英里找个暖和地方坐下，甚至穿着帆布鞋在雨里走着找地方。”

两岁孩子的母亲珍说道：“我觉得他能从攒钱当中得到乐趣。能在银行里存这么多钱可以带给他力量。”

68岁的邻居大卫•彻斯曼说：“我已经认识他50多年了。他的行为一直古怪可笑。我告诉过他很多次要照顾好自己，在屋里装上集中供暖系统，但他总是一笑而过。”

“他特别抠门，每次都去不同的教堂取暖，喝杯茶或者吃顿饭。他知道哪里可以去。”

“他不在屋里开暖气。警察找到他的时候，他坐在椅子上去世了，还穿着他那件大衣。我问了问生火没有，但警察说没有。我也觉得没有。”

“他屋里有个烘干机，但他洗完衣服后就湿湿地穿上了。他说用烘干机要花钱。”

但戏剧性的是，有六位女士成了他遗嘱的受益人，其中至少三位几乎不认识他。

Vocabulary:

penny-pinching: 小气的，吝啬的