ragged lady, v1-第14节

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his　day's　work　was　done　it　reached　the　chef；　and　amused　him　as　a　piece　of
the　Boss's　luck。　　He　was　smoking　his　evening　pipe　at　the　kitchen　door
after　supper；　when　Clementina　passed　him　on　one　of　the　many　errands　that
took　her　between　Mrs。　Milray's　room　and　her　own；　and　he　called　to　her：
〃Boss；　what's　this　I　hear　about　a　pair　o'　glass　slippas　droppin'　out　the
sky　int'　youa　lap？〃

Clementina　was　so　happy　that　she　thought　she　might　trust　him　for　once；
and　she　said；　〃Oh；　yes；　Mr。　Mahtin！　　Who　do　you　suppose　sent　them？〃　she
entreated　him　so　sweetly　that　it　would　have　softened　any　heart　but　the
heart　of　a　tease。

〃I　believe　I　could　give　a　pootty　good　guess　if　I　had　the　facts。〃

Clementina　innocently　gave　them　to　him；　and　he　listened　with　a　well…
affected　sympathy。

〃Say　Fane　fust　told　you　about　'em？〃

〃Yes。　　'He'e's　a　package　for　you；'　he　said。　　Just　that　way；　and　he
couldn't　tell　me　who　left　it；　or　anything。〃

〃Anybody　asked　him　about　it　since？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　　Mrs。　Milray；　and　Mrs。　Atwell；　and　Mr。　Atwell；　and　everybody。〃

〃Everybody。〃　　The　chef　smiled　with　a　peculiar　droop　of　one　eye。　　〃And　he
didn't　know　when　the　slippas　got　into　the　landlo'd's　box？〃

〃No。　　The　fust　thing　he　knew；　the'　they　we'e！〃　Clementina　stood
expectant；　but　the　chef　smoked　on　as　if　that　were　all　there　was　to　say；
and　seemed　to　have　forgotten　her。　　〃　Who　do　you　think　put　them　thea；　Mr。
Mahtin？〃

The　chef　looked　up　as　if　surprised　to　find　her　still　there。　　〃Oh！　Oh；
yes！　　Who　d'　I　think？　　Why；　I　know；　Boss。　　But　I　don't　believe　I'd　betta
tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　do；　Mr。　Mahtin！　　If　you　knew　how　I　felt　about　it〃

〃No；　no！　　I　guess　I　betta　not。　　'Twouldn't　do　you　any　good。　　I　guess　I
won't　say　anything　moa。　　But　if　I　was　in　youa　place；　and　I　really　wanted
to　know　whe'e　them　slippas　come　from〃

〃I　doI　do　indeed〃

The　chef　paused　before　he　added；　〃I　should　go　at　Fane。　　I　guess　what　he
don't　know　ain't　wo'th　knowin'；　and　I　guess　nobody　else　knows　anything。
Thea！　　I　don't　know　but　I　said　mo'n　I　ought；　now。〃

What　the　chef　said　was　of　a　piece　with　what　had　been　more　than　once　in
Clementina's　mind；　but　she　had　driven　it　out；　not　because　it　might　not　be
true；　but　because　she　would　not　have　it　true。　　Her　head　drooped；　she
turned　limp　and　springless　away。　　Even　the　heart　of　the　tease　was
touched；　he　had　not　known　that　it　would　worry　her　so　much；　though　he　knew
that　she　disliked　the　clerk。

〃Mind；〃　he　called　after　her；　too　late；　〃I　ain't　got　no　proof　't　he　done
it。〃

She　did　not　answer　him；　or　look　round。　　She　went　to　her　room；　and　sat
down　in　the　growing　dusk　to　think；　with　a　hot　lump　in　her　throat。

Mrs。　Atwell　found　her　there　an　hour　later；　when　she　climbed　to　the
chamber　where　she　thought　she　ought　to　have　heard　Clementina　moving　about
over　her　own　room。

〃Didn't　know　but　I　could　help　you　do　youa　dressin'；〃　she　began；　and　then
at　sight　of　the　dim　figure　she　broke　off：　〃Why；　Clem！　　What's　the　matte？
Ah'　you　asleep？　　Ah'　you　sick？　　It's　half　an　hour　of　the　time　and〃

〃I'm　not　going；〃　Clementina　answered；　and　she　did　not　move。

〃Not　goin'！　　Why　the　land　o'〃

〃Oh；　I　can't　go；　Mrs。　Atwell。　　Don't　ask　me！　　Tell　Mrs。　Milray；　please！〃

〃I　will；　when　I　got　something　to　tell；〃　said　Mrs。　Atwell。　　〃Now；　you　just
say　what's　happened；　Clementina　Claxon！　　〃Clementina　suffered　the　woful
truth　to　be　drawn　from　her。　　〃But　you　don't　know　whether　it's　so　or　not；〃
the　landlady　protested。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　do！　　It　was　the　fast　thing　I　thought　of；　and　the　chef
wouldn't　have　said　it　if　he　didn't　believe　it。〃

〃That's　just　what　he　would　done；〃　cried　Mrs。　Atwell。　　〃And　I'll　give　him
such　a　goin'　ova；　for　his　teasin'；　as　he　ain't　had　in　one　while。　　He　just
said　it　to　tease。　　What　you　goin'　to　say　to　Mrs。　Milray？〃

〃Oh；　tell　her　I'm　not　a　bit　well；　Mrs。　Atwell！　　My　head　does　ache；
truly。〃

〃Why；　listen；〃　said　Mrs。　Atwell；　recklessly。　　〃If　you　believe　he　done　it
and　he　no　business　towhy　don't　you　just　go　to　the　dance；　in　'em；　and
then　give　'em　back　to　him　after　it's　ova？　　It　would　suv　him　right。〃

Clementina　listened　for　a　moment　of　temptation；　and　then　shook　her　head。
〃It　wouldn't　do；　Mrs。　Atwell；　you　know　it　wouldn't；〃　she　said；　and　Mrs。
Atwell　had　too　little　faith　in　her　suggestion　to　make　it　prevail。　　She
went　away　to　carry　Clementina's　message　to　Mrs。　Milray；　and　her　task　was
greatly　eased　by　the　increasing　difficulty　Mrs。　Milray　had　begun　to　find；
since　the　way　was　perfectly　smoothed　for　her；　in　imagining　the　management
of　Clementina　at　the　dance：　neither　child　nor　woman；　neither　servant　nor
lady；　how　was　she　to　be　carried　successfully　through　it；　without　sorrow
to　herself　or　offence　to　others？　　In　proportion　to　the　relief　she　felt；
Mrs。　Milray　protested　her　irreconcilable　grief；　but　when　the　simpler　Mrs。
Atwell　proposed　her　going　and　reasoning　with　Clementina；　she　said；　No；
no；　better　let　her　alone；　if　she　felt　as　she　did；　and　perhaps　after　all
she　was　right。




XI。

Clementina　listened　to　the　music　of　the　dance；　till　the　last　note　was
played；　and　she　heard　the　gay　shouts　and　laughter　of　the　dancers　as　they
issued　from　the　ball　room　and　began　to　disperse　about　the　halls　and
verandas；　and　presently　to　call　good　night　to　one　another。　　Then　she
lighted　her　lamp；　and　put　the　slippers　back　into　the　box　and　wrapped　it
up　in　the　nice　paper　it　had　come　in；　and　tied　it　with　the　notched　ribbon。
She　thought　how　she　had　meant　to　put　the　slippers　away　so；　after　the
dance；　when　she　had　danced　her　fill　in　them；　and　how　differently　she　was
doing　it　all　now。　　She　wrote　the　clerk's　。name　on　the　parcel；　and　then
she　took　the　box；　and　descended　to　the　office　with　it。　　There　seemed　to
be　nobody　there；　but　at　the　noise　of　her　step　Fane　came　round　the　case　of
letter…boxes；　and　advanced　to　meet　her　at　the　long　desk。

〃What's　wanted；　Miss　Claxon？〃　he　asked；　with　his　hopeless　respectfulness。
〃Anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃

She　did　not　answer；　but　looked　him　solemnly　in　the　eyes　and　laid　the
parcel　down　on　the　open　register；　and　then　went　out。

He　looked　at　the　address　on　the　parcel；　and　when　he　untied　it；　the　box
fell　open　and　the　shoes　fell　out　of　it；　as　they　had　with　Clementina。　　He
ran　with　them　behind　the　letter…box　frame；　and　held　them　up　before
Gregory；　who　was　seated　there　on　the　stool　he　usually　occupied；　gloomily
nursing　his　knee。

〃What　do　you　suppose　this　means；　Frank？〃

Gregory　looked　at　the　shoes　frowningly。　　〃They're　the　slippers　she　got
to…day。　　She　thinks　you　sent　them　to　her。〃

〃And　she　wouldn't　have　them　because　she　thought　I　sent　them！　　As　sure　as
I'm　standing　here；　I　never　did　it；〃　said　the　clerk；　solemnly。

〃I　know　it；〃　said　Gregory。　　〃I　sent　them。〃

〃You！〃

〃What's　so　wonderful？〃　　Gregory　retorted。　　〃I　saw　that　she　wanted　them
that　day　when　the　shoe　peddler　was　here。　　I　could　see　it；　and　you　could。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　went　across　into　the　woods；　and　the　man　overtook　me　with　his　wagon。　　I
was　tempted；　and　I　bought　the　slippers　of　him。　　I　wanted　to　give　them　to
her　then；　but　I　resisted；　and　I　thought　I　should　never　give　them。　　To…
day；　when　I　heard　that　she　was　going　to　that　dance；　I　sent　them　to　her
anonymously。　　That's　all　there　is　about　it。〃

The　clerk　had　a　moment　of　bitterness。　　〃If　she'd　known　it　was　you；　she
wouldn't　have　given　them　back。〃

〃That's　to　be　seen。　　I　shall　tell　her；　now。　　I　never　meant　her　to　know；
but　she　must；　because　she's　doing　you　wrong　in　her　ignorance。〃

Gregory　was　silent；　and　Fane　was　trying　to　measure　the　extent　of　his　own
suffering；　and　to　get　the　whole　bearing　of　the　incident　in　his　mind。　　In
the　end　his　attempt　was　a　failure。　　He　asked　Gregory；　〃And　do　you　think
you've　done　just　right　by　me？〃

〃I've　done　right　by　nobody；〃　said　Gregory；　〃not　even　by　myself；　and　I　can
see　that　it　was　my　own　pleasure　I　had　in　mind。　　I　must　tell　her　the
truth；　and　then　I　must　leave　this　place。〃

〃I　suppose　you　want　I　should　keep　it　quiet；〃　said　Fane。

〃I　don't　ask　anything　of　you。〃

〃And　she　wouldn't；〃　said　Fane；　after　reflection。　　〃But　I　know　she'd　be
glad　of　it；　and　I　sha'n't　say　anything。　　Of　course；　she　never　can　care
for　me；　andthere's　my　hand　with　my　word；　if　you　want　it。〃　　Gregory
silently　took　the　hand　stretched　toward　him　and　Fane　added：　〃All　I'll　ask
is　that　you'll　tell　her　I　wouldn't　have　presumed　to　send　her　the　shoes。
She　wouldn't　be　mad　at　you　for　it。〃

Gregory　took　the　box；　and　after　some　efforts　to　speak；　he　went　away。　　It
was　an　old　trouble；　an　old　error；　an　old　folly；　he　had　yielded　to　impulse
at　every　step；　and　at　every　step　he　had　sinned　against　another　or　against
himself。　　What　pain　he　had　now　given　the　simple　soul　of　Fane；　what　pain
he　had　given　that　poor　child　who　had　so　mistaken　and　punished　the　simple
soul！　　With　Fane　it　was　over　now；　but　with　Clementina　the　worst　was
perhaps　to　come　yet。　　He　could　not　hope　to　see　the　girl　before　morning；
and　then；　what　should　he　say　to　her？　　At　sight　of　a　lamp　burning　in　Mrs。
Atwell's　room；　which　was　on　a　level　with　the　veranda　where　he　was
walking；　it　came　to　him　that　first　of　all　he　ought　to　go　to　her；　and
confess　the　whole　affair；　if　her　husband　were　with　her；　he　ought　to
confess　before　him；　they　were　there　in　the　place　of　the　child's　father
and　mother；　and　it