ragged lady, v1-第17节

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time　she　had　thought　that　Mrs。　Milray　was　going　to　ask　her　to　visit　her
in　New　York；　Mrs。　Milray　had　thrown　out　a　hint　of　something　of　the　kind
at　parting；　but　that　was　the　last　of　it；　and　now　she　at　once　made　up　her
mind　that　she　would　like　to　go　with　Mrs。　Lander；　while　discreetly　saying
that　she　would　ask　her　father　and　mother　to　come　and　talk　with　her。




XIII。

Her　parents　objected　to　leaving　their　work；　each　suggested　that　the　other
had　better　go；　but　they　both　came　at　Clementina's　urgence。　　Her　father
laughed　and　her　mother　frowned　when　she　told　them　what　Mrs。　Lander
wanted；　from　the　same　misgiving　of　her　sanity。　　They　partly　abandoned
this　theory　for　a　conviction　of　Mrs。　Lander's　mere　folly　when　she　began
to　talk；　and　this　slowly　yielded　to　the　perception　that　she　had　some
streaks　of　sense。　　It　was　sense　in　the　first　place　to　want　to　have
Clementina　with　her；　and　though　it　might　not　be　sense　to　suppose　that
they　would　be　anxious　to　let　her　go；　they　did　not　find　so　much　want　of　it
as　Mrs。　Lander　talked　on。　　It　was　one　of　her　necessities　to　talk　away　her
emotions　before　arriving　at　her　ideas；　which　were　often　found　in　a
tangle；　but　were　not　without　a　certain　propriety。　　She　was　now；　after　her
interview　with　Clementina；　in　the　immediate　presence　of　these；　and　it　was
her　ideas　that　she　began　to　produce　for　the　girl's　father　and　mother。
She　said；　frankly；　that　she　had　more　money　than　she　knew　what　to　do　with；
and　they　must　not　think　she　supposed　she　was　doing　a　favor；　for　she　was
really　asking　one。

She　was　alone　in　the　world；　without　near　connections　of　her　own；　or
relatives　of　her　husband's；　and　it　would　be　a　mercy　if　they　could　let
their　daughter　come　and　visit　her；　she　would　not　call　it　more　than　a
visit；　that　would　be　the　best　thing　on　both　sides；　she　told　of　her　great
fancy　for　Clementina　the　first　time　she　saw　her；　and　of　her　husband's
wish　that　she　would　come　and　visit　with　them　then　for　the　winter。　　As　for
that　money　she　had　tried　to　make　the　child　take；　she　presumed　that　they
knew　about　it；　and　she　wished　to　say　that　she　did　it　because　she　was
afraid　Mr。　Lander　had　said　so　much　about　the　sewing；　that　they　would　be
disappointed。　　She　gave　way　to　her　tears　at　the　recollection；　and
confessed　that　she　wanted　the　child　to　have　the　money　anyway。　　She　ended
by　asking　Mrs。　Claxon　if　she　would　please　to　let　her　have　a　drink　of
water；　and　she　looked　about　the　room；　and　said　that　they　had　got　it
finished　up　a　great　deal；　now；　had　not　they？　　She　made　other　remarks　upon
it；　so　apt　that　Mrs。　Claxon　gave　her　a　sort　of　permissive　invitation　to
look　about　the　whole　lower　floor；　ending　with　the　kitchen。

Mrs。　Lander　sat　down　there　while　Mrs。　Claxon　drew　from　the　pipes　a　glass
of　water；　which　she　proudly　explained　was　pumped　all　over　the　house　by
the　wind　mill　that　supplied　the　power　for　her　husband's　turning　lathes。

〃Well；　I　wish　mah　husband　could　have　tasted　that　wata；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；
as　if　reminded　of　husbands　by　the　word；　and　by　the　action　of　putting　down
the　glass。　　〃He　was　always　such　a　great　hand　for　good；　cold　wata。　　My！
He'd　'a　liked　youa　kitchen；　Mrs。　Claxon。　　He　always　was　such　a　home…body；
and　he　did　get　so　ti'ed　of　hotels。　　For　all　he　had　such　an　appearance；
when　you　see　him；　of　bein'well！stiff　and　proud；　he　was　fah　moa　common
in　his　tastesI　don't　mean　common；　exactly；　eithathan　what　I　was；　and
many　a　time　when　we'd　be　drivin'　through　the　country；　and　we'd　pass　some
o'　them　long…strung…out　houses；　don't　you　know；　with　the　kitchen　next　to
the　wood　shed；　and　then　an　ahchway　befoa　you　get　to　the　stable；　Mr。　Landa
he'd　get　out；　and　make　an　urrand；　just　so's　to　look　in　at　the　kitchen
dooa；　he　said　it　made　him　think　of　his　own　motha's　kitchen。　　We　was　both
brought　up　in　the　country；　that's　a　fact；　and　I　guess　if　the　truth　was
known　we　both　expected　to　settle　down　and　die　thea；　some　time；　but　now
he's　gone；　and　I　don't　know　what'll　become　o'　me；　and　sometimes　I　don't
much　care。　　I　guess　if　Mr。　Landa'd　'a　seen　youa　kitchen；　it　wouldn't　'a'
been　so　easy　to　git　him　out　of　it；　and　I　do　believe　if　he's　livin'
anywhe'　now　he　takes　as　much　comfo't　in　my　settin'　here　as　what　I　do。
I　presume　I　shall　settle　down　somewhe's　before　a　great　while；　and　if　you
could　make　up　youa　mind　to　let　your　daughta　come　to　me　for　a　little　visit
till　spring；　you　couldn't　do　a　thing　that　'd　please　Mr。　Landa　moa。〃

Mrs。　Claxon　said　that　she　would　talk　it　over　with　the　child's　father；　and
then　Mrs。　Lander　pressed　her　to　let　her　take　Clementina　back　to　the
Middlemount　with　her　for　supper；　if　they　wouldn't　let　her　stay　the　night。
After　Clementina　had　driven　away；　Mrs。　Claxon　accused　herself　to　her
husband　of　being　the　greatest　fool　in　the　State；　but　he　said　that　the
carriage　was　one　of　the　Middlemount　rigs；　and　he　guessed　it　was　all
right。　　He　could　see　that　Clem　was　wild　to　go；　and　he　didn't　see　why　she
shouldn't。

〃Well；　I　do；　then；〃　his　wife　retorted。　　〃We　don't　know　anything　about　the
woman；　or　who　she　is。〃

〃I　guess　no　harm'll　come　to　Clem　for　one　night；〃　said　Claxon；　and　Mrs。
Claxon　was　forced　back　upon　the　larger　question　for　the　maintenance　of
her　anxiety。　　She　asked　what　he　was　going　to　do　about　letting　Clem　go　the
whole　winter　with　a　perfect　stranger；　and　he　answered　that　he　had　not　got
round　to　that　yet；　and　that　there　were　a　good　many　things　to　be　thought
of　first。　　He　got　round　to　see　the　rector　before　dark；　and　in　the　light
of　his　larger　horizon；　was　better　able　to　orient　Mrs。　Lander　and　her
motives　than　he　had　been　before。

When　she　came　back　with　the　girl　the　next　morning；　she　had　thought　of
something　in　the　nature　of　credentials。　　It　was　the　letter　from　her
church　in　Boston；　which　she　took　whenever　she　left　home；　so　that　if　she
wished　she　might　unite　with　the　church　in　any　place　where　she　happened　to
be　stopping。　　It　did　not　make　a　great　impression　upon　the　Klaxons；　who
were　of　no　religion；　though　they　allowed　their　children　to　go　to　the
Episcopal　church　and　Sunday…school；　and　always　meant　to　go　themselves。
They　said　they　would　like　to　talk　the　matter　over　with　the　rector；　if
Mrs。　Lander　did　not　object；　she　offered　to　send　her　carriage　for　him；　and
the　rector　was　brought　at　once。

He　was　one　of　those　men　who　have；　in　the　breaking　down　of　the　old
Puritanical　faith；　and　the　dying　out　of　the　later　Unitarian　rationalism；
advanced　and　established　the　Anglican　church　so　notably　in　the　New
England　hill…country；　by　a　wise　conformity　to　the　necessities　and
exactions　of　the　native　temperament。　　On　the　ecclesiastical　side　he　was
conscientiously　uncompromising；　but　personally　he　was　as　simple…mannered
as　he　was　simple…hearted。　　He　was　a　tall　lean　man　in　rusty　black；　with　a
clerical　waistcoat　that　buttoned　high；　and　scholarly　glasses；　but　with　a
belated　straw　hat　that　had　counted　more　than　one　summer；　and　a　farmer's
tan　on　his　face　and　hands。　　He　pronounced　the　church…letter；　though　quite
outside　of　his　own　church；　a　document　of　the　highest　respectability；　and
he　listened　with　patient　deference　to　the　autobiography　which　Mrs。　Lander
poured　out　upon　him；　and　her　identifications；　through　reference　to　this
or　that　person　in　Boston　whom　he　knew　either　at　first　or　second　hand。
He　had　not　to　pronounce　upon　her　syntax；　or　her　social　quality；　it　was
enough　for　him；　in　behalf　of　the　Claxons；　to　find　her　what　she　professed
to　be。

〃You　must　think；〃　he　said；　laughing；　〃that　we　are　over…particular；　but
the　fact　is　that　we　value　Clementina　rather　highly；　and　we　wish　to　be
sure　that　your　hospitable　offer　will　be　for　her　real　good。〃

〃Of　cou'se；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃I　should　be　just　so　myself　abort　her。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　continued；　〃that　I've　ever　said　how　much　we　think　of
her；　Mrs。　Richling　and　I；　but　this　seems　a　good　opportunity；　as　she　is
not　present。

She　is　not　perfect；　but　she　comes　as　near　being　a　thoroughly　good　girl　as
she　can　without　knowing　it。　　She　has　a　great　deal　of　common…sense；　and　we
all　want　her　to　have　the　best　chance。〃

〃Well；　that's　just　the　way　I　feel　about　her；　and　that's　just　what　I　mean
to　give　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。

〃I　am　not　sure　that　I　make　myself　quite　clear；〃　said　the　rector。
〃I　mean；　a　chance　to　prove　how　useful　and　helpful　she　can　be。　　Do　you
think　you　can　make　life　hard　for　her　occasionally？　　Can　you　be　peevish
and　exacting；　and　unreasonable？　　Can　you　do　something　to　make　her　value
superfluity　and　luxury　at　their　true　worth？〃

Mrs。　Lander　looked　a　little　alarmed　and　a　little　offended。　　〃I　don't　know
as　I　undastand　what　you　mean；　exactly；〃　she　said；　frowning　rather　with
perplexity　than　resentment。　　〃But　the　child　sha'n't　have　a　care；　and　her
own　motha　couldn't　be　betta　to　her　than　me。　　There　a'n't　anything　money
can　buy　that　she　sha'n't　have；　if　she　wants　it；　and　all　I'll　ask　of　her
is　't　she'll　enjoy　herself　as　much　as　she　knows　how。　　I　want　her　with　me
because　I　should　love　to　have　her　round；　and　we　did　from　the　very　fust
minute　she　spoke；　Mr。　Lander　and　me；　both。　　She　shall　have　her　own　money；
and　spend　it　for　anything　she　pleases；　and　she　needn't　do　a　stitch　o'
work　from　mohnin'　till　night。　　But　if　you're　afraid　I　shall　put　upon　her〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　rector；　and　he　threw　back　his　h