ragged lady, v1-第2节

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〃But　he's　got　some　business；　ha'n't　he？〃　　A　shadow　of　severity　crept　over
Mrs。　Lander's　tone；　in　provisional　reprehension　of　possible
shiftlessness。

〃Yes'm。　　He　was　a　machinist　at　the　Mills；　that's　what　the　doctas　thought
didn't　agree　with　him。　　He　bought　a　piece　of　land　he'e；　so　as　to　be　in
the　pine　woods；　and　then　we　built　this　house。〃

〃When　did　you　say　you　came？〃

〃Two　yea's　ago；　this　summa。〃

〃Well！　　What　did　you　do　befoa　you　built　this　house？〃

〃We　camped　the　first　summa。〃

〃You　camped？　　In　a　tent？〃

〃Well；　it　was　pahtly　a　tent；　and　pahtly　bank。〃

〃I　should　have　thought　you　would　have　died。〃

The　girl　laughed。　　〃Oh；　no；　we　all　kept　fast…rate。　　We　slept　in　the　tents
we　had　twoand　we　cooked　in　the　shanty。〃　　She　smiled　at　the　notion　in
adding；　〃At　fast　the　neighbas　thought　we　we'e　Gipsies；　and　the　summa
folks　thought　we　were　Indians；　and　wanted　to　get　baskets　of　us。〃

Mrs。　Lander　did　not　know　what　to　think；　and　she　asked；　〃But　didn't　it
almost　perish　you；　stayin'　through　the　winter　in　an　unfinished　house？〃

〃Well；　it　was　pretty　cold。　　But　it　was　so　dry；　the　aia　was；　and　the　woods
kept　the　wind　off　nicely。〃

The　same　shrill　voice　in　the　region　of　the　stovepipe　which　had　sent　the
girl　to　the　Landers　now　called　her　from　them。　　〃Clem　！　　Come　here　a
minute！〃

The　girl　said　to　Mrs。　Lander；　politely；　〃You'll　have　to　excuse　me；　now'm。
I've　got　to　go　to　motha。〃

〃So　do！〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；　and　she　was　so　taken　by　the　girl's　art　and
grace　in　getting　to　her　feet　and　fading　into　the　background　of　the
hallway　without　visibly　casting　any　detail　of　her　raiment；　that　she　was
not　aware　of　her　husband's　starting　up　the　horse　in　time　to　stop　him。
They　were　fairly　under　way　again；　when　she　lamented；　〃What　you　doin'；
Albe't？　　Whe'e　you　goin'？〃

〃I'm　goin'　to　South　Middlemount。　　Didn't　you　want　to？〃

〃Well；　of　all　the　men！　　Drivin'　right　off　without　waitin'　to　say　thankye
to　the　child；　or　take　leave；　or　anything！〃

〃Seemed　to　me　as　if　SHE　took　leave。〃

〃But　she　was　comin'　back！　　And　I　wanted　to　ask〃

〃I　guess　you　asked　enough　for　one　while。　　Ask　the　rest　to…morra。〃

Mrs。　Lander　was　a　woman　who　could　often　be　thrown　aside　from　an　immediate
purpose；　by　the　suggestion　of　some　remoter　end；　which　had　already；
perhaps；　intimated　itself　to　her。　　She　said；　〃　That's　true；〃　but　by　the
time　her　husband　had　driven　down　one　of　the　roads　beyond　the　woods　into
open　country；　she　was　a　quiver　of　intolerable　curiosity。　　〃Well；　all　I've
got　to　say　is　that　I　sha'n't　rest　till　I　know　all　about　'em。〃

〃Find　out　when　we　get　back　to　the　hotel；　I　guess；〃　said　her　husband。

〃No；　I　can't　wait　till　I　get　back　to　the　hotel。　　I　want　to　know　now。　　I
want　you　should　stop　at　the　very　fust　house　we　come　to。　　Dea'！　　The'e
don't　seem　to　be　any　houses；　any　moa。〃　　She　peered　out　around　the　side　of
the　carry…all　and　scrutinized　the　landscape。　　〃Hold　on！　　No；　yes　it　is；
too！　　Whoa！　　Whoa！　　The'e's　a　man　in　that　hay…field；　now！〃

She　laid　hold　of　the　reins　and　pulled　the　horse　to　a　stand。　　Mr。　Lander
looked　round　over　his　shoulder　at　her。　　〃Hadn't　you　betta　wait　till　you
get　within　half　a　mile　of　the　man？〃

〃Well；　I　want　you　should　stop　when　you　do　git　to　him。　　Will　you？　　I　want
to　speak　to　him；　and　ask　him　all　about　those　folks。〃

〃I　didn't　suppose　you'd　let　me　have　much　of　a　chance；〃　said　her　husband。
When　he　came　within　easy　hail　of　the　man　in　the　hay…field；　he　pulled　up
beside　the　meadow…wall；　where　the　horse　began　to　nibble　the　blackberry
vines　that　overran　it。

Mrs。　Lander　beckoned　and　called　to　the　man；　who　had　stopped　pitching　hay
and　now　stood　leaning　on　the　handle　of　his　fork。　　At　the　signs　and　sounds
she　made；　he　came　actively　forward　to　the　road；　bringing　his　fork　with
him。　　When　he　arrived　within　easy　conversational　distance；　he　planted　the
tines　in　the　ground　and　braced　himself　at　an　opposite　incline　from　the
long　smooth　handle；　and　waited　for　Mrs。　Lander　to　begin。

〃Will　you　please　tell　us　who　those　folks　ah'；　livin'　back　there　in　the
edge　of　the　woods；　in　that　new　unfinished　house？〃

The　man　released　his　fork　with　one　hand　to　stoop　for　a　head　of　timothy
that　had　escaped　the　scythe；　and　he　put　the　stem　of　it　between　his　teeth；
where　it　moved　up　and　down；　and　whipped　fantastically　about　as　he　talked；
before　he　answered；　〃You　mean　the　Claxons？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　thei'　name　is。〃　　Mrs。　Lander　repeated　exactly　what　she
had　said。

The　farmer　said；　〃Long；　red…headed　man；　kind　of　sickly…lookin'？〃

〃We　didn't　see　the　man〃

〃Little　woman；　skinny…lookin；　pootty　tonguey？〃

〃We　didn't　see　her；　eitha；　but　I　guess　we　hea'd　her　at　the　back　of　the
house。〃

〃Lot　o'　children；　about　as　big　as　pa'tridges；　runnin'　round　in　the
bushes？〃

〃Yes！　　And　a　very　pretty…appearing　girl；　about　thi'teen　or　fou'teen；　I
should　think。〃

The　farmer　pulled　his　fork　out　of　the　ground；　and　planted　it　with　his
person　at　new　slopes　in　the　figure　of　a　letter　A；　rather　more　upright
than　before。　　〃Yes；　it's　them；〃　he　said。　　〃Ha'n't　been　in　the　neighbahood
a　great　while；　eitha。　　Up　from　down　Po'tland　way；　some'res；　I　guess。
Built　that　house　last　summer；　as　far　as　it's　got；　but　I　don't　believe
it's　goin'　to　git　much　fa'tha。〃

〃Why；　what's　the　matta？〃　　demanded　Mrs。　Lander　in　an　anguish　of　interest。

The　man　in　the　hay…field　seemed　to　think　it　more　dignified　to　include
Lander　in　this　inquiry；　and　he　said　with　a　glimmer　of　the　eye　for　him；
〃Hea'd　of　do…nothin'　folks？〃

〃Seen　'em；　too；〃　answered　Lander；　comprehensively。

〃Well；　that　a'n't　Claxon's　complaint　exactly。　　He　a'n't　a　do…nothin'；
he's　a　do…everything。　　I　guess　it's　about　as　bad。〃　　Lander　glimmered　back
at　the　man；　but　did　not　speak。

〃Kind　of　a　machinist　down　at　the　Mills；　where　he　come　from；〃　the　farmer
began　again；　and　Mrs。　Lander；　eager　not　to　be　left　out　of　the　affair　for
a　moment；　interrupted：

〃Yes；　Yes！　　That's　what　the　gul　said。〃

〃But　he　don't　seem　to　think't　the　i'on　agreed　with　him；　and　now　he's
goin'　in　for　wood。　　Well；　he　did　have　a　kind　of　a　foot…powa　tu'nin'
lathe；　and　tuned　all　sots　o'　things；　cups；　and　bowls；　and　u'ns　for　fence…
posts；　and　vases；　and　sleeve…buttons　and　little　knick…knacks；　but　the
place　bunt　down；　here；　a　while　back；　and　he's　been　huntin'　round　for
wood；　the　whole　winta　long；　to　make　canes　out　of　for　the　summa…folks。
Seems　to　think　that　the　smell　o'　the　wood；　whether　it's　green　or　it's
dry；　is　goin'　to　cure　him；　and　he　can't　git　too　much　of　it。〃

〃Well；　I　believe　it's　so；　Albe't！〃　cried　Mrs。　Lander；　as　if　her　husband
had　disputed　the　theory　with　his　taciturn　back。　　He　made　no　other　sign　of
controversy；　and　the　man　in　the　hay…field　went　on。

〃I　hea'　he's　goin'　to　put　up　a　wind　mill；　back　in　an　open　place　he's　got；
and　use　the　powa　for　tu'nin'；　if　he　eva　gits　it　up。　　But　he　don't　seem　to
be　in　any　great　of　a　hurry；　and　they　scrape　along　somehow。　　Wife　takes　in
sewin'　and　the　girl　wo'ked　at　the　Middlemount　House　last　season。　　Whole
fam'ly's　got　to　tu'n　in　and　help　s'po't　a　man　that　can　do　everything。〃

The　farmer　appealed　with　another　humorous　cast　of　his　eye　to　Lander；　but
the　old　man　tacitly　refused　to　take　any　further　part　in　the　talk；　which
began　to　flourish　apace；　in　question　and　answer；　between　his　wife　and　the
man　in　the　hay…field。　　It　seemed　that　the　children　had　all　inherited　the
father's　smartness。　　The　oldest　boy　could　beat　the　nation　at　figures；　and
one　of　the　young　ones　could　draw　anything　you　had　a　mind　to。　　They　were
all　clear　up　in　their　classes　at　school；　and　yet　you　might　say　they
almost　ran　wild；　between　times。　　The　oldest　girl　was　a　pretty…behaved
little　thing；　but　the　man　in　the　hay…field　guessed　there　was　not　very
much　to　her；　compared　with　some　of　the　boys。　　Any　rate；　she　had　not　the
name　of　being　so　smart　at　school。　　Good　little　thing；　too；　and　kind　of
mothered　the　young　ones。

Mrs。　Lander；　when　she　had　wrung　the　last　drop　of　information　out　of　him；
let　him　crawl　back　to　his　work；　mentally　flaccid；　and　let　her　husband
drive　on；　but　under　a　fire　of　conjecture　and　asseveration　that　was
scarcely　intermitted　till　they　reached　their　hotel。　　That　night　she
talked　along　time　about　their　afternoon's　adventure　before　she　allowed
him　to　go　to　sleep。　　She　said　she　must　certainly　see　the　child　again；
that　they　must　drive　down　there　in　the　morning；　and　ask　her　all　about
herself。

〃Albe't；〃　she　concluded；　〃I　wish　we　had　her　to　live　with　us。　　Yes；　I　do！
I　wonder　if　we　could　get　her　to。　　You　know　I　always　did　want　to　adopt　a
baby。〃

〃You　neva　said　so；〃　Mr。　Lander　opened　his　mouth　almost　for　the　first
time；　since　the　talk　began。

〃I　didn't　suppose　you'd　like　it；〃　said　his　wife。

〃Well；　she　a'n't　a　baby。　　I　guess　you'd　find　you　had　your　hands　full；
takon'　a　half…grown　gul　like　that　to　bring　up。〃

〃I　shouldn't　be　afraid　any；〃　the　wife　declared。　　〃She　has　just　twined
herself　round　my　heat。　　I　can't　get　her　pretty　looks　out　of　my　eyes。
I　know　she's　good。〃

〃We'll　see　how　you　feel　about　it　in　the　morning。〃

The　old　man　began　to　wind　his　watch；　and　his　wife　seemed　to　take　this　for
a　sign　that　the　incident　was　closed；　for　the　present　at　least。　　He　seldom
talked；　but　there　came　times　when　he　would　not　even　listen。　　One　of　these
was　the　ti