ragged lady, v1-第20节

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she　praised　for　its　purity；　purity　of　accent　was　characteristic　of　all
this　lady's　pupils；　but　what　was　really　extraordinary　in　Mademoiselle
Claxon　was　her　sense　of　grammatical　structure；　she　wrote　the　language
even　more　perfectly　than　she　spoke　it；　but　beautifully；　but　wonderfully；
her　exercises　were　something　marvellous。

Mrs。　Lander　would　have　liked　Clementina　to　take　all　the　lessons　that　she
heard　any　of　the　other　young　ladies　in　the　hotel　were　taking。　　One　of
them　went　in　town　every　day；　and　studied　drawing　at　an　art…school；　and
she　wanted　Clementina　to　do　that；　too。　　But　Clementina　would　not　do　that；
she　had　tried　often　enough　at　home；　when　her　brother　Jim　was　drawing；　and
her　father　was　designing　the　patterns　of　his　woodwork；　she　knew　that　she
never　could　do　it；　and　the　time　would　be　wasted。　　She　decided　against
piano　lessons　and　singing　lessons；　too；　she　did　not　care　for　either；　and
she　pleaded　that　it　would　be　a　waste　to　study　them；　but　she　suggested
dancing　lessons；　and　her　gift　for　dancing　won　greater　praise；　and　perhaps
sincerer；　than　her　accent　won　from　Mademoiselle　Blanc；　though　Mrs。　Lander
said　that　she　would　not　have　believed　any　one　could　be　more
complimentary。　　She　learned　the　new　steps　and　figures　in　all　the
fashionable　dances；　she　mastered　some　fancy　dances；　which　society　was
then　beginning　to　borrow　from　the　stage；　and　she　gave　these　before　Mrs。
Lander　with　a　success　which　she　felt　herself。

〃I　believe　I　could　teach　dancing；〃　she　said。

〃Well；　you　won't　eve　haf　to；　child；〃　returned　Mrs。　Lander；　with　an　eye　on
the　side　of　the　case　that　seldom　escaped　her。

In　spite　of　his　wish　to　respect　these　preoccupations；　Fane　could　not　keep
from　offering　Clementina　attentions；　which　took　the　form　of　persecution
when　they　changed　from　flowers　for　Mrs。　Lander's　table　to　letters　for
herself。　　He　apologized　for　his　letters　whenever　he　met　her；　but　at　last
one　of　them　came　to　her　before　breakfast　with　a　special　delivery　stamp
from　Boston。　　He　had　withdrawn　to　the　city　to　write　it；　and　he　said　that
if　she　could　not　make　him　a　favorable　answer；　he　should　not　come　back　to
Woodlake。

She　had　to　show　this　letter　to　Mrs。　Lander；　who　asked：　〃You　want　he
should　come　back？〃

〃No；　indeed！　　I　don't　want　eva　to　see　him　again。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　guess　you'll　know　how　to　tell　him　so。

The　girl　went　into　her　own　room　to　write；　and　when　she　brought　her　answer
to　show　it　to　Mrs。　Lander　she　found　her　in　frowning　thought。　　〃I　don't
know　but　you'll　have　to　go　back　and　write　it　all　over　again；　Clementina；〃
she　said；　〃if　you've　told　him　not　to　come。　　I've　been　thinkin'；　if　you
don't　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with　him；　we　betta　go　ouaselves。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Clementina；　〃that's　what　I've　said。〃

〃You　have？　　Well；　the　witch　is　in　it！　　How　came　you　to〃

〃I　just　wanted　to　talk　with　you　about　it。　　But　I　thought　maybe　you'd　like
to　go。　　Or　at　least　I　should。　　I　should　like　to　go　home；　Mrs。　Landa。〃

〃Home！〃　retorted　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃The'e's　plenty　of　places　where　you　can　be
safe　from　the　fella　besides　home；　though　I'll　take　you　back　the'a　this
minute　if　you　say　so。　　But　you　needn't　to　feel　wo'ked　up　about　it。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not；〃　said　Clementina；　but　with　a　gulp　which　betrayed　her
nervousness。

〃I　did　think；〃　Mrs。　Lander　went　on；　〃that　I　should　go　into　the　Vonndome；
for　December　and　January；　but　just　as　likely　as　not　he'd　come　pesterin'
the'a；　too；　and　I　wouldn't　go；　now；　if　you　was　to　give　me　the　whole　city
of　Boston。　　Why　shouldn't　we　go　to　Florid？〃

When　Mrs。　Lander　had　once　imagined　the　move；　the　nomadic　impulse　mounted
irresistably　in　her。　　She　spoke　of　hotels　in　the　South；　where　they　could
renew　the　summer；　and　she　mapped　out　a　campaign　which　she　put　into
instant　action　so　far　as　to　advance　upon　New　York。










End