ragged lady, v1-第5节

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〃No。〃

〃Well；　why　in　the　land　didn't　you　say　so　before；　Albe't？〃

〃You　didn't　ask　me。　　What　do　you　want　I　should　say　to　her　now？〃

〃Say　to　who？〃

〃The　gul。　　She's　down　in　the　pahlor；　waitin'。〃

〃Well；　of　all　the　men！〃　　cried　Mrs。　Lander。　　But　she　seemed　to　find
herself；　upon　reflection；　less　able　to　cope　with　Lander　personally　than
with　the　situation　generally。　　〃Will　you　send　her　up；　Albe't？〃　she　asked；
very　patiently；　as　if　he　might　be　driven　to　further　excesses；　if　not
delicately　handled。　　As　soon　as　he　had　gone　out　of　the　room　she　wished
that　she　had　told　him　to　give　her　time　to　dress　and　have　her　room　put　in
order；　before　he　sent　the　child　up；　but　she　could　only　make　the　best　of
herself　in　bed　with　a　cap　and　a　breakfast　jacket；　arranged　with　the　help
of　a　handglass。　　She　had　to　get　out　of　bed　to　put　her　other　clothes　away
in　the　closet　and　she　seized　the　chance　to　push　the　breakfast　tray　out　of
the　door；　and　smooth　up　the　bed；　while　she　composed　her　features　and　her
ideas　to　receive　her　visitor。　　Both；　from　long　habit　rather　than　from　any
cause　or　reason；　were　of　a　querulous　cast；　and　her　ordinary　tone　was　a
snuffle　expressive　of　deep…seated　affliction。　　She　was　at　once　plaintive
and　voluable；　and　in　moments　of　excitement　her　need　of　freeing　her　mind
was　so　great　that　she　took　herself　into　her　own　confidence；　and　found　a
more　sympathetic　listener　than　when　she　talked　to　her　husband。　　As　she
now　whisked　about　her　room　in　her　bed…gown　with　an　activity　not
predicable　of　her　age　and　shape；　and　finally　plunged　under　the　covering
and　drew　it　up　to　her　chin　with　one　hand　while　she　pressed　it　out
decorously　over　her　person　with　the　other；　she　kept　up　a　rapid　flow　of
lamentation　and　conjecture。　　〃I　do　suppose　he'll　be　right　back　with　her
before　I'm　half　ready；　and　what　the　man　was　thinkin'　of　to　do　such　a
thing　anyway；　I　don't　know。　　I　don't　know　as　she'll　notice　much；　comin'
out　of　such　a　lookin'　place　as　that；　and　I　don't　know　as　I　need　to　care
if　she　did。　　But　if　the'e's　care　anywhe's　around；　I　presume　I'm　the　one
to　have　it。　　I　presume　I　did　take　a　fancy　to　her；　and　I　guess　I　shall　be
glad　to　see　how　I　like　her　now；　and　if　he's　only　told　her　I　want　some
sewin'　done；　I　can　scrape　up　something　to　let　her　carry　home　with　her。
It's　well　I　keep　my　things　where　I　can　put　my　hand　on　'em　at　a　time　like
this；　and　I　don't　believe　I　shall　sca'e　the　child；　as　it　is。　　I　do　hope
Albe't　won't　hang　round　half　the　day　before　he　brings　her；　I　like　to　have
a　thing　ova。〃

Lander　wandered　about　looking　for　the　girl　through　the　parlors　and　the
piazzas；　and　then　went　to　the　office　to　ask　what　had　become　of　her。

The　landlord　came　out　of　his　room　at　his　question　to　the　clerk。　　〃Oh；　I
guess　she's　round　in　my　wife's　room；　Mr。　Landa。　　She　always　likes　to　see
Clementina；　and　I　guess　they　all　do。　　She's　a　so't　o'　pet　amongst　'em。〃

〃No　hurry；〃　said　Lander；　〃I　guess　my　wife　ain't　quite　ready　for　her　yet。〃

〃Well；　she'll　be　right　out；　in　a　minute　or　so；〃　said　the　landlord。

The　old　man　tilted　his　hat　forward　over　his　eyes；　and　went　to　sit　on　the
veranda　and　look　at　the　landscape　while　he　waited。　　It　was　one　of　the
loveliest　landscapes　in　the　mountains；　the　river　flowed　at　the　foot　of　an
abrupt　slope　from　the　road　before　the　hotel；　stealing　into　and　out　of　the
valley；　and　the　mountains；　gray　in　the　farther　distance；　were　draped　with
folds　of　cloud　hanging　upon　their　flanks　and　tops。　　But　Lander　was　tired
of　nearly　all　kinds　of　views　and　prospects；　though　he　put'　up　with　them；
in　his　perpetual　movement　from　place　to　place；　in　the　same　resignation
that　he　suffered　the　limitations　of　comfort　in　parlor　cars　and　sleepers；
and　the　unwholesomeness　of　hotel　tables。　　He　was　chained　to　the　restless
pursuit　of　an　ideal　not　his　own；　but　doomed　to　suffer　for　its
impossibility　as　if　he　contrived　each　of　his　wife's　disappointments　from
it。　　He　did　not　philosophize　his　situation；　but　accepted　it　as　in　an
order　of　Providence　which　it　would　be　useless　for　him　to　oppose；　though
there　were　moments　when　he　permitted　himself　to　feel　a　modest　doubt　of
its　justice。　　He　was　aware　that　when　he　had　a　house　of　his　own　he　was
master　in　it；　after　a　fashion；　and　that　as　long　as　he　was　in　business　he
was　in　some　sort　of　authority。　　He　perceived　that　now　he　was　a　slave　to
the　wishes　of　a　mistress　who　did　not　know　what　she　wanted；　and　that　he
was　never　farther　from　pleasing　her　than　when　he　tried　to　do　what　she
asked。　　He　could　not　have　told　how　all　initiative　had　been　taken　from
him；　and　he　had　fallen　into　the　mere　follower　of　a　woman　guided　only　by
her　whims；　who　had　no　object　in　life　except　to　deprive　it　of　all　object。
He　felt　no　rancor　toward　her　for　this；　he　knew　that　she　had　a　tender
regard　for　him；　and　that　she　believed　she　was　considering　him　first　in
her　most　selfish　arrangements。　　He　always　hoped　that　sometime　she　would
get　tired　of　her　restlessness；　and　be　willing　to　settle　down　again　in
some　stated　place；　and　wherever　it　was；　he　meant　to　get　into　some　kind　of
business　again。　　Till　this　should　happen　he　waited　with　an　apathetic
patience　of　which　his　present　abeyance　was　a　detail。　　He　would　hardly
have　thought　it　anything　unfit；　and　certainly　nothing　surprising；　that
the　landlady　should　have　taken　the　young　girl　away　from　where　he　had　left
her；　and　then　in　the　pleasure　of　talking　with　her；　and　finding　her　a
centre　of　interest　for　the　whole　domestic　force　of　the　hotel；　should　have
forgotten　to　bring　her　back。

The　Middlemount　House　had　just　been　organized　on　the　scale　of　a　first
class　hotel；　with　prices　that　had　risen　a　little　in　anticipation　of　the
other　improvements。　　The　landlord　had　hitherto　united　in　himself　the
functions　of　clerk　and　head　waiter；　but　he　had　now　got　a　senior；　who　was
working　his　way　through　college；　to　take　charge　of　the　dining…room；　and
had　put　in　the　office　a　youth　of　a　year's　experience　as　under　clerk　at　a
city　hotel。　　But　he　meant　to　relinquish　no　more　authority　than　his　wife
who　frankly　kept　the　name　as　well　as　duty　of　house…keeper。　　It　was　in
making　her　morning　inspection　of　the　dusting　that　she　found　Clementina　in
the　parlor　where　Lander　had　told　her　to　sit　down　till　he　should　come　for
her。

〃Why；　Clem！〃　she　said；　〃I　didn't　know　you！　　You　have　grown　so！　　Youa
folks　all　well？　　I　decla'e　you　ah'　quite　a　woman　now；〃　she　added；　as　the
girl　stood　up　in　her　slender；　graceful　height。　　〃You　look　as　pretty　as　a
pink　in　that　hat。　　Make　that　dress　youaself？　　Well；　you　do　beat　the
witch！　　I　want　you　should　come　to　my　room　with　me。〃

Mrs。　Atwell　showered　other　questions　and　exclamations　on　the　girl；　who
explained　how　she　happened　to　be　there；　and　said　that　she　supposed　she
must　stay　where　she　was　for　fear　Mr。　Lander　should　come　back　and　find　her
gone；　but　Mrs。　Atwell　overruled　her　with　the　fact　that　Mrs。　Lander's
breakfast　had　just　gone　up　to　her；　and　she　made　her　come　out　and　see　the
new　features　of　the　enlarged　house…keeping。　　In　the　dining…room　there
were　some　of　the　waitresses　who　had　been　there　the　summer　before；　and
recognitions　of　more　or　less　dignity　passed　between　them　and　Clementina。
The　place　was　now　shut　against　guests；　and　the　head…waiter　was　having　it
put　in　order　for　the　one　o'clock　dinner。　　As　they　came　near　him；　Mrs。
Atwell　introduced　him　to　Clementina；　and　he　behaved　deferentially；　as　if
she　were　some　young　lady　visitor　whom　Mrs。　Atwell　was　showing　the
improvements；　but　he　seemed　harassed　and　impatient；　as　if　he　were　anxious
about　his　duties；　and　eager　to　get　at　them　again。　　He　was　a　handsome
little　fellow；　with　hair　lighter　than　Clementina's　and　a　sanguine
complexion；　and　the　color　coming　and　going。

〃He's　smaht；〃　said　Mrs。　Atwell；　when　they　had　left　himhe　held　the
dining…room　door　open　for　them；　and　bowed　them　out。　　〃I　don't　know　but　he
worries　almost　too　much。　　That'll　wear　off　when　he　gets　things　runnin'　to
suit　him。　　He's　pretty　p'tic'la'。　　Now　I'll　show　you　how　they've　made　the
office　over；　and　built　in　a　room　for　Mr。　Atwell　behind　it。〃

The　landlord　welcomed　Clementina　as　if　she　had　been　some　acceptable　class
of　custom；　and　when　the　tall　young　clerk　came　in　to　ask　him　something；
and　Mrs。　Atwell　said；　〃I　want　to　introduce　you　to　Miss　Claxon；　Mr。　Fane；〃
the　clerk　smiled　down　upon　her　from　the　height　of　his　smooth；　acquiline
young　face；　which　he　held　bent　encouragingly　upon　one　side。

〃Now；　I　want　you　should　come　in　and　see　where　I　live；　a　minute；〃　said
Mrs。　Atwell。　　She　took　the　girl　from　the　clerk；　and　led　her　to　the
official　housekeeper's　room　which　she　said　had　been　prepared　for　her　so
that　folks　need　not　keep　running　to　her　in　her　private　room　where　she
wanted　to　be　alone　with　her　children；　when　she　was　there。　　〃Why；　you
a'n't　much　moa　than　a　child　youaself；　Clem；　and　here　I　be　talkin'　to　you
as　if　you　was　a　mother　in　Israel。　　How　old　ah'　you；　this　summa？　　Time
does　go　so！〃

〃I'm　sixteen　now；〃　said　Clementina；　smiling。

〃You　be？　　Well；　I　don't　see　why　I　say　that；　eitha！　　You're　full　lahge
enough　for　your　age；　but　not　seein'　you　in　long　dresses　before；　I　didn't
realize　your　age　so　much。　　My；　but　you　do　all　of　you　know　how　to　do
things！〃

〃I'm　about　the　only　one　that　don't；　Mrs。　Atwell；〃　said　the　girl