ragged lady, v1-第8节

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something　about　a　girl　that；　well；　you　don't　know　what　it　is；　exactly。
Take　almost　any　of　'em；〃　said　the　clerk；　with　an　air　of　inductive
reasoning。　　〃Take　that　Claxon　girl；　now　for　example；　I　don't　know　what　it
is　about　her。　　She's　good…looking；　I　don't　deny　that；　and　she's　got
pretty　manners；　and　she's　as　graceful　as　a　bird。　　But　it　a'n't　any　one　of
'em；　and　it　don't　seem　to　be　all　of　'em　put　together　that　makes　you　want
to　keep　your　eyes　on　her　the　whole　while。　　Ever　noticed　what　a　nice
little　foot　she's　got？　　Or　her　hands？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　student。

〃I　don't　mean　that　she　ever　tries　to　show　them　off；　though　I　know　some
girls　that　would。　　But　she's　not　that　kind。　　She　ain't　much　more　than　a
child；　and　yet　you　got　to　treat　her　just　like　a　woman。　　Noticed　the　kind
of　way　she's　got？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　student；　with　impatience。

The　clerk　mused　with　a　plaintive　air　for　a　moment　before　he　spoke。
〃Well；　it's　something　as　if　she'd　been　trained　to　it；　so　that　she　knew
just　the　right　thing　to　do；　every　time；　and　yet　I　guess　it's　nature。　　You
know　how　the　chef　always　calls　her　the　Boss？　　That　explains　it　about　as
well　as　anything；　and　I　presume　that's　what　my　mind　was　running　on；　the
other　day；　when　I　called　her　Boss。　　But；　my！　　I　can't　get　anywhere　near
her　since！〃

〃It　serves　you　right；〃　said　Gregory。　　〃You　had　no　business　to　tease　her。〃

〃Now；　do　you　think　it　was　teasing？　　I　did；　at　first；　and　then　again　it
seemed　to　me　that　I　came　out　with　the　word　because　it　seemed　the　right
one。　　I　presume　I　couldn't　explain　that　to　her。〃

〃It　wouldn't　be　easy。〃

〃I　look　upon　her；〃　said　Fane；　with　an　effect　of　argument　in　the　sweetness
of　his　smile；　〃just　as　I　would　upon　any　other　young　lady　in　the　house。
Do　you　spell　apology　with　one　p　or　two？〃

〃One；〃　said　the　student；　and　the　clerk　made　a　minute　on　a　piece　of　paper。

〃I　feel　badly　for　the　girl。　　I　don't　want　her　to　think　I　was　teasing　her
or　taking　any　sort　of　liberty　with　her。　　Now；　would　you　apologize　to　her；
if　you　was　in　my　place；　and　would　you　write　a　note；　or　just　wait　your
chance　and　speak　to　her？〃

Gregory　got　down　from　his　stool　with　a　disdainful　laugh；　and　went　out　of
the　place。　　〃You　make　me　sick；　Fane；〃　he　said。

The　last　dance　was　over；　and　the　young　ladies　who　had　been　waltzing　with
one　another；　came　out　of　the　parlor　with　gay　cries　and　laughter；　like
summer　girls　who　had　been　at　a　brilliant　hop；　and　began　to　stray　down　the
piazzas；　and　storm　into　the　office。　　Several　of　them　fluttered　up　to　the
desk；　as　the　clerk　had　foretold；　and　looked　for　letters　in　the　boxes
bearing　their　initials。　　They　called　him　out；　and　asked　if　he　had　not
forgotten　something　for　them。　　He　denied　it　with　a　sad；　wise　smile；　and
then　they　tried　to　provoke　him　to　a　belated　flirtation；　in　lack　of　other
material；　but　he　met　their　overtures　discreetly；　and　they　presently　said；
Well；　they　guessed　they　must　go；　and　went。　　Fane　turned　to　encounter
Gregory；　who　had　come　in　by　a　side　door。

〃Fane；　I　want　to　beg　your　pardon。　　I　was　rude　to　you　just　now。〃

〃Oh；　no！　　Oh；　no！〃　the　clerk　protested。　　〃That's　all　right。　　Sit　down　a
while；　can't　you；　and　talk　with　a　fellow。　　It's　early；　yet。〃

〃No；　I　can't。　　I　just　wanted　to　say　I　was　sorry　I　spoke　in　that　way。
Good…night。　　Is　there　anything　in　particular？〃

〃No；　good…night。　　I　was　just　wondering　aboutthat　girl。〃

〃Oh！〃




VI。

Gregory　had　an　habitual　severity　with　his　own　behavior　which　did　not　stop
there；　but　was　always　passing　on　to　the　behavior　of　others；　and　his　days
went　by　in　alternate　offence　and　reparation　to　those　he　had　to　do　with。
He　had　to　do　chiefly　with　the　dining…room　girls；　whose　susceptibilities
were　such　that　they　kept　about　their　work　bathed　in　tears　or　suffused
with　anger　much　of　the　time。　　He　was　not　only　good…looking　but　he　was　a
college　student；　and　their　feelings　were　ready　to　bud　toward　him　in
tender　efflorescence；　but　he　kept　them　cropped　and　blighted　by　his　curt
words　and　impatient　manner。　　Some　of　them　loved　him　for　the　hurts　he　did
them；　and　some　hated　him；　but　all　agreed　fondly　or　furiously　that　he　was
too　cross　for　anything。　　They　were　mostly　young　school…mistresses；　and
whether　they　were　of　a　soft　and　amorous　make；　or　of　a　forbidding　temper；
they　knew　enough　in　spite　of　their　hurts　to　value　a　young　fellow　whose
thoughts　were　not　running　upon　girls　all　the　time。　　Women；　even　in　their
spring…time；　like　men　to　treat　them　as　if　they　had　souls　as　well　as
hearts；　and　it　was　a　saving　grace　in　Gregory　that　he　treated　them　all；
the　silliest　of　them；　as　if　they　had　souls。　　Very　likely　they　responded
more　with　their　hearts　than　with　their　souls；　but　they　were　aware　that
this　was　not　his　fault。

The　girls　that　waited　at　table　saw　that　he　did　not　distinguish　in　manner
between　them　and　the　girls　whom　they　served。　　The　knot　between　his　brows
did　not　dissolve　in　the　smiling　gratitude　of　the　young　ladies　whom　he
preceded　to　their　places；　and　pulled　out　their　chairs　for；　any　more　than
in　the　blandishments　of　a　waitress　who　thanked　him　for　some　correction。

They　owned　when　he　had　been　harshest　that　no　one　could　be　kinder　if　he
saw　a　girl　really　trying；　or　more　patient　with　well　meaning　stupidity；
but　some　things　fretted　him；　and　he　was　as　apt　to　correct　a　girl　in　her
grammar　as　in　her　table　service。　　Out　of　work　hours；　if　he　met　any　of
them；　he　recognized　them　with　deferential　politeness；　but　he　shunned
occasions　of　encounter　with　them　as　distinctly　as　he　avoided　the　ladies
among　the　hotel　guests。　　Some　of　the　table　girls　pitied　his　loneliness；
and　once　they　proposed　that　he　should　read　to　them　on　the　back　piazza　in
the　leisure　of　their　mid…afternoons。　　He　said　that　he　had　to　keep　up　with
his　studies　in　all　the　time　he　could　get；　he　treated　their　request　with
grave　civility；　but　they　felt　his　refusal　to　be　final。

He　was　seen　very　little　about　the　house　outside　of　his　own　place　and
function；　and　he　was　scarcely　known　to　consort　with　anyone　but　Fane；　who
celebrated　his　high　sense　of　the　honor　to　the　lady…guests；　but　if　any　of
these　would　have　been　willing　to　show　Gregory　that　they　considered　his
work　to　get　an　education　as　something　that　redeemed　itself　from　discredit
through　the　nobility　of　its　object；　he　gave　them　no　chance　to　do　so。

The　afternoon　following　their　talk　about　Clementina；　Gregory　looked　in
for　Fane　behind　the　letter　boxes；　but　did　not　find　him；　and　the　girl
herself　came　round　from　the　front　to　say　that　he　was　out　buying；　but
would　be　back　now；　very　soon；　it　was　occasionally　the　clerk's　business　to
forage　among　the　farmers　for　the　lighter　supplies；　such　as　eggs；　and
butter；　and　poultry；　and　this　was　the　buying　that　Clementina　meant。
〃Very　well；　I'll　wait　here　for　him　a　little　while；〃　Gregory　answered。

〃So　do；〃　said　Clementina；　in　a　formula　which　she　thought　polite；　but　she
saw　the　frown　with　which　Gregory　took　a　Greek　book　from　his　pocket；　and
she　hurried　round　in　front　of　the　boxes　again；　wondering　how　she　could
have　displeased　him。　　She　put　her　face　in　sight　a　moment　to　explain；　〃I
have　got　to　be　here　and　give　out　the　lettas　till　Mr。　Fane　gets　back；〃　and
then　withdrew　it。　　He　tried　to　lose　himself　in　his　book；　but　her　tender
voice　spoke　from　time　to　time　beyond　the　boxes；　and　Gregory　kept
listening　for　Clementina　to　say；　〃No'm；　there　a'n't。　　Perhaps；　the'e'll
be　something　the　next　mail；〃　and　〃Yes'm；　he'e's　one；　and　I　guess　this
paper　is　for　some　of　youa　folks；　too。〃

Gregory　shut　his　book　with　a　sudden　bang　at　last　and　jumped　to　his　feet；
to　go　away。

The　girl　came　running　round　the　corner　of　the　boxes。　　〃Oh！　　I　thought
something　had　happened。〃

〃No；　nothing　has　happened；〃　said　Gregory；　with　a　sort　of　violence；　which
was　heightened　by　a　sense　of　the　rings　and　tendrils　of　loose　hair
springing　from　the　mass　that　defined　her　pretty　head。　　〃Don't　you　know
that　you　oughtn't　to　say　'No'm'　and　'Yes'm？〃'　he　demanded；　bitterly；　and
then　he　expected　to　see　the　water　come　into　her　eyes；　or　the　fire　into
her　cheeks。

Clementina　merely　looked　interested。　　〃Did　I　say　that？　　I　meant　to　say
Yes；　ma'am　and　No；　ma'am；　but　I　keep　forgetting。〃

〃You　oughtn't　to　say　anything！〃　　Gregory　answered　savagely；　〃Just　say
Yes；　and　No；　and　let　your　voice　do　the　rest。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　the　girl；　with　the　gentlest　abeyance；　as　if　charmed　with　the
novelty　of　the　idea。　　〃I　should　be　afraid　it　wasn't　polite。〃

Gregory　took　an　even　brutal　tone。　　It　seemed　to　him　as　if　he　were　forced
to　hurt　her　feelings。　　But　his　words；　in　spite　of　his　tone；　were　not
brutal；　they　might　have　even　been　thought　flattering。　　〃The　politeness　is
in　the　manner；　and　you　don't　need　anything　but　your　manner。〃

〃Do　you　think　so；　truly？〃　asked　the　girl　joyously。　　〃I　should　like　to　try
it　once！〃

He　frowned　again。　　〃I've　no　business　to　criticise　your　way　of　speaking。〃

〃Oh　yes'myes；　ma'am；　sir；　I　mean；　I　mean；　Oh；　yes；　indeed！　　The'a！
It　does　sound　just　as　well；　don't　it？〃　　Clementina　laughed　in　triumph　at
the　outcome　of　her　efforts；　so　that　a　reluctant　visional　smile　came　upon
Gregory's　face；　too。　　I'm　very　mach　obliged　to　you；　Mr。　GregoryI　shall
always　want　to　do　it；　if　it's　the　right　way。〃

〃It's　the　right　way；〃　said　Gregory　coldly。

〃And　don