ragged lady, v2-第1节

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Ragged　Lady；　v2

by　William　Dean　Howells







Part　2


XV。

Mrs。　　Lander　went　to　a　hotel　in　New　York　where　she　had　been　in　the　habit
of　staying　with　her　husband；　on　their　way　South　or　North。　　The　clerk　knew
her；　and　shook　hands　with　her　across　the　register；　and　said　she　could
have　her　old　rooms　if　she　wanted　them；　the　bell…boy　who　took　up　their
hand…baggage　recalled　himself　to　her；　the　elevator…boy　welcomed　her　with
a　smile　of　remembrance。

Since　she　was　already　up；　from　coming　off　the　sleeping…car；　she　had　no
excuse　for　not　going　to　breakfast　like　other　people；　and　she　went　with
Clementina　to　the　dining…room；　where　the　head…waiter；　who　found　them
places；　spoke　with　an　outlandish　accent；　and　the　waiter　who　served　them
had　a　parlance　that　seemed　superficially　English；　but　was　inwardly
something　else；　there　was　even　a　touch　in　the　cooking　of　the　familiar
dishes；　that　needed　translation　for　the　girl's　inexperienced　palate。
She　was　finding　a　refuge　in　the　strangeness　of　everything；　when　she　was
startled　by　the　sound　of　a　familiar　voice　calling；　〃Clementina　Claxon！
Well；　I　was　sure　all　along　it　was　you；　and　I　determined　I　wouldn't　stand
it　another　minute。　　Why；　child；　how　you　have　changed！　　Why；　I　declare　you
are　quite　a　woman！　　When　did　you　come？　　How　pretty　you　are　Mrs。　Milray
took　Clementina　in　her　arms　and　kissed　her　in　proof　of　her　admiration
before　the　whole　breakfast　room。　　She　was　very　nice　to　Mrs。　Lander；　too；
who；　when　Clementina　introduced　them；　made　haste　to　say　that　Clementina
was　there　on　a　visit　with　her。　　Mrs。　Milray　answered　that　she　envied　her
such　a　visitor　as　Miss　Claxon；　and　protested　that　she　should　steal　her
away　for　a　visit　to　herself；　if　Mr。　Milray　was　not　so　much　in　love　with
her　that　it　made　her　jealous。　　〃Mr。　Milray　has　to　have　his　breakfast　in
his　room；〃　she　explained　to　Clementina。　　〃He's　not　been　so　well；　since　he
lost　his　mother。　　Yes；〃　she　said；　with　decorous　solemnity；　〃I'm　still　in
mourning　for　her；〃　and　Clementina　saw　that　she　was　in　a　tempered　black。
〃She　died　last　year；　and　now　I'm　taking　Mr。　Milray　abroad　to　see　if　it
won't　cheer　him　up　a　little。　　Are　you　going　South　for　the　winter？〃　she
inquired；　politely；　of　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃I　wish　I　was　going；〃　she　said；　when
Mrs。　Lander　guessed　they　should　go；　later　on。　　〃Well；　you　must　come　in
and　see　me　all　you　can；　Clementina；　and　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of
calling　upon　you；〃　she　added　to　Mrs。　Lander　with　state　that　was　lost　in
the　soubrette…like　volatility　of　her　flight　from　them　the　next　moment。
〃Goodness；　I　forgot　all　about　Mr。　Milray's　breakfast！　　〃She　ran　back　to
the　table　she　had　left　on　the　other　side　of　the　room。

〃Who　is　that；　Clementina？〃　asked　Mrs。　Lander；　on　their　way　to　their
rooms。　　Clementina　explained　as　well　as　she　could；　and　Mrs。　Lander　summed
up　her　feeling　in　the　verdict；　〃Well；　she's　a　lady；　if　ever　I　saw　a　lady；
and　you　don't　see　many　of　'em；　nowadays。〃

The　girl　remembered　how　Mrs。　Milray　had　once　before　seemed　very　fond　of
her；　and　had　afterwards　forgotten　the　pretty　promises　and　professions　she
had　made　her。　　But　she　went　with　Mrs。　Lander　to　see　her；　and　she　saw　Mr。
Milray；　too；　for　a　little　while。　　He　seemed　glad　of　their　meeting；　but
still　depressed　by　the　bereavement　which　Mrs。　Milray　supported　almost
with　gayety。　　When　he　left　them　she　explained　that　he　was　a　good　deal
away　from　her；　with　his　family；　as　she　approved　of　his　being；　though　she
had　apparently　no　wish　to　join　him　in　all　the　steps　of　the　reconciliation
which　the　mother's　death　had　brought　about　among　them。　　Sometimes　his
sisters　came　to　the　hotel　to　see　her；　but　she　amused　herself　perfectly
without　them；　and　she　gave　much　more　of　her　leisure　to　Clementina　and
Mrs。　Lander。

She　soon　knew　the　whole　history　of　the　relation　between　them；　and　the
first　time　that　Clementina　found　her　alone　with　Mrs。　Lander　she　could
have　divined　that　Mrs。　Lander　had　been　telling　her　of　the　Fane　affair；
even　if　Mrs。　Milray　had　not　at　once　called　out　to　her；　〃I　know　all　about
it；　and　I'll　tell　you　what；　Clementina；　I'm　going　to　take　you　over　with
me　and　marry　you　to　an　English　Duke。　　Mrs。　Lander　and　I　have　been
planning　it　all　out；　and　I'm　going　to　send　down　to　the　steamer　office；
and　engage　your　passage。　　It's　all　settled！〃

When　she　was　gone；　Mfrs。　　Lander　asked；　〃What　do　you　s'pose　your　folks
would　say　to　your　goin'　to　Europe；　anyway；　Clementina？〃　as　if　the　matter
had　been　already　debated　between　them。

Clementina　hesitated。　　〃I　should　want　to　be　su'a　Mrs。　Milray　really
wanted　me　to　go　ova　with　her。〃

〃Why；　didn't　you　hear　her　say　so？〃　　demanded　Mrs。　Lander。

〃Yes；〃　sighed　Clementina。　　〃Mrs。　Lander；　I　think　Mrs。　Milray　means　what
she　says；　at　the　time；　but　she　is　one　that　seems　to　forget。〃

〃She　thinks　the　wo'ld　of　you；〃　Mrs。　Lander　urged。

〃She　was　very　nice　to　me　that　summer　at　Middlemount。　　I　guess　maybe　she
would　like　to　have　us　go　with　her；〃　the　girl　relented。

〃I　guess　we'll　wait　and　see；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃I　shouldn't　want　she
should　change　her　mind　when　it　was　too　late；　as　you　say。〃　　They　were　both
silent　for　a　time；　and　then　Mrs。　Lander　resumed；　〃But　I　presume　she
ha'n't　got　the　only　steams　that's　crossin'。　　What　should　you　say　about
goin'　over　on　some　otha　steams？　　I　been　South　a　good　many　wintas；　and　I
should　feel　kind　of　lonesome　goin'　round　to　the　places　where　I　been　with
Mr。　Landa。　　I　felt　it　since　I　been　here　in　this　hotel；　some；　and　I　can't
seem　to　want　to　go　ova　the　same　ground　again；　well；　not　right　away。〃

Clementina　said；　〃Why；　of　cou'se；　Mrs。　Landa。〃

〃Should　you　be　willin'；〃　asked　Mrs。　Lander；　after　another　little　pause；
〃if　your　folks　was　willin'；　to　go　ova　the'a；　to　some　of　them　European
countries；　to　spend　the　winta？〃

〃Oh　yes；　indeed！〃　said　Clementina。

They　discussed　the　matter　in　one　of　the　full　talks　they　both　liked。　　At
the　end　Mrs。　Lander　said；　〃Well；　I　guess　you　betta　write　home；　and　ask
your　motha　whetha　you　can　go；　so't　if　we　take　the　notion　we　can　go　any
time。　　Tell　her　to　telegraph；　if　she'll　let　you；　and　do　write　all　the　ifs
and　ands；　so't　she'll　know　just　how　to　answa；　without　havin'　to　have　you
write　again。〃

That　evening　Mrs。　Milray　came　to　their　table　from　where　she　had　been
dining　alone；　and　asked　in　banter：　〃Well；　have　you　made　up　your　minds　to
go　over　with　me？〃

Mrs。　Lander　said　bluntly；　〃We　can't　ha'dly　believe　yon　really　want　us　to；
Mrs。　Milray。〃

〃I　don't　want　you？　　Who　put　such　an　idea　into　your　head！　　Oh；　I　know！〃
She　threatened　Clementina　with　the　door…key；　which　she　was　carrying　in
her　hand。　　〃It　was　you；　was　it？　　What　an　artful；　suspicious　thing！
What's　got　into　you；　child？　　Do　you　hate　me？〃　　She　did　not　give
Clementina　time　to　protest。　　〃Well；　now；　I　can　just　tell　you　I　do　want
you；　and　I'll　be　quite　heart…broken　if　you　don't　come。〃

〃Well；　she　wrote　to　her　friends　this　mohning；〃　Mrs。　Lander　said；　〃but　I
guess　she　won't　git　an　answa　in　time　for　youa　steamer；　even　if　they　do
let　her　go。〃

〃Oh；　yes　she　will；〃　Mrs。　Milray　protested。　　〃It's　all　right；　now；　you've
got　to　go；　and　there's　no　use　trying　to　get　out　of　it。〃

She　came　to　them　whenever　she　could　find　them　in　the　dining…room；　and　she
knocked　daily　at　their　door　till　she　knew　that　Clementina　had　heard　from
home。　　The　girl's　mother　wrote；　without　a　punctuation　mark　in　her　letter；
but　with　a　great　deal　of　sense；　that　such　a　thing　as　her　going　to　Europe
could　not　be　settled　by　telegraph。　　She　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to
report　all　the　facts　of　a　consultation　with　the　rector　which　they　had
held　upon　getting　Clementina's　request；　and　which　had　renewed　all　the
original　question　of　her　relations　with　Mrs。　Lander　in　an　intensified
form。　　He　had　disposed　of　this　upon　much　the　same　terms　as　before；　and
they　had　yielded　more　readily　because　the　experiment　had　so　far
succeeded。　　Clementina　had　apparently　no　complaint　to　make　of　Mrs。
Lander；　she　was　eager　to　go；　and　the　rector　and　his　wife；　who　had　been
invited　to　be　of　the　council；　were　both　of　the　opinion　that　a　course　of
European　travel　would　be　of　the　greatest　advantage　to　the　girl；　if　she
wished　to　fit　herself　for　teaching。　　It　was　an　opportunity　that　they　must
not　think　of　throwing　away。　　If　Mrs。　Lander　went　to　Florence；　as　it
seemed　from　Clementina's　letter　she　thought　of　doing；　the　girl　would　pass
a　delightful　winter　in　study　of　one　of　the　most　interesting　cities　in　the
world；　and　she　would　learn　things　which　would　enable　her　to　do　better　for
herself　when　she　came　home　than　she　could　ever　hope　to　do　otherwise。　　She
might　never　marry；　Mr。　Richling　suggested；　and　it　was　only　right　and　fair
that　she　should　be　equipped　with　as　much　culture　as　possible　for　the
struggle　of　life；　Mrs。　Richling　agreed　with　this　rather　vague　theory；　but
she　was　sure　that　Clementina　would　get　married　to　greater　advantage　in
Florence　than　anywhere　else。　　They　neither　of　them　really　knew　anything
at　first　hand　about　Florence；　the　rector's　opinion　was　grounded　on　the
thought　of　the　joy　that　a　sojourn　in　Italy　would　have　been　to　him；　his
wife　derived　her　hope　of　a　Florentine　marriage　for　Clementina　from
several　romances　in　which　love　and　travel　had　gone　hand　in　hand；　to　the
lasting　credit　of　t