ragged lady, v2-第14节

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the　headwaitathat　student。〃

Mrs。　Lander　jerked　her　head　round　on　the　pillow。　　〃Well；　of　all　theWhat
does　he　want；　over　he'a？〃

〃Nothing。　　That　ishe's　travelling　with　a　pupil　that　he's　preparing　for
college；　andhe　came　to　see　us〃

〃D'you　tell　him　I　couldn't　see　him？〃

〃Yes〃

〃I　guess　he'd　think　I　was　a　pretty　changed　pusson！　　Now；　I　want　you
should　stay　with　me；　Clementina；　and　if　anybody　else　comes〃

Maddalena　entered　the　room　with　a　card　which　she　gave　to　the　girl。

〃Who　is　it？〃　Mrs。　Lander　demanded。

〃Miss　Milray。〃

〃Of　cou'se！　　Well；　you　may　just　send　wo'd　that　you　can't　Or；　no；　you
must　！　　She'd　have　it　all　ova　the　place；　by　night；　that　I　wouldn't　let
you　see　her。　　But　don't　you　make　any　excuse　for　me！　　If　she　asks　after
me；　don't　you　say　I'm　sick！　　You　say　I'm　not　at　home。〃

〃I've　come　about　that　little　wretch；〃　Miss　Milray　began；　after　kissing
Clementina。　　〃I　didn't　know　but　you　had　heard　something　I　hadn't；　or　I
had　heard　something　you　hadn't。　　You　know　I　belong　to　the　Hinkle
persuasion：　I　think　Belsky's　run　his　boardas　Mr。　Hinkle　calls　it。〃

Clementina　explained　how　this　part　of　the　Hinkle　theory　had　failed；　and
then　Miss　Milray　devolved　upon　the　belief　that　he　had　run　his　tailor's
bill　or　his　shoemaker's。　　〃They　are　delightful；　those　Russians；　but
they're　born　insolvent。　　I　don't　believe　he's　drowned　himself。　　How；〃　she
broke　off　to　ask；　in　a　burlesque　whisper；　〃is…the…old…tabby？〃　She
laughed；　for　answer　to　her　own　question；　and　then　with　another　sudden
diversion　she　demanded　of　a　look　in　Clementina's　face　which　would　not　be
laughed　away；　〃Well；　my　dear；　what　is　it？〃

〃Miss　Milray；〃　said　the　girl；　〃should　you　think　me　very　silly；　if　I　told
you　somethingsilly？〃

〃Not　in　the　least！〃　cried　Miss　Milray；　joyously。　　〃It's　the　final　proof
of　your　wisdom　that　I've　been　waiting　for？〃

〃It's　because　Mr。　Belsky　is　all　mixed　up　in　it；〃　said　Clementina；　as　if
some　excuse　were　necessary；　and　then　she　told　the　story　of　her　love
affair　with　Gregory。　　Miss　Milray　punctuated　the　several　facts　with　vivid
nods；　but　at　the　end　she　did　not　ask　her　anything；　and　the　girl　somehow
felt　the　freer　to　add：　〃I　believe　I　will　tell　you　his　name。　　It　is　Mr。
GregoryFrank　Gregory〃

〃And　he's　been　in　Egypt？〃

〃Yes；　the　whole　winta。〃

〃Then　he's　the　one　that　my　sister…in…law　has　been　writing　me　about！〃

〃Oh；　did　he　meet　her　the'a？〃

〃I　should　think　so　！　　And　he'll　meet　her　）were；　very　soon。　　She's　coming；
with　my　poor　brother。　　I　meant　to　tell　you；　but　this　ridiculous　Belsky
business　drove　it　out　of　my　head。〃

〃And　do　you　think；〃　Clementina　entreated；　〃that　he　was　to　blame？〃

〃Why；　I　don't　believe　he's　done　it；　you　know。〃

〃Oh；　I　didn't　mean　Mr。　Belsky。　　I　meantMr。　Gregory。　　For　telling　Mr。
Belsky？〃

〃Certainly　not。　　Men　always　tell　those　things　to　some　one；　I　suppose。
Nobody　was　to　blame　but　Belsky；　for　his　meddling。〃

Miss　Milray　rose　and　shook　out　her　plumes　for　flight；　as　if　she　were
rather　eager　for　flight；　but　at　the　little　sigh　with　which　Clementina
said；　〃Yes；　that　is　what　I　thought；〃　she　faltered。

〃I　was　going　to　run　away；　for　I　shouldn't　like　to　mix　myself　up　in　your
affairit's　certainly　a　very　strange　oneunless　I　was　sure　I　could　help
you。　　But　if　you　think　I　can〃

Clementina　shook　her　head。　　〃I　don't　believe　you　can；〃　she　said；　with　a
candor　so　wistful　that　Miss　Milray　stopped　quite　short。　　〃How　does　Mr。
Gregory　take　this　Belsky　business？〃　she　asked。

〃I　guess　he　feels　it　moa　than　I　do；〃　said　the　girl。

〃He　shows　his　feeling　more？〃

〃Yesno　He　believes　he　drove　him　to　it。〃

Miss　Milray　took　her　hand；　for　parting；　but　did　not　kiss　her。　　〃I　won't
advise　you；　my　dear。　　In　fact；　yon　haven't　asked　me　to。　　You'll　know　what
to　do；　if　you　haven't　done　it　already；　girls　usually　have；　when　they　want
advice。　　Was　there　something　you　were　going　to　say？〃

〃Oh；　no。　　Nothing。　　Do　you　think；〃　she　hesitated；　appealingly；　〃do　you
think　we　are…engaged？〃

〃If　he's　anything　of　a　man　at　all；　he　must　think　he　is。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina；　wistfully；　〃I　guess　he　does。〃

Miss　Milray　looked　sharply　at　her。　　〃And　does　he　think　you　are？〃

〃I　don't　knowhe　didn't　say。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Miss　Milray；　rather　dryly；　〃then　it's　something　for　you　to
think　over　pretty　carefully。〃




XXVI。

Hinkle　came　back　in　the　afternoon　to　make　a　hopeful　report　of　his　failure
to　learn　anything　more　of　Belsky；　but　Gregory　did　not　come　with　him。　　He
came　the　next　morning　long　before　Clementina　expected　visitors；　and　he
was　walking　nervously　up　and　down　the　room　when　she　appeared。　　As　if　he
could　not　speak；　he　held　toward　her　without　speaking　a　telegram　in
English；　dated　that　day　in　Rome：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Deny　report　of　my　death。　　Have　written。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Belsky。〃

She　looked　up　at　Gregory　from　the　paper；　when　she　had　read　it；　with
joyful　eyes。　　〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad　for　you！　　I　am　so　glad　he　is　alive。〃

He　took　the　dispatch　from　her　hand。　　〃I　brought　it　to　you　as　soon　as　it
came：

〃Yes；　yes！　　Of　cou'se！〃

〃I　must　go　now　and　do　what　he　saysI　don't　know　how　yet。〃　　He　stopped；
and　then　went　on　from　a　different　impulse。　　〃Clementina；　it　isn't　a
question　now　of　that　wretch's　life　and　death；　and　I　wish　I　need　never
speak　of　him　again。　　But　what　he　told　you　was　true。〃　　He　looked
steadfastly　at　her；　and　she　realized　how　handsome　he　was；　and　how　well
dressed。　　His　thick　red　hair　seemed　to　have　grown　darker　above　his
forehead；　his　moustache　was　heavier；　and　it　curved　in　at　the　corners　of
his　mouth；　he　bore　himself　with　a　sort　of　self…disdain　that　enhanced　his
splendor。　　〃I　have　never　changed　toward　you；　I　don't　say　it　to　make　favor
with　you；　I　don't　expect　to　do　that　now；　but　it　is　true。　　That　night；
there　at　Middlemount；　I　tried　to　take　back　what　I　said；　because　I
believed　that　I　ought。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　knew　that；〃　said　Clementina；　in　the　pause　he　made。

〃We　were　both　too　young；　I　had　no　prospect　in　life；　I　saw；　the　instant
after　I　had　spoken；　that　I　had　no　right　to　let　you　promise　anything。
I　tried　to　forget　you；　I　couldn't。　　I　tried　to　make　you　forget　me。〃
He　faltered；　and　she　did　not　speak；　but　her　head　drooped　a　little。
〃I　won't　ask　how　far　I　succeeded。　　I　always　hoped　that　the　time　would
come　when　I　could　speak　to　you　again。　　When　I　heard　from　Fane　that　you
were　at　Woodlake；　I　wished　to　come　out　and　see　you；　but　I　hadn't　the
courage；　I　hadn't　the　right。　　I've　had　to　come　to　you　without　either；
now。　　Did　he　speak　to　you　about　me？〃

〃I　thought　he　was　beginning　to；　once；　but　he　neva　did。〃

〃It　didn't　matter；　it　could　only　have　made　bad　worse。　　It　can't　help　me
to　say　that　somehow　I　was　wishing　and　trying　to　do　what　was　right；　but　I
was。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　that；　Mr。　Gregory；〃　said　Clementina；　generously。

〃Then　you　didn't　doubt　me；　in　spite　of　all？〃

〃I　thought　you　would　know　what　to　do。　　No；　I　didn't　doubt　you；　exactly。〃

〃I　didn't　deserve　your　trust！〃　he　cried。　　〃How　came　that　man　to　mention
me？〃　he　demanded；　abruptly；　after　a　moment's　silence。

〃Mr。　Belsky？　　It　was　the　first　night　I　saw　him；　and　we　were　talking　about
Americans；　and　he　began　to　tell　me　about　an　American　friend　of　his；　who
was　very　conscientious。　　I　thought　it　must　be　you　the　fust　moment；〃　said
Clementina；　smiling　with　an　impersonal　pleasure　in　the　fact。

〃From　the　conscientiousness？〃　　he　asked；　in　bitter　self…irony。

〃Why；　yes；〃　she　returned；　simply。　　〃That　was　what　made　me　think　of　you。
And　the　last　time　when　he　began　to　talk　about　you；　I　couldn't　stop　him；
although　I　knew　he　had　no　right　to。〃

〃He　had　no　right。　　But　I　gave　him　the　power　to　do　it！　　He　meant　no　harm；
but　I　enabled　him　to　do　all　the　harm。〃

〃Oh；　if　he's　only　alive；　now；　there　is　no　harm！〃

He　looked　into　her　eyes　with　a　misgiving　from　which　be　burst　impetuously。
〃Then　you　do　care　for　me　still；　after　all　that　I　have　done　to　make　you
detest　me？〃　　He　started　toward　her；　but　she　shrank　back。

〃I　didn't　mean　that；〃　she　hesitated。

〃You　know　that　I　love　you；that　I　have　always　loved　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　assented。　　〃But　you　might　be　sorry　again　that　you　had　said
it。〃　　It　sounded　like　coquetry；　but　he　knew　it　was　not　coquetry。

〃Never！　　I've　wished　to　say　it　again；　ever　since　that　night　at
Middlemount；　I　have　always　felt　bound　by　what　I　said　then；　though　I　took
back　my　words　for　your　sake。　　But　the　promise　was　always　there；　and　my
life　was　in　it。　　You　believe　that？〃

〃Why；　I　always　believed　what　you　said；　Mr。　Gregory。〃

〃Well？〃

Clementina　paused；　with　her　head　seriously　on　one　side。　　〃I　should　want
to　think　about　it　before　I　said　anything。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　he　submitted；　dropping　his　outstretched　arms　to　his
side。　　〃I　have　been　thinking　only　of　myself；　as　usual。〃

〃No；〃　she　protested；　compassionately。　　〃But　doesn't　it　seem　as　if　we
ought　to　be　su'a；　this　time？　　I　did　ca'e　for　you　then；　but　I　was　very
young；　and　I　don't　know　yet　I　thought　I　had　always　felt　just；　as　you
did；　but　now　Don't　you　think　we　had　both　betta　wait　a　little　while　till
we　ah'　moa　suttain？〃

They　stood　looking　at　each　other；　and　he　said；　with　a　kind　of　passionate
self…denial；　〃Yes；　think　it　over　for　me；　too。　　I　will　come　back；　if　you
will　let　me。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you！〃　she　cried　after　him；　grat