ragged lady, v2-第17节

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I　shall　be　there　early　in　June。　　Good　bye；　dear；　and　say　good　bye　to　Mrs。
Lander　for　me。〃




XXVIII。

Dr。　Welwright　got　his　patient　a　lodging　on　the　Grand　Canal　in　Venice；　and
decided　to　stay　long　enough　to　note　the　first　effect　of　the　air　and　the
baths；　and　to　look　up　a　doctor　to　leave　her　with。

This　took　something　more　than　a　week；　which　could　not　all　be　spent　in
Mrs。　Lander's　company；　much　as　she　wished　it。　　There　were　hours　which　he
gave　to　going　about　in　a　gondola　with　Clementina；　whom　he　forbade　to　be
always　at　the　invalid's　side。　　He　tried　to　reassure　her　as　to　Mrs。
Lander's　health；　when　be　found　her　rather　mute　and　absent；　while　they
drifted　in　the　silvery　sun　of　the　late　April　weather；　just　beginning　to
be　warm；　but　not　warm　enough　yet　for　the　tent　of　the　open　gondola。　　He
asked　her　about　Mrs。　Lander's　family；　and　Clementina　could　only　tell　him
that　she　had　always　said　she　had　none。　　She　told　him　the　story　of　her　own
relation　to　her；　and　he　said；　〃Yes；　I　heard　something　of　that　from　Miss
Milray。〃　　After　a　moment　of　silence；　during　which　he　looked　curiously
into　the　girl's　eyes；　〃Do　you　think　you　can　bear　a　little　more　care；　Miss
Claxon？〃

〃I　think　I　can；〃　said　Clementina；　not　very　courageously；　but　patiently。

〃It's　only　this；　and　I　wouldn't　tell　you　if　I　hadn't　thought　you　equal　to
it。　　Mrs。　Lander's　case　puzzles　me：　But　I　shall　leave　Dr。　Tradonico
watching　it；　and　if　it　takes　the　turn　that　there's　a　chance　it　may　take；
he　will　tell　you；　and　you'd　better　find　out　about　her　friends；　andlet
them　know。　　That's　all。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina；　as　if　it　were　not　quite　enough。　　Perhaps　she　did
not　fully　realize　all　that　the　doctor　had　intended；　life　alone　is
credible　to　the　young；　life　and　the　expectation　of　it。

The　night　before　he　was　to　return　to　Florence　there　was　a　full　moon；　and
when　he　had　got　Mrs。　Lander　to　sleep　he　asked　Clementina　if　she　would　not
go　out　on　the　lagoon　with　him。　　He　assigned　no　peculiar　virtue　to　the
moonlight；　and　he　had　no　new　charge　to　give　her　concerning　his　patient
when　they　were　embarked。　　He　seemed　to　wish　her　to　talk　about　herself；
and　when　she　strayed　from　the　topic；　he　prompted　her　return。　　Then　he
wished　to　know　how　she　liked　Florence；　as　compared　with　Venice；　and　all
the　other　cities　she　had　seen；　and　when　she　said　she　had　not　seen　any　but
Boston　and　New　York；　and　London　for　one　night；　he　wished　to　know　whether
she　liked　Florence　as　well。　　She　said　she　liked　it　best　of　all；　and　he
told　her　he　was　very　glad；　for　he　liked　it　himself　better　than　any　place
he　had　ever　seen。　　He　spoke　of　his　family　in　America；　which　was　formed　of
grownup　brothers　and　sisters；　so　that　he　had　none　of　the　closest　and
tenderest　ties　obliging　him　to　return；　there　was　no　reason　why　he　should
not　spend　all　his　days　in　Florence；　except　for　some　brief　visits　home。
It　would　be　another　thing　with　such　a　place　as　Venice；　he　could　never
have　the　same　settled　feeling　there：　it　was　beautiful；　but　it　was　unreal；
it　would　be　like　spending　one's　life　at　the　opera。　　Did　not　she　think　so？

She　thought　so；　oh；　yes；　she　never　could　have　the　home…feeling　at　Venice
that　she　had　at　Florence。

〃Exactly；　that's　what　I　meanta　home…feeling；　I'm　glad　you　had　it。〃　　He
let　the　gondola　dip　and　slide　forward　almost　a　minute　before　he　added；
with　an　effect　of　pulling　a　voice　up　out　of　his　throat　somewhere；　〃How
would　you　like　to　live　therewith　meas　my　wife？〃

〃Why；　what　do　you　mean；　Dr。　Welwright？〃　　asked　Clementina；　with　a　vague
laugh。

Dr。　Welwright　laughed；　too；　but　not　vaguely；　there　was　a　mounting
cheerfulness　in　his　laugh。　　〃What　I　say。　　I　hope　it　isn't　very
surprising。〃

〃No；　but　I　never　thought　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃Perhaps　you　will　think　of　it　now。〃

〃But　you're　not　in　ea'nest！〃

〃I'm　thoroughly　in　earnest；〃　said　the　doctor；　and　he　seemed　very　much
amused　at　her　incredulity。

〃Then；　I'm　sorry；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　couldn't。〃

〃No？〃　he　said；　still　with　amusement；　or　with　a　courage　that　took　that
form。　　〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　I　amnot　free。〃

For　an　interval　they　were　so　silent　that　they　could　hear　each　other
breathe：　Then；　after　be　had　quietly　bidden　the　gondolier　go　back　to　their
hotel；　he　asked；　〃If　you　had　been　free　you　might　have　answered　me
differently？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Clementina；　candidly。　　〃I　never　thought　of　it。〃

〃It　isn't　because　you　disliked　me？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

〃Then　I　must　get　what　comfort　I　can　out　of　that。　　I　hope；　with　all　my
heart；　that　you　may　be　happy。〃

〃Why；　Dr。　Welwright！〃　said　Clementina。　　〃Don't　you　suppose　that　I　should
be　glad　to　do　it；　if　I　could？　　Any　one　would！〃

〃It　doesn't　seem　very　probable；　just　now；〃　he　answered；　humbly。
〃But　I'll　believe　it　if　you　say　so。〃

〃I　do　say　so；　and　I　always　shall。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

Dr。　Welwright　professed　himself　ready　for　his　departure；　at　breakfast
next　morning　and　he　must　have　made　his　preparations　very　late　or　very
early。　　He　was　explicit　in　his　charges　to　Clementina　concerning　Mrs。
Lander；　and　at　the　end　of　them；　he　said；　〃She　will　not　know　when　she　is
asking　too　much　of　you；　but　you　will；　and　you　must　act　upon　your
knowledge。　　And　remember；　if　you　are　in　need　of　help；　of　any　kind；　you're
to　let　me　know。　　Will　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；　Dr。　Welwright。〃

〃People　will　be　going　away　soon；　and　I　shall　not　be　so　busy。　　I　can　come
back　if　Dr。　Tradonico　thinks　it　necessary。〃

He　left　Mrs。　Lander　full　of　resolutions　to　look　after　her　own　welfare　in
every　way；　and　she　went　out　in　her　gondola　the　same　morning。　　She　was　not
only　to　take　the　air　as　much　as　possible；　but　she　was　to　amuse　herself；
and　she　decided　that　she　would　have　her　second　breakfast　at　the　Caffe
Florian。　　Venice　was　beginning　to　fill　up　with　arrivals　from　the　south；
and　it　need　not　have　been　so　surprising　to　find　Mr。　Hinkle　there　over　a
cup　of　coffee。　　He　said　he　had　just　that　moment　been　thinking　of　her；　and
meaning　to　look　her　up　at　the　hotel。　　He　said　that　he　had　stopped　at
Venice　because　it　was　such　a　splendid　place　to　introduce　his　gleaner；　he
invited　Mrs。　Lander　to　become　a　partner　in　the　enterprise；　he　promised
her　a　return　of　fifty　per　cent。　on　her　investment。　　If　he　could　once
introduce　his　gleaner　in　Venice；　he　should　be　a　made　man。　　He　asked　Mrs。
Lander；　with　real　feeling；　how　she　was；　as　for　Miss　Clementina；　he　need
not　ask。

〃Oh；　indeed；　the　docta　thinks　she　wants　a　little　lookin'　after；　too；〃
said　Mrs。　Lander。

〃Well；　about　as　much　as　you　do；　Mrs。　Lander；〃　Hinkle　allowed；　tolerantly。
〃I　don't　know　how　it　affects　you；　ma'am；　such　a　meeting　of　friends　in
these　strange　waters；　but　it's　building　me　right　up。　　It's　made　another
man　of　me；　already；　and　I've　got　the　other　man's　appetite；　too。　　Mind　my
letting　him　have　his　breakfast　here　with　me　at　your　table？〃　　He　bade　the
waiter　just　fetch　his　plate。　　He　attached　himself　to　them；　he　spent　the
day　with　them。　　Mrs。　Lander　asked　him　to　dinner　at　her　lodgings；　and　left
him　to　Clementina　over　the　coffee。

〃She's　looking　fine；　doesn't　the　doctor　think？　　This　air　will　do
everything　for　her。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　she's　a　great　deal　betta　than　she　was　befo'e　we　came。〃

〃That's　right。　　Well；　now；　you've　got　me　here；　you　must　let　me　make
myself　useful　any　way　I　can。　　I've　got　a　spare　month　that　I　can　put　in
here　in　Venice；　just　as　well　as　not；　I　sha'n't　want　to　push　north　till
the　frost's　out　of　the　ground。　　They　wouldn't　have　a　chance　to　try　my
gleaner；　on　the　other　side　of　the　Alps　much　before　September；　anyway。
Now；　in　Ohio；　the　part　I　come　from；　we　cut　our　wheat　in　June。　　When　is
your　wheat　harvest　at　Middlemount？〃

Clementina　laughed。　　〃I　don't　believe　we've　got　any。　　I　guess　it's　all
grass。〃

〃I　wish　you　could　see　our　country　out　there；　once。〃

〃Is　it　nice？〃

〃Nice？　　We're　right　in　the　centre　of　the　state；　measuring　from　north　to
south；　on　the　old　National　Road。〃　　Clementina　had　never　heard　of　this
road；　but　she　did　not　say　so。　　〃About　five　miles　back　from　the　Ohio
River；　where　the　coal　comes　up　out　of　the　ground；　because　there's　so　much
of　it　there's　no　room　for　it　below。　　Our　farm's　in　a　valley；　along　a
creek　bottom；　what　you　Yankees　call　an　intervals；　we've　got　three　hundred
acres。　　My　grandfather　took　up　the　land；　and　then　he　went　back　to
Pennsylvania　to　get　the　girl　he'd　left　therewe　were　Pennsylvania　Dutch；
that's　where　I　got　my　romantic　namethey　drove　all　the　way　out　to　Ohio
again　in　his　buggy；　and　when　he　came　in　sight　of　our　valley　with　his
bride；　he　stood　up　in　his　buggy　and　pointed　with　his　whip。　　〃There！　　As
far　as　the　sky　is　blue；　it's　all　ours！〃

Clementina　owned　the　charm　of　his　story　as　he　seemed　to　expect；　but　when
he　said；　〃Yes；　I　want　you　to　see　that　country；　some　day；〃　she　answered
cautiously。

〃It　must　be　lovely。　　But　I　don't　expect　to　go　West；　eva。〃

〃I　like　your　Eastern　way　of　saying　everr；〃　said　Hinkle；　and　he　said　it　in
his　Western　way。　　〃I　like　New　England　folks。〃

Clementina　smiled　discreetly。　　〃They　have　their　faults　like　everybody
else；　I　presume。〃

〃Ah；　that's　a　regular　Yankee　word：　presume；〃　said　Hinkle。　　〃Our　teacher；
my　first　one；　always　said　presume。　　She　was　from　your　State；　too。〃




XXIX。

In　the　time　of　provisional　quiet　that　followed　for　Clementina；　sh