ragged lady, v2-第22节

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up　till　I　knew　something　that　no　one　but　you　can　tell　me。　　You　are　not
bound　to　any　body　unless　you　wish　to　be　so。　　That　is　what　I　see　now；　and
I　will　not　give　you　up　if　I　can　help　it。　　Even　if　you　had　made　a　promise；
and　then　changed　your　mind；　you　would　not　be　bound　in　such　a　thing　as
this。　　I　say　this；　and　I　know　you　will　not　believe　I　say　it　because　I
want　you。　　I　do　want　you；　but　I　would　not　urge　you　to　break　your　faith。
I　only　ask　you　to　realize　that　if　you　kept　your　word　when　your　heart　had
gone　out　of　it；　you　would　be　breaking　your　faith；　and　if　you　broke　your
word　you　would　be　keeping　your　faith。　　But　if　your　heart　is　still　in　your
word；　I　have　no　more　to　say。　　Nobody　knows　but　you。　　I　would　get　out　and
take　the　first　train　back　to　Venice　if　it　were　not　for　two　things。　　I
know　it　would　be　hard　on　me；　and　I　am　afraid　it　might　be　hard　on　you。
But　if　you　will　write　me　a　line　at　Milan；　when　you　get　this；　or　if　you
will　write　to　me　at　London　before　July；　or　at　New　York　at　any　timefor　I
expect　to　wait　as　long　as　I　live〃

The　letter　ended　here　in　the　local　addresses　which　the　writer　gave。

Miss　Milray　handed　the　leaves　back　to　Clementina；　who　put　them　into　her
pocket；　and　apparently　waited　for　her　questions。

〃And　have　you　written？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　girl；　slowly　and　thoughtfully；　〃I　haven't。　　I　wanted　to；
at　fust；　and　then；　I　thought　that　if　he　truly　meant　what　he　said　he　would
be　willing　to　wait。〃

〃And　why　did　you　want　to　wait？〃

Clementina　replied　with　a　question　of　her　own。　　〃Miss　Milray；　what　do　you
think　about　Mr。　Gregory？〃

〃Oh；　you　mustn't　ask　me　that；　my　dear！　　I　was　afraid　I　had　told　you　too
plainly；　the　last　time。〃

〃I　don't　mean　about　his　letting　me　think　he　didn't　ca'e　for　me；　so　long。
But　don't　you　think　he　wants　to　do　what　is　right！　　Mr。　Gregory；　I　mean。〃

〃Well；　if　you　put　me　on　my　honor；　I'm　afraid　I　do。〃

〃You　see；〃　Clementina　resumed。　　〃He　was　the　fust　one；　and　I　did　ca'e　for
him　a　great　deal；　and　I　might　have　gone　on　caring　for　him；　if　When　I
found　out　that　I　didn't　care　any　longer；　or　so　much；　it　seemed　to　me　as
if　it　must　be　wrong。　　Do　you　think　it　was？〃

〃No…no。〃

〃When　I　got　to　thinking　about　some　one　else　at　fust　it　was　only　not
thinking　about　himI　was　ashamed。　　Then　I　tried　to　make　out　that　I　was
too　young　in　the　fust　place；　to　know　whether　I　really　ca'ed　for　any　one
in　the　right　way；　but　after　I　made　out　that　I　was；　I　couldn't　feel
exactly　easyand　I've　been　wanting　to　ask　you；　Miss　Milray〃

〃Ask　me　anything　you　like；　my　dear！〃

〃Why；　it's　only　whether　a　person　ought　eva　to　change。〃

〃We　change　whether　we　ought；　or　not。　　It　isn't　a　matter　of　duty；　one　way
or　another。〃

〃Yes；　but　ought　we　to　stop　caring　for　somebody；　when　perhaps　we　shouldn't
if　somebody　else　hadn't　come　between？　　That　is　the　question。〃

〃No；〃　Miss　Milray　retorted；　〃that　isn't　at　all　the　question。　　The
question　is　which　you　want　and　whether　you　could　get　him。　　Whichever　you
want　most　it　is　right　for　you　to　have。〃

〃Do　you　truly　think　so？〃

〃I　do；　indeed。　　This　is　the　one　thing　in　life　where　one　may　choose　safest
what　one　likes　best；　I　mean　if　there　is　nothing　bad　in　the　man　himself。〃

〃I　was　afraid　it　would　be　wrong！　　That　was　what　I　meant　by　wanting　to　be
fai'a　with　Mr。　Gregory　when　I　told　you　about　him　there　in　Florence。　　I
don't　believe　but　what　it　had　begun　then。〃

〃What　had　begun？〃

〃About　Mr。　Hinkle。〃

Miss　Milray　burst　into　a　laugh。　　〃Clementina；　you're　delicious！〃
The　girl　looked　hurt；　and　Miss　Milray　asked　seriously；　Why　do　you　like
Mr。　Hinkle　bestif　you　do？〃

Clementina　sighed。　　Oh；　I　don't　know。　　He's　so　resting。〃

〃Then　that　settles　it。　　From　first　to　last；　what　we　poor　women　want　is
rest。　　It　would　be　a　wicked　thing　for　you　to　throw　your　life　away　on　some
one　who　would　worry　you　out　of　it。　　I　don't　wish　to　say　any　thing　against
Mr。　Gregory。　　I　dare　say　be　is　goodand　conscientious；　but　life　is　a
struggle；　at　the　best；　and　it's　your　duty　to　take　the　best　chance　for
resting。〃

Clementina　did　not　look　altogether　convinced；　whether　it　was　Miss
Milray's　logic　or　her　morality　that　failed　to　convince　her。　　She　said；
after　a　moment；　〃I　should　like　to　see　Mr。　Gregory　again。〃

〃What　good　would　that　do？〃

〃Why；　then　I　should　know。〃

〃Know　what？〃

〃Whether　I　didn't　really　ca'e　for　him　any　moreor　so　much。〃

〃Clementina；〃　said　Miss　Milray；　〃you　mustn't　make　me　lose　patience　with
you〃

〃No。　　But　I　thought　you　said　that　it　was　my　duty　to　do　what　I　wished。〃

〃Well；　yes。　　That　is　what　I　said；〃　Miss　Milray　consented。　　〃But　I
supposed　that　you　knew　already。〃

〃No；〃　said　Clementina；　candidly；　〃I　don't　believe　I　do。〃

〃And　what　if　you　don't　see　him？〃

〃I　guess　I　shall　have　to　wait　till　I　do。　　The'e　will　be　time　enough。〃

Miss　Milray　sighed；　and　then　she　laughed。　　〃You　ARE　young！〃




XXXII。

Miss　Milray　went　from　Clementina　to　call　upon　her　sister…in…law；　and
found　her　brother；　which　was　perhaps　what　she　hoped　might　happen。

〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said；　〃that　that　old　wretch　is　going　to　defraud　that
poor　thing；　after　all；　and　leave　her　money　to　her　husband's　half…sister's
children？〃

〃You　wish　me　to　infer　the　Mrs。　LanderClementina　situation？〃　　Milray
returned。

〃Yes！〃

〃I'm　glad　you　put　it　in　terms　that　are　not　actionable；　then；　for　your
words　are　decidedly　libellous。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I've　just　been　writing　Mrs。　Lander's　will　for　her；　and　she's　left　all
her　property　to　Clementina；　except　five　thousand　apiece　to　the　half…
sister's　three　children。〃

〃I　can't　believe　it！〃

〃Well；〃　said　Milray；　with　his　gentle　smile；　〃I　think　that's　safe　ground
for　you。　　Mrs。　Lander　will　probably　have　time　enough　to　change　her　will
as　well　as　her　mind　several　times　yet　before　she　dies。　　The　half…sister's
children　may　get　their　rights　yet。〃

〃I　wish　they　might！〃　said　Miss　Milray；　with　an　impassioned　sigh。　　〃Then
perhaps　I　should　get　Clementinafor　a　while。〃

Her　brother　laughed。　　〃Isn't　there　somebody　else　wants　Clementina？

〃Oh；　plenty。　　But　she's　not　sure　she　wants　anybody　else。〃

〃Does　she　want　you？〃

〃No；　I　can't　say　she　does。　　She　wants　to　go　home。〃

〃That's　not　a　bad　scheme。　　I　should　like　to　go　home　myself　if　I　had　one。
What　would　you　have　done　with　Clementina　if　you　had　got　her；　Jenny？〃

〃What　would　any　one　have　done　with　her？　　Married　her　brilliantly；　of
course。〃

〃But　you　say　she　isn't　sure　she　wishes　to　be　married　at　all？〃

Miss　Milray　stated　the　case　of　Clementina's　divided　mind；　and　her　belief
that　she　would　take　Hinkle　in　the　end；　together　with　the　fear　that　she
might　take　Gregory。　　〃She's　very　odd；〃　Miss　Milray　concluded。　　〃She
puzzles　me。　　Why　did　you　ever　send　her　to　me？〃

Milray　laughed。　　〃I　don't　know。　　I　thought　she　would　amuse　you；　and　I
thought　it　would　be　a　pleasure　to　her。〃

They　began　to　talk　of　some　affairs　of　their　own；　from　which　Miss　Milray
returned　to　Clementina　with　the　ache　of　an　imperfectly　satisfied
intention。　　If　she　had　meant　to　urge　her　brother　to　seek　justice　for　the
girl　from　Mrs。　Lander；　she　was　not　so　well　pleased　to　have　found　justice
done　already。　　But　the　will　had　been　duly　signed　and　witnessed　before　the
American　vice…consul；　and　she　must　get　what　good　she　could　out　of　an
accomplished　fact。　　It　was　at　least　a　consolation　to　know　that　it　put　an
end　to　her　sister…in…law's　patronage　of　the　girl；　and　it　would　be
interesting　to　see　Mrs。　Milray　adapt　her　behavior　to　Clementina's
fortunes。　　She　did　not　really　dislike　her　sister…in…law　enough　to　do　her
a　wrong；　she　was　only　willing　that　she　should　do　herself　a　wrong。
But　one　of　the　most　disappointing　things　in　all　hostile　operations　is
that　you　never　can　know　what　the　enemy　would　be　at；　and　Mrs。　Milray's
manoevres　were　sometimes　dictated　by　such　impulses　that　her　strategy　was
peculiarly　baffling。　　The　thought　of　her　past　unkindness　to　Clementina
may　still　have　rankled　in　her；　or　she　may　simply　have　felt　the　need　of
outdoing　Miss　Milray　by　an　unapproachable　benefaction。　　It　is　certain
that　when　Baron　Belsky　came　to　Venice　a　few　weeks　after　her　own　arrival；
they　began　to　pose　at　each　other　with　reference　to　Clementina；　she　with
a　measure　of　consciousness；　he　with　the　singleness　of　a　nature　that　was
all　pose。　　In　his　forbearance　to　win　Clementina　from　Gregory　he　had
enjoyed　the　distinction　of　an　unique　suffering；　and　in　allowing　the　fact
to　impart　itself　to　Mrs。　Milray；　he　bathed　in　the　warmth　of　her
flattering　sympathy。　　Before　she　withdrew　this；　as　she　must　when　she　got
tired　of　him；　she　learned　from　him　where　Gregory　was；　for　it　seemed　that
Gregory　had　so　far　forgiven　the　past　that　they　had　again　written　to　each
other。

During　the　fortnight　of　Belsky's　stay　in　Venice　Mrs。　Lander　was　much
worse；　and　Clementina　met　him　only　once；　very　briefly　She　felt　that　he
had　behaved　like　a　very　silly　person；　but　that　was　all　over　now；　and　she
had　no　wish　to　punish　him　for　it。　　At　the　end　of　his　fortnight　he　went
northward　into　the　Austrian　Tyrol；　and　a　few　days　later　Gregory　came　down
from　the　Dolomites　to　Venice。

It　was　in　his　favor　with　Clementina　that　he　yielded　to　the　impulse　he　had
to　come　directly　to　her；　and　that　he　let　her　know　with　the　first　words
that　he　had　acted　upon　hopes　giv