ragged lady, v2-第24节

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afterwards；　it　appealed　to　her　old　nomadic　instinct；　but　when　the　consul
was　gone　she　gave　it　up。　　〃We　couldn't　git　the'e；　Clementina。　　I　got　to
stay　he'e　till　I　git　up　my　stren'th。　　I　suppose　you'd　be　glad　enough　to
have　me　sta't；　now　the'e's　nobody　he'e　but　me；〃　she　added；　suspiciously。
〃You　git　this　scheme　up；　or　him？〃

Clementina　did　not　defend　herself；　and　Mrs。　Lander　presently　came　to　her
defence。　　〃I　don't　believe　but　what　he　meant　it　fo'　the　bestor　you；
whichever　it　was；　and　I　appreciate　it；　but　all　is　I　couldn't　git　off。　　I
guess　this　aia　will　do　me　as　much　good　as　anything；　come　to　have　it　a
little　coola。〃

They　went　every　afternoon　to　the　Lido；　where　a　wheeled　chair　met　them；
and　Mrs。　Lander　was　trundled　across　the　narrow　island　to　the　beach。　　In
the　evenings　they　went　to　the　Piazza；　where　their　faces　and　figures　had
become　known；　and　the　Venetians　gossipped　them　down　to　the　last　fact　of
their　relation　with　an　accuracy　creditable　to　their　ingenuity　in　the
affairs　of　others。　　To　them　Mrs。　Lander　was　the　sick　American；　very　rich；
and　Clementina　was　her　adoptive　daughter；　who　would　have　her　millions
after　her。　　Neither　knew　the　character　they　bore　to　the　amiable　and
inquisitive　public　of　the　Piazza；　or　cared　for　the　fine　eyes　that　aimed
their　steadfast　gaze　at　them　along　the　tubes　of　straw…barreled　Virginia
cigars；　or　across　little　cups　of　coffee。　　Mrs。　Lander　merely　remarked
that　the　Venetians　seemed　great　for　gaping；　and　Clementina　was　for　the
most　part　innocent　of　their　stare。

She　rested　in　the　choice　she　had　made　in　a　content　which　was　qualified　by
no　misgiving。　　She　was　sorry　for　Gregory；　when　she　remembered　him；　but
her　thought　was　filled　with　some　one　else；　and　she　waited　in　faith　and
patience　for　the　answer　which　should　come　to　the　letter　she　had　written。
She　did　not　know　where　her　letter　would　find　him；　or　when　she　should　hear
from　him；　she　believed　that　she　should　hear；　and　that　was　enough。　　She
said　to　herself　that　she　would　not　lose　hope　if　no　answer　came　for
months；　but　in　her　heart　she　fixed　a　date　for　the　answer　by　letter；　and
an　earlier　date　for　some　word　by　cable；　but　she　feigned　that　she　did　not
depend　upon　this；　and　when　no　word　came　she　convinced　herself　that　she
had　not　expected　any。

It　was　nearing　the　end　of　the　term　which　she　had　tacitly　given　her　lover
to　make　the　first　sign　by　letter；　when　one　morning　Mrs。　Lander　woke　her。
She　wished　to　say　that　she　had　got　the　strength　to　leave　Venice　at　last；
and　she　was　going　as　soon　as　their　trunks　could　be　packed。　　She　had
dressed　herself；　and　she　moved　about　restless　and　excited。　　Clementina
tried　to　reason　her　out　of　her　haste；　but　she　irritated　her；　and　fixed
her　in　her　determination。　　〃I　want　to　get　away；　I　tell　you；　I　want　to　get
away；〃　she　answered　all　persuasion；　and　there　seemed　something　in　her
like　the　wish　to　escape　from　more　than　the　oppressive　environment；　though
she　spoke　of　nothing　but　the　heat　and　the　smell　of　the　canal。　　〃I　believe
it's　that；　moa　than　any　one　thing；　that's　kept　me　sick　he'e；〃　she　said。
〃I　tell　you　it's　the　malariar；　and　you'll　be　down；　too；　if　you　stay。〃

She　made　Clementina　go　to　the　banker's；　and　get　money　to　pay　their
landlord's　bill；　and　she　gave　him　notice　that　they　were　going　that
afternoon。　　Clementina　wished　to　delay　till　they　had　seen　the　vice…consul
and　the　doctor；　but　Mrs。　Lander　broke　out；　〃I　don't　want　to　see　'em；
either　of　'em。　　The　docta　wants　to　keep　me　he'e　and　make　money　out　of　me；
I　undastand　him；　and　I　don't　believe　that　consul's　a　bit　too　good　to　take
a　pussentage。　　Now；　don't　you　say　a　wo'd　to　either　of　'em。　　If　you　don't
do　exactly　what　I　tell　you　I'll　go　away　and　leave　you　he'e。　　Now；　will
you？〃

Clementina　promised；　and　broke　her　word。　　She　went　to　the　vice…consul　and
told　him　she　had　broken　it；　and　she　agreed　with　him　that　he　had　better
not　come　unless　Mrs。　Lander　sent　for　him。　　The　doctor　promptly　imagined
the　situation　and　said　he　would　come　in　casually　during　the　morning；　so
as　not　to　alarm　the　invalid's　suspicions。　　He　owned　that　Mrs。　Lander　was
getting　no　good　from　remaining　in　Venice；　and　if　it　were　possible　for　her
to　go；　he　said　she　had　better　go　somewhere　into　cooler　and　higher　air。

His　opinion　restored　him　to　Mrs。　Lander's　esteem；　when　it　was　expressed
to　her；　and　as　she　was　left　to　fix　the　sum　of　her　debt　to　him；　she　made
it　handsomer　than　anything　he　had　dreamed　of。　　She　held　out　against
seeing　the　vice…consul　till　the　landlord　sent　in　his　account。　　This　was
for　the　whole　month　which　she　had　just　entered　upon；　and　it　included
fantastic　charges　for　things　hitherto　included　in　the　rent；　not　only　for
the　current　month；　but　for　the　months　past　when；　the　landlord　explained；
he　had　forgotten　to　note　them。　　Mrs。　Lander　refused　to　pay　these　demands；
for　they　touched　her　in　some　of　those　economies　which　the　gross　rich
practice　amidst　their　profusion。　　The　landlord　replied　that　she　could　not
leave　his　house；　either　with　or　without　her　effects；　until　she　had　paid。
He　declared　Clementina　his　prisoner；　too；　and　he　would　not　send　for　the
vice…consul　at　Mrs。　Lander's　bidding。　　How　far　he　was　within　his　rights
in　all　this　they　could　not　know；　but　he　was　perhaps　himself　doubtful；　and
he　consented　to　let　them　send　for　the　doctor；　who；　when　he　came；　behaved
like　anything　but　the　steadfast　friend　that　Mrs。　Lander　supposed　she　had
bought　in　him。　　He　advised　paying　the　account　without　regard　to　its
justice；　as　the　shortest　and　simplest　way　out　of　the　trouble；　but　Mrs。
Lander；　who　saw　him　talking　amicably　and　even　respectfully　with　the
landlord；　when　he　ought　to　have　treated　him　as　an　extortionate　scamp；
returned　to　her　former　ill　opinion　of　him；　and　the　vice…consul　now
appeared　the　friend　that　Doctor　Tradonico　had　falsely　seemed。　　The　doctor
consented；　in　leaving　her　to　her　contempt　of　him；　to　carry　a　message　to
the　vice…consul；　though　he　came　back；　with　his　finger　at　the　side　of　his
nose；　to　charge　her　by　no　means　to　betray　his　bold　championship　to　the
landlord。

The　vice…consul　made　none　of　those　shows　of　authority　which　Mrs。　Lander
had　expected　of　him。　　She　saw　him　even　exchanging　the　common　decencies
with　the　landlord；　when　they　met；　but　in　fact　it　was　not　hard　to　treat
the　smiling　and　courteous　rogue　well。　　In　all　their　disagreement　he　had
looked　as　constantly　to　the　comfort　of　his　captives　as　if　they　had　been
his　chosen　guests。　　He　sent　Mrs。　Lander　a　much　needed　refreshment　at　the
stormiest　moment　of　her　indignation；　and　he　deprecated　without　retort　the
denunciations　aimed　at　him　in　Italian　which　did　not　perhaps　carry　so　far
as　his　conscience。　　The　consul　talked　with　him　in　a　calm　scarcely　less
shameful　than　that　of　Dr。　Tradonico；　and　at　the　end　of　their　parley　which
she　had　insisted　upon　witnessing；　he　said：

〃Well；　Mrs。　Lander；　you've　got　to　stand　this　gouge　or　you've　got　to　stand
a　law　suit。　　I　think　the　gouge　would　be　cheaper　in　the　end。　　You　see；
he's　got　a　right　to　his　month's　rent。〃

〃It　ain't　the　rent　I　ca'e　for：　it's　the　candles；　and　the　suvvice；　and　the
things　he　says　we　broke。　　It　was　undastood　that　everything　was　to　be　in
the　rent；　and　his　two　old　chaias　went　to　pieces　of　themselves　when　we
tried　to　pull　'em　out　from　the　wall；　and　I'll　neva　pay　for　'em　in　the
wo'ld。〃

Why；〃　the　vice…consul　pleaded；　〃it's　only　about　forty　francs　for　the
whole　thing〃

〃I　don't　care　if　it's　only　fotty　cents。　　And　I　must　say；　Mr。　Bennam；
you're　about　the　strangest　vice…consul；　to　want　me　to　do　it；　that　I　eva
saw。〃

The　vice…consul　laughed　unresentfully。　　〃Well；　shall　I　send　you　a
lawyer？〃

〃No！〃　Mrs。　Lander　retorted；　and　after　a　moment's　reflection　she　added；
〃I'm　goin'　to　stay　my　month；　and　so　you　may　tell　him；　and　then　I'll　see
whetha　he　can　make　me　pay　for　that　breakage　and　the　candles　and　suvvice。
I'm　all　wore　out；　as　it　is；　and　I　ain't　fit　to　travel；　now；　and　I　don't
know　when　I　shall　be。　　Clementina；　you　can　go　and　tell　Maddalena　to　stop
packin'。　　Or；　no！　　I'll　do　it。〃

She　left　the　room　without　further　notice　of　the　consul；　who　said　ruefully
to　Clementina；　〃Well；　I've　missed　my　chance；　Miss　Claxon；　but　I　guess
she's　done　the　wisest　thing　for　herself。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　she's　not　fit　to　go。　　She　must　stay；　now；　till　it's　coola。
Will　you　tell　the　landlo'd；　or　shall〃

〃I'll　tell　him；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　and　he　had　in　the　landlord。　　He
received　her　message　with　the　pleasure　of　a　host　whose　cherished　guests
have　consented　to　remain　a　while　longer；　and　in　the　rush　of　his　good
feeling　he　offered；　if　the　charge　for　breakage　seemed　unjust　to　the　vice…
consul；　to　abate　it；　and　since　the　signora　had　not　understood　that　she
was　to　pay　extra　for　the　other　things；　he　would　allow　the　vice…consul　to
adjust　the　differences　between　them；　it　was　a　trifle；　and　he　wished　above
all　things　to　content　the　signora；　for　whom　he　professed　a　cordial　esteem
both　on　his　own　part　and　the　part　of　all　his　family。

〃Then　that　lets　me　out　for　the　present；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　when
Clementina　repeated　Mrs。　Lander's　acquiescence　in　the　landlord's
proposals；　and　he　took　his　straw　hat；　and　called　a　gondola　from　the
nearest　'traghetto'；　and　bargained　at　an　expense　consistent　with　his
salary；　to　have