ragged lady, v2-第25节

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nearest　'traghetto'；　and　bargained　at　an　expense　consistent　with　his
salary；　to　have　himself　rowed　back　to　his　own　garden…gate。

The　rest　of　the　day　was　an　era　of　better　feeling　between　Mrs。　Lander　and
her　host　than　they　had　ever　known；　and　at　dinner　he　brought　in　with　his
own　hand　a　dish　which　he　said　he　had　caused　to　be　specially　made　for　her。
It　was　so　tempting　in　odor　and　complexion　that　Mrs。　Lander　declared　she
must　taste　it；　though　as　she　justly　said；　she　had　eaten　too　much　already；
when　it　had　once　tasted　it　she　ate　it　all；　against　Clementina's
protestations；　she　announced　at　the　end　that　every　bite　had　done　her
good；　and　that　she　never　felt　better　in　her　life。　　She　passed　a　happy
evening；　with　renewed　faith　in　the　air　of　the　lagoon；　her　sole　regret　now
was　that　Mr。　Lander　had　not　lived　to　try　it　with　her；　for　if　he　had　she
was　sure　he　would　have　been　alive　at　that　moment。

She　allowed　herself　to　be　got　to　bed　rather　earlier　than　usual；　before
Clementina　dropped　asleep　she　heard　her　breathing　with　long；　easy；　quiet
respirations；　and　she　lost　the　fear　of　the　landlord's　dish　which　had
haunted　her　through　the　evening。　　She　was　awakened　in　the　morning　by　a
touch　on　her　shoulder。　　Maddalena　hung　over　her　with　a　frightened　face；
and　implored　her　to　come　and　look　at　the　signora；　who　seemed　not　at　all
well。　　Clementina　ran　into　her　room；　and　found　her　dead。　　She　must　have
died　some　hours　before　without　a　struggle；　for　the　face　was　that　of
sleep；　and　it　had　a　dignity　and　beauty　which　it　had　not　worn　in　her　life
of　self…indulgent　wilfulness　for　so　many　years　that　the　girl　had　never
seen　it　look　so　before。




XXXIV。

The　vice…consul　was　not　sure　how　far　his　powers　went　in　the　situation
with　which　Mrs。　Lander　had　finally　embarrassed　him。　　But　he　met　the　new
difficulties　with　patience；　and　he　agreed　with　Clementina　that　they　ought
to　see　if　Mrs。　Lander　had　left　any　written　expression　of　her　wishes
concerning　the　event。　　She　had　never　spoken　of　such　a　chance；　but　had
always　looked　forward　to　getting　well　and　going　home；　so　far　as　the　girl
knew；　and　the　most　careful　search　now　brought　to　light　nothing　that　bore
upon　it。　　In　the　absence　of　instructions　to　the　contrary；　they　did　what
they　must；　and　the　body；　emptied　of　its　life　of　senseless　worry　and
greedy　care；　was　laid　to　rest　in　the　island　cemetery　of　Venice。

When　all　was　over；　the　vice…consul　ventured　an　observation　which　he　had
hitherto　delicately　withheld。　　The　question　of　Mrs。　Lander's　kindred　had
already　been　discussed　between　him　and　Clementina；　and　he　now　felt　that
another　question　had　duly　presented　itself。　　〃You　didn't　notice；〃　he
suggested；　〃anything　like　a　will　when　we　went　over　the　papers？〃　　He　had
looked　carefully　for　it；　expecting　that　there　might　have　been　some
expression　of　Mrs。　Lander's　wishes　in　it。　　〃Because；〃　he　added；　〃I　happen
to　know　that　Mr。　Milray　drew　one　up　for　her；　I　witnessed　it。〃

〃No；〃　said　Clementina；　〃I　didn't　see　anything　of　it。　　She　told　me　she　had
made　a　will；　but　she　didn't　quite　like　it；　and　sometimes　she　thought　she
would　change　it。　　She　spoke　of　getting　you　to　do　it；　I　didn't　know　but
she　had。〃

The　vice…consul　shook　his　head。　　〃No。　　And　these　relations　of　her
husband's　up　in　Michigan；　you　don't　know　where　they　live；　exactly？〃

〃No。　　She　neva　told　me；　she　wouldn't；　she　didn't　like　to　talk　about　them；
I　don't　even　know　their　names。〃

The　vice…consul　thoughtfully　scratched　a　corner　of　his　chin　through　his
beard。　　〃If　there　isn't　any　will；　they're　the　heirs。　　I　used　to　be　a　sort
of　wild…cat　lawyer；　and　I　know　that　much　law。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina。　　〃She　left　them　five　thousand　dollas　apiece。　　She
said　she　wished　she　had　made　it　ten。〃

〃I　guess　she's　made　it　a　good　deal　more；　if　she's　made　it　anything。　　Miss
Claxon；　don't　you　understand　that　if　no　will　turns　up；　they　come　in　for
all　her　money。

〃Well；　that's　what　I　thought　they　ought　to　do；〃　said　Clementina。

〃And　do　you　understand　that　if　that's　so；　you　don't　come　in　for　anything？
You　must　excuse　me　for　mentioning　it；　but　she　has　told　everybody　that　you
were　to　have　it；　and　if　there　is　no　will〃

He　stopped　and　bent　an　eye　of　lack…lustre　compassion　on　the　girl；　who
replied；　〃Oh；　yes。　　I　know　that；　it's　what　I　always　told　her　to　do。　　I
didn't　want　it。〃

〃You　didn't　want　it？〃

〃No。〃

〃Well！〃　　The　vice…consul　stared　at　her；　but　he　forbore　the　comment　that
her　indifference　inspired。　　He　said　after　a　pause；　〃Then　what　we've　got
to　do　is　to　advertise　for　the　Michigan　relations；　and　let　'em　take　any
action　they　want　to。〃

〃That's　the　only　thing　we　could　do；　I　presume。〃

This　gave　the　vice…consul　another　pause。　　At　the　end　of　it　he　got　to　his
feet。　　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　Miss　Claxon？〃

She　went　to　her　portfolio　and　produced　Mrs。　Lander's　letter　of　credit。
It　had　been　made　out　for　three　thousand　pounds；　in　Clementina's　name　as
well　as　her　own；　but　she　had　lived　wastefully　since　she　had　come　abroad；
and　little　money　remained　to　be　taken　up。　　With　the　letter　Clementina
handed　the　vice…consul　the　roll　of　Italian　and　Austrian　bank…notes　which
she　had　drawn　when　Mrs。　Lander　decided　to　leave　Venice；　they　were　to　the
amount　of　several　thousand　lire　and　golden。　　She　offered　them　with　the
insensibility　to　the　quality　of　money　which　so　many　women　have；　and　which
is　always　so　astonishing　to　men。　　〃What　must　I　do　with　these？〃　she　asked。

〃Why；　keep　them！　returned　the　vice…consul　on　the　spur　of　his　surprise。

〃I　don't　know　as　I　should　have　any　right　to；〃　said　Clementina。　　〃They
were　hers。〃

〃Why；　but〃　The　vice…consul　began　his　protest；　but　he　could　not　end　it
logically；　and　he　did　not　end　it　at　all。　　He　insisted　with　Clementina
that　she　had　a　right　to　some　money　which　Mrs。　Lander　had　given　her　during
her　life；　he　took　charge　of　the　bank…notes　in　the　interest　of　the
possible　heirs；　and　gave　her　his　receipt　for　them。　　In　the　meantime　he
felt　that　he　ought　to　ask　her　what　she　expected　to　do。

〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　stay　in　Venice　awhile。〃

The　vice…consul　suppressed　any　surprise　he　might　have　felt　at　a　decision
given　with　mystifying　cheerfulness。　　He　answered；　Well；　that　was　right；
and　for　the　second　time　he　asked　her　if　there　was　anything　he　could　do
for　her。

〃Why；　yes；〃　she　returned。　　〃I　should　like　to　stay　on　in　the　house　here；
if　you　could　speak　for　me　to　the　padrone。〃

〃I　don't　see　why　you　shouldn't；　if　we　can　make　the　padrone　understand
it's　different。〃

〃You　mean　about　the　price？〃　　The　vice…consul　nodded。　　〃That's　what　I　want
you　should　speak　to　him　about；　Mr。　Bennam；　if　you　would。　　Tell　him　that　I
haven't　got　but　a　little　money　now；　and　he　would　have　to　make　it　very
reasonable。　　That　is；　if　you　think　it　would　be　right　for　me　to　stay；　afta
the　way　he　tried　to　treat　Mrs。　Lander。〃

The　vice…consul　gave　the　point　some　thought；　and　decided　that　the
attempted　extortion　need　not　make　any　difference　with　Clementina；　if　she
could　get　the　right　terms。　　He　said　he　did　not　believe　the　padrone　was　a
bad　fellow；　but　he　liked　to　take　advantage　of　a　stranger　when　he　could；
we　all　did。　　When　he　came　to　talk　with　him　he　found　him　a　man　of　heart　if
not　of　conscience。　　He　entered　into　the　case　with　the　prompt　intelligence
and　vivid　sympathy　of　his　race；　and　he　made　it　easy　for　Clementina　to
stay　till　she　had　heard　from　her　friends　in　America。　　For　himself　and　for
his　wife；　he　professed　that　she　could　not　stay　too　long；　and　they
proposed　that　if　it　would　content　the　signorina　still　further　they　would
employ　Maddalena　as　chambermaid　till　she　wished　to　return　to　Florence；
she　had　offered　to　remain　if　the　signorina　stayed。

〃Then　that　is　settled；〃　said　Clementina　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　and　she
thanked　the　vice…consul　for　his　offer　to　write　to　the　Milrays　for　her；
and　said　that　she　would　rather　write　herself。

She　meant　to　write　as　soon　as　she　heard　from　Mr。　Hinkle；　which　could　not
be　long　now；　for　then　she　could　be　independent　of　the　offers　of　help
which　she　dreaded　from　Miss　Milray；　even　more　than　from　Mrs。　Milray；　it
would　be　harder　to　refuse　them；　and　she　entered　upon　a　passage　of　her
life　which　a　nature　less　simple　would　have　found　much　more　trying。　　But
she　had　the　power　of　taking　everything　as　if　it　were　as　much　to　be
expected　as　anything　else。　　If　nothing　at　all　happened　she　accepted　the
situation　with　implicit　resignation；　and　with　a　gayety　of　heart　which
availed　her　long；　and　never　wholly　left　her。

While　the　suspense　lasted　she　could　not　write　home　as　frankly　as　before；
and　she　sent　off　letters　to　Middlemount　which　treated　of　her　delay　in
Venice　with　helpless　reticence。　　They　would　have　set　another　sort　of
household　intolerably　wondering　and　suspecting；　but　she　had　the　comfort
of　knowing　that　her　father　would　probably　settle　the　whole　matter　by
saying　that　she　would　tell　what　she　meant　when　she　got　round　to　it；　and
apart　from　this　she　had　mainly　the　comfort　of　the　vice…consul's　society。
He　had　little　to　do　besides　looking　after　her；　and　he　employed　himself
about　this　in　daily　visits　which　the　padrone　and　his　wife　regarded　as
official；　and　promoted　with　a　serious　respect　for　the　vice…consular
dignity。　　If　the　visits　ended；　as　they　often　did；