ragged lady, v2-第29节

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office　he　framed　a　dispatch　which　for　expansive　fullness　and　precision
was　apparently　unexampled　in　the　experience　of　the　clerk　who　took　it　and
spelt　over　its　English　with　them。　　It　asked　an　answer　in　the　vice…
consul's　care；　and；　〃I'll　tell　you　what；　Miss　Claxon；〃　he　said　with　a
husky　weakness　in　his　voice；　〃I　wish　you'd　let　this　be　my　treat。〃

She　understood。　　〃Do　you　really；　Mr。　Bennam？〃

〃I　do　indeed。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will；〃　she　said；　but　when　he　wished　to　include　in　his
treat　the　dispatch　she　sent　home　to　her　father　announcing　her　coming；　she
would　not　let　him。

He　looked　at　his　watch；　as　they　rowed　away。　　〃It's　eight　o'clock　here；
now；　and　it　will　reach　Ohio　about　six　hours　earlier；　but　you　can't　expect
an　answer　tonight；　you　know。〃

〃No〃　She　had　expected　it　though；　he　could　see　that。

〃But　whenever　it　comes；　I'll　bring　it　right　round　to　you。　　Now　it's　all
going　to　be　straight；　don't　you　be　afraid；　and　you're　going　home　the
quickest　way　you　can　get　there。　　I've　been　looking　up　the　sailings；　and
this　Genoa　boat　will　get　you　to　New　York　about　as　soon　as　any　could　from
Liverpool。　　Besides　there's　always　a　chance　of　missing　connections　and
losing　time　between　here　and　England。　　I　should　stick　to　the　Genoa　boat。〃

〃Oh　I　shall；〃　said　Clementina；　far　less　fidgetted　than　he。　　She　was；　in
fact；　resting　securely　again　in　the　faith　which　had　never　really　deserted
her；　and　had　only　seemed　for　a　little　time　to　waver　from　her　when　her
hope　went。　　Now　that　she　had　telegraphed；　her　heart　was　at　peace；　and　she
even　laughed　as　she　answered　the　anxious　vice…consul。




XXXVI。

The　next　morning　Clementina　watched　for　the　vice…consul　from　her　balcony。
She　knew　he　would　not　send；　she　knew　he　would　come；　but　it；　was　nearly
noon　before　she　saw　him　coming。　　They　caught　sight　of　each　other　almost
at　the　same　moment；　and　he　stood　up　in　his　boat；　and　waved　something
white　in　his　hand；　which　must　be　a　dispatch　for　her。

It　acknowledged　her　telegram　and　reported　George　still　improving；　his
father　would　meet　her　steamer　in　New　York。　　It　was　very　reassuring；　it
was　every　thing　hopeful；　but　when　she　had　read　it　she　gave　it　to　the
vice…consul　for　encouragement。

〃It's　all　right；　Miss　Claxon；〃　he　said；　stoutly。　　〃Don't　you　be　troubled
about　Mr。　Hinkle's　not　coming　to　meet　you　himself。　　He　can't　keep　too
quiet　for　a　while　yet。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Clementina；　patiently。

〃If　you　really　want　somebody　to　worry　about；　you　can　help　Mr。　Orson　to
worry　about　himself！〃　the　vice…consul　went　on；　with　the　grimness　he　had
formerly　used　in　speaking　of　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃He's　sick；　or　he　thinks　he's
going　to　be。　　He　sent　round　for　me　this　morning；　and　I　found　him　in　bed。
You　may　have　to　go　home　alone。　　But　I　guess　he's　more　scared　than　hurt。〃

Her　heart　sank；　and　then　rose　in　revolt　against　the　mere　idea　of　delay。
〃I　wonder　if　I　ought　to　go　and　see　him；〃　she　said。

〃Well；　it　would　be　a　kindness；〃　returned　the　vice…consul；　with　a
promptness　that　unmasked　the　apprehension　he　felt　for　the　sick　man。

He　did　not　offer　to　go　with　her；　and　she　took　Maddalena。　　She　found　the
minister　seated　in　his　chair　beside　his　bed。　　A　three　days'　beard
heightened　the　gauntness　of　his　face；　he　did　not　move　when　his　padrona
announced　her。

〃I　am　not　any　better；〃　he　answered　when　she　said　that　she　was　glad　to　see
him　up。　　〃I　am　merely　resting；　the　bed　is　hard。　　I　regret　to　say；〃　he
added；　with　a　sort　of　formal　impersonality；　〃that　I　shall　be　unable　to
accompany　you　home；　Miss　Claxon。　　That　is；　if　you　still　think　of　taking
the　steamer　this　week。〃

Her　whole　being　had　set　homeward　in　a　tide　that　already　seemed　to　drift
the　vessel　from　its　moorings。　　〃Whatwhat　do　you　mean？〃　she　gasped。

〃I　didn't　know；〃　he　returned；　〃but　that　in　view　of　the　circumstancesall
the　circumstancesyou　might　be　intending　to　defer　your　departure　to　some
later　steamer。〃

〃No；　no；　no　！　　I　must　go；　now。　　I　couldn't　wait　a　day；　an　hour；　a　minute
after　the　first　chance　of　going。　　You　don't　know　what　you　are　saying！
He　might　die　if　I　told　him　I　was　not　coming；　and　then　what　should　I　do？〃
This　was　what　Clementina　said　to　herself；　but　what　she　said　to　Mr。　Orson；
with　an　inspiration　from　her　terror　at　his　suggestion　was；　〃Don't　you
think　a　little　chicken　broth　would　do　you　good；　Mr。　Osson？　　I　don't
believe　but　what　it　would。〃

A　wistful　gleam　came　into　the　preacher's　eyes。　　〃It　might；〃　he　admitted；
and　then　she　knew　what　must　be　his　malady。　　She　sent　Maddalena　to　a
trattoria　for　the　soup；　and　she　did　not　leave　him；　even　after　she　had
seen　its　effect　upon　him。　　It　was　not　hard　to　persuade　him　that　he　had
better　come　home　with　her；　and　she　had　him　there；　tucked　away　with　his
few　poor　belongings；　in　the　most　comfortable　room　the　padrone　could
imagine；　when　the　vice…consul　came　in　the　evening。

〃He　says　he　thinks　he　can　go；　now；〃　she　ended；　when　she　had　told　the
vice…consul。　　〃And　I　know　he　can。　　It　wasn't　anything　but　poor　living。〃

〃It　looks　more　like　no　living；〃　said　the　vice…consul。　　〃Why　didn't　the
old　fool　let　some　one　know　that　he　was　short　of　money？　　〃He　went　on　with
a　partial　transfer　of　his　contempt　of　the　preacher　to　her；　〃I　suppose　if
he'd　been　sick　instead　of　hungry；　you'd　have　waited　over　till　the　next
steamer　for　him。〃

She　cast　down　her　eyes。　　〃I　don't　know　what　you'll　think　of　me。　　I　should
have　been　sorry　for　him；　and　I　should　have　wanted　to　stay。〃　　She　lifted
her　eyes　and　looked　the　vice…consul　defiantly　in　the　face。　　〃But　he
hadn't　the　fust　claim　on　me；　and　I　should　have　goneI　couldn't；　have
helped　it！I　should　have　gone；　if　he　had　been　dying！〃

〃Well；　you've　got　more　horse…sense；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　〃　than　any　ten
men　I　ever　saw；〃　and　he　testified　his　admiration　of　her　by　putting　his
arms　round　her；　where　she　stood　before　him；　and　kissing　her。　　〃Don't　you
mind；〃　he　explained。　　〃If　my　youngest　girl　had　lived；　she　would　have　been
about　your　age。〃

〃Oh；　it's　all　right；　Mr。　Bennam；〃　said　Clementina。

When　the　time　came　for　them　to　leave　Venice；　Mr。　Orson　was　even　eager　to
go。　　The　vice…consul　would　have　gone　with　them　in　contempt　of　the
official　responsibilities　which　he　felt　to　be　such　a　thankless　burden；
but　there　was　really　no　need　of　his　going；　and　he　and　Clementina　treated
the　question　with　the　matter…of…fact　impartiality　which　they　liked　in
each　other。　　He　saw　her　off　at　the　station　where　Maddalena　had　come　to
take　the　train　for　Florence　in　token　of　her　devotion　to　the　signorina；
whom　she　would　not　outstay　in　Venice。　　She　wept　long　and　loud　upon
Clementina's　neck；　so　that　even　Clementina　was　once　moved　to　put　her
handkerchief　to　her　tearless　eyes。

At　the　last　moment　she　had　a　question　which　she　referred　to　the　vice
consul。　　〃Should　you　tell　him？〃　she　asked。

〃Tell　who　what？〃　he　retorted。

〃Mr。　Osson…that　I　wouldn't　have　stayed　for　him。〃

〃Do　you　think　it　would　make　you　feel　any　better？〃　asked　the　consul；　upon
reflection。

〃I　believe　he　ought　to　know。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　guess　I　should　do　it。〃

The　time　did　not　come　for　her　confession　till　they　had　nearly　reached　the
end　of　their　voyage。　　It　followed　upon　something　like　a　confession　from
the　minister　himself；　which　he　made　the　day　he　struggled　on　deck　with　her
help；　after　spending　a　week　in　his　berth。

〃Here　is　something；〃　he　said；　〃which　appears　to　be　for　you；　Miss　Claxon。
I　found　it　among　some　letters　for　Mrs。　Lander　which　Mr。　Bennam　gave　me
after　my　arrival；　and　I　only　observed　the　address　in　looking　over　the
papers　in　my　valise　this　morning。〃　　He　handed　her　a　telegram。　　〃I　trust
that　it　is　nothing　requiring　immediate　attention。〃

Clementina　read　it　at　a　glance。　　〃No；〃　she　answered；　and　for　a　while　she
could　not　say　anything　more；　it　was　a　cable　message　which　Hinkle's　sister
must　have　sent　her　after　writing。　　No　evil　had　come　of　its　failure　to
reach　her；　and　she　recalled　without　bitterness　the　suffering　which　would
have　been　spared　her　if　she　had　got　it　before。　　It　was　when　she　thought
of　the　suffering　of　her　lover　from　the　silence　which　must　have　made　him
doubt　her；　that　she　could　not　speak。　　As　soon　as　she　governed　herself
against　her　first　resentment　she　said；　with　a　little　sigh；　〃It　is　all
right；　now；　Mr。　Osson；〃　and　her　stress　upon　the　word　seemed　to　trouble
him　with　no　misgiving。　　〃Besides；　if　you're　to　blame　for　not　noticing；　so
is　Mr。　Bennam；　and　I　don't　want　to　blame　any　one。〃　　She　hesitated　a
moment　before　she　added：　〃I　have　got　to　tell　you　something；　now；　because
I　think　you　ought　to　know　it。　　I　am　going　home　to　be　married；　Mr。　Osson；
and　this　message　is　from　the　gentleman　I　am　going　to　be　married　to。
He　has　been　very　sick；　and　I　don't　know　yet　as　he'll　be　able　to　meet　me
in　New　Yo'k；　but　his　fatha　will。〃

Mr。　Orson　showed　no　interest　in　these　facts　beyond　a　silent　attention　to
her　words；　which　might　have　passed　for　an　open　indifference。　　At　his　time
of　life　all　such　questions；　which　are　of　permanent　importance　to　women；
affect　men　hardly　more　than　the　angels　who　neither　marry　nor　are　given　in
marriage。　　Besides；　as　a　minister　he　must　have　had　a　surfeit　of　all
possible　qualities　in　the　love　affairs　of　people　intending　matrimony。
As　a　casuist　he　was　more　reasonably　concerned　in　the　next　f