ragged lady, v2-第3节

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know　whether　I　should　like　to。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　urged　Lord　Lioncourt。　　〃Such　a　good　cause；　you　know。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　Mrs。　Milray　insisted。　　〃Is　it　something　you　could　do
alone？〃

〃It's　just　a　dance　that　I　learned　at　Woodlake。　　The　teacha　said　that　all
the　young　ladies　we'e　leaning　it。　　It's　a　skut…dance〃

〃The　very　thing！〃　　Mrs。　Milray　shouted。　　〃It'll　be　the　hit　of　the
evening。〃

〃But　I've　never　done　it　before　any　one；〃　Clementina　faltered。

〃They'll　all　be　doing　their　turns；〃　the　Englishman　said。　　〃Speaking；　and
singing；　and　playing。〃

Clementina　felt　herself　giving　way；　and　she　pleaded　in　final　reluctance；
〃But　I　haven't　got　a　pleated　skut　in　my　steama　trunk。〃

〃No　matter！　　We　can　manage　that。〃　　Mrs。　Milray　jumped　to　her　feet　and
took　Lord　Lioncourt's　arm。　　〃Now　we　must　go　and　drum　up　somebody　else。〃
He　did　not　seem　eager　to　go；　but　he　started。　　〃Then　that's　all　settled；〃
she　shouted　over　her　shoulder　to　Clementina。

〃No；　no；　Mrs。　Milray！　　〃Clementina　called　after　her。　　〃The　ship　tilts
so〃

〃Nonsense！　　It's　the　smoothest　run　she　ever　made　in　December。　　And　I'll
engage　to　have　the　sea　as　steady　as　a　rock　for　you。　　Remember；　now；
you've　promised。〃

Mrs。　Milray　whirled　her　Englishman　away；　and　left　Clementina　sitting
beside　her　husband。

〃Did　you　want　to　dance　for　them；　Clementina？〃　　he　asked。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　with　the　vague　smile　of　one　to　whom　a　pleasant
hope　has　occurred。

〃I　thought　perhaps　you　were　letting　Mrs。　Milray　bully　you　into　it。　　She's
a　frightful　tyrant。〃

〃Oh；　I　guess　I　should　like　to　do　it；　if　you　think　it　would　benice。〃

〃I　dare　say　it　will　be　the　nicest　thing　at　their　ridiculous　show。〃
Milray　laughed　as　if　her　willingness　to　do　the　dance　had　defeated　a
sentimental　sympathy　in　him。

〃I　don't　believe　it　will　be　that；〃　said　Clementina；　beaming　joyously。
〃But　I　guess　I　shall　try　it；　if　I　can　find　the　right　kind　of　a　dress。〃

〃Is　a　pleated　skirt　absolutely　necessary；〃　asked　Milray；　gravely。

〃I　don't　see　how　I　could　get　on　without　it；〃　said　Clementina。

She　was　so　serious　still　when　she　went　down　to　her　state…room　that　Mrs。
Lander　was　distracted　from　her　potential　ailments　to　ask：　〃What　is　it；
Clementina？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。　　Mrs。　Milray　has　got　me　to　say　that　I　would　do　something　at
a　concert　they　ah'　going　to　have　on　the　ship。〃　　She　explained；　〃It's　that
skut　dance　I　learnt　at　Woodlake　of　Miss　Wilson。〃

〃Well；　I　guess　if　you're　worryin'　about　that　you　needn't　to。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　worrying　about　the　dance。　　I　was　just　thinking　what　I　should
wear。　　If　I　could　only　get　at　the　trunks！〃

〃It　won't　make　any　matte　what　you　wear；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃It'll　be　the
greatest　thing；　and　if　't　wa'n't　for　this　sea…sickness　that　I　have　to
keep　fightin'　off　he'a；　night　and　day；　I　should　come　up　and　see　you
myself。　　You　ah'　just　lovely　in　that　dance；　Clementina。〃

〃Do　you　think　so；　Mrs。　Landa？〃　asked　the　girl；　gratefully。　　〃Well；　Mr。
Milray　didn't　seem　to　think　that　I　need　to　have　a　pleated　skut。　　Any
rate；　I'm　going　to　look　over　my　things；　and　see　if　I　can't　make　something
else　do。〃




XVII。

The　entertainment　was　to　be　the　second　night　after　that；　and　Mrs。　Milray
at　first　took　the　whole　affair　into　her　own　hands。　　She　was　willing　to
let　the　others　consult　with　her；　but　she　made　all　the　decisions；　and　she
became　so　prepotent　that　she　drove　Lord　Lioncourt　to　rebellion　in　the
case　of　some　theatrical　people　whom　he　wanted　in　the　programme。　　He
wished　her　to　let　them　feel　that　they　were　favoring　rather　than　favored；
and　she　insisted　that　it　should　be　quite　the　other　way。　　She　professed　a
scruple　against　having　theatrical　people　in　the　programme　at　all；　which
she　might　not　have　felt　if　her　own　past　had　been　different；　and　she　spoke
with　an　abhorrence　of　the　stage　which　he　could　by　no　means　tolerate　in
the　case。　　She　submitted　with　dignity　when　she　could　not　help　it。
Perhaps　she　submitted　with　too　much　dignity。　　Her　concession　verged　upon
hauteur；　and　in　her　arrogant　meekness　she　went　back　to　another　of　her
young　men；　whom　she　began　to　post　again　as　the　companion　of　her
promenades。

He　had　rather　an　anxious　air　in　the　enjoyment　of　the　honor；　but　the
Englishman　seemed　unconscious　of　its　loss；　or　else　he　chose　to　ignore　it。
He　frankly　gave　his　leisure　to　Clementina；　and　she　thought　he　was　very
pleasant。　　There　was　something　different　in　his　way　from　that　of　any　of
the　other　men　she　had　met；　something　very　natural　and　simple；　a　way　of
being　easy　in　what　he　was；　and　not　caring　whether　he　was　like　others　or
not；　he　was　not　ashamed　of　being　ignorant　of　anything　he　did　not　know；
and　she　was　able　to　instruct　him　on　some　points。　　He　took　her　quite
seriously　when　she　told　him　about　Middlemount；　and　how　her　family　came　to
settle　there；　and　then　how　she　came　to　be　going　to　Europe　with　Mrs。
Lander。　　He　said　Mrs。　Milray　had　spoken　about　it；　but　he　had　not
understood　quite　how　it　was　before；　and　he　hoped　Mrs。　Lander　was　coming
to　the　entertainment。

He　did　not　seem　aware　that　Mrs。　Milray　was　leaving　the　affair　more　and
more　to　him。　　He　went　forward　with　it　and　was　as　amiable　with　her　as　she
would　allow。　　He　was　so　amiable　with　everybody　that　he　reconciled　many
true　Americans　to　his　leadership；　who　felt　that　as　nearly　all　the
passengers　were　Americans；　the　chief　patron　of　the　entertainment　ought　to
have　been　some　distinguished　American。　　The　want　of　an　American　who　was
very　distinguished　did　something　to　pacify　them；　but　the　behavior　of　an
English　lord　who　put　on　no　airs　was　the　main　agency。　　When　the　night　came
they　filled　the　large　music　room　of　the　'Asia　Minor'；　and　stood　about　in
front　of　the　sofas　and　chairs　so　many　deep　that　it　was　hard　to　see　or
hear　through　them。

They　each　paid　a　shilling　admittance；　they　were　prepared　to　give
munificently　besides　when　the　hat　came　round；　and　after　the　first　burst
of　blundering　from　Lord　Lioncourt；　they　led　the　magnanimous　applause。
He　said　he　never　minded　making　a　bad　speech　in　a　good　cause；　and　he　made
as　bad　a　one　as　very　well　could　be。　　He　closed　it　by　telling　Mark　Twain's
whistling　story　so　that　those　who　knew　it　by　heart　missed　the　paint；　but
that　might　have　been　because　he　hurried　it；　to　get　himself　out　of　the　way
of　the　others　following。　　When　he　had　done；　one　of　the　most　ardent　of　the
Americans　proposed　three　cheers　for　him。

The　actress　whom　he　had　secured　in　spite　of　Mrs。　Milray　appeared　in
woman's　dress　contrary　to　her　inveterate　professional　habit；　and　followed
him　with　great　acceptance　in　her　favorite　variety…stage　song；　and　then
her　husband　gave　imitations　of　Sir　Henry　Irving；　and　of　Miss　Maggie　Kline
in　〃T'row　him　down；　McCloskey；〃　with　a　cockney　accent。　　A　frightened
little　girl；　whose　mother　had　volunteered　her　talent；　gasped　a　ballad　to
her　mother's　accompaniment；　and　two　young　girls　played　a　duet　on　the
mandolin　and　guitar。　　A　gentleman　of　cosmopolitan　military　tradition；　who
sold　the　pools　in　the　smoking…room；　and　was　the　friend　of　all　the　men
present；　and　the　acquaintance　of　several；　gave　selections　of　his
autobiography　prefatory　to　bellowing　in　a　deep　bass　voice；　〃They're
hanging　Danny　Deaver；〃　and　then　a　lady　interpolated　herself　into　the
programme　with　a　kindness　which　Lord　Lioncourt　acknowledged；　in　saying
〃The　more　the　merrier；〃　and　sang　Bonnie　Dundee；　thumping　the　piano　out　of
all　proportion　to　her　size　and　apparent　strength。

Some　advances　which　Clementina　had　made　for　Mrs。　Milray's　help　about　the
dress　she　should　wear　in　her　dance　met　with　bewildering　indifference；　and
she　had　fallen　back　upon　her　own　devices。　　She　did　not　think　of　taking
back　her　promise；　and　she　had　come　to　look　forward　to　her　part　with　a
happiness　which　the　good　weather　and　the　even　sway　of　the　ship
encouraged。　　But　her　pulses　fluttered；　as　she　glided　into　the　music　room；
and　sank　into　a　chair　next　Mrs。　Milray。　　She　had　on　an　accordion　skirt
which　she　had　been　able　to　get　out　of　her　trunk　in　the　hold；　and　she　felt
that　the　glance　of　Mrs。　Milray　did　not　refuse　it　approval。

〃That　will　do　nicely；　Clementina；〃　she　said。　　She　added；　in　careless
acknowledgement　of　her　own　failure　to　direct　her　choice；　〃I　see　you
didn't　need　my　help　after　all；〃　and　the　thorny　point　which　Clementina
felt　in　her　praise　was　rankling；　when　Lord　Lioncourt　began　to　introduce
her。

He　made　rather　a　mess　of　it；　but　as　soon　as　he　came　to　an　end　of　his
well…meant　blunders；　she　stood　up　and　began　her　poses　and　paces。　　It　was
all　very　innocent；　with　something　courageous　as　well　as　appealing。　　She
had　a　kind　of　tender　dignity　in　her　dance；　and　the　delicate　beauty　of　her
face　translated　itself　into　the　grace　of　her　movements。　　It　was　not
impersonal；　there　was　her　own　quality　of　sylvan；　of　elegant　in　it；　but　it
was　unconscious；　and　so　far　it　was　typical；　it　was　classic；　Mrs。　Milray's
Bostonian　achieved　a　snub　from　her　by　saying　it　was　like　a　Botticelli；
and　in　fact　it　was　merely　the　skirt…dance　which　society　had　borrowed　from
the　stage　at　that　period；　leaving　behind　the　footlights　its　more
acrobatic　phases；　but　keeping　its　pretty　turns　and　bows　and　bends。
Clementina　did　it　not　only　with　tender　dignity；　but　when　she　was　fairly
launched　in　it；　with　a　passion　to　which　her　sense　of