ragged lady, v2-第30节

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possible　qualities　in　the　love　affairs　of　people　intending　matrimony。
As　a　casuist　he　was　more　reasonably　concerned　in　the　next　fact　which
Clementina　laid　before　him。

〃And　the　otha　day；　there　in　Venice　when　you　we'e　sick；　and　you　seemed　to
think　that　I　might　put　off　stahting　home　till　the　next　steamer；　I　don't
know　but　I　let　you　believe　I　would。〃

〃I　supposed　that　the　delay　of　a　week　or　two　could　make　no　material
difference　to　you。〃

〃But　now　you　see　that　it　would。　　And　I　feel　as　if　I　ought　to　tell　you
I　spoke　to　Mr。　Bennam　about　it；　and　he　didn't　tell　me　not　tothat　I
shouldn't　have　staid；　no　not　for　anything　in　the　wo'ld。　　I　had　to　do　what
I　did　at　the　time；　but　eva　since　it　has　seemed　as　if　I　had　deceived　you；
and　I　don't　want　to　have　it　seem　so　any　longer。　　It　isn't　because　I　don't
hate　to　tell　you；　I　do；　but　I　guess　if　it　was　to　happen　over　again　I
couldn't　feel　any　different。　　Do　you　want　I　should　tell　the　deck…stewahd
to　bring　you　some　beef…tea？〃

〃I　think　I　could　relish　a　small　portion；〃　said　Mr。　Orson；　cautiously；　and
he　said　nothing　more。

Clementina　left　him　with　her　nerves　in　a　flutter；　and　she　did　not　come
back　to　him　until　she　decided　that　it　was　time　to　help　him　down　to　his
cabin。　　He　suffered　her　to　do　this　in　silence；　but　at　the　door　he　cleared
his　throat　and　began：

〃I　have　reflected　upon　what　you　told　me；　and　I　have　tried　to　regard　the
case　from　all　points。　　I　believe　that　I　have　done　so；　without　personal
feeling；　and　I　think　it　my　duty　to　say；　fully　and　freely；　that　I　believe
you　would　have　done　perfectly　right　not　to　remain。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina；　〃I　thought　you　would　think　so。〃

They　parted　emotionlessly　to　all　outward　effect；　and　when　they　met　again
it　was　without　a　sign　of　having　passed　through　a　crisis　of　sentiment。
Neither　referred　to　the　matter　again；　but　from　that　time　the　minister
treated　Clementina　with　a　deference　not　without　some　shadows　of
tenderness　such　as　her　helplessness　in　Venice　had　apparently　never
inspired。　　She　had　cast　out　of　her　mind　all　lingering　hardness　toward　him
in　telling　him　the　hard　truth；　and　she　met　his　faint　relentings　with　a
grateful　gladness　which　showed　itself　in　her　constant　care　of　him。

This　helped　her　a　little　to　forget　the　strain　of　the　anxiety　that
increased　upon　her　as　the　time　shortened　between　the　last　news　of　her
lover　and　the　next；　and　there　was　perhaps　no　more　exaggeration　in　the
import　than　in　the　terms　of　the　formal　acknowledgment　which　Mr。　Orson
made　her　as　their　steamer　sighted　Fire　Island　Light；　and　they　both　knew
that　their　voyage　had　ended：　〃I　may　not　be　able　to　say　to　you　in　the
hurry　of　our　arrival　in　New　York　that　I　am　obliged　to　you　for　a　good　many
little　attentions；　which　I　should　be　pleased　to　reciprocate　if
opportunity　offered。　　I　do　not　think　I　am　going　too　far　in　saying　that
they　are　such　as　a　daughter　might　offer　a　parent。〃

〃Oh；　don't　speak　of　it；　Mr。　Osson！〃　she　protested。　　〃I　haven't　done
anything　that　any　one　wouldn't　have　done。〃

〃I　presume；〃　said　the　minister；　thoughtfully；　as　if　retiring　from　an
extreme　position；　〃that　they　are　such　as　others　similarly　circumstanced；
might　have　done；　but　it　will　always　be　a　source　of　satisfaction　for　you
to　reflect　that　you　have　not　neglected　them。〃




XXXVII。

In　the　crowd　which　thronged　the　steamer's　dock　at　Hoboken；　Clementina
strained　her　eyes　to　make　out　some　one　who　looked　enough　like　her　lover
to　be　his　father；　and　she　began　to　be　afraid　that　they　might　miss　each
other　when　she　failed。　　She　walked　slowly　down　the　gangway；　with　the
people　that　thronged　it；　glad　to　be　hidden　by　them　from　her　failure；　but
at　the　last　step　she　was　caught　aside　by　a　small　blackeyed；　black…haired
woman；　who　called　out　〃Isn't　this　Miss　Claxon？　　I'm　Georrge's　sisterr。
Oh；　you'rre　just　like　what　he　said！　　I　knew　it！　　I　knew　it！〃　and　then
hugged　her　and　kissed　her；　and　passed　her　to　the　little　lean　dark　old　man
next　her。　　〃This　is　fatherr。　　I　knew　you　couldn't　tell　us；　because　I　take
afterr　him；　and　Georrge　is　exactly　like　motherr。〃

George's　father　took　her　hand　timidly；　but　found　courage　to　say　to　his
daughter；　〃Hadn't　you　betterr　let　her　own　fatherr　have　a　chance　at　herr？〃
and　amidst　a　tempest　of　apologies　and　self　blame　from　the　sister；　Claxon
showed　himself　over　the　shoulders　of　the　little　man。

〃Why；　there　wa'n't　no　hurry；　as　long　as　she's　he'a；〃　he　said；　in　prompt
enjoyment　of　the　joke；　and　he　and　Clementina　sparely　kissed　each　other。

〃Why；　fatha！〃　she　said。　　〃I　didn't　expect　you　to　come　to　New　Yo'k　to　meet
me。〃

〃Well；　I　didn't　ha'dly　expect　it　myself；　but　I'd　neva　been　to　Yo'k；　and　I
thought　I　might　as　well　come。　　Things　ah'　ratha　slack　at　home；　just　now；
anyway。〃

She　did　not　heed　his　explanation。　　〃We'e　you　sca'ed　when　you　got　my
dispatch？〃

〃No；　we　kind　of　expected　you'd　come　any　time；　the　way　you　wrote　afta　Mrs。
Landa　died。　　We　thought　something　must　be　up。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　absently。　　Then；　〃Whe'e's　motha？〃　she　asked。

〃Well；　I　guess　she　thought　she　couldn't　get　round　to　it；　exactly；〃　said
the　father。　　〃She's　all　right。　　Needn't　ask　you！〃

〃No；　I'm　fust…rate；〃　Clementina　returned；　with　a　silent　joy　in　her
father's　face　and　voice。　　She　went　back　in　it　to　the　girl　of　a　year　ago；
and　the　world　which　had　come　between　them　since　their　parting　rolled　away
as　if　it　had　never　been　there。

Neither　of　them　said　anything　about　that。　　She　named　over　her　brothers
and　sisters；　and　he　answered；　〃Yes；　yes；〃　in　assurance　of　their　well…
being；　and　then　he　explained；　as　if　that　were　the　only　point　of　real
interest；　〃I　see　your　folks　waitin'　he'e　fo'　somebody；　and　I　thought　I'd
see　if　it　wa'n't　the　same　one；　and　we　kind　of　struck　up　an　acquaintance
on　your　account　befo'e　you　got　he'e；　Clem。〃


〃Your　folks！〃　she　silently　repeated　to　herself。　　〃Yes；　they　ah'　mine！〃
and　she　stood　trying　to　realize　the　strange　fact；　while　George's　sister
poured　out　a　voluminous　comment　upon　Claxon's　spare　statement；　and
George's　father　admired　her　volubility　with　the　shut　smile　of　toothless
age。　　She　spoke　with　the　burr　which　the　Scotch…Irish　settlers　have
imparted　to　the　whole　middle　West；　but　it　was　music　to　Clementina；　who
heard　now　and　then　a　tone　of　her　lover　in　his　sister's　voice。　　In　the
midst　of　it　all　she　caught　sight　of　a　mute　unfriended　figure　just　without
their　circle；　his　traveling　shawl　hanging　loose　upon　his　shoulders；　and
the　valise　which　had　formed　his　sole　baggage　in　the　voyage　to　and　from
Europe　pulling　his　long　hand　out　of　his　coat　sleeve。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said；　〃here　is　Mr。　Osson　that　came　ova　with　me；　fatha；
he's　a　relation　of　Mr。　Landa's；〃　and　she　presented　him　to　them　all。

He　shifted　his　valise　to　the　left　hand；　and　shook　hands　with　each；
asking；　〃What　name？〃　　and　then　fell　motionless　again。

〃Well；〃　said　her　father；　〃I　guess　this　is　the　end　of　this　paht　of　the
ceremony；　and　I'm　goin'　to　see　your　baggage　through　the　custom…house；
Clementina；　I've　read　about　it；　and　I　want　to　know　how　it's　done。　　I　want
to　see　what　you　ah'　tryin'　to　smuggle　in。〃

〃I　guess　you　won't　find　much；〃　she　said。　　〃But　you'll　want　the　keys；
won't　you？〃　　She　called　to　him；　as　he　was　stalking　away。

〃Well；　I　guess　that　would　be　a　good　idea。　　Want　to　help；　Miss　Hinkle？〃

〃I　guess　we　might　as　well　all　help；〃　said　Clementina；　and　Mr。　Orson
included　himself　in　the　invitation。　　He　seemed　unable　to　separate　himself
from　them；　though　the　passage　of　Clementina's　baggage　through　the
customs；　and　its　delivery　to　an　expressman　for　the　hotel　where　the
Hinkles　said　they　were　staying　might　well　have　severed　the　last　tie
between　them。

〃Ah'　you　going　straight　home；　Mr。　Osson？〃　she　asked；　to　rescue　him　from
the　forgetfulness　into　which　they　were　all　letting　him　fall。

〃I　think　I　will　remain　over　a　day；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　may　go　on　to　Boston
before　starting　West。〃

〃Well；　that's　right；〃　said　Clementina's　father　with　the　wish　to　approve
everything　native　to　him；　and　an　instinctive　sense　of　Clementina's　wish
to　befriend　the　minister。　　〃Betta　come　to　oua　hotel。　　We're　all　goin'　to
the　same　one。〃

〃I　presume　it　is　a　good　one？〃　Mr。　Orson　assented。

〃Well；〃　said　Claxon；　〃you　must　make　Miss　Hinkle；　he'a；　stand　it　if　it
ain't。　　She's　got　me　to　go　to　it。〃

Mr。　Orson　apparently　could　not　enter　into　the　joke；　but　he　accompanied
the　party；　which　again　began　to　forget　him；　across　the　ferry　and　up　the
elevated　road　to　the　street　car　that　formed　the　last　stage　of　their
progress　to　the　hotel。　　At　this　point　George's　sister　fell　silent；　and
Clementina's　father　burst　out；　〃Look　he'a！　　I　guess　we　betty　not　keep
this　up　any　Tonga；　I　don't　believe　much　in　surprises；　and　I　guess　she
betta　know　it　now！〃

He　looked　at　George's　sister　as　if　for　authority　to　speak　further；　and
Clementina　looked　at　her；　too；　while　George's　father　nervously　moistened
his　smiling　lips　with　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　and　let　his　twinkling　eyes
rest　upon　Clementina's　face。

〃Is　he　at　the　hotel？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；〃　said　his　sister；　monosyllabic　for　once。

〃I　knew　it；〃　said　Clementina；　and　she　was　only　half　aware　of　the　fullness
with　which　his　sister　now　explained　how　he　wanted　to　come　so　much　that
the　doctor　thought　he　had　better；　but　that　the