ragged lady, v2-第4节

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Clementina　did　it　not　only　with　tender　dignity；　but　when　she　was　fairly
launched　in　it；　with　a　passion　to　which　her　sense　of　Mrs。　Milray's
strange　unkindness　lent　defiance。　　The　dance　was　still　so　new　a　thing
then；　that　it　had　a　surprise　to　which　the　girl's　gentleness　lent　a
curious　charm；　and　it　had　some　adventitious　fascinations　from　the
necessity　she　was　in　of　weaving　it　in　and　out　among　the　stationary
armchairs　and　sofas　which　still　further　cramped　the　narrow　space　where
she　gave　it。　　Her　own　delight　in　it　shone　from　her　smiling　face；　which
was　appealingly　happy。　　Just　before　it　should　have　ended；　one　of　those
wandering　waves　that　roam　the　smoothest　sea　struck　the　ship；　and
Clementina　caught　herself　skilfully　from　falling；　and　reeled　to　her　seat；
while　the　room　rang　with　the　applause　and　sympathetic　laughter　for　the
mischance　she　had　baffled。　　There　was　a　storm　of　encores；　but　Clementina
called　out；　〃The　ship　tilts　so！〃　and　her　naivete　won　her　another　burst　of
favor；　which　was　at　its　height　when　Lord　Lioncourt　had　an　inspiration。

He　jumped　up　and　said；　〃Miss　Claxon　is　going　to　oblige　us　with　a　little
bit　of　dramatics；　now；　and　I'm　sure　you'll　all　enjoy　that　quite　as　much
as　her　beautiful　dancing。　　She's　going　to　take　the　principal　part　in　the
laughable　after…piece　of　Passing　round　the　Hat；　and　I　hope　the　audience
willaaado　the　rest。　　She's　consented　on　this　occasion　to　use　a
hator　cap；　ratherof　her　own；　the　charming　Tam　O'Shanter　in　which
we've　all　seen　her；　andaadmired　her　about　the　ship　for　the　week
past。〃

He　caught　up　the　flat　woolen　steamer…cap　which　Clementina　had　left　in　her
seat　beside　Mrs。　Milray　when　she　rose　to　dance；　and　held　it　aloft。　　Some
one　called　out；　〃Chorus！　　For　he's　a　jolly　good　fellow；〃　and　led　off　in
his　praise。　　Lord　Lioncourt　shouted　through　the　uproar　the　announcement
that　while　Miss　Claxon　was　taking　up　the　collection；　Mr。　Ewins；　of
Boston；　would　sing　one　of　the　student　songs　of　Cambridgeno！　　Harvard
University；　the　music　being　his　own。

Everyone　wanted　to　make　some　joke　or　some　compliment　to　Clementina　about
the　cap　which　grew　momently　heavier　under　the　sovereigns　and　half
sovereigns；　half　crowns　and　half　dollars；　shillings；　quarters；　greenbacks
and　every　fraction　of　English　and　American　silver；　and　the　actor　who　had
given　the　imitations；　made　bold；　as　he　said；　to　ask　his　lordship　if　the
audience　might　not　hope；　before　they　dispersed；　for　something　more　from
Miss　Claxon。　　He　was　sure　she　could　do　something　more；　he　for　one　would
be　glad　of　anything；　and　Clementina　turned　from　putting　her　cap　into　Mrs。
Milray's　lap；　to　find　Lord　Lioncourt　bowing　at　her　elbow；　and　offering
her　his　arm　to　lead　her　to　the　spot　where　she　had　stood　in　dancing。

The　joy　of　her　triumph　went　to　her　head；　she　wished　to　retrieve　herself
from　any　shadow　of　defeat。

She　stood　panting　a　moment；　and　then；　if　she　had　had　the　professional
instinct；　she　would　have　given　her　admirers　the　surprise　of　something
altogether　different　from　what　had　pleased　them　before。　　That　was　what
the　actor　would　have　done；　but　Clementina　thought　of　how　her　dance　had
been　brought　to　an　untimely　close　by　the　rolling　of　the　ship；　she　burned
to　do　it　all　as　she　knew　it；　no　matter　how　the　sea　behaved；　and　in
another　moment　she　struck　into　it　again。　　This　time　the　sea　behaved
perfectly；　and　the　dance　ended　with　just　the　swoop　and　swirl　she　had
meant　it　to　have　at　first。　　The　spectators　went　generously　wild　over　her；
they　cheered　and　clapped　her；　and　crowded　upon　her　to　tell　how　lovely　it
was；　but　she　escaped　from　them；　and　ran　back　to　the　place　where　she　had
left　Mrs。　Milray。　　She　was　not　there；　and　Clementina's　cap　full　of　alms
lay　abandoned　on　the　chair。　　Lord　Lioncourt　said　he　would　take　charge　of
the　money；　if　she　would　lend　him　her　cap　to　carry　it　in　to　the　purser；
and　she　made　her　way　into　the　saloon。　　In　a　distant　corner　she　saw　Mrs。
Milray　with　Mr。　Ewins。

She　advanced　in　a　vague　dismay　toward　them；　and　as　she　came　near　Mrs。
Milray　said　to　Mr。　Ewins；　〃I　don't　like　this　place。　　Let's　go　over
yonder。〃　　She　rose　and　rushed　him　to　the　other　end　of　the　saloon。

Lord　Lioncourt　came　in　looking　about。　　〃Ah；　have　you　found　her？〃　　he
asked；　gayly。　　〃There　were　twenty　pounds　in　your　cap；　and　two　hundred
dollars。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina；　〃she's　over　the'a。〃　　She　pointed；　and　then　shrank
and　slipped　away。




XVIII。

At　breakfast　Mrs。　Milray　would　not　meet　Clementina's　eye；　she　talked　to
the　people　across　the　table　in　a　loud；　lively　voice；　and　then　suddenly
rose；　and　swept　past　her　out　of　the　saloon。

The　girl　did　not　see　her　again　till　Mrs。　Milray　came　up　on　the　promenade
at　the　hour　when　people　who　have　eaten　too　much　breakfast　begin　to　spoil
their　appetite　for　luncheon　with　the　tea　and　bouillon　of　the　deck…
stewards。　　She　looked　fiercely　about；　and　saw　Clementina　seated　in　her
usual　place；　but　with　Lord　Lioncourt　in　her　own　chair　next　her　husband；
and　Ewins　on　foot　before　her。　　They　were　both　talking　to　Clementina；　whom
Lord　Lioncourt　was　accusing　of　being　in　low　spirits　unworthy　of　her　last
night's　triumphs。　　He　jumped　up；　and　offered　his　place；　〃I've　got　your
chair；　Mrs。　Milray。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said；　coldly；　〃I　was　just　coming　to　look　after　Mr。　Milray。
But　I　see　he's　in　good　hands。〃

She　turned　away；　as　if　to　make　the　round　of　the　deck；　and　Ewins　hurried
after　her。　　He　came　back　directly；　and　said　that　Mrs。　Milray　had　gone
into　the　library　to　write　letters。　　He　stayed；　uneasily；　trying　to　talk；
but　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　has　been　snubbed；　and　has　not　got　back　his
composure。

Lord　Lioncourt　talked　on　until　he　had　used　up　the　incidents　of　the　night
before；　and　the　probabilities　of　their　getting　into　Queenstown　before
morning；　then　he　and　Mr。　Ewins　went　to　the　smoking…room　together；　and
Clementina　was　left　alone　with　Milray。

〃Clementina；〃　he　said；　gently；　〃I　don't　see　everything；　but　isn't　there
some　trouble　between　you　and　Mrs。　Milray？〃

〃Why；　I　don't　know　what　it　can　be；〃　answered　the　girl；　with　trembling
lips。　　〃I've　been　trying　to　find　out；　and　I　can't　undastand　it。〃

〃Ah；　those　things　are　often　very　obscure；〃　said　Milray；　with　a　patient
smile。

Clementina　wanted　to　ask　him　if　Mrs。　Milray　had　said　anything　to　him
about　her；　but　she　could　not；　and　he　did　not　speak　again　till　he　heard
her　stir　in　rising　from　her　chair。　　Then　he　said；　〃I　haven't　forgotten
that　letter　to　my　sister；　Clementina。　　I　will　give　it　to　you　before　we
leave　the　steamer。　　Are　you　going　to　stay　in　Liverpool；　over　night；　or
shall　you　go　up　to　London　at　once？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　It　will　depend　upon　how　Mrs。　Landa　feels。〃

〃Well；　we　shall　see　each　other　again。　　Don't　be　worried。〃　　He　looked　up
at　her　with　a　smile；　and　he　could　not　see　how　forlornly　she　returned　it。

As　the　day　passed；　Mrs。　Milray's　angry　eyes　seemed　to　search　her　out　for
scorn　whenever　Clementina　found　herself　the　centre　of　her　last　night's
celebrity。　　Many　people　came　up　and　spoke　to　her；　at　first　with　a　certain
expectation　of　knowingness　in　her；　which　her　simplicity　baffled。　　Then
they　either　dropped　her；　and　went　away；　or　stayed　and　tried　to　make
friends　with　her　because　of　this；　an　elderly　English　clergyman　and　his
wife　were　at　first　compassionately　anxious　about　her；　and　then
affectionately　attentive　to　her　in　her　obvious　isolation。　　Clementina's
simple…hearted　response　to　their　advances　appeared　to　win　while　it
puzzled　them；　and　they　seemed　trying　to　divine　her　in　the　strange　double
character　she　wore　to　their　more　single　civilization。　　The　theatrical
people　thought　none　the　worse　of　her　for　her　simple…hearted　ness；
apparently；　they　were　both　very　sweet　to　her；　and　wanted　her　to　promise
to　come　and　see　them　in　their　little　box　in　St。　John's　Wood。　　Once；
indeed；　Clementina　thought　she　saw　relenting　in　Mrs。　Milray's　glance；　but
it　hardened　again　as　Lord　Lioncourt　and　Mr。　Ewins　came　up　to　her；　and
began　to　talk　with　her。　　She　could　not　go　to　her　chair　beside　Milray；　for
his　wife　was　now　keeping　guard　of　him　on　the　other　side　with　unexampled
devotion。　　Lord　Lioncourt　asked　her　to　walk　with　him　and　she　consented。
She　thought　that　Mr。　Ewins　would　go　and　sit　by　Mrs。　Milray；　of　course；
but　when　she　came　round　in　her　tour　of　the　ship；　Mrs。　Milray　was　sitting
alone　beside　her　husband。

After　dinner　she　went　to　the　library　and　got　a　book；　but　she　could　not
read　there；　every　chair　was　taken　by　people　writing　letters　to　send　back
from　Queenstown　in　the　morning；　and　she　strayed　into　the　ladies'　sitting
room；　where　no　ladies　seemed　ever　to　sit；　and　lost　herself　in　a　miserable
muse　over　her　open　page。

Some　one　looked　in　at　the　door；　and　then　advanced　within　and　came
straight　to　Clementina；　she　knew　without　looking　up　that　it　was　Mrs。
Milray。　　〃I　have　been　hunting　for　you；　Miss　Claxon；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice
frostily　fierce；　and　with　a　bearing　furiously　formal。　　〃I　have　a　letter
to　Miss　Milray　that　my　busband　wished　me　to　write　for　you；　and　give　you
with　his　compliments。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Clementina。　　She　rose　mechanically　to　her　feet；　and　at
the　same　time　Mrs。　Milray　sat　down。

〃You　will　find　Miss　Milray；〃　she　continued；　with　the　same　glacial
hauteur；　〃a　very　agreeable