ragged lady, v2-第6节

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made　him　tell　her　what　a　lord　was；　and　a　commoner；　and　how　the　royal
family　differed　from　both。　　She　asked　him　how　he　came　to　be　a　lord；　and
when　he　said　that　it　was　a　peerage　of　George　the　Third's　creation；　she
remembered　that　George　III。　　was　the　one　we　took　up　arms　against。　　She
found　that　Lord　Lioncourt　knew　of　our　revolution　generally；　but　was
ignorant　of　such　particulars　as　the　Battle　of　Bunker　Hill；　and　the
Surrender　of　Cornwallis；　as　well　as　the　throwing　of　the　Tea　into　Boston
Harbor；　he　was　much　struck　by　this　incident；　and　said；　And　quite　right；
he　was　sure。

He　told　Clementina　that　her　friends　the　Milrays　had　taken　the　steamer　for
London　in　the　morning。　　He　believed　they　were　going　to　Egypt　for　the
winter。　　Cairo；　he　said；　was　great　fun；　and　he　advised　Mrs。　Lander；　if
she　found　Florence　a　bit　dull；　to　push　on　there。　　She　asked　if　it　was　an
easy　place　to　get　to；　and　he　assured　her　that　it　was　very　easy　from
Italy。

Mrs。　Lander　was　again　at　home　in　her　world　of　railroads　and　hotels；　but
she　confessed；　after　he　left　them　at　the　next　station；　that　she　should
have　felt　more　at　home　if　he　had　been　going　on　to　London　with　them。　　She
philosophized　him　to　the　disadvantage　of　her　own　countrymen　as　much　less
offish　than　a　great　many　New　York　and　Boston　peuple。　　He　had　given　her　a
good　opinion　of　the　whole　English　nation；　and　the　clergyman；　who　had　been
so　nice　to　them　at　Liverpool；　confirmed　her　friendly　impressions　of
England　by　getting　her　a　small　omnibus　at　the　station　in　London　before　he
got　a　cab　for　himself　and　his　wife；　and　drove　away　to　complete　his　own
journey　on　another　road。　　She　celebrated　the　omnibus　as　if　it　were　an
effect　of　his　goodness　in　her　behalf。　　She　admired　its　capacity　for
receiving　all　their　trunks；　and　saving　the　trouble　and　delay　of　the
express；　which　always　vexed　her　so　much　in　New　York；　and　which　had　nearly
failed　in　getting　her　baggage　to　the　steamer　in　time。

The　omnibus　remained　her　chief　association　with　London；　for　she　decided
to　take　the　first　through　train　for　Italy　in　the　morning。　　She　wished　to
be　settled；　by　which　she　meant　placed　in　a　Florentine　hotel　for　the
winter。　　That　lord；　as　she　now　began　and　always　continued　to　call
Lioncourt；　had　first　given　her　the　name　of　the　best　little　hotel　in
Florence；　but　as　it　had　neither　elevator　nor　furnace　heat　in　it；　he
agreed　in　the　end　that　it　would　not　do　for　her；　and　mentioned　the　most
modern　and　expensive　house　on　the　Lungarno。　　He　told　her　he　did　not　think
she　need　telegraph　for　rooms；　but　she　took　this　precaution　before　leaving
London；　and　was　able　to　secure　them　at　a　price　which　seemed　to　her　quite
as　much　as　she　would　have　had　to　pay　for　the　same　rooms　at　a　first　class
hotel　on　the　Back　Bay。

The　manager　had　reserved　for　her　one　of　the　best　suites；　which　had　just
been　vacated　by　a　Russian　princess。　　〃I　guess　you　better　cable　to　your
folks　where　you　ah'；　Clementina；〃　she　said。　　〃Because　if　you're
satisfied；　I　am；　and　I　presume　we　sha'n't　want　to　change　as　long　as　we
stay　in　Florence。　　My；　but　it's　sightly　！　　〃She　joined　Clementina　a
moment　at　the　windows　looking　upon　the　Arno；　and　the　hills　beyond　it。
〃I　guess　you'll　spend　most　of　your　time　settin'　at　this　winder；　and　I
sha'n't　blame　you。〃

They　had　arrived　late　in　the　dull；　soft　winter　afternoon。　　The　landlord
led　the　way　himself　to　their　apartment；　and　asked　if　they　would　have
fire；　a　facchino　came　in　and　kindled　roaring　blazes　on　the　hearths；　at
the　same　time　a　servant　lighted　all　the　candles　on　the　tables　and
mantels。　　They　both　gracefully　accepted　the　fees　that　Mrs。　Lander　made
Clementina　give　them；　the　facchino　kissed　the　girl's　hand。　　〃My！〃　said
Mrs。　Lander；　〃I　guess　you　never　had　　your　hand　kissed　before。〃

The　hotel　developed　advantages　which；　if　not　those　she　was　used　to；　were
still　advantages。　　The　halls　were　warmed　by　a　furnace；　and　she　came　to
like　the　little　logs　burning　in　her　rooms。　　In　the　care　of　her　own　fire；
she　went　back　to　the　simple　time　of　her　life　in　the　country；　and　chose　to
kindle　it　herself　when　it　died　out；　with　the　fagots　of　broom　that　blazed
up　so　briskly。

In　the　first　days　of　her　stay　she　made　inquiry　for　the　best　American
doctor　in　Florence；　and　she　found　him　so　intelligent　that　she　at　once　put
her　liver　in　his　charge；　with　a　history　of　her　diseases　and　symptoms　of
every　kind。　　She　told　him　that　she　was　sure　that　he　could　have　cured　Mr。
Lander；　if　he　had　only　had　him　in　time；　she　exacted　a　new　prescription
from　him　for　herself；　and　made　him　order　some　quinine　pills　for
Clementina　against　the　event　of　her　feeling　debilitated　by　the　air　of
Florence。




XX。

In　these　first　days　a　letter　came　to　Clementina　from　Mrs。　Lander's
banker；　enclosing　the　introduction　which　Mrs。　Milray　had　promised　to　her
sister…in…law。　　It　was　from　Mr。　Milray；　as　before；　and　it　was　in　Mrs。
Milray's　handwriting；　but　no　message　from　her　came　with　it。　　To
Clementina　it　explained　itself；　but　she　had　to　explain　it　to　Mrs。　Lander。
She　had　to　tell　her　of　Mrs。　Milray's　behavior　after　the　entertainment　on
the　steamer；　and　Mrs。　Lander　said　that　Clementina　had　done　just　exactly
right；　and　they　both　decided；　against　some　impulses　of　curiosity　in
Clementina's　heart；　that　she　should　not　make　use　of　the　introduction。

The　'Hotel　des　Financieres'　was　mainly　frequented　by　rich　Americans　full
of　ready　money；　and　by　rich　Russians　of　large　credit。　　Better　Americans
and　worse；　went；　like　the　English；　to　smaller　and　cheaper　hotels；　and
Clementina's　acquaintance　was　confined　to　mothers　as　shy　and
ungrammatical　as　Mrs。　Lander　herself；　and　daughters　blankly　indifferent
to　her。　　Mrs。　Lander　drove　out　every　day　when　it　did　not　rain；　and　she
took　Clementina　with　her；　because　the　doctor　said　it　would　do　them　both
good；　but　otherwise　the　girl　remained　pent　in　their　apartment。　　The
doctor　found　her　a　teacher；　and　she　kept　on　with　her　French；　and　began　to
take　lessons　in　Italian；　she　spoke　with　no　one　but　her　teacher；　except
when　the　doctor　came。　　At　the　table　d'hote　she　heard　talk　of　the　things
that　people　seemed　to　come　to　Florence　for：　pictures；　statues；　palaces；
famous　places；　and　it　made　her　ashamed　of　not　knowing　about　them。　　But
she　could　not　go　to　see　these　things　alone；　and　Mrs。　Lander；　in　the
content　she　felt　with　all　her　circumstances；　seemed　not　to　suppose　that
Clementina　could　care　for　anything　but　the　comfort　of　the　hotel　and　the
doctor's　visits。　　When　the　girl　began　to　get　letters　from　home　in　answer
to　the　first　she　had　written　back；　boasting　how　beautiful　Florence　was；
they　assumed　that　she　was　very　gay；　and　demanded　full　accounts　of　her
pleasures。　　Her　brother　Jim　gave　something　of　the　village　news；　but　he
said　he　supposed　that　she　would　not　care　for　that；　and　she　would　probably
be　too　proud　to　speak　to　them　when　she　came　home。　　The　Richlings　had
called　in　to　share　the　family　satisfaction　in　Clementina's　first
experiences；　and　Mrs。　Richling　wrote　her　very　sweetly　of　their　happiness
in　them。　　She　charged　her　from　the　rector　not　to　forget　any　chance　of
self…improvement　in　the　allurements　of　society；　but　to　make　the　most　of
her　rare　opportunities。　　She　said　that　they　had　got　a　guide…book　to
Florence；　with　a　plan　of　the　city；　and　were　following　her　in　the
expeditions　they　decided　she　must　be　making　every　day；　they　were　reading
up　the　Florentine　history　in　Sismondi's　Italian　Republics；　and　she　bade
Clementina　be　sure　and　see　all　the　scenes　of　Savonarola's　martyrdom；　so
that　they　could　talk　them　over　together　when　she　returned。

Clexnentina　wondered　what　Mrs。　Richling　would　think　if　she　told　her　that
all　she　knew　of　Florence　was　what　she　overheard　in　the　talk　of　the　girls
in　the　hotel；　who　spoke　before　her　of　their　dances　and　afternoon　teas；
and　evenings　at　the　opera；　and　drives　in　the　Cascine；　and　parties　to
Fiesole；　as　if　she　were　not　by。

The　days　and　weeks　passed；　until　Carnival　was　half　gone；　and　Mrs。　Lander
noticed　one　day　that　Clementina　appeared　dull。　　〃You　don't　seem　to　get
much　acquainted？〃　　she　suggested。

〃Oh；　the'e's　plenty　of　time；〃　said　Clementina。

〃I　wish　the'e　was　somebody　you　could　go　round　with；　and　see　the　place。
Shouldn't　yon　like　to　see　the　place？　　〃　Mrs。　Lander　pursued。

〃There's　no　hurry　about　it；　Mrs。　Lander。　　It　will　stay　as　long　as　we　do。〃

Mrs。　Lander　was　thoughtfully　silent。　　Then　she　said；　〃I　declare；　I've　got
half　a　mind　to　make　you　send　that　letta　to　Miss　Milray；　after　all。　　What
difference　if　Mrs。　Milray　did　act　so　ugly　to　you？　　He　never　did；　and
she's　his　sista。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　want　to　send　it；　Mrs。　Landa；　you　mustn't　ask　me　to。　　I　shall
get　along；〃　said　Clementina。　　The　recognition　of　her　forlornness　deepened
it；　but　she　was　cheerfuller；　for　no　reason；　the　next　morning；　and　that
afternoon；　the　doctor　unexpectedly　came　upon　a　call　which　he　made　haste
to　say　was　not　professional。

〃I've　just　come　from　another　patient　of　mine；　and　I　promised　to　ask　if
you　had　not　crossed　on　the　same　ship　with　a　brother　of　hers；Mr。
Milray。〃

Celementina　and　Mrs。　Lander　looked　guiltily　at　each　other。　　〃I　guess　we
did；〃　Mrs。　Lander　owned　at　last；　with　a　reluctant　sigh。

〃Then；　she　says　you　have　a　letter　for　her。〃

The　doctor　spoke　to　both；　but　hi