ragged lady, v1-第16部分

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They　said　they　would　like　to　talk　the　matter　over　with　the　rector；　if
Mrs。　Lander　did　not　object；　she　offered　to　send　her　carriage　for　him；　and
the　rector　was　brought　at　once。

He　was　one　of　those　men　who　have；　in　the　breaking　down　of　the　old
Puritanical　faith；　and　the　dying　out　of　the　later　Unitarian　rationalism；
advanced　and　established　the　Anglican　church　so　notably　in　the　New
England　hill…country；　by　a　wise　conformity　to　the　necessities　and
exactions　of　the　native　temperament。　　On　the　ecclesiastical　side　he　was
conscientiously　uncompromising；　but　personally　he　was　as　simple…mannered
as　he　was　simple…hearted。　　He　was　a　tall　lean　man　in　rusty　black；　with　a
clerical　waistcoat　that　buttoned　high；　and　scholarly　glasses；　but　with　a
belated　straw　hat　that　had　counted　more　than　one　summer；　and　a　farmer's
tan　on　his　face　and　hands。　　He　pronounced　the　church…letter；　though　quite
outside　of　his　own　church；　a　document　of　the　highest　respectability；　and
he　listened　with　patient　deference　to　the　autobiography　which　Mrs。　Lander
poured　out　upon　him；　and　her　identifications；　through　reference　to　this
or　that　person　in　Boston　whom　he　knew　either　at　first　or　second　hand。
He　had　not　to　pronounce　upon　her　syntax；　or　her　social　quality；　it　was
enough　for　him；　in　behalf　of　the　Claxons；　to　find　her　what　she　professed
to　be。

〃You　must　think；〃　he　said；　laughing；　〃that　we　are　over…particular；　but
the　fact　is　that　we　value　Clementina　rather　highly；　and　we　wish　to　be
sure　that　your　hospitable　offer　will　be　for　her　real　good。〃

〃Of　cou'se；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃I　should　be　just　so　myself　abort　her。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　continued；　〃that　I've　ever　said　how　much　we　think　of
her；　Mrs。　Richling　and　I；　but　this　seems　a　good　opportunity；　as　she　is
not　present。

She　is　not　perfect；　but　she　comes　as　near　being　a　thoroughly　good　girl　as
she　can　without　knowing　it。　　She　has　a　great　deal　of　common…sense；　and　we
all　want　her　to　have　the　best　chance。〃

〃Well；　that's　just　the　way　I　feel　about　her；　and　that's　just　what　I　mean
to　give　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。

〃I　am　not　sure　that　I　make　myself　quite　clear；〃　said　the　rector。
〃I　mean；　a　chance　to　prove　how　useful　and　helpful　she　can　be。　　Do　you
think　you　can　make　life　hard　for　her　occasionally？　　Can　you　be　peevish
and　exacting；　and　unreasonable？　　Can　you　do　something　to　make　her　value
superfluity　and　luxury　at　their　true　worth？〃

Mrs。　Lander　looked　a　little　alarmed　and　a　little　offended。　　〃I　don't　know
as　I　undastand　what　you　mean；　exactly；〃　she　said；　frowning　rather　with
perplexity　than　resentment。　　〃But　the　child　sha'n't　have　a　care；　and　her
own　motha　couldn't　be　betta　to　her　than　me。　　There　a'n't　anything　money
can　buy　that　she　sha'n't　have；　if　she　wants　it；　and　all　I'll　ask　of　her
is　't　she'll　enjoy　herself　as　much　as　she　knows　how。　　I　want　her　with　me
because　I　should　love　to　have　her　round；　and　we　did　from　the　very　fust
minute　she　spoke；　Mr。　Lander　and　me；　both。　　She　shall　have　her　own　money；
and　spend　it　for　anything　she　pleases；　and　she　needn't　do　a　stitch　o'
work　from　mohnin'　till　night。　　But　if　you're　afraid　I　shall　put　upon　her〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　rector；　and　he　threw　back　his　head　with　a　laugh。

〃When　it　was　all　arranged；　a　few　days　later；　after　the　verification　of
certain　of　Mrs。　Lander's　references　by　letters　to　Boston；　he　said　to
Clementina's　father　and　mother；　〃There's　only　one　danger；　now；　and　that
is　that　she　will　spoil　Clementina；　but　there's　a　reasonable　hope　that　she
won't　know　how。〃　　He　found　the　Claxons　struggling　with　a　fresh　misgiving；
which　Claxon　expressed。　　〃The　way　I　look　at　it　is　like　this。　　I　don't
want　that　woman　should　eva　think　Clem　was　after　her　money。　　On　the　face
of　it　there　a'n't　very　much　to　her　that　would　make　anybody　think　but　what
we　was　after　it；　and　I　should　want　it　pootty　well　undastood　that　we
wa'n't　that　kind。　　But　I　don't　seem　to　see　any　way　of　tellin'　her。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　rector；　with　a　sympathetic　twinkle；　〃that　would　be
difficult。〃

〃It's　plain　to　be　seen；〃　Mrs。　Claxon　interposed；　〃that　she　thinks　a　good
deal　of　her　money；　and　I　d'　know　but　what　she'd　think　she　was　doin'　Clem
most　too　much　of　a　favor　anyway。　　If　it　can't　be　a　puffectly　even　thing；
all　round；　I　d'　know　as　I　should　want　it　to　be　at　all。〃

〃You're　quite　right。；　Mrs。　Claxon；　quite　right。　　But　I　believe　Mrs。
Lander　may　be　safely　left　to　look　out　for　her　own　interests。　　After　all；
she　has　merely　asked　Clementina　to　pass　the　winter　with　her。　　It　will　be
a　good　opportunity　for　her　to　see　something　of　the　world；　and　perhaps　it
may　bring　her　the　chance　of　placing　herself　in　life。　　We　have　got　to
consider　these　things　with　reference　to　a　young　girl。〃

Mrs。　Claxon　said；　〃Of　cou'se；〃　but　Claxon　did　not　assent　so　readily。

〃I　don't　feel　as　if　I　should　want　Clem　to　look　at　it　in　that　light。　　If
the　chance　don't　come　to　her；　I　don't　want　she　should　go　huntin'　round
for　it。〃

〃I　thoroughly　agree　with　you；〃　said　the　rector。　　〃But　I　was　thinking　that
there　was　not　only　no　chance　worthy　of　her　in　Middlemount；　but　there　is
no　chance　at　all。〃

〃I　guess　that's　so；〃　Claxon　owned　with　a　laugh。　　〃Well；　I　guess　we　can
leave　it　to　Clem　to　do　what's　right　and　proper　everyway。　　As　you　say；
she's　got　lots　of　sense。〃

From　that　moment　he　emptied　his　mind　of　care　concerning　the　matter；　but
husband　and　wife　are　never　both　quite　free　of　care　on　the　same　point　of
common　interest；　and　Mrs。　Claxon　assumed　more　and　more　of　the　anxieties
which　he　had　abandoned。　　She　fretted　under　the　load；　and　expressed　an
exasperated　tenderness　for　Clementina　when　the　girl　seemed　forgetful　of
any　of　the　little　steps　to　be　taken　before　the　great　one　in　getting　her
clothes　ready　for　leaving　home。　　She　said　finally　that　she　presumed　they
were　doing　a　wild　thing；　and　that　it　looked　crazier　and　crazier　the　more
she　thought　of　it；　but　all　was；　if　Clem　didn't　like；　she　could　come　home。
By　this　time　her　husband　was　in　something　of　that　insensate　eagerness　to
have　the　affair　over　that　people　feel　in　a　house　where　there　is　a
funeral。

At　the　station；　when　Clementina　started　for　Boston　with　Mrs。　Lander；　her
father　and　mother；　with　the　rector　and　his　wife；　came　to　see　her　off。
Other　friends　mistakenly　made　themselves　of　the　party；　and　kept　her
talking　vacuities　when　her　heart　was　full；　till　the　train　drew　up。　　Her
father　went　with　her　into　the　parlor　car；　where　the　porter　of　the
Middlemount　House　set　down　Mrs。　Lander's　hand　baggage　and　took　the　final
fee　she　thrust　upon　him。　　When　Claxon　came　out　he　was　not　so　satisfactory
about　the　car　as　he　might　have　been　to　his　wife；　who　had　never　been
inside　a　parlor　car；　and　who　had　remained　proudly　in　the　background；
where　she　could　not　see　into　it　from　the　outside。　　He　said　that　he　had
felt　so　bad　about　Clem　that　he　did　not　notice　what　the　car　was　like。
But　he　was　able　to　report　that　she　looked　as　well　as　any　of　the　folks　in
it；　and　that；　if　there　were　any　better　dressed；　he　did　not　see　them。　　He
owned　that　she　cried　some；　when　he　said　good…bye　to　her。

〃I　guess；〃　said　his　wife；　grimly；　〃we're　a　passel　o'　fools　to　let　her　go。
Even　if　she　don't　like；　the'a；　with　that　crazy…head；　she　won't　be　the
same　Clem　when　she　comes　back。〃

They　were　too　heavy…hearted　to　dispute　much；　and　were　mostly　silent　as
they　drove　home　behind　Claxon's　self…broken　colt：　a　creature　that　had
taken　voluntarily　to　harness　almost　from　its　birth；　and　was　an　example　to
its　kind　in　sobriety　and　industry。

The　children　ran　out　from　the　house　to　meet　them；　with　a　story　of　having
seen　Clem　at　a　point　in　the　woods　where　the　train　always　slowed　up　before
a　crossing；　and　where　they　had　all　gone　to　wait　for　her。　　She　had　seen
them　through　the　car…window；　and　had　come　out　on　the　car　platform；　and
waved　her　handkerchief；　as　she　passed；　and　called　something　to　them；
but　they　could　not　hear　what　it　was；　they　were　all　cheering　so。

At　this　their　mother　broke　down；　and　went　crying　into　the　house。　　Not　to
have　had　the　last　words　of　the　child　whom　she　should　never　see　the　same
again　if　she　ever　saw　her　at　all；　was　more；　she　said；　than　heart　could
bear。

The　rector's　wife　arrived　home　with　her　husband　in　a　mood　of　mounting
hopefulness；　which　soared　to　tops　commanding　a　view　of　perhaps　more　of
this　world's　kingdoms　than　a　clergyman's　wife　ought　ever　to　see；　even　for
another。　　She　decided　that　Clementina's　chances　of　making　a　splendid
match；　somewhere；　were　about　of　the　nature　of　certainties；　and　she
contended　that　she　would　adorn　any　station；　with　experience；　and　with　her
native　tact；　especially　if　it　were　a　very　high　station　in　Europe；　where
Mrs。　Lander　would　now　be　sure　to　take　her。　　If　she　did　not　take　her　to
Europe；　however；　she　would　be　sure　to　leave　her　all　her　money；　and　this
would　serve　the　same　end；　though　more　indirectly。

Mr。　Richling　scoffed　at　this　ideal　of　Clementina's　future　with　a　contempt
which　was　as　little　becoming　to　his　cloth。　　He　made　his　wife　reflect
that；　with　all　her　inherent　grace　and　charm；　Clementina　was　an　ignorant
little　country　girl；　who　had　neither　the　hardness　of　heart　nor　the
greediness　of　soul；　which　gets　people　on　in　the　world；　and　repair　for
them　the　disadvantages　of　birth　and　education。　　He　represented　that　even
if　favorable　chances　for　success　in　society　showed　themselves　to　the
girl；　the　intense　and　inexpugnable　vulgarity　of　Mrs。　Lander　would　spoil
them；　and　he　was　glad　of　this；　he　said；　for　he　believed　that　the　best
thing　which　could　happen　to　the　child　would　be　to　come　home　as　sweet　and
good　as　she　had　gone　away；　he　added　this　was　what　they　ought　both　to　pray
for。

His　wife　admitted　this；　but　she　retorted　by　asking　if　he　thought　such　a
thing　was　possible；　and　he　was　obliged　to　own　that　it　was　not　possible。
He　marred　the　effect　of　his　concession　by　subjoining　that　it　was　no　more
possible　than　her　making　a　brilliant　and　triumphant　social　figure　in
society；　either　at　home　or　in　Europe。




XIV。

So　far　from　embarking　at　once　for　Europe；　Mrs。　Lander　went　to　that　hotel
in　a　suburb　of　Boston；　where　she　had　the　habit　of　passing　the　late　autumn
months；　in　order　to　fortify　herself　for　the　climate　of　the　early　winter
months　in　the　city。　　She　was　a　little　puzzled　how　to　provide　for