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ragged lady, v1-第18部分

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what sort of person he was。  He dealt impartially with the subject; he
did not spare some faults of his; and after a week; he proposed a
correspondence with her; in a letter of carefully studied spelling; as a
means of mutual improvement as well as further acquaintance。

It cost Clementina a good deal of trouble to answer him as she wished and
not hurt his feelings。  She declined in terms she thought so cold that
they must offend him beyond the point of speaking to her again; but he
sought her out; as soon after as he could; and thanked her for her
kindness; and begged her pardon。  He said he knew that she was a very
busy person; with all the lessons she was taking; and that she had no
time for carrying on a correspondence。  He regretted that he could not
write French; because then the correspondence would have been good
practice for her。  Clementina had begun taking French lessons; of a
teacher who came out from Boston。  She lunched three times a week with
her and Mrs。 Lander; and spoke the language with Clementina; whose accent
she praised for its purity; purity of accent was characteristic of all
this lady's pupils; but what was really extraordinary in Mademoiselle
Claxon was her sense of grammatical structure; she wrote the language
even more perfectly than she spoke it; but beautifully; but wonderfully;
her exercises were something marvellous。

Mrs。 Lander would have liked Clementina to take all the lessons that she
heard any of the other young ladies in the hotel were taking。  One of
them went in town every day; and studied drawing at an art…school; and
she wanted Clementina to do that; too。  But Clementina would not do that;
she had tried often enough at home; when her brother Jim was drawing; and
her father was designing the patterns of his woodwork; she knew that she
never could do it; and the time would be wasted。  She decided against
piano lessons and singing lessons; too; she did not care for either; and
she pleaded that it would be a waste to study them; but she suggested
dancing lessons; and her gift for dancing won greater praise; and perhaps
sincerer; than her accent won from Mademoiselle Blanc; though Mrs。 Lander
said that she would not have believed any one could be more
complimentary。  She learned the new steps and figures in all the
fashionable dances; she mastered some fancy dances; which society was
then beginning to borrow from the stage; and she gave these before Mrs。
Lander with a success which she felt herself。

〃I believe I could teach dancing;〃 she said。

〃Well; you won't eve haf to; child;〃 returned Mrs。 Lander; with an eye on
the side of the case that seldom escaped her。

In spite of his wish to respect these preoccupations; Fane could not keep
from offering Clementina attentions; which took the form of persecution
when they changed from flowers for Mrs。 Lander's table to letters for
herself。  He apologized for his letters whenever he met her; but at last
one of them came to her before breakfast with a special delivery stamp
from Boston。  He had withdrawn to the city to write it; and he said that
if she could not make him a favorable answer; he should not come back to
Woodlake。

She had to show this letter to Mrs。 Lander; who asked: 〃You want he
should come back?〃

〃No; indeed!  I don't want eva to see him again。〃

〃Well; then; I guess you'll know how to tell him so。

The girl went into her own room to write; and when she brought her answer
to show it to Mrs。 Lander she found her in frowning thought。  〃I don't
know but you'll have to go back and write it all over again; Clementina;〃
she said; 〃if you've told him not to come。  I've been thinkin'; if you
don't want to have anything to do with him; we betta go ouaselves。〃

〃Yes;〃 answered Clementina; 〃that's what I've said。〃

〃You have?  Well; the witch is in it!  How came you to〃

〃I just wanted to talk with you about it。  But I thought maybe you'd like
to go。  Or at least I should。  I should like to go home; Mrs。 Landa。〃

〃Home!〃 retorted Mrs。 Lander。  〃The'e's plenty of places where you can be
safe from the fella besides home; though I'll take you back the'a this
minute if you say so。  But you needn't to feel wo'ked up about it。〃

〃Oh; I'm not;〃 said Clementina; but with a gulp which betrayed her
nervousness。

〃I did think;〃 Mrs。 Lander went on; 〃that I should go into the Vonndome;
for December and January; but just as likely as not he'd come pesterin'
the'a; too; and I wouldn't go; now; if you was to give me the whole city
of Boston。  Why shouldn't we go to Florid?〃

When Mrs。 Lander had once imagined the move; the nomadic impulse mounted
irresistably in her。  She spoke of hotels in the South; where they could
renew the summer; and she mapped out a campaign which she put into
instant action so far as to advance upon New York。










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