the register-第2部分

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MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Yes；　I　think　he　was　wrong。　　And　the　terms　of　his
refusal　were　very　ungentlemanly。　　He　ought　to　apologize　most　amply
and　humbly。〃　　At　a　certain　expression　in　Miss　Reed's　face；　she　adds；
with　severity：　　〃Unless　you're　keeping　back　the　main　point。　　You
usually　do。　　Are　you？〃

MISS　REED：　　〃No；　no。　　I've　told　you　everythingeverything！〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Then　I　say；　as　I　said　from　the　beginning；　that　he
behaved　very　badly。　　It　was　very　awkward　and　very　painful；　but　you've
really　nothing　to　blame　yourself　for。〃

MISS　REED；　ruefully：　　〃No…o…o！〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that　sort　of　'No'？〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Nothing。〃

MISS　SPAULDING；　sternly：　　〃Yes；　you　do；　Ethel。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃I　don't；　really。　　What　makes　you'　think　I　do？〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃It　sounded　very　dishonest。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Did　it？　　I　didn't　mean　it　to。〃　　Her　friend　breaks　down
with　a　laugh；　while　Miss　Reed　preserves　a　demure　countenance。

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃What　ARE　you　keeping　back？〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Nothing　at　allless　than　nothing！　　I　never　thought　it
was　worth　mentioning。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Are　you　telling　me　the　truth？〃

MISS　REED：　　〃I'm　telling　you　the　truth　and　something　more。　　You　can't
ask　better　than　that；　can　you？〃

MISS　SPAULDING；　turning　to　her　music　again：　　〃Certainly　not。〃

MISS　REED：　　in　a　pathetic　wail：　　〃O　Henrietta！　do　you　abandon　me
thus？　　Well；　I　will　tell　you；　heartless　girl！　　I've　only　kept　it　back
till　now　because　it　was　so　extremely　mortifying　to　my　pride　as　an
artistas　a　student　of　oil。　　Will　you　hear　me？〃

MISS　SPAULDING；　beginning　to　play：　　〃No。〃

MISS　REED；　with　burlesque　wildness：　　〃You　shall！〃　　Miss　Spaulding
involuntarily　desists。　　〃There　was　a　momenta　fatal　momentwhen　he
said　he　thought　he　ought　to　tell　me　that　if　I　found　oil　amusing　I
could　go　on；　but　that　he　didn't　believe　I　should　ever　learn　to　use
it；　and　he　couldn't　let　me　take　lessons　from　him　with　the　expectation
that　I　should。　　There！〃

MISS　SPAULDING；　with　awful　reproach：　　〃And　you　call　that　less　than
nothing？　　I've　almost　a　mind　never　to　speak　to　you　again；　Ethel。　　How
COULD　you　deceive　me　so？〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Was　it　really　deceiving？　　_I_　shouldn't　call　it　so。　　And
I　needed　your　sympathy　so　much；　and　I　knew　I　shouldn't　get　it　unless
you　thought　I　was　altogether　in　the　right。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃You　are　altogether　in　the　wrong！　　And　it's　YOU　that
ought　to　apologize　to　HIMon　your　bended　knees。　　How　COULD　you　offer
him　money　after　that？　　I　wonder　at　you；　Ethel！〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Whydon't　you　see；　Nettie？I　did　keep　on　taking　the
lessons　of　him。　　I　did　find　oil　amusingor　the　oilistand　I　kept
on。　　Of　course　I　had　to；　off　there　in　a　farmhouse　full　of　lady
boarders；　and　he　the　only　gentleman　short　of　Crawford's。　　Strike；　but
hear　me；　Henrietta　Spaulding！　　What　was　I　to　do　about　the　half…dozen
lessons　I　had　taken　before　he　told　me　I　should　never　learn　to　use
oil？　　Was　I　to　offer　to　pay　him　for　these；　and　not　for　the　rest；　or
was　I　to　treat　the　whole　series　as　gratuitous？　　I　used　to　lie　awake
thinking　about　it。　　I've　got　little　tact；　but　I　couldn't　find　any　way
out　of　the　trouble。　　It　was　a　boxyes；　a　box　of　the　deepest　dye！
And　the　whole　affair　having　got　to　besomething　else；　don't　you
know？made　it　all　the　worse。　　And　if　he'd　onlyonlyBut　he　didn't。
Not　a　syllable；　not　a　breath！　　And　there　I　was。　　I　HAD　to　offer　him
the　money。　　And　it's　almost　killed　methe　way　he　took　my　offering
it；　and　now　the　way　you　take　it！　　And　it's　all　of　a　piece。〃　　Miss
Reed　suddenly　snatches　her　handkerchief　from　her　pocket；　and　buries
her　face　in　it。〃Oh；　dearoh；　dear！　　Oh！hu；　hu；　hu！〃

MISS　SPAULDING；　relenting：　　〃It　was　awkward。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Awkward！　　You　seem　to　think　that　because　I　carry　things
off　lightly　I　have　no　feeling。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃You　know　I　don't　think　that；　Ethel。〃

MISS　REED；　pursuing　her　advantage：　　〃I　don't　know　it　from　you；
Nettie。　　I've　tried　and　TRIED　to　pass　it　off　as　a　joke；　and　to　treat
it　as　something　funny；　but　I　can　tell　you　it's　no　joke　at　all。〃

MISS　SPAULDING；　sympathetically：　　〃I　see；　dear。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃It's　not　that　I　care　for　him〃　…

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Why；　of　course。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃For　I　don't　in　the　least。　　He　is　horrid　every　way：
blunt；　and　rude；　and　horrid。　　I　never　cared　for　him。　　But　I　care　for
myself！　　He　has　put　me　in　the　position　of　having　done　an　unkind
thingan　unladylike　thingwhen　I　was　only　doing　what　I　had　to　do。
Why　need　he　have　taken　it　the　way　he　did？　　Why　couldn't　he　have　said
politely　that　he　couldn't　accept　the　money　because　he　hadn't　earned
it？　　Even　THAT　would　have　been　mortifying　enough。　　But　he　must　go　and
be　so　violent；　and　rush　off；　andOh；　I　never　could　have　treated
anybody　so！〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Not　unless　you　were　very　fond　of　them。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃What？〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Not　unless　you　were　very　fond　of　them。〃

MISS　REED；　putting　away　her　handkerchief：　　〃Oh；　nonsense；　Nettie！　　He
never　cared　anything　for　me；　or　he　couldn't　have　acted　so。　　But　no
matter　for　that。　　He　has　fixed　everything　so　that　it　can　never　be　got
straightnever　in　the　world。　　It　will　just　have　to　remain　a　hideous
mass　ofof_I_　don't　know　what；　and　I　have　simply　got　to　on
withering　with　despair　at　the　point　where　I　left　off。　　But　I　don't
care！　　That's　one　comfort。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃I　don't　believe　he'll　let　you　wither　long；　Ethel。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃He's　let　me　wither　for　twenty…four　hours　already！　　But
it's　nothing　to　me；　now；　how　long　he　lets　me　wither。　　I'm　perfectly
satisfied　to　have　the　affair　remain　as　it　is。　　I　am　in　the　right；　and
if　he　comes　I　shall　refuse　to　see　him。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Oh；　no；　you　won't；　Ethel！〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Yes；　I　shall。　　I　shall　receive　him　very　coldly。　　I　won't
listen　to　any　excuse　from　him。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Oh；　yes；　you　will；　Ethel！〃

MISS　REED：　　〃No；　I　shall　not。　　If　he　wishes　me　to　listen　he　must
begin　by　humbling　himself　in　the　dustyes；　the　dust；　Nettie！　　I
won't　take　anything　short　of　it。　　I　insist　that　he　shall　realize　that
I　have　suffered。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Perhaps　he　has　suffered　too！〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Oh；　HE　suffered！〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃You　know　that　he　was　perfectly　devoted　to　you。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃He　never　said　so。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Perhaps　he　didn't　dare。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃He　dared　to　be　very　insolent　to　me。〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃And　you　know　you　liked　him　very　much。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃I　won't　let　you　say　that；　Nettie　Spaulding。　　I　DIDN'T
like　him。　　I　respected　and　admired　him；　but　I　didn't　LIKE　him。　　He
will　come　near　me；　but　if　he　does　he　has　to　begin　bybyLet　me　see；
what　shall　I　make　him　begin　by　doing？〃　　She　casts　up　her　eyes　for
inspiration　while　she　leans　forward　over　the　register。　　〃Yes；　I　will！
He　has　got　to　begin　by　taking　that　money！〃

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃Ethel；　you　wouldn't　put　that　affront　upon　a
sensitive　and　high…spirited　man！〃

MISS　REED：　　〃Wouldn't　I？　　You　wait　and　SEE；　Miss　Spaulding！　　He　shall
take　the　money；　and　he　shall　sign　a　receipt　for　it。　　I'll　draw　up　the
receipt　now；　so　as　to　have　it　ready；　and　I　shall　ask　him　to　sign　it
the　very　moment　he　enters　this　doorthe　very　instant！〃　　She　takes　a
portfolio　from　the　table　near　her；　without　rising；　and　writes：
〃'Received　from　Miss　Ethel　Reed　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　dollars；
in　full；　for　twenty…five　lessons　in　oil…painting。'　　Therewhen　Mr。
Oliver　Ransom　has　signed　this　little　document　he　may　begin　to　talk；
not　before！〃　She　leans　back　in　her　chair　with　an　air　of　pitiless
determination。

MISS　SPAULDING：　　〃But；　Ethel；　you　don't　mean　to　make　him　take　money
for　the　lessons　he　gave　you　after　he　told　you　you　couldn't　learn
anything？〃

MISS　REED；　after　a　moment's　pause：　　〃Yes；　I　do。　　This　is　to　punish
him。　　I　don't　wish　for　justice　now；　I　wish　for　vengeance！　　At　first　I
would　have　compromised　on　the　six　lessons；　or　on　none　at　all；　if　he
had　behaved　nicely；　but　after　what's　happened　I　shall　insist　upon
paying　him　for　every　lesson；　so　as　to　make　him　feel　that　the　whole
thing；　from　first　to　last；　was　a　purely　business　transaction　on　my
part。　　Yes；　a　PURELYBUSINESSTRANSACTION！〃

MISS　SPAULDING；　turning　to　her　music：　　〃Then　I've　got　nothing　more　to
say　to　you；　Ethel　Reed。〃

MISS　REED：　　〃I　don't　say　but　what；　after　he's　taken　the　money　and
signed　the　receipt；　I'll　listen　to　anything　else　he's　got　to　say；
very　willingly。〃　　Miss　Spaulding　makes　no　answer；　but　begins　to　play
with　a　scientific　absorption；　feeling　her　way　fitfully　through　the
new　piece；　while　Miss　Reed；　seated　by　the　register；　trifles　with　the
book　she　has　taken　from　the　table。



II。



The　interior　of　the　room　of　Miss　Spaulding　and　Miss　Reed　remains　in
view；　while　the　scene　discloses；　on　the　other　side　of　the　partition
wall　in　the　same　house；　the　bachelor　apartment　of　Mr。　Samuel
Grinnidge。　　Mr。　Grinnidge　in　his　dressing…gown　and　slippers；　with　his
pipe　in　his　mouth；　has　the　effect　of　having　just　come　in；　his　friend
Mr。　Oliver　Ransom　stands　at　the　window；　staring　out　into　the　November
weather。


GRINNIDGE：　　〃How　long　have　you　been　waiting　here？〃

RANSOM：　　〃Ten　minutesten　years。　　How　should　I　know？〃

GRINNIDGE：　　〃Well；　I　don't　know　who　else　should。　　Get　back　to…day？〃

RANSOM：　　〃Last　night。〃

GRINNIDGE：　　〃Well；　take　off　your　coat；　and　pull　up　to　the　register；
and　warm　your　poor　feet。〃　　He　puts　his　hand　out　over　the　register。
〃Confound　it！　somebody's　got　the　register　open　in　the　next　room！　　You
see；　one　pipe　comes　up　from　the　furnace　and　branches　into　a　V　just
under　the　floor；　and　professes　to　heat　both　rooms。　　But　it　don't。
There　was　a　fellow　in　there　last　winter　who　used　to　get　all　my　heat。
Used　to　go　out　and　leave　his　register　open；　and　I'd　come　in　here　just
before　dinner　and　find　this　place　as　cold　as　a　barn。　　We　had　a
running　fight　of　it　all　winter。　　The　man　who　got　his　register　open
first　in　the　morning　got　all　the　heat　for　the　day；　for　it　never
turned　the　other　way　when　it　started　in　one　direction。　　Used　to
almost　suffocatewarm；　muggy　daysmaintaining　my　rights。　　Some
piano…pounder　in　there　this　winter；　it　seems。　　Hear？　　And　she　hasn't
lost　any　time　in　learning　the　trick　of　the　register。　　What　kept　you
so　late　in　the　country？〃

RANSOM；　after　an　absent…minded　pause：　　〃Grinnidge；　I　wish　you