ragged lady, v2-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


their　love；　they　might　suffer；　but　they　could　not　choose　but　do　as　they
were　doing。

Clementina　was　trying　to　make　what　she　could　of　this　when　Miss　Milray's
name　came　up；　and　Miss　Milray　followed　it。

〃I　wanted　to　ask　after　Mrs。　Lander；　and　I　want　you　to　tell　her　；　I　did。
Will　you？　　Dr。　Welwright　says　he's　going　to　take　her　to　Venice。　　Well；
I'm　sorrysorry　for　your　going；　Clementina；　and　I'm　truly　sorry　for　the
cause　of　it。　　I　shall　miss　you；　my　dear；　I　shall　indeed。　　You　know　I
always　wanted　to　steal　you；　but　you'll　do　me　the　justice　to　say　I　never
did；　and　I　won't　try；　now。〃

〃Perhaps　I　wasn't　worth　stealing；〃　Clementina　suggested；　with　a
ruefulness　in　her　smile　that　went　to　Miss　Milray's　heart。

She　put　her　arms　round　her　and　kissed　her。　I　wasn't　very　kind　to　you；　the
other　day；　Clementina；　was　I？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　Clementina　faltered；　with　half…averted　face。

〃Yes；　you　do！　　I　was　trying　to　make…believe　that　I　didn't　want　to　meddle
with　your　affairs；　but　I　was　really　vexed　that　you　hadn't　told　me　your
story　before。　　It　hasn't　taken　me　all　this　time　to　reflect　that　you
couldn't；　but　it　has　to　make　myself　come　and　confess　that　I　had　been　dry
and　cold　with　you。〃　　She　hesitated。　　〃It's　come　out　all　right；　hasn't　it；
Clementina？〃　she　asked；　tenderly。　　〃You　see　I　want　to　meddle；　now。〃

〃We　ah'　trying　to　think　so；〃　sighed　the　girl。

〃Tell　me　about　it！〃　Miss　Milray　pulled　her　down　on　the　sofa　with　her；　and
modified　her　embrace　to　a　clasp　of　Clementina's　bands。

〃Why；　there　isn't　much　to　tell；〃　she　began；　but　she　told　what　there　was；
and　Miss　Milray　kept　her　countenance　concerning　the　scruple　that　had
parted　Clementina　and　her　lover。　　〃Perhaps　he　wouldn't　have　thought　of
it；〃　she　said；　in　a　final　self…reproach；　if　I　hadn't　put　it　into　his
head。〃

〃Well；　then；　I'm　not　sorry　you　put　it　into　his　head；〃　cried　Miss　Milray。
〃Clementina；　may　I　say　what　I　think　of　Mr。　Gregory's　performance？〃

〃Why；　certainly；　Miss　Milray！〃

I　think　he's　not　merely　a　gloomy　little　bigot；　but　a　very　hard…hearted
little　wretch；　and　I'm　glad　you're　rid　of　him。　　No；　stop！　　Let　me　go　on！
You　said　I　might！　　she　persisted；　at　a　protest　which　imparted　itself　from
Clementina's　restive　hands。　　〃It　was　selfish　and　cruel　of　him　to　let　you
believe　that　he　had　forgotten　you。　　It　doesn't　make　it　right　now；　when　an
accident　has　forced　him　to　tell　you　that　he　cared　for　you　all　along。〃

〃Why；　do　you　look　at　it　that　way；　Miss　Milray？　　If　he　was　doing　it　on　my
account？〃

〃He　may　think　he　was　doing　it　on　your　account；　but　I　think　he　was　doing
it　on　his　own。　　In　such　a　thing　as　that；　a　man　is　bound　by　his　mistakes；
if　he　has　made　any。　　He　can't　go　back　of　them　by　simply　ignoring　them。
It　didn't　make　it　the　same　for　you　when　he　decided　for　your　sake　that　he
would　act　as　if　he　had　never　spoken　to　you。〃

〃I　presume　he　thought　that　it　would　come　right；　sometime；〃　Clementina
urged。　　〃I　did。〃

〃Yes；　that　was　very　well　for　you；　but　it　wasn't　at　all　well　for　him。　　He
behaved　cruelly；　there's　no　other　word　for　it。〃

〃I　don't　believe　he　meant　to　be　cruel；　Miss　Milray；〃　said　Clementina。

〃You're　not　sorry　you've　broken　with　him？〃　　demanded　Miss　Milray；
severely；　and　she　let　go　of　Clementina's　hands。

〃I　shouldn't　want　him　to　think　I　hadn't　been　fai'a。〃

〃I　don't　understand　what　you　mean　by　not　being　fair；〃　said　Miss　Milray；
after　a　study　of　the　girl's　eyes。

〃I　mean；〃　Clementina　explained；　〃that　if　I　let　him　think　the　religion　was
all　the'e　was；　it　wouldn't　have　been　fai'a。〃

Why；　weren't　you　sincere　about　that？〃

〃Of　cou'se　I　was！〃　returned　the　girl；　almost　indignantly。　　〃But　if　the'e
was　anything　else；　I　ought　to　have　told　him　that；　too；　and　I　couldn't。〃

〃Then　you　can't　tell　me；　of　course？〃　　Miss　Milray　rose　in　a　little　pique。

〃Perhaps　some　day　I　will；〃　the　girl　entreated。　　〃And　perhaps　that　was
all。〃

Miss　Milray　laughed。　　〃Well；　if　that　was　enough　to　end　it；　I'm　satisfied；
and　I'll　let　you　keep　your　mysteryif　it　is　onetill　we　meet　in　Venice；
I　shall　be　there　early　in　June。　　Good　bye；　dear；　and　say　good　bye　to　Mrs。
Lander　for　me。〃




XXVIII。

Dr。　Welwright　got　his　patient　a　lodging　on　the　Grand　Canal　in　Venice；　and
decided　to　stay　long　enough　to　note　the　first　effect　of　the　air　and　the
baths；　and　to　look　up　a　doctor　to　leave　her　with。

This　took　something　more　than　a　week；　which　could　not　all　be　spent　in
Mrs。　Lander's　company；　much　as　she　wished　it。　　There　were　hours　which　he
gave　to　going　about　in　a　gondola　with　Clementina；　whom　he　forbade　to　be
always　at　the　invalid's　side。　　He　tried　to　reassure　her　as　to　Mrs。
Lander's　health；　when　be　found　her　rather　mute　and　absent；　while　they
drifted　in　the　silvery　sun　of　the　late　April　weather；　just　beginning　to
be　warm；　but　not　warm　enough　yet　for　the　tent　of　the　open　gondola。　　He
asked　her　about　Mrs。　Lander's　family；　and　Clementina　could　only　tell　him
that　she　had　always　said　she　had　none。　　She　told　him　the　story　of　her　own
relation　to　her；　and　he　said；　〃Yes；　I　heard　something　of　that　from　Miss
Milray。〃　　After　a　moment　of　silence；　during　which　he　looked　curiously
into　the　girl's　eyes；　〃Do　you　think　you　can　bear　a　little　more　care；　Miss
Claxon？〃

〃I　think　I　can；〃　said　Clementina；　not　very　courageously；　but　patiently。

〃It's　only　this；　and　I　wouldn't　tell　you　if　I　hadn't　thought　you　equal　to
it。　　Mrs。　Lander's　case　puzzles　me：　But　I　shall　leave　Dr。　Tradonico
watching　it；　and　if　it　takes　the　turn　that　there's　a　chance　it　may　take；
he　will　tell　you；　and　you'd　better　find　out　about　her　friends；　andlet
them　know。　　That's　all。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina；　as　if　it　were　not　quite　enough。　　Perhaps　she　did
not　fully　realize　all　that　the　doctor　had　intended；　life　alone　is
credible　to　the　young；　life　and　the　expectation　of　it。

The　night　before　he　was　to　return　to　Florence　there　was　a　full　moon；　and
when　he　had　got　Mrs。　Lander　to　sleep　he　asked　Clementina　if　she　would　not
go　out　on　the　lagoon　with　him。　　He　assigned　no　peculiar　virtue　to　the
moonlight；　and　he　had　no　new　charge　to　give　her　concerning　his　patient
when　they　were　embarked。　　He　seemed　to　wish　her　to　talk　about　herself；
and　when　she　strayed　from　the　topic；　he　prompted　her　return。　　Then　he
wished　to　know　how　she　liked　Florence；　as　compared　with　Venice；　and　all
the　other　cities　she　had　seen；　and　when　she　said　she　had　not　seen　any　but
Boston　and　New　York；　and　London　for　one　night；　he　wished　to　know　whether
she　liked　Florence　as　well。　　She　said　she　liked　it　best　of　all；　and　he
told　her　he　was　very　glad；　for　he　liked　it　himself　better　than　any　place
he　had　ever　seen。　　He　spoke　of　his　family　in　America；　which　was　formed　of
grownup　brothers　and　sisters；　so　that　he　had　none　of　the　closest　and
tenderest　ties　obliging　him　to　return；　there　was　no　reason　why　he　should
not　spend　all　his　days　in　Florence；　except　for　some　brief　visits　home。
It　would　be　another　thing　with　such　a　place　as　Venice；　he　could　never
have　the　same　settled　feeling　there：　it　was　beautiful；　but　it　was　unreal；
it　would　be　like　spending　one's　life　at　the　opera。　　Did　not　she　think　so？

She　thought　so；　oh；　yes；　she　never　could　have　the　home…feeling　at　Venice
that　she　had　at　Florence。

〃Exactly；　that's　what　I　meanta　home…feeling；　I'm　glad　you　had　it。〃　　He
let　the　gondola　dip　and　slide　forward　almost　a　minute　before　he　added；
with　an　effect　of　pulling　a　voice　up　out　of　his　throat　somewhere；　〃How
would　you　like　to　live　therewith　meas　my　wife？〃

〃Why；　what　do　you　mean；　Dr。　Welwright？〃　　asked　Clementina；　with　a　vague
laugh。

Dr。　Welwright　laughed；　too；　but　not　vaguely；　there　was　a　mounting
cheerfulness　in　his　laugh。　　〃What　I　say。　　I　hope　it　isn't　very
surprising。〃

〃No；　but　I　never　thought　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃Perhaps　you　will　think　of　it　now。〃

〃But　you're　not　in　ea'nest！〃

〃I'm　thoroughly　in　earnest；〃　said　the　doctor；　and　he　seemed　very　much
amused　at　her　incredulity。

〃Then；　I'm　sorry；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　couldn't。〃

〃No？〃　he　said；　still　with　amusement；　or　with　a　courage　that　took　that
form。　　〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　I　amnot　free。〃

For　an　interval　they　were　so　silent　that　they　could　hear　each　other
breathe：　Then；　after　be　had　quietly　bidden　the　gondolier　go　back　to　their
hotel；　he　asked；　〃If　you　had　been　free　you　might　have　answered　me
differently？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Clementina；　candidly。　　〃I　never　thought　of　it。〃

〃It　isn't　because　you　disliked　me？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

〃Then　I　must　get　what　comfort　I　can　out　of　that。　　I　hope；　with　all　my
heart；　that　you　may　be　happy。〃

〃Why；　Dr。　Welwright！〃　said　Clementina。　　〃Don't　you　suppose　that　I　should
be　glad　to　do　it；　if　I　could？　　Any　one　would！〃

〃It　doesn't　seem　very　probable；　just　now；〃　he　answered；　humbly。
〃But　I'll　believe　it　if　you　say　so。〃

〃I　do　say　so；　and　I　always　shall。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

Dr。　Welwright　professed　himself　ready　for　his　departure；　at　breakfast
next　morning　and　he　must　have　made　his　preparations　very　late　or　very
early。　　He　was　explicit　in　his　charges　to　Clementina　concerning　Mrs。
Lander；　and　at　the　end　of　them；　he　said；　〃She　will　not　know　when　she　is
asking　too　much　of　you；　but　you　will；　and　you　must　act　upon　your
knowledge。　　And　remember；　if　you　are　in　need　of　help；　of　any　kind；　you're
to　let　me　know。　　Will　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　will；　Dr。　Welwright。〃

〃People　will　be　going　away　soon；　and　I　shall　not　be　so　busy。　　I　can　come
back　if　Dr。　Tradonico　thinks　it　necessary。〃

He　left　Mrs。　Lander　full　of　resolutions　to　look　after　her　own　welfare　in
every　way；　and　she　went　out　in　her　gondola　the　same　morning。　　She　was　not
only　to　take　the　air　as　much　as　possible；　but　she　was　to　amuse　herself；
and　she　decided　that　she　would　have　her　second　breakfast　at　the　Caffe
Florian。　　Venice　was　beginning　to　fill　up　with　arrivals　from　the　south；
and　it　need　not　have　been　so　surprising　to　find　Mr。　Hinkle　there　over　a
cup　of　coffee。　　He　said　he　had　just　that　moment　been　thinking　of　her；　and
meaning　to　look　her　up　at　the　hotel。　　He　said　that　he　had　stopped　at
Venice　because　it　was　such　a　splendid　place　to　introduce　his　gleaner；　he
invited　Mrs。　Lander　to　become　a　partner　in　the　enterprise；　he　promised
her　a　return　of　fifty　per　cent。　on　her　investment。　　If　he　could　once
introduce　his　gleaner　in　Venice；　he　should　be　a　mad