ragged lady, v2-第17部分

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terms　again。　　She　did　not　spare　the　girl　this　explanation　in　his
presence；　and　when　they　were　in　the　gondola　he　felt　that　he　had　to　say；
〃I　was　afraid　you　might　think　I　was　rather　meddlesome　yesterday。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　was　glad　you　did。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　returned；　〃I　thought　you　would　be　afterwards。〃　　He　looked　at
her　wistfully　with　his　slanted　eyes　and　his　odd　twisted　smile　and　they
both　gave　way　in　the　same　conscious　laugh。　　〃What　I　like；〃　he　explained
further；　〃is　to　be　understood　when　I've　said　something　that　doesn't　mean
anything；　don't　you？　　You　know　anybody　can　understand　you　if　you　really
mean　something；　but　most　of　the　time　you　don't；　and　that's　when　a　friend
is　useful。　　I　wish　you'd　call　on　me　if　you're　ever　in　that　fix。〃

〃Oh；　I　will；　Mr。　Hinkle；〃　Clementina　promised；　gayly。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　and　her　gayety　seemed　to　turn　him　graver。　　〃Miss
Clementina；　might　I　go　a　little　further　in　this　direction；　without
danger？〃

〃What　direction？〃　she　added；　with　a　flush　of　sudden　alarm。

〃Mrs。　Lander。〃

〃Why；　suttainly！〃　she　answered；　in　quick　relief。

〃I　wish　you'd　let　me　do　some　of　the　worrying　about　her　for　you；　while　I'm
here。　　You　know　I　haven't　got　anything　else　to　do！〃

〃Why；　I　don't　believe　I　worry　much。　　I'm　afraid　I　fo'get　about　her　when
I'm　not　with　her。　　That's　the　wo'st　of　it。〃

〃No；　no；〃　he　entreated；　〃that's　the　best　of　it。　　But　I　want　to　do　the
worrying　for　you　even　when　you're　with　her。　　Will　you　let　me？〃

〃Why；　if　you　want　to　so　very　much。〃

〃Then　it's　settled；〃　he　said；　dismissing　the　subject。

But　she　recurred　to　it　with　a　lingering　compunction。

〃I　presume　that　I　don't　remember　how　sick　she　is　because　I've　neva　been
sick　at　all；　myself。〃

〃Well；〃　he　returned；　〃You　needn't　be　sorry　for　that　altogether。　　There
are　worse　things　than　being　well；　though　sick　people　don't　always　think
so。　　I've　wasted　a　good　deal　of　time　the　other　way；　though　I've　reformed；
now。〃

They　went　on　to　talk　about　themselves；　sometimes　they　talked　about
others；　in　excursions　which　were　more　or　less　perfunctory；　and　were
merely　in　the　way　of　illustration　or　instance。　　She　got　so　far　in　one　of
these　as　to　speak　of　her　family；　and　he　seemed　to　understand　them。　　He
asked　about　them　all；　and　he　said　he　believed　in　her　father's　unworldly
theory　of　life。　　He　asked　her　if　they　thought　at　home　that　she　was　like
her　father；　and　he　added；　as　if　it　followed；　〃I'm　the　worldling　of　my
family。　　I　was　the　youngest　child；　and　the　only　boy　in　a　flock　of　girls。
That　always　spoils　a　boy。〃

〃Are　you　spoiled？〃　　she　asked。

〃Well；　I'm　afraid　they'd　be　surprised　if　I　didn't　come　to　grief　somehow
all　butmother；　she　expects　I'll　be　kept　from　harm。〃

〃Is　she　religious？〃

〃Yes；〃　she's　a　Moravian。　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　them？　　〃Clementina　shook
her　head。　　〃They're　something；　like　the　Quakers；　and　something　like　the
Methodists。　　They　don't　believe　in　war；　but　they　have　bishops。〃

And　do　you　belong　to　her　church？

No；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃I　wish　I　did；　for　her　sake。　　I　don't　belong　to
any。　　Do　you？〃

〃No；　I　go　to　the　Episcopal；　at　home。　　Perhaps　I　shall　belong　sometime。
But　I　think　that　is　something　everyone　must　do　for　themselves。〃　　He
looked　a　little　alarmed　at　the　note　of　severity　in　her　voice；　and　she
explained。　　〃I　mean　that　if　you　try　to　be　religious　for　anything　besides
religion；　it　isn't　being　religious；and　no　one　else　has　any　right　to　ask
you　to　be。〃

〃Oh；　that's　what　I　believe；　too；〃　be　said；　with　comic　relief。　　〃I　didn't
know　but　I'd　been　trying　to　convert　you　without　knowing　it。〃　　They　both
laughed；　and　were　then　rather　seriously　silent。

He　asked；　after　a　moment；　in　a　fresh　beginning；　〃Have　you　heard　from　Miss
Milray　since　you　left　Florence？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　didn't　I　tell　you？　　She's　coming　here　in　June。〃

〃Well；　she　won't　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　me；　then。　　I'm　going　the
last　of　May。〃

〃I　thought　you　were　going　to　stay　a　month！〃　she　protested。

〃That　will　be　a　month；　and　more；　too。〃

〃So　it　will；〃　she　owned。

〃I'm　glad　it　doesn't　seem　any　longer…say　a　yearMiss　Clementina！〃

〃Oh；　not　at　all；〃　she　returned。　　〃Miss　Milray's　brother　and　his　wife　are
coming　with　her。　　They've　been　in　Egypt。〃

〃I　never　saw　them；〃　said　Hinkle。　　He　paused；　before　he　added；　〃Well；　it
would　seem　rather　crowded　after　they　get　here；　I　suppose；〃　and　he
laughed；　while　Clementina　said　nothing。




XXX。

Hinkle　came　every　morning　now；　to　smoothe　out　the　doubts　and　difficulties
that　had　accumulated　in　Mrs。　Lander's　mind　over　night；　and　incidentally
to　propose　some　pleasure　for　Clementina；　who　could　feel　that　he　was
pitying　her　in　her　slavery　to　the　sick　woman's　whims；　and　yet　somehow
entreating　her　to　bear　them。　　He　saw　them　together　in　what　Mrs。　Lander
called　her　well　days；　but　there　were　other　days　when　he　saw　Clementina
alone；　and　then　she　brought　him　word　from　Mrs。　Lander；　and　reported　his
talk　to　her　after　he　went　away。　　On　one　of　these　she　sent　him　a
cheerfuller　message　than　usual；　and　charged　the　girl　to　explain　that　she
was　ever　so　much　better；　but　had　not　got　up　because　she　felt　that　every
minute　in　bed　was　doing　her　good。　　Clementina　carried　back　his　regrets
and　congratulation；　and　then　told　Mrs。　Lander　that　he　had　asked　her　to　go
out　with　him　to　see　a　church；　which　he　was　sorry　Mrs。　Lander　could　not
see　too。　　He　professed　to　be　very　particular　about　his　churches；　for　he
said　he　had　noticed　that　they　neither　of　them　had　any　great　gift　for
sights；　and　he　had　it　on　his　conscience　to　get　the　best　for　them。　　He
told　Clementina　that　the　church　he　had　for　them　now　could　not　be　better
if　it　had　been　built　expressly　for　them；　instead　of　having　been　used　as　a
place　of　worship　for　eight　or　ten　generations　of　Venetians　before　they
came。　　She　gave　his　invitation　to　Mrs。　Lander；　who　could　not　always　be
trusted　with　his　jokes；　and　she　received　it　in　the　best　part。

〃Well；　you　go！〃　she　said。　　〃Maddalena　can　look　after　me；　I　guess。　　He's
the　only　one　of　the　fellas；　except　that　lo'd；　that　I'd　give　a　cent　for。〃
She　added；　with　a　sudden　lapse　from　her　pleasure　in　Hinkle　to　her
severity　with　Clementina；　〃But　you　want　to　be　ca'eful　what　you'　doin'。〃

〃Ca'eful？〃

〃Yes！　About　Mr。　Hinkle。　　I　a'n't　agoin'　to　have　you　lead　him　on；　and
then　say　you　didn't　know　where　he　was　goin'。　　I　can't　keep　runnin'　away
everywhe'e；　fo'　you；　the　way　I　done　at　Woodlake。〃

Clementina's　heart　gave　a　leap；　whether　joyful　or　woeful；　but　she
answered　indignantly；　〃How　can　you　say　such　a　thing　to　me；　Mrs。　Lander。
I'm　not　leading　him　on！〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　call　it。　　You're　round　with　him　in　the　gondoler；
night　and　day；　and　when　he's　he'e；　you'a　settin'　with　him　half　the　time
on　the　balcony；　and　it's　talk；　talk；　the　whole　while。〃　　Clementina　took
in　the　fact　with　silent　recognition；　and　Mrs。　Lander　went　on。　　〃I　ain't
sayin'　anything　against　it。　　He's　the　only　one　I　don't　believe　is　afta
the　money　he　thinks　you'a　goin'　to　have；　but　if　you　don't　want　him；　you
want　to　look　what　you're　about。〃

The　girl　returned　to　Hinkle　in　the　embarrassment　which　she　was　helpless
to　hide；　and　without　the　excuse　which　she　could　not　invent　for　refusing
to　go　with　him。　　〃Is　Mrs。　Lander　worseor　anything？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh；　no。　　She's　quite　well；〃　said　Clementina；　but　she　left　it　for　him　to
break　the　constraint　in　which　they　set　out。　　He　tried　to　do　so　at
different　points；　but　it　seemed　to　close　upon　themthe　more　inflexibly。
At　last　he　asked；　as　they　were　drawing　near　the　church；　〃Have　you　ever
seen　anything　of　Mr。　Belsky　since　you　left　Florence？〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　with　a　nervous　start。　　〃What　makes　you　ask？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　But　you　see　nearly　everybody　again　that　you　meet　in　your
travels。　　That　friend　of　histhat　Mr。　Gregoryhe　seems　to　have　dropped
out；　too。　　I　believe　you　told　me　you　used　to　know　him　in　America。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　briefly；　she　could　not　say　more；　and　Hinkle　went　on。
〃It　seemed　to　me；　that　as　far　as　I　could　make　him　out；　he　was　about　as
much　of　a　crank　in　his　way　as　the　Russian。　　It's　curious；　but　when　you
were　talking　about　religion；　the　other　day；　you　made　me　think　of　him！〃
The　blood　went　to　Clementina's　heart。　　〃I　don't　suppose　you　had　him　in
mind；　but　what　you　said　fitted　him　more　than　anyone　I　know　of。　　I　could
have　almost　believed　that　he　had　been　trying　to　convert　you！〃　She　stared
at　him；　and　he　laughed。　　〃He　tackled　me　one　day　there　in　Florence　all　of
a　sudden；　and　I　didn't　know　what　to　say；　exactly。　　Of　course；　I　respected
his　earnestness；　but　I　couldn't　accept　his　view　of　things　and　I　tried　to
tell　him　so。　　I　had　to　say　just　where　I　stood；　and　why；　and　I　mentioned
some　books　that　helped　to　get　me　there。　　He　said　he　never　read　anything
that　went　counter　to　his　faith；　and　I　saw　that　he　didn't　want　to　save　me；
so　much　as　be　wanted　to　convince　me。　　He　didn't　know　it；　and　I　didn't
tell　him　that　I　knew　it；　but　I　got　him　to　let　me　drop　the　subject。　　He
seems　to　have　been　left　over　from　a　time　when　people　didn't　reason　about
their　beliefs；　but　only　argued。　　I　didn't　think　there　was　a　man　like　that
to　be　found　so　late　in　the　century；　especially　a　young　man。　　But　that　was
just　where　I　was　mistaken。　　If　there　was　to　be　a　man　of　that　kind　at　all；
it　would　have　to　be　a　young　one。　　He'll　be　a　good　deal　opener…minded　when
he's　older。　　He　was　conscientious；　I　could　see　that；　and　he　did　take　the
Russian's　death　to　heart　as　long　as　he　was　dead。　　But　I'd　like　to　talk
with　him　ten　years　from　now；　he　wouldn't　be　where　he　is。〃

Clementina　was　still　silent；　and　she　walked　up　the　church　steps　from　the
gondola　without　the　power　to　speak。　　She　made　no　show　of　interest　in　the
pictures　and　statues；　she　never　had　really　cared　much　for　such　things；
and　now　his　attempts　to　make　her　look　at　them　failed　miserably。　　When
they　got　back　again　into　the　boat　he　began；　〃Miss　Clementina；　I'm　afraid
I　oughtn't　to　have　spoken　as　I　did　of　that　Mr。　Gregory。　　If　he　is　a
friend　of　yours〃

〃He　is；〃　she　made　herself　answer。

〃I　didn't　mean　anything　against　him。　　I　hope　you　don't　think　I　wanted　to
be　unfair？〃

〃You　were　not　unfair。　　But　I　oughtn't　to　have　let　you　say　it；　Mr。　Hinkle。
I　want　to　tell　you　something　I　mean；　I　must〃She　found　herself　panting
and　brea