ragged lady, v2-第2部分

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whatever　her　real　wish　was；　made　it　a　point　of　honor　to　help　get　Mrs。
Lander　berths　on　her　steamer。　　It　did　not　require　much　effort；　there　are
plenty　of　berths　for　the　latest…comers　on　a　winter　passage；　and
Clementina　found　herself　the　fellow　passenger　of　Mrs。　Milray。




XVI。

As　soon　as　Mrs。　Lander　could　make　her　way　to　her　state…room；　she　got　into
her　berth；　and　began　to　take　the　different　remedies　for　sea…sickness
which　she　had　brought　with　her。　　Mrs。　Milray　said　that　was　nice；　and　that
now　she　and　Clementina　could　have　a　good　tune。　　But　before　it　came　to
that　she　had　taken　pity　on　a　number　of　lonely　young　men　whom　she　found　on
board。　　She　cheered　them　up　by　walking　round　the　ship　with　them；　but　if
any　of　them　continued　dull　in　spite　of　this；　she　dropped　him；　and　took
another；　and　before　she　had　been　two　days　out　she　had　gone　through　with
nearly　all　the　lonely　young　men　on　the　list　of　cabin　passengers。　　She
introduced　some　of　them　to　Clementina；　but　at　such　times　as　she　had　them
in　charge；　and　for　the　most　part　she　left　her　to　Milray。　　Once；　as　the
girl　sat　beside　him　in　her　steamer…chair；　Mrs。　Milray　shed　a　wrap　on　his
knees　in　whirring　by　on　the　arm　of　one　of　her　young　men；　with　some
laughed　and　shouted　charge　about　it。

〃What　did　she　say？〃　　he　asked　Clementina；　slanting　the　down…pulled　brim
of　his　soft　hat　purblindly　toward　her。

She　said　she　had　not　understood；　and　then　Milray　asked；　〃What　sort　of
person　is　that　Boston　youth　of　Mrs。　Milray's？　　Is　he　a　donkey　or　a　lamb？〃

Clementina　said　ingenuously；　〃Oh；　she's　walking　with　that　English
gentleman　nowthat　lo'd。〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Milray。　　〃He's　not　very　much　to　look　at；　I　hear。〃

〃Well；　not　very　much；〃　Clementina　admitted；　she　did　not　like　to　talk
against　people。

〃Lords　are　sometimes　disappointing；　Clementina；〃　Milray　said；　〃but　then；
so　are　other　great　men。　　I've　seen　politicians　on　our　side　who　were
disappointing；　and　there　are　clergymen　and　gamblers　who　don't　look　it。〃
He　laughed　sadly。　　〃That's　the　way　people　talk　who　are　a　little
disappointing　themselves。　　I　hope　you　don't　expect　too　much　of　yourself；
Clementina？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　she　said；　stiffening　with　a　suspicion　that
he　might　be　going　to　make　fun　of　her。

He　laughed　more　gayly。　　〃Well；　I　mean　we　must　hold　the　other　fellows　up
to　their　duty；　or　we　can't　do　our　own。　　We　need　their　example。　　Charity
may　begin　at　home；　but　duty　certainly　begins　abroad。〃　　He　went　on；　as　if
it　were　a　branch　of　the　same　inquiry；　〃Did　you　ever　meet　my　sisters？
They　came　to　the　hotel　in　New　York　to　see　Mrs。　Milray。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　in　the　room　once　when　they　came　in。〃

〃Did　you　like　them？〃

〃YesI　sca'cely　spoke　to　themI　only　stayed　a　moment。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　see　any　more　of　the　family？〃

〃Why；　of　cou'se！〃　Clementina　was　amused　at　his　asking；　but　he　seemed　in
earnest。

〃One　of　my　sisters　lives　in　Florence；　and　Mrs。　Milray　says　you　think　of
going　there；　too。〃

〃Mrs。　Landa　thought　it　would　be　a　good　place　to　spend　the　winter。　　Is　it
a　pleasant　place？〃

〃Oh；　delightful！　　Do　you　know　much　about　Italy？〃

〃Not　very　much；　I　don't　believe。〃

〃Well；　my　sister　has　lived　a　good　while　in　Florence。　　I　should　like　to
give　you　a　letter　to　her。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you！〃　said　Clementina。

Milray　smiled　at　her　spare　acknowledgment；　but　inquired　gravely：　〃What　do
you　expect　to　do　in　Florence？〃

〃Why；　I　presume；　whateva　Mrs。　Landa　wants　to　do。〃

〃Do　you　think　Mrs。　Lander　will　want　to　go　into　society？〃

This　question　had　not　occurred　to　Clementina。　　〃I　don't　believe　she
will；〃　she　said；　thoughtfully。

〃Shall　you？〃

Clementina　laughed；　〃　Why；　do　you　think；〃　she　ventured；　〃　that　society
would　want　me　to？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　it　would；　if　you're　as　charming　as　you've　tried　to　make　me
believe。　　Oh；　I　don't　mean；　to　your　own　knowledge；　but　some　people　have
ways　of　being　charming　without　knowing　it。　　If　Mrs。　Lander　isn't　going
into　society；　and　there　should　be　a　way　found　for　you　to　go；　don't
refuse；　will　you？〃

〃I　shall　wait　and　see　if　I'm　asked；　fust。〃

〃Yes；　that　will　be　best；〃　said　Milray。　　〃But　I　shall　give　you　a　letter　to
my　sister。　　She　and　I　used　to　be　famous　cronies；　and　we　went　to　a　great
many　parties　together　when　we　were　young　people。　　We　thought　the　world
was　a　fine　thing；　then。　　But　it　changes。〃

He　fell　into　a　muse；　and　they　were　both　sitting　quite　silent　when　Mrs。
Milray　came　round　the　corner　of　the　music　room　in　the　course　of　her
twentieth　or　thirtieth　compass　of　the　deck；　and　introduced　her　lord　to
her　husband　and　to　Clementina。　　He　promptly　ignored　Milray；　and　devoted
himself　to　the　girl；　leaning　over　her　with　his　hand　against　the　bulkhead
behind　her　and　talking　down　upon　her。

Lord　Lioncourt　must　have　been　about　thirty；　but　he　had　the　heated　and
broken　complexion　of　a　man　who　has　taken　more　than　is　good　for　him　in
twice　that　number　of　years。　　This　was　one　of　the　wrongs　nature　had　done
him　in　apparent　resentment　of　the　social　advantages　he　was　born　to；　for
he　was　rather　abstemious；　as　Englishmen　go。　　He　looked　a　very　shy　person
till　he　spoke；　and　then　you　found　that　he　was　not　in　the　least　shy。　　He
looked　so　English　that　you　would　have　expected　a　strong　English　accent　of
him；　but　his　speech　was　more　that　of　an　American；　without　the　nasality。
This　was　not　apparently　because　he　had　been　much　in　America；　he　was
returning　from　his　first　visit　to　the　States；　which　had　been　spent
chiefly　in　the　Territories；　after　a　brief　interval　of　Newport　he　had
preferred　the　West；　he　liked　rather　to　hunt　than　to　be　hunted；　though
even　in　the　West　his　main　business　had　been　to　kill　time；　which　he　found
more　plentiful　there　than　other　game。　　The　natives；　everywhere；　were　much
the　same　thing　to　him；　if　he　distinguished　it　was　in　favor　of　those　who
did　not　suppose　themselves　cultivated。　　If　again　he　had　a　choice　it　was
for　the　females；　they　seemed　to　him　more　amusing　than　the　males；　who
struck　him　as　having　an　exaggerated　reputation　for　humor。　　He　did　not
care　much　for　Clementina's　past；　as　he　knew　it　from　Mrs。　Milray；　and　if
it　did　not　touch　his　fancy；　it　certainly　did　not　offend　his　taste。　　A
real　artistocracy　is　above　social　prejudice；　when　it　will；　he　had　known
some　of　his　order　choose　the　mothers　of　their　heirs　from　the　music　halls；
and　when　it　came　to　a　question　of　distinctions　among　Americans；　he　could
not　feel　them。　　They　might　be　richer　or　poorer；　but　they　could　not　be
more　patrician　or　more　plebeian。

The　passengers；　he　told　Clementina；　were　getting　up；　at　this　point　of　the
ship's　run；　an　entertainment　for　the　benefit　of　the　seaman's　hospital　in
Liverpool；　that　well…known　convention　of　ocean…travel；　which　is　sure　at
some　time　or　other；　to　enlist　all　the　talent　on　board　every　English
steamer　in　some　sort　of　public　appeal。　　He　was　not　very　clear　how　he　came
to　be　on　the　committee　for　drumming　up　talent　for　the　occasion；　his
distinction　seemed　to　have　been　conferred　by　a　popular　vote　in　the
smoking　room；　as　nearly　as　he　could　make　out；　but　here　he　was；　and　he　was
counting　upon　Miss　Claxon　to　help　him　out。　　He　said　Mrs。　Milray　had　told
him　about　that　charming　affair　they　had　got　up　in　the　mountains；　and　he
was　sure　they　could　have　something　of　the　kind　again。　　〃Perhaps　not　a
coaching　party；　that　mightn't　be　so　easy　to　manage　at　sea。　　But　isn't
there　something　elsesome　tableaux　or　something？　　If　we　couldn't　have
the　months　of　the　year　we　might　have　the　points　of　the　compass；　and　you
could　take　your　choice。〃

He　tried　to　get　something　out　of　the　notion；　but　nothing　came　of　it　that
Mrs。　Milray　thought　possible。　　She　said；　across　her　husband；　on　whose
further　side　she　had　sunk　into　a　chair；　that　they　must　have　something
very　informal；　everybody　must　do　what　they　could；　separately。　　〃I　know
you　can　do　anything　you　like；　Clementina。　　Can't　you　play　something；　or
sing？〃　　At　Clementina's　look　of　utter　denial；　she　added；　desperately；
〃Or　dance　something？　　〃A　light　came　into　the　girl's　face　at　which　she
caught。　　〃I　know　you　can　dance　something！　　Why；　of　course！　　Now；　what　is
it？〃

Clementina　smiled　at　her　vehemence。　　〃Why；　it's　nothing。　　And　I　don't
know　whether　I　should　like　to。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　urged　Lord　Lioncourt。　　〃Such　a　good　cause；　you　know。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　Mrs。　Milray　insisted。　　〃Is　it　something　you　could　do
alone？〃

〃It's　just　a　dance　that　I　learned　at　Woodlake。　　The　teacha　said　that　all
the　young　ladies　we'e　leaning　it。　　It's　a　skut…dance〃

〃The　very　thing！〃　　Mrs。　Milray　shouted。　　〃It'll　be　the　hit　of　the
evening。〃

〃But　I've　never　done　it　before　any　one；〃　Clementina　faltered。

〃They'll　all　be　doing　their　turns；〃　the　Englishman　said。　　〃Speaking；　and
singing；　and　playing。〃

Clementina　felt　herself　giving　way；　and　she　pleaded　in　final　reluctance；
〃But　I　haven't　got　a　pleated　skut　in　my　steama　trunk。〃

〃No　matter！　　We　can　manage　that。〃　　Mrs。　Milray　jumped　to　her　feet　and
took　Lord　Lioncourt's　arm。　　〃Now　we　must　go　and　drum　up　somebody　else。〃
He　did　not　seem　eager　to　go；　but　he　started。　　〃Then　that's　all　settled；〃
she　shouted　over　her　shoulder　to　Clementina。

〃No；　no；　Mrs。　Milray！　　〃Clementina　called　after　her。　　〃The　ship　tilts
so〃

〃Nonsense！　　It's　the　smoothest　run　she　ever　made　in　December。　　And　I'll
engage　to　have　the　sea　as　steady　as　a　rock　for　you。　　Remember；　now；
you've　promised。〃

Mrs。　Milray　whirled　her　Englishman　away；　and　left　Clementina　sitting
beside　her　husband。

〃Did　you　want　to　dance　for　them；　Clementina？〃　　he　asked。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　with　the　vague　smile　of　one　to　whom　a　pleasant
hope　has　occurred。

〃I　thought　perhaps　you　were　letting　Mrs。　Milray　bully　you　into　it。　　She's
a　frightful　tyrant。〃

〃Oh；　I　guess　I　should　like　to　do　it；　if　you　think　it　would　benice。〃

〃I　dare　say　it　will　be　the　nicest　thing　at　their　ridiculous　show。〃
Milray　laughed　as　if　her　willingness　to　do　the　dance　had　defeated　a
sentimental　sympathy　in　him。

〃I　don't　believe　it　will　be　that；〃　said　Clementina；　beaming　joyously。
〃But　I　guess　I　shall　try　it；　if　I　can　find　the　right　kind　of　a　dress。〃

〃Is　a　pleated　skirt　absolutely　necessary；〃　asked　Milray；　gravely。

〃I　don't　see　how　I　could　get　on　without　it；〃　said　Clementina。

She　was　so　serious　still　when　she　went　down　to