ragged lady, v2-第22部分

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〃I　tell　you　it's　the　malariar；　and　you'll　be　down；　too；　if　you　stay。〃

She　made　Clementina　go　to　the　banker's；　and　get　money　to　pay　their
landlord's　bill；　and　she　gave　him　notice　that　they　were　going　that
afternoon。　　Clementina　wished　to　delay　till　they　had　seen　the　vice…consul
and　the　doctor；　but　Mrs。　Lander　broke　out；　〃I　don't　want　to　see　'em；
either　of　'em。　　The　docta　wants　to　keep　me　he'e　and　make　money　out　of　me；
I　undastand　him；　and　I　don't　believe　that　consul's　a　bit　too　good　to　take
a　pussentage。　　Now；　don't　you　say　a　wo'd　to　either　of　'em。　　If　you　don't
do　exactly　what　I　tell　you　I'll　go　away　and　leave　you　he'e。　　Now；　will
you？〃

Clementina　promised；　and　broke　her　word。　　She　went　to　the　vice…consul　and
told　him　she　had　broken　it；　and　she　agreed　with　him　that　he　had　better
not　come　unless　Mrs。　Lander　sent　for　him。　　The　doctor　promptly　imagined
the　situation　and　said　he　would　come　in　casually　during　the　morning；　so
as　not　to　alarm　the　invalid's　suspicions。　　He　owned　that　Mrs。　Lander　was
getting　no　good　from　remaining　in　Venice；　and　if　it　were　possible　for　her
to　go；　he　said　she　had　better　go　somewhere　into　cooler　and　higher　air。

His　opinion　restored　him　to　Mrs。　Lander's　esteem；　when　it　was　expressed
to　her；　and　as　she　was　left　to　fix　the　sum　of　her　debt　to　him；　she　made
it　handsomer　than　anything　he　had　dreamed　of。　　She　held　out　against
seeing　the　vice…consul　till　the　landlord　sent　in　his　account。　　This　was
for　the　whole　month　which　she　had　just　entered　upon；　and　it　included
fantastic　charges　for　things　hitherto　included　in　the　rent；　not　only　for
the　current　month；　but　for　the　months　past　when；　the　landlord　explained；
he　had　forgotten　to　note　them。　　Mrs。　Lander　refused　to　pay　these　demands；
for　they　touched　her　in　some　of　those　economies　which　the　gross　rich
practice　amidst　their　profusion。　　The　landlord　replied　that　she　could　not
leave　his　house；　either　with　or　without　her　effects；　until　she　had　paid。
He　declared　Clementina　his　prisoner；　too；　and　he　would　not　send　for　the
vice…consul　at　Mrs。　Lander's　bidding。　　How　far　he　was　within　his　rights
in　all　this　they　could　not　know；　but　he　was　perhaps　himself　doubtful；　and
he　consented　to　let　them　send　for　the　doctor；　who；　when　he　came；　behaved
like　anything　but　the　steadfast　friend　that　Mrs。　Lander　supposed　she　had
bought　in　him。　　He　advised　paying　the　account　without　regard　to　its
justice；　as　the　shortest　and　simplest　way　out　of　the　trouble；　but　Mrs。
Lander；　who　saw　him　talking　amicably　and　even　respectfully　with　the
landlord；　when　he　ought　to　have　treated　him　as　an　extortionate　scamp；
returned　to　her　former　ill　opinion　of　him；　and　the　vice…consul　now
appeared　the　friend　that　Doctor　Tradonico　had　falsely　seemed。　　The　doctor
consented；　in　leaving　her　to　her　contempt　of　him；　to　carry　a　message　to
the　vice…consul；　though　he　came　back；　with　his　finger　at　the　side　of　his
nose；　to　charge　her　by　no　means　to　betray　his　bold　championship　to　the
landlord。

The　vice…consul　made　none　of　those　shows　of　authority　which　Mrs。　Lander
had　expected　of　him。　　She　saw　him　even　exchanging　the　common　decencies
with　the　landlord；　when　they　met；　but　in　fact　it　was　not　hard　to　treat
the　smiling　and　courteous　rogue　well。　　In　all　their　disagreement　he　had
looked　as　constantly　to　the　comfort　of　his　captives　as　if　they　had　been
his　chosen　guests。　　He　sent　Mrs。　Lander　a　much　needed　refreshment　at　the
stormiest　moment　of　her　indignation；　and　he　deprecated　without　retort　the
denunciations　aimed　at　him　in　Italian　which　did　not　perhaps　carry　so　far
as　his　conscience。　　The　consul　talked　with　him　in　a　calm　scarcely　less
shameful　than　that　of　Dr。　Tradonico；　and　at　the　end　of　their　parley　which
she　had　insisted　upon　witnessing；　he　said：

〃Well；　Mrs。　Lander；　you've　got　to　stand　this　gouge　or　you've　got　to　stand
a　law　suit。　　I　think　the　gouge　would　be　cheaper　in　the　end。　　You　see；
he's　got　a　right　to　his　month's　rent。〃

〃It　ain't　the　rent　I　ca'e　for：　it's　the　candles；　and　the　suvvice；　and　the
things　he　says　we　broke。　　It　was　undastood　that　everything　was　to　be　in
the　rent；　and　his　two　old　chaias　went　to　pieces　of　themselves　when　we
tried　to　pull　'em　out　from　the　wall；　and　I'll　neva　pay　for　'em　in　the
wo'ld。〃

Why；〃　the　vice…consul　pleaded；　〃it's　only　about　forty　francs　for　the
whole　thing〃

〃I　don't　care　if　it's　only　fotty　cents。　　And　I　must　say；　Mr。　Bennam；
you're　about　the　strangest　vice…consul；　to　want　me　to　do　it；　that　I　eva
saw。〃

The　vice…consul　laughed　unresentfully。　　〃Well；　shall　I　send　you　a
lawyer？〃

〃No！〃　Mrs。　Lander　retorted；　and　after　a　moment's　reflection　she　added；
〃I'm　goin'　to　stay　my　month；　and　so　you　may　tell　him；　and　then　I'll　see
whetha　he　can　make　me　pay　for　that　breakage　and　the　candles　and　suvvice。
I'm　all　wore　out；　as　it　is；　and　I　ain't　fit　to　travel；　now；　and　I　don't
know　when　I　shall　be。　　Clementina；　you　can　go　and　tell　Maddalena　to　stop
packin'。　　Or；　no！　　I'll　do　it。〃

She　left　the　room　without　further　notice　of　the　consul；　who　said　ruefully
to　Clementina；　〃Well；　I've　missed　my　chance；　Miss　Claxon；　but　I　guess
she's　done　the　wisest　thing　for　herself。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　she's　not　fit　to　go。　　She　must　stay；　now；　till　it's　coola。
Will　you　tell　the　landlo'd；　or　shall〃

〃I'll　tell　him；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　and　he　had　in　the　landlord。　　He
received　her　message　with　the　pleasure　of　a　host　whose　cherished　guests
have　consented　to　remain　a　while　longer；　and　in　the　rush　of　his　good
feeling　he　offered；　if　the　charge　for　breakage　seemed　unjust　to　the　vice…
consul；　to　abate　it；　and　since　the　signora　had　not　understood　that　she
was　to　pay　extra　for　the　other　things；　he　would　allow　the　vice…consul　to
adjust　the　differences　between　them；　it　was　a　trifle；　and　he　wished　above
all　things　to　content　the　signora；　for　whom　he　professed　a　cordial　esteem
both　on　his　own　part　and　the　part　of　all　his　family。

〃Then　that　lets　me　out　for　the　present；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　when
Clementina　repeated　Mrs。　Lander's　acquiescence　in　the　landlord's
proposals；　and　he　took　his　straw　hat；　and　called　a　gondola　from　the
nearest　'traghetto'；　and　bargained　at　an　expense　consistent　with　his
salary；　to　have　himself　rowed　back　to　his　own　garden…gate。

The　rest　of　the　day　was　an　era　of　better　feeling　between　Mrs。　Lander　and
her　host　than　they　had　ever　known；　and　at　dinner　he　brought　in　with　his
own　hand　a　dish　which　he　said　he　had　caused　to　be　specially　made　for　her。
It　was　so　tempting　in　odor　and　complexion　that　Mrs。　Lander　declared　she
must　taste　it；　though　as　she　justly　said；　she　had　eaten　too　much　already；
when　it　had　once　tasted　it　she　ate　it　all；　against　Clementina's
protestations；　she　announced　at　the　end　that　every　bite　had　done　her
good；　and　that　she　never　felt　better　in　her　life。　　She　passed　a　happy
evening；　with　renewed　faith　in　the　air　of　the　lagoon；　her　sole　regret　now
was　that　Mr。　Lander　had　not　lived　to　try　it　with　her；　for　if　he　had　she
was　sure　he　would　have　been　alive　at　that　moment。

She　allowed　herself　to　be　got　to　bed　rather　earlier　than　usual；　before
Clementina　dropped　asleep　she　heard　her　breathing　with　long；　easy；　quiet
respirations；　and　she　lost　the　fear　of　the　landlord's　dish　which　had
haunted　her　through　the　evening。　　She　was　awakened　in　the　morning　by　a
touch　on　her　shoulder。　　Maddalena　hung　over　her　with　a　frightened　face；
and　implored　her　to　come　and　look　at　the　signora；　who　seemed　not　at　all
well。　　Clementina　ran　into　her　room；　and　found　her　dead。　　She　must　have
died　some　hours　before　without　a　struggle；　for　the　face　was　that　of
sleep；　and　it　had　a　dignity　and　beauty　which　it　had　not　worn　in　her　life
of　self…indulgent　wilfulness　for　so　many　years　that　the　girl　had　never
seen　it　look　so　before。




XXXIV。

The　vice…consul　was　not　sure　how　far　his　powers　went　in　the　situation
with　which　Mrs。　Lander　had　finally　embarrassed　him。　　But　he　met　the　new
difficulties　with　patience；　and　he　agreed　with　Clementina　that　they　ought
to　see　if　Mrs。　Lander　had　left　any　written　expression　of　her　wishes
concerning　the　event。　　She　had　never　spoken　of　such　a　chance；　but　had
always　looked　forward　to　getting　well　and　going　home；　so　far　as　the　girl
knew；　and　the　most　careful　search　now　brought　to　light　nothing　that　bore
upon　it。　　In　the　absence　of　instructions　to　the　contrary；　they　did　what
they　must；　and　the　body；　emptied　of　its　life　of　senseless　worry　and
greedy　care；　was　laid　to　rest　in　the　island　cemetery　of　Venice。

When　all　was　over；　the　vice…consul　ventured　an　observation　which　he　had
hitherto　delicately　withheld。　　The　question　of　Mrs。　Lander's　kindred　had
already　been　discussed　between　him　and　Clementina；　and　he　now　felt　that
another　question　had　duly　presented　itself。　　〃You　didn't　notice；〃　he
suggested；　〃anything　like　a　will　when　we　went　over　the　papers？〃　　He　had
looked　carefully　for　it；　expecting　that　there　might　have　been　some
expression　of　Mrs。　Lander's　wishes　in　it。　　〃Because；〃　he　added；　〃I　happen
to　know　that　Mr。　Milray　drew　one　up　for　her；　I　witnessed　it。〃

〃No；〃　said　Clementina；　〃I　didn't　see　anything　of　it。　　She　told　me　she　had
made　a　will；　but　she　didn't　quite　like　it；　and　sometimes　she　thought　she
would　change　it。　　She　spoke　of　getting　you　to　do　it；　I　didn't　know　but
she　had。〃

The　vice…consul　shook　his　head。　　〃No。　　And　these　relations　of　her
husband's　up　in　Michigan；　you　don't　know　where　they　live；　exactly？〃

〃No。　　She　neva　told　me；　she　wouldn't；　she　didn't　like　to　talk　about　them；
I　don't　even　know　their　names。〃

The　vice…consul　thoughtfully　scratched　a　corner　of　his　chin　through　his
beard。　　〃If　there　isn't　any　will；　they're　the　heirs。　　I　used　to　be　a　sort
of　wild…cat　lawyer；　and　I　know　that　much　law。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina。　　〃She　left　them　five　thousand　dollas　apiece。　　She
said　she　wished　she　had　made　it　ten。〃

〃I　guess　she's　made　it　a　good　deal　more；　if　she's　made　it　anything。　　Miss
Claxon；　don't　you　understand　that　if　no　will　turns　up；　they　come　in　for
all　her　money。

〃Well；　that's　what　I　thought　they　ought　to　do；〃　said　Clementina。

〃And　do　you　understand　that　if　that's　so；　you　don't　come　in　for　anything？
You　must　excuse　me　for　mentioning　it；　but　she　has　told　everybody　that　you
were　to　have　it；　and　if　there　is　no　will〃

He　stopped　and　bent