ragged lady, v2-第6部分

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the　steamer；　and　Mrs。　Lander　said　that　Clementina　had　done　just　exactly
right；　and　they　both　decided；　against　some　impulses　of　curiosity　in
Clementina's　heart；　that　she　should　not　make　use　of　the　introduction。

The　'Hotel　des　Financieres'　was　mainly　frequented　by　rich　Americans　full
of　ready　money；　and　by　rich　Russians　of　large　credit。　　Better　Americans
and　worse；　went；　like　the　English；　to　smaller　and　cheaper　hotels；　and
Clementina's　acquaintance　was　confined　to　mothers　as　shy　and
ungrammatical　as　Mrs。　Lander　herself；　and　daughters　blankly　indifferent
to　her。　　Mrs。　Lander　drove　out　every　day　when　it　did　not　rain；　and　she
took　Clementina　with　her；　because　the　doctor　said　it　would　do　them　both
good；　but　otherwise　the　girl　remained　pent　in　their　apartment。　　The
doctor　found　her　a　teacher；　and　she　kept　on　with　her　French；　and　began　to
take　lessons　in　Italian；　she　spoke　with　no　one　but　her　teacher；　except
when　the　doctor　came。　　At　the　table　d'hote　she　heard　talk　of　the　things
that　people　seemed　to　come　to　Florence　for：　pictures；　statues；　palaces；
famous　places；　and　it　made　her　ashamed　of　not　knowing　about　them。　　But
she　could　not　go　to　see　these　things　alone；　and　Mrs。　Lander；　in　the
content　she　felt　with　all　her　circumstances；　seemed　not　to　suppose　that
Clementina　could　care　for　anything　but　the　comfort　of　the　hotel　and　the
doctor's　visits。　　When　the　girl　began　to　get　letters　from　home　in　answer
to　the　first　she　had　written　back；　boasting　how　beautiful　Florence　was；
they　assumed　that　she　was　very　gay；　and　demanded　full　accounts　of　her
pleasures。　　Her　brother　Jim　gave　something　of　the　village　news；　but　he
said　he　supposed　that　she　would　not　care　for　that；　and　she　would　probably
be　too　proud　to　speak　to　them　when　she　came　home。　　The　Richlings　had
called　in　to　share　the　family　satisfaction　in　Clementina's　first
experiences；　and　Mrs。　Richling　wrote　her　very　sweetly　of　their　happiness
in　them。　　She　charged　her　from　the　rector　not　to　forget　any　chance　of
self…improvement　in　the　allurements　of　society；　but　to　make　the　most　of
her　rare　opportunities。　　She　said　that　they　had　got　a　guide…book　to
Florence；　with　a　plan　of　the　city；　and　were　following　her　in　the
expeditions　they　decided　she　must　be　making　every　day；　they　were　reading
up　the　Florentine　history　in　Sismondi's　Italian　Republics；　and　she　bade
Clementina　be　sure　and　see　all　the　scenes　of　Savonarola's　martyrdom；　so
that　they　could　talk　them　over　together　when　she　returned。

Clexnentina　wondered　what　Mrs。　Richling　would　think　if　she　told　her　that
all　she　knew　of　Florence　was　what　she　overheard　in　the　talk　of　the　girls
in　the　hotel；　who　spoke　before　her　of　their　dances　and　afternoon　teas；
and　evenings　at　the　opera；　and　drives　in　the　Cascine；　and　parties　to
Fiesole；　as　if　she　were　not　by。

The　days　and　weeks　passed；　until　Carnival　was　half　gone；　and　Mrs。　Lander
noticed　one　day　that　Clementina　appeared　dull。　　〃You　don't　seem　to　get
much　acquainted？〃　　she　suggested。

〃Oh；　the'e's　plenty　of　time；〃　said　Clementina。

〃I　wish　the'e　was　somebody　you　could　go　round　with；　and　see　the　place。
Shouldn't　yon　like　to　see　the　place？　　〃　Mrs。　Lander　pursued。

〃There's　no　hurry　about　it；　Mrs。　Lander。　　It　will　stay　as　long　as　we　do。〃

Mrs。　Lander　was　thoughtfully　silent。　　Then　she　said；　〃I　declare；　I've　got
half　a　mind　to　make　you　send　that　letta　to　Miss　Milray；　after　all。　　What
difference　if　Mrs。　Milray　did　act　so　ugly　to　you？　　He　never　did；　and
she's　his　sista。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　want　to　send　it；　Mrs。　Landa；　you　mustn't　ask　me　to。　　I　shall
get　along；〃　said　Clementina。　　The　recognition　of　her　forlornness　deepened
it；　but　she　was　cheerfuller；　for　no　reason；　the　next　morning；　and　that
afternoon；　the　doctor　unexpectedly　came　upon　a　call　which　he　made　haste
to　say　was　not　professional。

〃I've　just　come　from　another　patient　of　mine；　and　I　promised　to　ask　if
you　had　not　crossed　on　the　same　ship　with　a　brother　of　hers；Mr。
Milray。〃

Celementina　and　Mrs。　Lander　looked　guiltily　at　each　other。　　〃I　guess　we
did；〃　Mrs。　Lander　owned　at　last；　with　a　reluctant　sigh。

〃Then；　she　says　you　have　a　letter　for　her。〃

The　doctor　spoke　to　both；　but　his　looks　confessed　that　he　was　not
ignorant　of　the　fact　when　Mrs。　Lander　admitted；　〃Well　Clementina；　he'e；
has。〃

〃She　wants　to　know　why　you　haven't　delivered　it；〃　the　doctor　blurted　out。

Mrs。　Lander　looked　at　Clementina。　　〃I　guess　she　ha'n't　quite　got　round　to
it　yet；　have　you；　Clementina？〃

The　doctor　put　in：　〃Well；　Miss　Milray　is　rather　a　dangerous　person　to
keep　waiting。　　If　you　don't　deliver　it　pretty　soon；　I　shouldn't　be
surprised　if　she　came　to　get　it。〃　　Dr。　Welwright　was　a　young　man　in　the
early　thirties；　with　a　laugh　that　a　great　many　ladies　said　had　done　more
than　any　one　thing　for　them；　and　he　now　prescribed　it　for　Clementina。
But　it　did　not　seem　to　help　her　in　the　trouble　her　face　betrayed。

Mrs。　Lander　took　the　word；　〃Well；　I　wouldn't　say　it　to　everybody。　　But
you're　our　doctor；　and　I　guess　you　won't　mind　it。　　We　don't　like　the　way
Mrs。　Milray　acted　to　Clementina；　in　the　ship；　and　we　don't　want　to　be
beholden　to　any　of　her　folks。　　I　don't　know　as　Clementina　wants　me　to
tell　you　just　what　it　was；　and　I　won't；　but　that's　the　long　and　sho't　of
it。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　doctor　said。　　〃I've　never　met　Mrs。　Milray；　but　Miss
Milray　has　such　a　pleasant　house；　and　likes　to　get　young　people　about
her。　　There　are　a　good　many　young　people　in　your　hotel；　though；　and　I
suppose　you　all　have　a　very　good　time　here　together。〃　　He　ended　by
speaking　to　Clementina；　and　now　he　said　he　had　done　his　errand；　and　must
be　going。

When　he　was　gone；　Mrs。　Lander　faltered；　〃I　don't　know　but　what　we　made　a
mistake；　Clementina。〃

It's　too　late　to　worry　about　it　now；〃　said　the　girl。

We　ha'n't　bound　to　stay　in　Florence；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；　thoughtfully。
〃I　only　took　the　rooms　by　the　week；　and　we　can　go；　any　time；　Clementina；
if　you　are　uncomf'table　bein'　here　on　Miss　Milray's　account。　　We　could　go
to　Rome；　they　say　Rome's　a　nice　place；　or　to　Egypt。〃

Mrs。　Milray's　in　Egypt；〃　Clementina　suggested。

That's　true；〃　Mrs。　Lander　admitted；　with　a　sigh。　　After　a　while　she　went
on；　〃I　don't　know　as　we've　got　any　right　to　keep　the　letter。　　It　belongs
to　her；　don't　it？〃

〃I　guess　it　belongs　to　me；　as　much　as　it　does　to　her；〃　said　Clementina。
〃If　it's　to　her；　it's　for　me。　　I　am　not　going　to　send　it；　Mrs。　Landa。〃

They　were　still　in　this　conclusion　when　early　in　the　following　afternoon
Miss　Milray's　cards　were　brought　up　for　Mrs。　Lander　and　Miss　Claxon。

〃Well；　I　decla'e！〃　　cried　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃That　docta：　must　have　gone
straight　and　told　her　what　we　said。〃

〃He　had　no　right　to；〃　said　Clementina；　but　neither　of　them　was
displeased；　and　after　it　was　over；　Mrs。　Lander　said　that　any　one　would
have　thought　the　call　was　for　her；　instead　of　Clementina；　from　the　way
Miss　Milray　kept　talking　to　her。　　She　formed　a　high　opinion　of　her；　and
Miss　Milray　put　Clementina　in　mind　of　Mr。　Milray；　she　had　the　same　hair
of　chiseled　silver；　and　the　same　smile；　she　moved　like　him；　and　talked
like　him；　　but　with　a　greater　liveliness。　　She　asked　fondly　after　him；
and　made　Clementina　tell　her　if　he　seemed　quite　well；　and　in　good
spirits；　she　was　civilly　interested　in　Mrs。　Milray's　health。　　At　the
embarrassment　which　showed　itself　in　the　girl；　she　laughed　and　said；
〃Don't　imagine　I　don't　know　all　about　it；　Miss　Claxon！　　My　sister…in…law
has　owned　up　very　handsomely；　she　isn't　half　bad；　as　the　English　say；　and
I　think　she　likes　owning　up　if　she　can　do　it　safely。〃

〃And　you　don't　think；〃　asked　Mrs。　Lander；　〃that　Clementina　done　wrong　to
dance　that　way？〃

Clementina　blushed；　and　Miss　Milray　laughed　again。　　〃If　you'll　let　Miss
Claxon　come　to　a　little　party　I'm　giving　she　may　do　her　dance　at　my
house；　but　she　sha'n't　be　obliged　to　do　it；　or　anything　she　doesn't　like。
Don't　say　she　hasn't　a　gown　ready；　or　something　of　that　kind！　　You　don't
know　the　resources　of　Florence；　and　how　the　dress　makers　here　doat　upon
doing　impossible　things　in　no　time　at　all；　and　being　ready　before　they
promise。　　If　you'll　put　Miss　Claxon　in　my　hands；　I'll　see　that　she's
dressed　for　my　dance。　　I　live　out　on　one　of　the　hills　over　there；　that
you　see　from　your　windows〃she　nodded　toward　them〃in　a　beautiful
villa；　too　cold　for　winter；　and　too　hot　for　summer；　but　I　think　Miss
Claxon　can　endure　its　discomfort　for　a　day；　if　you　can　spare　her；　and　she
will　consent　to　leave　you　to　the　tender　mercies　of　your　maid；　and　〃Miss
Milray　paused　at　the　kind　of　unresponsive　blank　to　which　she　found
herself　talking；　and　put　up　her　lorgnette；　to　glance　from　Mrs。　Lander　to
Clementina。　　The　girl　said；　with　embarrassment；　〃I　don't　think　I　ought　to
leave　Mrs。　1anda；　just　now。　　She　isn't　very　well；　and　I　shouldn't　like　to
leave　her　alone。〃

〃But　we're　just　as　much　obliged　to　you　as　if　she　could　come；〃　Mrs。　Lander
interrupted；　I　and　later　on；　maybe　she　can。　　You　see；　we　han't　got　any
maid；　yit。　　Well；　we　did　have　one　at　Woodlake；　but　she　made　us　do　so　many
things　for　her；　that　we　thought　we　should　like　to　do　a　few　things　for
ouaselves；　awhile。〃

If　Miss　Milray　perhaps　did　not　conceive　the　situation；　exactly；　she　said；
Oh；　they　were　quite　right　in　that；　but　she　might　count　upon　Miss　Claxon
for　her　dance；　might　not　she；　and　might　not　she　do　anything　in　her　power
for　them？　　She　rose　to　go；　but　Mrs。　Lander　took　her　at　her　word；　so　far
as　to　say；　Why；　yes；　if　she　could　tell　Clementina　the　best　place　to　get　a
dress　she　guessed　the　child　would　be　glad　enough　to　come　to　the　dance。

〃Tell　her！〃　Miss　Milray　cried。　　〃I'll　take　her！　　Put　on　your　hat；　my
dear；〃　she　said　to　Clementina；　〃and　come　with　me　now。　　My　carriage　is　at
your　door。〃

Clementina　looked　at　Mrs。　Lander；　who　said；　〃Go；　of　cou'se；　child。　　I
wish　I　could　go；　too。〃

〃Do　come；　too；〃　Miss　Milray　entreated。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；　flattered。　　〃I　a'n't　feeling　very　well；　to…
day。　　I　guess　I'm　better　off　at　home。　　But　don't　you　hurry　back　on　my
account；　Clementina。〃　　While　the　girl　was　gone　to　put　on　her　hat　she
talked　on　about　her。　　〃She's　the　best　gul　in　the　wo'ld；　and　she　won't　be
one　of　the　poorest；　and　I　shall　feel　that　I'm　doin'　just　what　Mr。　Landa
would　have　wanted　I　should。