ragged lady, v2-第26章

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way　you　do；　and　I　know　I　neva　shall。　　Do　you　want　me　in　spite　of　my
saying　that　I　can　neva　help　you　in　your　work　because　I　believe　in　it？〃

〃But　if　you　believe　in　me〃

She　shook　her　bead　compassionately。　　〃You　know　we　ahgued　that　out　before。
We　are　just　whe'e　we　were。　　I　am　sorry。　　Nobody　had　any　right　to　tell　you
to　come　he'e。　　But　I　am　glad　you　came〃　She　saw　the　hope　that　lighted　up
his　face；　but　she　went　on　unrelentingly　〃I　think　we　had　betta　be　free。〃

〃Free？〃

〃Yes；　from　each　other。　　I　don't　know　how　you　have　felt；　but　I　have　not
felt　free。　　It　has　seemed　to　me　that　I　promised　you　something。　　If　I　did；
I　want　to　take　my　promise　back　and　be　free。〃

Her　frankness　appealed　to　his　own。　　〃You　are　free。　　I　never　held　you
bound　to　me　in　my　fondest　hopes。　　You　have　always　done　right。〃

〃I　have　tried　to。　　And　I　am　not　going　to　let　you　go　away　thinking　that
the　reason　I　said　is　the　only　reason。　　It　isn't。　　I　wish　to　be　free
becausethere　is　some　one　else；　now。〃　　It　was　hard　to　tell　him　this；
but　she　knew　that　she　must　not　do　less；　and　the　train　that　carried　him
from　Venice　that　night　bore　a　letter　from　her　to　Hinkle。




XXXIII。

Clementina　told　Miss　Milray　what　had　happened；　but　with　Mrs。　Milray　the
girl　left　the　sudden　departure　of　Gregory　to　account　for　itself。

They　all　went　a　week　later；　and　Mrs。　Milray　having　now　done　her　whole
duty　to　Clementina　had　the　easiest　mind　concerning　her。　　Miss　Milray　felt
that　she　was　leaving　her　to　greater　trials　than　ever　with　Mrs。　Lander；
but　since　there　was　nothing　else；　she　submitted；　as　people　always　do　with
the　trials　of　others；　and　when　she　was　once　away　she　began　to　forget　her。

By　this　time；　however；　it　was　really　better　for　her。　　With　no　one　to
suspect　of　tampering　with　her　allegiance；　Mrs。　Lander　returned　to　her
former　fondness　for　the　girl；　and　they　were　more　peaceful　if　not　happier
together　again。　　They　had　long　talks；　such　as　they　used　to　have；　and　in
the　first　of　these　Clementina　told　her　how　and　why　she　had　written　to
Mr。　Hinkle。　　Mrs。　Lander　said　that　it　suited　her　exactly。

〃There　ha'n't　but　just　two　men　in　Europe　behaved　like　gentlemen　to　me；
and　one　is　Mr。　Hinkle；　and　the　other　is　that　lo'd；　and　between　the　two　I
ratha　you'd　have　Mr。　Iiinkle；　I　don't　know　as　I　believe　much　in　American
guls　marryin'　lo'ds；　the　best　of　'em。〃

Clementina　laughed。　　〃Why；　Mrs。　Landa；　Lo'd　Lioncou't　never　thought　of　me
in　the　wo'ld！〃

〃You　can't　eva　know。　　Mrs。　Milray　was　tellin'　that　he's　what　they　call　a
pooa　lo'd；　and　that　he　was　carryin'　on　with　the　American　girls　like
everything　down　there　in　Egypt　last　winta。　　I　guess　if　it　comes　to　money
you'd　have　enough　to　buy　him　and　sell　him　again。〃

The　mention　of　money　cast　a　chill　upon　their　talk；　and　Mrs。　Lander　said
gloomily；　〃I　don't　know　as　I　ca'e　so　much　for　that　will　Mr。　Milray　made
for　me；　after　all。　　I　did　want　to　say　ten　thousand　apiece　for　Mr。　Landa's
relations；　but　I　hated　to　befo'e　him；　I'd　told　the　whole　kit　of　'em　so
much　about　you；　and　I　knew　what　they　would　think。〃

She　looked　at　Clementina　with　recurring　grudge；　and　the　girl　could　not
bear　it。

〃Then　why　don't　you　tear　it　up；　and　make　another？　　I　don't　want　anything；
unless　you　want　me　to　have　it；　and　I'd　ratha　not　have　anything。〃

〃Yes；　and　what　would　folks　say；　afta　youa　taken'　care　of　me？〃

〃Do　you　think　I　do　it　fo'　that？〃

〃What　do　you　do　it　fo'？〃

〃What　did　you　want　me　to　come　with　you　fo'？〃

〃That's　true。〃　　Mrs。　Lander　brightened　and　warmed　again。　　〃I　guess　it's
all　right。　　I　guess　I　done　right；　and　I　got　to　be　satisfied。　　I　presume　I
could　get　the　consul　to　make　me　a　will　any　time。〃

Clementina　did　not　relent　so　easily。　　〃Mrs。　Landa；　whateva　you　do　I　don't
ca'e　to　know　it；　and　if　you　talk　to　me　again　about　this　I　shall　go　home。
I　would　stay　with　you　as　long　as　you　needed　me；　but　I　can't　if　you　keep
bringing　this　up。〃

〃I　suppose　you　think　you　don't　need　me　any　moa！　　Betta　not　be　too　su'a。〃

The　girl　jumped　to　her　feet；　and　Mrs。　Lander　interposed。　　〃Well；　the'a！
I　didn't　mean　anything；　and　I　won't　pesta　you　about　it　any　moa。　　But　I
think　it's　pretty　ha'd。　　Who　am　I　going　to　talk　it　ova　with；　then？〃

〃You　can　talk　it　ova　with　the　vice…consul；〃　paid　Clementina；　at　random。

〃Well；　that's　so。〃　　Mrs。　Lander　let　Clementina　get　her　ready　for　the
night；　in　sign　of　returning　amity；　when　she　was　angry　with　her　she　always
refused　her　help；　and　made　her　send　Maddalena。

The　summer　heat　increased；　and　the　sick　woman　suffered　from　it；　but　she
could　not　be　persuaded　that　she　had　strength　to　get　away；　though　the
vice…consul；　whom　she　advised　with；　used　all　his　logic　with　her。　　He　was
a　gaunt　and　weary　widower；　who　described　himself　as　being　officially
between　hay　and　grass；　the　consul　who　appointed　him　had　resigned　after
going　home；　and　a　new　consul　had　not　yet　been　sent　out　to　remove　him。
On　what　she　called　her　well　days　Mrs。　Lander　went　to　visit　him；　and　she
did　not　mind　his　being　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　in　the　bit　of　garden　where
she　commonly　found　him；　with　his　collar　and　cravat　off；　and　clouded　in
his　own　smoke；　when　she　was　sick　she　sent　for　him；　to　visit　her。　　He　made
excuses　as　often　as　she　could；　and　if　he　saw　Mrs。　Lander's　gondola　coming
down　the　Grand　Canal　to　his　house　he　hurried　on　his　cast　clothing；　and
escaped　to　the　Piazza；　at　whatever　discomfort　and　risk　from　the　heat。

〃I　don't　know　how　you　stand　it；　Miss　Claxon；〃　he　complained　to
Clementina；　as　soon　as　he　learned　that　she　was　not　a　blood　relation　of
Mrs。　Lander's；　and　divined　that　she　had　her　own　reservations　concerning
her。　　〃But　that　woman　will　be　the　death　of　me　if　she　keeps　this　up。　　What
does　she　think　I'm　here　for？　　If　this　goes　on　much　longer　I'll　resign。
The　salary　won't　begin　to　pay　for　it。　　What　am　I　going　to　do？　　I　don't
want　to　hurt　her　feelings；　or　not　to　help　her；　but　I　know　ten　times　as
much　about　Mrs。　Lander's　liver　as　I　do　about　my　own；　now。〃

He　treated　Clementina　as　a　person　of　mature　judgment　and　a　sage
discretion；　and　he　accepted　what　comfort　she　could　offer　him　when　she
explained　that　it　was　everything　for　Mrs。　Lander　to　have　him　to　talk
with。　　〃She　gets　tied　of　talking　to　me；〃　she　urged；　〃and　there's　nobody
else；　now。〃

〃Why　don't　she　hire　a　valet　de　place；　and　talk　to　him？　　I'd　hire　one
myself　for　her。　　It　would　be　a　good　deal　cheaper　for　me。　　It's　as　much　as
I　can　do　to　stand　this　weather　as　it　is。〃

The　vice…consul　laughed　forlornly　in　his　exasperation；　but　he　agreed　with
Clementina　when　she　said；　in　further　excuse；　that　Mrs。　Lander　was　really
very　sick。　　He　pushed　back　his　hat；　and　scratched　his　head　with　a
grimace。

〃Of　course；　we've　got　to　remember　she's　sick；　and　I　shall　need　a　little
sympathy　myself　if　she　keeps　on　at　me　this　way。　　I　believe　I'll　tell　her
about　my　liver　next　time；　and　see　how　she　likes　it。　　Look　here；　Miss
Claxon！　　Couldn't　we　get　her　off　to　some　of　those　German　watering　places
that　are　good　for　her　complaints？　　I　believe　it　would　be　the　best　thing
for　hernot　to　mention　me。〃

Mrs。　Lander　was　moved　by　the　suggestion　which　he　made　in　person
afterwards；　it　appealed　to　her　old　nomadic　instinct；　but　when　the　consul
was　gone　she　gave　it　up。　　〃We　couldn't　git　the'e；　Clementina。　　I　got　to
stay　he'e　till　I　git　up　my　stren'th。　　I　suppose　you'd　be　glad　enough　to
have　me　sta't；　now　the'e's　nobody　he'e　but　me；〃　she　added；　suspiciously。
〃You　git　this　scheme　up；　or　him？〃

Clementina　did　not　defend　herself；　and　Mrs。　Lander　presently　came　to　her
defence。　　〃I　don't　believe　but　what　he　meant　it　fo'　the　bestor　you；
whichever　it　was；　and　I　appreciate　it；　but　all　is　I　couldn't　git　off。　　I
guess　this　aia　will　do　me　as　much　good　as　anything；　come　to　have　it　a
little　coola。〃

They　went　every　afternoon　to　the　Lido；　where　a　wheeled　chair　met　them；
and　Mrs。　Lander　was　trundled　across　the　narrow　island　to　the　beach。　　In
the　evenings　they　went　to　the　Piazza；　where　their　faces　and　figures　had
become　known；　and　the　Venetians　gossipped　them　down　to　the　last　fact　of
their　relation　with　an　accuracy　creditable　to　their　ingenuity　in　the
affairs　of　others。　　To　them　Mrs。　Lander　was　the　sick　American；　very　rich；
and　Clementina　was　her　adoptive　daughter；　who　would　have