ragged lady, v1-第1部分

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Ragged　Lady；　v1

by　William　Dean　Howells






Part　1。

I。

It　was　their　first　summer　at　Middlemount　and　the　Landers　did　not　know　the
roads。　　When　they　came　to　a　place　where　they　had　a　choice　of　two；　she
said　that　now　he　must　get　out　of　the　carry…all　and　ask　at　the　house
standing　a　little　back　in　the　edge　of　the　pine　woods；　which　road　they
ought　to　take　for　South　Middlemount。　　She　alleged　many　cases　in　which
they　had　met　trouble　through　his　perverse　reluctance　to　find　out　where
they　were　before　he　pushed　rashly　forward　in　their　drives。　　Whilst　she
urged　the　facts　she　reached　forward　from　the　back　seat　where　she　sat；　and
held　her　hand　upon　the　reins　to　prevent　his　starting　the　horse；　which　was
impartially　cropping　first　the　sweet　fern　on　one　side　and　then　the
blueberry　bushes　on　the　other　side　of　the　narrow　wheel…track。　　She
declared　at　last　that　if　he　would　not　get　out　and　ask　she　would　do　it
herself；　and　at　this　the　dry　little　man　jerked　the　reins　in　spite　of　her；
and　the　horse　suddenly　pulled　the　carry…all　to　the　right；　and　seemed
about　to　overset　it。

〃Oh；　what　are　you　doing；　Albe't？　　〃Mrs。　Lander　lamented；　falling　helpless
against　the　back　of　her　seat。　　〃Haven't　I　always　told　you　to　speak　to　the
hoss　fust？〃

〃He　wouldn't　have　minded　my　speakin'；〃　said　her　husband。　　〃I'm　goin'　to
take　you　up　to　the　dooa　so　that　you　can　ask　for　youaself　without　gettin'
out。〃

This　was　so　well；　in　view　of　Mrs。　Lander's　age　and　bulk；　and　the　hardship
she　must　have　undergone；　if　she　had　tried　to　carry　out　her　threat；　that
she　was　obliged　to　take　it　in　some　sort　as　a　favor；　and　while　the　vehicle
rose　and　sank　over　the　surface　left　rough；　after　building；　in　front　of
the　house；　like　a　vessel　on　a　chopping　sea；　she　was　silent　for　several
seconds。

The　house　was　still　in　a　raw　state　of　unfinish；　though　it　seemed　to　have
been　lived　in　for　a　year　at　least。　　The　earth　had　been　banked　up　at　the
foundations　for　warmth　in　winter；　and　the　sheathing　of　the　walls　had　been
splotched　with　irregular　spaces　of　weather　boarding；　there　was　a　good
roof　over　all；　but　the　window…casings　had　been　merely　set　in　their　places
and　the　trim　left　for　a　future　impulse　of　the　builder。　　A　block　of　wood
suggested　the　intention　of　steps　at　the　front　door；　which　stood
hospitably　open；　but　remained　unresponsive　for　some　time　after　the
Landers　made　their　appeal　to　the　house　at　large　by　anxious　noises　in
their　throats；　and　by　talking　loud　with　each　other；　and　then　talking　low。
They　wondered　whether　there　were　anybody　in　the　house；　and　decided　that
there　must　be；　for　there　was　smoke　coming　out　of　the　stove　pipe　piercing
the　roof　of　the　wing　at　the　rear。

Mr。　Lander　brought　himself　under　censure　by　venturing；　without　his　wife's
authority；　to　lean　forward　and　tap　on　the　door…frame　with　the　butt　of　his
whip。　　At　the　sound；　a　shrill　voice　called　instantly　from　the　region　of
the　stove　pipe；　〃Clem！　　Clementina？　　Go　to　the　front　dooa！　　The'e's
somebody　knockin'。〃　　The　sound　of　feet；　soft　and　quick；　made　itself　heard
within；　and　in　a　few　moments　a　slim　maid；　too　large　for　a　little　girl；
too　childlike　for　a　young　girl；　stood　in　the　open　doorway；　looking　down
on　the　elderly　people　in　the　buggy；　with　a　face　as　glad　as　a　flower's。
She　had　blue　eyes；　and　a　smiling　mouth；　a　straight　nose；　and　a　pretty
chin　whose　firm　jut　accented　a　certain　wistfulness　of　her　lips。　　She　had
hair　of　a　dull；　dark　yellow；　which　sent　out　from　its　thick　mass　light
prongs；　or　tendrils；　curving　inward　again　till　they　delicately　touched
it。　　Her　tanned　face　was　not　very　different　in　color　from　her　hair；　and
neither　were　her　bare　feet；　which　showed　well　above　her　ankles　in　the
calico　skirt　she　wore。　　At　sight　of　the　elders　in　the　buggy　she
involuntarily　stooped　a　little　to　lengthen　her　skirt　in　effect；　and　at
the　same　time　she　pulled　it　together　sidewise；　to　close　a　tear　in　it；　but
she　lost　in　her　anxiety　no　ray　of　the　joy　which　the　mere　presence　of　the
strangers　seemed　to　give　her；　and　she　kept　smiling　sunnily　upon　them
while　she　waited　for　them　to　speak。

〃Oh！〃　Mrs。　Lander　began　with　involuntary　apology　in　her　tone；　〃we　just
wished　to　know　which　of　these　roads　went　to　South　Middlemount。　　We've
come　from　the　hotel；　and　we　wa'n't　quite　ce'tain。〃

The　girl　laughed　as　she　said；　〃Both　roads　go　to　South　Middlemount'm；　they
join　together　again　just　a　little　piece　farther　on。〃

The　girl　and　the　woman　in　their　parlance　replaced　the　letter　'r'　by　vowel
sounds　almost　too　obscure　to　be　represented；　except　where　it　came　last　in
a　word　before　a　word　beginning　with　a　vowel；　there　it　was　annexed　to　the
vowel　by　a　strong　liaison；　according　to　the　custom　universal　in　rural　New
England。

〃Oh；　do　they？〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。

〃Yes'm；〃　answered　the　girl。　　〃It's　a　kind　of　tu'nout　in　the　wintatime；　or
I　guess　that's　what　made　it　in　the　beginning；　sometimes　folks　take　one
hand　side　and　sometimes　the　other；　and　that　keeps　them　separate；　but
they're　really　the　same　road；　'm。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；　and　she　pushed　her　husband　to　make　him　say
something；　too；　but　he　remained　silently　intent　upon　the　child's
prettiness；　which　her　blue　eyes　seemed　to　illumine　with　a　light　of　their
own。　　She　had　got　hold　of　the　door；　now；　and　was　using　it　as　if　it　was　a
piece　of　drapery；　to　hide　not　only　the　tear　in　her　gown；　but　somehow　both
her　bare　feet。　　She　leaned　out　beyond　the　edge　of　it；　and　then；　at
moments　she　vanished　altogether　behind　it。

Since　Mr。　Lander　would　not　speak；　and　made　no　sign　of　starting　up　his
horse；　Mrs。　Lander　added；　〃I　presume　you　must　be　used　to　havin'　people
ask　about　the　road；　if　it's　so　puzzlin'。〃

〃O；　yes'm；〃　returned　the　girl；　gladly。　　〃Almost　every　day；　in　the
summatime。〃

〃You　have　got　a　pretty　place　for　a　home；　he'e；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。

〃Well；　it　will　be　when　it's　finished　up。〃　　Without　leaning　forward
inconveniently　Mrs。　Lander　could　see　that　the　partitions　of　the　house
within　were　lathed；　but　not　plastered；　and　the　girl　looked　round　as　if　to
realize　its　condition　and　added；　〃It　isn't　quite　finished　inside。〃

〃We　wouldn't；　have　troubled　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；　〃if　we　had　seen
anybody　to　inquire　of。〃

〃Yes'm；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃It　a'n't　any　trouble。〃

〃There　are　not　many　otha　houses　about；　very　nea'；　but　I　don't　suppose　you
get　lonesome；　young　folks　are　plenty　of　company　for　themselves；　and　if
you've　got　any　brothas　and　sistas〃

〃Oh；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　tender　laugh；　〃I've　got　eva　so　many　of　them！〃

There　was　a　stir　in　the　bushes　about　the　carriage；　and　Mrs。　Lander　was
aware　for　an　instant　of　children's　faces　looking　through　the　leaves　at
her　and　then　flashing　out　of　sight；　with　gay　cries　at　being　seen。　　A　boy；
older　than　the　rest；　came　round　in　front　of　the　horse　and　passed　out　of
sight　at　the　corner　of　the　house。

Lander　now　leaned　back　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　his　wife　as　if　he
might　hopefully　suppose　she　had　come　to　the　end　of　her　questions；　but　she
gave　no　sign　of　encouraging　him　to　start　on　their　way　again。

〃That　your　brotha；　too？〃　she　asked　the　girl。

〃Yes'm。　　He's　the　oldest　of　the　boys；　he's　next　to　me。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander　thoughtfully；　〃as　I　noticed　how　many
boys　there　were；　or　how　many　girls。〃

〃I've　got　two　sistas；　and　three　brothas；　'm；〃　said　the　girl；　always
smiling　sweetly。　　She　now　emerged　from　the　shelter　of　the　door；　and　Mrs。
Lander　perceived　that　the　slight　movements　of　such　parts　of　her　person　as
had　been　evident　beyond　its　edge　were　the　effects　of　some　endeavor　at
greater　presentableness。　　She　had　contrived　to　get　about　her　an　overskirt
which　covered　the　rent　in　her　frock；　and　she　had　got　a　pair　of　shoes　on
her　feet。　　Stockings　were　still　wanting；　but　by　a　mutual　concession　of
her　shoe…tops　and　the　border　of　her　skirt；　they　were　almost　eliminated
from　the　problem。　　This　happened　altogether　when　the　girl　sat　down　on　the
threshold；　and　got　herself　into　such　foreshortening　that　the　eye　of　Mrs。
Lander　in　looking　down　upon　her　could　not　detect　their　absence。　　Her
little　head　then　showed　in　the　dark　of　the　doorway　like　a　painted　head
against　its　background。

〃You　haven't　been　livin'　here　a　great　while；　by　the　looks；〃　said　Mrs。
Lander。　　〃It　don't　seem　to　be　clea'ed　off　very　much。〃

〃We've　got　quite　a　ga'den…patch　back　of　the　house；〃　replied　the　girl；
〃and　we　should　have　had　moa；　but　fatha　wasn't　very　well；　this　spring；
he's　eva　so　much　better　than　when　we　fust　came　he'e。〃

〃It　has；　the　name　of　being　a　very　healthy　locality；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；
somewhat　discontentedly；　〃though　I　can't　see　as　it's　done　me　so　very　much
good；　yit。　　Both　your　payrints　livin'？〃

〃Yes'm。　　Oh；　yes；　indeed！〃

〃And　your　mother；　is　she　real　rugged？　　She　need　to　be；　with　such　a　flock
of　little　ones！〃

〃Yes；　motha's　always　well。　　Fatha　was　just　run　down；　the　doctas　said；　and
ought　to　keep　more　in　the　open　aia。　　That's　what　he's　done　since　he　came
he'e。　　He　helped　a　great　deal　on　the　house　and　he　planned　it　all　out
himself。〃

〃Is　he　a　ca'penta？　　〃　asked　Mrs。　Lander。

〃No'm；　but　he'sI　don't　know　how　to　express　ithe　likes　to　do　every
kind　of　thing。〃

〃But　he's　got　some　business；　ha'n't　he？〃　　A　shadow　of　severity　crept　over
Mrs。　Lander's　tone；　in　provisional　reprehension　of　possible
shiftlessness。

〃Yes'm。　　He　was　a　machinist　at　the　Mills；　that's　what　the　doctas　thought
didn't　agree　with　him。　　He　bought　a　piece　of　land　he'e；　so　as　to　be　in
the　pine　woods；　and　then　we　built　this　house。〃

〃When　did　you　say　you　came？〃

〃Two　yea's　ago；　this　summa。〃

〃Well！　　What　did　you　do　befoa　you　built　this　house？〃

〃We　camped　the　first　summa。〃

〃You　camped？　　In　a　tent？〃

〃Well；　it　was　pahtly　a　tent；　and　pahtly　bank。〃

〃I　should　have　thought　you　would　have　died。〃

The　girl　laughed。　　〃Oh；　no；　we　all　kept　fast…rate。　　We　slept　in　the　tents
we　had　twoand　we　cooked　in　the　shanty。〃　　She　smiled　at　the　notion　in
adding；　〃At　fast　the　neighbas　thought　we　we'e　Gipsies；　and　the　summa
folks　thought　we　were　Indians；　and　wanted　to　get　baskets　of　us。〃

Mrs。　Lander　did　not　know　what　to　think；　and　she　asked；　〃But　didn't　it
almost　perish　you；　stayin'　through　the　winter　in　an　unfinished　house？〃

〃Well；　it　was　pretty　cold。　　But　it　was　so　dry；　the　aia　was