ragged lady, v1-第17部分

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months　in　the　city。　　She　was　a　little　puzzled　how　to　provide　for
Clementina；　with　respect　to　herself；　but　she　decided　that　the　best　thing
would　be　to　have　her　sleep　in　a　room　opening　out　of　her　own；　with　a
folding　bed　in　it；　so　that　it　could　be　used　as　a　sort　of　parlor　for　both
of　them　during　the　day；　and　be　within　easy　reach；　for　conversation；　at
all　times。

On　her　part；　Clementina　began　by　looking　after　Mrs。　Lander's　comforts；
large　and　little；　like　a　daughter；　to　her　own　conception　and　to　that　of
Mrs。　Lander；　but　to　other　eyes；　like　a　servant。　　Mrs。　Lander　shyly　shrank
from　acquaintance　among　the　other　ladies；　and　in　the　absence　of　this；　she
could　not　introduce　Clementina；　who　went　down　to　an　early　breakfast
alone；　and　sat　apart　with　her　at　lunch　and　dinner；　ministering　to　her　in
public　as　she　did　in　private。　　She　ran　back　to　their　rooms　to　fetch　her
shawl；　or　her　handkerchief；　or　whichever　drops　or　powders　she　happened　to
be　taking　with　her　meals；　and　adjusted　with　closer　care　the　hassock　which
the　head　waiter　had　officially　placed　at　her　feet。　　They　seldom　sat　in
the　parlor　where　the　ladies　met；　after　dinner；　they　talked　only　to　each
other；　and　there；　as　elsewhere；　the　girl　kept　her　filial　care　of　the　old
woman。　　The　question　of　her　relation　to　Mrs。　Lander　became　so　pressing
among　several　of　the　guests　that；　after　Clementina　had　watched　over　the
banisters；　with　throbbing　heart　and　feet；　a　little　dance　one　night　which
the　other　girls　had　got　up　among　themselves；　and　had　fled　back　to　her
room　at　the　approach　of　one　of　the　kindlier　and　bolder　of　them；　the
landlord　felt　forced　to　learn　from　Mrs。　Lander　how　Miss　Claxon　was　to　be
regarded。　　He　managed　delicately；　by　saying　he　would　give　the　Sunday
paper　she　had　ordered　to　her　nurse；　〃Or；　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　added；　as
if　he　had　made　a　mistake。　　〃Why；　she　a'n't　my　nuhse；〃　Mrs。　Lander
explained；　simply；　neither　annoyed　nor　amused；　〃　she's　just　a　young　lady
that's　visiting　me；　as　you　may　say；〃　and　this　put　an　end　to　the　misgiving
among　the　ladies。　　But　it　suggested　something　to　Mrs。　Lander；　and　a　few
days　afterwards；　when　they　came　out　from　Boston　where　they　had　been
shopping；　and　she　had　been　lavishing　a　bewildering　waste　of　gloves；　hats；
shoes；　capes　and　gowns　upon　Clementina；　she　said；　〃I'll　tell　you　what。
We've　got　to　have　a　maid。〃

〃A　maid？〃　cried　the　girl。

〃It　isn't　me；　or　my　things　I　want　her　for；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃It's　you
and　these　dresses　of　youas。　　I　presume　you　could　look　afta　them；　come　to
give　youa　mind　to　it；　but　I　don't　want　to　have　you　tied　up　to　a　lot　of
clothes；　and　I　presume　we　should　find　her　a　comfo't　in　moa　ways　than　one；
both　of　us。　　I　don't　know　what　we　shall　want　her　to　do；　exactly；　but　I
guess　she　will；　if　she　undastands　her　business；　and　I　want　you　should　go
in　with　me；　to…morror；　and　find　one。　　I'll　speak　to　some　of　the　ladies；
and　find　out　whe's　the　best　place　to　go；　and　we'll　get　the　best　there
is。〃

A　lady　whom　Mrs。　Lander　spoke　to　entered　into　the　affair　with　zeal　born
of　a　lurking　sense　of　the　wrong　she　had　helped　do　Clementina　in　the
common　doubt　whether　she　was　not　herself　Mrs。　Lander's　maid。　　She　offered
to　go　into　Boston　with　them　to　an　intelligence　office；　where　you　could
get　nice　girls　of　all　kinds；　but　she　ended　by　giving　Mrs。　Lander　the
address；　and　instructions　as　to　what　she　was　to　require　in　a　maid。　　She
was　chiefly　to　get　an　English　maid；　if　at　all　possible；　for　the
qualifications　would　more　or　less　naturally　follow　from　her　nationality。
There　proved　to　be　no　English　maid；　but　there　was　a　Swedish　one　who　had
received　a　rigid　training　in　an　English　family　living　on　the　Continent；
and　had　come　immediately　from　that　service　to　seek　her　first　place　in
America。　　The　manager　of　the　office　pronounced　her　character；　as　set　down
in　writing；　faultless；　and　Mrs。　Lander　engaged　her。　　〃You　want　to　look
afta　this　young　lady；〃　she　said；　indicating　Clementina。　　〃I　can　look　afta
myself；〃　but　Ellida　took　charge　of　them　both　on　the　train　out　from　Boston
with　prompt　intelligence。

〃We　got　to　get　used　to　it；　I　guess；〃　Mrs。　Lander　confided　at　the　first
chance　of　whispering　to　Clementina。

Within　a　month　after　washing　the　faces　and　combing　the　hair　of　all　her
brothers　and　sisters　who　would　suffer　it　at　her　hands；　Clementina's　own
head　was　under　the　brush　of　a　lady's　maid；　who　was　of　as　great　a
discreetness　in　her　own　way　as　Clementina　herself。　　She　supplied　the
defects　of　Mrs。　Lander's　elementary　habits　by　simply　asking　if　she　should
get　this　thing　and　that　thing　for　the　toilet；　without　criticising　its
absence；and　then　asking　whether　she　should　get　the　same　things　for　her
young　lady。　　She　appeared　to　let　Mrs。　Lander　decide　between　having　her
brushes　in　ivory　or　silver；　but　there　was　really　no　choice　for　her；　and
they　came　in　silver。　　She　knew　not　only　her　own　place；　but　the　places　of
her　two　ladies；　and　she　presently　had　them　in　such　training　that　they
were　as　proficient　in　what　they　might　and　might　not　do　for　themselves　and
for　each　other；　as　if　making　these　distinctions　were　the　custom　of　their
lives。

Their　hearts　would　both　have　gone　out　to　Ellida；　but　Ellida　kept　them　at
a　distance　with　the　smooth　respectfulness　of　the　iron　hand　in　the　glove
of　velvet；　and　Clementina　first　learned　from　her　to　imagine　the
impassable　gulf　between　mistress　and　maid。

At　the　end　of　her　month　she　gave　them；　out　of　a　clear　sky；　a　week's
warning。　　She　professed　no　grievance；　and　was　not　moved　by　Mrs。　Lander's
appeal　to　say　what　wages　she　wanted。　　She　would　only　say　that　she　was
going　to　take　a　place　an　Commonwealth　Avenue；　where　a　friend　of　hers　was
living；　and　when　the　week　was　up；　she　went；　and　left　her　late　mistresses
feeling　rather　blank。　　〃　I　presume　we　shall　have　to　get　anotha；〃　said
Mrs。　Lander。

〃Oh；　not　right　away！　　〃　Clementina　pleaded。

〃Well；　not　right　away；〃　Mrs。　Lander　assented；　and　provisionally　they　each
took　the　other　into　her　keeping；　and　were　much　freer　and　happier
together。

Soon　after　Clementina　was　startled　one　morning；　as　she　was　going　in　to
breakfast；　by　seeing　Mr。　Fane　at　the　clerk's　desk。　　He　did　not　see　her；
he　was　looking　down　at　the　hotel　register；　to　compute　the　bill　of　a
departing　guest；　but　when　she　passed　out　she　found　him　watching　for　her；
with　some　letters。

〃I　didn't　know　you　were　with　us；〃　he　said；　with　his　pensive　smile；　〃till
I　found　your　letters　here；　addressed　to　Mrs。　Lander's　care；　and　then　I
put　two　and　two　together。　　It　only　shows　how　small　the　world　is；　don't
you　think　so？　　I've　just　got　back　from　my　vacation；　I　prefer　to　take　it
in　the　fall　of　the　year；　because　it's　so　much　pleasanter　to　travel；　then。
I　suppose　you　didn't　know　I　was　here？〃

〃No；　I　didn't；〃　said　Clementina。　　〃I　never　dreamed　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃To　be　sure；　why　should　you？〃　Fane　reflected。　　〃I've　been　here　ever　since
last　spring。　　But　I'll　say　this；　Miss　Claxon；　that　if　it's　the　least
unpleasant　to　you；　or　the　least　disagreeable；　or　awakens　any　kind　of
associations〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　Clementina　protested；　and　Fane　was　spared　the　pain　of　saying
what　he　would　do　if　it　were。

He　bowed；　and　she　said　sweetly；　〃It's　pleasant　to　meet　any　one　I've　seen
before。　　I　suppose　you　don't　know　how　much　it's　changed　at　Middlemount
since　you　we'　e　thea。〃　　Fane　answered　blankly；　while　he　felt　in　his
breast　pocket；　Oh；　he　presumed　so；　and　she　added：　〃Ha'dly　any　of　the　same
guests　came　back　this　summer；　and　they　had　more　in　July　than　they　had　in
August；　Mrs。　Atwell　said。　　Mr。　Mahtin；　the　chef；　is　gone；　and　newly　all
the　help　is　different。〃

Fane　kept　feeling　in　one　pocket　and　then　slapped　himself　over　the　other
pockets。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　haven't　got　it　with　me。　　I　must　have　left　it
in　my　room。　　I　just　received　a　letter　from　FrankMr。　Gregory；　you　know；
I　always　call　him　Frankand　I　thought　I　had　it　with　me。　　He　was　asking
about　Middlemount；　and　I　wanted　to　read　you　what　he　said。　　But　I'll　find
it　upstairs。　　He's　out　of　college；　now；　and　he's　begun　his　studies　in　the
divinity　school。　　He's　at　Andover。　　I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　Frank；
oftentimes；〃　the　clerk　continued；　confidentially。　　〃I　tell　him　he's　a
kind　of　a　survival；　in　religion；　he's　so　aesthetic。〃　　It　seemed　to　Fane
that　he　had　not　meant　aesthetic；　exactly；　but　he　could　not　ask　Clementina
what　the　word　was。　　He　went　on　to　say；　〃He's　a　grand　good　fellow；　Frank
is；　but　he　don't　make　enough　allowance　for　human　nature。　　He's　more　like
one　of　those　old　fashioned　orthodox。　　I　go　in　for　having　a　good　time；　so
long　as　you　don't　do　anybody　else　any　hurt。〃

He　left　her；　and　went　to　receive　the　commands　of　a　lady　who　was　leaning
over　the　desk；　and　saying　severely；　〃My　mail；　if　you　please；〃　and
Clementina　could　not　wait　for　him　to　come　back；　she　had　to　go　to　Mrs。
Lander；　and　get　her　ready　for　breakfast；　Ellida　had　taught　Mrs。　Lander　a
luxury　of　helplessness　in　which　she　persisted　after　the　maid's　help　was
withdrawn。

Clementina　went　about　the　whole　day　with　the　wonder　what　Gregory　had　said
about　Middlemount　filling　her　mind。　　It　must　have　had　something　to　do
with　her；　he　could　not　have　forgotten　the　words　he　had　asked　her　to
forget。　　She　remembered　them　now　with　a　curiosity；　which　had　no　rancor　in
it；　to　know　why　he　really　took　them　back。　　She　had　never　blamed　him；　and
she　had　outlived　the　hurt　she　had　felt　at　not　hearing　from　him。　　But　she
had　never　lost　the　hope　of　hearing　from　him；　or　rather　the　expectation；
and　now　she　found　that　she　was　eager　for　his　message；　she　decided　that　it
must　be　something　like　a　message；　although　it　could　not　be　anything
direct。　　No　one　else　had　come　to　his　place　in　her　fancy；　and　she　was
willing　to　try　what　they　would　think　of　each　other　now；　to　measure　her
own　obligation　to　the　past　by　a　knowledge　of　his。　　There　was　scarcely
more　than　this　in　her　heart　when　she　allowed　herself　to　drift　near　Fane's
place　that　night；　that　he　might　speak　to　her；　and　tell　her　what　Gregory
had　said。　　But　he　had　apparently　forgotten　about　his　letter；　and　only
wished　to　talk　about　himself。　　He　wished　to　analyze　himself；　to　tell　her
what　sort　of　person　he　was。　　He　dealt　impartially　with　the　subject；　he
did　not　spare　some　faults　of　his；　and　after　a　week；　he　proposed　a
correspondenc