ragged lady, v1-第6部分

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mountains。〃

〃Well；　he　may　not　have　the　same　complaint　as　Mr。　Landa；　but　I　know　if　I
was　to　climb　a　mountain；'　it　would　lay　me　up　for　a　yea'。〃

The　girl　did　not　urge　anything　against　this　conviction。　　She　smiled
politely　and　waited　patiently　for　the　next　turn　Mrs。　Lander's　talk　should
take；　which　was　oddly　enough　toward　the　business　Clementina　had　come
upon。

〃I　declare　I　most　forgot　about　my　polonaise。　　Mr。　Landa　said　your　motha
thought　she　could　do　something　to　it　for　me。〃

〃Yes'm。〃

〃Well；　I　may　as　well　'let　you　see　it。　　If　you'll　reach　into　that　fuhthest
closet；　you'll　find　it　on　the　last　uppa　hook　on　the　right　hand；　and　if
you'll　give　it　to　me；　I'll　show　you　what　I　want　done。　　Don't　mind　the
looks　of　that　closet；　I've　just　tossed　my　things　in；　till　I　could　get　a
little　time　and　stren'th　to　put　'em　in　odda。〃

Clementina　brought　the　polonaise　to　Mrs。　Lander；　who　sat　up　and　spread　it
before　her　on　the　bed；　and　had　a　happy　half　hour　in　telling　the　girl
where　she　had　bought　the　material　and　where　she　had　it　made　up；　and　how
it　came　home　just　as　she　was　going　away；　and　she　did　not　find　out　that　it
was　all　wrong　till　a　week　afterwards　when　she　tried　it　on。　　By　the　end　of
this　time　the　girl　had　commended　herself　so　much　by　judicious　and
sympathetic　assent；　that　Mrs。　Lander　learned　with　a　shock　of
disappointment　that　her　mother　expected　her　to　bring　the　garment　home
with　her；　where　Mrs。　Lander　was　to　come　and　have　it　fitted　over　for　the
alterations　she　wanted　made。

〃But　I　supposed；　from　what　Mr。　Landa　said；　that　your　motha　would　come
here　and　fit　me！〃　　she　lamented。

〃I　guess　he　didn't　undastand；　'm。　　Motha　doesn't　eva　go　out　to　do　wo'k；〃
said　Clementina　gently　but　firmly。

〃Well；　I　might　have　known　Mr。　Landa　would　mix　it　up；　if　it　could　be
mixed；　〃Mrs。　Lander's　sense　of　injury　was　aggravated　by　her　suspicion
that　he　had　brought　the　girl　in　the　hope　of　pleasing　her；　and　confirming
her　in　the　wish　to　have　her　with　them；　she　was　not　a　woman　who　liked　to
have　her　way　in　spite　of　herself；　she　wished　at　every　step　to　realize
that　she　was　taking　it；　and　that　no　one　else　was　taking　it　for　her。

〃Well；〃　she　said　dryly；　〃　I　shall　have　to　see　about　it。　　I'm　a　good　deal
of　an　invalid；　and　I　don't　know　as　I　could　go　back　and　fo'th　to　try　on。
I'm　moa　used　to　havin'　the　things　brought　to　me。〃

〃Yes'm；〃　said　Clementina。　　She　moved　a　little　from　the　bed；　on　her　way　to
the　door；　to　be　ready　for　Mrs。　Lander　in　leave…taking。

〃I'm　real　sorry；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander。　　〃I　presume　it's　a　disappointment　for
you；　too。〃

〃Oh；　not　at　all；〃　answered　Clementina。　　〃I'm　sorry　we　can't　do　the　wo'k
he'a；　but　I　know　mocha　wouldn't　like　to。　　Good…mo'ning；'m！〃

〃No；　no！　　Don't　go　yet　a　minute！　　Won't　you　just　give　me　my　hand　bag　off
the　bureau　the'a？　　〃Mrs。　Lander　entreated；　and　when　the　girl　gave　her　the
bag　she　felt　about　among　the　bank…notes　which　she　seemed　to　have　loose　in
it；　and　drew　out　a　handful　of　them　without　regard　to　their　value。
〃He'a！〃　she　said；　and　she　tried　to　put　the　notes　into　Clementina's　hand；
〃I　want　you　should　get　yourself　something。〃

The　girl　shrank　back。　　〃Oh；　no'm；〃　she　said；　with　an　effect　of　seeming　to
know　that　her　refusal　would　hurt；　and　with　the　wish　to　soften　it。
〃Icouldn't；　indeed　I　couldn't。〃

〃Why　couldn't　you？　　Now　you　must！　　If　I　can't　let　you　have　the　wo'k　the
way　you　want；　I　don't　think　it's　fair；　and　you　ought　to　have　the　money
for　it　just　the　same。〃

Clementina　shook　her　head　smiling。　　〃I　don't　believe　motha　would　like　to
have　me　take　it。〃

〃Oh；　now；　pshaw！〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；　inadequately。　　〃I　want　you　should
take　this　for　youaself；　and　if　you　don't　want　to　buy　anything　to　wea'；
you　can　get　something　to　fix　your　room　up　with。　　Don't　you　be　afraid　of
robbin'　us。　　Land！　　We　got　moa　money！　　Now　you　take　this。〃

Mrs。　Lander　reached　the　money　as　far　toward　Clementina　as　she　could　and
shook　it　in　the　vehemence　of　her　desire。

〃Thank　you；　I　couldn't　take　it；〃　Clementina　persisted。　　〃I'm　afraid　I
must　be　going；　I　guess　I　must　bid　you　good…mo'ning。〃

〃Why；　I　believe　the　child's　sca'ed　of　me！　　But　you　needn't　be。　　Don't　you
suppose　I　know　how　you　feel？　　You　set　down　in　that　chai'a　there；　and　I'll
tell　you　how　you　feel。　　I　guess　we've　been　pooa；　tooI　don't　mean
anything　that　a'n't　exactly　rightand　I　guess　I've　had　the　same
feelin's。　　You　think　it's　demeanin'　to　you　to　take　it。　　A'n't　that　it？〃
Clementina　sank　provisionally　upon　the　edge　of　the　chair。　　〃Well；　it　did
use　to　be　so　consid'ed。　　But　it's　all　changed；　nowadays。　　We　travel
pretty　nee'　the　whole　while；　Mr。　Lander　and　me；　and　we　see　folks
everywhere；　and　it　a'n't　the　custom　to　refuse　any　moa。　　Now；　a'n't　there
any　little　thing　for　your　own　room；　there　in　your　nice　new　house？　　Or
something　your　motha's　got　her　heat　set　on？　　Or　one　of　your　brothas？　　My；
if　you　don't　have　it；　some　one　else　will！　　Do　take　it！〃

The　girl　kept　slipping　toward　the　door。　　〃I　shouldn't　know　what　to　tell
them；　when　I　got　home。　　They　would　think　I　must　beout　of　my　senses。〃

〃I　guess　you　mean　they'd　think　I　was。　　Now；　listen　to　me　a　minute！〃
Mrs。　Lander　persisted。

〃You　just　take　this　money；　and　when　you　get　home；　you　tell　your　mother
every　word　about　it；　and　if　she　says；　you　bring　it　right　straight　back
to　me。　　Now；　can't　you　do　that？〃

〃I　don't　know　but　I　can；〃　Clementina　faltered。　　〃Well；　then　take　it！〃
Mrs。　Lander　put　the　bills　into　her　hand　but　she　did　not　release　her　at
once。　　She　pulled　Clementina　down　and　herself　up　till　she　could　lay　her
other　arm　on　her　neck。　　〃I　want　you　should　let　me　kiss　you。　　Will　you？〃

〃Why；　certainly；〃　said　Clementina；　and　she　kissed　the　old　woman。

〃You　tell　your　mother　I'm　comin'　to　see　her　before　I　go；　and　I　guess；〃
said　Mrs。　Lander　in　instant　expression　of　the　idea　that　came　into　her
mind；　〃we　shall　be　goin'　pretty　soon；　now。〃

〃Yes'm；〃　said　Clementina。

She　went　out；　and　shortly　after　Lander　came　in　with　a　sort　of　hopeful
apathy　in　his　face。

Mrs。　Lander　turned　her　head　on　her　pillow；　and　so　confronted　him。
〃Albe't；　what　made　you　want　me　to　see　that　child？〃

Lander　must　have　perceived　that　his　wife　meant　business；　and　he　came　to
it　at　once。　　〃I　thought　you　might　take　a　fancy　to　her；　and　get　her　to
come　and　live　with　us。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃We're　both　of　us　gettin'　pretty　well　on；　and　you'd　ought　to　have
somebody　to　look　after　you　ifI'm　not　around。　　You　want　somebody　that
can　do　for　you；　and　keep　you　company；　and　read　to　you；　and　talk　to　you
well；　moa　like　a　daughta　than　a　suvvantsomebody　that　you'd　get　attached
to；　maybe〃

〃And　don't　you　see；〃　Mrs。　Lander　broke　out　severely　upon　him；　〃what　a
ca'e　that　would　be？　　Why；　it's　got　so　already　that　I　can't　help　thinkin'
about　her　the　whole　while；　and　if　I　got　attached　to　her　I'd　have　her　on
my　mind　day　and　night；　and　the　moa　she　done　for　me　the　more　I　should　be
tewin'　around　to　do　for　her。　　I　shouldn't　have　any　peace　of　my　life　any
moa。　　Can't　you　see　that？〃

〃I　guess　if　you　see　it；　I　don't　need　to；〃　said　Lander。

〃Well；　then；　I　want　you　shouldn't　eva　mention　her　to　me　again。　　I've　had
the　greatest　escape！　　But　I've　got　her　off　home；　and　I've　give　her　money
enough！　had　a　time　with　her　about　itso　that　they　won't　feel　as　if　we'd
made　'em　trouble　for　nothing；　and　now　I　neva　want　to　hear　of　her　again。
I　don't　want　we　should　stay　here　a　great　while　longer；　I　shall　be
frettin'　if　I'm　in　reach　of　her；　and　I　shan't　get　any　good　of　the　ai'a。
Will　you　promise？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　then！〃　　Mrs。　Lander　turned　her　face　upon　the　pillow　again　in　the
dramatization　of　her　exhaustion；　but　she　was　not　so　far　gone　that　she　was
insensible　to　the　possible　interest　that　a　light　rap　at　the　door
suggested。　　She　once　more　twisted　her　head　in　that　direction　and　called；
〃Come　in！〃

The　door　opened　and　Clementina　came　in。　　She　advanced　to　the　bedside
smiling　joyously；　and　put　the　money　Mrs。　Lander　had　given　her　down　upon
the　counterpane。

〃Why；　you　haven't　been　home；　child？〃

〃No'm；〃　said　Clementina；　breathlessly。　　〃But　I　couldn't　take　it。　　I　knew
they　wouldn't　want　me　to；　and　I　thought　you'd　like　it　better　if　I　just
brought　it　back　myself。　　Good…mo'ning。〃　　She　slipped　out　of　the　door。
Mrs。　Lander　swept　the　bank…notes　from　the　coverlet　and　pulled　it　over　her
head；　and　sent　from　beneath　it　a　stifled　wail。　　〃Now　we　got　to　go！　　And
it's　all　youa　fault；　Albe't。〃

Lander　took　the　money　from　the　floor；　and　smoothed　each　bill　out；　and
then　laid　them　in　a　neat　pile　on　the　corner　of　the　bureau。　　He　sighed
profoundly　but　left　the　room　without　an　effort　to　justify　himself。




V。

The　Landers　had　been　gone　a　week　before　Clementina's　mother　decided　that
she　could　spare　her　to　Mrs。　Atwell　for　a　while。　　It　was　established　that
she　was　not　to　serve　either　in　the　dining…room　or　the　carving　room；　she
was　not　to　wash　dishes　or　to　do　any　part　of　the　chamber　work；　but　to
carry　messages　and　orders　for　the　landlady；　and　to　save　her　steps；　when
she　wished　to　see　the　head…waiter；　or　the　head…cook；　or　to　make　an　excuse
or　a　promise　to　some　of　the　lady…boarders；　or　to　send　word　to　Mr。　Atwell
about　the　buying；　or　to　communicate　with　the　clerk　about　rooms　taken　or
left。

She　had　a　good　deal　of　dignity　of　her　own　and　such　a　gravity　in　the
discharge　of　her　duties　that　the　chef；　who　was　a　middle…aged　Yankee　with
grown　girls　of　his　own；　liked　to　pretend　that　it　was　Mrs。　Atwell　herself
who　was　talking　with　him；　and　to　discover　just　as　she　left　him　that　it
was　Clementina。　　He　called　her　the　Boss　when　he　spoke　of　her　to　others　in
her　hearing；　and　he　addressed　her　as　Boss　when　he　feigned　to　find　that　it
was　not　Mrs。　Atwell。　　She　did　not　mind　that　in　him；　and　let　the　chef　have
his　joke　as　if　it　were　not　one。　　But　one　day　when　the　clerk　called　her
Boss　she　merely　looked　at　him　without　speaking；　and　made　him　feel　that　he
had　taken　a　liberty　which　he　must　not　repeat。　　He　was　a　young　man　who
much　preferred　a　state　of　self…satisfaction　to　humiliation　of　any　sort；
and　after　he　had　endured　Clementina's　gaze　as　long　as　he　could；　he　said；
〃Perhaps　you　don't　allow　anybody　but　the　chef　to　call　you　that？〃

She　did　not　answer；　but　repeated　the　message　Mrs。　Atwell　had　given　her
for　him；　and　went　away。

It　seemed　to　him　undue