ragged lady, v1-第7部分

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

It　seemed　to　him　undue　that　a　person　who　exchanged　repartees　with　the
young　lady　boarders　across　his　desk；　when　they　came　many　times　a　day　to
look　at　the　register；　or　to　ask　for　letters；　should　remain　snubbed　by　a
girl　who　still　wore　her　hair　in　a　braid；　but　he　was　an　amiable　youth；　and
he　tried　to　appease　her　by　little　favors　and　services；　instead　of　trying
to　bully　her。

He　was　great　friends　with　the　head…waiter；　whom　he　respected　as　a　college
student；　though　for　the　time　being　he　ranked　the　student　socially。　　He
had　him　in　behind　the　frame　of　letter…boxes；　which　formed　a　sort　of
little　private　room　for　him；　and　talked　with　him　at　such　hours　of　the
forenoon　and　the　late　evening　as　the　student　was　off　duty。　　He　found
comfort　in　the　student's　fretful　strength；　which　expressed　itself　in　the
pugnacious　frown　of　his　hot…looking　young　face；　where　a　bright　sorrel
mustache　was　beginning　to　blaze　on　a　short　upper　lip。

Fane　thought　himself　a　good…looking　fellow；　and　he　regarded　his　figure
with　pleasure；　as　it　was　set　off　by　the　suit　of　fine　gray　check　that　he
wore　habitually；　but　he　thought　Gregory's　educational　advantages　told　in
his　face。　　His　own　education　had　ended　at　a　commercial　college；　where　he
acquired　a　good　knowledge　of　bookkeeping；　and　the　fine　business　hand　he
wrote；　but　where　it　seemed　to　him　sometimes　that　the　earlier　learning　of
the　public　school　had　been　hermetically　sealed　within　him　by　several
coats　of　mathematical　varnish。　　He　believed　that　he　had　once　known　a
number　of　things　that　he　no　longer　knew；　and　that　he　had　not　always　been
so　weak　in　his　double　letters　as　he　presently　found　himself。

One　night　while　Gregory　sat　on　a　high　stool　and　rested　his　elbow　on　the
desk　before　it；　with　his　chin　in　his　hand；　looking　down　upon　Fane；　who
sprawled　sadly　in　his　chair；　and　listening　to　the　last　dance　playing　in
the　distant　parlor；　Fane　said。　　〃Now；　what'll　you　bet　that　they　won't
every　one　of　'em　come　and　look　for　a　letter　in　her　box　before　she　goes　to
bed？　　I　tell　you；　girls　are　queer；　and　there's　no　place　like　a　hotel　to
study　'em。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　study　them；〃　said　Gregory；　harshly。

〃Think　Greek's　more　worth　your　while；　or　know　'em　well　enough　already？〃
Fane　suggested。

〃No；　I　don't　know　them　at　all；〃　said　the　student。

〃I　don't　believe；〃　urged　the　clerk；　as　if　it　were　relevant；　〃that　there's
a　girl　in　the　house　that　you　couldn't　marry；　if　you　gave　your　mind　to
it。〃

Gregory　twitched　irascibly。　　〃I　don't　want　to　marry　them。〃

〃Pretty　cheap　lot；　you　mean？　　Well；　I　don't　know。〃

〃I　don't　mean　that；〃　retorted　the　student。　　〃But　I've　got　other　things　to
think　of。〃

〃Don't　you　believe；〃　the　clerk　modestly　urged；　〃that　it　is　natural　for　a
manwell；　a　young　manto　think　about　girls？〃

〃I　suppose　it　is。〃

〃And　you　don't　consider　it　wrong？〃

〃How；　wrong？〃

〃Well；　a　waste　of　time。　　I　don't　know　as　I　always　think　about　wanting　to
marry　'em；　or　be　in　love；　but　I　like　to　let　my　mind　run　on　'em。　　There's
something　about　a　girl　that；　well；　you　don't　know　what　it　is；　exactly。
Take　almost　any　of　'em；〃　said　the　clerk；　with　an　air　of　inductive
reasoning。　　〃Take　that　Claxon　girl；　now　for　example；　I　don't　know　what　it
is　about　her。　　She's　good…looking；　I　don't　deny　that；　and　she's　got
pretty　manners；　and　she's　as　graceful　as　a　bird。　　But　it　a'n't　any　one　of
'em；　and　it　don't　seem　to　be　all　of　'em　put　together　that　makes　you　want
to　keep　your　eyes　on　her　the　whole　while。　　Ever　noticed　what　a　nice
little　foot　she's　got？　　Or　her　hands？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　student。

〃I　don't　mean　that　she　ever　tries　to　show　them　off；　though　I　know　some
girls　that　would。　　But　she's　not　that　kind。　　She　ain't　much　more　than　a
child；　and　yet　you　got　to　treat　her　just　like　a　woman。　　Noticed　the　kind
of　way　she's　got？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　student；　with　impatience。

The　clerk　mused　with　a　plaintive　air　for　a　moment　before　he　spoke。
〃Well；　it's　something　as　if　she'd　been　trained　to　it；　so　that　she　knew
just　the　right　thing　to　do；　every　time；　and　yet　I　guess　it's　nature。　　You
know　how　the　chef　always　calls　her　the　Boss？　　That　explains　it　about　as
well　as　anything；　and　I　presume　that's　what　my　mind　was　running　on；　the
other　day；　when　I　called　her　Boss。　　But；　my！　　I　can't　get　anywhere　near
her　since！〃

〃It　serves　you　right；〃　said　Gregory。　　〃You　had　no　business　to　tease　her。〃

〃Now；　do　you　think　it　was　teasing？　　I　did；　at　first；　and　then　again　it
seemed　to　me　that　I　came　out　with　the　word　because　it　seemed　the　right
one。　　I　presume　I　couldn't　explain　that　to　her。〃

〃It　wouldn't　be　easy。〃

〃I　look　upon　her；〃　said　Fane；　with　an　effect　of　argument　in　the　sweetness
of　his　smile；　〃just　as　I　would　upon　any　other　young　lady　in　the　house。
Do　you　spell　apology　with　one　p　or　two？〃

〃One；〃　said　the　student；　and　the　clerk　made　a　minute　on　a　piece　of　paper。

〃I　feel　badly　for　the　girl。　　I　don't　want　her　to　think　I　was　teasing　her
or　taking　any　sort　of　liberty　with　her。　　Now；　would　you　apologize　to　her；
if　you　was　in　my　place；　and　would　you　write　a　note；　or　just　wait　your
chance　and　speak　to　her？〃

Gregory　got　down　from　his　stool　with　a　disdainful　laugh；　and　went　out　of
the　place。　　〃You　make　me　sick；　Fane；〃　he　said。

The　last　dance　was　over；　and　the　young　ladies　who　had　been　waltzing　with
one　another；　came　out　of　the　parlor　with　gay　cries　and　laughter；　like
summer　girls　who　had　been　at　a　brilliant　hop；　and　began　to　stray　down　the
piazzas；　and　storm　into　the　office。　　Several　of　them　fluttered　up　to　the
desk；　as　the　clerk　had　foretold；　and　looked　for　letters　in　the　boxes
bearing　their　initials。　　They　called　him　out；　and　asked　if　he　had　not
forgotten　something　for　them。　　He　denied　it　with　a　sad；　wise　smile；　and
then　they　tried　to　provoke　him　to　a　belated　flirtation；　in　lack　of　other
material；　but　he　met　their　overtures　discreetly；　and　they　presently　said；
Well；　they　guessed　they　must　go；　and　went。　　Fane　turned　to　encounter
Gregory；　who　had　come　in　by　a　side　door。

〃Fane；　I　want　to　beg　your　pardon。　　I　was　rude　to　you　just　now。〃

〃Oh；　no！　　Oh；　no！〃　the　clerk　protested。　　〃That's　all　right。　　Sit　down　a
while；　can't　you；　and　talk　with　a　fellow。　　It's　early；　yet。〃

〃No；　I　can't。　　I　just　wanted　to　say　I　was　sorry　I　spoke　in　that　way。
Good…night。　　Is　there　anything　in　particular？〃

〃No；　good…night。　　I　was　just　wondering　aboutthat　girl。〃

〃Oh！〃




VI。

Gregory　had　an　habitual　severity　with　his　own　behavior　which　did　not　stop
there；　but　was　always　passing　on　to　the　behavior　of　others；　and　his　days
went　by　in　alternate　offence　and　reparation　to　those　he　had　to　do　with。
He　had　to　do　chiefly　with　the　dining…room　girls；　whose　susceptibilities
were　such　that　they　kept　about　their　work　bathed　in　tears　or　suffused
with　anger　much　of　the　time。　　He　was　not　only　good…looking　but　he　was　a
college　student；　and　their　feelings　were　ready　to　bud　toward　him　in
tender　efflorescence；　but　he　kept　them　cropped　and　blighted　by　his　curt
words　and　impatient　manner。　　Some　of　them　loved　him　for　the　hurts　he　did
them；　and　some　hated　him；　but　all　agreed　fondly　or　furiously　that　he　was
too　cross　for　anything。　　They　were　mostly　young　school…mistresses；　and
whether　they　were　of　a　soft　and　amorous　make；　or　of　a　forbidding　temper；
they　knew　enough　in　spite　of　their　hurts　to　value　a　young　fellow　whose
thoughts　were　not　running　upon　girls　all　the　time。　　Women；　even　in　their
spring…time；　like　men　to　treat　them　as　if　they　had　souls　as　well　as
hearts；　and　it　was　a　saving　grace　in　Gregory　that　he　treated　them　all；
the　silliest　of　them；　as　if　they　had　souls。　　Very　likely　they　responded
more　with　their　hearts　than　with　their　souls；　but　they　were　aware　that
this　was　not　his　fault。

The　girls　that　waited　at　table　saw　that　he　did　not　distinguish　in　manner
between　them　and　the　girls　whom　they　served。　　The　knot　between　his　brows
did　not　dissolve　in　the　smiling　gratitude　of　the　young　ladies　whom　he
preceded　to　their　places；　and　pulled　out　their　chairs　for；　any　more　than
in　the　blandishments　of　a　waitress　who　thanked　him　for　some　correction。

They　owned　when　he　had　been　harshest　that　no　one　could　be　kinder　if　he
saw　a　girl　really　trying；　or　more　patient　with　well　meaning　stupidity；
but　some　things　fretted　him；　and　he　was　as　apt　to　correct　a　girl　in　her
grammar　as　in　her　table　service。　　Out　of　work　hours；　if　he　met　any　of
them；　he　recognized　them　with　deferential　politeness；　but　he　shunned
occasions　of　encounter　with　them　as　distinctly　as　he　avoided　the　ladies
among　the　hotel　guests。　　Some　of　the　table　girls　pitied　his　loneliness；
and　once　they　proposed　that　he　should　read　to　them　on　the　back　piazza　in
the　leisure　of　their　mid…afternoons。　　He　said　that　he　had　to　keep　up　with
his　studies　in　all　the　time　he　could　get；　he　treated　their　request　with
grave　civility；　but　they　felt　his　refusal　to　be　final。

He　was　seen　very　little　about　the　house　outside　of　his　own　place　and
function；　and　he　was　scarcely　known　to　consort　with　anyone　but　Fane；　who
celebrated　his　high　sense　of　the　honor　to　the　lady…guests；　but　if　any　of
these　would　have　been　willing　to　show　Gregory　that　they　considered　his
work　to　get　an　education　as　something　that　redeemed　itself　from　discredit
through　the　nobility　of　its　object；　he　gave　them　no　chance　to　do　so。

The　afternoon　following　their　talk　about　Clementina；　Gregory　looked　in
for　Fane　behind　the　letter　boxes；　but　did　not　find　him；　and　the　girl
herself　came　round　from　the　front　to　say　that　he　was　out　buying；　but
would　be　back　now；　very　soon；　it　was　occasionally　the　clerk's　business　to
forage　among　the　farmers　for　the　lighter　supplies；　such　as　eggs；　and
butter；　and　poultry；　and　this　was　the　buying　that　Clementina　meant。
〃Very　well；　I'll　wait　here　for　him　a　little　while；〃　Gregory　answered。

〃So　do；〃　said　Clementina；　in　a　formula　which　she　thought　polite；　but　she
saw　the　frown　with　which　Gregory　took　a　Greek　book　from　his　pocket；　and
she　hurried　round　in　front　of　the　boxes　again；　wondering　how　she　could
have　displeased　him。　　She　put　her　face　in　sight　a　moment　to　explain；　〃I
have　got　to　be　here　and　give　out　the　lettas　till　Mr。　Fane　gets　back；〃　and
then　withdrew