ragged lady, v2-第1章
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Ragged Lady； v2
by William Dean Howells
Part 2
XV。
Mrs。 Lander went to a hotel in New York where she had been in the habit
of staying with her husband； on their way South or North。 The clerk knew
her； and shook hands with her across the register； and said she could
have her old rooms if she wanted them； the bell…boy who took up their
hand…baggage recalled himself to her； the elevator…boy welcomed her with
a smile of remembrance。
Since she was already up； from coming off the sleeping…car； she had no
excuse for not going to breakfast like other people； and she went with
Clementina to the dining…room； where the head…waiter； who found them
places； spoke with an outlandish accent； and the waiter who served them
had a parlance that seemed superficially English； but was inwardly
something else； there was even a touch in the cooking of the familiar
dishes； that needed translation for the girl's inexperienced palate。
She was finding a refuge in the strangeness of everything； when she was
startled by the sound of a familiar voice calling； 〃Clementina Claxon！
Well； I was sure all along it was you； and I determined I wouldn't stand
it another minute。 Why； child； how you have changed！ Why； I declare you
are quite a woman！ When did you come？ How pretty you are Mrs。 Milray
took Clementina in her arms and kissed her in proof of her admiration
before the whole breakfast room。 She was very nice to Mrs。 Lander； too；
who； when Clementina introduced them； made haste to say that Clementina
was there on a visit with her。 Mrs。 Milray answered that she envied her
such a visitor as Miss Claxon； and protested that she should steal her
away for a visit to herself； if Mr。 Milray was not so much in love with
her that it made her jealous。 〃Mr。 Milray has to have his breakfast in
his room；〃 she explained to Clementina。 〃He's not been so well； since he
lost his mother。 Yes；〃 she said； with decorous solemnity； 〃I'm still in
mourning for her；〃 and Clementina saw that she was in a tempered black。
〃She died last year； and now I'm taking Mr。 Milray abroad to see if it
won't cheer him up a little。 Are you going South for the winter？〃 she
inquired； politely； of Mrs。 Lander。 〃I wish I was going；〃 she said； when
Mrs。 Lander guessed they should go； later on。 〃Well； you must come in
and see me all you can； Clementina； and I shall have the pleasure of
calling upon you；〃 she added to Mrs。 Lander with state that was lost in
the soubrette…like volatility of her flight from them the next moment。
〃Goodness； I forgot all about Mr。 Milray's breakfast！ 〃She ran back to
the table she had left on the other side of the room。
〃Who is that； Clementina？〃 asked Mrs。 Lander； on their way to their
rooms。 Clementina explained as well as she could； and Mrs。 Lander summed
up her feeling in the verdict； 〃Well； she's a lady； if ever I saw a lady；
and you don't see many of 'em； nowadays。〃
The girl remembered how Mrs。 Milray had once before seemed very fond of
her； and had afterwards forgotten the pretty promises and professions she
had made her。 But she went with Mrs。 Lander to see her； and she saw Mr。
Milray； too； for a little while。 He seemed glad of their meeting； but
still depressed by the bereavement which Mrs。 Milray supported almost
with gayety。 When he left them she explained that he was a good deal
away from her； with his family； as she approved of his being； though she
had apparently no wish to join him in all the steps of the reconciliation
which the mother's death had brought about among them。 Sometimes his
sisters came to the hotel to see her； but she amused herself perfectly
without them； and she gave much more of her leisure to Clementina and
Mrs。 Lander。
She soon knew the whole history of the relation between them； and the
first time that Clementina found her alone with Mrs。 Lander she could
have divined that Mrs。 Lander had been telling her of the Fane affair；
even if Mrs。 Milray had not at once called out to her； 〃I know all about
it； and I'll tell you what； Clementina； I'm going to take you over with
me and marry you to an English Duke。 Mrs。 Lander and I have been
planning it all out； and I'm going to send down to the steamer office；
and engage your passage。 It's all settled！〃
When she was gone； Mfrs。 Lander asked； 〃What do you s'pose your folks
would say to your goin' to Europe； anyway； Clementina？〃 as if the matter
had been already debated between them。
Clementina hesitated。 〃I should want to be su'a Mrs。 Milray really
wanted me to go ova with her。〃
〃Why； didn't you hear her say so？〃 demanded Mrs。 Lander。
〃Yes；〃 sighed Clementina。 〃Mrs。 Lander； I think Mrs。 Milray means what
she says； at the time； but she is one that seems to forget。〃
〃She thinks the wo'ld of you；〃 Mrs。 Lander urged。
〃She was very nice to me that summer at Middlemount。 I guess maybe she
would like to have us go with her；〃 the girl relented。
〃I guess we'll wait and see；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。 〃I shouldn't want she
should change her mind when it was too late； as you say。〃 They were both
silent for a time； and then Mrs。 Lander resumed； 〃But I presume she
ha'n't got the only steams that's crossin'。 What should you say about
goin' over on some otha steams？ I been South a good many wintas； and I
should feel kind of lonesome goin' round to the places where I been with
Mr。 Landa。 I felt it since I been here in this hotel； some； and I can't
seem to want to go ova the same ground again； well； not right away。〃
Clementina said； 〃Why； of cou'se； Mrs。 Landa。〃
〃Should you be willin'；〃 asked Mrs。 Lander； after another little pause；
〃if your folks was willin'； to go ova the'a； to some of them European
countries； to spend the winta？〃
〃Oh yes； indeed！〃 said Clementina。
They discussed the matter in one of the full talks they both liked。 At
the end Mrs。 Lander said； 〃Well； I guess you betta write home； and ask
your motha whetha you can go； so't if we take the notion we can go any
time。 Tell her to telegraph； if she'll let you； and do write all the ifs
and ands； so't she'll know just how to answa； without havin' to have you
write again。〃
That evening Mrs。 Milray came to their table from where she had been
dining alone； and asked in banter： 〃Well； have you made up your minds to
go over with me？〃
Mrs。 Lander said bluntly； 〃We can't ha'dly believe yon really want us to；
Mrs。 Milray。〃
〃I don't want you？ Who put such an idea into your head！ Oh； I know！〃
She threatened Clementina with the door…key； which she was carrying in
her hand。 〃It was you； was it？ What an artful； suspicious thing！
What's got into you； child？ Do you hate me？〃 She did not give
Clementina time to protest。 〃Well； now； I can just tell you I do want
you； and I'll be quite heart…broken if you don't come。〃
〃Well； she wrote to her friends this mohning；〃 Mrs。 Lander said； 〃but I
guess she won't git an answa in time for youa steamer； even if they do
let her go。〃
〃Oh； yes she will；〃 Mrs。 Milray protested。 〃It's all right； now； you've
got to go； and there's no use trying to get out of it。〃
She came to them whenever she could find them in the dining…room； and she
knocked daily at their door till she knew that Clementina had heard from
home。 The girl's mother wrote； without a punctuation mark in her letter；
but with a great deal of sense； that such a thing as her going to Europe
could not be settled by telegraph。 She did not think it worth while to
report all the facts of a consultation with the rector which they had
held upon getting Clementina's request； and which had renewed all the
original question of her relations with Mrs。 Lander in an intensified
form。 He had disposed of this upon much the same terms as before； and
they had yielded more readily because the experiment had so far
succeeded。 Clementina had apparently no complaint to make of Mrs。
Lander； she was eager to go； and the rector and his wife； who had been
invited to be of the council； were both of the opinion that a course of
European travel would be of the greatest advantage to the girl； if she
wished to fit herself for teaching。 It was an opportunity that they must
not think of t
