ragged lady, v2-第12章

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Americanism。　　Clementina　was　not　becoming　sophisticated；　but　perhaps　she
was　becoming　more　conventionalized。　　The　knowledge　of　good　and　evil　in
things　that　had　all　seemed　indifferently　good　to　her　once；　had　crept　upon
her；　and　she　distinguished　in　her　actions。　　She　sinned　as　little　as　any
young　lady　in　Florence　against　the　superstitions　of　society；　but　though
she　would　not　now　have　done　a　skirt…dance　before　a　shipful　of　people；　she
did　not　afflict　herself　about　her　past　errors。　　She　put　on　the　world；　but
she　wore　it　simply　and　in　most　matters　unconsciously。　　Some　things　were
imparted　to　her　without　her　asking　or　wishing；　and　merely　in　virtue　of
her　youth　and　impressionability。　　She　took　them　from　her　environment
without　knowing　it；　and　in　this　way　she　was　coming　by　an　English　manner
and　an　English　tone；　she　was　only　the　less　American　for　being　rather
English　without　trying；　when　other　Americans　tried　so　hard。　　In　the
region　of　harsh　nasals；　Clementina　had　never　spoken　through　her　nose；　and
she　was　now　as　unaffected　in　these　alien　inflections　as　in　the　tender
cooings　which　used　to　rouse　the　misgivings　of　her　brother　Jim。　　When　she
was　with　English　people　she　employed　them　involuntarily；　and　when　she　was
with　Americans　she　measurably　lost　them；　so　that　after　half　an　hour　with
Mr。　Hinkle；　she　had　scarcely　a　trace　of　them；　and　with　Mrs。　Lander　she
always　spoke　with　her　native　accent。




XXIII

One　Sunday　night；　toward　the　end　of　Lent；　Mrs。　Lander　had　another　of　her
attacks；　she　now　began　to　call　them　so　as　if　she　had　established　an
ownership　in　them。　　It　came　on　from　her　cumulative　over…eating；　again；
but　the　doctor　was　not　so　smiling　as　he　had　been　with　regard　to　the
first。　　Clementina　had　got　ready　to　drive　out　to　Miss　Milray's　for　one　of
her　Sunday　teas；　but　she　put　off　her　things；　and　prepared　to　spend　the
night　at　Mrs。　Lander's　bedside。　　〃Well；　I　should　think　you　would　want
to；〃　said　the　sufferer。　　〃I'm　goin'　to　do　everything　for　you；　and　you'd
ought　to　be　willing　to　give　up　one　of　youa　junketin's　for　me。　　I'm　sure　I
don't　know　what　you　see　in　'em；　anyway。〃

〃Oh；　I　am　willing；　Mrs。　Lander；　I'm　glad　I　hadn't　stahted　before　it
began。〃　　Clementina　busied　herself　with　the　pillows　under　Mrs。　Lander's
dishevelled　head；　and　the　bedclothes　disordered　by　her　throes；　while　Mrs。
Lander　went　on。

〃I　don't　see　what's　the　use　of　so　much　gaddin'；　anyway。　　I　don't　see　as
anything　comes　of　it；　but　just　to　get　a　passal　of　wo'thless　fellas　afta
you　that　think　you'a　going　to　have　money。　　There's　such　a　thing　as　two
sides　to　everything；　and　if　the　favas　is　goin'　to　be　all　on　one　side　I
guess　there'd　betta　be　a　clear　undastandin'　about　it。　　I　think　I　got　a
right　to　a　little　attention；　as　well　as　them　that　ha'n't　done　anything；
and　if　I'm　goin'　to　be　left　alone　he'e　to　die　among　strangers　every　time
one　of　my　attacks　comes　on〃

The　doctor　interposed；　〃I　don't　think　you're　going　to　have　a　very　bad
attack；　this　time；　Mrs。　Lander。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；　thank　you；　docta！　　But　you　can　undastand；　can't　you；　how
I　shall　want　to　have　somebody　around　that　can　undastand　a　little
English？〃

The　doctor　said；　〃Oh　yes。　　And　Miss　Claxon　and　I　can　understand　a　good
deal；　between　us；　and　we're　going　to　stay；　and　see　how　a　little　morphine
behaves　with　you。〃

Mrs。　Lander　protested；　〃Oh；　I　can't　bea'　mo'phine；　docta。〃

〃Did　you　ever　try　it？〃　he　asked；　preparing　his　little　instrument　to
imbibe　the　solution。

〃No；　but　Mr。　Landa　did；　and　it　'most　killed　him；　it　made　him　sick。〃

〃Well；　you're　about　as　sick　as　you　can　be；　now；　Mrs。　Lander；　and　if　you
don't　die　of　this　pin…prick　〃　he　pushed　the　needle…point　under　the　skin
of　her　massive　fore…arm〃　I　guess　you'll　live　through　it。〃

She　shrieked；　but　as　the　pain　began　to　abate；　she　gathered　courage；　and
broke　forth　joyfully。　　〃Why；　it's　beautiful；　a'n't　it？　　I　declare　it
wo'ks　like　a　cha'm。　　Well；　I　shall　always　keep　mo'phine　around　after
this；　and　when；　I　feel　one　of　these　attacks　comin'　on〃

〃Send　for　a　physician；　Mrs。　Lander；〃　said　Dr。　Welwright；　〃and　he'll　know
what　to　do。〃

〃I　an't　so　sure　of　that；〃　returned　Mrs。　Lander　fondly。　　〃He　would　if　you
was　the　one。　　I　declare　I　believe　I　could　get　up　and　walk　right　off；　I
feel　so　well。〃

〃That's　good。　　If　you'll　take　a　walk　day　after　tomorrow　it　will　help　you
a　great　deal　more。〃

〃Well；　I　shall　always　say　that　you've　saved　my　life；　this　time；　doctor；
and　Clementina　she's　stood　by；　nobly；　I'll　say　that　for　her。〃　　She
twisted　her　big　head　round　on　the　pillow　to　get　sight　of　the　girl。　　〃I'm
all　right；　now；　and　don't　you　mind　what　I　said。　　It's　just　my　misery
talkin'；　I　don't　know　what　I　did　say；　I　felt　so　bad。　　But　I'm　fustrate；
now；　and　I　believe　I　could　drop　off　to　sleep；　this　minute。　　Why　don't　you
go　to　your　tea？　　You　can；　just　as　well　as　not！〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　want　to　go；　now；　Mrs。　Lander；　I'd　ratha　stay。〃

〃But　there　a'n't　any　more　danger　now；　is　the'e；　docta？〃　Mrs。　Lander
appealed。

〃No。　　There　wasn't　any　danger　before。　　But　when　you're　quite　yourself；
I　want　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you；　Mrs。　Lander；　about　your　diet。　　We
must　look　after　that。〃

〃Why；　docta；　that's　what　I　do　do；　now。　　I　eat　all　the　healthy　things　I
lay　my　hands　on；　don't　I；　Clementina？　　And　ha'n't　you　always　at　me　about
it？〃

Clementina　did　not　answer；　and　the　doctor　laughed。　　Well；　I　should　like
to　know　what　more　I　could　do！〃

〃Perhaps　you　could　do　less。　　We'll　see　about　that。　　Better　go　to　sleep；
now；　if　you　feel　like　it。〃

〃Well；　I　will；　if　you'll　make　this　silly　child　go　to　her　tea。　　I　s'pose
she　won't　because　I　scolded　her。　　She's　an　awful　hand　to　lay　anything　up
against　you。　　You　know　you　ah'；　Clementina！　　But　I　can　say　this；　doctor：
a　betta　child　don't　breathe；　and　I　just　couldn't　live　without　her。　　Come
he'e；　Clementina；　I　want　to　kiss　you　once；　before　I　go　to　sleep；　so's　to
make　su'a　you　don't　bea'　malice。〃　　She　pulled　Clementina　down　to　kiss
her；　and　babbled　on　affectionately　and　optimistically；　till　her　talk
became　the　voice　of　her　dreams；　and　then　ceased　altogether。

〃You　could　go；　perfectly　well；　Miss　Claxon；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃No；　I　don't　ca'e　to　go；〃　answered　Clementina。　　I'd　ratha　stay。　　If　she
should　wake〃

〃She　won't　wake；　until　long　after　you've　got　back；　I'll　answer　for　that。
I'm　going　to　stay　here　awhile。　　Go！　I'll　take　the　responsibility。〃

Clementina's　face　brightened。　　She　wanted　very　much　to　go。　　She　should
meet　some　pleasant　people；　she　always　did；　at　Miss　Milray's。　　Then　the
light　died　out　of　her　gay　eyes；　and　she　set　her　lips。　　〃No；　I　told　her　I
shouldn't　go。〃

〃I　didn't　hear　you；〃　said　Dr。　Welwright。　　〃A　doctor　has　no　eyes　and　ears
except　for　the　symptoms　of　his　patients。〃

〃Oh；　I　know；〃　said　Clementina。　　She　had　liked　Dr。　Welwright　from　the
first；　and　she　thought　it　was　very　nice　of　him　to　stay　on；　after　he　left
Mrs。　Lander's　bedside；　and　help　to　make　her　lonesome　evening　pass
pleasantly　in　the　parlor。　　He　jumped　up　finally；　and　looked　at　his　watch。
〃Bless　my　soul！〃　　he　said；　and　he　went　in　for　another　look　at　Mrs。
Lander。　　When　he　came　back；　he　said；　〃She's　all　right。　　But　you've　made
me　break　an　engagement；　Miss　Claxon。　　I　was　going　to　tea　at　Miss
Milray's。　　She　promised　me　I　should　meet　you　there。〃

It　seemed　a　great　joke；　and　Clementina　offered　to　carry　his　excuses　to
Miss　Milray；　when　she　went　to　make　her　own。

She；　went　the　next　morning。　　Mrs。　Lander　insisted　that　she　should　go；　she
said　that　she　was　not　going　to　have　Miss　Milray　thinking　that　she　wanted
to　keep　her　all　to　herself。

Miss　Milray　kissed　the　girl　in　full　forgiveness；　but　she　asked；　〃Did　Dr。
Welwright　think　it　a　very　bad　attack？〃

〃Has　he　been　he'a？〃　returned　Clementina。

Miss　Milray　laughed。　　〃Doctors　don't　betray　their　patientsgood　doctors。
No；　he　hasn't　been　here；　if　that　will　help　you。　　I　wish　it　would　help　me；
but　it　won't；　quite。　　I　don't　like　to　think　of　that　old　woman　using　you
up；　Clementina。〃

〃Oh；　she　doesn't；　Miss　Milray。　　You　mustn't　think　so。　　You　don't　know　how
good　she　is　to　me。〃

〃Does　she　ever　remind　you　of　it？〃

Clementina's　eyes　fell。　　〃She　isn't　like　herself　when　she　doesn't　feel
well。〃

〃I　knew　it！〃　Miss　Milray　triumphed。　　〃I　al