ragged lady, v2-第13章
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〃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 always knew that she was a
dreadful old tabby。 I wish you were safely out of her clutches。 Come
and live with me； my dear； when Mrs。 Lander gets tired of you。 But
she'll never get tired of you。 You're just the kind of helpless mouse
that such an old tabby would make her natural prey。 But she sha'n't；
even if another sort of cat has to get you！ I'm sorry you couldn't come
last night。 Your little Russian was here； and went away early and very
bitterly because you didn't come。 He seemed to think there was nobody；
and said so； in everything but words。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Clementina。 〃Don't you think he's very nice； Miss Milray？〃
〃He's very mystical； or else so very simple that he seems so。 I hope you
can make him out。〃
Don't you think he's very much in ea'nest？
〃Oh； as the grave； or the asylum。 I shouldn't like him to be in earnest
about me； if I were you。〃
〃But that's just what he is！ 〃 Clementina told how the Russian had
lectured her； and wished her to go back to the country and work in the
fields。
〃Oh； if that's all！〃 cried Miss Milray。 I was afraid it was another kind
of earnestness： the kind I shouldn't like if I were you。〃
〃There's no danger of that； I guess。〃 Clementina laughed； and Miss
Milray went on：
〃Another of your admirers was here； but be was not so inconsolable； or
else be found consolation in staying on and talking about you； or
joking。〃
〃Oh； yes； Mr。 Hinkle；〃 cried Clementina with the smile that the thought
of him always brought。 He's lovely。〃
〃Lovely？ Well； I don't know why it isn't the word。 It suits him a great
deal better than some insipid girls that people give it to。 Yes； I could
really fall in love with Mr。 Hinkle。 He's the only man I ever saw who
would know how to break the fall！〃
It was lunch…time before their talk had begun to run low； and it swelled
again over the meal。 Miss Milray returned to Mrs。 Lander； and she made
Clementina confess that she was a little trying sometimes。 But she
insisted that she was always good； and in remorse she went away as soon
as Miss Milray rose from table。
She found Mrs。 Lander very much better； and willing to have had her stay
the whole afternoon with Miss Milray。 〃I don't want she should have
anything to say against me； to you； Clementina； she'd be glad enough to。
But I guess it's just as well you'a back。 That scratched…out baron has
been he'e twice； and he's waitin' for you in the pahla'； now。 I presume
he'll keep comin' till you do see him。 I guess you betta have it ova；
whatever it is。〃
〃I guess you're right； Mrs。 Lander。〃
Clementina found the Russian walking up and down the room； and as soon as
their greeting was over； he asked leave to continue his promenade； but he
stopped abruptly before her when she had sunk upon a sofa。
〃I have come to tell you a strange story；〃 he said。
〃It is the story of that American friend of mine。 I tell it to you
because I think you can understand； and will know what to advise； what to
do。〃
He turned upon his heel； and walked the length of the room and back
before he spoke again。
〃Since several years；〃 he said； growing a little less idiomatic in his
English as his excitement mounted； 〃he met a young girl； a child； when he
was still not a man's full age。 It was in the country； in the mountains
of America； andhe loved her。 Both were very poor； he； a student；
earning the means to complete his education in the university。 He had
dedicated himself to his church； and with the temperament of the
Puritans； he forbade himself all thoughts of love。 But he was of a
passionate and impulsive nature； and in a moment of abandon he confessed
his love。 The child was bewildered； frightened； she shrank from his
avowal； and he； filled with remorse for his self…betrayal； bade her let
it be as if it had not been； he bade her think of him no more。〃
Clementina sat as if powerless to move； staring at Belsky。 He paused in
his walk； and allowed an impressive silence to ensue upon his words。
〃Time passed： days； months； years； and he did not see her again。 He
pursued his studies in the university； at their completion； he entered
upon the course of divinity； and he is soon to be a minister of his
church。 In all that time the image of the young girl has remained in his
heart； and has held him true to the only love he has ever known。 He will
know no other while he lives。〃
Again he stopped in front of Clementina； she looked helplessly up at him；
and he resumed his walk。
〃He； with his dreams of renunciation； of abnegation； had thought some day
to return to her and ask her to be his。 He believed her capable of equal
sacrifice with himself； and he hoped to win her not for himself alone；
but for the religion which he put before himself。 He would have invited
her to join her fate with his that they might go together on some mission
to the paganin the South Seas； in the heart of Africa； in the jungle of
India。 He had always thought of her as gay but good； unworldly in soul；
and exalted in spirit。 She has remained with him a vision of angelic
loveliness； as he had seen her last in the moonlight； on the banks of a
mountain torrent。 But he believes that he has disgraced himself before
her； that the very scruple for her youth； her ignorance； which made him
entreat her to forget him； must have made her doubt and despise him。 He
has never had the courage to write to her one word since all those years；
but he maintains himself bound to her forever。〃 He stopped short before
Clementina and seized her hands。 〃If you knew such a girl； what would
you have her do？ Should she bid him hope again？ Would you have her say
to him that she； too； had been faithful to their dream； and that she
too〃
〃Let me go； Mr。 Belsky； let me go； I say！〃 Clementina wrenched her hands
from him； and ran out of the room。 Belsky hesitated； then he found his
hat； and after a glance at his face in the mirror； left the house。
XXIV。
The tide of travel began to set northward in April。 Many English； many
Americans appeared in Florence from Naples and Rome； many who had
wintered in Florence went on to Venice and the towns of northern Italy；
on their way to Switzerland and France and Germany。
The spring was cold and rainy； and the irresolute Italian railroads were
interrupted by the floods。 A tawny deluge rolled down from the mountains
through the bed of the Arno； and kept the Florentine fire…department on
the alert night and day。 〃It is a curious thing about this country；〃
said Mr。 Hinkle； encountering Baron Belsky on the Ponte Trinita； 〃that
the only thing they ever have here for a fire company to put out is a
freshet。 If they had a real conflagration once； I reckon they would want
to bring their life…preservers。〃
The Russian was looking down over the parapet at the boiling river。 He
lifted his head as if he had not heard the American； and stared at him a
moment before he spoke。 It is said that the railway to Rome is broken at
Grossetto。〃
〃Well； I'm not going to Rome；〃 said Hinkle； easily。 〃Are you？〃
〃I was to meet a friend there； but he wrote to me that be was starting to
Florence； and now〃
〃He's resting on the way？ Well； he'll get here about as quick as he
would in the ordinary course of travel。 One good thing about Italy is；
you don't want to hurry； if you did； you'd get left。〃
Belsky stared at him in the stupefaction to which the American humor
commonly reduced him。 〃If he gets left on the Grossetto line； he can go
back and come up by Orvieto； no？〃
〃He can； if he isn't in a hurry；〃 Hinkle assented。
〃It's a good way； if you've got time to burn。〃
Belsky did not attempt to explore the American's meaning。 〃Do you know；〃
he asked； 〃whether Mrs。 Lander and her young friend are still in
Florence？
〃I guess they are。〃
〃It was said they were going to Venice for the summer。〃
〃That's what the doctor advised for the old lady。 But they don't start
for a week or two yet。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃Are you going to Miss Milray's； Sunday night？
