ragged lady, v2-第14章

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for　a　week　or　two　yet。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃Are　you　going　to　Miss　Milray's；　Sunday　night？　　Last　of　the　season；　I
believe。〃

Belsky　seemed　to　recall　himself　from　a　distance。

〃Nono；〃　he　said；　and　he　moved　away；　forgetful　of　the　ceremonious
salutation　which　he　commonly　used　at　meeting　and　parting。　　Hinkle　looked
after　him　with　the　impression　people　have　of　a　difference　in　the
appearance　and　behavior　of　some　one　whose　appearance　and　behavior　do　not
particularly　concern　them。

The　day　that　followed；　Belsky　haunted　the　hotel　where　Gregory　was　to
arrive　with　his　pupil；　and　where　the　pupil's　family　were　waiting　for
them。　　That　night；　long　after　their　belated　train　was　due；　they　came；　the
pupil　was　with　his　father　and　mother；　and　Gregory　was　alone；　when　Belsky
asked　for　him；　the　fourth　or　fifth　time。

〃You　are　not　well；〃　he　said；　as　they　shook　bands。　　You　are　fevered！〃

〃I'm　tired；〃　said　Gregory。　　〃We've　bad　a　bad　time　getting　through。〃

〃I　come　inconveniently！　　You　have　not　dined；　perhaps？〃

〃Yes；　Yes。　　I've　had　dinner。　　Sit　down。　　How　have　you　been　yourself？〃

〃Oh；　always　well。〃　　Belsky　sat　down；　and　the　friends　stared　at　each
other。　　〃I　have　strange　news　for　you。〃

〃For　me？〃

〃You。　　She　is　here。〃

〃She？〃

Yes。　　The　young　girl　of　whom　you　told　me。　　If　I　had　not　forbidden　myself
by　my　loyalty　to　youif　I　had　not　said　to　myself　every　moment　in　her
presence；　'No；　it　is　for　your　friend　alone　that　she　is　beautiful　and
good！'But　you　will　have　nothing　to　reproach　me　in　that　regard。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　Gregory。

〃I　mean　that　Miss　Claxon　is　in　Florence；　with　her　protectress；　the　rich
Mrs。　Lander。　　The　most　admired　young　lady　in　society；　going　everywhere；
and　everywhere　courted　and　welcomed；　the　favorite　of　the　fashionable　Miss
Milray。　　But　why　should　this　surprise　you？〃

〃You　said　nothing　about　it　in　your　letters。　　You〃

〃I　was　not　sure　it　was　she；　you　never　told　me　her　name。　　When　I　had
divined　the　fact；　I　was　so　soon　to　see　you；　that　I　thought　best　to　keep
it　till　we　met。〃

Gregory　tried　to　speak；　but　he　let　Belsky　go　on。

〃If　you　think　that　the　world　has　spoiled　her；　that　she　will　be　different
from　what　she　was　in　her　home　among　your　mountains；　let　me　reassure　you。
In　her　you　will　find　the　miracle　of　a　woman　whom　no　flattery　can　turn　the
head。　　I　have　watched　her　in　your　interest；　I　have　tested　her。　　She　is
what　you　saw　her　last。〃

〃Surely；〃　asked　Gregory；　in　an　anguish　for　what　he　now　dreaded；　〃you
haven't　spoken　to　her　of　me？〃

〃Not　by　name；　no。　　I　could　not　have　that　indiscretion〃

〃The　name　is　nothing。　　Have　you　said　that　you　knew　me　Of　course　not！
But　have　you　hinted　at　any　knowledge　Because〃

〃You　will　hear！〃　said　Belsky；　and　he　poured　out　upon　Gregory　the　story　of
what　he　had　done。　　〃She　did　not　deny　anything。　　She　was　greatly　moved；
but　she　did　not　refuse　to　let　me　bid　you　hope〃

〃Oh！〃　　Gregory　took　his　head　between　his　hands。　　〃You　have　spoiled　my
life！〃

〃Spoiled〃　Belsky　stopped　aghast。

〃I　told　you　my　story　in　a　moment　of　despicable　weaknessof　impulsive
folly。　　But　how　could　I　dream　that　you　would　ever　meet　her？　　How　could　I
imagine　that　you　would　speak　to　her　as　you　have　done？〃　　He　groaned；　and
began　to　creep　giddily　about　the　room　in　his　misery。　　〃Oh；　oh；　oh！
What　shall　I　do？〃

〃But　I　do　not　understand！〃　Belsky　began。　　〃If　I　have　committed　an　error〃

〃Oh；　an　error　that　never　could　be　put　right　in　all　eternity！〃

〃Then　let　me　go　to　herlet　me　tell　her〃

〃Keep　away　from　her！〃　shouted　Gregory。　　〃Do　you　hear？　　Never　go　near　her
again！〃

〃Gregory！〃

〃Ah；　I　beg　your　pardon！　　I　don't　know　what　I'm　doing…saying。　　What　will
she　thinkwhat　will　she　think　of　me！〃　　He　had　ceased　to　speak　to　Belsky；
he　collapsed　into　a　chair；　and　hid　his　face　in　his　arms　stretched　out　on
the　table　before　him。

Belsky　watched　him　in　the　stupefaction　which　the　artistic　nature　feels
when　life　proves　sentient　under　its　hand；　and　not　the　mere　material　of
situations　and　effects。　　He　could　not　conceive　the　full　measure　of　the
disaster　he　had　wrought；　the　outrage　of　his　own　behavior　had　been　lost　to
him　in　his　preoccupation　with　the　romantic　end　to　be　accomplished。　　He
had　meant　to　be　the　friend；　the　prophet；　to　these　American　lovers；　whom
he　was　reconciling　and　interpreting　to　each　other；　but　in　some　point　he
must　have　misunderstood。　　Yet　the　error　was　not　inexpiable；　and　in　his
expiation　he　could　put　the　seal　to　his　devotion。　　He　left　the　room；　where
Gregory　made　no　effort　to　keep　him。

He　walked　down　the　street　from　the　hotel　to　the　Arno；　and　in　a　few
moments　he　stood　on　the　bridge；　where　he　had　talked　with　that　joker　in
the　morning；　as　they　looked　down　together　on　the　boiling　river。　　He　had　a
strange　wish　that　the　joker　might　have　been　with　him　again；　to　learn　that
there　were　some　things　which　could　not　be　joked　away。

The　night　was　blustering；　and　the　wind　that　blew　the　ragged　clouds　across
the　face　of　the　moon；　swooped　in　sudden　gusts　upon　the　bridge；　and　the
deluge　rolling　under　it　and　hoarsely　washing　against　its　piers。　　Belsky
leaned　over　the　parapet　and　looked　down　into　the　eddies　and　currents　as
the　fitful　light　revealed　them。　　He　had　a　fantastic　pleasure　in　studying
them；　and　choosing　the　moment　when　he　should　leap　the　parapet　and　be　lost
in　them。　　The　incident　could　not　be　used　in　any　novel　of　his；　and　no　one
else　could　do　such　perfect　justice　to　the　situation；　but　perhaps
afterwards；　when　the　facts　leading　to　his　death　should　be　known　through
the　remorse　of　the　lovers　whom　he　had　sought　to　serve；　some　other　artist…
nature　could　distil　their　subtlest　meaning　in　a　memoir　delicate　as　the
aroma　of　a　faded　flower。

He　was　willing　to　make　this　sacrifice；　too；　and　he　stepped　back　a　pace
from　the　parapet　when　the　fitful　blast　caught　his　hat　from　his　head；　and
whirled　it　along　the　bridge。　　The　whole　current　of　his　purpose　changed；
and　as　if　it　had　been　impossible　to　drown　himself　in　his　bare　head；　he
set　out　in　chase　of　his　hat；　which　rolled　and　gamboled　away；　and　escaped
from　his　clutch　whenever　he　stooped　for　it；　till　a　final　whiff　of　wind
flung　it　up　and　tossed　it　over　the　bridge　into　the　river；　where　he
helplessly　watched　it　floating　down　the　flood；　till　it　was　carried　out　of
sight。




XXV。

Gregory　did　not　sleep；　and　he　did　not　find　peace　in　the　prayers　he　put　up
for　guidance。　　He　tried　to　think　of　some　one　with　whom　he　might　take
counsel；　but　he　knew　no　one　in　Florence　except　the　parents　of　his　pupil；
and　they　were　impossible。　　He　felt　himself　abandoned　to　the　impulse　which
he　dreaded；　in　going　to　Clementina；　and　he　went　without　hope；　willing　to
suffer　whatever　penalty　she　should　visit　upon　him；　after　he　had　disavowed
Belsky's　action；　and　claimed　the　responsibility　for　it。

He　was　prepared　for　her　refusal　to　see　him；　he　had　imagined　her　wounded
and　pathetic；　he　had　fancied　her　insulted　and　indignant；　but　she　met　him
eagerly　and　with　a　mystifying　appeal　in　her　welcome。　　He　began　at　once；
without　attempting　to　bridge　the　time　since　they　had　met　with　any
formalities。

〃I　have　come　to　speak　to　you　aboutthatRussian；　about　Baron　Belsky〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　she　returned；　anxiously。　　〃Then　you　have　hea'd〃

〃He　came　to　me　last　night；　andI　want　to　say　that　I　feel　myself　to　blame
for　what　he　has　done。〃

〃You？〃

〃Yes；　I。　　I　never　spoke　of　you　by　name　to　him；　I　didn't　dream　of　his　ever
seeing　you；　or　that　he　would　dare　to　speak　to　you　of　what　I　told　him。
But　I　believe　he　meant　no　wrong；　and　it　was　I　who　did　the　harm；　whether　I
authorized　it　or　not。〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　she　returned；　with　the　effect　of　putting　his　words　aside　as
something　of　no　moment。　　〃Have　they　head　anything　more？〃

〃How；　anything　more？〃　he　returned；　in　a　daze。

〃Then；　don't　you　know？　　About　his　falling　into　the　river？　　I　know　he
didn't　drown　himself。〃

Gregory　shook　his　head。　　〃Whenwhat　makes　them　think〃　He　stopped　and
stared　at　her。

〃Why；　they　know　that　he　went　down　to　the　Ponte　Trinity　last　night；
somebody　saw　him　going：　And　then　that　peasant　found　his　hat　with　his　name
in　it　in　the　drift…wood　below　the　Cascine〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Gregory；　lifelessly。　　He　let　his　arms　drop　forward；　and　his
helpless　hands　hang　over　his　knees；　his　gaze