ragged lady, v2-第15章
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〃Yes；〃 said Gregory； lifelessly。 He let his arms drop forward； and his
helpless hands hang over his knees； his gaze fell from her face to the
floor。
Neither spoke for a time that seemed long； and then it was Clementina who
spoke。 〃But it isn't true！〃
〃Oh； yes； it is；〃 said Gregory； as before。
〃Mr。 Hinkle doesn't believe it is；〃 she urged。
〃Mr。 Hinkle？〃
〃He's an American who's staying in Florence。 He came this mo'ning to
tell me about it。 Even if he's drowned Mr。 Hinkle believes he didn't
mean to； he must have just fallen in。〃
〃What does it matter？〃 demanded Gregory； lifting his heavy eyes。
〃Whether he meant it or not； I caused it。 I drove him to it。〃
〃You drove him？〃
〃Yes。 He told me what he had said to you； and Isaid that he had
spoiled my lifeI don't know！〃
〃Well； he had no right to do it； but I didn't blame you；〃 Clementina
began； compassionately。
〃It's too late。 It can't be helped now。〃 Gregory turned from the mercy
that could no longer save him。 He rose dizzily； and tried to get himself
away。
〃You mustn't go！〃 she interposed。 〃I don't believe you made him do it。
Mr。 Hinkle will be back soon； and he will〃
〃If he should bring word that it was true？〃 Gregory asked。
〃Well；〃 said Clementina； 〃then we should have to bear it。〃
A sense of something finer than the surface meaning of her words pierced
his morbid egotism。 〃I'm ashamed；〃 he said。 〃Will you let me stay？〃
〃Why； yes； you must；〃 she said； and if there was any censure of him at
the bottom of her heart； she kept it there； and tried to talk him away
from his remorse； which was in his temperament； perhaps； rather than his
conscience； she made the time pass till there came a knock at the door；
and she opened it to Hinkle。
〃I didn't send up my name； I thought I wouldn't stand upon ceremony just
now；〃 he said。
〃Oh； no！〃 she returned。 〃Mr。 Hinkle； this is Mr。 Gregory。 Mr。 Gregory
knew Mr。 Belsky； and he thinks〃
She turned to Gregory for prompting； and he managed to say； 〃I don't
believe he was quite the sort of person to And yet he mighthe was in
trouble〃
〃Money trouble？〃 asked Hinkle。 〃They say these Russians have a perfect
genius for debt。 I had a little inspiration； since I saw you； but there
doesn't seems to be anything in it； so far。〃 He addressed himself to
Clementina； but he included Gregory in what he said。 〃It struck me that
he might have been running his board； and had used this drowning episode
as a blind。 But I〃ve been around to his hotel； and he's settled up； all
fair and square enough。 The landlord tried to think of something he
hadn't paid； but he couldn't； and I never saw a man try harder； either。〃
Clementina smiled； she put her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing；
but Gregory frowned his distress in the untimely droning。
〃I don't give up my theory that it's a fake of some kind； though。 He
could leave behind a good many creditors besides his landlord。 The
authorities have sealed up his effects； and they've done everything but
call out the fire department； that's on duty looking after the freshet；
and it couldn't be spared。 I'll go out now and slop round a little more
in the cause； 〃Hinkle looked down at his shoes and his drabbled trousers；
and wiped the perspiration from his face；〃but I thought I'd drop in； and
tell you not to worry about it； Miss Clementina。 I would stake anything
you pleased on Mr。 Belsky's safety。 Mr。 Gregory； here； looks like he
would be willing to take odds；〃 he suggested。
Gregory commanded himself from his misery to say； 〃I wish I could
believeI mean〃
〃Of course； we don't want to think that the man's a fraud； any more than
that he's dead。 Perhaps we might hit upon some middle course。 At any
rate； it's worth trying。〃
〃May Ido you object to my joining you？〃 Gregory asked。
〃Why； come！〃 Hinkle hospitably assented。 〃Glad to have you。 I'll be
back again； Miss Clementina！〃
Gregory was going away without any form of leavetaking； but he turned
back to ask； 〃Will you let me come back； too？〃
〃Why； suttainly； Mr。 Gregory；〃 said Clementina； and she went to find Mrs。
Lander； whom she found in bed。
〃I thought I'd lay down；〃 she explained。 〃I don't believe I'm goin' to
be sick； but it's one of my pooa days； and I might just as well be in bed
as not。〃 Clementina agreed with her； and Mrs。 Lander asked： 〃You hea'd
anything moa？〃
〃No。 Mr。 Hinkle has just been he'a； but he hadn't any news。〃
Mrs。 Lander turned her face toward the wall。 〃Next thing； he'll be
drownin' himself。 I neva wanted you should have anything to do with the
fellas that go to that woman's。 There ain't any of 'em to be depended
on。〃
It was the first time that her growing jealousy of Miss Milray had openly
declared itself； but Clementina had felt it before； without knowing how
to meet it。 As an escape from it now she was almost willing to say；
〃Mrs。 Lander； I want to tell you that Mr。 Gregory has just been he'a；
too。〃
〃Mr。 Gregory？〃
〃Yes。 Don't you remember？ At the Middlemount？ The first summa？ He was
the headwaitathat student。〃
Mrs。 Lander jerked her head round on the pillow。 〃Well； of all theWhat
does he want； over he'a？〃
〃Nothing。 That ishe's travelling with a pupil that he's preparing for
college； andhe came to see us〃
〃D'you tell him I couldn't see him？〃
〃Yes〃
〃I guess he'd think I was a pretty changed pusson！ Now； I want you
should stay with me； Clementina； and if anybody else comes〃
Maddalena entered the room with a card which she gave to the girl。
〃Who is it？〃 Mrs。 Lander demanded。
〃Miss Milray。〃
〃Of cou'se！ Well； you may just send wo'd that you can't Or； no； you
must ！ She'd have it all ova the place； by night； that I wouldn't let
you see her。 But don't you make any excuse for me！ If she asks after
me； don't you say I'm sick！ You say I'm not at home。〃
〃I've come about that little wretch；〃 Miss Milray began； after kissing
Clementina。 〃I didn't know but you had heard something I hadn't； or I
had heard something you hadn't。 You know I belong to the Hinkle
persuasion： I think Belsky's run his boardas Mr。 Hinkle calls it。〃
Clementina explained how this part of the Hinkle theory had failed； and
then Miss Milray devolved upon the belief that he had run his tailor's
bill or his shoemaker's。 〃They are delightful； those Russians； but
they're born insolvent。 I don't believe he's drowned himself。 How；〃 she
broke off to ask； in a burlesque whisper； 〃is…the…old…tabby？〃 She
laughed； for answer to her own question； and then with another sudden
diversion she demanded of a look in Clementina's face which would not be
laughed away； 〃Well； my dear； what is it？〃
〃Miss Milray；〃 said the girl； 〃should you think me very silly； if I told
you somethingsilly？〃
〃Not in the least！〃 cried Miss Milray； joyously。 〃It's the final proof
of your wisdom that I've been waiting for？〃
〃It's because Mr。 Belsky is all mixed up in it；〃 said Clementina； as if
some excuse were necessary； and then she told the story of her love
affair with Gregory。 Miss Milray punctuated the several facts with vivid
nods； but at the end she did not ask her anything； and the girl somehow
felt the freer to add： 〃I believe I will tell you his name。 It is Mr。
GregoryFrank Gregory〃
〃And he's been in Egypt？〃
〃Yes； the whole winta。〃
〃Then he's the one that my sister…in…law has been writing me about！〃
〃Oh； did he meet her the'a？〃
〃I should think so ！ And he'll meet her ）were； very soon。 She's coming；
with my poor brother。 I meant to tell you； but this ridiculous Belsky
business drove it out of my head。〃
〃And do you think；〃 Clementina entreated； 〃that he was to blame？〃
〃Why； I don't believe he's done it； you know。〃
〃Oh； I didn't mean Mr。 Belsky。 I meantMr。 Gregory。 For telling Mr。
Belsky？〃
〃Certainly not。 Men always tell those things to some one； I suppose。
Nobody was to blame but Belsky； for his meddling。〃
Miss Milray rose and shook out her plumes for flight； as if she were
rather eager for flight； but at the little sigh with which Clementina
said； 〃Yes； that is what I thought；〃 she faltered。
〃I was going to run away； for I shouldn't like to mix
