ragged lady, v2-第21章
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terms again。 She did not spare the girl this explanation in his
presence； and when they were in the gondola he felt that he had to say；
〃I was afraid you might think I was rather meddlesome yesterday。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 she answered。 〃I was glad you did。〃
〃Yes；〃 he returned； 〃I thought you would be afterwards。〃 He looked at
her wistfully with his slanted eyes and his odd twisted smile and they
both gave way in the same conscious laugh。 〃What I like；〃 he explained
further； 〃is to be understood when I've said something that doesn't mean
anything； don't you？ You know anybody can understand you if you really
mean something； but most of the time you don't； and that's when a friend
is useful。 I wish you'd call on me if you're ever in that fix。〃
〃Oh； I will； Mr。 Hinkle；〃 Clementina promised； gayly。
〃Thank you；〃 he said； and her gayety seemed to turn him graver。 〃Miss
Clementina； might I go a little further in this direction； without
danger？〃
〃What direction？〃 she added； with a flush of sudden alarm。
〃Mrs。 Lander。〃
〃Why； suttainly！〃 she answered； in quick relief。
〃I wish you'd let me do some of the worrying about her for you； while I'm
here。 You know I haven't got anything else to do！〃
〃Why； I don't believe I worry much。 I'm afraid I fo'get about her when
I'm not with her。 That's the wo'st of it。〃
〃No； no；〃 he entreated； 〃that's the best of it。 But I want to do the
worrying for you even when you're with her。 Will you let me？〃
〃Why； if you want to so very much。〃
〃Then it's settled；〃 he said； dismissing the subject。
But she recurred to it with a lingering compunction。
〃I presume that I don't remember how sick she is because I've neva been
sick at all； myself。〃
〃Well；〃 he returned； 〃You needn't be sorry for that altogether。 There
are worse things than being well； though sick people don't always think
so。 I've wasted a good deal of time the other way； though I've reformed；
now。〃
They went on to talk about themselves； sometimes they talked about
others； in excursions which were more or less perfunctory； and were
merely in the way of illustration or instance。 She got so far in one of
these as to speak of her family； and he seemed to understand them。 He
asked about them all； and he said he believed in her father's unworldly
theory of life。 He asked her if they thought at home that she was like
her father； and he added； as if it followed； 〃I'm the worldling of my
family。 I was the youngest child； and the only boy in a flock of girls。
That always spoils a boy。〃
〃Are you spoiled？〃 she asked。
〃Well； I'm afraid they'd be surprised if I didn't come to grief somehow
all butmother； she expects I'll be kept from harm。〃
〃Is she religious？〃
〃Yes；〃 she's a Moravian。 Did you ever hear of them？ 〃Clementina shook
her head。 〃They're something； like the Quakers； and something like the
Methodists。 They don't believe in war； but they have bishops。〃
And do you belong to her church？
No；〃 said the young man。 〃I wish I did； for her sake。 I don't belong to
any。 Do you？〃
〃No； I go to the Episcopal； at home。 Perhaps I shall belong sometime。
But I think that is something everyone must do for themselves。〃 He
looked a little alarmed at the note of severity in her voice； and she
explained。 〃I mean that if you try to be religious for anything besides
religion； it isn't being religious；and no one else has any right to ask
you to be。〃
〃Oh； that's what I believe； too；〃 be said； with comic relief。 〃I didn't
know but I'd been trying to convert you without knowing it。〃 They both
laughed； and were then rather seriously silent。
He asked； after a moment； in a fresh beginning； 〃Have you heard from Miss
Milray since you left Florence？〃
〃Oh； yes； didn't I tell you？ She's coming here in June。〃
〃Well； she won't have the pleasure of seeing me； then。 I'm going the
last of May。〃
〃I thought you were going to stay a month！〃 she protested。
〃That will be a month； and more； too。〃
〃So it will；〃 she owned。
〃I'm glad it doesn't seem any longer…say a yearMiss Clementina！〃
〃Oh； not at all；〃 she returned。 〃Miss Milray's brother and his wife are
coming with her。 They've been in Egypt。〃
〃I never saw them；〃 said Hinkle。 He paused； before he added； 〃Well； it
would seem rather crowded after they get here； I suppose；〃 and he
laughed； while Clementina said nothing。
XXX。
Hinkle came every morning now； to smoothe out the doubts and difficulties
that had accumulated in Mrs。 Lander's mind over night； and incidentally
to propose some pleasure for Clementina； who could feel that he was
pitying her in her slavery to the sick woman's whims； and yet somehow
entreating her to bear them。 He saw them together in what Mrs。 Lander
called her well days； but there were other days when he saw Clementina
alone； and then she brought him word from Mrs。 Lander； and reported his
talk to her after he went away。 On one of these she sent him a
cheerfuller message than usual； and charged the girl to explain that she
was ever so much better； but had not got up because she felt that every
minute in bed was doing her good。 Clementina carried back his regrets
and congratulation； and then told Mrs。 Lander that he had asked her to go
out with him to see a church； which he was sorry Mrs。 Lander could not
see too。 He professed to be very particular about his churches； for he
said he had noticed that they neither of them had any great gift for
sights； and he had it on his conscience to get the best for them。 He
told Clementina that the church he had for them now could not be better
if it had been built expressly for them； instead of having been used as a
place of worship for eight or ten generations of Venetians before they
came。 She gave his invitation to Mrs。 Lander； who could not always be
trusted with his jokes； and she received it in the best part。
〃Well； you go！〃 she said。 〃Maddalena can look after me； I guess。 He's
the only one of the fellas； except that lo'd； that I'd give a cent for。〃
She added； with a sudden lapse from her pleasure in Hinkle to her
severity with Clementina； 〃But you want to be ca'eful what you' doin'。〃
〃Ca'eful？〃
〃Yes！ About Mr。 Hinkle。 I a'n't agoin' to have you lead him on； and
then say you didn't know where he was goin'。 I can't keep runnin' away
everywhe'e； fo' you； the way I done at Woodlake。〃
Clementina's heart gave a leap； whether joyful or woeful； but she
answered indignantly； 〃How can you say such a thing to me； Mrs。 Lander。
I'm not leading him on！〃
〃I don't know what you call it。 You're round with him in the gondoler；
night and day； and when he's he'e； you'a settin' with him half the time
on the balcony； and it's talk； talk； the whole while。〃 Clementina took
in the fact with silent recognition； and Mrs。 Lander went on。 〃I ain't
sayin' anything against it。 He's the only one I don't believe is afta
the money he thinks you'a goin' to have； but if you don't want him； you
want to look what you're about。〃
The girl returned to Hinkle in the embarrassment which she was helpless
to hide； and without the excuse which she could not invent for refusing
to go with him。 〃Is Mrs。 Lander worseor anything？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； no。 She's quite well；〃 said Clementina； but she left it for him to
break the constraint in which they set out。 He tried to do so at
different points； but it seemed to close upon themthe more inflexibly。
At last he asked； as they were drawing near the church； 〃Have you ever
seen anything of Mr。 Belsky since you left Florence？〃
〃No；〃 she said； with a nervous start。 〃What makes you ask？〃
〃I don't know。 But you see nearly everybody again that you meet in your
travels。 That friend of histhat Mr。 Gregoryhe seems to have dropped
out； too。 I believe you told me you used to know him in America。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered； briefly； she could not say more； and Hinkle went on。
〃It seemed to me； that as far as I could make him out； he was about as
much of a crank in his way as the Russian。 It's curious； but when you
were talking about religion； the other day； you made me think of him！〃
The blood went to Clementina's heart。 〃I don't suppose you had him in
m
