ragged lady, v2-第25章
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〃I do； indeed。 This is the one thing in life where one may choose safest
what one likes best； I mean if there is nothing bad in the man himself。〃
〃I was afraid it would be wrong！ That was what I meant by wanting to be
fai'a with Mr。 Gregory when I told you about him there in Florence。 I
don't believe but what it had begun then。〃
〃What had begun？〃
〃About Mr。 Hinkle。〃
Miss Milray burst into a laugh。 〃Clementina； you're delicious！〃
The girl looked hurt； and Miss Milray asked seriously； Why do you like
Mr。 Hinkle bestif you do？〃
Clementina sighed。 Oh； I don't know。 He's so resting。〃
〃Then that settles it。 From first to last； what we poor women want is
rest。 It would be a wicked thing for you to throw your life away on some
one who would worry you out of it。 I don't wish to say any thing against
Mr。 Gregory。 I dare say be is goodand conscientious； but life is a
struggle； at the best； and it's your duty to take the best chance for
resting。〃
Clementina did not look altogether convinced； whether it was Miss
Milray's logic or her morality that failed to convince her。 She said；
after a moment； 〃I should like to see Mr。 Gregory again。〃
〃What good would that do？〃
〃Why； then I should know。〃
〃Know what？〃
〃Whether I didn't really ca'e for him any moreor so much。〃
〃Clementina；〃 said Miss Milray； 〃you mustn't make me lose patience with
you〃
〃No。 But I thought you said that it was my duty to do what I wished。〃
〃Well； yes。 That is what I said；〃 Miss Milray consented。 〃But I
supposed that you knew already。〃
〃No；〃 said Clementina； candidly； 〃I don't believe I do。〃
〃And what if you don't see him？〃
〃I guess I shall have to wait till I do。 The'e will be time enough。〃
Miss Milray sighed； and then she laughed。 〃You ARE young！〃
XXXII。
Miss Milray went from Clementina to call upon her sister…in…law； and
found her brother； which was perhaps what she hoped might happen。
〃Do you know；〃 she said； 〃that that old wretch is going to defraud that
poor thing； after all； and leave her money to her husband's half…sister's
children？〃
〃You wish me to infer the Mrs。 LanderClementina situation？〃 Milray
returned。
〃Yes！〃
〃I'm glad you put it in terms that are not actionable； then； for your
words are decidedly libellous。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I've just been writing Mrs。 Lander's will for her； and she's left all
her property to Clementina； except five thousand apiece to the half…
sister's three children。〃
〃I can't believe it！〃
〃Well；〃 said Milray； with his gentle smile； 〃I think that's safe ground
for you。 Mrs。 Lander will probably have time enough to change her will
as well as her mind several times yet before she dies。 The half…sister's
children may get their rights yet。〃
〃I wish they might！〃 said Miss Milray； with an impassioned sigh。 〃Then
perhaps I should get Clementinafor a while。〃
Her brother laughed。 〃Isn't there somebody else wants Clementina？
〃Oh； plenty。 But she's not sure she wants anybody else。〃
〃Does she want you？〃
〃No； I can't say she does。 She wants to go home。〃
〃That's not a bad scheme。 I should like to go home myself if I had one。
What would you have done with Clementina if you had got her； Jenny？〃
〃What would any one have done with her？ Married her brilliantly； of
course。〃
〃But you say she isn't sure she wishes to be married at all？〃
Miss Milray stated the case of Clementina's divided mind； and her belief
that she would take Hinkle in the end； together with the fear that she
might take Gregory。 〃She's very odd；〃 Miss Milray concluded。 〃She
puzzles me。 Why did you ever send her to me？〃
Milray laughed。 〃I don't know。 I thought she would amuse you； and I
thought it would be a pleasure to her。〃
They began to talk of some affairs of their own； from which Miss Milray
returned to Clementina with the ache of an imperfectly satisfied
intention。 If she had meant to urge her brother to seek justice for the
girl from Mrs。 Lander； she was not so well pleased to have found justice
done already。 But the will had been duly signed and witnessed before the
American vice…consul； and she must get what good she could out of an
accomplished fact。 It was at least a consolation to know that it put an
end to her sister…in…law's patronage of the girl； and it would be
interesting to see Mrs。 Milray adapt her behavior to Clementina's
fortunes。 She did not really dislike her sister…in…law enough to do her
a wrong； she was only willing that she should do herself a wrong。
But one of the most disappointing things in all hostile operations is
that you never can know what the enemy would be at； and Mrs。 Milray's
manoevres were sometimes dictated by such impulses that her strategy was
peculiarly baffling。 The thought of her past unkindness to Clementina
may still have rankled in her； or she may simply have felt the need of
outdoing Miss Milray by an unapproachable benefaction。 It is certain
that when Baron Belsky came to Venice a few weeks after her own arrival；
they began to pose at each other with reference to Clementina； she with
a measure of consciousness； he with the singleness of a nature that was
all pose。 In his forbearance to win Clementina from Gregory he had
enjoyed the distinction of an unique suffering； and in allowing the fact
to impart itself to Mrs。 Milray； he bathed in the warmth of her
flattering sympathy。 Before she withdrew this； as she must when she got
tired of him； she learned from him where Gregory was； for it seemed that
Gregory had so far forgiven the past that they had again written to each
other。
During the fortnight of Belsky's stay in Venice Mrs。 Lander was much
worse； and Clementina met him only once； very briefly She felt that he
had behaved like a very silly person； but that was all over now； and she
had no wish to punish him for it。 At the end of his fortnight he went
northward into the Austrian Tyrol； and a few days later Gregory came down
from the Dolomites to Venice。
It was in his favor with Clementina that he yielded to the impulse he had
to come directly to her； and that he let her know with the first words
that he had acted upon hopes given him through Belsky from Mrs。 Milray。
He owned that he doubted the authority of either to give him these hopes；
but he said he could not abandon them without a last effort to see her；
and learn from her whether they were true or false。
If she recognized the design of a magnificent reparation in what Mrs。
Milray had done； she did not give it much thought。 Her mind was upon
distant things as she followed Gregory's explanation of his presence；
and in the muse in which she listened she seemed hardly to know when he
ceased speaking。
〃I know it must seem to take something for granted which I've no right to
take for granted。 I don't believe you could think that I cared for
anything but you； or at all for what Mrs。 Lander has done for you。〃
〃Do you mean her leaving me her money？〃 asked Clementina； with that
boldness her sex enjoys concerning matters of finance and affection。
〃Yes；〃 said Gregory； blushing for her。 〃As far as I should ever have a
right to care； I could wish there were no money。 It could bring no
blessing to our life。 We could do no good with it； nothing but the
sacrifice of ourselves in poverty could be blessed to us。〃
〃That is what I thought； too；〃 Clementina replied。
〃Oh； then you did think〃
But afterwards； I changed my Mind。 If she wants to give me her money I
shall take it。〃
Gregory was blankly silent again。
〃I shouldnt know how to refuse； and I don't know as I should have any
right to。 Gregory shrank a little from her reyankeefied English； as well
as from the apparent cynicism of her speech； but he shrank in silence
still。 She startled him by asking with a kindness that was almost
tenderness； 〃Mr。 Gregory； how do you think anything has changed？〃
〃Changed？〃
〃You know how it was when you went away from Florence。 Do you think
differently now？ I don't。 I don't think I ought to do something for
you； and pretend that I was doing it for religion。 I don't believe the
way you do； and I know I neva shall。 Do you want me in spi
