ragged lady, v2-第32章
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〃Well；〃 the vice…consul assented； dryly； 〃it's for you to say。〃
〃I know you don't want me to do it！〃
〃Well； I shall miss you；〃 he answered； evasively。
〃And I shall miss you； too； Mr。 Bennam。 Don't you believe it？ But if I
don't take this chance to get home； I don't know when I shall eva have
anotha。 And there isn't any use waitingno； there isn't！〃
The vice…consul laughed at the sort of imperative despair in her tone。
〃How are you going？ Which way； I mean。〃
They counted up Clementina's debts and assets； and they found that if she
took the next steamer from Genoa； which was to sail in four days； she
would have enough to pay her own way and Mr。 Orson's to New York； and
still have some thirty dollars over； for her expenses home to
Middlemount。 They allowed for a second cabin…passage； which the vice…
consul said was perfectly good on the Genoa steamers。 He rather urged
the gentility and comfort of the second cabin…passage； but his reasons in
favor of it were wasted upon Clementina's indifference； she wished to get
home； now； and she did not care how。 She asked the vice…consul to see
the minister for her； and if he were ready and willing； to telegraph for
their tickets。 He transacted the business so promptly that he was able
to tell her when he came in the evening that everything was in train。
He excused his coming； he said that now she was going so soon； he wanted
to see all he could of her。 He offered no excuse when he came the next
morning； but he said he had got a letter for her and thought she might
want to have it at once。
He took it out of his hat and gave it to her。 It was addressed in
Hinkle's writing； her answer had come at last； she stood trembling with
it in her hand。
The vice…consul smiled。 〃Is that the one？〃
〃Yes；〃 she whispered back。
〃All right。〃 He took his hat； and set it on the back of his head before
he left her without other salutation。
Then Clementina opened her letter。 It was in a woman's hand； and the
writer made haste to explain at the beginning that she was George W。
Hinkle's sister； and that she was writing for him； for though he was now
out of danger； he was still very weak； and they had all been anxious
about him。 A month before； he had been hurt in a railroad collision； and
had come home from the West； where the accident happened； suffering
mainly from shock； as his doctor thought； he had taken to his bed at
once； and had not risen from it since。 He had been out of his head a
great part of the time； and had been forbidden everything that could
distress or excite him。 His sister said that she was writing for him now
as soon as he had seen Clementina's letter； it had been forwarded from
one address to another； and had at last found him there at his home in
Ohio。 He wished to say that he would come out for Clementina as soon as
he was allowed to undertake the journey； and in the meantime she must let
him know constantly where she was。 The letter closed with a few words of
love in his own handwriting。
Clementina rose from reading it； and put on her hat in a bewildered
impulse to go to him at once； she knew； in spite of all the cautions and
reserves of the letter that he must still be very sick。 When she came
out of her daze she found that she could only go to the vice…consul。 She
put the letter in his hands to let it explain itself。 〃You'll undastand；
now；〃 she said。 〃What shall I do？〃
When he had read it； he smiled and answered； 〃I guess I understood pretty
well before； though I wasn't posted on names。 Well； I suppose you'll
want to layout most of your capital on cables； now？〃
〃Yes；〃 she laughed； and then she suddenly lamented； 〃 Why didn't they
telegraph？〃
〃Well； I guess he hadn't the head for it；〃 said the vice…consul； 〃and the
rest wouldn't think of it。 They wouldn't； in the country。〃
Clementina laughed again； in joyous recognition of the fact； 〃No； my
fatha wouldn't； eitha！〃
The vice…consul reached for his hat； and he led the way to Clementina's
gondola at his garden gate； in greater haste than she。 At the telegraph
office he framed a dispatch which for expansive fullness and precision
was apparently unexampled in the experience of the clerk who took it and
spelt over its English with them。 It asked an answer in the vice…
consul's care； and； 〃I'll tell you what； Miss Claxon；〃 he said with a
husky weakness in his voice； 〃I wish you'd let this be my treat。〃
She understood。 〃Do you really； Mr。 Bennam？〃
〃I do indeed。〃
〃Well； then； I will；〃 she said； but when he wished to include in his
treat the dispatch she sent home to her father announcing her coming； she
would not let him。
He looked at his watch； as they rowed away。 〃It's eight o'clock here；
now； and it will reach Ohio about six hours earlier； but you can't expect
an answer tonight； you know。〃
〃No〃 She had expected it though； he could see that。
〃But whenever it comes； I'll bring it right round to you。 Now it's all
going to be straight； don't you be afraid； and you're going home the
quickest way you can get there。 I've been looking up the sailings； and
this Genoa boat will get you to New York about as soon as any could from
Liverpool。 Besides there's always a chance of missing connections and
losing time between here and England。 I should stick to the Genoa boat。〃
〃Oh I shall；〃 said Clementina； far less fidgetted than he。 She was； in
fact； resting securely again in the faith which had never really deserted
her； and had only seemed for a little time to waver from her when her
hope went。 Now that she had telegraphed； her heart was at peace； and she
even laughed as she answered the anxious vice…consul。
XXXVI。
The next morning Clementina watched for the vice…consul from her balcony。
She knew he would not send； she knew he would come； but it； was nearly
noon before she saw him coming。 They caught sight of each other almost
at the same moment； and he stood up in his boat； and waved something
white in his hand； which must be a dispatch for her。
It acknowledged her telegram and reported George still improving； his
father would meet her steamer in New York。 It was very reassuring； it
was every thing hopeful； but when she had read it she gave it to the
vice…consul for encouragement。
〃It's all right； Miss Claxon；〃 he said； stoutly。 〃Don't you be troubled
about Mr。 Hinkle's not coming to meet you himself。 He can't keep too
quiet for a while yet。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Clementina； patiently。
〃If you really want somebody to worry about； you can help Mr。 Orson to
worry about himself！〃 the vice…consul went on； with the grimness he had
formerly used in speaking of Mrs。 Lander。 〃He's sick； or he thinks he's
going to be。 He sent round for me this morning； and I found him in bed。
You may have to go home alone。 But I guess he's more scared than hurt。〃
Her heart sank； and then rose in revolt against the mere idea of delay。
〃I wonder if I ought to go and see him；〃 she said。
〃Well； it would be a kindness；〃 returned the vice…consul； with a
promptness that unmasked the apprehension he felt for the sick man。
He did not offer to go with her； and she took Maddalena。 She found the
minister seated in his chair beside his bed。 A three days' beard
heightened the gauntness of his face； he did not move when his padrona
announced her。
〃I am not any better；〃 he answered when she said that she was glad to see
him up。 〃I am merely resting； the bed is hard。 I regret to say；〃 he
added； with a sort of formal impersonality； 〃that I shall be unable to
accompany you home； Miss Claxon。 That is； if you still think of taking
the steamer this week。〃
Her whole being had set homeward in a tide that already seemed to drift
the vessel from its moorings。 〃Whatwhat do you mean？〃 she gasped。
〃I didn't know；〃 he returned； 〃but that in view of the circumstancesall
the circumstancesyou might be intending to defer your departure to some
later steamer。〃
〃No； no； no ！ I must go； now。 I couldn't wait a day； an hour； a minute
after the first chance of going。 You don't know what you are saying！
He might die if I told him I was not coming； and then what should I do？〃
This was wh
