ragged lady, v2-第33章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


He　might　die　if　I　told　him　I　was　not　coming；　and　then　what　should　I　do？〃
This　was　what　Clementina　said　to　herself；　but　what　she　said　to　Mr。　Orson；
with　an　inspiration　from　her　terror　at　his　suggestion　was；　〃Don't　you
think　a　little　chicken　broth　would　do　you　good；　Mr。　Osson？　　I　don't
believe　but　what　it　would。〃

A　wistful　gleam　came　into　the　preacher's　eyes。　　〃It　might；〃　he　admitted；
and　then　she　knew　what　must　be　his　malady。　　She　sent　Maddalena　to　a
trattoria　for　the　soup；　and　she　did　not　leave　him；　even　after　she　had
seen　its　effect　upon　him。　　It　was　not　hard　to　persuade　him　that　he　had
better　come　home　with　her；　and　she　had　him　there；　tucked　away　with　his
few　poor　belongings；　in　the　most　comfortable　room　the　padrone　could
imagine；　when　the　vice…consul　came　in　the　evening。

〃He　says　he　thinks　he　can　go；　now；〃　she　ended；　when　she　had　told　the
vice…consul。　　〃And　I　know　he　can。　　It　wasn't　anything　but　poor　living。〃

〃It　looks　more　like　no　living；〃　said　the　vice…consul。　　〃Why　didn't　the
old　fool　let　some　one　know　that　he　was　short　of　money？　　〃He　went　on　with
a　partial　transfer　of　his　contempt　of　the　preacher　to　her；　〃I　suppose　if
he'd　been　sick　instead　of　hungry；　you'd　have　waited　over　till　the　next
steamer　for　him。〃

She　cast　down　her　eyes。　　〃I　don't　know　what　you'll　think　of　me。　　I　should
have　been　sorry　for　him；　and　I　should　have　wanted　to　stay。〃　　She　lifted
her　eyes　and　looked　the　vice…consul　defiantly　in　the　face。　　〃But　he
hadn't　the　fust　claim　on　me；　and　I　should　have　goneI　couldn't；　have
helped　it！I　should　have　gone；　if　he　had　been　dying！〃

〃Well；　you've　got　more　horse…sense；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　〃　than　any　ten
men　I　ever　saw；〃　and　he　testified　his　admiration　of　her　by　putting　his
arms　round　her；　where　she　stood　before　him；　and　kissing　her。　　〃Don't　you
mind；〃　he　explained。　　〃If　my　youngest　girl　had　lived；　she　would　have　been
about　your　age。〃

〃Oh；　it's　all　right；　Mr。　Bennam；〃　said　Clementina。

When　the　time　came　for　them　to　leave　Venice；　Mr。　Orson　was　even　eager　to
go。　　The　vice…consul　would　have　gone　with　them　in　contempt　of　the
official　responsibilities　which　he　felt　to　be　such　a　thankless　burden；
but　there　was　really　no　need　of　his　going；　and　he　and　Clementina　treated
the　question　with　the　matter…of…fact　impartiality　which　they　liked　in
each　other。　　He　saw　her　off　at　the　station　where　Maddalena　had　come　to
take　the　train　for　Florence　in　token　of　her　devotion　to　the　signorina；
whom　she　would　not　outstay　in　Venice。　　She　wept　long　and　loud　upon
Clementina's　neck；　so　that　even　Clementina　was　once　moved　to　put　her
handkerchief　to　her　tearless　eyes。

At　the　last　moment　she　had　a　question　which　she　referred　to　the　vice
consul。　　〃Should　you　tell　him？〃　she　asked。

〃Tell　who　what？〃　he　retorted。

〃Mr。　Osson…that　I　wouldn't　have　stayed　for　him。〃

〃Do　you　think　it　would　make　you　feel　any　better？〃　asked　the　consul；　upon
reflection。

〃I　believe　he　ought　to　know。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　guess　I　should　do　it。〃

The　time　did　not　come　for　her　confession　till　they　had　nearly　reached　the
end　of　their　voyage。　　It　followed　upon　something　like　a　confession　from
the　minister　himself；　which　he　made　the　day　he　struggled　on　deck　with　her
help；　after　spending　a　week　in　his　berth。

〃Here　is　something；〃　he　said；　〃which　appears　to　be　for　you；　Miss　Claxon。
I　found　it　among　some　letters　for　Mrs。　Lander　which　Mr。　Bennam　gave　me
after　my　arrival；　and　I　only　observed　the　address　in　looking　over　the
papers　in　my　valise　this　morning。〃　　He　handed　her　a　telegram。　　〃I　trust
that　it　is　nothing　requiring　immediate　attention。〃

Clementina　read　it　at　a　glance。　　〃No；〃　she　answered；　and　for　a　while　she
could　not　say　anything　more；　it　was　a　cable　message　which　Hinkle's　sister
must　have　sent　her　after　writing。　　No　evil　had　come　of　its　failure　to
reach　her；　and　she　recalled　without　bitterness　the　suffering　which　would
have　been　spared　her　if　she　had　got　it　before。　　It　was　when　she　thought
of　the　suffering　of　her　lover　from　the　silence　which　must　have　made　him
doubt　her；　that　she　could　not　speak。　　As　soon　as　she　governed　herself
against　her　first　resentment　she　said；　with　a　little　sigh；　〃It　is　all
right；　now；　Mr。　Osson；〃　and　her　stress　upon　the　word　seemed　to　trouble
him　with　no　misgiving。　　〃Besides；　if　you're　to　blame　for　not　noticing；　so
is　Mr。　Bennam；　and　I　don't　want　to　blame　any　one。〃　　She　hesitated　a
moment　before　she　added：　〃I　have　got　to　tell　you　something；　now；　because
I　think　you　ought　to　know　it。　　I　am　going　home　to　be　married；　Mr。　Osson；
and　this　message　is　from　the　gentleman　I　am　going　to　be　married　to。
He　has　been　very　sick；　and　I　don't　know　yet　as　he'll　be　able　to　meet　me
in　New　Yo'k；　but　his　fatha　will。〃

Mr。　Orson　showed　no　interest　in　these　facts　beyond　a　silent　attention　to
her　words；　which　might　have　passed　for　an　open　indifference。　　At　his　time
of　life　all　such　questions；　which　are　of　permanent　importance　to　women；
affect　men　hardly　more　than　the　angels　who　neither　marry　nor　are　given　in
marriage。　　Besides；　as　a　minister　he　must　have　had　a　surfeit　of　all
possible　qualities　in　the　love　affairs　of　people　intending　matrimony。
As　a　casuist　he　was　more　reasonably　concerned　in　the　next　fact　which
Clementina　laid　before　him。

〃And　the　otha　day；　there　in　Venice　when　you　we'e　sick；　and　you　seemed　to
think　that　I　might　put　off　stahting　home　till　the　next　steamer；　I　don't
know　but　I　let　you　believe　I　would。〃

〃I　supposed　that　the　delay　of　a　week　or　two　could　make　no　material
difference　to　you。〃

〃But　now　you　see　that　it　would。　　And　I　feel　as　if　I　ought　to　tell　you
I　spoke　to　Mr。　Bennam　about　it；　and　he　didn't　tell　me　not　tothat　I
shouldn't　have　staid；　no　not　for　anything　in　the　wo'ld。　　I　had　to　do　what
I　did　at　the　time；　but　eva　since　it　has　seemed　as　if　I　had　deceived　you；
and　I　don't　want　to　have　it　seem　so　any　longer。　　It　isn't　because　I　don't
hate　to　tell　you；　I　do；　but　I　guess　if　it　was　to　happen　over　again　I
couldn't　feel　any　different。　　Do　you　want　I　should　tell　the　deck…stewahd
to　bring　you　some　beef…tea？〃

〃I　think　I　could　relish　a　small　portion；〃　said　Mr。　Orson；　cautiously；　and
he　said　nothing　more。

Clementina　left　him　with　her　nerves　in　a　flutter；　and　she　did　not　come
back　to　him　until　she　decided　that　it　was　time　to　help　him　down　to　his
cabin。　　He　suffered　her　to　do　this　in　silence；　but　at　the　door　he　cleared
his　throat　and　began：

〃I　have　reflected　upon　what　you　told　me；　and　I　have　tried　to　regard　the
case　from　all　points。　　I　believe　that　I　have　done　so；　without　personal
feeling；　and　I　think　it　my　duty　to　say；　fully　and　freely；　that　I　believe
you　would　have　done　perfectly　right　not　to　remain。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina；　〃I　thought　you　would　think　so。〃

They　parted　emotionlessly　to　all　outward　effect；　and　when　they　met　again
it　was　without　a　sign　of　having　passed　through　a　crisis　of　sentiment。
Neither　referred　to　the　matter　again；　but　from　that　time　the　minister
treated　Clementina　with　a　deference　not　without　some　shadows　of
tenderness　such　as　her　helplessness　in　Venice　had　apparently　never
inspired。　　She　had　cast　out　of　her　mind　all　lingering　hardness　toward　him
in　telling　him　the　hard　truth；　and　she　met　his　faint　relentings　with　a
grateful　gladness　which　showed　itself　in　her　constant　care　of　him。

This　helped　her　a　little　to　forget　the　strain　of　the　anxiety　that
increased　upon　her　as　the　time　shortened　between　the　last　news　of　her
lover　and　the　next；　and　there　was　perhaps　no　more　exaggeration　in　the
import　than　in　the　terms　of　the　formal　acknowledgment　which　Mr。　Orson
made　her　as　their　steamer　sighted　Fire　Island　Light；　and　they　both　knew
that　their　voyage　had　ended：　〃I　may　not　be　able　to　say　to　you　in　the
hurry　of　our　arrival　in　New　York　that　I　am　obliged　to　you　for　a　good　many
little　attentions；　which　I　should　be　pleased　to　reciprocate　if
opportunity　offered。　　I　do　not　think　I　am　going　too　far　in　saying　that
they　are　such　as　a　daughter　might　offer　a　parent。〃

〃Oh；　don't　speak　of　it；　Mr。　Osson！〃　she　protested。　　〃I　haven't　done
anything　that　any　one　wouldn't　have　done。〃

〃I　presume；〃　said　the　minister；　thoughtfully；　as　if　retiring　from　an
extreme　position；　〃that　they　are　such　as　others　similarly　circumstanced