ragged lady, v2-第36章

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was　happy　with　that　hectorin'　old　thing　that　fooled　her　out　of　her
money。〃

〃I　ha'n't　ever　regretted　that　money；　Rebecca。；〃　said　Claxon；　stiffly；
almost　sternly；　〃and　I　guess　you　a'n't；　eitha。〃

〃I　don't　say　I　have；〃　retorted　Mrs。　Claxon。　　〃But　I　don't　like　to　be　made
a　fool　of。　　I　presume；〃　she　added；　remotely；　but　not　so　irrelevantly；
〃Clem　could　ha'　got　'most　anybody；　ova　the'a。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Claxon；　taking　refuge　in　the　joke；　〃I　shouldn't　want　her　to
marry　a　crowned　head；　myself。〃

It　was　Clementina　who　drove　the　clay…bank　colt　away　from　the　station
after　the　train　had　passed　out　of　sight。　　Her　husband　sat　beside　her；　and
let　her　take　the　reins　from　his　nerveless　grasp；　and　when　they　got　into
the　shelter　of　the　piece　of　woods　that　the　road　passed　through　he　put　up
his　hands　to　his　face；　and　broke　into　sobs。　　She　allowed　him　to　weep　on；
though　she　kept　saying；　〃Geo'ge；　Geo'ge；〃　softly；　and　stroking　his　knee
with　the　hand　next　him。　　When　his　sobbing　stopped；　she　said；　〃I　guess
they've　had　a　pleasant　visit；　but　I'm　glad　we'a　together　again。〃　　He　took
up　her　hand　and　kissed　the　back　of　it；　and　then　clutched　it　hard；　but　did
not　speak。　　〃It's　strange；〃　she　went　on；　〃how　I　used　to　be　home…sick　for
father　and　motha〃she　had　sometimes　lost　her　Yankee　accent　in　her
association　with　his　people；　and　spoke　with　their　Western　burr；　but　she
found　it　in　moments　of　deeper　feeling〃　when　I　was　there　in　Europe；　and
now　I'm　glad　to　have　them　go。　　I　don't　want　anybody　to　be　between　us；　and
I　want　to　go　back　to　just　the　way　we　we'e　befo'e　they　came。　　It's　been　a
strain　on　you；　and　now　you　must　throw　it　all　off　and　rest；　and　get　up
your　strength。　　One　thing；　I　could　see　that　fatha　noticed　the　gain　you
had　made　since　he　saw　you　in　New　Yo'k。　　He　spoke　about　it　to　me　the　fust
thing；　and　he　feels　just　the　way　I　do　about　it。　　He　don't　want　you　to
hurry　and　get　well；　but　take　it　slowly；　and　not　excite　yourself。　　He
believes　in　your　gleaner；　and　he　knows　all　about　machinery。　　He　says　the
patent　makes　it　puffectly　safe；　and　you　can　take　your　own　time　about
pushing　it；　it's　su'a　to　go。　　And　motha　liked　you。　　She's　not　one　to　talk
a　great　dealshe　always　leaves　that　to　father　and　mebut　she's　got　deep
feelings；　and　she　just　worshipped　the　baby！　　I　neva　saw　her　take　a　child
in　her　ahms　before；　but　she　seemed　to　want　to　hold　the　baby　all　the
time。〃　　She　stopped；　and　then　added；　tenderly；　〃Now；　I　know　what　you　ah'
thinking　about；　Geo'ge；　and　I　don't　want　you　to　think　about　it　any　more。
If　you　do；　I　shall　give　up。〃

They　had　come　to　a　bad　piece　of　road　where　a　Slough　of　thick　mud　forced
the　wagon…way　over　the　stumps　of　a　turnout　in　the　woods。　　〃You　had　better
let　me　have　the　reins；　Clementina；〃　he　said。　　He　drove　home　over　the
yellow　leaves　of　the　hickories　and　the　crimson　leaves　of　the　maples；　that
heavy　with　the　morning　dew；　fell　slanting　through　the　still　air；　and　on
the　way　he　began　to　sing；　his　singing　made　her　heart　ache。　　His　father
came　out　to　put　up　the　colt　for　him；　and　Hinkle　would　not　have　his　help。

He　unhitched　the　colt　himself；　while　his　father　trembled　by　with　bent
knees；　he　clapped　the　colt　on　the　haunch　and　started　him　through　the
pasture…bars　with　a　gay　shout；　and　then　put　his　arm　round　Clementina's
waist；　and　walked　her　into　the　kitchen　amidst　the　grins　of　his　mother　and
sisters；　who　said　he　ought　to　be　ashamed。

The　winter　passed；　and　in　the　spring　he　was　not　so　well　as　he　had　been　in
the　fall。　　It　was　the　out…door　life　which　was　best　for　him；　and　he　picked
up　again　in　the　summer。　　When　another　autumn　came；　it　was　thought　best
for　him　not　to　risk　the　confinement　of　another　winter　in　the　North。　　The
prolongation　of　the　summer　in　the　South　would　complete　his　cure；　and
Clementina　took　her　baby　and　went　with　him　to　Florida。　　He　was　very　well；
there；　and　courageous　letters　came　to　Middlemount　and　Ohio；　boasting　of
the　gains　he　had　made。　　One　day　toward　spring　he　came　in　languid　from　the
damp；　unnatural　heat；　and　the　next　day　he　had　a　fever；　which　the　doctor
would　not；　in　a　resort　absolutely　free　from　malaria；　pronounce　malarial。
After　it　had　once　declared　itself；　in　compliance　with　this　reluctance；　a
simple　fever；　Hinkle　was　delirious；　and　he　never　knew　Clementina　again
for　the　mother　of　his　child。　　They　were　once　more　at　Venice　in　his
ravings；　and　he　was　reasoning　with　her　that　Belsky　was　not　drowned。

The　mystery　of　his　malady　deepened　into　the　mystery　of　his　death。　　With
that　his　look　of　health　and　youth　came　back；　and　as　she　gazed　upon　his
gentle　face；　it　wore　to　her　the　smile　of　quaint　sweetness　that　she　had
seen　it　wear　the　first　night　it　won　her　fancy　at　Miss　Milray's　horse　in
Florence。

Six　years　after　Miss　Milray　parted　with　Clementina　in　Venice　she　found
herself；　towards　the　close　of　the　summer；　at　Middlemount。　　She　had
definitely　ceased　to　live　in　Florence；　where　she　had　meant　to　die；　and
had　come　home　to　close　her　eyes。　　She　was　in　no　haste　to　do　this；　and　in
the　meantime　she　was　now　at　Middlemount　with　her　brother；　who　had
expressed　a　wish　to　revisit　the　place　in　memory　of　Mrs。　Milray。　　It　was
the　second　anniversary　of　her　divorce；　which　had　remained；　after　a
married　life　of　many　vicissitudes；　almost　the　only　experience　untried　in
that　relation；　and　which　had　been　happily　accomplished　in　the　courts　of
Dacotah；　upon　grounds　that　satisfied　the　facile　justice　of　that　State。
Milray　had　dealt　handsomely　with　his　widow；　as　he　unresentfully　called
her；　and　the　money　he　assigned　her　was　of　a　destiny　perhaps　as　honored　as
its　origin。　　She　employed　it　in　the　negotiation　of　a　second　marriage；　in
which　she　redressed　the　balance　of　her　first　by　taking　a　husband　somewhat
younger　than　herself。

Both　Milray　and　his　sister　had　a　wish　which　was　much　more　than　a
curiosity　to　know　what　had　become　of　Clementina；　they　had　heard　that　her
husband　was　dead；　and　that　she　had　come　back　to　Middlemount；　and　Miss
Milray　was　going　to　the　office；　the　afternoon　following　their　arrival；　to
ask　the　landlord　about　her；　when　she　was　arrested　at　the　door　of　the
ball…room　by　a　sight　that　she　thought　very　pretty。　　At　the　bottom　of　the
room；　clearly　defined　against　the　long　windows　behind　her；　stood　the
figure　of　a　lady　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　　In　rows　on　either　side　sat
little　girls　and　little　boys　who　left　their　places　one　after　another；　and
turned　at　the　door　to　make　their　manners　to　her。　　In　response　to　each
obeisance　the　lady　dropped　a　curtsey；　now　to　this　side；　now　to　that；
taking　her　skirt　between　her　finger　tips　on　either　hand　and　spreading　it
delicately；　with　a　certain　elegance　of　movement；　and　a　grace　that　was
full　of　poetry；　and　to　Miss　Milray；　somehow；　full　of　pathos。　　There
remained　to　the　end　a　small　mite　of　a　girl；　who　was　the　last　to　leave　her
place　and　bow　to　the　lady。　　She　did　not　quit　the　room　then；　like　the
others；　but　advanced　toward　the　lady　who　came　to　meet　her；　and　lifted　her
and　clasped　her　to　her　breast　with　a　kind　of　passion。　　She　walked　down
toward　the　door　where　Miss　Milray　stood；　gently　drifting　over　the
polished　floor；　as　if　still　moved　by　the　music　that　had　ceased；　and　as
she　drew　near；　Miss　Milray　gave　a　cry　of　joy；　and　ran　upon　her。　　〃Why；
Clementina！〃　she　screamed；　and　caught　her　and　the　child　both　in　her　arms。

She　began　to　weep；　but　Clementina　smiled　instead　of　weeping；　as　she
always　used　to　do。　　She　returned　Miss　Milray's　affectionate　greeting　with
a　tenderness　as　great　as　her　own；　but　with　a　sort　of　authority；　such　as
sometimes　comes　to　those　who　have　suffered。　　She　quieted　the　older　woman
with　her　own　serenity；　and　met　the　torrent　of　her　questions　with　as　many
answers　as　their　rush　permitted；　when　they　were　both　presently　in　Miss
Milray's　room　talking　in　their　old　way。　　From　time　to　time　Miss　Milray
broke　from　the　talk　to　kiss　the　little　girl；　whom　she　declared　to　be
Clementina　all　over　again；　and　then　returned　to　her　better　behavior　with
an　effect　of　shame　for　her　want　of　self…control；　as　if　Clementina's　mood
had　abashed　her。　　Sometimes　this　was　almost　severe　in　its　quiet；　that　was
her　mother　coming　to　her　share　in　her；　but　again　she　was　like　her　father；
full　of　the　sunny　gayety　of　self…forgetfulness；　and　then