ragged lady, v2-第4章

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whistling　story　so　that　those　who　knew　it　by　heart　missed　the　paint；　but
that　might　have　been　because　he　hurried　it；　to　get　himself　out　of　the　way
of　the　others　following。　　When　he　had　done；　one　of　the　most　ardent　of　the
Americans　proposed　three　cheers　for　him。

The　actress　whom　he　had　secured　in　spite　of　Mrs。　Milray　appeared　in
woman's　dress　contrary　to　her　inveterate　professional　habit；　and　followed
him　with　great　acceptance　in　her　favorite　variety…stage　song；　and　then
her　husband　gave　imitations　of　Sir　Henry　Irving；　and　of　Miss　Maggie　Kline
in　〃T'row　him　down；　McCloskey；〃　with　a　cockney　accent。　　A　frightened
little　girl；　whose　mother　had　volunteered　her　talent；　gasped　a　ballad　to
her　mother's　accompaniment；　and　two　young　girls　played　a　duet　on　the
mandolin　and　guitar。　　A　gentleman　of　cosmopolitan　military　tradition；　who
sold　the　pools　in　the　smoking…room；　and　was　the　friend　of　all　the　men
present；　and　the　acquaintance　of　several；　gave　selections　of　his
autobiography　prefatory　to　bellowing　in　a　deep　bass　voice；　〃They're
hanging　Danny　Deaver；〃　and　then　a　lady　interpolated　herself　into　the
programme　with　a　kindness　which　Lord　Lioncourt　acknowledged；　in　saying
〃The　more　the　merrier；〃　and　sang　Bonnie　Dundee；　thumping　the　piano　out　of
all　proportion　to　her　size　and　apparent　strength。

Some　advances　which　Clementina　had　made　for　Mrs。　Milray's　help　about　the
dress　she　should　wear　in　her　dance　met　with　bewildering　indifference；　and
she　had　fallen　back　upon　her　own　devices。　　She　did　not　think　of　taking
back　her　promise；　and　she　had　come　to　look　forward　to　her　part　with　a
happiness　which　the　good　weather　and　the　even　sway　of　the　ship
encouraged。　　But　her　pulses　fluttered；　as　she　glided　into　the　music　room；
and　sank　into　a　chair　next　Mrs。　Milray。　　She　had　on　an　accordion　skirt
which　she　had　been　able　to　get　out　of　her　trunk　in　the　hold；　and　she　felt
that　the　glance　of　Mrs。　Milray　did　not　refuse　it　approval。

〃That　will　do　nicely；　Clementina；〃　she　said。　　She　added；　in　careless
acknowledgement　of　her　own　failure　to　direct　her　choice；　〃I　see　you
didn't　need　my　help　after　all；〃　and　the　thorny　point　which　Clementina
felt　in　her　praise　was　rankling；　when　Lord　Lioncourt　began　to　introduce
her。

He　made　rather　a　mess　of　it；　but　as　soon　as　he　came　to　an　end　of　his
well…meant　blunders；　she　stood　up　and　began　her　poses　and　paces。　　It　was
all　very　innocent；　with　something　courageous　as　well　as　appealing。　　She
had　a　kind　of　tender　dignity　in　her　dance；　and　the　delicate　beauty　of　her
face　translated　itself　into　the　grace　of　her　movements。　　It　was　not
impersonal；　there　was　her　own　quality　of　sylvan；　of　elegant　in　it；　but　it
was　unconscious；　and　so　far　it　was　typical；　it　was　classic；　Mrs。　Milray's
Bostonian　achieved　a　snub　from　her　by　saying　it　was　like　a　Botticelli；
and　in　fact　it　was　merely　the　skirt…dance　which　society　had　borrowed　from
the　stage　at　that　period；　leaving　behind　the　footlights　its　more
acrobatic　phases；　but　keeping　its　pretty　turns　and　bows　and　bends。
Clementina　did　it　not　only　with　tender　dignity；　but　when　she　was　fairly
launched　in　it；　with　a　passion　to　which　her　sense　of　Mrs。　Milray's
strange　unkindness　lent　defiance。　　The　dance　was　still　so　new　a　thing
then；　that　it　had　a　surprise　to　which　the　girl's　gentleness　lent　a
curious　charm；　and　it　had　some　adventitious　fascinations　from　the
necessity　she　was　in　of　weaving　it　in　and　out　among　the　stationary
armchairs　and　sofas　which　still　further　cramped　the　narrow　space　where
she　gave　it。　　Her　own　delight　in　it　shone　from　her　smiling　face；　which
was　appealingly　happy。　　Just　before　it　should　have　ended；　one　of　those
wandering　waves　that　roam　the　smoothest　sea　struck　the　ship；　and
Clementina　caught　herself　skilfully　from　falling；　and　reeled　to　her　seat；
while　the　room　rang　with　the　applause　and　sympathetic　laughter　for　the
mischance　she　had　baffled。　　There　was　a　storm　of　encores；　but　Clementina
called　out；　〃The　ship　tilts　so！〃　and　her　naivete　won　her　another　burst　of
favor；　which　was　at　its　height　when　Lord　Lioncourt　had　an　inspiration。

He　jumped　up　and　said；　〃Miss　Claxon　is　going　to　oblige　us　with　a　little
bit　of　dramatics；　now；　and　I'm　sure　you'll　all　enjoy　that　quite　as　much
as　her　beautiful　dancing。　　She's　going　to　take　the　principal　part　in　the
laughable　after…piece　of　Passing　round　the　Hat；　and　I　hope　the　audience
willaaado　the　rest。　　She's　consented　on　this　occasion　to　use　a
hator　cap；　ratherof　her　own；　the　charming　Tam　O'Shanter　in　which
we've　all　seen　her；　andaadmired　her　about　the　ship　for　the　week
past。〃

He　caught　up　the　flat　woolen　steamer…cap　which　Clementina　had　left　in　her
seat　beside　Mrs。　Milray　when　she　rose　to　dance；　and　held　it　aloft。　　Some
one　called　out；　〃Chorus！　　For　he's　a　jolly　good　fellow；〃　and　led　off　in
his　praise。　　Lord　Lioncourt　shouted　through　the　uproar　the　announcement
that　while　Miss　Claxon　was　taking　up　the　collection；　Mr。　Ewins；　of
Boston；　would　sing　one　of　the　student　songs　of　Cambridgeno！　　Harvard
University；　the　music　being　his　own。

Everyone　wanted　to　make　some　joke　or　some　compliment　to　Clementina　about
the　cap　which　grew　momently　heavier　under　the　sovereigns　and　half
sovereigns；　half　crowns　and　half　dollars；　shillings；　quarters；　greenbacks
and　every　fraction　of　English　and　American　silver；　and　the　actor　who　had
given　the　imitations；　made　bold；　as　he　said；　to　ask　his　lordship　if　the
audience　might　not　hope；　before　they　dispersed；　for　something　more　from
Miss　Claxon。　　He　was　sure　she　could　do　something　more；　he　for　one　would
be　glad　of　anything；　and　Clementina　turned　from　putting　her　cap　into　Mrs。
Milray's　lap；　to　find　Lord　Lioncourt　bowing　at　her　elbow；　and　offering
her　his　arm　to　lead　her　to　the　spot　where　she　had　stood　in　dancing。

The　joy　of　her　triumph　went　to　her　head；　she　wished　to　retrieve　herself
from　any　shadow　of　defeat。

She　stood　panting　a　moment；　and　then；　if　she　had　had　the　professional
instinct；　she　would　have　given　her　admirers　the　surprise　of　something
altogether　different　from　what　had　pleased　them　before。　　That　was　what
the　actor　would　have　done；　but　Clementina　thought　of　how　her　dance　had
been　brought　to　an　untimely　close　by　the　rolling　of　the　ship；　she　burned
to　do　it　all　as　she　knew　it；　no　matter　how　the　sea　behaved；　and　in
another　moment　she　struck　into　it　again。　　This　time　the　sea　behaved
perfectly；　and　the　dance　ended　with　just　the　swoop　and　swirl　she　had
meant　it　to　have　at　first。　　The　spectators　went　generously　wild　over　her；
they　cheered　and　clapped　her；　and　crowded　upon　her　to　tell　how　lovely　it
was；　but　she　escaped　from　them；　and　ran　back　to　the　place　where　she　had
left　Mrs。　Milray。　　She　was　not　there；　and　Clementina's　cap　full　of　alms
lay　abandoned　on　the　chair。　　Lord　Lioncourt　said　he　would　take　charge　of
the　money；　if　she　would　lend　him　her　cap　to　carry　it　in　to　the　purser；
and　she　made　her　way　into　the　saloon。　　In　a　distant　corner　she　saw　Mrs。
Milray　with　Mr。　Ewins。

She　advanced　in　a　vague　dismay　toward　them；　and　as　she　came　near　Mrs。
Milray　said　to　Mr。　Ewins；　〃I　don't　like　this　place。　　Let's　go　over
yonder。〃　　She　rose　and　rushed　him　to　the　other　end　of　the　saloon。

Lord　Lioncourt　came　in　looking　about。　　〃Ah；　have　you　found　her？〃　　he
asked；　gayly。　　〃There　were　twenty　pounds　in　your　cap；　and　two　hundred
dollars。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clementina；　〃she's　over　the'a。〃　　She　pointed；　and　then　shrank
and　slipped　away。




XVIII。

At　breakfast　Mrs。　Milray　would　not　meet　Clementina's　eye；　she　talked　to
the　people　across　the　table　in　a　loud；　lively　voice；　and　then　suddenly
rose；　and　swept　past　her　out　of　the　saloon。

The　girl　did　not　see　her　again　till　Mrs。　Milray　came　up　on　the　promenade
at　the　hour　when　people　who　have　eaten　too　much　breakfast　begin　to　spoil
their　appetite　for　luncheon　with　the　tea　and　bouillon　of　the　deck…
stewards。　　She　looked　fiercely　about；　and　saw　Clementina　seated　in　her
usual　place；　but　with　Lord　Lioncourt　in　her　own　chair　next　her　husband；
and　Ewins　on　foot　before　her。　　They　were　both　talking　to　Clementina；　whom
Lord　Lioncourt　was　accusing　of　being　in　low　spirits　unworthy　of　her　last
night's　triumphs。　　He　jumped　up；　and　offered　his　place；　〃I've　got　your
chair；　Mrs。　Milray。〃