ragged lady, v2-第5章
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night's triumphs。 He jumped up； and offered his place； 〃I've got your
chair； Mrs。 Milray。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 she said； coldly； 〃I was just coming to look after Mr。 Milray。
But I see he's in good hands。〃
She turned away； as if to make the round of the deck； and Ewins hurried
after her。 He came back directly； and said that Mrs。 Milray had gone
into the library to write letters。 He stayed； uneasily； trying to talk；
but with the air of a man who has been snubbed； and has not got back his
composure。
Lord Lioncourt talked on until he had used up the incidents of the night
before； and the probabilities of their getting into Queenstown before
morning； then he and Mr。 Ewins went to the smoking…room together； and
Clementina was left alone with Milray。
〃Clementina；〃 he said； gently； 〃I don't see everything； but isn't there
some trouble between you and Mrs。 Milray？〃
〃Why； I don't know what it can be；〃 answered the girl； with trembling
lips。 〃I've been trying to find out； and I can't undastand it。〃
〃Ah； those things are often very obscure；〃 said Milray； with a patient
smile。
Clementina wanted to ask him if Mrs。 Milray had said anything to him
about her； but she could not； and he did not speak again till he heard
her stir in rising from her chair。 Then he said； 〃I haven't forgotten
that letter to my sister； Clementina。 I will give it to you before we
leave the steamer。 Are you going to stay in Liverpool； over night； or
shall you go up to London at once？〃
〃I don't know。 It will depend upon how Mrs。 Landa feels。〃
〃Well； we shall see each other again。 Don't be worried。〃 He looked up
at her with a smile； and he could not see how forlornly she returned it。
As the day passed； Mrs。 Milray's angry eyes seemed to search her out for
scorn whenever Clementina found herself the centre of her last night's
celebrity。 Many people came up and spoke to her； at first with a certain
expectation of knowingness in her； which her simplicity baffled。 Then
they either dropped her； and went away； or stayed and tried to make
friends with her because of this； an elderly English clergyman and his
wife were at first compassionately anxious about her； and then
affectionately attentive to her in her obvious isolation。 Clementina's
simple…hearted response to their advances appeared to win while it
puzzled them； and they seemed trying to divine her in the strange double
character she wore to their more single civilization。 The theatrical
people thought none the worse of her for her simple…hearted ness；
apparently； they were both very sweet to her； and wanted her to promise
to come and see them in their little box in St。 John's Wood。 Once；
indeed； Clementina thought she saw relenting in Mrs。 Milray's glance； but
it hardened again as Lord Lioncourt and Mr。 Ewins came up to her； and
began to talk with her。 She could not go to her chair beside Milray； for
his wife was now keeping guard of him on the other side with unexampled
devotion。 Lord Lioncourt asked her to walk with him and she consented。
She thought that Mr。 Ewins would go and sit by Mrs。 Milray； of course；
but when she came round in her tour of the ship； Mrs。 Milray was sitting
alone beside her husband。
After dinner she went to the library and got a book； but she could not
read there； every chair was taken by people writing letters to send back
from Queenstown in the morning； and she strayed into the ladies' sitting
room； where no ladies seemed ever to sit； and lost herself in a miserable
muse over her open page。
Some one looked in at the door； and then advanced within and came
straight to Clementina； she knew without looking up that it was Mrs。
Milray。 〃I have been hunting for you； Miss Claxon；〃 she said； in a voice
frostily fierce； and with a bearing furiously formal。 〃I have a letter
to Miss Milray that my busband wished me to write for you； and give you
with his compliments。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Clementina。 She rose mechanically to her feet； and at
the same time Mrs。 Milray sat down。
〃You will find Miss Milray；〃 she continued； with the same glacial
hauteur； 〃a very agreeable and cultivated lady。〃
Clementina said nothing； and Mrs。 Milray added；
〃And I hope she may have the happiness of being more useful to you than I
have。〃
〃What do you mean； Mrs。 Milray？ 〃Clementina asked with unexpected spirit
and courage。
〃I mean simply this； that I have not succeeded in putting you on your
guard against your love of admirationespecially the admiration of
gentlemen。 A young girl can't be too careful how she accepts the
attentions of gentlemen； and if she seems to invite them〃
〃Mrs。 Milray cried Clementina。 〃How can you say such a thing to me？〃
〃How？ I shall have to be plain with you； I see。 Perhaps I have not
considered that； after all； you know nothing about life and are not to
blame for things that a person born and bred in the world would
understand from childhood。 If you don't know already； I can tell you
that the way you have behaved with Lord Lioncourt during the last two or
three days； and the way you showed your pleasure the other night in his
ridiculous flatteries of you； was enough to make you the talk of the
whole steamer。 I advise you for your own sake to take my warning in
time。 You are very young； and inexperienced and ignorant； but that will
not save you in the eyes of the world if you keep on。〃 Mrs。 Milray rose。
〃And now I will leave you to think of what I have said。 Here is the
letter for Miss Milray〃
Clementina shook her head。 〃I don't want it。〃
〃You don't want it？ But I have written it at Mr。 Milray's request； and I
shall certainly leave it with you！〃
〃If you do；〃 said Clementina； 〃I shall not take it！〃
〃And what shall I say to Mr。 Milray？〃
〃What you have just said to me。〃
〃What have I said to you？〃
〃That I'm a bold girl； and that I've tried to make men admi'a me。〃
Mrs。 Milray stopped as if suddenly daunted by a fact that had not
occurred to her before。 〃Did I say that？〃
〃The same as that。〃
〃I didn't mean thatImerely meant to put you on your guard。 It may be
because you are so innocent yourself； that you can't imagine what others
think； andI did it out of my regard for you。〃
Clementina did not answer。
Mrs。 Milray went on； 〃That was why I was so provoked with you。 I think
that for a young girl to stand up and dance alone before a whole steamer
full of strangers〃Clementina looked at her without speaking； and Mrs。
Milray hastened to say； 〃To be sure I advised you to do it； but I
certainly was surprised that you should give an encore。 But no matter；
now。 This letter〃
〃I can't take it； Mrs。 Milray；〃 said Clementina； with a swelling heart。
〃Now； listen！〃 urged Mrs。 Milray。 〃You think I'm just saying it
because； if you don't take it I shall have to tell Mr。 Milray I was so
hateful to you； you couldn't。 Well； I should hate to tell him that； but
that isn't the reason。 There！〃 She tore the letter in pieces； and threw
it on the floor。 Clementina did not make any sign of seeing this； and
Mrs。 Milray dropped upon her chair again。 〃Oh； how hard you are！ Can't
you say something to me？〃
Clementina did not lift her eyes。 〃I don't feel like saying anything
just now。〃
Mrs。 Milray was silent a moment。 Then she sighed。 〃Well； you may hate
me； but I shall always be your friend。 What hotel are you going to in
Liverpool？
〃I don't know；〃 said Clementina。
〃You had better come to the one where we go。 I'm afraid Mrs。 Lander
won't know how to manage very well； and we've been in Liverpool so often。
May I speak to her about it？〃
〃If you want to；〃 Clementina coldly assented。
〃I see！〃 said Mrs。 Milray。 〃You don't want to be under the same roof
with me。 Well； you needn't！ But I'll tell you a good hotel： the one
that the trains start out of； and I'll send you that letter for Miss
Milray。〃 Clemeutina was silent。 〃Well； I'll send it； anyway。〃
Mrs。 Milray went away in sudden tears； but the girl remained dry…eyed。
XIX。
Mrs。 Lander realized when the ship came to anchor in the stream at
Liverpool that she had not been seasick a moment during the voyage。 In
the brisk cold of the winter morni
