ragged lady, v2-第7章

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stay　in　Florence。　　My；　but　it's　sightly　！　　〃She　joined　Clementina　a
moment　at　the　windows　looking　upon　the　Arno；　and　the　hills　beyond　it。
〃I　guess　you'll　spend　most　of　your　time　settin'　at　this　winder；　and　I
sha'n't　blame　you。〃

They　had　arrived　late　in　the　dull；　soft　winter　afternoon。　　The　landlord
led　the　way　himself　to　their　apartment；　and　asked　if　they　would　have
fire；　a　facchino　came　in　and　kindled　roaring　blazes　on　the　hearths；　at
the　same　time　a　servant　lighted　all　the　candles　on　the　tables　and
mantels。　　They　both　gracefully　accepted　the　fees　that　Mrs。　Lander　made
Clementina　give　them；　the　facchino　kissed　the　girl's　hand。　　〃My！〃　said
Mrs。　Lander；　〃I　guess　you　never　had　　your　hand　kissed　before。〃

The　hotel　developed　advantages　which；　if　not　those　she　was　used　to；　were
still　advantages。　　The　halls　were　warmed　by　a　furnace；　and　she　came　to
like　the　little　logs　burning　in　her　rooms。　　In　the　care　of　her　own　fire；
she　went　back　to　the　simple　time　of　her　life　in　the　country；　and　chose　to
kindle　it　herself　when　it　died　out；　with　the　fagots　of　broom　that　blazed
up　so　briskly。

In　the　first　days　of　her　stay　she　made　inquiry　for　the　best　American
doctor　in　Florence；　and　she　found　him　so　intelligent　that　she　at　once　put
her　liver　in　his　charge；　with　a　history　of　her　diseases　and　symptoms　of
every　kind。　　She　told　him　that　she　was　sure　that　he　could　have　cured　Mr。
Lander；　if　he　had　only　had　him　in　time；　she　exacted　a　new　prescription
from　him　for　herself；　and　made　him　order　some　quinine　pills　for
Clementina　against　the　event　of　her　feeling　debilitated　by　the　air　of
Florence。




XX。

In　these　first　days　a　letter　came　to　Clementina　from　Mrs。　Lander's
banker；　enclosing　the　introduction　which　Mrs。　Milray　had　promised　to　her
sister…in…law。　　It　was　from　Mr。　Milray；　as　before；　and　it　was　in　Mrs。
Milray's　handwriting；　but　no　message　from　her　came　with　it。　　To
Clementina　it　explained　itself；　but　she　had　to　explain　it　to　Mrs。　Lander。
She　had　to　tell　her　of　Mrs。　Milray's　behavior　after　the　entertainment　on
the　steamer；　and　Mrs。　Lander　said　that　Clementina　had　done　just　exactly
right；　and　they　both　decided；　against　some　impulses　of　curiosity　in
Clementina's　heart；　that　she　should　not　make　use　of　the　introduction。

The　'Hotel　des　Financieres'　was　mainly　frequented　by　rich　Americans　full
of　ready　money；　and　by　rich　Russians　of　large　credit。　　Better　Americans
and　worse；　went；　like　the　English；　to　smaller　and　cheaper　hotels；　and
Clementina's　acquaintance　was　confined　to　mothers　as　shy　and
ungrammatical　as　Mrs。　Lander　herself；　and　daughters　blankly　indifferent
to　her。　　Mrs。　Lander　drove　out　every　day　when　it　did　not　rain；　and　she
took　Clementina　with　her；　because　the　doctor　said　it　would　do　them　both
good；　but　otherwise　the　girl　remained　pent　in　their　apartment。　　The
doctor　found　her　a　teacher；　and　she　kept　on　with　her　French；　and　began　to
take　lessons　in　Italian；　she　spoke　with　no　one　but　her　teacher；　except
when　the　doctor　came。　　At　the　table　d'hote　she　heard　talk　of　the　things
that　people　seemed　to　come　to　Florence　for：　pictures；　statues；　palaces；
famous　places；　and　it　made　her　ashamed　of　not　knowing　about　them。　　But
she　could　not　go　to　see　these　things　alone；　and　Mrs。　Lander；　in　the
content　she　felt　with　all　her　circumstances；　seemed　not　to　suppose　that
Clementina　could　care　for　anything　but　the　comfort　of　the　hotel　and　the
doctor's　visits。　　When　the　girl　began　to　get　letters　from　home　in　answer
to　the　first　she　had　written　back；　boasting　how　beautiful　Florence　was；
they　assumed　that　she　was　very　gay；　and　demanded　full　accounts　of　her
pleasures。　　Her　brother　Jim　gave　something　of　the　village　news；　but　he
said　he　supposed　that　she　would　not　care　for　that；　and　she　would　probably
be　too　proud　to　speak　to　them　when　she　came　home。　　The　Richlings　had
called　in　to　share　the　family　satisfaction　in　Clementina's　first
experiences；　and　Mrs。　Richling　wrote　her　very　sweetly　of　their　happiness
in　them。　　She　charged　her　from　the　rector　not　to　forget　any　chance　of
self…improvement　in　the　allurements　of　society；　but　to　make　the　most　of
her　rare　opportunities。　　She　said　that　they　had　got　a　guide…book　to
Florence；　with　a　plan　of　the　city；　and　were　following　her　in　the
expeditions　they　decided　she　must　be　making　every　day；　they　were　reading
up　the　Florentine　history　in　Sismondi's　Italian　Republics；　and　she　bade
Clementina　be　sure　and　see　all　the　scenes　of　Savonarola's　martyrdom；　so
that　they　could　talk　them　over　together　when　she　returned。

Clexnentina　wondered　what　Mrs。　Richling　would　think　if　she　told　her　that
all　she　knew　of　Florence　was　what　she　overheard　in　the　talk　of　the　girls
in　the　hotel；　who　spoke　before　her　of　their　dances　and　afternoon　teas；
and　evenings　at　the　opera；　and　drives　in　the　Cascine；　and　parties　to
Fiesole；　as　if　she　were　not　by。

The　days　and　weeks　passed；　until　Carnival　was　half　gone；　and　Mrs。　Lander
noticed　one　day　that　Clementina　appeared　dull。　　〃You　don't　seem　to　get
much　acquainted？〃　　she　suggested。

〃Oh；　the'e's　plenty　of　time；〃　said　Clementina。

〃I　wish　the'e　was　somebody　you　could　go　round　with；　and　see　the　place。
Shouldn't　yon　like　to　see　the　place？　　〃　Mrs。　Lander　pursued。

〃There's　no　hurry　about　it；　Mrs。　Lander。　　It　will　stay　as　long　as　we　do。〃

Mrs。　Lander　was　thoughtfully　silent。　　Then　she　said；　〃I　declare；　I've　got
half　a　mind　to　make　you　send　that　letta　to　Miss　Milray；　after　all。　　What
difference　if　Mrs。　Milray　did　act　so　ugly　to　you？　　He　never　did；　and
she's　his　sista。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　want　to　send　it；　Mrs。　Landa；　you　mustn't　ask　me　to。　　I　shall
get　along；〃　said　Clementina。　　The　recognition　of　her　forlornness　deepened
it；　but　she　was　cheerfuller；　for　no　reason；　the　next　morning；　and　that
afternoon；　the　doctor　unexpectedly　came　upon　a　call　which　he　made　haste
to　say　was　not　professional。

〃I've　just　come　from　another　patient　of　mine；　and　I　promised　to　ask　if
you　had　not　crossed　on　the　same　ship　with　a　brother　of　hers；Mr。
Milray。〃

Celementina　and　Mrs。　Lander　looked　guiltily　at　each　other。　　〃I　guess　we
did；〃　Mrs。　Lander　owned　at　last；　with　a　reluctant　sigh。

〃Then；　she　says　you　have　a　letter　for　her。〃

The　doctor　spoke　to　both；　but　his　looks　confessed　that　he　was　not
ignorant　of　the　fact　when　Mrs。　Lander　admitted；　〃Well　Clementina；　he'e；
has。〃

〃She　wants　to　know　why　you　haven't　delivered　it；〃　the　doctor　blurted　out。

Mrs。　Lander　looked　at　Clementina。　　〃I　guess　she　ha'n't　quite　got　round　to
it　yet；　have　you；　Clementina？〃

The　doctor　put　in：　〃Well；　Miss　Milray　is　rather　a　dangerous　person　to
keep　waiting。　　If　you　don't　deliver　it　pretty　soon；　I　shouldn't　be
surprised　if　she　came　to　get　it。〃　　Dr。　Welwright　was　a　young　man　in　the
early　thirties；　with　a　laugh　that　a　great　many　ladies　said　had　done　more
than　any　one　thing　for　them；　and　he　now　prescribed　it　for　Clementina。
But　it　did　not　seem　to　help　her　in　the　trouble　her　face　betrayed。

Mrs。　Lander　took　the　word；　〃Well；　I　wouldn't　say　it　to　everybody。　　But
you're　our　doctor；　and　I　guess　you　won't　mind　it。　　We　don't　like　the　way
Mrs。　Milray　acted　to　Clementina；　in　the　ship；　and　we　don't　want　to　be
beholden　to　any　of　her　folks。　　I　don't　know　as　Clementina　wants　me　to
tell　you　just　what　it　was；　and　I　won't；　but　that's　the　long　and　sho't　of
it。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　doctor　said。　　〃I've　never　met　Mrs。　Milray；　but　Miss
Milray　has　such　a　pleasant　house；　and　likes　to　get　young　people　about
her。　　There　are　a　good　many　young　people　in　your　hotel；　though；　and　I
suppose　you　all　have　a　very　good　time　here　together。〃　　He　ended　by
speaking　to　Clementina；　and　now　he　said　he　had　done　his　errand；　and　must
be　going。

When　he　was　gone；　Mrs。　Lander　faltered；　〃I　don't　know　but　what　we　made　a
mistake；　Clementina。〃

It's　too　late　to　worry　about　it　now；〃　said　the　girl。

We　ha'n't　bound　to　stay　in　Florence；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；　thoughtfully。
〃I　only　took　the　rooms　by　the　week；　and　we　can　go；　any　time；　Clementina；
if　you　are　uncomf'table　bein'　here　on　Miss　Milray's　account。　　We　could　go
to　Rome；　they　say　Rome's　a　nice　place；　or　to　Egypt。〃

Mrs。　Milray's　in　Egypt；〃　Clementina　suggested。

That's　true；〃　Mrs。　Lander　admitted；　with　a　sigh。　　After　a　while　she　went
on；　〃I　do