ragged lady, v2-第9章

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to　any　social　fortune　that　might　befall　her；　and　then　she　would　have
liked　to　see　her　married　to　a　title；　and　taking　the　glory　of　this　world
with　an　unconsciousness　that　experience　would　never　wholly　penetrate。
But　then　again　she　felt　that　this　would　be　somehow　a　profanation；　and　she
wanted　to　pack　her　up　and　get　her　back　to　Middlemount　before　anything　of
the　kind　should　happen。　　She　gave　Milray　these　impressions　of　Clementina
in　the　letter　she　wrote　to　thank　him　for　her；　and　to　scold　him　for
sending　the　girl　to　her。　　She　accused　him　of　wishing　to　get　off　on　her　a
riddle　which　he　could　not　read　himself；　but　she　owned　that　the　charm　of
Clementina's　mystery　was　worth　a　thousand　times　the　fatigue　of　trying　to
guess　her　out　and　that　she　was　more　and　more　infatuated　with　her　every
day。

In　the　meantime；　Miss　Milray's　little　dance　grew　upon　her　till　it　became
a　very　large　one　that　filled　her　villa　to　overflowing　when　the　time　came
for　it。　　She　lived　on　one　of　the　fine　avenues　of　the　Oltrarno　region；
laid　out　in　the　brief　period　of　prosperity　which　Florence　enjoyed　as　the
capital　of　Italy。　　The　villa　was　built　at　that　time；　and　it　was　much
newer　than　the　house　on　Seventeenth　street　in　New　York；　where　she　spent
the　girlhood　that　had　since　prolonged　itself　beyond　middle　life　with　her。
She　had　first　lived　abroad　in　the　Paris　of　the　Second　Empire；　and　she　had
been　one　winter　in　Rome；　but　she　had　settled　definitely　in　Florence
before　London　became　an　American　colony；　so　that　her　friends　were　chiefly
Americans；　though　she　had　a　wide　international　acquaintance。　　Perhaps　her
habit　of　taking　her　brother's　part；　when　he　was　a　black　sheep；　inclined
her　to　mercy　with　people　who　had　not　been　so　blameless　in　their　morals　as
they　were　in　their　minds　and　manners。　　She　exacted　that　they　should　be
interesting　and　agreeable；　and　not　too　threadbare；　but　if　they　had
something　that　decently　buttoned　over　the　frayed　places；　she　did　not
frown　upon　their　poverty。　　Bohemians　of　all　kinds　liked　her；　Philistines
liked　her　too；　and　in　such　a　place　as　Florence；　where　the　Philistines
themselves　are　a　little　Bohemian；　she　might　be　said　to　be　very　popular。
You　met　persons　whom　you　did　not　quite　wish　to　meet　at　her　house；　but　if
these　did　not　meet　you　there；　it　was　your　loss。

On　the　night　of　the　dance　the　line　of　private　carriages；　remises　and
cabs；　lined　the　Viale　Ariosto　for　a　mile　up　and　down　before　her　gates；
where　young　artists　of　both　sexes　arrived　on　foot。　　By　this　time　her
passion　for　Clementina　was　at　its　height。　　She　had　Maddalena　bring　her
out　early　in　the　evening；　and　made　her　dress　under　her　own　eye　and　her
French　maid's；　while　Maddalena　went　back　to　comfort　Mrs。　Lander。

〃I　hated　to　leave　her；〃　said　Clementina。　　〃I　don't　believe　she's　very
well。〃

〃Isn't　she　always　ill？〃　demanded　Miss　Milray。　　She　embraced　the　girl
again；　as　if　once　were　not　enough。　　〃Clementina；　if　Mrs。　Lander　won't
give　you　to　me；　I'm　going　to　steal　you。　　Do　you　know　what　I　want　you　to
do　tonight？　　I　want　you　to　stand　up　with　me；　and　receive；　till　the
dancing　begins；　as　if　it　were　your　coming…out。　　I　mean　to　introduce
everybody　to　you。　　You'll　be　easily　the　prettiest　girl；　there；　and　you'll
have　the　nicest　gown；　and　I　don't　mean　that　any　of　your　charms　shall　be
thrown　away。　　You　won't　be　frightened？〃

〃No；　I　don't　believe　I　shall；〃　said　Clementina。　　〃You　can　tell　me　what　to
do。〃

The　dress　she　wore　was　of　pale　green；　like　the　light　seen　in　thin　woods；
out　of　it　shone　her　white　shoulders；　and　her　young　face；　as　if　rising
through　the　verdurous　light。　　The　artists；　to　a　man　and　woman；　wished　to
paint　her；　and　severally　told　her　so；　during　the　evening　which　lasted
till　morning。　　She　was　not　surprised　when　Lord　Lioncourt　appeared；　toward
midnight；　and　astonished　Miss　Milray　by　claiming　acquaintance　with
Clementina。　　He　asked　about　Mrs。　Lander；　and　whether　she　had　got　to
Florence　without　losing　the　way；　he　laughed　but　he　seemed　really　to　care。
He　took　Clementina　out　to　supper；　when　the　time　came；　and　she　would　have
topped　him　by　half　a　head　as　she　leaned　on　his　arm；　if　she　had　not
considerately　drooped　and　trailed　a　little　after　him。

She　could　not　know　what　a　triumph　he　was　making　for　her；　and　it　was
merely　part　of　the　magic　of　the　time　that　Mr。　Ewins　should　come　in
presently　with　one　of　the　ladies。　　He　had　arrived　in　Florence　that　day；
and　had　to　be　brought　unasked。　　He　put　on　the　effect　of　an　old　friend
with　her；　but　Clementina's　curiosity　was　chiefly　taken　with　a　tall
American；　whom　she　thought　very　handsome。　　His　light　yellow　hair　was
brushed　smooth　across　his　forehead　like　a　well…behaving　boy's；　he　was
dressed　like　the　other　men；　but　he　seemed　not　quite　happy　in　his　evening
coat；　and　his　gloves　which　he　smote　together　uneasily　from　time　to　time。
He　appeared　to　think　that　somehow　the　radiant　Clementina　would　know　how
he　felt；　he　did　not　dance；　and　he　professed　to　have　found　himself　at　the
party　by　a　species　of　accident。　　He　told　her　that　he　was　out　in　Europe
looking　after　a　patent　right　that　he　had　just　taken　hold　of；　and　was
having　only　a　middling　good　time。　　He　pretended　surprise　to　hear　her　say
that　she　was　having　a　first…rate　time；　and　he　tried　to　reason　her　out　of
it。　　He　confessed　that　from　the　moment　he　came　into　the　room　he　had　made
up　his　mind　to　take　her　to　supper；　and　had　never　been　so　disgusted　in　his
life　as　when　he　saw　that　little　lord　toddling　off　with　her；　and　trying　to
look　as　large　as　life。　　He　asked　her　what　a　lord　was　like；　anyway；　and　he
made　her　laugh　all　the　time。

He　told　her　his　name；　G。　W。　Hinkle；　and　asked　whether　she　would　be　likely
to　remember　it　if　they　ever　met　again。

Another　man　who　interested　her　very　much　was　a　young　Russian；　with
curling　hair　and　neat；　small　features　who　spoke　better　English　than　she
did；　and　said　he　was　going　to　be　a　writer；　but　had　not　yet　decided
whether　to　write　in　Russian　or　French；　she　supposed　he　had　wanted　her
advice；　but　he　did　not　wait　for　it；　or　seem　to　expect　it。　　He　was　very
much　in　earnest；　while　he　fanned　her；　and　his　earnestness　amused　her　as
much　as　the　American's　irony。　　He　asked　which　city　of　America　she　came
from；　and　when　she　said　none；　he　asked　which　part　of　America。　　She
answered　New　England；　and　he　said；　〃Oh；　yes；　that　is　where　they　have　the
conscience。〃　　She　did　not　know　what　he　meant；　and　he　put　before　her　the
ideal　of　New　England　girlhood　which　he　had　evolved　from　reading　American
novels。　　〃Are　you　like　that？〃　he　demanded。

She　laughed；　and　said；　〃Not　a　bit；〃　and　asked　him　if　he　had　ever　met　such
an　American　girl；　and　he　said；　frankly；　No；　the　American　girls　were　all
mercenary；　and　cared　for　nothing　but　money；　or　marrying　titles。　　He　added
that　he　had　a　title；　but　he　would　not　wear　it。

Clementina　said　she　did　not　believe　she　cared　for　titles；　and　then　he
said；　〃But　you　care　for　money。〃　　She　denied　it；　but　as　if　she　had
confessed　it；　he　went　on：　〃The　only　American　that　I　have　seen　with　that
conscience　was　a　man。　　I　will　tell　you　of　him；　if　you　wish。〃

He　did　not　wait　for　her　answer。　　〃It　was　in　Naplesat　Pompeii。　　I　saw　at
the　first　glance　that　he　was　different　from　other　Americans；　and　I
resolved　to　know　him。　　He　was　there　in　company　with　a　stupid　boy；　whose
tutor　he　was；　and　he　told　me　that　he　was　studying　to　be　a　minister　of　the
Protestant　church。　　Next　year　he　will　go　home　to　be　consecrated。　　He
promised　to　pass　through　Florence　in　the　spring；　and　he　will　keep　his
word。　　Every　act；　every　word；　every　thought　of　his　is　regulated　by
conscience。　　It　is　terrible；　but　it　is　beautiful。〃　　All　the　time；　the
Russian　was　fanning　Clementina；　with　every　outward　appearance　of
flirtation。　　〃Will　you　dance　again？　　No？　　I　should　like　to　draw　such　a
character　as　his　in　a　romance。〃




XXII。

It　was　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　before　Miss　Milray　sent　Clementina　home
in　her　carriage。　　She　would　have　kept　her　to　breakfast；　but　Clementina
said　she　ought　to　go　on　Mrs。　Lander's　account；　and　she　wished　to　go　on
her　own。

She　thought　she　would　steal　to　bed　without　waking　her；　but　she　was
stopped　by　the　sound　of　groans　when　she　entered　their　apartment；　the
light　gushed　from　Mrs。　Lander's　door。　　Maddal