the register-第3章
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MISS REED： 〃Oh； HE suffered！〃
MISS SPAULDING： 〃You know that he was perfectly devoted to you。〃
MISS REED： 〃He never said so。〃
MISS SPAULDING： 〃Perhaps he didn't dare。〃
MISS REED： 〃He dared to be very insolent to me。〃
MISS SPAULDING： 〃And you know you liked him very much。〃
MISS REED： 〃I won't let you say that； Nettie Spaulding。 I DIDN'T
like him。 I respected and admired him； but I didn't LIKE him。 He
will come near me； but if he does he has to begin bybyLet me see；
what shall I make him begin by doing？〃 She casts up her eyes for
inspiration while she leans forward over the register。 〃Yes； I will！
He has got to begin by taking that money！〃
MISS SPAULDING： 〃Ethel； you wouldn't put that affront upon a
sensitive and high…spirited man！〃
MISS REED： 〃Wouldn't I？ You wait and SEE； Miss Spaulding！ He shall
take the money； and he shall sign a receipt for it。 I'll draw up the
receipt now； so as to have it ready； and I shall ask him to sign it
the very moment he enters this doorthe very instant！〃 She takes a
portfolio from the table near her； without rising； and writes：
〃'Received from Miss Ethel Reed one hundred and twenty…five dollars；
in full； for twenty…five lessons in oil…painting。' Therewhen Mr。
Oliver Ransom has signed this little document he may begin to talk；
not before！〃 She leans back in her chair with an air of pitiless
determination。
MISS SPAULDING： 〃But； Ethel； you don't mean to make him take money
for the lessons he gave you after he told you you couldn't learn
anything？〃
MISS REED； after a moment's pause： 〃Yes； I do。 This is to punish
him。 I don't wish for justice now； I wish for vengeance！ At first I
would have compromised on the six lessons； or on none at all； if he
had behaved nicely； but after what's happened I shall insist upon
paying him for every lesson； so as to make him feel that the whole
thing； from first to last； was a purely business transaction on my
part。 Yes； a PURELYBUSINESSTRANSACTION！〃
MISS SPAULDING； turning to her music： 〃Then I've got nothing more to
say to you； Ethel Reed。〃
MISS REED： 〃I don't say but what； after he's taken the money and
signed the receipt； I'll listen to anything else he's got to say；
very willingly。〃 Miss Spaulding makes no answer； but begins to play
with a scientific absorption； feeling her way fitfully through the
new piece； while Miss Reed； seated by the register； trifles with the
book she has taken from the table。
II。
The interior of the room of Miss Spaulding and Miss Reed remains in
view； while the scene discloses； on the other side of the partition
wall in the same house； the bachelor apartment of Mr。 Samuel
Grinnidge。 Mr。 Grinnidge in his dressing…gown and slippers； with his
pipe in his mouth； has the effect of having just come in； his friend
Mr。 Oliver Ransom stands at the window； staring out into the November
weather。
GRINNIDGE： 〃How long have you been waiting here？〃
RANSOM： 〃Ten minutesten years。 How should I know？〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃Well； I don't know who else should。 Get back to…day？〃
RANSOM： 〃Last night。〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃Well； take off your coat； and pull up to the register；
and warm your poor feet。〃 He puts his hand out over the register。
〃Confound it！ somebody's got the register open in the next room！ You
see； one pipe comes up from the furnace and branches into a V just
under the floor； and professes to heat both rooms。 But it don't。
There was a fellow in there last winter who used to get all my heat。
Used to go out and leave his register open； and I'd come in here just
before dinner and find this place as cold as a barn。 We had a
running fight of it all winter。 The man who got his register open
first in the morning got all the heat for the day； for it never
turned the other way when it started in one direction。 Used to
almost suffocatewarm； muggy daysmaintaining my rights。 Some
piano…pounder in there this winter； it seems。 Hear？ And she hasn't
lost any time in learning the trick of the register。 What kept you
so late in the country？〃
RANSOM； after an absent…minded pause： 〃Grinnidge； I wish you would
give me some advice。〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃You can have all you want of it at the market price。〃
RANSOM： 〃I don't mean your legal advice。〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃I'm sorry。 What have you been doing？〃
RANSOM： 〃I've been making an ass of myself。〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃Wasn't that rather superfluous？〃
RANSOM： 〃If you please； yes。 But now； it you're capable of
listening to me without any further display of your cross…examination
wit； I should like to tell you how it happened。〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃I will do my best to veil my brilliancy。 Go on。〃
RANSOM： 〃I went up to Ponkwasset early in September for the
foliage。〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃And staid till late in October。 There must have been a
reason for that。 What was her name？ Foliage？〃
RANSOM； coming up to the corner of the chimney…piece； near which his
friend sits； and talking to him directly over the register： 〃I think
you'll have to get along without the name for the present。 I'll tell
you by and by。〃 As Mr。 Ransom pronounces these words； Miss Reed； on
her side of the partition； lifts her head with a startled air； and；
after a moment of vague circumspection； listens keenly。 〃But she was
beautiful。 She was a blonde； and she had the loveliest eyeseyes；
you know； that could be funny or tender； just as she chosethe kind
of eyes I always liked。〃 Miss Reed leads forward over the register。
〃She had one of those faces that always leave you in doubt whether
they're laughing at you； and so keep you in wholesome subjection； but
you feel certain that they're GOOD； and that if they did hurt you by
laughing at you； they'd look sorry for you afterward。 When she
walked you saw what an exquisite creature she was。 It always made me
mad to think I couldn't PAINT her walk。〃
GRINNIDGE： 〃I suppose you saw a good deal of her walk。〃
RANSOM： 〃Yes； we were off in the woods and fields half the time
together。〃 He takes a turn towards the window。
MISS REED； suddenly shutting the register on her side： 〃Oh！〃
MISS SPAULDING； looking up from her music： 〃What is it； Ethel？〃
MISS REED： 〃Nothing； nothing； IIthought it was getting too warm。
Go on； dear； don't let me interrupt you。〃 After a moment of heroic
self…denial she softly presses the register open with her foot。
RANSOM； coming back to the register： 〃It all began in that way。 I
had the good fortune one day to rescue her from acow。〃
MISS REED： 〃Oh； for shame！〃
MISS SPAULDING； desisting from her piano： 〃What IS the matter？〃
MISS REED； clapping the register to： 〃This ridiculous book！ But
don'tdon't mind me； Nettie。〃 Breathlessly： 〃Gogoon！〃 Miss
Spaulding resumes； and again Miss Reed softly presses the register
open。
RANSOM； after a pause： 〃The cow was grazing； and had no more thought
of hooking Miss〃
MISS REED： 〃Oh； I didn't suppose he WOULD！Go on； Nettie； go on！
The heroSUCH a goose！〃
RANSOM： 〃I drove her away with my camp…stool； and Missthe young
ladywas as grateful as if I had rescued her from a menagerie of
wild animals。 I walked home with her to the farm house； and the
trouble began at once。〃 Pantomime of indignant protest and burlesque
menace on the part of Miss Reed。 〃There wasn't another well woman in
the house； except her friend Miss Spaulding； who was rather old and
rather plain。〃 He takes another turn to the window。
MISS REED： 〃Oh！〃 She shuts the register； but instantly opens it
again。 〃Louder； Nettie。〃
MISS SPAULDING； in astonishment： 〃What？〃
MISS REED： 〃Did I speak？ I didn't know it。 I〃 …
MISS SPAULDING； desisting from practice： 〃What is that strange；
hollow； rumbling； mumbling kind of noise？〃
MISS REED； softly closing the register with her foot： 〃I don't hear
any strange； hollow； rumbling； mumbling kind of noise。 Do you hear
it NOW？〃
MISS SPAULDING： 〃No。 It was the Brighton whistle； probably。〃
MISS REED： 〃Oh； very likely。〃 As Miss Spaulding turns again to her
practice Miss Reed re…opens the register and listens again。 A little
interval of silence ensues； while Ransom lights a cigarette。
GRINNIDGE： 〃So yo
