ragged lady, v1-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　servant　in　the　house；　and　the　position　can　be　regarded　as　a　kind　of
public　function；　anyhow。　　I　can't　say　that　I've　hired　her　to　take　the
part；　but　I　can　give　her　a　present　afterwards；　and　it　will　be　the　same
thing。〃

The　question　of　clothes　for　Clementina　Mrs。　Milray　declared　was　almost　as
sweeping　in　its　implication　as　the　question　of　the　child's　creation。〃
She　has　got　to　be　dressed　new　from　head　to　foot；〃　she　said；　〃every
stitch；　and　how　am　I　to　manage　it　in　twenty…four　hours？〃

By　a　succession　of　miracles　with　cheese…cloth；　and　sashes　and　ribbons；　it
was　managed；　and　ended　in　a　triumph　so　great　that　Mrs。　Milray　took　the
girl　in　her　arms　and　kissed　her　for　looking　the　Spirit　of　Summer　to　a
perfection　that　the　victim　of　the　mumps　could　not　have　approached。　　The
victory　was　not　lastingly　marred　by　the　failure　of　Clementina's　shoes　to
look　the　Spirit　of　Summer　as　well　as　the　rest　of　her　costume。　　No　shoes
at　all　world　have　been　the　very　thing；　but　shoes　so　shabby　and　worn　down
at　one　side　of　the　heel　as　Clementina's　were　very　far　from　the　thing。
Mrs。　Milray　decided　that　another　fold　of　cheese…cloth　would　add　to　the
statuesque　charm　of　her　figure；　and　give　her　more　height；　and　she　was
richly　satisfied　with　the　effect　when　the　Middlemount　coach　drove　up　to
the　great　veranda　the　next　morning；　with　all　the　figures　of　her　picture
in　position　on　its　roof；　and　Clementina　supreme　among　them。　　She　herself
mounted　in　simple；　undramatized　authority　to　her　official　seat　beside　the
landlord；　who　in　coachman's　dress；　with　a　bouquet　of　autumnal　flowers　in
his　lapel；　sat　holding　his　garlanded　reins　over　the　backs　of　his　six
horses；　and　then　the　coach　as　she　intended　it　to　appear　in　the　parade　set
out　as　soon　as　the　turnouts　of　the　other　houses　joined　it。　　They　were　all
to　meet　at　the　Middlemount；　which　was　thickly　draped　and　festooned　in
flags；　with　knots　of　evergreen　and　the　first　red　boughs　of　the　young
swamp　maples　holding　them　in　place　over　its　irregular　facade。　　The　coach
itself　was　amass　of　foliage　and　flowers；　from　which　it　defined　itself　as
a　wheeled　vehicle　in　vague　and　partial　outline；　the　other　wagons　and
coaches；　as　they　drove　tremulously　up；　with　an　effect　of　having　been
mired　in　blossoms　about　their　spokes　and　hubs；　had　the　unwieldiness　which
seems　inseparable　from　spectacularity。　　They　represented　motives　in　color
and　design　sometimes　tasteless　enough；　and　sometimes　so　nearly　very　good
that　Mrs。　Milray's　heart　was　a　great　deal　in　her　mouth；　as　they　arrived；
each　with　its　hotel…cry　roared　and　shrilled　from　a　score　of　masculine　and
feminine　throats；　and　finally　spelled　for　distinctness　sake；　with　an
ultimate　yell　or　growl。　　But　she　had　not　finished　giving　the　lady…
representative　of　a　Sunday　newspaper　the　points　of　her　own　tableau；
before　she　regained　the　courage　and　the　faith　in　which　she　remained
serenely　steadfast　throughout　the　parade。

It　was　when　all　the　equipages　of　the　neighborhood　had　arrived　that　she
climbed　to　her　place；　the　ladder　was　taken　away；　the　landlord　spoke　to
his　horses；　and　the　Middlemount　coach　led　the　parade；　amid　the　renewed
slogans；　and　the　cries　and　fluttered　handkerchiefs　of　the　guests　crowding
the　verandas。

The　line　of　march　was　by　one　road　to　Middlemount　Centre；　where　the　prize
was　to　be　awarded　at　the　judges'　stand；　and　then　the　coaches　were　to
escort　the　triumphant　vehicle　homeward　by　another　route；　so　as　to　pass　as
many　houses　on　the　way　as　possible。　　It　was　a　curious　expression　of　the
carnival　spirit　in　a　region　immemorially　starved　of　beauty　in　the　lives
of　its　people；　and　whatever　was　the　origin　of　the　mountain　coaching
parade；　or　from　whatever　impulse　of　sentimentality　or　advertising　it
came；　the　effect　was　of　undeniable　splendor；　and　of　phantasmagoric
strangeness。

Gregory　watched　its　progress　from　a　hill…side　pasture　as　it　trailed
slowly　along　the　rising　and　falling　road。　　The　songs　of　the　young　girls；
interrupted　by　the　explosion　of　hotel　slogans　and　college　cries　from　the
young　men；　floated　off　to　him　on　the　thin　breeze　of　the　cloudless　August
morning；　like　the　hymns　and　shouts　of　a　saturnalian　rout　going　in　holiday
processional　to　sacrifice　to　their　gods。　　Words　of　fierce　Hebrew　poetry
burned　in　his　thought；　the　warnings　and　the　accusals　and　the
condemnations　of　the　angry　prophets；　and　he　stood　rapt　from　his　own　time
and　place　in　a　dream　of　days　when　the　Most　High　stooped　to　commune　face
to　face　with　His　ministers；　while　the　young　voices　of　those　forgetful　or
ignorant　of　Him；　called　to　his　own　youth；　and　the　garlanded　chariots；
with　their　banners　and　their　streamers　passed　on　the　road　beneath　him　and
out　of　sight　in　the　shadow　of　the　woods　beyond。

When　the　prize　was　given　to　the　Middlemount　coach　at　the　Center　the
landlord　took　the　flag；　and　gallantly　transferred　it　to　Mrs。　Milray；　and
Mrs。　Milray　passed　it　up　to　Clementina；　and　bade　her；　〃Wave　it；　wave　it！〃

The　village　street　was　thronged　with　people　that　cheered；　and　swung　their
hats　and　handkerchiefs　to　the　coach　as　it　left　the　judges'　stand　and
drove　under　the　triumphal　arch；　with　the　other　coaches　behind　it。　　Then
Atwell　turned　his　horses　heads　homewards；　and　at　the　brisker　pace　with
which　people　always　return　from　festivals　or　from　funerals；　he　left　the
village　and　struck　out　upon　the　country　road　with　his　long　escort　before
him。　　The　crowd　was　quick　to　catch　the　courteous　intention　of　the
victors；　and　followed　them　with　applause　as　far　beyond　the　village
borders　as　wind　and　limb　would　allow；　but　the　last　noisy　boy　had　dropped
off　breathless　before　they　reached　a　half…finished　house　in　the　edge　of
some　woods。　　A　line　of　little　children　was　drawn　up　by　the　road…side
before　it；　who　watched　the　retinue　with　grave　eagerness；　till　the
Middlemount　coach　came　in　full　sight。　　Then　they　sprang　into　the　air；　and
beating　their　hands　together；　screamed；　〃Clem！　　Clem！　　Oh　it's　Clem！〃
and　jumped　up　and　down；　and　a　shabby　looking　work　worn　woman　came　round
the　corner　of　the　house　and　stared　up　at　Clementina　waving　her　banner
wildly　to　the　children；　and　shouting　unintelligible　words　to　them。　　The
young　people　on　the　coach　joined　in　response　to　the　children；　some
simply；　some　ironically；　and　one　of　the　men　caught　up　a　great　wreath　of
flowers　which　lay　at　Clementina's　feet；　and　flung　it　down　to　them；　the
shabby　woman　quickly　vanished　round　the　corner　of　the　house　again。　　Mrs。
Milray　leaned　over　to　ask　the　landlord；　〃Who　in　the　world　are
Clementina's　friends？〃

〃Why　don't　you　know？〃　　he　retorted　in　abated　voice。　　〃Them's　her　brothas
and　sistas。〃

〃And　that　woman？〃

〃The　lady　at　the　conna？　　That's　her　motha。〃

When　the　event　was　over；　and　all　the　things　had　been　said　and　said　again；
and　there　was　nothing　more　to　keep　the　spring　and　summer　months　from
going　up　to　their　rooms　to　lie　down；　and　the　fall　and　winter　months　from
trying　to　get　something　to　eat；　Mrs。　Milray　found　herself　alone　with
Clementina。

The　child　seemed　anxious　about　something；　and　Mrs。　Milray；　who　wanted　to
go　and　lie　down；　too；　asked　a　little　impatiently；　〃What　is　it；
Clementina？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。　　Only　I　was　afraid　maybe　you　didn't　like　my　waving　to　the
children；　when　you　saw　how　queea　they　looked。〃　　Clementina's　lips
quivered。

〃Did　any　of　the　rest　say　anything？〃

〃I　know　what　they　thought。　　But　I　don't　care！　　I　should　do　it　right　over
again！〃

Mrs。　Milray's　happiness　in　the　day's　triumph　was　so　great　that　she　could
indulge　a　generous　emotion。　　She　caught　the　girl　in　her　arms。　　〃I　want　to
kiss　you；　I　want　to　hug　you；　Clementina！〃

The　notion　of　a　dance　for　the　following　night　to　celebrate　the　success　of
the　house　in　the　coaching　parade　came　to　Mrs。　Milray　aver　a　welsh…rarebit
which　she　gave　at　the　close　of　the　evening。　　The　party　was　in　the　charge
of　Gregory；　who　silently　served　them　at　their　orgy　with　an　austerity　that
might　have　conspired　with　the　viand　itself　against　their　dreams；　if　they
had　not　been　so　used　to　the　gloom　of　his　ministrations。　　He　would　not
allow　the　waitresses　to　be　disturbed　in　their　evening　leisure；　or　kept
from　their　sleep　by　such　belated　pleasures；　and　when　he　had　provided　the
materials　for　the　rarebit；　he　stood　aloof；　and　l