ragged lady, v1-第15章

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materials　for　the　rarebit；　he　stood　aloof；　and　left　their　combination　to
Mrs。　Milray　and　her　chafing…dish。

She　had　excluded　Clementina　on　account　of　her　youth；　as　she　said　to　one
of　the　fall　and　winter　months；　who　came　in　late；　and　noticed　Clementina's
absence　with　a　〃Hello！　　Anything　the　matter　with　the　Spirit　of　Summer？〃
Clementina　had　become　both　a　pet　and　a　joke　with　these　months　before　the
parade　was　over；　and　now　they　clamored　together；　and　said　they　must　have
her　at　the　dance　anyway。　　They　were　more　tepidly　seconded　by　the　spring
and　summer　months；　and　Mrs。　Milray　said；　〃Well；　then；　you'll　have　to　all
subscribe　and　get　her　a　pair　of　dancing　slippers。〃　　They　pressed　her　for
her　meaning；　and　she　had　to　explain　the　fact　of　Clementina's　destitution；
which　that　additional　fold　of　cheese…cloth　had　hidden　so　well　in　the
coaching　tableau　that　it　had　never　been　suspected。　　The　young　men
entreated　her　to　let　them　each　buy　a　pair　of　slippers　for　the　Spirit　of
Summer；　which　she　should　wear　in　turn　for　the　dance　that　she　must　give
each　of　them；　and　this　made　Mrs。　Milray　declare　that；　no；　the　child
should　not　come　to　the　dance　at　all；　and　that　she　was　not　going　to　have
her　spoiled。　　But；　before　the　party　broke　up；　she　promised　that　she　would
see　what　could　be　done；　and　she　put　it　very　prettily　to　the　child　the
next　day；　and　waited　for　her　to　say；　as　she　knew　she　must；　that　she　could
not　go；　and　why。　　They　agreed　that　the　cheese…cloth　draperies　of　the
Spirit　of　Summer　were　surpassingly　fit　for　the　dance；　but　they　had　to
agree　that　this　still　left　the　question　of　slippers　untouched。　　It
remained　even　more　hopeless　when　Clementina　tried　on　all　of　Mrs。　Milray's
festive　shoes；　and　none　of　her　razorpoints　and　high　heels　would　avail。
She　went　away　disappointed；　but　not　yet　disheartened；　youth　does　not　so
easily　renounce　a　pleasure　pressed　to　the　lips；　and　Clementina　had　it　in
her　head　to　ask　some　of　the　table　girls　to　help　her　out。　　She　meant　to
try　first　with　that　big　girl　who　had　helped　her　put　on　the　shoeman's
bronze　slippers；　and　she　hurried　through　the　office；　pushing　purblindly
past　Fane　without　looking　his　way；　when　he　called　to　her　in　the　deference
which　he　now　always　used　with　her；　〃Here's　a　package　here　for　you；
ClementinaMiss　Claxon；〃　and　he　gave　her　an　oblong　parcel；　addressed　in
a　hand　strange　to　her。　　〃Who　is　it　from？〃　she　asked；　innocently；　and　Fane
replied　with　the　same　ingenuousness：　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know。〃　　Afterwards
he　thought　of　having　retorted；　〃I　haven't　opened　it；〃　but　still　without
being　certain　that　he　would　have　had　the　courage　to　say　it。

Clementina　did　not　think　of　opening　it　herself；　even　when　she　was　alone
in　her　little　room　above　Mrs。　Atwell's；　until　she　had　carefully　felt　it
over；　and　ascertained　that　it　was　a　box　of　pasteboard；　three　or　four
inches　deep　and　wide；　and　eight　or　ten　inches　long。　　She　looked　at　the
address　again；　〃Miss　Clementina　Claxon；〃　and　at　the　narrow　notched　ribbon
which　tied　it；　and　noted　that　the　paper　it　was　wrapped　in　was　very　white
and　clean。　　Then　she　sighed；　and　loosed　the　knot；　and　the　paper　slipped
off　the　box；　and　at　the　same　time　the　lid　fell　off；　and　the　shoe　man's
bronze　slippers　fell　out　upon　the　floor。

Either　it　must　be　a　dream　or　it　must　be　a　joke；　it　could　not　be　both　real
and　earnest；　somebody　was　trying　to　tease　her；　such　flattery　of　fortune
could　not　be　honestly　meant。　　But　it　went　to　her　head；　and　she　was　so
giddy　with　it　as　she　caught　the　slippers　from　the　floor；　and　ran　down　to
Mrs。　Atwell；　that　she　knocked　against　the　sides　of　the　narrow　staircase。

〃What　is　it？　　What　does　it　mean？　　Who　did　it？〃　she　panted；　with　the
slippers　in　her　hand。　　〃Whe'e　did　they　come　from？〃　　She　poured　out　the
history　of　her　trying　on　these　shoes；　and　of　her　present　need　of　them　and
of　their　mysterious　coming；　to　meet　her　longing　after　it　had　almost
ceased　to　be　a　hope。　　Mrs。　Atwell　closed　with　her　in　an　exultation　hardly
short　of　a　clapping　the　hands。　　Her　hair　was　gray；　and　the　girl's　hair
still　hung　in　braids　down　her　back；　but　they　were　of　the　same　age　in
their　transport；　which　they　referred　to　Mrs。　Milray；　and　joined　with　her
in　glad　but　fruitless　wonder　who　had　sent　Clementina　the　shoes。　　Mrs。
Atwell　held　that　the　help　who　had　seen　the　girl　trying　them　on　had
clubbed　together　and　got　them　for　her　at　the　time；　and　had　now　given　them
to　her　for　the　honor　she　had　done　the　Middlemount　House　in　the　parade。
Mrs。　Milray　argued　that　the　spring　and　summer　months　had　secretly
dispatched　some　fall　and　winter　month　to　ransack　the　stores　at
Middlemount　Centre　for　them。　　Clementina　believed　that　they　came　from　the
shoe　man　himself；　who　had　always　wanted　to　send　them；　in　the　hope　that
she　would　keep　them；　and　had　merely　happened　to　send　them　just　then　in
that　moment　of　extremity　when　she　was　helpless　against　them。　　Each
conjecture　involved　improbabilities　so　gross　that　it　left　the　field　free
to　any　opposite　theory。

Rumor　of　the　fact　could　not　fail　to　go　through　the　house；　and　long　before
his　day's　work　was　done　it　reached　the　chef；　and　amused　him　as　a　piece　of
the　Boss's　luck。　　He　was　smoking　his　evening　pipe　at　the　kitchen　door
after　supper；　when　Clementina　passed　him　on　one　of　the　many　errands　that
took　her　between　Mrs。　Milray's　room　and　her　own；　and　he　called　to　her：
〃Boss；　what's　this　I　hear　about　a　pair　o'　glass　slippas　droppin'　out　the
sky　int'　youa　lap？〃

Clementina　was　so　happy　that　she　thought　she　might　trust　him　for　once；
and　she　said；　〃Oh；　yes；　Mr。　Mahtin！　　Who　do　you　suppose　sent　them？〃　she
entreated　him　so　sweetly　that　it　would　have　softened　any　heart　but　the
heart　of　a　tease。

〃I　believe　I　could　give　a　pootty　good　guess　if　I　had　the　facts。〃

Clementina　innocently　gave　them　to　him；　and　he　listened　with　a　well…
affected　sympathy。

〃Say　Fane　fust　told　you　about　'em？〃

〃Yes。　　'He'e's　a　package　for　you；'　he　said。　　Just　that　way；　and　he
couldn't　tell　me　who　left　it；　or　anything。〃

〃Anybody　asked　him　about　it　since？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　　Mrs。　Milray；　and　Mrs。　Atwell；　and　Mr。　Atwell；　and　everybody。〃

〃Everybody。〃　　The　chef　smiled　with　a　peculiar　droop　of　one　eye。　　〃And　he
didn't　know　when　the　slippas　got　into　the　landlo'd's　box？〃

〃No。　　The　fust　thing　he　knew；　the'　they　we'e！〃　Clementina　stood
expectant；　but　the　chef　smoked　on　as　if　that　were　all　there　was　to　say；
and　seemed　to　have　forgotten　her。　　〃　Who　do　you　think　put　them　thea；　Mr。
Mahtin？〃

The　chef　looked　up　as　if　surprised　to　find　her　still　there。　　〃Oh！　Oh；
yes！　　Who　d'　I　think？　　Why；　I　know；　Boss。　　But　I　don't　believe　I'd　betta
tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　do；　Mr。　Mahtin！　　If　you　knew　how　I　felt　about　it〃

〃No；　no！　　I　guess　I　betta　not。　　'Twouldn't　do　you　any　good。　　I　guess　I
won't　say　anything　moa。　　But　if　I　was　in　youa　place；　and　I　really　wanted
to　know　whe'e　them　slippas　come　from〃

〃I　doI　do　indeed〃

The　chef　paused　before　he　added；　〃I　should　go　at　Fane。　　I　guess　what　he
don't　know　ain't　wo'th　knowin'；　and　I　guess　nobody　else　knows　anything。
Thea！　　I　don't　know　but　I　said　mo'n　I　ought；　now。〃

What　the　chef　said　was　of　a　piece　with　what　had　been　more　than　once　in
Clementina's　mind；　but　she　had　driven　it　out；　not　because　it　might　not　be
true；　but　because　she　would　not　have　it　true。　　Her　head　drooped；　she
turned　limp　and　springless　away。　　Even　the　heart　of　the　tease　was
touched；　he　had　not　known　that　it　would　worry　her　so　much；　though　he　knew
that　she　disliked　the　clerk。

〃Mind；〃　he　called　after　her；　too　late；　〃I　ain't　got　no　proof　't　he　done
it。〃

She　did　not　answer　him；　or　look　round。　　She　went　to　her　room；　and　sat
down　in　the　growing　dusk　to　think；　with　a　hot　lump　in　her　throat。

Mrs。　Atwell　found　her　there　an　hour　later；　when　she　climbed　to　the
chamber　where　she　thought　she　ought　to　have　heard　Clementina　moving　about
over　her　own　room。

〃Didn't　know　but　I　could　help　you　do　youa　dressin'；〃　she　began；　and　then
at　sight　of　the　dim　figure　she　broke　off：　〃Why；　Clem！　　What's　the　matte？
Ah'　you　asleep？　　Ah'　you　sick？　　It's　half　an　hour　of　the　time　and〃

〃I'm　not　going；〃　Clementina　answered；　and　she　did　not　move。

〃Not　goin'！　　Why　the　land　o'〃

〃Oh；　I　can't　go；　Mrs。　Atwell。　　Don't　ask　me！　　Tell　Mrs。　Milray；　pleas