ragged lady, v1-第16章
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〃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； please！〃
〃I will； when I got something to tell；〃 said Mrs。 Atwell。 〃Now； you just
say what's happened； Clementina Claxon！ 〃Clementina suffered the woful
truth to be drawn from her。 〃But you don't know whether it's so or not；〃
the landlady protested。
〃Yes； yes； I do！ It was the fast thing I thought of； and the chef
wouldn't have said it if he didn't believe it。〃
〃That's just what he would done；〃 cried Mrs。 Atwell。 〃And I'll give him
such a goin' ova； for his teasin'； as he ain't had in one while。 He just
said it to tease。 What you goin' to say to Mrs。 Milray？〃
〃Oh； tell her I'm not a bit well； Mrs。 Atwell！ My head does ache；
truly。〃
〃Why； listen；〃 said Mrs。 Atwell； recklessly。 〃If you believe he done it
and he no business towhy don't you just go to the dance； in 'em； and
then give 'em back to him after it's ova？ It would suv him right。〃
Clementina listened for a moment of temptation； and then shook her head。
〃It wouldn't do； Mrs。 Atwell； you know it wouldn't；〃 she said； and Mrs。
Atwell had too little faith in her suggestion to make it prevail。 She
went away to carry Clementina's message to Mrs。 Milray； and her task was
greatly eased by the increasing difficulty Mrs。 Milray had begun to find；
since the way was perfectly smoothed for her； in imagining the management
of Clementina at the dance： neither child nor woman； neither servant nor
lady； how was she to be carried successfully through it； without sorrow
to herself or offence to others？ In proportion to the relief she felt；
Mrs。 Milray protested her irreconcilable grief； but when the simpler Mrs。
Atwell proposed her going and reasoning with Clementina； she said； No；
no； better let her alone； if she felt as she did； and perhaps after all
she was right。
XI。
Clementina listened to the music of the dance； till the last note was
played； and she heard the gay shouts and laughter of the dancers as they
issued from the ball room and began to disperse about the halls and
verandas； and presently to call good night to one another。 Then she
lighted her lamp； and put the slippers back into the box and wrapped it
up in the nice paper it had come in； and tied it with the notched ribbon。
She thought how she had meant to put the slippers away so； after the
dance； when she had danced her fill in them； and how differently she was
doing it all now。 She wrote the clerk's 。name on the parcel； and then
she took the box； and descended to the office with it。 There seemed to
be nobody there； but at the noise of her step Fane came round the case of
letter…boxes； and advanced to meet her at the long desk。
〃What's wanted； Miss Claxon？〃 he asked； with his hopeless respectfulness。
〃Anything I can do for you？〃
She did not answer； but looked him solemnly in the eyes and laid the
parcel down on the open register； and then went out。
He looked at the address on the parcel； and when he untied it； the box
fell open and the shoes fell out of it； as they had with Clementina。 He
ran with them behind the letter…box frame； and held them up before
Gregory； who was seated there on the stool he usually occupied； gloomily
nursing his knee。
〃What do you suppose this means； Frank？〃
Gregory looked at the shoes frowningly。 〃They're the slippers she got
to…day。 She thinks you sent them to her。〃
〃And she wouldn't have them because she thought I sent them！ As sure as
I'm standing here； I never did it；〃 said the clerk； solemnly。
〃I know it；〃 said Gregory。 〃I sent them。〃
〃You！〃
〃What's so wonderful？〃 Gregory retorted。 〃I saw that she wanted them
that day when the shoe peddler was here。 I could see it； and you could。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I went across into the woods； and the man overtook me with his wagon。 I
was tempted； and I bought the slippers of him。 I wanted to give them to
her then； but I resisted； and I thought I should never give them。 To…
day； when I heard that she was going to that dance； I sent them to her
anonymously。 That's all there is about it。〃
The clerk had a moment of bitterness。 〃If she'd known it was you； she
wouldn't have given them back。〃
〃That's to be seen。 I shall tell her； now。 I never meant her to know；
but she must； because she's doing you wrong in her ignorance。〃
Gregory was silent； and Fane was trying to measure the extent of his own
suffering； and to get the whole bearing of the incident in his mind。 In
the end his attempt was a failure。 He asked Gregory； 〃And do you think
you've done just right by me？〃
〃I've done right by nobody；〃 said Gregory； 〃not even by myself； and I can
see that it was my own pleasure I had in mind。 I must tell her the
truth； and then I must leave this place。〃
〃I suppose you want I should keep it quiet；〃 said Fane。
〃I don't ask anything of you。〃
〃And she wouldn't；〃 said Fane； after reflection。 〃But I know she'd be
glad of it； and I sha'n't say anything。 Of course； she never can care
for me； andthere's my hand with my word； if you want it。〃 Gregory
silently took the hand stretched toward him and Fane added： 〃All I'll ask
is that you'll tell her I wouldn't have presumed to send her the shoes。
She wouldn't be mad at you for it。〃
Gregory took the box； and after some efforts to speak； he went away。 It
was an old trouble； an old error； an old folly； he had yielded to impulse
at every step； and at every step he had sinned against another or against
himself。 What pain he had now given the simple soul of Fane； what pain
he had given that poor child who had so mistaken and punished the simple
soul！ With Fane it was over now； but with Clementina the worst was
perhaps to come yet。 He could not hope to see the girl before morning；
and then； what should he say to her？ At sight of a lamp burning in Mrs。
Atwell's room； which was on a level with the veranda where he was
walking； it came to him that first of all he ought to go to her； and
confess the whole affair； if her husband were with her； he ought to
confess before him； they were there in the place of the child's father
and mother； and it was due to them。 As he pressed rapidly toward the
light he framed in his thought the things he should say； and he did not
notice； as he turned to enter the private hallway leading to Mrs。
Atwell's apartment； a figure at the door。 It shrank back from his
contact； and he recognized Clementina。 His purpose instantly changed；
and he said； 〃Is that you； Miss Claxon？ I want to speak with you。 Will
you come a moment where I can？〃
〃II don't know as I'd betta；〃 she faltered。 But she saw the box under
his arm； and she thought that he wished to speak to her about that； and
she wanted to hear what he would say。 She had been waiting at the door
there； because she could not bear to go to her room without having
something more happen。
〃You needn't be afraid。 I shall not keep you。 Come with me a moment。
There is something I must tell you at once。 You have made a mistake。
And it is my fault。 Come！〃
Clementina stepped out into the moonlight with him； and they walked
across the grass that sloped between the hotel and the river。 There were
still people about； late smokers singly； and in groups along the piazzas；
and young couples； like themselves； strolling in the dry air； under the
pure sky。
Gregory made several failures in trying to begin； before he said： 〃I have
to tell you that you are mistaken about Mr。 Fane。 I was there behind the
letter boxes when you came in； and I know that you left these shoes
because you thought he sent them to you。 He didn't send them。〃
Clementina did not say anything； and Gregory was forced to ask： 〃Do you
wish to know who sent them？ I won't tell you unless you do wish it。〃
〃I think I ought to know；〃 she said； and she asked； 〃Don't you？〃
〃Yes； for you must blame some one else now； for what you thought Fane
did。 I sent them to you。〃
Clementina's heart gave a leap in her breast； and she could not say
anything。 He went on。
〃I saw that you wanted them that day； and when the peddler happened to
overtake me
