ragged lady, v1-第21章
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months in the city。 She was a little puzzled how to provide for
Clementina； with respect to herself； but she decided that the best thing
would be to have her sleep in a room opening out of her own； with a
folding bed in it； so that it could be used as a sort of parlor for both
of them during the day； and be within easy reach； for conversation； at
all times。
On her part； Clementina began by looking after Mrs。 Lander's comforts；
large and little； like a daughter； to her own conception and to that of
Mrs。 Lander； but to other eyes； like a servant。 Mrs。 Lander shyly shrank
from acquaintance among the other ladies； and in the absence of this； she
could not introduce Clementina； who went down to an early breakfast
alone； and sat apart with her at lunch and dinner； ministering to her in
public as she did in private。 She ran back to their rooms to fetch her
shawl； or her handkerchief； or whichever drops or powders she happened to
be taking with her meals； and adjusted with closer care the hassock which
the head waiter had officially placed at her feet。 They seldom sat in
the parlor where the ladies met； after dinner； they talked only to each
other； and there； as elsewhere； the girl kept her filial care of the old
woman。 The question of her relation to Mrs。 Lander became so pressing
among several of the guests that； after Clementina had watched over the
banisters； with throbbing heart and feet； a little dance one night which
the other girls had got up among themselves； and had fled back to her
room at the approach of one of the kindlier and bolder of them； the
landlord felt forced to learn from Mrs。 Lander how Miss Claxon was to be
regarded。 He managed delicately； by saying he would give the Sunday
paper she had ordered to her nurse； 〃Or； I beg your pardon；〃 he added； as
if he had made a mistake。 〃Why； she a'n't my nuhse；〃 Mrs。 Lander
explained； simply； neither annoyed nor amused； 〃 she's just a young lady
that's visiting me； as you may say；〃 and this put an end to the misgiving
among the ladies。 But it suggested something to Mrs。 Lander； and a few
days afterwards； when they came out from Boston where they had been
shopping； and she had been lavishing a bewildering waste of gloves； hats；
shoes； capes and gowns upon Clementina； she said； 〃I'll tell you what。
We've got to have a maid。〃
〃A maid？〃 cried the girl。
〃It isn't me； or my things I want her for；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。 〃It's you
and these dresses of youas。 I presume you could look afta them； come to
give youa mind to it； but I don't want to have you tied up to a lot of
clothes； and I presume we should find her a comfo't in moa ways than one；
both of us。 I don't know what we shall want her to do； exactly； but I
guess she will； if she undastands her business； and I want you should go
in with me； to…morror； and find one。 I'll speak to some of the ladies；
and find out whe's the best place to go； and we'll get the best there
is。〃
A lady whom Mrs。 Lander spoke to entered into the affair with zeal born
of a lurking sense of the wrong she had helped do Clementina in the
common doubt whether she was not herself Mrs。 Lander's maid。 She offered
to go into Boston with them to an intelligence office； where you could
get nice girls of all kinds； but she ended by giving Mrs。 Lander the
address； and instructions as to what she was to require in a maid。 She
was chiefly to get an English maid； if at all possible； for the
qualifications would more or less naturally follow from her nationality。
There proved to be no English maid； but there was a Swedish one who had
received a rigid training in an English family living on the Continent；
and had come immediately from that service to seek her first place in
America。 The manager of the office pronounced her character； as set down
in writing； faultless； and Mrs。 Lander engaged her。 〃You want to look
afta this young lady；〃 she said； indicating Clementina。 〃I can look afta
myself；〃 but Ellida took charge of them both on the train out from Boston
with prompt intelligence。
〃We got to get used to it； I guess；〃 Mrs。 Lander confided at the first
chance of whispering to Clementina。
Within a month after washing the faces and combing the hair of all her
brothers and sisters who would suffer it at her hands； Clementina's own
head was under the brush of a lady's maid； who was of as great a
discreetness in her own way as Clementina herself。 She supplied the
defects of Mrs。 Lander's elementary habits by simply asking if she should
get this thing and that thing for the toilet； without criticising its
absence；and then asking whether she should get the same things for her
young lady。 She appeared to let Mrs。 Lander decide between having her
brushes in ivory or silver； but there was really no choice for her； and
they came in silver。 She knew not only her own place； but the places of
her two ladies； and she presently had them in such training that they
were as proficient in what they might and might not do for themselves and
for each other； as if making these distinctions were the custom of their
lives。
Their hearts would both have gone out to Ellida； but Ellida kept them at
a distance with the smooth respectfulness of the iron hand in the glove
of velvet； and Clementina first learned from her to imagine the
impassable gulf between mistress and maid。
At the end of her month she gave them； out of a clear sky； a week's
warning。 She professed no grievance； and was not moved by Mrs。 Lander's
appeal to say what wages she wanted。 She would only say that she was
going to take a place an Commonwealth Avenue； where a friend of hers was
living； and when the week was up； she went； and left her late mistresses
feeling rather blank。 〃 I presume we shall have to get anotha；〃 said
Mrs。 Lander。
〃Oh； not right away！ 〃 Clementina pleaded。
〃Well； not right away；〃 Mrs。 Lander assented； and provisionally they each
took the other into her keeping； and were much freer and happier
together。
Soon after Clementina was startled one morning； as she was going in to
breakfast； by seeing Mr。 Fane at the clerk's desk。 He did not see her；
he was looking down at the hotel register； to compute the bill of a
departing guest； but when she passed out she found him watching for her；
with some letters。
〃I didn't know you were with us；〃 he said； with his pensive smile； 〃till
I found your letters here； addressed to Mrs。 Lander's care； and then I
put two and two together。 It only shows how small the world is； don't
you think so？ I've just got back from my vacation； I prefer to take it
in the fall of the year； because it's so much pleasanter to travel； then。
I suppose you didn't know I was here？〃
〃No； I didn't；〃 said Clementina。 〃I never dreamed of such a thing。〃
〃To be sure； why should you？〃 Fane reflected。 〃I've been here ever since
last spring。 But I'll say this； Miss Claxon； that if it's the least
unpleasant to you； or the least disagreeable； or awakens any kind of
associations〃
〃Oh； no！〃 Clementina protested； and Fane was spared the pain of saying
what he would do if it were。
He bowed； and she said sweetly； 〃It's pleasant to meet any one I've seen
before。 I suppose you don't know how much it's changed at Middlemount
since you we' e thea。〃 Fane answered blankly； while he felt in his
breast pocket； Oh； he presumed so； and she added： 〃Ha'dly any of the same
guests came back this summer； and they had more in July than they had in
August； Mrs。 Atwell said。 Mr。 Mahtin； the chef； is gone； and newly all
the help is different。〃
Fane kept feeling in one pocket and then slapped himself over the other
pockets。 〃No；〃 he said； 〃I haven't got it with me。 I must have left it
in my room。 I just received a letter from FrankMr。 Gregory； you know；
I always call him Frankand I thought I had it with me。 He was asking
about Middlemount； and I wanted to read you what he said。 But I'll find
it upstairs。 He's out of college； now； and he's begun his studies in the
divinity school。 He's at Andover。 I don't know what to make of Frank；
oftentimes；〃 the clerk continued； confidentially。 〃I tell him he's a
kind of a survival； in religion； he's so aesthetic。〃
