ragged lady, v1-第5章
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take some of that heat…tonic of mine； Albe't； that the docta left for me
in Boston。 You'll find it in the upper right bureau box； the'a； and I
know it'll be the very thing for you。 It'll relieve you of that
suffocatin' feeling that I always have； comin' up stars。 Dea'！ I don't
see why they don't have an elevata； they make you pay enough； and I wish
you'd get me a little more silva； so's't I can give to the chambamaid and
the bell…boy； I do hate to be out of it。 I guess you been up and out
long ago。 They did make that polonaise of mine too tight after all I
said； and I've been thinkin' how I could get it alt'ed； but I presume
there ain't a seamstress to be had around he'e for love or money。 Well；
now； that's right； Albe't； I'm glad to see you doin' it。〃
Lander had opened the lid of the bureau box； and uncorked a bottle from
it； and tilted this to his lips。
〃Don't take too much；〃 she cautioned him； 〃or you'll lose the effects。
When I take too much of a medicine； it's wo'se than nothing； as fah's I
can make out。 When I had that spell in Thomasville spring before last；
I believe I should have been over it twice as quick if I had taken just
half the medicine I did。 You don't really feel anyways bad about the
heat； do you； Albe't？〃
〃I'm all right；〃 said Lander。 He put back the bottle in its place and
sat down。
Mrs。 Lander lifted herself on her elbow and looked over at him。
〃Show me on the bottle how much you took。〃
He got the bottle out again and showed her with his thumb nail a point
which he chose at random。
〃Well； that was just about the dose for you；〃 she said； and she sank down
in bed again with the air of having used a final precaution。 〃You don't
want to slow your heat up too quick。〃
Lander did not put the bottle back this time。 He kept it in his hand；
with his thumb on the cork； and rocked it back and forth on his knees as
he spoke。 〃Why don't you get that woman to alter it for you？〃
〃What woman alta what？〃
〃Your polonaise。 The one whe'e we stopped yestaday。〃
〃Oh！ Well； I've been thinkin' about that child； Albe't； I did before I
went to sleep； and I don't believe I want to risk anything with her。 It
would be a ca'e；〃 said Mrs。 Lander with a sigh； 〃and I guess I don't want
to take any moa ca'e than what I've got now。 What makes you think she
could alta my polonaise？〃
〃Said she done dress…makin'；〃 said Lander； doggedly。
〃You ha'n't been the'a？〃
He nodded。
〃You didn't say anything to her about her daughta？〃
〃Yes； I did；〃 said Lander。
〃Well； you ce'tainly do equal anything；〃 said his wife。 She lay still
awhile； and then she roused herself with indignant energy。 〃Well； then；
I can tell you what； Albe't Landa： yon can go right straight and take
back everything you said。 I don't want the child； and I won't have her。
I've got care enough to worry me now； I should think； and we should have
her whole family on our hands； with that shiftless father of hers； and
the whole pack of her brothas and sistas。 What made you think I wanted
you to do such a thing？〃
〃You wanted me to do it last night。 Wouldn't ha'dly let me go to bed。〃
〃Yes！ And how many times have I told you nova to go off and do a thing
that I wanted you to； unless you asked me if I did？ Must I die befo'e
you can find out that there is such a thing as talkin'； and such anotha
thing as doin'？ You wouldn't get yourself into half as many scrapes if
you talked more and done less； in this wo'ld。〃 Lander rose。
〃Wait！ Hold on！ What are you going to say to the pooa thing？ She'll be
so disappointed！〃
〃I don't know as I shall need to say anything myself；〃 answered the
little man； at his dryest。 〃Leave that to you。〃
〃Well； I can tell you；〃 returned his wife； 〃I'm not goin' nea' them
again； and if you think What did you ask the woman； anyway？〃
〃I asked her；〃 he said； 〃if she wanted to let the gul come and see you
about some sewing you had to have done； and she said she did。〃
〃And you didn't speak about havin' her come to live with us？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； why in the land didn't you say so before； Albe't？〃
〃You didn't ask me。 What do you want I should say to her now？〃
〃Say to who？〃
〃The gul。 She's down in the pahlor； waitin'。〃
〃Well； of all the men！〃 cried Mrs。 Lander。 But she seemed to find
herself； upon reflection； less able to cope with Lander personally than
with the situation generally。 〃Will you send her up； Albe't？〃 she asked；
very patiently； as if he might be driven to further excesses； if not
delicately handled。 As soon as he had gone out of the room she wished
that she had told him to give her time to dress and have her room put in
order； before he sent the child up； but she could only make the best of
herself in bed with a cap and a breakfast jacket； arranged with the help
of a handglass。 She had to get out of bed to put her other clothes away
in the closet and she seized the chance to push the breakfast tray out of
the door； and smooth up the bed； while she composed her features and her
ideas to receive her visitor。 Both； from long habit rather than from any
cause or reason； were of a querulous cast； and her ordinary tone was a
snuffle expressive of deep…seated affliction。 She was at once plaintive
and voluable； and in moments of excitement her need of freeing her mind
was so great that she took herself into her own confidence； and found a
more sympathetic listener than when she talked to her husband。 As she
now whisked about her room in her bed…gown with an activity not
predicable of her age and shape； and finally plunged under the covering
and drew it up to her chin with one hand while she pressed it out
decorously over her person with the other； she kept up a rapid flow of
lamentation and conjecture。 〃I do suppose he'll be right back with her
before I'm half ready； and what the man was thinkin' of to do such a
thing anyway； I don't know。 I don't know as she'll notice much； comin'
out of such a lookin' place as that； and I don't know as I need to care
if she did。 But if the'e's care anywhe's around； I presume I'm the one
to have it。 I presume I did take a fancy to her； and I guess I shall be
glad to see how I like her now； and if he's only told her I want some
sewin' done； I can scrape up something to let her carry home with her。
It's well I keep my things where I can put my hand on 'em at a time like
this； and I don't believe I shall sca'e the child； as it is。 I do hope
Albe't won't hang round half the day before he brings her； I like to have
a thing ova。〃
Lander wandered about looking for the girl through the parlors and the
piazzas； and then went to the office to ask what had become of her。
The landlord came out of his room at his question to the clerk。 〃Oh； I
guess she's round in my wife's room； Mr。 Landa。 She always likes to see
Clementina； and I guess they all do。 She's a so't o' pet amongst 'em。〃
〃No hurry；〃 said Lander； 〃I guess my wife ain't quite ready for her yet。〃
〃Well； she'll be right out； in a minute or so；〃 said the landlord。
The old man tilted his hat forward over his eyes； and went to sit on the
veranda and look at the landscape while he waited。 It was one of the
loveliest landscapes in the mountains； the river flowed at the foot of an
abrupt slope from the road before the hotel； stealing into and out of the
valley； and the mountains； gray in the farther distance； were draped with
folds of cloud hanging upon their flanks and tops。 But Lander was tired
of nearly all kinds of views and prospects； though he put' up with them；
in his perpetual movement from place to place； in the same resignation
that he suffered the limitations of comfort in parlor cars and sleepers；
and the unwholesomeness of hotel tables。 He was chained to the restless
pursuit of an ideal not his own； but doomed to suffer for its
impossibility as if he contrived each of his wife's disappointments from
it。 He did not philosophize his situation； but accepted it as in an
order of Providence which it would be useless for him to oppose； though
there were moments when he permitted himself to feel a modest doubt of
its justice。 He was aware that when he had a house of his
