ragged lady, v1-第6章

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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　own　he　was
master　in　it；　after　a　fashion；　and　that　as　long　as　he　was　in　business　he
was　in　some　sort　of　authority。　　He　perceived　that　now　he　was　a　slave　to
the　wishes　of　a　mistress　who　did　not　know　what　she　wanted；　and　that　he
was　never　farther　from　pleasing　her　than　when　he　tried　to　do　what　she
asked。　　He　could　not　have　told　how　all　initiative　had　been　taken　from
him；　and　he　had　fallen　into　the　mere　follower　of　a　woman　guided　only　by
her　whims；　who　had　no　object　in　life　except　to　deprive　it　of　all　object。
He　felt　no　rancor　toward　her　for　this；　he　knew　that　she　had　a　tender
regard　for　him；　and　that　she　believed　she　was　considering　him　first　in
her　most　selfish　arrangements。　　He　always　hoped　that　sometime　she　would
get　tired　of　her　restlessness；　and　be　willing　to　settle　down　again　in
some　stated　place；　and　wherever　it　was；　he　meant　to　get　into　some　kind　of
business　again。　　Till　this　should　happen　he　waited　with　an　apathetic
patience　of　which　his　present　abeyance　was　a　detail。　　He　would　hardly
have　thought　it　anything　unfit；　and　certainly　nothing　surprising；　that
the　landlady　should　have　taken　the　young　girl　away　from　where　he　had　left
her；　and　then　in　the　pleasure　of　talking　with　her；　and　finding　her　a
centre　of　interest　for　the　whole　domestic　force　of　the　hotel；　should　have
forgotten　to　bring　her　back。

The　Middlemount　House　had　just　been　organized　on　the　scale　of　a　first
class　hotel；　with　prices　that　had　risen　a　little　in　anticipation　of　the
other　improvements。　　The　landlord　had　hitherto　united　in　himself　the
functions　of　clerk　and　head　waiter；　but　he　had　now　got　a　senior；　who　was
working　his　way　through　college；　to　take　charge　of　the　dining…room；　and
had　put　in　the　office　a　youth　of　a　year's　experience　as　under　clerk　at　a
city　hotel。　　But　he　meant　to　relinquish　no　more　authority　than　his　wife
who　frankly　kept　the　name　as　well　as　duty　of　house…keeper。　　It　was　in
making　her　morning　inspection　of　the　dusting　that　she　found　Clementina　in
the　parlor　where　Lander　had　told　her　to　sit　down　till　he　should　come　for
her。

〃Why；　Clem！〃　she　said；　〃I　didn't　know　you！　　You　have　grown　so！　　Youa
folks　all　well？　　I　decla'e　you　ah'　quite　a　woman　now；〃　she　added；　as　the
girl　stood　up　in　her　slender；　graceful　height。　　〃You　look　as　pretty　as　a
pink　in　that　hat。　　Make　that　dress　youaself？　　Well；　you　do　beat　the
witch！　　I　want　you　should　come　to　my　room　with　me。〃

Mrs。　Atwell　showered　other　questions　and　exclamations　on　the　girl；　who
explained　how　she　happened　to　be　there；　and　said　that　she　supposed　she
must　stay　where　she　was　for　fear　Mr。　Lander　should　come　back　and　find　her
gone；　but　Mrs。　Atwell　overruled　her　with　the　fact　that　Mrs。　Lander's
breakfast　had　just　gone　up　to　her；　and　she　made　her　come　out　and　see　the
new　features　of　the　enlarged　house…keeping。　　In　the　dining…room　there
were　some　of　the　waitresses　who　had　been　there　the　summer　before；　and
recognitions　of　more　or　less　dignity　passed　between　them　and　Clementina。
The　place　was　now　shut　against　guests；　and　the　head…waiter　was　having　it
put　in　order　for　the　one　o'clock　dinner。　　As　they　came　near　him；　Mrs。
Atwell　introduced　him　to　Clementina；　and　he　behaved　deferentially；　as　if
she　were　some　young　lady　visitor　whom　Mrs。　Atwell　was　showing　the
improvements；　but　he　seemed　harassed　and　impatient；　as　if　he　were　anxious
about　his　duties；　and　eager　to　get　at　them　again。　　He　was　a　handsome
little　fellow；　with　hair　lighter　than　Clementina's　and　a　sanguine
complexion；　and　the　color　coming　and　going。

〃He's　smaht；〃　said　Mrs。　Atwell；　when　they　had　left　himhe　held　the
dining…room　door　open　for　them；　and　bowed　them　out。　　〃I　don't　know　but　he
worries　almost　too　much。　　That'll　wear　off　when　he　gets　things　runnin'　to
suit　him。　　He's　pretty　p'tic'la'。　　Now　I'll　show　you　how　they've　made　the
office　over；　and　built　in　a　room　for　Mr。　Atwell　behind　it。〃

The　landlord　welcomed　Clementina　as　if　she　had　been　some　acceptable　class
of　custom；　and　when　the　tall　young　clerk　came　in　to　ask　him　something；
and　Mrs。　Atwell　said；　〃I　want　to　introduce　you　to　Miss　Claxon；　Mr。　Fane；〃
the　clerk　smiled　down　upon　her　from　the　height　of　his　smooth；　acquiline
young　face；　which　he　held　bent　encouragingly　upon　one　side。

〃Now；　I　want　you　should　come　in　and　see　where　I　live；　a　minute；〃　said
Mrs。　Atwell。　　She　took　the　girl　from　the　clerk；　and　led　her　to　the
official　housekeeper's　room　which　she　said　had　been　prepared　for　her　so
that　folks　need　not　keep　running　to　her　in　her　private　room　where　she
wanted　to　be　alone　with　her　children；　when　she　was　there。　　〃Why；　you
a'n't　much　moa　than　a　child　youaself；　Clem；　and　here　I　be　talkin'　to　you
as　if　you　was　a　mother　in　Israel。　　How　old　ah'　you；　this　summa？　　Time
does　go　so！〃

〃I'm　sixteen　now；〃　said　Clementina；　smiling。

〃You　be？　　Well；　I　don't　see　why　I　say　that；　eitha！　　You're　full　lahge
enough　for　your　age；　but　not　seein'　you　in　long　dresses　before；　I　didn't
realize　your　age　so　much。　　My；　but　you　do　all　of　you　know　how　to　do
things！〃

〃I'm　about　the　only　one　that　don't；　Mrs。　Atwell；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃If　it
hadn't　been　for　mother；　I　don't　believe　I　could　have　eva　finished　this
dress。〃　　She　began　to　laugh　at　something　passing　in　her　mind；　and　Mrs。
Atwell　laughed　too；　in　sympathy；　though　she　did　not　know　what　at　till
Clementina　said；　〃Why；　Mrs。　Atwell；　nea'ly　the　whole　family　wo'ked　on
this　dress。　　Jim　drew　the　patte'n　of　it　from　the　dress　of　one　of　the
summa　boa'das　that　he　took　a　fancy　to　at　the　Centa；　and　fatha　cut　it　out；
and　I　helped　motha　make　it。　　I　guess　every　one　of　the　children　helped　a
little。〃

〃Well；　it's　just　as　I　said；　you　can　all　of　you　do　things；〃　said　Mrs。
Atwell。　　〃But　I　guess　you　ah'　the　one　that　keeps　'em　straight。　　What　did
you　say　Mr。　Landa　said　his　wife　wanted　of　you？〃

〃He　said　some　kind　of　sewing　that　motha　could　do。〃

〃Well；　I'll　tell　you　what！　　Now；　if　she　ha'n't　really　got　anything　that
your　motha'll　want　you　to　help　with；　I　wish　you'd　come　here　again　and
help　me。　　I　tuned　my　foot；　here；　two…three　weeks　back；　and　I　feel　it；
times；　and　I　should　like　some　one　to　do　about　half　my　steppin'　for　me。
I　don't　want　to　take　you　away　from　her；　but　IF。　　You　sha'n't　go　int'　the
dinin'room；　or　be　under　anybody's　oddas　but　mine。　　Now；　will　you？〃

〃I'll　see；　Mrs。　Atwell。　　I　don't　like　to　say　anything　till　I　know　what
Mrs。　Landa　wants。〃

〃Well；　that's　right。　　I　decla'e；　you've　got　moa　judgment！　　That's　what　I
used　to　say　about　you　last　summa　to　my　husband：　she's　got　judgment。
Well；　what's　wanted？〃　　Mrs。　Atwell　spoke　to　her　husband；　who　had　opened
her　door　and　looked　in；　and　she　stopped　rocking；　while　she　waited　his
answer。

〃I　guess　you　don't　want　to　keep　Clementina　from　Mr。　Landa　much　longa。
He's　settin'　out　there　on　the　front　piazza　waitin'　for　her。〃

〃Well；　the'a！〃　cried　Mrs。　Atwell。　　〃Ain't　that　just　like　me？　　Why　didn't
you　tell　me　sooner；　Alonzo？　　Don't　you　forgit　what　I　said；　Clem！〃




IV。

Mrs。　Lander　had　taken　twice　of　a　specific　for　what　she　called　her　nerve…
fag　before　her　husband　came　with　Clementina；　and　had　rehearsed　aloud　many
of　the　things　she　meant　to　say　to　the　girl。　　In　spite　of　her　preparation；
they　were　all　driven　out　of　her　head　when　Clementina　actually　appeared；
and　gave　her　a　bow　like　a　young　birch's　obeisance　in　the　wind。

〃Take　a　chaia；〃　said　Lander；　pushing　her　one；　and　the　girl　tilted　over
toward　him；　before　she　sank　into　it。　　He　went　out　of　the　room；　and　left
Mrs。　Lander　to　deal　with　the　problem　alone。　　She　apologized　for　being　in
bed；　but　Clementina　said　so　sweetly；　〃Mr。　Landa　told　me　you　were　not
feeling　very　well；　'm；〃　that　she　began　to　be　proud　of　her　ailments；　and
bragged　of　them　at　length；　and　of　the　different　doctors　who　had　treated
her　for　them。　　While　she　talked　she　missed　one　thing　or　another；　and
Clementina　seemed　to　divine　what　it　was　she　wanted；　and　got　it　for　her；
with　a　gentle　deference　which　made　the　elder　feel　her　age　cushioned　by
the　girl's　youth。　　When　she　grew　a　little　heated　from　the　interest　she
took　in　her　personal　annals；　and　cast　off　one　of　the　folds　of　her　bed
clo