ragged lady, v1-第15部分

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steps　under　an　arbor　of　rustic　work；　but　this　was　still　so　novel　that　the
younger　children　had　not　outgrown　their　pride　in　it　and　were　playing　at
house…keeping　there。　　Clementina　ran　around　to　the　back　door　and　out
through　the　front　entry　in　time　to　save　the　visitor　and　the　children　from
the　misunderstanding　they　began　to　fall　into；　and　met　her　with　a　smile　of
hospitable　brilliancy；　and　a　recognition　full　of　compassionate　welcome。

Mrs。　Lander　gave　way　to　her　tears　as　she　broke　out；　〃　Oh；　it　ain't　the
way　it　was　the　last　time　I　was　he'a！　　You　hea'd　that　hethat　Mr。　Landa〃

〃Mrs。　Atwell　told　me；〃　said　Clementina。　　〃Won't　you　come　in；　and　sit
down？〃

〃Why；　yes。〃　　Mrs。　Lander　pushed　in　through　the　narrow　door　of　what　was　to
be　the　parlor。　　Her　crapes　swept　about　her　and　exhaled　a　strong　scent　of
their　dyes。　　Her　veil　softened　her　heavy　face；　but　she　had　not　grown
thinner　in　her　bereavement。

〃I　just　got　to　the　Middlemount　last　night；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　wanted　to
see　you　and　your　payrents；　both；　Miss　Claxon。　　It　doos　bring　him　back　so！
You　won't　neva　know　how　much　he　thought　of　you；　and　you'll　all　think　I'm
crazy。　　I　wouldn't　come　as　long　as　he　was　with　me；　and　now　I　have　to　come
without　him；　I　held　out　ag'inst　him　as　long　as　I　had　him　to　hold　out
ag'inst。　　Not　that　he　was　eva　one　to　push；　and　I　don't　know　as　he　so　much
as　spoke　of　it；　afta　we　left　the　hotel　two　yea's　ago；　but　I　presume　it
wa'n't　out　of　his　mind　a　single　minute。　　Time　and　time　again　I'd　say　to
him；　'Now；　Albe't；　do　you　feel　about　it　just　the　way　you　done？'　and　he'd
say；　'I　ha'r't　had　any　call　to　charge　my　mind　about　it；'　and　then　I'd
begin　tryin'　to　ahgue　him　out　of　it；　and　keep　a　hectorin'；　till　he'd　say；
'Well；　I'm　not　askin'　you　to　do　it；'　and　that's　all　I　could　get　out　of
him。　　But　I　see　all　the　while　't　he　wanted　me　to　do　it；　whateva　he　asked；
and　now　I've　got　to　do　it　when　it　can't　give　him　any　pleasure。〃　　Mrs。
Lander　put　up　her　black…bordered　handkerchief　and　sobbed　into　it；　and
Clementina　waited　till　her　grief　had　spent　itself；　then　she　gave　her　a
fan；　and　Mrs。　Lander　gratefully　cooled　her　hot　wet　face。　　The　children
had　found　the　noises　of　her　affliction　and　the　turbid　tones　of　her
monologue　annoying；　and　had　gone　off　to　play　in　the　woods；　Claxon　kept
incuriously　about　the　work　that　Clementina　had　left　him　to；　his　wife
maintained　the　confidence　which　she　always　felt　in　Clementina's　ability
to　treat　with　the　world　when　it　presented　itself；　and　though　she　was
curious　enough；　she　did　not　offer　to　interrupt　the　girl's　interview　with
Mrs。　Lander；　Clementina　would　know　how　to　behave。

Mrs。　Lander；　when　she　had　refreshed　herself　with　the　fan；　seemed　to　get　a
fresh　grip　of　her　theme；　and　she　told　Clementina　all　abort　Mr。　Lander's
last　sickness。　　It　had　been　so　short　that　it　gave　her　no　time　to　try　the
climate　of　Colorado　upon　him；　which　she　now　felt　sure　would　have　brought
him　right　up；　and　she　had　remembered；　when　too　late；　to　give　him　a　liver…
medicine　of　her　own；　though　it　did　not　appear　that　it　was　his　liver　which
was　affected；　that　was　the　strange　part　of　it。　　But；　brief　as　his
sickness　was；　he　had　felt　that　it　was　to　be　his　last；　and　had　solemnly
talked　over　her　future　with　her；　which　he　seemed　to　think　would　be
lonely。　　He　had　not　named　Clementina；　but　Mrs。　Lander　had　known　well
enough　what　he　meant；　and　now　she　wished　to　ask　her；　and　her　father　and
mother；　how　they　would　all　like　Clementina　to　come　and　spend　the　winter
with　her　at　Boston　first；　and　then　further　South；　and　wherever　she　should
happen　to　go。　　She　apologized　for　not　having　come　sooner　upon　this
errand；　she　had　resolved　upon　it　as　soon　as　Mr。　Lander　was　gone；　but　she
had　been　sick　herself；　and　had　only　just　now　got　out　of　bed。

Clementina　was　too　young　to　feel　the　pathos　of　the　case　fully；　or　perhaps
even　to　follow　the　tortuous　course　of　Mrs。　Lander's　motives；　but　she　was
moved　by　her　grief；　and　she　could　not　help　a　thrill　of　pleasure　in　the
vague　splendor　of　the　future　outlined　by　Mrs。　Lander's　proposal。　　For　a
time　she　had　thought　that　Mrs。　Milray　was　going　to　ask　her　to　visit　her
in　New　York；　Mrs。　Milray　had　thrown　out　a　hint　of　something　of　the　kind
at　parting；　but　that　was　the　last　of　it；　and　now　she　at　once　made　up　her
mind　that　she　would　like　to　go　with　Mrs。　Lander；　while　discreetly　saying
that　she　would　ask　her　father　and　mother　to　come　and　talk　with　her。




XIII。

Her　parents　objected　to　leaving　their　work；　each　suggested　that　the　other
had　better　go；　but　they　both　came　at　Clementina's　urgence。　　Her　father
laughed　and　her　mother　frowned　when　she　told　them　what　Mrs。　Lander
wanted；　from　the　same　misgiving　of　her　sanity。　　They　partly　abandoned
this　theory　for　a　conviction　of　Mrs。　Lander's　mere　folly　when　she　began
to　talk；　and　this　slowly　yielded　to　the　perception　that　she　had　some
streaks　of　sense。　　It　was　sense　in　the　first　place　to　want　to　have
Clementina　with　her；　and　though　it　might　not　be　sense　to　suppose　that
they　would　be　anxious　to　let　her　go；　they　did　not　find　so　much　want　of　it
as　Mrs。　Lander　talked　on。　　It　was　one　of　her　necessities　to　talk　away　her
emotions　before　arriving　at　her　ideas；　which　were　often　found　in　a
tangle；　but　were　not　without　a　certain　propriety。　　She　was　now；　after　her
interview　with　Clementina；　in　the　immediate　presence　of　these；　and　it　was
her　ideas　that　she　began　to　produce　for　the　girl's　father　and　mother。
She　said；　frankly；　that　she　had　more　money　than　she　knew　what　to　do　with；
and　they　must　not　think　she　supposed　she　was　doing　a　favor；　for　she　was
really　asking　one。

She　was　alone　in　the　world；　without　near　connections　of　her　own；　or
relatives　of　her　husband's；　and　it　would　be　a　mercy　if　they　could　let
their　daughter　come　and　visit　her；　she　would　not　call　it　more　than　a
visit；　that　would　be　the　best　thing　on　both　sides；　she　told　of　her　great
fancy　for　Clementina　the　first　time　she　saw　her；　and　of　her　husband's
wish　that　she　would　come　and　visit　with　them　then　for　the　winter。　　As　for
that　money　she　had　tried　to　make　the　child　take；　she　presumed　that　they
knew　about　it；　and　she　wished　to　say　that　she　did　it　because　she　was
afraid　Mr。　Lander　had　said　so　much　about　the　sewing；　that　they　would　be
disappointed。　　She　gave　way　to　her　tears　at　the　recollection；　and
confessed　that　she　wanted　the　child　to　have　the　money　anyway。　　She　ended
by　asking　Mrs。　Claxon　if　she　would　please　to　let　her　have　a　drink　of
water；　and　she　looked　about　the　room；　and　said　that　they　had　got　it
finished　up　a　great　deal；　now；　had　not　they？　　She　made　other　remarks　upon
it；　so　apt　that　Mrs。　Claxon　gave　her　a　sort　of　permissive　invitation　to
look　about　the　whole　lower　floor；　ending　with　the　kitchen。

Mrs。　Lander　sat　down　there　while　Mrs。　Claxon　drew　from　the　pipes　a　glass
of　water；　which　she　proudly　explained　was　pumped　all　over　the　house　by
the　wind　mill　that　supplied　the　power　for　her　husband's　turning　lathes。

〃Well；　I　wish　mah　husband　could　have　tasted　that　wata；〃　said　Mrs。　Lander；
as　if　reminded　of　husbands　by　the　word；　and　by　the　action　of　putting　down
the　glass。　　〃He　was　always　such　a　great　hand　for　good；　cold　wata。　　My！
He'd　'a　liked　youa　kitchen；　Mrs。　Claxon。　　He　always　was　such　a　home…body；
and　he　did　get　so　ti'ed　of　hotels。　　For　all　he　had　such　an　appearance；
when　you　see　him；　of　bein'well！stiff　and　proud；　he　was　fah　moa　common
in　his　tastesI　don't　mean　common；　exactly；　eithathan　what　I　was；　and
many　a　time　when　we'd　be　drivin'　through　the　country；　and　we'd　pass　some
o'　them　long…strung…out　houses；　don't　you　know；　with　the　kitchen　next　to
the　wood　shed；　and　then　an　ahchway　befoa　you　get　to　the　stable；　Mr。　Landa
he'd　get　out；　and　make　an　urrand；　just　so's　to　look　in　at　the　kitchen
dooa；　he　said　it　made　him　think　of　his　own　motha's　kitchen。　　We　was　both
brought　up　in　the　country；　that's　a　fact；　and　I　guess　if　the　truth　was
known　we　both　expected　to　settle　down　and　die　thea；　some　time；　but　now
he's　gone；　and　I　don't　know　what'll　become　o'　me；　and　sometimes　I　don't
much　care。　　I　guess　if　Mr。　Landa'd　'a　seen　youa　kitchen；　it　wouldn't　'a'
been　so　easy　to　git　him　out　of　it；　and　I　do　believe　if　he's　livin'
anywhe'　now　he　takes　as　much　comfo't　in　my　settin'　here　as　what　I　do。
I　presume　I　shall　settle　down　somewhe's　before　a　great　while；　and　if　you
could　make　up　youa　mind　to　let　your　daughta　come　to　me　for　a　little　visit
till　spring；　you　couldn't　do　a　thing　that　'd　please　Mr。　Landa　moa。〃

Mrs。　Claxon　said　that　she　would　talk　it　over　with　the　child's　father；　and
then　Mrs。　Lander　pressed　her　to　let　her　take　Clementina　back　to　the
Middlemount　with　her　for　supper；　if　they　wouldn't　let　her　stay　the　night。
After　Clementina　had　driven　away；　Mrs。　Claxon　accused　herself　to　her
husband　of　being　the　greatest　fool　in　the　State；　but　he　said　that　the
carriage　was　one　of　the　Middlemount　rigs；　and　he　guessed　it　was　all
right。　　He　could　see　that　Clem　was　wild　to　go；　and　he　didn't　see　why　she
shouldn't。

〃Well；　I　do；　then；〃　his　wife　retorted。　　〃We　don't　know　anything　about　the
woman；　or　who　she　is。〃

〃I　guess　no　harm'll　come　to　Clem　for　one　night；〃　said　Claxon；　and　Mrs。
Claxon　was　forced　back　upon　the　larger　question　for　the　maintenance　of
her　anxiety。　　She　asked　what　he　was　going　to　do　about　letting　Clem　go　the
whole　winter　with　a　perfect　stranger；　and　he　answered　that　he　had　not　got
round　to　that　yet；　and　that　there　were　a　good　many　things　to　be　thought
of　first。　　He　got　round　to　see　the　rector　before　dark；　and　in　the　light
of　his　larger　horizon；　was　better　able　to　orient　Mrs。　Lander　and　her
motives　than　he　had　been　before。

When　she　came　back　with　the　girl　the　next　morning；　she　had　thought　of
something　in　the　nature　of　credentials。　　It　was　the　letter　from　her
church　in　Boston；　which　she　took　whenever　she　left　home；　so　that　if　she
wished　she　might　unite　with　the　church　in　any　place　where　she　happened　to
be　stopping。　　It　did　not　make　a　great　impression　upon　the　Klaxons；　who
were　of　no　religion；　though　they　allowed　their　children　to　go　to　the
Episcopal　church　and　Sunday…school；　and　always　meant　to　go　themselves。
They　said　they　would　like　to　talk　the　matter　over　with　the　rector；　if
Mrs。　Lander　did　not　object；　she　offered　to　send　her　carriage　for　him；　and
the