ragged lady, v2-第27节

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It　was　the　will　Mrs。　Lander　told　her　she　had　made；　but　she　had　never　seen
the　paper　before；　and　the　legal　forms　hid　the　meaning　from　her　so　that
she　was　glad　to　have　the　vice…consul　make　it　clear。　　Then　she　said
tranquilly；　〃Yes；　that　is　the　way　I　supposed　it　was。〃

Mr。　Orson　by　no　means　shared　her　calm。　　He　did　not　lift　his　voice；　but　on
the　level　it　had　taken　it　became　agitated。　　〃Mrs。　Lander　gave　me　the
address　of　her　lawyer　in　Boston　when　she　sent　me　the　will；　and　I　made　a
point　of　calling　on　him　when　I　went　East；　to　sail。　　I　don't　know　why　she
wished　me　to　come　out　to　her；　but　being　sick；　I　presume　she　naturally
wished　to　see　some　of　her　own　family。〃

He　looked　at　Clementina　as　if　he　thought　she　might　dispute　this；　but　she
consented　at　her　sweetest；　〃Oh；　yes；　indeed；〃　and　he　went　on：

〃I　found　her　affairs　in　a　very　different　condition　from　what　she　seemed
to　think。　　The　estate　was　mostly　in　securities　which　had　not　been
properly　looked　after；　and　they　had　depreciated　until　they　were　some　of
them　not　worth　the　paper　they　were　printed　on。　　The　house　in　Boston　is
mortgaged　up　to　its　full　value；　I　should　say；　and　I　should　say　that　Mrs。
Lander　did　not　know　where　she　stood。　　She　seemed　to　think　that　she　was　a
very　rich　woman；　but　she　lived　high；　and　her　lawyer　said　he　never　could
make　her　understand　how　the　money　was　going。　　Mr。　Lander　seemed　to　lose
his　grip；　the　year　he　died；　and　engaged　in　some　very　unfortunate
speculations；　I　don't　know　whether　he　told　her。　　I　might　enter　into
details〃

〃Oh；　that　is　not　necessary；〃　said　Clementina；　politely；　witless　of　the
disastrous　quality　of　the　facts　which　Mr。　Orson　was　imparting。

〃But　the　sum　and　substance　of　it　all　is　that　there　will　not　be　more　than
enough　to　pay　the　bequests　to　her　own　family；　if　there　is　that。〃

Clementina　looked　with　smiling　innocence　at　the　vice…consul。

〃That　is　to　say；〃　he　explained；　〃there　won't　be　anything　at　all　for　you；
Miss　Claxon。〃

〃Well；　that's　what　I　always　told　Mrs。　Lander　I　ratha；　when　she　brought　it
up。　　I　told　her　she　ought　to　give　it　to　his　family；〃　said　Clementina；
with　a　satisfaction　in　the　event　which　the　vice…consul　seemed　unable　to
share；　for　he　remained　gloomily　silent。　　〃There　is　that　last　money　I　drew
on　the　letter　of　credit；　you　can　give　that　to　Mr。　Orson。〃

〃I　have　told　him　about　that　money；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　dryly。　　〃It
will　be　handed　over　to　him　when　the　estate　is　settled；　if　there　isn't
enough　to　pay　the　bequests　without　it。〃

〃And　the　money　which　Mrs。　Landa　gave　me　before　that；〃　she　pursued；
eagerly。　　Mr。　Orson　had　the　effect　of　pricking　up　his　ears；　though　it　was
in　fact　merely　a　gleam　of　light　that　came　into　his　eyes。

〃That's　yours；〃　said　the　vice…consul；　sourly；　almost　savagely。　　〃She
didn't　give　it　to　you　without　she　wanted　you　to　have　it；　and　she　didn't
expect　you　to　pay　her　bequests　with　it。　　In　my　opinion；〃　he　burst　out；　in
a　wrathful　recollection　of　his　own　sufferings　from　Mrs。　Lander；　〃she
didn't　give　you　a　millionth　part　of　your　due　for　all　the　trouble　she　made
you；　and　I　want　Mr。　Orson　to　understand　that；　right　here。〃

Clementina　turned　her　impartial　gaze　upon　Mr。　Orson　as　if　to　verify　the
impression　of　this　extreme　opinion　upon　him；　he　looked　as　if　he　neither
accepted　nor　rejected　it；　and　she　concluded　the　sentence　which　the　vice…
consul　had　interrupted。　　〃Because　I　ratha　not　keep　it；　if　there　isn't
enough　without　it。〃

The　vice…consul　gave　way　to　violence。　　〃It's　none　of　your　business
whether　there's　enough　or　not。　　What　you've　got　to　do　is　to　keep　what
belongs　to　you；　and　I'm　going　to　see　that　you　do。　　That's　what　I'm　here
for。〃　　If　this　assumption　of　official　authority　did　not　awe　Clementina；
at　least　it　put　a　check　upon　her　headlong　self…sacrifice。　　The　vice…
consul　strengthened　his　hold　upon　her　by　asking；　〃What　would　you　do。
I　should　like　to　know；　if　you　gave　that　up？〃

〃Oh；　I　should　get　along；〃　she　returned；　Light…heartedly；　but　upon
questioning　herself　whether　she　should　turn　to　Miss　Milray　for　help；
or　appeal　to　the　vice…consul　himself；　she　was　daunted　a　little；　and　she
added；　〃But　just　as　you　say；　Mr。　Bennam。〃

〃I　say；　keep　what　fairly　belongs　to　you。　　It's　only　two　or　three　hundred
dollars　at　the　outside；〃　he　explained　to　Mr。　Orson's　hungry　eyes；　but
perhaps　the　sum　did　not　affect　the　country　minister's　imagination　as
trifling；　his　yearly　salary　must　sometimes　have　been　little　more。

The　whole　interview　left　the　vice…consul　out　of　humor　with　both　parties
to　the　affair；　and　as　to　Clementina；　between　the　ideals　of　a　perfect
little　saint；　and　a　perfect　little　simpleton　he　remained　for　the　present
unable　to　class　her。




XXXV。

Clementina　and　the　Vice…Consul　afterwards　agreed　that　Mrs。　Lander　must
have　sent　the　will　to　Mr。　Orson　in　one　of　those　moments　of　suspicion　when
she　distrusted　everyone　about　her；　or　in　that　trouble　concerning　her
husband's　kindred　which　had　grown　upon　her　more　and　more；　as　a　means　of
assuring　them　that　they　were　provided　for。

〃But　even　then；〃　the　vice…consul　concluded；　〃I　don't　see　why　she　wanted
this　man　to　come　out　here。　　The　only　explanation　is　that　she　was　a　little
off　her　base　towards　the　last。　　That's　the　charitable　supposition。〃

〃I　don't　think　she　was　herself；　some　of　the　time；〃　Clementina　assented　in
acceptance　of　the　kindly　construction。

The　vice…consul　modified　his　good　will　toward　Mrs。　Lander's　memory　so　far
as　to　say；　〃Well；　if　she'd　been　somebody　else　most　of　the　time；　it　would
have　been　an　improvement。〃

The　talk　turned　upon　Mr。　Orson；　and　what　he　would　probably　do。　　The　vice…
consul　had　found　him　a　cheap　lodging；　at　his　request；　and　he　seemed　to
have　settled　down　at　Venice　either　without　the　will　or　without　the　power
to　go　home；　but　the　vice…consul　did　not　know　where　he　ate；　or　what　he　did
with　himself　except　at　the　times　when　he　came　for　letters。　　Once　or　twice
when　he　looked　him　up　he　found　him　writing；　and　then　the　minister
explained　that　he　had　promised　to　〃correspond〃　for　an　organ　of　his　sect
in　the　Northwest；　but　he　owned　that　there　was　no　money　in　it。　　He　was
otherwise　reticent　and　even　furtive　in　his　manner。　　He　did　not　seem　to　go
much　about　the　city；　but　kept　to　his　own　room；　and　if　he　was　writing　of
Venice　it　must　have　been　chiefly　from　his　acquaintance　with　the　little
court　into　which　his　windows　looked。　　He　affected　the　vice…consul　as
forlorn　and　helpless；　and　he　pitied　him　and　rather　liked　him　as　a　fellow…
victim　of　Mrs。　Lander。

One　morning　Mr。　Orson　came　to　see　Clementina；　and　after　a　brief　passage
of　opinion　upon　the　weather；　he　fell　into　an　embarrassed　silence　from
which　he　pulled　himself　at　last　with　a　visible　effort。　　〃I　hardly　know
how　to　lay　before　you　what　I　have　to　say；　Miss　Claxon；〃　he　began；　〃and　I
must　ask　you　to　put　the　best　construction　upon　it。　　I　have　never　been
reduced　to　a　similar　distress　before。　　You　would　naturally　think　that　I
would　turn　to　the　vice…consul；　on　such　an　occasion；　but　I　feel；　through
our　relation　to　theto　Mrs。　Landerahsomewhat　more　at　home　with　you。〃

He　stopped；　as　if　he　wished　to　be　asked　his　business；　and　she　entreated
him；　〃Why；　what　is　it；　Mr。　Osson？　　Is　there　something　I　can　do？　　There
isn't　anything　I　wouldn't！〃

A　gleam；　watery　and　faint；　which　still　could　not　be　quite　winked　away；
came　into　his　small　eyes。　　〃Why；　the　fact　is；　could　youahadvance　me
about　five　dollars？〃

〃Why；　Mr。　Orson！〃　she　began；　and　he　seemed　to　think　she　wished　to
withdraw　her　offer　of　help；　for　he　interposed。

〃I　will　repay　it　as　soon　as　I　get　an　expected　remittance　from　home。
I　came　out　on　the　invitation　of　Mrs。　Lander；　and　as　her　guest；　and　I
supposed〃

〃Oh；　don't　say　a　wo'd！〃　cried　Clementina；　but　now　that　he　had　begun　he
was　powerless　to　stop。

〃I　would　not　ask；　but　my　landlady　has　pressed　me　for　her　rentI　suppose
she　needs　itand　I　have　been　reduced　to　the　last　copper〃

The　girl　whose　eyes　the　tears　of　self　pity　so　rarely　visited；　broke　into
a　sob　that　seemed　to　surprise　her　visitor。　　But　she　checked　herself　as
with　a　quick　inspiration：　〃Have　you　been　to　breakfast？〃

〃Wellahnot　this　morning；〃　Mr。　Orson　admitted；　as　if　to　imply　that
having　breakfasted　some　other　morning　might　be　supposed　to　serve　the
purpose。

She　left　him　and　ran　to　the　door。　　〃Maddalena；　Maddalena！〃　she　called；
and　Maddalena　responded　with　a　frightened　voice　from　the　direction　of　the
kitchen：

〃Vengo　subito！〃

She　hurried　out　with　the　coffee…pot　in　her　hand；　as　if　she　had　just　taken
it　up　when　Clementina　called；　and　she　halted　for　the　whispered　colloquy
between　them　which　took　place　before　she　set　it　down　on　the　table　already
laid　for　breakfast；　then　she　hurried　out　of　the　room　again。　　She　came
back　with　a　cantaloupe　and　grapes；　and　cold　ham；　and　put　them　before
Clementina　and　her　guest；　who　both　ignored　the　hunger　with　which　he　swept
everything　before　him。　　When　his　famine　had　left　nothing；　he　said；　in
decorous　compliment：

〃That　is　very　good　coffee；　I　should　think　the　genuine　berry；　though　I　am
told　that　they　adulterate　coffee　a　great　deal　in　Europe。〃

〃Do　they？〃　asked　Clementina。　　〃I　didn't　know　it。〃

She　left　him　still　sitting　before　the　table；　and　came　back　with　some
bank…notes　in　her　hand。