〃I tell you it's the malariar； and you'll be down； too； if you stay。〃
She made Clementina go to the banker's； and get money to pay their
landlord's bill； and she gave him notice that they were going that
afternoon。 Clementina wished to delay till they had seen the vice…consul
and the doctor； but Mrs。 Lander broke out； 〃I don't want to see 'em；
either of 'em。 The docta wants to keep me he'e and make money out of me；
I undastand him； and I don't believe that consul's a bit too good to take
a pussentage。 Now； don't you say a wo'd to either of 'em。 If you don't
do exactly what I tell you I'll go away and leave you he'e。 Now； will
you？〃
Clementina promised； and broke her word。 She went to the vice…consul and
told him she had broken it； and she agreed with him that he had better
not come unless Mrs。 Lander sent for him。 The doctor promptly imagined
the situation and said he would come in casually during the morning； so
as not to alarm the invalid's suspicions。 He owned that Mrs。 Lander was
getting no good from remaining in Venice； and if it were possible for her
to go； he said she had better go somewhere into cooler and higher air。
His opinion restored him to Mrs。 Lander's esteem； when it was expressed
to her； and as she was left to fix the sum of her debt to him； she made
it handsomer than anything he had dreamed of。 She held out against
seeing the vice…consul till the landlord sent in his account。 This was
for the whole month which she had just entered upon； and it included
fantastic charges for things hitherto included in the rent； not only for
the current month； but for the months past when； the landlord explained；
he had forgotten to note them。 Mrs。 Lander refused to pay these demands；
for they touched her in some of those economies which the gross rich
practice amidst their profusion。 The landlord replied that she could not
leave his house； either with or without her effects； until she had paid。
He declared Clementina his prisoner； too； and he would not send for the
vice…consul at Mrs。 Lander's bidding。 How far he was within his rights
in all this they could not know； but he was perhaps himself doubtful； and
he consented to let them send for the doctor； who； when he came； behaved
like anything but the steadfast friend that Mrs。 Lander supposed she had
bought in him。 He advised paying the account without regard to its
justice； as the shortest and simplest way out of the trouble； but Mrs。
Lander； who saw him talking amicably and even respectfully with the
landlord； when he ought to have treated him as an extortionate scamp；
returned to her former ill opinion of him； and the vice…consul now
appeared the friend that Doctor Tradonico had falsely seemed。 The doctor
consented； in leaving her to her contempt of him； to carry a message to
the vice…consul； though he came back； with his finger at the side of his
nose； to charge her by no means to betray his bold championship to the
landlord。
The vice…consul made none of those shows of authority which Mrs。 Lander
had expected of him。 She saw him even exchanging the common decencies
with the landlord； when they met； but in fact it was not hard to treat
the smiling and courteous rogue well。 In all their disagreement he had
looked as constantly to the comfort of his captives as if they had been
his chosen guests。 He sent Mrs。 Lander a much needed refreshment at the
stormiest moment of her indignation； and he deprecated without retort the
denunciations aimed at him in Italian which did not perhaps carry so far
as his conscience。 The consul talked with him in a calm scarcely less
shameful than that of Dr。 Tradonico； and at the end of their parley which
she had insisted upon witnessing； he said：
〃Well； Mrs。 Lander； you've got to stand this gouge or you've got to stand
a law suit。 I think the gouge would be cheaper in the end。 You see；
he's got a right to his month's rent。〃
〃It ain't the rent I ca'e for： it's the candles； and the suvvice； and the
things he says we broke。 It was undastood that everything was to be in
the rent； and his two old chaias went to pieces of themselves when we
tried to pull 'em out from the wall； and I'll neva pay for 'em in the
wo'ld。〃
Why；〃 the vice…consul pleaded； 〃it's only about forty francs for the
whole thing〃
〃I don't care if it's only fotty cents。 And I must say； Mr。 Bennam；
you're about the strangest vice…consul； to want me to do it； that I eva
saw。〃
The vice…consul laughed unresentfully。 〃Well； shall I send you a
lawyer？〃
〃No！〃 Mrs。 Lander retorted； and after a moment's reflection she added；
〃I'm goin' to stay my month； and so you may tell him； and then I'll see
whetha he can make me pay for that breakage and the candles and suvvice。
I'm all wore out； as it is； and I ain't fit to travel； now； and I don't
know when I shall be。 Clementina； you can go and tell Maddalena to stop
packin'。 Or； no！ I'll do it。〃
She left the room without further notice of the consul； who said ruefully
to Clementina； 〃Well； I've missed my chance； Miss Claxon； but I guess
she's done the wisest thing for herself。〃
〃Oh； yes； she's not fit to go。 She must stay； now； till it's coola。
Will you tell the landlo'd； or shall〃
〃I'll tell him；〃 said the vice…consul； and he had in the landlord。 He
received her message with the pleasure of a host whose cherished guests
have consented to remain a while longer； and in the rush of his good
feeling he offered； if the charge for breakage seemed unjust to the vice…
consul； to abate it； and since the signora had not understood that she
was to pay extra for the other things； he would allow the vice…consul to
adjust the differences between them； it was a trifle； and he wished above
all things to content the signora； for whom he professed a cordial esteem
both on his own part and the part of all his family。
〃Then that lets me out for the present；〃 said the vice…consul； when
Clementina repeated Mrs。 Lander's acquiescence in the landlord's
proposals； and he took his straw hat； and called a gondola from the
nearest 'traghetto'； and bargained at an expense consistent with his
salary； to have himself rowed back to his own garden…gate。
The rest of the day was an era of better feeling between Mrs。 Lander and
her host than they had ever known； and at dinner he brought in with his
own hand a dish which he said he had caused to be specially made for her。
It was so tempting in odor and complexion that Mrs。 Lander declared she
must taste it； though as she justly said； she had eaten too much already；
when it had once tasted it she ate it all； against Clementina's
protestations； she announced at the end that every bite had done her
good； and that she never felt better in her life。 She passed a happy
evening； with renewed faith in the air of the lagoon； her sole regret now
was that Mr。 Lander had not lived to try it with her； for if he had she
was sure he would have been alive at that moment。
She allowed herself to be got to bed rather earlier than usual； before
Clementina dropped asleep she heard her breathing with long； easy； quiet
respirations； and she lost the fear of the landlord's dish which had
haunted her through the evening。 She was awakened in the morning by a
touch on her shoulder。 Maddalena hung over her with a frightened face；
and implored her to come and look at the signora； who seemed not at all
well。 Clementina ran into her room； and found her dead。 She must have
died some hours before without a struggle； for the face was that of
sleep； and it had a dignity and beauty which it had not worn in her life
of self…indulgent wilfulness for so many years that the girl had never
seen it look so before。
XXXIV。
The vice…consul was not sure how far his powers went in the situation
with which Mrs。 Lander had finally embarrassed him。 But he met the new
difficulties with patience； and he agreed with Clementina that they ought
to see if Mrs。 Lander had left any written expression of her wishes
concerning the event。 She had never spoken of such a chance； but had
always looked forward to getting well and going home； so far as the girl
knew； and the most careful search now brought to light nothing that bore
upon it。 In the absence of instructions to the contrary； they did what
they must； and the body； emptied of its life of senseless worry and
greedy care； was laid to rest in the island cemetery of Venice。
When all was over； the vice…consul ventured an observation which he had
hitherto delicately withheld。 The question of Mrs。 Lander's kindred had
already been discussed between him and Clementina； and he now felt that
another question had duly presented itself。 〃You didn't notice；〃 he
suggested； 〃anything like a will when we went over the papers？〃 He had
looked carefully for it； expecting that there might have been some
expression of Mrs。 Lander's wishes in it。 〃Because；〃 he added； 〃I happen
to know that Mr。 Milray drew one up for her； I witnessed it。〃
〃No；〃 said Clementina； 〃I didn't see anything of it。 She told me she had
made a will； but she didn't quite like it； and sometimes she thought she
would change it。 She spoke of getting you to do it； I didn't know but
she had。〃
The vice…consul shook his head。 〃No。 And these relations of her
husband's up in Michigan； you don't know where they live； exactly？〃
〃No。 She neva told me； she wouldn't； she didn't like to talk about them；
I don't even know their names。〃
The vice…consul thoughtfully scratched a corner of his chin through his
beard。 〃If there isn't any will； they're the heirs。 I used to be a sort
of wild…cat lawyer； and I know that much law。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clementina。 〃She left them five thousand dollas apiece。 She
said she wished she had made it ten。〃
〃I guess she's made it a good deal more； if she's made it anything。 Miss
Claxon； don't you understand that if no will turns up； they come in for
all her money。
〃Well； that's what I thought they ought to do；〃 said Clementina。
〃And do you understand that if that's so； you don't come in for anything？
You must excuse me for mentioning it； but she has told everybody that you
were to have it； and if there is no will〃
He stopped and bent