ragged lady, v2- 第24部分

〃I　guess　I　do。　　I've　half　a　mind　to　write　the　letter　you　want；　myself。〃

〃I've　half　a　mind　to　let　youor　the　letter　I'd　like　to　write。〃

It　had　come　to　her　thinking　she　would　write　again　to　Hinkle；　but　she
could　not　bring　herself　to　do　it。　　She　often　imagined　doing　it；　she　had
every　word　of　such　a　letter　in　her　mind；　and　she　dramatized　every　fact
concerning　it　from　the　time　she　should　put　pen　to　paper；　to　the　time　when
she　should　get　back　the　answer　that　cleared　the　mystery　of　his　silence
away。　　The　fond　reveries　helped　her　to　bear　her　suspense；　they　helped　to
make　the　days　go　by；　to　ease　the　doubt　with　which　she　lay　down　at　night；
and　the　heartsick　hope　with　which　she　rose　up　in　the　morning。

One　day；　at　the　hour　of　his　wonted　visit；　she　say　the　vice…consul　from
her　balcony　coming；　as　it　seemed　to　her；　with　another　figure　in　his
gondola；　and　a　thousand　conjectures　whirled　through　her　mind；　and　then
centred　upon　one　idea。　　After　the　first　glance　she　kept　her　eyes　down；
and　would　not　look　again　while　she　told　herself　incessantly　that　it　could
not　be；　and　that　she　was　a　fool　and　a　goose　and　a　perfect　coot；　to　think
of　such　a　thing　for　a　single　moment。　　When　she　allowed　herself；　or　forced
herself；　to　look　a　second　time；　as　the　boat　drew　near；　she　had　to　cling
to　the　balcony　parapet　for　support；　in　her　disappointment。

The　person　whom　the　vice…consul　helped　out　of　the　gondola　was　an　elderly
man　like　himself；　and　she　took　a　last　refuge　in　the　chance　that　he　might
be　Hinkle's　father；　sent　to　bring　her　to　him　because　he　could　not　come　to
her；　or　to　soften　some　terrible　news　to　her。　　Then　her　fancy　fluttered
and　fell；　and　she　waited　patiently　for　the　fact　to　reveal　itself。　　There
was　something　countrified　in　the　figure　of　the　man；　and　something
clerical　in　his　face；　though　there　was　nothing　in　his　uncouth　best
clothes　that　confirmed　this　impression。　　In　both　face　and　figure　there
was　a　vague　resemblance　to　some　one　she　had　seen　before；　when　the　vice…
consul　said：

〃Miss　Claxon；　I　want　to　introduce　the　Rev。　Mr。　James　B。　　Orson；　of
Michigan。〃　　Mr。　Orson　took　Clementina's　hand　into　a　dry；　rough　grasp；
while　he　peered　into　her　face　with　small；　shy　eyes。　　The　vice…consul
added　with　a　kind　of　official　formality；　〃Mr。　Orson　is　the　half…nephew　of
Mr。　Lander；〃　and　then　Clementina　now　knew　whom　it　was　that　he　resembled。
〃He　has　come　to　Venice；〃　continued　the　vice…consul；　〃at　the　request　of
Mrs。　Lander；　and　he　did　not　know　of　her　death　until　I　informed　him　of　the
fact。　　I　should　have　said　that　Mr。　Orson　is　the　son　of　Mr。　Lander's　half…
sister。　　He　can　tell　you　the　balance　himself。〃　　The　vice…consul
pronounced　the　concluding　word　with　a　certain　distaste；　and　the　effect　of
gladly　retiring　into　the　background。

〃Won't　you　sit　down？〃　　said　Clementina；　and　she　added　with　one　of　the
remnants　of　her　Middlemount　breeding；　〃Won't　you　let　me　take　your　hat？〃

Mr。　Orson　in　trying　to　comply　with　both　her　invitations；　knocked　his　well
worn　silk　hat　from　the　hand　that　held　it；　and　sent　it　rolling　across　the
room；　where　Clementina　pursued　it　and　put　it　on　the　table。

〃I　may　as　well　say　at　once；〃　he　began　in　a　flat　irresonant　voice；　〃that　I
am　the　representative　of　Mrs。　Lander's　heirs；　and　that　I　have　a　letter
from　her　enclosing　her　last　will　and　testament；　which　I　have　shown　to　the
consul　here〃

〃Vice…consul；〃　the　dignitary　interrupted　with　an　effect　of　rejecting　any
part　in　the　affair。

〃Vice…consul；　I　should　say；and　I　wish　to　lay　them　both　before　you；　in
order　that〃

〃Oh；　that　is　all　right；〃　said　Clementina　sweetly。　　〃I'm　glad　there　is　a
will。　　I　was　afraid　there　wasn't　any　at　all。　　Mr。　Bennam　and　I　looked　for
it　everywhe'e。〃　　She　smiled　upon　the　Rev。　Mr。　Orson；　who　silently　handed
her　a　paper。　　It　was　the　will　which　Milray　had　written　for　Mrs。　Lander；
and　which；　with　whatever　crazy　motive；　she　had　sent　to　her　husband's
kindred。　　It　provided　that　each　of　them　should　be　given　five　thousand
dollars　out　of　the　estate；　and　that　then　all　should　go　to　Clementina。
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　h