Hinkle's sister； and that she was writing for him； for though he was now
out of danger； he was still very weak； and they had all been anxious
about him。 A month before； he had been hurt in a railroad collision； and
had come home from the West； where the accident happened； suffering
mainly from shock； as his doctor thought； he had taken to his bed at
once； and had not risen from it since。 He had been out of his head a
great part of the time； and had been forbidden everything that could
distress or excite him。 His sister said that she was writing for him now
as soon as he had seen Clementina's letter； it had been forwarded from
one address to another； and had at last found him there at his home in
Ohio。 He wished to say that he would come out for Clementina as soon as
he was allowed to undertake the journey； and in the meantime she must let
him know constantly where she was。 The letter closed with a few words of
love in his own handwriting。
Clementina rose from reading it； and put on her hat in a bewildered
impulse to go to him at once； she knew； in spite of all the cautions and
reserves of the letter that he must still be very sick。 When she came
out of her daze she found that she could only go to the vice…consul。 She
put the letter in his hands to let it explain itself。 〃You'll undastand；
now；〃 she said。 〃What shall I do？〃
When he had read it； he smiled and answered； 〃I guess I understood pretty
well before； though I wasn't posted on names。 Well； I suppose you'll
want to layout most of your capital on cables； now？〃
〃Yes；〃 she laughed； and then she suddenly lamented； 〃 Why didn't they
telegraph？〃
〃Well； I guess he hadn't the head for it；〃 said the vice…consul； 〃and the
rest wouldn't think of it。 They wouldn't； in the country。〃
Clementina laughed again； in joyous recognition of the fact； 〃No； my
fatha wouldn't； eitha！〃
The vice…consul reached for his hat； and he led the way to Clementina's
gondola at his garden gate； in greater haste than she。 At the telegraph
office he framed a dispatch which for expansive fullness and precision
was apparently unexampled in the experience of the clerk who took it and
spelt over its English with them。 It asked an answer in the vice…
consul's care； and； 〃I'll tell you what； Miss Claxon；〃 he said with a
husky weakness in his voice； 〃I wish you'd let this be my treat。〃
She understood。 〃Do you really； Mr。 Bennam？〃
〃I do indeed。〃
〃Well； then； I will；〃 she said； but when he wished to include in his
treat the dispatch she sent home to her father announcing her coming； she
would not let him。
He looked at his watch； as they rowed away。 〃It's eight o'clock here；
now； and it will reach Ohio about six hours earlier； but you can't expect
an answer tonight； you know。〃
〃No〃 She had expected it though； he could see that。
〃But whenever it comes； I'll bring it right round to you。 Now it's all
going to be straight； don't you be afraid； and you're going home the
quickest way you can get there。 I've been looking up the sailings； and
this Genoa boat will get you to New York about as soon as any could from
Liverpool。 Besides there's always a chance of missing connections and
losing time between here and England。 I should stick to the Genoa boat。〃
〃Oh I shall；〃 said Clementina； far less fidgetted than he。 She was； in
fact； resting securely again in the faith which had never really deserted
her； and had only seemed for a little time to waver from her when her
hope went。 Now that she had telegraphed； her heart was at peace； and she
even laughed as she answered the anxious vice…consul。
XXXVI。
The next morning Clementina watched for the vice…consul from her balcony。
She knew he would not send； she knew he would come； but it； was nearly
noon before she saw him coming。 They caught sight of each other almost
at the same moment； and he stood up in his boat； and waved something
white in his hand； which must be a dispatch for her。
It acknowledged her telegram and reported George still improving； his
father would meet her steamer in New York。 It was very reassuring； it
was every thing hopeful； but when she had read it she gave it to the
vice…consul for encouragement。
〃It's all right； Miss Claxon；〃 he said； stoutly。 〃Don't you be troubled
about Mr。 Hinkle's not coming to meet you himself。 He can't keep too
quiet for a while yet。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Clementina； patiently。
〃If you really want somebody to worry about； you can help Mr。 Orson to
worry about himself！〃 the vice…consul went on； with the grimness he had
formerly used in speaking of Mrs。 Lander。 〃He's sick； or he thinks he's
going to be。 He sent round for me this morning； and I found him in bed。
You may have to go home alone。 But I guess he's more scared than hurt。〃
Her heart sank； and then rose in revolt against the mere idea of delay。
〃I wonder if I ought to go and see him；〃 she said。
〃Well； it would be a kindness；〃 returned the vice…consul； with a
promptness that unmasked the apprehension he felt for the sick man。
He did not offer to go with her； and she took Maddalena。 She found the
minister seated in his chair beside his bed。 A three days' beard
heightened the gauntness of his face； he did not move when his padrona
announced her。
〃I am not any better；〃 he answered when she said that she was glad to see
him up。 〃I am merely resting； the bed is hard。 I regret to say；〃 he
added； with a sort of formal impersonality； 〃that I shall be unable to
accompany you home； Miss Claxon。 That is； if you still think of taking
the steamer this week。〃
Her whole being had set homeward in a tide that already seemed to drift
the vessel from its moorings。 〃Whatwhat do you mean？〃 she gasped。
〃I didn't know；〃 he returned； 〃but that in view of the circumstancesall
the circumstancesyou might be intending to defer your departure to some
later steamer。〃
〃No； no； no ！ I must go； now。 I couldn't wait a day； an hour； a minute
after the first chance of going。 You don't know what you are saying！
He might die if I told him I was not coming； and then what should I do？〃
This was what Clementina said to herself； but what she said to Mr。 Orson；
with an inspiration from her terror at his suggestion was； 〃Don't you
think a little chicken broth would do you good； Mr。 Osson？ I don't
believe but what it would。〃
A wistful gleam came into the preacher's eyes。 〃It might；〃 he admitted；
and then she knew what must be his malady。 She sent Maddalena to a
trattoria for the soup； and she did not leave him； even after she had
seen its effect upon him。 It was not hard to persuade him that he had
better come home with her； and she had him there； tucked away with his
few poor belongings； in the most comfortable room the padrone could
imagine； when the vice…consul came in the evening。
〃He says he thinks he can go； now；〃 she ended； when she had told the
vice…consul。 〃And I know he can。 It wasn't anything but poor living。〃
〃It looks more like no living；〃 said the vice…consul。 〃Why didn't the
old fool let some one know that he was short of money？ 〃He went on with
a partial transfer of his contempt of the preacher to her； 〃I suppose if
he'd been sick instead of hungry； you'd have waited over till the next
steamer for him。〃
She cast down her eyes。 〃I don't know what you'll think of me。 I should
have been sorry for him； and I should have wanted to stay。〃 She lifted
her eyes and looked the vice…consul defiantly in the face。 〃But he
hadn't the fust claim on me； and I should have goneI couldn't； have
helped it！I should have gone； if he had been dying！〃
〃Well； you've got more horse…sense；〃 said the vice…consul； 〃 than any ten
men I ever saw；〃 and he testified his admiration of her by putting his
arms round her； where she stood before him； and kissing her。 〃Don't you
mind；〃 he explained。 〃If my youngest girl had lived； she would have been
about your age。〃
〃Oh； it's all right； Mr。 Bennam；〃 said Clementina。
When the time came for them to leave Venice； Mr。 Orson was even eager to
go。 The vice…consul would have gone with them in contempt of the
official responsibilities which he felt to be such a thankless burden；
but there was really no need of his going； and he and Clementina treated
the question with the matter…of…fact impartiality which they liked in
each other。 He saw her off at the station where Maddalena had come to
take the train for Florence in token of her devotion to the signorina；
whom she would not outstay in Venice。 She wept long and loud upon
Clementina's neck； so that even Clementina was once moved to put her
handkerchief to her tearless eyes。
At the last moment she had a question which she referred to the vice
consul。 〃Should you tell him？〃 she asked。
〃Tell who what？〃 he retorted。
〃Mr。 Osson…that I wouldn't have stayed for him。〃
〃Do you think it would make you feel any better？〃 asked the consul； upon
reflection。
〃I believe he ought to know。〃
〃Well； then； I guess I should do it。〃
The time did not come for her confession till they had nearly reached the
end of their voyage。 It followed upon something like a confession from
the minister himself； which he made the day he struggled on deck with her
help； after spending a week in his berth。
〃Here is something；〃 he said； 〃which appears to be for you； Miss Claxon。
I found it among some letters for Mrs。 Lander which Mr。 Bennam gave me
after my arrival； and I only observed the address in looking over the
papers in my valise this morning。〃 He handed her a telegram。 〃I trust
that it is nothing requiring immediate attention。〃
Clementina read it at a glance。 〃No；〃 she answered； and for a while she
could not say anything more； it was a cable message which Hinkle's sister
must have sent her after writing。 No evil had come of its failure to
reach her； and she recalled without bitterness the suffering which would
have been spared her if she had got it before。 It was when she thought
of the suffering of her lover from the silence which must have made him
doubt her； that she could not speak。 As soon as she governed herself
against her first resentment she said； with a little sigh； 〃It is all
right； now； Mr。