in pencil； and he began to attack in Mrs。 Lander the demerits of the
American character； as he had divined them。 He instructed her that her
countrymen existed chiefly to make money； that they were more shopkeepers
than the English and worse snobs； that their women were trivial and their
men sordid； that their ambition was to unite their families with the
European aristocracies； and their doctrine of liberty and equality was a
shameless hypocrisy。 This followed hard upon her asking； as she did very
promptly； why he had scratched out the title on his card。 He told her
that he wished to be known solely as an artist； and he had to explain to
her that he was not a painter； but was going to be a novelist。 She taxed
him with never having been in America； but he contended that as all
America came to Europe he had the materials for a study of the national
character at hand； without the trouble of crossing the ocean。 In return
she told him that she had not been the least sea…sick during the voyage；
and that it was no trouble at all； then he abruptly left her and went
over to beg a cup of tea from Clementina； who sat behind the kettle by
the window。
〃I have heard this morning from that American I met in Pompeii〃 he began。
〃He is coming northward； and I am going down to meet him in Rome。〃
Mrs。 Lander caught the word； and called across the room； 〃Why； a'n't that
whe'e that lo'd's gone？〃
Clementina said yes； and while the kettle boiled； she asked if Baron
Belsky were going soon。
〃Oh； in a week or ten days； perhaps。 I shall know when he arrives。 Then
I shall go。 We write to each other every day。〃 He drew a letter from
his breast pocket。 〃This will give you the idea of his character；〃 and
he read； 〃If we believe that the hand of God directs all our actions； how
can we set up our theories of conduct against what we feel to be his
inspiration？〃
〃What do you think of that？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't believe that God directs our wrong actions；〃 said Clementina。
〃How！ Is there anything outside of God？
〃I don't know whether there is or not。 But there is something that
tempts me to do wrong； sometimes； and I don't believe that is God。〃
The Russian seemed struck。 〃I will write that to him！〃
〃No；〃 said Clementina； 〃I don't want you to say anything about me to
him。〃
〃No； no！〃 said Baron Belsky； waving his band reassuringly。 〃I would not
mention your name！〃
Mr。 Ewins came in； and the Russian said he must go。 Mrs。 Lander tried to
detain him； too； as she had tried to keep Mr。 Hinkle； but be was
inexorable。 Mr。 Ewins looked at the door when it had closed upon him。
Mrs。 Lander said； 〃That is one of the gentlemen that Clementina met the
otha night at the dance。 He is a baron； but he scratches it out。 You'd
ought to head him go on about Americans。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Ewins coldly。 〃He's at our hotel； and he airs his
peculiar opinions at the table d'hote pretty freely。 He's a
revolutionist of some kind； I fancy。〃 He pronounced the epithet with an
abhorrence befitting the citizen of a state born of revolution and a city
that had cradled the revolt。 〃He's a Nihilist； I believe。〃
Mrs。 Lander wished to know what that was； and he explained that it was a
Russian who wanted to overthrow the Czar； and set up a government of the
people； when they were not prepared for liberty。
〃Then； maybe he isn't a baron at all；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。
〃Oh； I believe he has a right to his title；〃 Ewins answered。 〃It's a
German one。〃
He said he thought that sort of man was all the more mischievous on
account of his sincerity。 He instanced a Russian whom a friend of his
knew in Berlin； a man of rank like this fellow： he got to brooding upon
the condition of working people and that kind of thing； till he renounced
his title and fortune and went to work in an iron foundry。
Mr。 Ewins also spoke critically of Mrs。 Milray。 He had met her in Egypt；
but you soon exhausted the interest of that kind of woman。 He professed
a great concern that Clementina should see Florence in just the right
way； and he offered his services in showing her the place。
The Russian came the next day； and almost daily after that； in the
interest with which Clementina's novel difference from other American
girls seemed to inspire him。 His imagination had transmuted her simple
Yankee facts into something appreciable to a Slav of his temperament。
He conceived of her as the daughter of a peasant； whose beauty had
charmed the widow of a rich citizen； and who was to inherit the wealth of
her adoptive mother。 He imagined that the adoption had taken place at a
much earlier period than the time when Clementina's visit to Mrs。 Lander
actually began； and that all which could he done had been done to efface
her real character by indulgence and luxury。
His curiosity concerning her childhood； her home； her father and mother；
her brothers and sisters； and his misunderstanding of everything she told
him； amused her。 But she liked him； and she tried to give him some
notion of the things he wished so much to know。 It always ended in a
dissatisfaction； more or less vehement； with the outcome of American
conditions as he conceived them。
〃But you；〃 he urged one day； 〃you who are a daughter of the fields and
woods； why should you forsake that pure life； and come to waste yourself
here？〃
〃Why； don't you think it's very nice in Florence？〃 she asked； with eyes
of innocent interest。
〃Nice！ Nice！ Do we live for what is nice？ Is it enough that you have
what you Americans call a nice time？〃
Clementina reflected。 〃I wasn't doing much of anything at home； and I
thought I might as well come with Mrs。 Lander； if she wanted me so much。〃
She thought in a certain way； that he was meddling with what was not his
affair； but she believed that he was sincere in his zeal for the ideal
life he wished her to lead； and there were some things she had heard
about him that made her pity and respect him； his self…exile and his
renunciation of home and country for his principles； whatever they were；
she did not understand exactly。 She would not have liked never being
able to go back to Middlemount； or to be cut off from all her friends as
this poor young Nihilist was； and she said； now； 〃I didn't expect that it
was going to be anything but a visit； and I always supposed we should go
back in the spring； but now Mrs。 Lander is beginning to think she won't
be well enough till fall。〃
〃And why need you stay with her？〃
〃Because she's not very well；〃 answered Clementina； and she smiled； a
little triumphantly as well as tolerantly。
〃She could hire nurses and doctors； all she wants with her money。〃
〃I don't believe it would be the same thing； exactly； and what should I
do if I went back？〃
〃Do？ Teach ！ Uplift the lives about you。〃
〃But you say it is better for people to live simply； and not read and
think so much。〃
〃Then labor in the fields with them。〃
Clementina laughed outright。 〃I guess if anyone saw me wo'king in the
fields they would think I was a disgrace to the neighbahood。〃
Belsky gave her a stupified glare through his spectacles。 〃I cannot
undertand you Americans。〃
〃Well； you must come ova to America； then； Mr。 Belsky〃he had asked her
not to call him by his title〃and then you would。〃
〃No； I could not endure the disappointment。 You have the great
opportunity of the earth。 You could be equal and just； and simple and
kind。 There is nothing to hinder you。 But all you try to do is to get
more and more money。〃
〃Now； that isn't faia； Mr。 Belsky； and you know it。〃
Well； then； you joke； jokealways joke。 Like that Mr。 Hinkle。 He wants
to make money with his patent of a gleaner； that will take the last grain
of wheat from the poor； and he wants to jokejoke！'
Clementina said； 〃I won't let you say that about Mr。 Hinkle。 You don't
know him； or you wouldn't。 If he jokes； why shouldn't he？〃
Belsky made a gesture of rejection。 〃Oh； you are an American； too。〃
She had not grown less American； certainly； since she had left home； even
the little conformities to Europe that she practiced were traits of
Americanism。 Clementina was not becoming sophisticated； but perhaps she
was becoming more conventionalized。 The knowledge of good and evil in
things that had all seemed indifferently good to her once； had crept upon
her； and she distinguished in her actions。 She sinned as little as any
young lady in Florence against the superstitions of society； but though
she would not now have done a skirt…dance before a shipful of people； she
did not afflict herself about her past errors。 She put on the world； but
she wore it simply and in most matters unconsciously。 Some things were
imparted to her without her asking or wishing； and merely in virtue of
her youth and impressionability。 She took them from her environment
without knowing it； and in this way she was coming by an English manner
and an English tone； she was only the less American for being rather
English without trying； when other Americans tried so hard。 In the
region of harsh nasals； Clementina had never spoken through her nose； and
she was now as unaffected in these alien inflections as in the tender
cooings which used to rouse the misgivings of her brother Jim。 When she
was with English people she employed them involuntarily； and when she was
with Americans she measurably lost them； so that after half an hour with
Mr。 Hinkle； she had scarcely a trace of them； and with Mrs。 Lander she
always spoke with her native accent。
XXIII
One Sunday night； toward the end of Lent； Mrs。 Lander had another of her
attacks； she now began to call them so as if she had established an
ownership in them。 It came on from her cumulative over…eating； again；
but the doctor was not so smiling as he had been with regard to the
first。 Clementina had got ready to drive out to Miss Milray's for one of
her Sunday teas； but she put off her things； and prepared to spend the
night at Mrs。 Lander's bedside。 〃Well； I should think you would want
to；〃 said the sufferer。 〃I'm goin' to do everything for you； and you'd
ought to be willing to give up one of youa junketin's for me。 I'm sure I
don't kn