按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
steps under an arbor of rustic work； but this was still so novel that the
younger children had not outgrown their pride in it and were playing at
house…keeping there。 Clementina ran around to the back door and out
through the front entry in time to save the visitor and the children from
the misunderstanding they began to fall into； and met her with a smile of
hospitable brilliancy； and a recognition full of compassionate welcome。
Mrs。 Lander gave way to her tears as she broke out； 〃 Oh； it ain't the
way it was the last time I was he'a！ You hea'd that hethat Mr。 Landa〃
〃Mrs。 Atwell told me；〃 said Clementina。 〃Won't you come in； and sit
down？〃
〃Why； yes。〃 Mrs。 Lander pushed in through the narrow door of what was to
be the parlor。 Her crapes swept about her and exhaled a strong scent of
their dyes。 Her veil softened her heavy face； but she had not grown
thinner in her bereavement。
〃I just got to the Middlemount last night；〃 she said； 〃and I wanted to
see you and your payrents； both； Miss Claxon。 It doos bring him back so！
You won't neva know how much he thought of you； and you'll all think I'm
crazy。 I wouldn't come as long as he was with me； and now I have to come
without him； I held out ag'inst him as long as I had him to hold out
ag'inst。 Not that he was eva one to push； and I don't know as he so much
as spoke of it； afta we left the hotel two yea's ago； but I presume it
wa'n't out of his mind a single minute。 Time and time again I'd say to
him； 'Now； Albe't； do you feel about it just the way you done？' and he'd
say； 'I ha'r't had any call to charge my mind about it；' and then I'd
begin tryin' to ahgue him out of it； and keep a hectorin'； till he'd say；
'Well； I'm not askin' you to do it；' and that's all I could get out of
him。 But I see all the while 't he wanted me to do it； whateva he asked；
and now I've got to do it when it can't give him any pleasure。〃 Mrs。
Lander put up her black…bordered handkerchief and sobbed into it； and
Clementina waited till her grief had spent itself； then she gave her a
fan； and Mrs。 Lander gratefully cooled her hot wet face。 The children
had found the noises of her affliction and the turbid tones of her
monologue annoying； and had gone off to play in the woods； Claxon kept
incuriously about the work that Clementina had left him to； his wife
maintained the confidence which she always felt in Clementina's ability
to treat with the world when it presented itself； and though she was
curious enough； she did not offer to interrupt the girl's interview with
Mrs。 Lander； Clementina would know how to behave。
Mrs。 Lander； when she had refreshed herself with the fan； seemed to get a
fresh grip of her theme； and she told Clementina all abort Mr。 Lander's
last sickness。 It had been so short that it gave her no time to try the
climate of Colorado upon him； which she now felt sure would have brought
him right up； and she had remembered； when too late； to give him a liver…
medicine of her own； though it did not appear that it was his liver which
was affected； that was the strange part of it。 But； brief as his
sickness was； he had felt that it was to be his last； and had solemnly
talked over her future with her； which he seemed to think would be
lonely。 He had not named Clementina； but Mrs。 Lander had known well
enough what he meant； and now she wished to ask her； and her father and
mother； how they would all like Clementina to come and spend the winter
with her at Boston first； and then further South； and wherever she should
happen to go。 She apologized for not having come sooner upon this
errand； she had resolved upon it as soon as Mr。 Lander was gone； but she
had been sick herself； and had only just now got out of bed。
Clementina was too young to feel the pathos of the case fully； or perhaps
even to follow the tortuous course of Mrs。 Lander's motives； but she was
moved by her grief； and she could not help a thrill of pleasure in the
vague splendor of the future outlined by Mrs。 Lander's proposal。 For a
time she had thought that Mrs。 Milray was going to ask her to visit her
in New York； Mrs。 Milray had thrown out a hint of something of the kind
at parting； but that was the last of it； and now she at once made up her
mind that she would like to go with Mrs。 Lander； while discreetly saying
that she would ask her father and mother to come and talk with her。
XIII。
Her parents objected to leaving their work； each suggested that the other
had better go； but they both came at Clementina's urgence。 Her father
laughed and her mother frowned when she told them what Mrs。 Lander
wanted； from the same misgiving of her sanity。 They partly abandoned
this theory for a conviction of Mrs。 Lander's mere folly when she began
to talk； and this slowly yielded to the perception that she had some
streaks of sense。 It was sense in the first place to want to have
Clementina with her； and though it might not be sense to suppose that
they would be anxious to let her go； they did not find so much want of it
as Mrs。 Lander talked on。 It was one of her necessities to talk away her
emotions before arriving at her ideas； which were often found in a
tangle； but were not without a certain propriety。 She was now； after her
interview with Clementina； in the immediate presence of these； and it was
her ideas that she began to produce for the girl's father and mother。
She said； frankly； that she had more money than she knew what to do with；
and they must not think she supposed she was doing a favor； for she was
really asking one。
She was alone in the world； without near connections of her own； or
relatives of her husband's； and it would be a mercy if they could let
their daughter come and visit her； she would not call it more than a
visit； that would be the best thing on both sides； she told of her great
fancy for Clementina the first time she saw her； and of her husband's
wish that she would come and visit with them then for the winter。 As for
that money she had tried to make the child take； she presumed that they
knew about it； and she wished to say that she did it because she was
afraid Mr。 Lander had said so much about the sewing； that they would be
disappointed。 She gave way to her tears at the recollection； and
confessed that she wanted the child to have the money anyway。 She ended
by asking Mrs。 Claxon if she would please to let her have a drink of
water； and she looked about the room； and said that they had got it
finished up a great deal； now； had not they？ She made other remarks upon
it； so apt that Mrs。 Claxon gave her a sort of permissive invitation to
look about the whole lower floor； ending with the kitchen。
Mrs。 Lander sat down there while Mrs。 Claxon drew from the pipes a glass
of water； which she proudly explained was pumped all over the house by
the wind mill that supplied the power for her husband's turning lathes。
〃Well； I wish mah husband could have tasted that wata；〃 said Mrs。 Lander；
as if reminded of husbands by the word； and by the action of putting down
the glass。 〃He was always such a great hand for good； cold wata。 My！
He'd 'a liked youa kitchen； Mrs。 Claxon。 He alway