第 6 节
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京文 更新:2024-09-15 09:12 字数:9322
made him tell her what a lord was; and a commoner; and how the royal
family differed from both。 She asked him how he came to be a lord; and
when he said that it was a peerage of George the Third's creation; she
remembered that George III。 was the one we took up arms against。 She
found that Lord Lioncourt knew of our revolution generally; but was
ignorant of such particulars as the Battle of Bunker Hill; and the
Surrender of Cornwallis; as well as the throwing of the Tea into Boston
Harbor; he was much struck by this incident; and said; And quite right;
he was sure。
He told Clementina that her friends the Milrays had taken the steamer for
London in the morning。 He believed they were going to Egypt for the
winter。 Cairo; he said; was great fun; and he advised Mrs。 Lander; if
she found Florence a bit dull; to push on there。 She asked if it was an
easy place to get to; and he assured her that it was very easy from
Italy。
Mrs。 Lander was again at home in her world of railroads and hotels; but
she confessed; after he left them at the next station; that she should
have felt more at home if he had been going on to London with them。 She
philosophized him to the disadvantage of her own countrymen as much less
offish than a great many New York and Boston peuple。 He had given her a
good opinion of the whole English nation; and the clergyman; who had been
so nice to them at Liverpool; confirmed her friendly impressions of
England by getting her a small omnibus at the station in London before he
got a cab for himself and his wife; and drove away to complete his own
journey on another road。 She celebrated the omnibus as if it were an
effect of his goodness in her behalf。 She admired its capacity for
receiving all their trunks; and saving the trouble and delay of the
express; which always vexed her so much in New York; and which had nearly
failed in getting her baggage to the steamer in time。
The omnibus remained her chief association with London; for she decided
to take the first through train for Italy in the morning。 She wished to
be settled; by which she meant placed in a Florentine hotel for the
winter。 That lord; as she now began and always continued to call
Lioncourt; had first given her the name of the best little hotel in
Florence; but as it had neither elevator nor furnace heat in it; he
agreed in the end that it would not do for her; and mentioned the most
modern and expensive house on the Lungarno。 He told her he did not think
she need telegraph for rooms; but she took this precaution before leaving
London; and was able to secure them at a price which seemed to her quite
as much as she would have had to pay for the same rooms at a first class
hotel on the Back Bay。
The manager had reserved for her one of the best suites; which had just
been vacated by a Russian princess。 〃I guess you better cable to your
folks where you ah'; Clementina;〃 she said。 〃Because if you're
satisfied; I am; and I presume we sha'n't want to change as long as we
stay in Florence。 My; but it's sightly ! 〃She joined Clementina a
moment at the windows looking upon the Arno; and the hills beyond it。
〃I guess you'll spend most of your time settin' at this winder; and I
sha'n't blame you。〃
They had arrived late in the dull; soft winter afternoon。 The landlord
led the way himself to their apartment; and asked if they would have
fire; a facchino came in and kindled roaring blazes on the hearths; at
the same time a servant lighted all the candles on the tables and
mantels。 They both gracefully accepted the fees that Mrs。 Lander made
Clementina give them; the facchino kissed the girl's hand。 〃My!〃 said
Mrs。 Lander; 〃I guess you never had your hand kissed before。〃
The hotel developed advantages which; if not those she was used to; were
still advantages。 The halls were warmed by a furnace; and she came to
like the little logs burning in her rooms。 In the care of her own fire;
she went back to the simple time of her life in the country; and chose to
kindle it herself when it died out; with the fagots of broom that blazed
up so briskly。
In the first days of her stay she made inquiry for the best American
doctor in Florence; and she found him so intelligent that she at once put
her liver in his charge; with a history of her diseases and symptoms of
every kind。 She told him that she was sure that he could have cured Mr。
Lander; if he had only had him in time; she exacted a new prescription
from him for herself; and made him order some quinine pills for
Clementina against the event of her feeling debilitated by the air of
Florence。
XX。
In these first days a letter came to Clementina from Mrs。 Lander's
banker; enclosing the introduction which Mrs。 Milray had promised to her
sister…in…law。 It was from Mr。 Milray; as before; and it was in Mrs。
Milray's handwriting; but no message from her came with it。 To
Clementina it explained itself; but she had to explain it to Mrs。 Lander。
She had to tell her of Mrs。 Milray's behavior after the entertainment on
the steamer; and Mrs。 Lander said that Clementina had done just exactly
right; and they both decided; against some impulses of curiosity in
Clementina's heart; that she should not make use of the introduction。
The 'Hotel des Financieres' was mainly frequented by rich Americans full
of ready money; and by rich Russians of large credit。 Better Americans
and worse; went; like the English; to smaller and cheaper hotels; and
Clementina's acquaintance was confined to mothers as shy and
ungrammatical as Mrs。 Lander herself; and daughters blankly indifferent
to her。 Mrs。 Lander drove out every day when it did not rain; and she
took Clementina with her; because the doctor said it would do them both
good; but otherwise the girl remained pent in their apartment。 The
doctor found her a teacher; and she kept on with her French; and began to
take lessons in Italian; she spoke with no one but her teacher; except
when the doctor came。 At the table d'hote she heard talk of the things
that people seemed to come to Florence for: pictures; statues; palaces;
famous places; and it made her ashamed of not knowing about them。 But
she could not go to see these things alone; and Mrs。 Lander; in the
content she felt with all her circumstances; seemed not to suppose that
Clementina could care for anything but the comfort of the hotel and the
doctor's visits。 When the girl began to get letters from home in answer
to the first she had written back; boasting how beautiful Florence was;
they assumed that she was very gay; and demanded full accounts of her
pleasures。 Her brother Jim gave something of the village news; but he
said he supposed that she would not care for that; and she would probably
be too proud to speak to them when she came home。 The Richlings had
called in to share the family satisfaction in Clementina's first
experiences; and Mrs。 Richling wrote her very sweetly of their happiness
in them。 She charged her from the rector not to forget any chance of
self…improvement in the allurements of society; but to make the most of
her rare opportunities。 She said that they had got a guide…book to
Florence; with a plan of the city; and were following her in the
expeditions they decided she must be making every day; they were reading
up the Florentine history in Sismondi's Italian Republics; and she bade
Clementina be sure and see all the scenes of Savonarola's martyrdom; so
that they could talk them over together when she returned。
Clexnentina wondered what Mrs。 Richling would think if she told her that
all she knew of Florence was what she overheard in the talk of the girls
in the hotel; who spoke before her of their dances and afternoon teas;
and evenings at the opera; and drives in the Cascine; and parties to
Fiesole; as if she were not by。
The days and weeks passed; until Carnival was half gone; and Mrs。 Lander
noticed one day that Clementina appeared dull。 〃You don't seem to get
much acquainted?〃 she suggested。
〃Oh; the'e's plenty of time;〃 said Clementina。
〃I wish the'e was somebody you could go round with; and see the place。
Shouldn't yon like to see the place? 〃 Mrs。 Lander pursued。
〃There's no hurry about it; Mrs。 Lander。 It will stay as long as we do。〃
Mrs。 Lander was thoughtfully silent。 Then she said; 〃I declare; I've got
half a mind to make you send that letta to Miss Milray; after all。 What
difference if Mrs。 Milray did act so ugly to you? He never did; and
she's his sista。〃
〃Oh; I don't want to send it; Mrs。 Landa; you mustn't ask me to。 I shall
get along;〃 said Clementina。 The recognition of her forlornness deepened
it; but she was cheerfuller; for no reason; the next morning; and that
afternoon; the doctor unexpectedly came upon a call which he made haste
to say was not professional。
〃I've just come from another patient of mine; and I promised to ask if
you had not crossed on the same ship with a brother of hers;Mr。
Milray。〃
Celementina and Mrs。 Lander looked guiltily at each other。 〃I guess we
did;〃 Mrs。 Lander owned at last; with a reluctant sigh。
〃Then; she says you have a letter for her。〃
The doctor spoke to both; but hi