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among the ladies。 But it suggested something to Mrs。 Lander； and a few
days afterwards； when they came out from Boston where they had been
shopping； and she had been lavishing a bewildering waste of gloves； hats；
shoes； capes and gowns upon Clementina； she said； 〃I'll tell you what。
We've got to have a maid。〃
〃A maid？〃 cried the girl。
〃It isn't me； or my things I want her for；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。 〃It's you
and these dresses of youas。 I presume you could look afta them； come to
give youa mind to it； but I don't want to have you tied up to a lot of
clothes； and I presume we should find her a comfo't in moa ways than one；
both of us。 I don't know what we shall want her to do； exactly； but I
guess she will； if she undastands her business； and I want you should go
in with me； to…morror； and find one。 I'll speak to some of the ladies；
and find out whe's the best place to go； and we'll get the best there
is。〃
A lady whom Mrs。 Lander spoke to entered into the affair with zeal born
of a lurking sense of the wrong she had helped do Clementina in the
common doubt whether she was not herself Mrs。 Lander's maid。 She offered
to go into Boston with them to an intelligence office； where you could
get nice girls of all kinds； but she ended by giving Mrs。 Lander the
address； and instructions as to what she was to require in a maid。 She
was chiefly to get an English maid； if at all possible； for the
qualifications would more or less naturally follow from her nationality。
There proved to be no English maid； but there was a Swedish one who had
received a rigid training in an English family living on the Continent；
and had come immediately from that service to seek her first place in
America。 The manager of the office pronounced her character； as set down
in writing； faultless； and Mrs。 Lander engaged her。 〃You want to look
afta this young lady；〃 she said； indicating Clementina。 〃I can look afta
myself；〃 but Ellida took charge of them both on the train out from Boston
with prompt intelligence。
〃We got to get used to it； I guess；〃 Mrs。 Lander confided at the first
chance of whispering to Clementina。
Within a month after washing the faces and combing the hair of all her
brothers and sisters who would suffer it at her hands； Clementina's own
head was under the brush of a lady's maid； who was of as great a
discreetness in her own way as Clementina herself。 She supplied the
defects of Mrs。 Lander's elementary habits by simply asking if she should
get this thing and that thing for the toilet； without criticising its
absence；and then asking whether she should get the same things for her
young lady。 She appeared to let Mrs。 Lander decide between having her
brushes in ivory or silver； but there was really no choice for her； and
they came in silver。 She knew not only her own place； but the places of
her two ladies； and she presently had them in such training that they
were as proficient in what they might and might not do for themselves and
for each other； as if making these distinctions were the custom of their
lives。
Their hearts would both have gone out to Ellida； but Ellida kept them at
a distance with the smooth respectfulness of the iron hand in the glove
of velvet； and Clementina first learned from her to imagine the
impassable gulf between mistress and maid。
At the end of her month she gave them； out of a clear sky； a week's
warning。 She professed no grievance； and was not moved by Mrs。 Lander's
appeal to say what wages she wanted。 She would only say that she was
going to take a place an Commonwealth Avenue； where a friend of hers was
living； and when the week was up； she went； and left her late mistresses
feeling rather blank。 〃 I presume we shall have to get anotha；〃 said
Mrs。 Lander。
〃Oh； not right away！ 〃 Clementina pleaded。
〃Well； not right away；〃 Mrs。 Lander assented； and provisionally they each
took the other into her keeping； and were much freer and happier
together。
Soon after Clementina was startled one morning； as she was going in to
breakfast； by seeing Mr。 Fane at the clerk's desk。 He did not see her；
he was looking down at the hotel register； to compute the bill of a
departing guest； but when she passed out she found him watching for her；
with some letters。
〃I didn't know you were with us；〃 he said； with his pensive smile； 〃till
I found your letters here； addressed to Mrs。 Lander's care； and then I
put two and two together。 It only shows how small the world is； don't
you think so？ I've just got back from my vacation； I prefer to take it
in the fall of the year； because it's so much pleasanter to travel； then。
I suppose you didn't know I was here？〃
〃No； I didn't；〃 said Clementina。 〃I never dreamed of such a thing。〃
〃To be sure； why should you？〃 Fane reflected。 〃I've been here ever since
last spring。 But I'll say this； Miss Claxon； that if it's the least
unpleasant to you； or the least disagreeable； or awakens any kind of
associations〃
〃Oh； no！〃 Clementina protested； and Fane was spared the pain of saying
what he would do if it were。
He bowed； and she said sweetly； 〃It's pleasant to meet any one I've seen
before。 I suppose you don't know how much it's changed at Middlemount
since you we' e thea。〃 Fane answered blankly； while he felt in his
breast pocket； Oh； he presumed so； and she added： 〃Ha'dly any of the same
guests came back this summer； and they had more in July than they had in
August； Mrs。 Atwell said。 Mr。 Mahtin； the chef； is gone； and newly all
the help is different。〃
Fane kept feeling in one pocket and then slapped himself over the other
pockets。 〃No；〃 he said； 〃I haven't got it with me。 I must have left it
in my room。 I just received a letter from FrankMr。 Gregory； you know；
I always call him Frankand I thought I had it with me。 He was asking
about Middlemount； and I wanted to read you what he said。 But I'll find
it upstairs。 He's out of college； now； and he's begun his studies in the
divinity school。 He's at Andover。 I don't know what to make of Frank；
oftentimes；〃 the clerk continued； confidentially。 〃I tell him he's a
kind of a survival； in religion； he's so aesthetic。〃 It seemed to Fane
that he had not meant aesthetic； exactly； but he could not ask Clementina
what the word was。 He went on to say； 〃He's a grand good fellow； Frank
is； but he don't make enough allowance for human nature。 He's more like
one of those old fashioned orthodox。 I go in for having a good time； so
long as you don't do anybody else any hurt。〃
He left her； and went to receive the commands of a lady who was leaning
over the desk； and saying severely； 〃My mail； if you please；〃 and
Clementina could not wait for him to come back； she had to go to Mrs。
Lander； and get her ready for breakfast； Ellida had taught Mrs。 Lander a
luxury of helplessness in which she persisted after the maid's help was
withdrawn。
Clementina went about the whole day with the wonder what Gregory had said
about Middlemount filling her mind。 It must have had something to do
with her； he could not have forgotten the words he had asked her to
forget。 She remembered them now with a curiosity； which had no rancor in
it； to know why he really took them back。 She had never blamed him； and
she had outlived the hurt she had felt at not hearing from him。 But she
had never lost the hope of hearing from him； or rather the expectation；
and now she found that she was eager for his message； she decided that it
must be something like a message； although it could not be anything
direct。 No one else had come to his place in her fancy； and she was
willing to try what they would think of each other now； to measure her
own obligation to the past by a knowledge of his。 There was scarcely
more than this in her heart when she allowed herself to drift near Fane's
place that night； that he might speak to her； and tell her what Gregory
had said。 But he had apparently forgotten about his letter； and only
wished to talk about himself。 He wished to analyze himself； to tell her
what sort of person he was。 He dealt impartially with the subject； he
did not spare some faults of his； and after a week； he proposed a
correspondence with her； in a letter of carefully studied spelling； as a
means of mutual improvement as well as further acquaintance。
It cost Clementina a good deal of trouble to answer him as she wished and
not hurt his feelings。 She declined in terms she thought so cold that
they must offend him beyond the point of speaking to her again； but he
sought her out； as soon after as he could； and thanked her for her
kindness； and begged her pardon。 He said he knew that she was a very
busy person； with all the lessons she was taking； and that she had no
time for carrying on a correspondence。 He regretted that he could not
write French； because then the correspondence would have been good
practice for her。 Clementina had begun taking French lessons； of a
teacher who came out from Boston。 She lunched three times a week with
her and Mrs。 Lander； and spoke the language with Clementina； whose accent
she praised for its purity； purity of accent was characteristic of all
this lady's pupils； but what was real