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the whole pack of her brothas and sistas。 What made you think I wanted
you to do such a thing？〃
〃You wanted me to do it last night。 Wouldn't ha'dly let me go to bed。〃
〃Yes！ And how many times have I told you nova to go off and do a thing
that I wanted you to； unless you asked me if I did？ Must I die befo'e
you can find out that there is such a thing as talkin'； and such anotha
thing as doin'？ You wouldn't get yourself into half as many scrapes if
you talked more and done less； in this wo'ld。〃 Lander rose。
〃Wait！ Hold on！ What are you going to say to the pooa thing？ She'll be
so disappointed！〃
〃I don't know as I shall need to say anything myself；〃 answered the
little man； at his dryest。 〃Leave that to you。〃
〃Well； I can tell you；〃 returned his wife； 〃I'm not goin' nea' them
again； and if you think What did you ask the woman； anyway？〃
〃I asked her；〃 he said； 〃if she wanted to let the gul come and see you
about some sewing you had to have done； and she said she did。〃
〃And you didn't speak about havin' her come to live with us？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； why in the land didn't you say so before； Albe't？〃
〃You didn't ask me。 What do you want I should say to her now？〃
〃Say to who？〃
〃The gul。 She's down in the pahlor； waitin'。〃
〃Well； of all the men！〃 cried Mrs。 Lander。 But she seemed to find
herself； upon reflection； less able to cope with Lander personally than
with the situation generally。 〃Will you send her up； Albe't？〃 she asked；
very patiently； as if he might be driven to further excesses； if not
delicately handled。 As soon as he had gone out of the room she wished
that she had told him to give her time to dress and have her room put in
order； before he sent the child up； but she could only make the best of
herself in bed with a cap and a breakfast jacket； arranged with the help
of a handglass。 She had to get out of bed to put her other clothes away
in the closet and she seized the chance to push the breakfast tray out of
the door； and smooth up the bed； while she composed her features and her
ideas to receive her visitor。 Both； from long habit rather than from any
cause or reason； were of a querulous cast； and her ordinary tone was a
snuffle expressive of deep…seated affliction。 She was at once plaintive
and voluable； and in moments of excitement her need of freeing her mind
was so great that she took herself into her own confidence； and found a
more sympathetic listener than when she talked to her husband。 As she
now whisked about her room in her bed…gown with an activity not
predicable of her age and shape； and finally plunged under the covering
and drew it up to her chin with one hand while she pressed it out
decorously over her person with the other； she kept up a rapid flow of
lamentation and conjecture。 〃I do suppose he'll be right back with her
before I'm half ready； and what the man was thinkin' of to do such a
thing anyway； I don't know。 I don't know as she'll notice much； comin'
out of such a lookin' place as that； and I don't know as I need to care
if she did。 But if the'e's care anywhe's around； I presume I'm the one
to have it。 I presume I did take a fancy to her； and I guess I shall be
glad to see how I like her now； and if he's only told her I want some
sewin' done； I can scrape up something to let her carry home with her。
It's well I keep my things where I can put my hand on 'em at a time like
this； and I don't believe I shall sca'e the child； as it is。 I do hope
Albe't won't hang round half the day before he brings her； I like to have
a thing ova。〃
Lander wandered about looking for the girl through the parlors and the
piazzas； and then went to the office to ask what had become of her。
The landlord came out of his room at his question to the clerk。 〃Oh； I
guess she's round in my wife's room； Mr。 Landa。 She always likes to see
Clementina； and I guess they all do。 She's a so't o' pet amongst 'em。〃
〃No hurry；〃 said Lander； 〃I guess my wife ain't quite ready for her yet。〃
〃Well； she'll be right out； in a minute or so；〃 said the landlord。
The old man tilted his hat forward over his eyes； and went to sit on the
veranda and look at the landscape while he waited。 It was one of the
loveliest landscapes in the mountains； the river flowed at the foot of an
abrupt slope from the road before the hotel； stealing into and out of the
valley； and the mountains； gray in the farther distance； were draped with
folds of cloud hanging upon their flanks and tops。 But Lander was tired
of nearly all kinds of views and prospects； though he put' up with them；
in his perpetual movement from place to place； in the same resignation
that he suffered the limitations of comfort in parlor cars and sleepers；
and the unwholesomeness of hotel tables。 He was chained to the restless
pursuit of an ideal not his own； but doomed to suffer for its
impossibility as if he contrived each of his wife's disappointments from
it。 He did not philosophize his situation； but accepted it as in an
order of Providence which it would be useless for him to oppose； though
there were moments when he permitted himself to feel a modest doubt of
its justice。 He was aware that when he had a house of his own he was
master in it； after a fashion； and that as long as he was in business he
was in some sort of authority。 He perceived that now he was a slave to
the wishes of a mistress who did not know what she wanted； and that he
was never farther from pleasing her than when he tried to do what she
asked。 He could not have told how all initiative had been taken from
him； and he had fallen into the mere follower of a woman guided only by
her whims； who had no object in life except to deprive it of all object。
He felt no rancor toward her for this； he knew that she had a tender
regard for him； and that she believed she was considering him first in
her most selfish arrangements。 He always hoped that sometime she would
get tired of her restlessness； and be willing to settle down again in
some stated place； and wherever it was； he meant to get into some kind of
business again。 Till this should happen he waited with an apathetic
patience of which his present abeyance was a detail。 He would hardly
have thought it anything unfit； and certainly nothing surprising； that
the landlady should have taken the young girl away from where he had left
her； and then in the pleasure of talking with her； and finding her a
centre of interest for the whole domestic force of the hotel； should have
forgotten to bring her back。
The Middlemount House had just been organized on the scale of a first
class hotel； with prices that had risen a little in anticipation of the
other improvements。 The landlord had hitherto united in himself the
functions of clerk and head waiter； but he had now got a senior； who was
working his way through college； to take charge of the dining…room； and
had put in the office a youth of a year's experience as under clerk at a
city hotel。 But he meant to relinquish no more authority than his wife
who frankly kept the name as well as duty of house…keeper。 It was in
making her morning inspection of the dusting that she fou