"You don't want it? But I have written it at Mr. Milray's request, and I
shall certainly leave it with you!"
"If you do," said Clementina, "I shall not take it!"
"And what shall I say to Mr. Milray?"
"What you have just said to me."
"What have I said to you?"
"That I'm a bold girl, and that I've tried to make men admi'a me."
Mrs. Milray stopped as if suddenly daunted by a fact that had not
occurred to her before. "Did I say that?"
"The same as that."
"I didn't mean that--I--merely meant to put you on your guard. It may be
because you are so innocent yourself, that you can't imagine what others
think, and--I did it out of my regard for you."
Clementina did not answer.
Mrs. Milray went on, "That was why I was so provoked with you. I think
that for a young girl to stand up and dance alone before a whole steamer
full of strangers"--Clementina looked at her without speaking, and Mrs.
Milray hastened to say, "To be sure I advised you to do it, but I
certainly was surprised that you should give an encore. But no matter,
now. This letter--"
"I can't take it, Mrs. Milray," said Clementina, with a swelling heart.
"Now, listen!" urged Mrs. Milray. "You think I'm just saying it because,
if you don't take it I shall have to tell Mr. Milray I was so hateful to
you, you couldn't. Well, I should hate to tell him that; but that isn't
the reason. There!" She tore the letter in pieces, and threw it on the
floor. Clementina did not make any sign of seeing this, and Mrs. Milray
dropped upon her chair again. "Oh, how hard you are! Can't you say
something to me?"
Clementina did not lift her eyes. "I don't feel like saying anything just
now."
Mrs. Milray was silent a moment. Then she sighed. "Well, you may hate me,
but I shall always be your friend. What hotel are you going to in
Liverpool?
"I don't know," said Clementina.
"You had better come to the one where we go. I'm afraid Mrs. Lander won't
know how to manage very well, and we've been in Liverpool so often. May I
speak to her about it?"
"If you want to," Clementina coldly assented.
"I see!" said Mrs. Milray. "You don't want to be under the same roof with
me. Well, you needn't! But I'll tell you a good hotel: the one that the
trains start out of; and I'll send you that letter for Miss Milray."
Clementina was silent. "Well, I'll send it, anyway."
Mrs. Milray went away in sudden tears, but the girl remained dry-eyed.