a phyllis of the sierras-第17节

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each　other；　and　it　had　survived　both。　　For　it　was　this　belief　in

its　own　perpetuity　that　was　its　strength　and　weakness。　　And　that

belief　was　never　stronger　than　on　this　bright　August　morning；　when

it　was　on　the　verge　of　dissolution。　　A　telegram　brought　to　Sir

Robert　Mainwaring　had　even　then　as　completely　shattered　and

disintegrated　Oldenhurst；　in　all　it　was　and　all　it　meant；　as　if

the　brown…paper　envelope　had　been　itself　charged　with　the　electric

fluid。



Sir　Robert　Mainwaring；　whose　family　had　for　three　centuries

possessed　Oldenhurst；　had　received　the　news　of　his　financial　ruin；

and　the　vast　pile　which　had　survived　the　repeated　invasion　of

superstition；　force；　intrigue；　and　even　progress；　had　succumbed　to

a　foe　its　founders　and　proprietors　had　loftily　ignored　and　left　to

Jews　and　traders。　　The　acquisition　of　money；　except　by　despoilment；

gift；　royal　favor；　or　inheritance；　had　been　unknown　at　Oldenhurst。

The　present　degenerate　custodian　of　its　fortunes；　staggering　under

the　weight　of　its　sentimental　mortmain　already　alluded　to；　had

speculated　in　order　to　keep　up　its　material　strength；　that　was

gradually　shrinking　through　impoverished　land　and　the　ruined　trade

it　had　despised。　　He　had　invested　largely　in　California　mines；　and

was　the　chief　shareholder　in　a　San　Francisco　Bank。　　But　the　mines

had　proved　worthless；　the　Bank　had　that　morning　suspended　payment；

owing　to　the　failure　of　a　large　land　and　timber　company　on　the

Sierras　which　it　had　imprudently　〃carried。〃　　The　spark　which　had

demolished　Oldenhurst　had　been　fired　from　the　new　telegraph…station

in　the　hotel　above　the　great　Sierran　canyon。



There　was　a　large　house…party　at　Oldenhurst　that　morning。　　But　it

had　been　a　part　of　the　history　of　the　Mainwarings　to　accept　defeat

gallantly　and　as　became　their　blood。　　Sir　Percival；the　second

gentleman　on　the　left　as　you　entered　the　library；unhorsed；　dying

on　a　distant　moor；　with　a　handful　of　followers；　abandoned　by　a

charming　Prince　and　a　miserable　cause；　was　scarcely　a　greater　hero

than　this　ruined　but　undaunted　gentleman　of　eighty；　entering　the

breakfast…room　a　few　hours　later　as　jauntily　as　his　gout　would

permit；　and　conscientiously　dispensing　the　hospitalities　of　his

crumbling　house。　　When　he　had　arranged　a　few　pleasure　parties　for

the　day　and　himself　thoughtfully　anticipated　the　different　tastes

of　his　guests；　he　turned　to　Lady　Mainwaring。



〃Don't　forget　that　somebody　ought　to　go　to　the　station　to　meet　the

Bradleys。　　Frank　writes　from　St。　Moritz　that　they　are　due　here

to…day。〃



Lady　Mainwaring　glanced　quickly　at　her　husband；　and　said　sotto

voce；　〃Do　you　think　they'll　care　to　come　NOW？　　They　probably　have

heard　all　about　it。〃



〃Not　how　it　affects　me；〃　returned　Sir　Robert；　in　the　same　tone；

〃and　as　they　might　think　that　because　Frank　was　with　them　on　that

California　mountain　we　would　believe　it　had　something　to　do　with

Richardson　involving　the　Bank　in　that　wretched　company；　we　must

really　INSIST　upon　their　coming。〃



〃Bradley！〃　echoed　the　Hon。　Captain　FitzHarry；　overhearing　the　name

during　a　late　forage　on　the　sideboard；　〃Bradley！there　was　an

awfully　pretty　American　at　Biarritz；　travelling　with　a　cousin；　I

thinka　Miss　Mason　or　Macy。　　Those　sort　of　people；　you　know；　who

have　a　companion　as　pretty　as　themselves；　bring　you　down　with　the

other　barrel　if　one　misseseh？　　Very　clever；　both　of　them；　and

hardly　any　accent。〃



〃Mr。　Bradley　was　a　very　dear　friend　of　Frank's；　and　most　kind　to

him；〃　said　Lady　Mainwaring；　gravely。



〃Didn't　know　there　WAS　a　Mr。　Bradley；　really。　　He　didn't　come　to

the　fore；　then；〃　said　the　unabashed　Captain。　　〃Deuced　hard　to

follow　up　those　American　husbands！〃



〃And　their　wives　wouldn't　thank　you；　if　you　did；〃　said　Lady

Griselda　Armiger；　with　a　sweet　smile。



〃If　it　is　the　Mrs。　Bradley　I　mean；〃　said　Lady　Canterbridge　from　the

lower　end　of　the　table；　looking　up　from　her　letter；　〃who　looks　a

little　like　Mrs。　Summertree；　and　has　a　pretty　cousin　with　her　who

has　very　good　frocks；　I'm　afraid　you　won't　be　able　to　get　her　down

here。　　She's　booked　with　engagements　for　the　next　six　weeks。　　She

and　her　cousin　made　all　the　running　at　Grigsby　Royal；　and　she　has

quite　deposed　that　other　American　beauty　in　Northforeland's　good

graces。　　She　regularly　affiche'd　him；　and　it　is　piteous　to　see　him

follow　her　about。　　No；　my　dear；　I　don't　believe　they'll　come　to　any

one　of　less　rank　than　a　Marquis。　　If　they　did；　I'm　sure　Canterbridge

would　have　had　them　at　Buckenthorpe　already。〃



〃I　wonder　if　there　was　ever　anything　in　Frank's　admiration　of　this

Miss　Macy？〃　said　Lady　Mainwaring　a　few　moments　later；　lingering

beside　her　husband　in　his　study。



〃I　really　don't　know；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　abstractedly：　〃his　letters

were　filled　with　her　praises；　and　Richardson　thought〃



〃Pray　don't　mention　that　man's　name　again；〃　said　Lady　Mainwaring；

with　the　first　indication　of　feeling　she　had　shown。　　〃I　shouldn't

trust　him。〃



〃But　why　do　you　ask？〃　returned　her　husband。



Lady　Mainwaring　was　silent　for　a　moment。　　〃She　is　very　rich；　I

believe；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃At　least；　Frank　writes　that　some

neighbors　of　theirs　whom　he　met　in　the　Engadine　told　him　they　had

sold　the　site　of　that　absurd　cottage　where　he　was　ill　for　some

extravagant　sum。〃



〃My　dear　Geraldine；〃　said　the　old　man；　affectionately；　taking　his

wife's　hand　in　his　own；　that　now　for　the　first　time　trembled；　〃if

you　have　any　hope　based　upon　what　you　are　thinking　of　now；　let　it

be　the　last　and　least。　　You　forget　that　Paget　told　us　that　with　the

best　care　he　could　scarcely　ensure　Frank's　return　to　perfect

health。　　Even　if　God　in　his　mercy　spared　him　long　enough　to　take　my

place；　what　girl　would　be　willing　to　tie　herself　to　a　man　doomed　to

sickness　and　poverty？　　Hardly　the　one　you　speak　of；　my　dear。〃



Lady　Canterbridge　proved　a　true　prophet。　　Mrs。　Bradley　and　Miss

Macy　did　not　come；　regretfully　alleging　a　previous　engagement　made

on　the　continent　with　the　Duke　of　Northforeland　and　the　Marquis　of

Dungeness；　but　the　unexpected　and　apocryphal　husband　DID　arrive。

〃I　myself　have　not　seen　my　wife　and　cousin　since　I　returned　from　my

visit　to　your　son　in　Switzerland。　　I　am　glad　they　were　able　to

amuse　themselves　without　waiting　for　me　at　a　London　hotel；　though　I

should　have　preferred　to　have　met　them　here。〃　　Sir　Robert　and　Lady

Mainwaring　were　courteous　but　slightly　embarrassed。　　Lady

Canterbridge；　who　had　come　to　the　station　in　bored　curiosity；

raised　her　clear　blue　eyes　to　his。　　He　did　not　look　like　a　fool；　a

complaisant　or　fashionably…cynical　husbandthis　well…dressed；

well…mannered；　but　quietly　and　sympathetically　observant　man。　　Did

he　really　care　for　his　selfish　wife？　was　it　perfect　trust　or　some

absurd　Transatlantic　custom？　　She　did　not　understand　him。　　It

wearied　her　and　she　turned　her　eyes　indifferently　away。　　Bradley；　a

little　irritated；　he　knew　not　why；　at　the　scrutiny　of　this　tall；

handsome；　gentlemanly…looking　woman；　who；　however；　in　spite　of　her

broad　shoulders　and　narrow　hips　possessed　a　refined　muliebrity

superior　to　mere　womanliness　of　outline；　turned　slightly　towards

Sir　Robert。　　〃Lady　Canterbridge；　Frank's　cousin；〃　explained　Sir

Robert；　hesitatingly；　as　if　conscious　of　some　vague　awkwardness。

Bradley　and　Lady　Canterbridge　both　bowed；possibly　the　latter's

salutation　was　the　most　masculine；and　Bradley；　eventually

forgetting　her　presence；　plunged　into　an　earnest；　sympathetic；　and

intelligent　account　of　the　condition　in　which　he　found　the　invalid

at　St。　Moritz。　　The　old　man　at　first　listened　with　an　almost

perfunctory　courtesy　and　a　hesitating　reserve；　but　as　Bradley　was

lapsing　into　equal　reserve　and　they　drove　up　to　the　gates　of　the

quadrangle；　he　unexpectedly　warmed　with　a　word　or　two　of　serious

welcome。　　Looking　up　with　a　half…unconscious　smile；　Bradley　met

Lady　Canterbridge's　examining　eyes。



The　next　morning；　finding　an　opportunity　to　be　alone　with　him；

Bradley；　with　a　tactful　mingling　of　sympathy　and　directness　informed

his　host　that　he　was　cognizant　of　the　disaster　that　had　overtaken

the　Bank；　and　delicately　begged　him　to　accept　any　service　he　could

render　him。　　〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　speak　as　plainly　to　you　as

I　would　to　your　son：　my　friendship　for　him　justifies　an　equal

frankness　to　any　one　he　loves；　but　I　should　not　intrude　upon　your

confidence　if　I　did　not　believe　that　my　knowledge　and　assistance

might　be　of　benefit　to　you。　　Although　I　did　not　sell　my　lands　to

Richardson　or　approve　of　his　methods；〃　he　continued；　〃I　fear　it　was

some　suggestion　of　mine　that　eventually　induced　him　to　form　the

larger　and　more　disastrous　scheme　that　ruined　the　Bank。　　So　you　see；〃

he　added　lightly；　〃I　claim　a　right　to　offer　you　my　services。〃

Touched　by　Bradley's　sincerity　and　discreet　intelligence；　Sir　Robert

was　equally　frank。　　During　the　recital　of　his　Californian

investmentsa　chronicle　of　almost　fatuous　speculation　and　imbecile

enterpriseBr