a phyllis of the sierras-第9节

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be　a　sprinkling　odor　cologne　and　peppermint　all　over　the　country。〃



〃He　set　your　shoulder　as　well　as　any　doctor；〃　said　Minty。



〃That's　bone…settin'；　and　a　nat'ral　gift；〃　returned　Sharpe；　as

triumphantly　as　his　habitual　depression　would　admit；　〃it　ain't

conceit　and　finikin　got　out　o'　books！　　Well；〃　he　added；　after　a

pause；　〃wot's　happened？〃



Minty's　face　slightly　changed。　　〃Nothin'；　I　kem　back　to　get　some

things；〃　she　said　shortly；　moving　away。



〃And　ye　saw　HIM？〃



〃Ye…e…s；〃　drawled　Minty；　carelessly；　still　retreating。



〃Bixby　was　along　here　about　noon。　　He　says　the　stranger　was　suthin'

high　and　mighty　in　his　own　country；　and　them　'Frisco　millionaires

are　quite　sweet　on　him。　　Where　are　ye　goin'？〃



〃In　the　house。〃



〃Well；　look　yer；　Minty。　　Now　that　you're　here；　ye　might　get　up　a

batch　o'　hot　biscuit　for　supper。　　Dinner　was　that　promiscous　and

experimental　to…day；　along　o'　Richelieu's　nat'ral　foolin'；　that　I

think　I　could　git　outside　of　a　little　suthin'　now；　if　only　to　prop

up　a　kind　of　innard　sinkin'　that　takes　me。　　Ye　ken　tell　me　the　news

at　supper。〃



Later；　however；　when　Mr。　Sharpe　had　quitted　his　forge　for　the　night

and；　seated　at　his　domestic　board；　was；　with　a　dismal　presentiment

of　future　indigestion；　voraciously　absorbing　his　favorite　meal　of

hot　saleratus　biscuits　swimming　in　butter；　he　had　apparently

forgotten　his　curiosity　concerning　Mainwaring　and　settled　himself

to　a　complaining　chronicle　of　the　day's　mishaps。　　〃Nat'rally；

havin'　an　extra　lot　o'　work　on　hand　and　no　time　for　foolin'；　what

does　that　ornery　Richelieu　get　up　and　do　this　mornin'？　　Ye　know

them　ridiklus　specimens　that　he's　been　chippin'　outer　that　ledge

that　the　yearth　slipped　from　down　the　run；　and　litterin'　up　the

whole　shanty　with　'em。　　Well；　darn　my　skin！　if　he　didn't　run　a　heap

of　'em；　mixed　up　with　coal；　unbeknowned　to　me；　in　the　forge；　to

make　what　he　called　a　'fire　essay'　of　'em。　　Nat'rally；　I　couldn't

get　a　blessed　iron　hot；　and　didn't　know　what　had　gone　of　the　fire；

or　the　coal　either；　for　two　hours；　till　I　stopped　work　and　raked

out　the　coal。　　That　comes　from　his　hangin'　round　that　saw…mill　in

the　woods；　and　listenin'　to　Bradley's　high…falutin'　talk　about

rocks　and　strata　and　sich。〃



〃But　Bradley　don't　go　a　cent　on　minin'；　Pop；〃　said　Minty。　　〃He　sez

the　woods　is　good　enough　for　him；　and　there's　millions　to　be　made

when　the　railroad　comes　along；　and　timber's　wanted。〃



〃But　until　then　he's　got　to　keep　hisself；　to　pay　wages；　and　keep

the　mill　runnin'。　　Onless　it's；　ez　Bixby　says；　that　he　hopes　to　get

that　Englishman　to　rope　in　some　o'　them　'Frisco　friends　of　his　to

take　a　hand。　　Ye　didn't　have　any　o'　that　kind　o'　talk；　did　ye？〃



〃No；　not　THAT　kind　o'　talk；〃　said　Minty。



〃Not　THAT　kind　o'　talk！〃　repeated　her　father　with　aggrieved

curiosity；　〃Wot　kind；　then？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Minty；　lifting　her　black　eyes　to　her　father's；　〃I

ain't　no　account；　and　you　ain't　no　account　either。　　You　ain't　got

no　college　education；　ain't　got　no　friends　in　'Frisco；　and　ain't

got　no　high…toned　style；　I　can't　play　the　pianner；　jabber　French；

nor　get　French　dresses。　　We　ain't　got　no　fancy　'Shallet；'　as　they

call　it；　with　a　first…class　view　of　nothing；　but　only　a　shanty　on

dry　rock。　　But；　afore　I'D　take　advantage　of　a　lazy；　gawky　boyfor

it　ain't　anything　else；　though　he's　good　meanin'　enoughthat

happened　to　fall　sick　in　MY　house；　and　coax　and　cosset　him；　and

wrap　him　in　white　cotton；　and　mother　him；　and　sister　him；　and　Aunt

Sukey　him；　and　almost　dry…nuss　him　gin'rally；　jist　to　get　him　sweet

on　me　and　on　mine；　and　take　the　inside　track　of　othersI'D　be　an

Injin！　　And　if　you'd　allow　it；　Pop；　you'd　be　wuss　nor　a　nigger！〃



〃Sho！〃　said　her　father；　kindling　with　that　intense　gratification

with　which　the　male　receives　any　intimation　of　alien　feminine

weakness。　　〃It　ain't　that；　Minty；　I　wanter　know！〃



〃It's　jist　that；　Pop；　and　I　ez　good　ez　let　'em　know　I　seed　it。　　I

ain't　a　fool；　if　some　folks　do　drop　their　eyes　and　pertend　to　wipe

the　laugh　out　of　their　noses　with　a　handkerchief　when　I　let　out　to

speak。　　I　mayn't　be　good　enough　kempany〃



〃Look　yer；　Minty；〃　interrupted　the　blacksmith；　sternly；　half　rising

from　his　seat　with　every　trace　of　his　former　weakness　vanished　from

his　hardset　face；　〃do　you　mean　to　say　that　they　put　on　airs　to　ye

to　MY　darter？〃



〃No；〃　said　Minty　quickly；　〃the　men　didn't；　and　don't　you；　a　man；

mix　yourself　up　with　women's　meannesses。　　I　ken　manage　'em；　Pop；

with　one　hand。〃



Mr。　Sharpe　looked　at　his　daughter's　flashing　black　eyes。　　Perhaps

an　uneasy　recollection　of　the　late　Mrs。　Sharpe's　remarkable

capacity　in　that　respect　checked　his　further　rage。



〃No。　　Wot　I　was　sayin'；〃　resumed　Minty；　〃ez　that　I　mayn't　be

thought　by　others　good　enough　to　keep　kempany　with　baronetts　ez　is

to　bethough　baronetts　mightn't　objectbut　I　ain't　mean　enough　to

try　to　steal　away　some　ole　woman's　darling　boy　in　England；　or　snatch

some　likely　young　English　girl's　big　brother　outer　the　family

without　sayin'　by　your　leave。　　How'd　you　like　it　if　Richelieu　was

growed　up；　and　went　to　sea；and　it　would　be　like　his　peartness；

and　he　fell　sick　in　some　foreign　land；　and　some　princess　or　other

skyulged　HIM　underhand　away　from　us？〃



Probably　owing　to　the　affair　of　the　specimens；　the　elder　Sharpe　did

not　seem　to　regard　the　possible　mesalliance　of　Richelieu　with

extraordinary　disfavor。　　〃That　boy　is　conceited　enough　with　hair

ile　and　fine　clothes　for　anything；〃　he　said　plaintively。　　〃But

didn't　that　Louise　Macy　hev　a　feller　alreadythat　Captain　Greyson？

Wot's　gone　o'　him？〃



〃That's　it；〃　said　Minty：　〃he　kin　go　out　in　the　woods　and　whistle

now。　　But　all　the　same；　she　could　hitch　him　in　again　at　any　time　if

the　other　stranger　kicked　over　the　traces。　　That's　the　style　over

there　at　The　Lookout。　　There　ain't　ez　much　heart　in　them　two　women

put　together　ez　would　make　a　green　gal　flush　up　playin'　forfeits。

It's　all　in　their　breed；　Pop。　　Love　ain't　going　to　spile　their

appetites　and　complexions；　give　'em　nose…bleed；　nor　put　a　drop　o'

water　into　their　eyes　in　all　their　natural　born　days。　　That's　wot

makes　me　mad。　　Ef　I　thought　that　Loo　cared　a　bit　for　that　child　I

wouldn't　mind；　I'd　just　advise　her　to　make　him　get　up　and　getpack

his　duds　out　o'　camp；　and　go　home　and　not　come　back　until　he　had　a

written　permit　from　his　mother；　or　the　other　baronet　in　office。〃



〃Looks　sorter　ef　some　one　orter　interfere；〃　said　the　blacksmith；

reflectively。　　〃'Tain't　exackly　a　case　for　a　vigilance　committee；

tho'　it's　agin　public　morals；　this　sorter　kidnappin'　o'　strangers。

Looks　ez　if　it　might　bring　the　country　into　discredit　in　England。〃



〃Well；　don't　YOU　go　and　interfere　and　havin'　folks　say　ez　my　nose

was　put　out　o'　jint　over　there；〃　said　Minty；　curtly。　　〃There's

another　Englishman　comin'　up　from　'Frisco　to　see　him　to…morrow。　　Ef

he　ain't　scooped　up　by　Jenny　Bradley　he'll　guess　there's　a　nigger

in　the　fence　somewhere。　　But　there；　Pop；　let　it　drop。　　It's　a　bad

aig；　anyway；〃　she　concluded；　rising　from　the　table；　and　passing　her

hands　down　her　frock　and　her　shapely　hips；　as　if　to　wipe　off

further　contamination　of　the　subject。　　〃Where's　Richelieu　agin？〃



〃Said　he　didn't　want　supper；　and　like　ez　not　he's　gone　over　to　see

that　fammerly　at　the　Summit。　　There's　a　little　girl　thar　he's

sparkin'；　about　his　own　age。〃



〃His　own　age！〃　said　Minty；　indignantly。　　〃Why；　she's　double　that；

if　she's　a　day。　　Wellif　he　ain't　the　triflinest；　conceitednest

little　limb　that　ever　grew！　　I'd　like　to　know　where　he　got　it　from

it　wasn't　mar's　style。〃



Mr。　Sharpe　smiled　darkly。　　Richelieu's　precocious　gallantry

evidently　was　not　considered　as　gratuitous　as　his　experimental

metallurgy。　　But　as　his　eyes　followed　his　daughter's　wholesome；

Phyllis…like　figure；　a　new　idea　took　possession　of　him：　needless　to

say；　however；　it　was　in　the　line　of　another　personal　aggrievement；

albeit　it　took　the　form　of　religious　reflection。



〃It's　curous；　Minty；　wot's　foreordained；　and　wot　ain't。　　Now；　yer's

one　of　them　high　and　mighty　fellows；　after　the　Lord；　ez　comes

meanderin'　around　here；　and　drops　offez　fur　ez　I　kin　hearin　a

kind　o'　faint　at　the　first　house　he　kems　to；　and　is　taken　in　and

lodged　and　sumptuously　fed；　and；　nat'rally；　they　gets　their　reward

for　it。　　Now　wot's　to　hev　kept　that　young　feller　from　coming　HERE

and　droppin'　down　in　my　forge；　or　in　this　very　room；　and　YOU　a

tendin'　him；　and　jist　layin'　over　them　folks　at　The　Lookout？〃



〃Wot's　got　hold　o'　ye；　Pop？　　Don't　I　tell　ye　he　had　a　letter　to　Jim

Bradley？〃　said　Minty；　quickly；　with　an　angry　flash　of　color　in　her

cheek。



〃That　ain't　it；〃　said　Sharpe　confidently；　〃it's　cos　he　WALKED。

Nat'rally；　you'd　think　he'd　RIDE；　being　high　and　mighty；　and　that's

where；　ez　the　parson　will　tell　ye；　wot's　merely　fi…nite　and　human

wisdom　errs！　　Ef　that　feller　had　ridden；　he'd　have　had　to　come　by

this　yer　road；　and　by　this　yer　forg