susy, a story of the plains-第12节

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apparently　performing　some　mystic　evolution。　　To　add　to　their

singular　performance；　from　time　to　time　one　of　the　flying　herd；

driven　by　the　horsemen　far　beyond　the　circle　of　its　companions；

dropped　suddenly　and　unaccountably　in　full　career。　　The　field　closed

over　it　as　if　it　had　been　swallowed　up。　　In　a　few　moments　it

appeared　again；　trotting　peacefully　behind　its　former　pursuer。　　It

was　some　time　before　Clarence　grasped　the　meaning　of　this　strange

spectacle。　　Although　the　clear；　dry　atmosphere　sharply　accented　the

silhouette…like　outlines　of　the　men　and　horses；　so　great　was　the

distance　that　the　slender　forty…foot　lasso；　which　in　the　skillful

hands　of　the　horsemen　had　effected　these　captures；　was　COMPLETELY

INVISIBLE！　　The　horsemen　were　Peyton's　vacqueros；　making　a　selection

from　the　young　horses　for　the　market。　　He　remembered　now　that　Peyton

had　told　him　that　he　might　be　obliged　to　raise　money　by　sacrificing

some　of　his　stock；　and　the　thought　brought　back　Clarence's

uneasiness　as　he　turned　again　to　the　trail。　　Indeed；　he　was　hardly

in　the　vein　for　a　gentle　tryst；　as　he　entered　the　wooded　ravine　to

seek　the　madrono　tree　which　was　to　serve　as　a　guide　to　his　lady's

bower。



A　few　rods　further；　under　the　cool　vault　filled　with　woodland

spicing；　he　came　upon　it。　　In　its　summer　harlequin　dress　of　scarlet

and　green；　with　hanging　bells　of　poly…tinted　berries；　like　some

personified　sylvan　Folly；　it　seemed　a　fitting　symbol　of　Susy's

childish　masquerade　of　passion。　　Its　bizarre　beauty；　so　opposed　to

the　sober　gravity　of　the　sedate　pines　and　hemlocks；　made　it　an

unmistakable　landmark。　　Here　he　dismounted　and　picketed　his　horse。

And　here；　beside　it；　to　the　right；　ran　the　little　trail　crawling

over　mossy　boulders；　a　narrow　yellow　track　through　the　carpet　of

pine　needles　between　the　closest　file　of　trees；　an　almost

imperceptible　streak　across　pools　of　chickweed　at　their　roots；　and　a

brown　and　ragged　swath　through　the　ferns。　　As　he　went　on；　the

anxiety　and　uneasiness　that　had　possessed　him　gave　way　to　a　languid

intoxication　of　the　senses；　the　mysterious　seclusion　of　these

woodland　depths　recovered　the　old　influence　they　had　exerted　over

his　boyhood。　　He　was　not　returning　to　Susy；　as　much　as　to　the　older

love　of　his　youth；　of　which　she　was；　perhaps；　only　an　incident。　　It

was　therefore　with　an　odd　boyish　thrill　again　that；　coming　suddenly

upon　a　little　hollow；　like　a　deserted　nest；　where　the　lost　trail

made　him　hesitate；　he　heard　the　crackle　of　a　starched　skirt　behind

him；　was　conscious　of　the　subtle　odor　of　freshly　ironed　and　scented

muslin；　and　felt　the　gentle　pressure　of　delicate　fingers　upon　his

eyes。



〃Susy！〃



〃You　silly　boy！　　Where　were　you　blundering　to？　　Why　didn't　you　look

around　you？〃



〃I　thought　I　would　hear　your　voices。〃



〃Whose　voices；　idiot？〃



〃Yours　and　Mary's；〃　returned　Clarence　innocently；　looking　round　for

the　confidante。



〃Oh；　indeed！　　Then　you　wanted　to　see　MARY？　　Well；　she's　looking　for

me　somewhere。　　Perhaps　you'll　go　and　find　her；　or　shall　I？〃



She　was　offering　to　pass　him　when　he　laid　his　hand　on　hers　to　detain

her。　　She　instantly　evaded　it；　and　drew　herself　up　to　her　full

height；　incontestably　displaying　the　dignity　of　the　added　inches　to

her　skirt。　　All　this　was　charmingly　like　the　old　Susy；　but　it　did

not　bid　fair　to　help　him　to　a　serious　interview。　　And；　looking　at

the　pretty；　pink；　mocking　face　before　him；　with　the　witchery　of　the

woodland　still　upon　him；　he　began　to　think　that　he　had　better　put　it

off。



〃Never　mind　about　Mary；〃　he　said　laughingly。　　〃But　you　said　you

wanted　to　see　me；　Susy；　and　here　I　am。〃



〃Said　I　wanted　to　see　you？〃　repeated　Susy；　with　her　blue　eyes　lifted

in　celestial　scorn　and　wonderment。　　〃Said　I　wanted　to　see　you？　　Are

you　not　mistaken；　Mr。　Brant？　　Really；　I　imagined　that　you　came　here

to　see　ME。〃



With　her　fair　head　upturned；　and　the　leaf　of　her　scarlet　lip

temptingly　curled　over；　Clarence　began　to　think　this　latest　phase　of

her　extravagance　the　most　fascinating。　　He　drew　nearer　to　her　as　he

said　gently；　〃You　know　what　I　mean；　Susy。　　You　said　yesterday　you

were　troubled。　　I　thought　you　might　have　something　to　tell　me。〃



〃I　should　think　it　was　YOU　who　might　have　something　to　tell　me　after

all　these　years；〃　she　said　poutingly；　yet　self…possessed。　　〃But　I

suppose　you　came　here　only　to　see　Mary　and　mother。　　I'm　sure　you　let

them　know　that　plainly　enough　last　evening。〃



〃But　you　said〃began　the　stupefied　Clarence。



〃Never　mind　what　I　said。　　It's　always　what　I　say；　never　what　YOU

say；　and　you　don't　say　anything。〃



The　woodland　influence　must　have　been　still　very　strong　upon

Clarence　that　he　did　not　discover　in　all　this　that；　while　Susy's

general　capriciousness　was　unchanged；　there　was　a　new　and　singular

insincerity　in　her　manifest　acting。　　She　was　either　concealing　the

existence　of　some　other　real　emotion；　or　assuming　one　that　was

absent。　　But　he　did　not　notice　it；　and　only　replied　tenderly：



〃But　I　want　to　say　a　great　deal　to　you；　Susy。　　I　want　to　say　that　if

you　still　feel　as　I　do；　and　as　I　have　always　felt；　and　you　think　you

could　be　happy　as　I　would　be　ififwe　could　be　always　together；　we

need　not　conceal　it　from　your　mother　and　father　any　longer。　　I　am

old　enough　to　speak　for　myself；　and　I　am　my　own　master。　　Your　mother

has　been　very　kind　to　me；so　kind　that　it　doesn't　seem　quite　right

to　deceive　her；and　when　I　tell　her　that　I　love　you；　and　that　I

want　you　to　be　my　wife；　I　believe　she　will　give　us　her　blessing。〃



Susy　uttered　a　strange　little　laugh；　and　with　an　assumption　of

coyness；　that　was；　however；　still　affected；　stooped　to　pick　a　few

berries　from　a　manzanita　bush。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　she'll　say；　Clarence。　　She'll　say　you're

frightfully　young；　and　so　you　are！〃



The　young　fellow　tried　to　echo　the　laugh；　but　felt　as　if　he　had

received　a　blow。　　For　the　first　time　he　was　conscious　of　the　truth：

this　girl；　whom　he　had　fondly　regarded　as　a　child；　had　already

passed　him　in　the　race；　she　had　become　a　woman　before　he　was　yet　a

man；　and　now　stood　before　him；　maturer　in　her　knowledge；　and　older

in　her　understanding；　of　herself　and　of　him。　　This　was　the　change

that　had　perplexed　him；　this　was　the　presence　that　had　come　between

them；a　Susy　he　had　never　known　before。



She　laughed　at　his　changed　expression；　and　then　swung　herself　easily

to　a　sitting　posture　on　the　low　projecting　branch　of　a　hemlock。　　The

act　was　still　girlish；　but；　nevertheless；　she　looked　down　upon　him

in　a　superior；　patronizing　way。　　〃Now；　Clarence；〃　she　said；　with　a

half…abstracted　manner；　〃don't　you　be　a　big　fool！　　If　you　talk　that

way　to　mother；　she'll　only　tell　you　to　wait　two　or　three　years　until

you　know　your　own　mind；　and　she'll　pack　me　off　to　that　horrid　school

again；　besides　watching　me　like　a　cat　every　moment　you　are　here。　　If

you　want　to　stay　here；　and　see　me　sometimes　like　this；　you'll　just

behave　as　you　have　done；　and　say　nothing。　　Do　you　see？　　Perhaps　you

don't　care　to　come；　or　are　satisfied　with　Mary　and　mother。　　Say　so；

then。　　Goodness　knows；　I　don't　want　to　force　you　to　come　here。〃



Modest　and　reserved　as　Clarence　was　generally；　I　fear　that

bashfulness　of　approach　to　the　other　sex　was　not　one　of　these

indications。　　He　walked　up　to　Susy　with　appalling　directness；　and

passed　his　arm　around　her　waist。　　She　did　not　move；　but　remained

looking　at　him　and　his　intruding　arm　with　a　certain　critical

curiosity；　as　if　awaiting　some　novel　sensation。　　At　which　he　kissed

her。　　She　then　slowly　disengaged　his　arm；　and　said：



〃Really；　upon　my　word；　Clarence；〃　in　perfectly　level　tones；　and

slipped　quietly　to　the　ground。



He　again　caught　her　in　his　arms；　encircling　her　disarranged　hair　and

part　of　the　beribboned　hat　hanging　over　her　shoulder；　and　remained

for　an　instant　holding　her　thus　silently　and　tenderly。　　Then　she

freed　herself　with　an　abstracted　air；　a　half　smile；　and　an　unchanged

color　except　where　her　soft　cheek　had　been　abraded　by　his　coat

collar。



〃You're　a　bold；　rude　boy；　Clarence；〃　she　said；　putting　back　her　hair

quietly；　and　straightening　the　brim　of　her　hat。　　〃Heaven　knows　where

you　learned　manners！〃　and　then；　from　a　safer　distance；　with　the　same

critical　look　in　her　violet　eyes；　〃I　suppose　you　think　mother　would

allow　THAT　if　she　knew　it？〃



But　Clarence；　now　completely　subjugated；　with　the　memory　of　the　kiss

upon　him　and　a　heightened　color；　protested　that　he　only　wanted　to

make　their　intercourse　less　constrained；　and　to　have　their

relations；　even　their　engagement；　recognized　by　her　parents；　still

he　would　take　her　advice。　　Only　there　was　always　the　danger　that　if

they　were　discovered　she　would　be　sent　back　to　the　convent　all　the

same；　and　his　banishment；　instead　of　being　the　probation　of　a　few

years；　would　be　a　perpetual　separation。



〃We　could　always　run　away；　Clarence；〃　responded　the　young　girl

calmly。　　〃There's　nothing　the　matte