the argonauts of north liberty-第12节

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〃Wa'al；　it　ain't　exakly　complimentary　to　E。　Blandford；　Esq。；　and　it
mout　be　orkard　for　YOU。〃

〃I　don't　think　you're　in　the　habit　of　letting　such　trifles
interfere　with　your　opinion；〃　said　Demorest；　with　a　slightly　forced
laugh；　〃but　what　is　your　idea？〃

〃That　thar　wasn't　any　accident。〃

〃No　accident？〃　replied　Demorest；　raising　himself　on　his　elbow。

〃Nary　accident；〃　continued　Ezekiel；　deliberately；　〃and；　if　it　comes
to　that；　not　much　of　a　dead　body　either。〃

〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean？〃　said　Demorest；　sitting　up。

〃I　mean；〃　said　Ezekiel；　with　momentous　deliberation；　〃that　E。
Blandford；　of　the　Winnipeg　Mills；　was　in　March；　'50；　ez　nigh　bein'
bust　up　ez　any　man　kin　be　without　actually　failin'；　that　he'd　been
down　to　Boston　that　day　to　get　some　extensions；　that　old　Deacon
Salisbury　knew　it；　and　had　been　pesterin'　Mrs。　Blandford　to　induce
him　to　sell　out　and　leave　the　place；　and　that　the　night　he　left　he
took　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　in　bank　bills　that　they
allus　kept　in　the　house；　and　Mrs。　Blandford　was　in　the　habit　o'
hidin'　in　the　breast…pocket　of　one　of　his　old　overcoats　hangin'　up
in　the　closet。　　I　mean　that　that　air　money　and　that　air　overcoat
went　off　with　him；　ez　Mrs。　Blandford　knows；　for　I　heard　her　tell
her　ma　about　it。　　And　when　his　affairs　were　wound　up　and　his　debts
paid；　I　reckon　that　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　was　all　there　was
leftand　he　scooted　with　it。　　It's　orkard　for　youez　I　said
aforebut　I　don't　see　wot　on　earth　you　need　get　riled　for。　　Ef　he
ran　off　on　account　of　only　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　he　ain't
goin'　to　run　back　again　for　the　mere　matter　o'　your　marrying　Joan。
Ef　he　hadhe'd　a　done　it　afore　this。　　It's　orkard　ez　I　saidbut
the　only　orkardness　is　your　feelin's。　　I　reckon　Joan's　got　used　to
hers。〃

Demorest　had　risen　angrily　to　his　feet。　　But　the　next　moment　the
utter　impossibility　of　reaching　this　man's　hidebound　moral
perception　by　even　physical　force　hopelessly　overcame　him。　　It
would　only　impress　him　with　the　effect　of　his　own　disturbing　power；
that　to　Ezekiel　was　equal　to　a　proof　of　the　truth　of　his　opinions。
It　might　even　encourage　him　to　repeat　this　absurd　story　elsewhere
with　his　own　construction　upon　his　reception　of　it。　　After　all　it
was　only　Ezekiel's　opinionan　opinion　too　preposterous　for　even　a
moment's　serious　consideration。　　Blandford　alive；　and　a　petty
defaulter！　　Blandford　above　the　earth　and　complacently　abandoning
his　wife　and　home　to　another！　　Blandfordperhaps　a　sneaking；
cowardly　Nemesishiding　in　the　shadow　for　futureimpossible！　　It
really　was　enough　to　make　him　laugh。

He　did　laugh；　albeit　with　an　uneasy　sense　that　only　a　few　years
ago　he　would　have　struck　down　the　man　who　had　thus　traduced　his
friend's　memory。

〃You've　been　overtaxing　your　brain　in　patent…medicine　circulars；
Corwin；〃　he　said　in　a　roughly　rallying　manner；　〃and　you've　got
rather　too　much　highfalutin　and　bitters　mixed　with　your　opinions。
After　that　yarn　of　yours　you　must　be　dry。　　What'll　you　take？　　I
haven't　got　any　New　England　rum；　but　I　can　give　you　some　ten…year…
old　aguardiente　made　on　the　place。〃

As　he　spoke　he　lifted　a　decanter　and　glass　from　a　small　table　which
Manuel　had　placed　in　the　veranda。

〃I　guess　not；〃　said　Ezekiel　dryly。　　〃It's　now　goin'　on　five　years
since　I've　been　a　consistent　temperance　man。〃

〃In　everything　but　melons；　and　criticism　of　your　neighbor；　eh？〃
said　Demorest；　pouring　out　a　glass　of　the　liquor。

〃I　hev　my　convictions；〃　said　Ezekiel　with　affected　meekness。

〃And　I　have　mine；〃　said　Demorest；　tossing　off　the　fiery　liquor　at　a
draft；　〃and　it's　that　this　is　devilish　good　stuff。　　Sorry　you　can't
take　some。　　I'm　afraid　I'll　have　to　get　you　to　excuse　me　for　a
while。　　I　have　to　take　a　ride　over　the　ranch　before　turning　in；　to
see　if　everything's　right。　　The　house　is　'at　your　disposition；'　as
we　say　here。　　I'll　see　you　later。〃

He　walked　away　with　a　slight　exaggeration　of　unconcern。　　Ezekiel
watched　him　narrowly　with　colorless　eyes　beneath　his　white　lashes。
When　he　had　gone　he　examined　the　thoroughly　emptied　glass　of
aguardiente；　and；　taking　the　decanter；　sniffed　critically　at　its
sharp　and　potent　contents。　　A　smile　of　gratified　discernment
followed。　　It　was　clear　to　him　that　Demorest　was　a　heavy　drinker。

Contrary　to　his　prognostication；　however；　Mrs。　Demorest　DID　arrive
the　next　day。　　But　although　he　was　to　depart　from　Buenaventura　by
the　same　coach　that　had　set　her　down　at　the　gate　of　the　casa；　he
had　already　left　the　house　armed　with　some　letters　of　introduction
which　Demorest　had　generously　given　him；　to　certain　small　traders
in　the　pueblo　and　along　the　route。　　Demorest　was　not　displeased　to
part　with　him　before　the　arrival　of　his　wife；　and　thus　spare　her
the　awkwardness　of　a　repetition　of　Ezekiel's　effrontery　in　her
presence。　　Nor　was　he　willing　to　have　the　impediment　of　a　guest　in
the　house　to　any　explanation　he　might　have　to　seek　from　her；　or　to
the　confidences　that　hereafter　must　be　fuller　and　more　mutual。
For　with　all　his　deep　affection　for　his　wife；　Richard　Demorest
unconsciously　feared　her。　　The　strong　man　whose　dominance　over　men
and　women　alike　had　been　his　salient　characteristic；　had　begun　to
feel　an　undefinable　sense　of　some　unrecognized　quality　in　the　woman
he　loved。　　He　had　once　or　twice　detected　it　in　a　tone　of　her　voice；
in　a　remembered　and　perhaps　even　once　idolized　gesture；　or　in　the
accidental　lapse　of　some　bewildering　word。　　With　the　generosity　of
a　large　nature　he　had　put　the　thought　aside；　referring　it　to　some
selfish　weakness　of　his　own；　ormore　fatuous　than　allto　a
possible　diminution　of　his　own　affection。

He　was　standing　on　the　steps　ready　to　receive　her。　　Few　of　her
appreciative　sex　could　have　remained　indifferent　to　the　tender　and
touching　significance　of　his　silent　and　subdued　welcome。　　He　had
that　piteous　wistfulness　of　eye　seen　in　some　dogs　and　the　husbands
of　many　charming　womenthe　affection　that　pardons　beforehand　the
indifference　it　has　learned　to　expect。　　She　approached　him　smiling
in　her　turn；　meeting　the　sublime　patience　of　being　unloved　with
the　equally　resigned　patience　of　being　loved；　and　feeling　that
comforting　sense　of　virtue　which　might　become　a　bore；　but　never　a
self…reproach。　　For　the　rest；　she　was　prettier　than　ever；　her　five
years　of　expanded　life　had　slightly　rounded　the　elongated　oval　of
her　face；　filled　up　the　ascetic　hollows　of　her　temples；　and　freed
the　repression　of　her　mouth　and　chin。　　A　more　genial　climate　had
quickened　the　circulation　that　North　Liberty　had　arrested；　and
suffused　the　transparent　beauty　of　her　skin　with　eloquent　life。　　It
seemed　as　if　the　long；　protracted　northern　spring　of　her　youth　had
suddenly　burst　into　a　summer　of　womanhood　under　those　gentle　skies；
and　yet　enough　of　her　puritan　precision　of　manner；　movement；　and
gesture　remained　to　temper　her　fuller　and　more　exuberant　life　and
give　it　repose。　　In　a　community　of　pretty　women　more　or　less　given
to　the　license　and　extravagance　of　the　epoch；　she　always　looked
like　a　lady。

He　took　her　in　his　arms　and　half…lifted　her　up　the　last　step　of　the
veranda。　　She　resisted　slightly　with　her　characteristic　action　of
catching　his　wrists　in　both　her　hands　and　holding　him　off　with　an
awkward　primness；　and　almost　in　the　same　tone　that　she　had　used　to
Edward　Blandford　five　years　before；　said：

〃There；　Dick；　that　will　do。〃


CHAPTER　II


Demorest's　dream　of　a　few　days'　conjugal　seclusion　and　confidences
with　his　wife　was　quickly　dispelled　by　that　lady。　　〃I　came　down
with　Rosita　Pico；　whose　father；　you　know；　once　owned　this
property；〃　she　said。　　〃She's　gone　on　to　her　cousins　at　Los　Osos
Rancho　to…night；　but　comes　here　to…morrow　for　a　visit。　　She　knows
the　place　well；　in　fact；　she　once　had　a　romantic　love　affair　here。
But　she　is　very　entertaining。　　It　will　be　a　little　change　for　us；〃
she　added；　naively。

Demorest　kept　back　a　sigh；　without　changing　his　gentle　smile。　　〃I'm
glad　for　your　sake；　dear。　　But　is　she　not　a　little　flighty　and
inclined　to　flirt　a　good　deal？　　I　think　I've　heard　so。〃

〃She's　a　young　girl　who　has　been　severely　tried；　Richard；　and
perhaps　is　not　to　blame　for　endeavoring　to　forget　it　in　such
distraction　as　she　can　find；〃　said　Mrs。　Demorest；　with　a　slight
return　of　her　old　manner。　　〃I　can　understand　her　feelings
perfectly。〃　　She　looked　pointedly　at　her　husband　as　she　spoke；　it
being　one　of　her　late　habits　to　openly　refer　to　their　ante…nuptial
acquaintance　as　a　natural　reaction　from　the　martyrdom　of　her　first
marriage；　with　a　quiet　indifference　that　seemed　almost　an
indelicacy。　　But　her　husband　only　said：　〃As　you　like；　dear；〃
vaguely　remembering　Dona　Rosita　as　the　alleged　heroine　of　a
forgotten　romance　with　some　earlier　American　adventurer　who　had
disappeared；　and　trying　vainly　to　reconcile　his　wife's　sentimental
description　of　her　with　his　own　recollection　of　the　buxom；　pretty；
laughing；　but　dangerous…eyed　Spanish　girl　he　had；　however；　seen　but
once。

She　arrived　the　next　day；　flying　into　a　protracted　embrace　of　Joan；
which　included　a　smiling　recognition　of　Demorest　with　an　unoccupied
blue　eye；　and　a　shake　of　her　fan　over　his　wife's　shoulder。　　Then
she　drew　back　and　seemed　to　take　in　the　whole　ver