a sappho of green springs-第28节

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you　have　a　fine　story　there；　my　poor　friend。　　Very　pretty；　but　very

hard　to　prove；　m'sieu。　　And　these　peasants　are　in　it；　eh；　working

it　on　shares　like　the　farm；　eh？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Dawson；　slightly　changing　his　position；　and　passing

his　hand　over　the　horse's　neck　with　a　half…wearied　contempt；　〃one

of　these　men　is　from　Plaquemine；　and　the　other　from　Coupee。　　They

know　all　the　l'Hommadieus'　history。　　And　they　know　a　streak　of　the

tar　brush　when　they　see　it。　　They　took　your　measure　when　they　came

here　last　year；　and　sized　you　up　fairly。　　So　had　I；　for　the　matter

of　that；　when　I　FIRST　saw　you。　　And　we　compared　notes。　　But　the

major　is　a　square　man；　for　all　he　is　your　husband；　and　we　reckoned

he　had　a　big　enough　contract　on　his　hands　to　take　care　of　you　and

l'Hommadieu's　half…breeds；　and　so〃he　tossed　the　reins

contemptuously　aside〃we　kept　this　to　ourselves。〃



〃And　now　you　wantwhateh？〃



〃We　want　an　end　to　this　foolery；〃　he　broke　out　roughly；　stepping

back　from　the　vehicle；　and　facing　her　suddenly；　with　his　first

angry　gesture。　　〃We　want　an　end　to　these　airs　and　grimaces；　and　all

this　dandy　nigger　business；　we　want　an　end　to　this　'cake…walking'

through　the　wheat；　and　flouting　of　the　honest　labor　of　your

betters。　　We　want　you　and　your　'de　Fontanges'　to　climb　down。　　And

we　want　an　end　to　this　roping…in　of　white　folks　to　suit　your　little

game；　we　want　an　end　to　your　trying　to　mix　your　nigger　blood　with

any　one　here；　and　we　intend　to　stop　it。　　We　draw　the　line　at　the

major。〃



Lashed　as　she　had　been　by　those　words　apparently　out　of　all

semblance　of　her　former　social　arrogance；　a　lower　and　more　stubborn

resistance　seemed　to　have　sprung　up　in　her；　as　she　sat　sideways；

watching　him　with　her　set　smile　and　contracting　eyes。



〃Ah；〃　she　said　dryly；　〃so　SHE　IS　HERE。　　I　thought　so。　　Which　of　you

is　it；　eh？　　It's　a　good　specMallory's　a　rich　man。　　She's　not

particular。〃



The　man　had　stopped　as　if　listening；　his　head　turned　towards　the

road。　　Then　he　turned　carelessly；　and　facing　her　again；　waved　his

hand　with　a　gesture　of　tired　dismissal；　and　said；　〃Go！　　You'll　find

your　driver　over　there　by　the　tool…shed。　　He　has　heard　nothing　yet

but　I've　given　you　fair　warning。　　Go！〃



He　walked　slowly　back　towards　the　shed；　as　the　woman；　snatching　up

the　reins；　drove　violently　off　in　the　direction　where　the　men　had

disappeared。　　But　she　turned　aside；　ignoring　her　waiting　driver　in

her　wild　and　reckless　abandonment　of　all　her　old　conventional

attitudes；　and　lashing　her　horse　forward　with　the　same　set　smile　on

her　face；　the　same　odd　relaxation　of　figure；　and　the　same　squaring

of　her　elbows。



Avoiding　the　main　road；　she　pushed　into　a　narrow　track　that

intersected　another　nearer　the　scene　of　the　accident　to　Rose's

buggy　three　weeks　before。　　She　had　nearly　passed　it　when　she　was

hailed　by　a　strange　voice；　and　looking　up；　perceived　a　horseman

floundering　in　the　mazes　of　the　wheat　to　one　side　of　the　track。

Whatever　mean　thought　of　her　past　life　she　was　flying　from；

whatever　mean　purpose　she　was　flying　to；　she　pulled　up　suddenly；

and　as　suddenly　resumed　her　erect；　aggressive　stiffness。　　The

stranger　was　a　middle…aged　man；　in　dress　and　appearance　a　dweller

of　cities。　　He　lifted　his　hat　as　he　perceived　the　occupant　of　the

wagon　to　be　a　lady。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　fear　I've　lost　my　way　in　trying　to　make　a

short　cut　to　the　Excelsior　Company's　Ranch。〃



〃You　are　in　it　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　quickly。



〃Thank　you；　but　where　can　I　find　the　farmhouse？〃



〃There　is　none；〃　she　returned；　with　her　old　superciliousness；

〃unless　you　choose　to　give　that　name　to　the　shanties　and　sheds

where　the　laborers　and　servants　live；　near　the　road。〃



The　stranger　looked　puzzled。　　〃I'm　looking　for　a　Mr。　Dawson；〃　he

said　reflectively；　〃but　I　may　have　made　some　mistake。　　Do　you　know

Major　Randolph's　house　hereabouts？〃



〃I　do。　　I　am　Mrs。　Randolph；〃　she　said　stiffly。



The　stranger's　brow　cleared；　and　he　smiled　pleasantly。　　〃Then　this

is　a　fortunate　meeting；〃　he　said；　raising　his　hat　again　as　he

reined　in　his　horse　beside　the　wagon；　〃for　I　am　Mr。　Mallory；　and　I

was　looking　forward　to　the　pleasure　of　presenting　myself　to　you　an

hour　or　two　later。　　The　fact　is；　an　old　acquaintance；　Mr。　Dawson；

telegraphed　me　yesterday　to　meet　him　here　on　urgent　business；　and　I

felt　obliged　to　go　there　first。〃



Mrs。　Randolph's　eyes　sparkled　with　a　sudden　gratified　intelligence；

but　her　manner　seemed　rather　to　increase　than　abate　its　grim

precision。



〃Our　meeting　this　morning；　Mr。　Mallory；　is　both　fortunate　and

unfortunate；　for　I　regret　to　say　that　your　daughter；　who　has　not

been　quite　herself　since　the　earthquake；　was　missing　early　this

morning　and　has　not　yet　been　found；　though　we　have　searched

everywhere。　　Understand　me；〃　she　said；　as　the　stranger　started；　〃I

have　no　fear　for　her　PERSONAL　safety；　I　am　only　concerned　for　any

INDISCRETION　that　she　may　commit　in　the　presence　of　these　strangers

whose　company　she　would　seem　to　prefer　to　ours。〃



〃But　I　don't　understand　you；　madam；〃　said　Mallory；　sternly；　〃you

are　speaking　of　my　daughter；　and〃



〃Excuse　me；　Mr。　Mallory；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　lifting　her　hand　with

her　driest　deprecation　and　her　most　desiccating　smile；　〃I'm　not

passing　judgment　or　criticism。　　I　am　of　a　foreign　race；　and

consequently　do　not　understand　the　freedom　of　American　young

ladies；　and　their　familiarity　with　the　opposite　sex。　　I　make　no

charges；　I　only　wish　to　assure　you　that　she　will　no　doubt　be　found

in　the　company　and　under　the　protection　of　her　own　countrymen。

There　is；〃　she　added　with　ironical　distinctness；　〃a　young　mechanic；

or　field　hand；　or　'quack　well…doctor；'　whom　she　seems　to　admire；

and　with　whom　she　appears　to　be　on　equal　terms。〃



Mallory　regarded　her　for　a　moment　fixedly；　and　then　his　sternness

relaxed　to　a　mischievously　complacent　smile。　　〃That　must　be　young

Bent；　of　whom　I've　heard；〃　he　said　with　unabated　cheerfulness。

〃And　I　don't　know　but　what　she　may　be　with　him；　after　all。　　For　now

I　think　of　it；　a　chuckle…headed　fellow；　of　whom　a　moment　ago　I

inquired　the　way　to　your　house；　told　me　I'd　better　ask　the　young

man　and　young　woman　who　were　'philandering　through　the　wheat'

yonder。　　Suppose　we　look　for　them。　　From　what　I've　heard　of　Bent

he's　too　much　wrapped　up　in　his　inventions　for　flirtation；　but　it

would　be　a　good　joke　to　stumble　upon　them。〃



Mrs。　Randolph's　eyes　sparkled　with　a　mingling　of　gratified　malice

and　undisguised　contempt　for　the　fatuous　father　beside　her。　　But

before　she　could　accept　or　decline　the　challenge；　it　had　become

useless。　　A　murmur　of　youthful　voices　struck　her　ear；　and　she

suddenly　stood　upright　and　transfixed　in　the　carriage。　　For

lounging　down　slowly　towards　them　out　of　the　dim　green　aisles　of

the　arbored　wheat；　lost　in　themselves　and　the　shimmering　veil　of

their　seclusion；　came　the　engineer；　Thomas　Bent；　and　on　his　arm；

gazing　ingenuously　into　his　face；　the　figure　of　Adele；her　own

perfect　daughter。





〃I　don't　think；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Mallory；　as　the　anxious　Rose

flew　into　his　arms　on　his　return　to　San　Jose；　a　few　hours　later；

〃that　it　will　be　necessary　for　you　to　go　back　again　to　Major

Randolph's　before　we　leave。　　I　have　said　'Good…by'　for　you　and

thanked　them；　and　your　trunks　are　packed　and　will　be　sent　here。

The　fact　is；　my　dear；　you　see　this　affair　of　the　earthquake　and　the

disaster　to　the　artesian　well　have　upset　all　their　arrangements；

and　I　am　afraid　that　my　little　girl　would　be　only　in　their　way　just

now。〃



〃And　you　have　seen　Mr。　Dawsonand　you　know　why　he　sent　for　you？〃

asked　the　young　girl；　with　nervous　eagerness。



〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Mallory　thoughtfully；　〃THAT　was　really

important。　　You　see；　my　child；〃　he　continued；　taking　her　hand　in

one　of　his　own　and　patting　the　back　of　it　gently　with　the　other；

〃we　think；　Dawson　and　I；　of　taking　over　the　major's　ranch　and

incorporating　it　with　the　Excelsior　in　one；　to　be　worked　on　shares

like　the　Excelsior；　and　as　Mrs。　Randolph　is　very　anxious　to　return

to　the　Atlantic　States　with　her　children；　it　is　quite　possible。

Mrs。　Randolph；　as　you　have　possibly　noticed；〃　Mr。　Mallory　went　on；

still　patting　his　daughter's　hand；　〃does　not　feel　entirely　at　home

here；　and　will　consequently　leave　the　major　free　to　rearrange；　by

himself；　the　ranch　on　the　new　basis。　　In　fact；　as　the　change　must

be　made　before　the　crops　come　in；　she　talks　of　going　next　week。

But　if　you　like　the　place；　Rose；　I've　no　doubt　the　major　and　Dawson

will　always　find　room　for　you　and　me　when　we　run　down　there　for　a

little　fresh　air。〃



〃And　did　you　have　all　that　in　your　mind；　papa；　when　you　came　down

here；　and　was　that　what　you　and　Mr。　Dawson　wanted　to　talk　about？〃

said　the　astonished　Rose。



〃Mainly；　my　dear；　mainly。　　You　see　I'm　a　capitalist　now；　and　the

real　value　of　capital　is　to　know　how　and　when　to　apply　it　to

certain　conditions。〃



〃And　this　Mr。Mr