a sappho of green springs-第30节

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interestshad　got　a　good　deal　out　of；　and　indeed　all　he　had　INTO；

a　Louis　XVI。　armoire；　while　a　young　painter　from　Sacramento　had

simply　retired　into　his　adjoining　bath…room；　leaving　the　glories　of

his　bedroom　untarnished。　　Suddenly　he　paused。



He　had　turned　into　a　smaller　passage　in　order　to　make　a　shorter　cut

through　one　of　the　deserted　suites　of　apartments　that　should　bring

him　to　that　part　of　the　building　where　he　designed　to　make　his

projected　improvement；　when　his　feet　were　arrested　on　the　threshold

of　a　sitting…room。　　Although　it　contained　the　same　decoration　and

furniture　as　the　other　rooms；　it　looked　totally　different！　　It　was

tasteful；　luxurious；　comfortable；　and　habitable。　　The　furniture

seemed　to　have　fallen　into　harmonious　position；　even　the　staring

decorations　of　the　walls　and　ceiling　were　toned　down　by　sprays　of

laurel　and　red…stained　manzanito　boughs　with　their　berries；

apparently　fresh　plucked　from　the　near　canyon。　　But　he　was　more

unexpectedly　impressed　to　see　that　the　room　was　at　that　moment

occupied　by　a　tall；　handsome　girl；　who　had　paused　to　take　breath；

with　her　hand　still　on　the　heavy　centre…table　she　was　moving。

Standing　there；　graceful；　glowing；　and　animated；　she　looked　the

living　genius　of　the　recreated　apartment。





CHAPTER　II





Mr。　Rushbrook　glanced　rapidly　at　his　unknown　guest。　　〃Excuse　me；〃

he　said；　with　respectful　business　brevity；　〃but　I　thought　every　one

was　out；〃　and　he　stepped　backward　quickly。



〃I've　only　just　come；〃　she　said　without　embarrassment；　〃and　would

you　mind；　as　you　ARE　here；　giving　me　a　lift　with　this　table？〃



〃Certainly；〃　replied　Rushbrook；　and　under　the　young　girl's

direction　the　millionaire　moved　the　table　to　one　side。



During　the　operation　he　was　trying　to　determine　which　of　his

unrecognized　guests　the　fair　occupant　was。　　Possibly　one　of　the

Leyton　party；　that　James　had　spoken　of　as　impending。



〃Then　you　have　changed　all　the　furniture；　and　put　up　these　things？〃

he　asked；　pointing　to　the　laurel。



〃Yes；　the　room　was　really　something　TOO　awful。　　It　looks　better

now；　don't　you　think？〃



〃A　hundred　per　cent。；〃　said　Rushbrook；　promptly。　　〃Look　here；　I'll

tell　you　what　you've　done。　　You've　set　the　furniture　TO　WORK！　　It

was　simply　lying　stillwith　no　return　to　anybody　on　the　investment。〃



The　young　girl　opened　her　gray　eyes　at　this；　and　then　smiled。　　The

intruder　seemed　to　be　characteristic　of　California。　　As　for

Rushbrook；　he　regretted　that　he　did　not　know　her　better；　he　would

at　once　have　asked　her　to　rearrange　all　the　rooms；　and　have　managed

in　some　way　liberally　to　reward　her　for　it。　　A　girl　like　that　had

no　nonsense　about　her。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　wonder　Mr。　Rushbrook　don't　look　at　it　in　that

way。　　It　is　a　shame　that　all　these　pretty　thingsand　you　know　they

are　really　good　and　valuableshouldn't　show　what　they　are。　　But　I

suppose　everybody　here　accepts　the　fact　that　this　man　simply　buys

them　because　they　are　valuable；　and　nobody　interferes；　and　is

content　to　humor　him；　laugh　at　him；　and　feel　superior。　　It　don't

strike　me　as　quite　fair；　does　it　you？〃



Rushbrook　was　pleased。　　Without　the　vanity　that　would　be　either

annoyed　at　this　revelation　of　his　reputation；　or　gratified　at　her

defense　of　it；　he　was　simply　glad　to　discover　that　she　had　not

recognized　him　as　her　host；　and　could　continue　the　conversation

unreservedly。　　〃Have　you　seen　the　ladies'　boudoir？〃　he　asked。　　〃You

know；　the　room　fitted　with　knick…knacks　and　pretty　thingssome　of

'em　bought　from　old　collections　in　Europe；　by　fellows　who　knew　what

they　were　but　perhaps；〃　he　added；　looking　into　her　eyes　for　the

first　time；　〃didn't　know　exactly　what　ladies　cared　for。〃



〃I　merely　glanced　in　there　when　I　first　came；　for　there　was　such　a

queer　lot　of　womenI'm　told　he　isn't　very　particular　in　that　way

that　I　didn't　stay。〃



〃And　you　didn't　think　THEY　might　be　just　as　valuable　and　good　as

some　of　the　furniture；　if　they　could　have　been　pulled　around　and

put　into　shape；　or　set　in　a　corner；　eh？〃



The　young　girl　smiled；　she　thought　her　fellow…guest　rather　amusing；

none　the　less　so；　perhaps；　for　catching　up　her　own　ideas；　but

nevertheless　she　slightly　shrugged　her　shoulders　with　that　hopeless

skepticism　which　women　reserve　for　their　own　sex。　　〃Some　of　them

looked　as　if　they　had　been　pulled　around；　as　you　say；　and　hadn't

been　improved　by　it。〃



〃There's　no　one　there　now；〃　said　Rushbrook；　with　practical

directness；　〃come　and　take　a　look　at　it。〃　　She　complied　without

hesitation；　walking　by　his　side；　tall；　easy；　and　self…possessed；

apparently　accepting　without　self…consciousness　his　half　paternal；

half　comrade…like　informality。　　The　boudoir　was　a　large　room；

repeating　on　a　bigger　scale　the　incongruousness　and　ill　fitting

splendor　of　the　others。　　When　she　had　of　her　own　accord　recognized

and　pointed　out　the　more　admirable　articles；　he　said；　gravely

looking　at　his　watch；　〃We've　just　about　seven　minutes　yet；　if　you'd

like　to　pull　and　haul　these　things　around；　I'll　help　you。〃



The　young　girl　smiled。　　〃I'm　quite　content　with　what　I've　done　in

my　own　room；　where　I　have　no　one's　taste　to　consult　but　my　own。　　I

hardly　know　how　Mr。　Rushbrook；　or　his　lady　friends；　might　like　my

operating　here。〃　　Then　recognizing　with　feminine　tact　the　snub　that

might　seem　implied　in　her　refusal；　she　said　quickly；　〃Tell　me

something　about　our　hostbut　first　look！　isn't　that　pretty？〃



She　had　stopped　before　the　window　that　looked　upon　the　dim　blue

abyss　of　the　canyon；　and　was　leaning　out　to　gaze　upon　it。

Rushbrook　joined　her。



〃There　isn't　much　to　be　changed　down　THERE；　is　there？〃　he　said；

half　interrogatively。



〃No；　not　unless　Mr。　Rushbrook　took　it　into　his　head　to　roof　it　in；

and　somebody　was　ready　with　a　contract　to　do　it。　　But　what　do　you

know　of　him？　　Remember；　I'm　quite　a　stranger　here。〃



〃You　came　with　Charley　Leyton？〃



〃With　MRS。　Leyton's　party；〃　said　the　young　girl；　with　a　half…

smiling　emphasis。　　〃But　it　seems　that　we　don't　know　whether　Mr。

Rushbrook　wants　us　here　or　not　till　he　comes。　　And　the　drollest

thing　about　it　is　that　they're　all　so　perfectly　frank　in　saying

so。〃



〃Charley　and　he　are　old　friends；　and　you'll　do　well　to　trust　to

their　judgment。〃



This　was　hardly　the　kind　of　response　that　the　handsome　and　clever

society　girl　before　him　had　been　in　the　habit　of　receiving；　but　it

amused　her。　　Her　fellow…guest　was　decidedly　original。　　But　he

hadn't　told　her　about　Rushbrook；　and　it　struck　her　that　his　opinion

would　be　independent；　at　least。　　She　reminded　him　of　it。



〃Look　here；〃　said　Rushbrook；　〃you'll　meet　a　man　here　to…nightor

he'll　be　sure　to　meet　YOUwho'll　tell　you　all　about　Rushbrook。

He's　a　smart　chap；　knows　everybody　and　talks　well。　　His　name　is

Jack　Somers；　he　is　a　great　ladies'　man。　　He　can　talk　to　you　about

these　sort　of　things；　too；〃indicating　the　furniture　with　a　half

tolerant；　half　contemptuous　gesture；　that　struck　her　as

inconsistent　with　what　seemed　to　be　his　previous　interest；〃just

as　well　as　he　can　talk　of　people。　　Been　in　Europe；　too。〃



The　young　girl's　eye　brightened　with　a　quick　vivacity　at　the　name；

but　a　moment　after　became　reflective　and　slightly　embarrassed。　　〃I

know　himI　met　him　at　Mr。　Leyton's。　　He　has　already　talked　of　Mr。

Rushbrook；　but；〃　she　added；　avoiding　any　conclusion；　with　a　pretty

pout；　〃I'd　like　to　have　the　opinion　of　others。　　Yours；　now；　I　fancy

would　be　quite　independent。〃



〃You　stick　to　what　Jack　Somers　has　said；　good　or　bad；　and　you　won't

be　far　wrong；〃　he　said　assuringly。　　He　stopped；　his　quick　ear　had

heard　approaching　voices；　he　returned　to　her　and　held　out　his　hand。

As　it　seemed　to　her　that　in　California　everybody　shook　hands　with

everybody　else　on　the　slightest　occasions；　sometimes　to　save

further　conversation；　she　gave　him　her　own。　　He　shook　it；　less

forcibly　than　she　had　feared；　and　abruptly　left　her。　　For　a　moment

she　was　piqued　at　this　superior　and　somewhat　brusque　way　of

ignoring　her　request；　but　reflecting　that　it　might　be　the

awkwardness　of　an　untrained　man；　she　dismissed　it　from　her　mind。

The　voices　of　her　friends　in　the　already　resounding　passages　also

recalled　her　to　the　fact　that　she　had　been　wandering　about　the

house　with　a　stranger；　and　she　rejoined　them　a　little　self…

consciously。



〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Leyton；　gayly；　〃it　seems　we　are　to　stay。

Leyton　says　Rushbrook　won't　hear　of　our　going。〃



〃Does　that　mean　that　your　husband　takes　the　whole　opera　troupe　over

to　your　house　in　exchange？〃



〃Don't　be　satirical；　but　congratulate　yourself　on　your　opportunity

of　seeing　an　awfully　funny　gathering。　　I　wouldn't　have　you　miss　it

for　the　world。　　It's　the　most　characteristic　thing　out。〃



〃Characteristic　of　what？〃



〃Of　Rushbrook；　of　course。　　Nobody　else　would　conceive　of　getting

together　such　a　lot　of　queer　people。〃



〃But　don't　it　strike　you　that　we're　a　part　of　the　lot？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　ret