a sappho of green springs-第36节

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to　say　that　the　proteges　and　parasites　of　Maecenas　deserted　him　in

a　body；　nay；　they　openly　alleged　that　it　was　the　true　artistic

nature　and　refinement　of　Somers　that　had　always　attracted　them；　and

that　a　man　like　Rushbrook；　who　bought　pictures　by　the　yard；

equally　of　the　unknown　struggling　artist　and　the　famous　masters；

was　no　true　patron　of　Art。　　Rushbrook　made　no　attempt　to　recover

his　lost　prestige；　and　once；　when　squeezed　into　a　tight　〃corner；〃

and　forced　to　realize　on　his　treasures；　he　put　them　up　at　auction

and　the　people　called　them　〃daubs；〃　their　rage　knew　no　bounds。　　It

was　then　that　an　unfettered　press　discovered　that　Rushbrook　never

was　a　Maecenas　at　all；　grimly　deprecated　his　assumption　of　that

title；　and　even　doubted　if　he　were　truly　a　millionaire。　　It　was　at

this　time　that　a　few　stood　by　himnotably；　the　mill　inventor　from

Siskyou；　grown　plethoric　with　success；　but　eventually　ground

between　the　upper　and　nether　millstone　of　the　Somers　and　Rushbrook

party。　　Miss　Nevil　had　returned　to　the　Atlantic　States　with　Mrs。

Leyton。　　While　rumors　had　played　freely　with　the　relations　of

Somers　and　the　Signora　as　the　possible　cause　of　the　rupture　between

him　and　Rushbrook；　no　mention　had　ever　been　made　of　the　name　of

Miss　Nevil。



It　was　raining　heavily　one　afternoon；　when　Mr。　Rushbrook　drove　from

his　office　to　his　San　Francisco　house。　　The　fierce　struggle　in

which　he　was　engaged　left　him　little　time　for　hospitality；　and　for

the　last　two　weeks　his　house　had　been　comparatively　deserted。　　He

passed　through　the　empty　rooms；　changed　in　little　except　the

absence　of　some　valuable　monstrosities　which　had　gone　to　replenish

his　capital。　　When　he　reached　his　bedroom；　he　paused　a　moment　at

the　open　door。



〃James！〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　James；　appearing　out　of　the　shadow。



〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃



〃I　thought　you　might　be　wanting　something；　sir。〃



〃You　were　waiting　there　this　morning；　you　were　in　the　ante…room　of

my　study　while　I　was　writing。　　You　were　outside　the　blue　room　while

I　sat　at　breakfast。　　You　were　at　my　elbow　in　the　drawing…room　late

last　night。　　Now；　James；〃　continued　Mr。　Rushbrook；　with　his　usual

grave　directness；　〃I　don't　intend　to　commit　suicide；　I　can't　afford

it；　so　keep　your　time　and　your　rest　for　yourselfyou　want　it

that's　a　good　fellow。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃James！〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Rushbrook　extended　his　hand。　　There　was　that　faint；　rare　smile　on

his　handsome　mouth；　for　which　James　would　at　any　time　have　laid

down　his　life。　　But　he　only　silently　grasped　his　master's　hand；　and

the　two　men　remained　looking　into　each　other's　eyes　without　a　word。

Then　Mr。　Rushbrook　entered　his　room；　lay　down；　and　went　to　sleep；

and　James　vanished　in　the　shadow。



At　the　end　of　an　hour　Mr。　Rushbrook　awoke　refreshed；　and　even

James；　who　came　to　call　him；　appeared　to　have　brightened　in　the

interval。　　〃I　have　ordered　a　fire；　sir；　in　the　reserved　room；　the

one　fitted　up　from　Los　Osos；　as　your　study　has　had　no　chance　of

being　cleaned　these　two　weeks。　　It　will　be　a　change　for　you；　sir。

I　hope　you'll　excuse　my　not　waking　you　to　consult　you　about　it。〃



Rushbrook　remained　so　silent　that　James；　fancying　he　had　not　heard

him；　was　about　to　repeat　himself　when　his　master　said　quickly；

〃Very　well；　come　for　me　there　when　dinner　is　ready；〃　and　entered

the　passage　leading　to　the　room。　　James　did　not　follow　him；　and

when　Mr。　Rushbrook；　opening　the　door；　started　back　with　an

exclamation；　no　one　but　the　inmate　heard　the　word　that　rose　to　his

lips。



For　there；　seated　before　the　glow　of　the　blazing　fire；　was　Miss

Grace　Nevil。　　She　had　evidently　just　arrived；　for　her　mantle　was

barely　loosened　around　her　neck；　and　upon　the　fringe　of　brown　hair

between　her　bonnet　and　her　broad；　low　forehead　a　few　drops　of　rain

still　sparkled。　　As　she　lifted　her　long　lashes　quickly　towards　the

door；　it　seemed　as　if　they；　too；　had　caught　a　little　of　that

moisture。　　Rushbrook　moved　impatiently　forward；　and　then　stopped。

Grace　rose　unhesitatingly　to　her　feet；　and　met　him　half…way　with

frankly　outstretched　hands。　　〃First　of　all；〃　she　said；　with　a　half

nervous　laugh；　〃don't　scold　James；　it's　all　my　fault；　I　forbade　him

to　announce　me；　lest　you　should　drive　me　away；　for　I　heard　that

during　this　excitement　you　came　here　for　rest；　and　saw　no　one。

Even　the　intrusion　into　this　room　is　all　my　own。　　I　confess　now

that　I　saw　it　the　last　night　I　was　here；　I　was　anxious　to　know　if

it　was　unchanged；　and　made　James　bring　me　here。　　I　did　not

understand　it　then。　　I　do　nowandthank　you。〃



Her　face　must　have　shown　that　she　was　conscious　that　he　was　still

holding　her　hand；　for　he　suddenly　released　it。　　With　a　heightened

color　and　a　half　girlish　naivete；　that　was　the　more　charming　for

its　contrast　with　her　tall　figure　and　air　of　thoroughbred　repose；

she　turned　back　to　her　chair；　and　lightly　motioned　him　to　take　the

one　before　her。　　〃I　am　here　on　BUSINESS；　otherwise　I　should　not

have　dared　to　look　in　upon　you　at　all。〃



She　stopped；　drew　off　her　gloves　with　a　provoking　deliberation；

which　was　none　the　less　fascinating　that　it　implied　a　demure

consciousness　of　inducing　some　impatience　in　the　breast　of　her

companion；　stretched　them　out　carefully　by　the　fingers；　laid　them

down　neatly　on　the　table；　placed　her　elbows　on　her　knees；　slightly

clasped　her　hands　together；　and　bending　forward；　lifted　her　honest；

handsome　eyes　to　the　man　before　her。



〃Mr。　Rushbrook；　I　have　got　between　four　and　five　hundred　thousand

dollars　that　I　have　no　use　for；　I　can　control　securities　which　can

be　converted；　if　necessary；　into　a　hundred　thousand　more　in　ten

days。　　I　am　free　and　my　own　mistress。　　It　is　generally　considered

that　I　know　what　I　am　aboutyou　admitted　as　much　when　I　was　your

pupil。　　I　have　come　here　to　place　this　sum　in　your　hands；　at　your

free　disposal。　　You　know　why　and　for　what　purpose。〃



〃But　what　do　you　know　of　my　affairs？〃　asked　Rushbrook；　quickly。



〃Everything；　and　I　know　YOU；　which　is　better。　　Call　it　an

investment　if　you　likefor　I　know　you　will　succeedand　let　me

share　your　profits。　　Call　itif　you　pleaserestitution；　for　I　am

the　miserable　cause　of　your　rupture　with　that　man。　　Or　call　it

revenge　if　you　like；〃　she　said　with　a　faint　smile；　〃and　let　me

fight　at　your　side　against　our　common　enemy！　　Please；　Mr。

Rushbrook；　don't　deny　me　this。　　I　have　come　three　thousand　miles

for　it；　I　could　have　sent　it　to　youor　writtenbut　I　feared　you

would　not　understand　it。　　You　are　smilingyou　will　take　it？〃



〃I　cannot；〃　said　Rushbrook；　gravely。



〃Then　you　force　me　to　go　into　the　Stock　Market　myself；　and　fight

for　you；　and；　unaided　by　YOUR　genius；　perhaps　lose　it　without

benefiting　you。〃



Rushbrook　did　not　reply。



〃At　least；　then；　tell　me　why　you　'cannot。'〃



Rushbrook　rose；　and　looking　into　her　face；　said　quietly　with　his

old　directness：



〃Because　I　love　you；　Miss　Nevil。〃



A　sudden　instinct　to　rise　and　move　away；　a　greater　one　to　remain

and　hear　him　speak　again；　and　a　still　greater　one　to　keep　back　the

blood　that　she　felt　was　returning　all　too　quickly　to　her　cheek

after　the　first　shock；　kept　her　silent。　　But　she　dropped　her　eyes。



〃I　loved　you　ever　since　I　first　saw　you　at　Los　Osos；〃　he　went　on

quickly；　〃I　said　to　myself　even　then；　that　if　there　was　a　woman

that　would　fill　my　life；　and　make　me　what　she　wished　me　to　be；　it

was　you。　　I　even　fancied　that　day　that　you　understood　me　better

than　any　woman；　or　even　any　man；　that　I　had　ever　met　before。　　I

loved　you　through　all　that　miserable　business　with　that　man；　even

when　my　failure　to　make　you　happy　with　another　brought　me　no　nearer

to　you。　　I　have　loved　you　always。　　I　shall　love　you　always。　　I　love

you　more　for　this　foolish　kindness　that　brings　YOU　beneath　my　roof

once　more；　and　gives　me　a　chance　to　speak　my　heart　to　you；　if　only

once　and　for　the　last　time；　than　all　the　fortune　that　you　could　put

at　my　disposal。　　But　I　could　not　accept　what　you　would　offer　me

from　any　woman　who　was　not　my　wifeand　I　could　not　marry　any　woman

that　did　not　love　me。　　I　am　perhaps　past　the　age　when　I　could

inspire　a　young　girl's　affection；　but　I　have　not　reached　the　age

when　I　would　accept　anything　less。〃　　He　stopped　abruptly。　　Grace

did　not　look　up。　　There　was　a　tear　glistening　upon　her　long

eyelashes；　albeit　a　faint　smile　played　upon　her　lips。



〃Do　you　call　this　business；　Mr。　Rushbrook？〃　she　said　softly。



〃Business？〃



〃To　assume　a　proposal　declined　before　it　has　been　offered。〃



〃Gracemy　darlingtell　meis　it　possible？〃



It　was　too　late　for　her　to　rise　now；　as　his　hands　held　both　hers；

and　his　handsome　mouth　was　smiling　level　with　her　own。　　So　it

really　seemed　to　a　dispassionate　spectator　that　it　WAS　possible；

and　before　she　had　left　the　room；　it　even　appeared　to　be　the　most

probable　thing　in　the　world。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



The　union　of　Grace　Nevil　and　Robert