a waif of the plains-第19节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


feared；　he　forgot　even　the　object　of　their　journey　in　the　new
sensations　that　suddenly　thronged　upon　him；　and　the　boyish　vista　of
the　future　that　they　seemed　to　open。　　He　was　dazed　and　intoxicated。
He　had　never　seen　so　many　books　before；　he　had　never　conceived　of
such　lovely　pictures。　　And　yet　in　some　vague　way　he　thought　he　must
have　dreamt　of　them　at　some　time。　　He　had　mounted　a　chair；　and　was
gazing　spellbound　at　an　engraving　of　a　sea…fight　when　he　heard
Flynn's　voice。

His　friend　had　quietly　reentered　the　room；　in　company　with　an
oldish；　half…foreign…looking　man；　evidently　his　relation。　　With　no
helping　recollection；　with　no　means　of　comparison　beyond　a　vague
idea　that　his　cousin　might　look　like　himself；　Clarence　stood
hopelessly　before　him。　　He　had　already　made　up　his　mind　that　he
would　have　to　go　through　the　usual　cross…questioning　in　regard　to
his　father　and　family；　he　had　even　forlornly　thought　of　inventing
some　innocent　details　to　fill　out　his　imperfect　and　unsatisfactory
recollection。　　But；　glancing　up；　he　was　surprised　to　find　that　his
elderly　cousin　was　as　embarrassed　as　he　was；　Flynn；　as　usual；
masterfully　interposed。

〃Of　course　ye　don't　remember　each　other；　and　thar　ain't　much　that
either　of　you　knows　about　family　matters；　I　reckon；〃　he　said
grimly；　〃and　as　your　cousin　calls　himself　Don　Juan　Robinson；〃　he
added　to　Clarence；　〃it's　just　as　well　that　you　let　'Jackson　Brant'
slide。　　I　know　him　better　than　you；　but　you'll　get　used　to　him；　and
he　to　you；　soon　enough。　　At　least；　you'd　better；〃　he　concluded；
with　his　singular　gravity。

As　he　turned　as　if　to　leave　the　room　with　Clarence's　embarrassed
relativemuch　to　that　gentleman's　apparent　reliefthe　boy　looked
up　at　the　latter　and　said　timidly

〃May　I　look　at　those　books？〃

His　cousin　stopped；　and　glanced　at　him　with　the　first　expression　of
interest　he　had　shown。

〃Ah；　you　read；　you　like　books？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Clarence。　　As　his　cousin　remained　still　looking　at　him
thoughtfully；　he　added；　〃My　hands　are　pretty　clean；　but　I　can　wash
them　first；　if　you　like。〃

〃You　may　look　at　them；〃　said　Don　Juan　smilingly；　〃and　as　they　are
old　books　you　can　wash　your　hands　afterwards。〃　　And；　turning　to
Flynn　suddenly；　with　an　air　of　relief；　〃I　tell　you　what　I'll　do
I'll　teach　him　Spanish！〃

They　left　the　room　together；　and　Clarence　turned　eagerly　to　the
shelves。　　They　were　old　books；　some　indeed　very　old；　queerly　bound；
and　worm…eaten。　　Some　were　in　foreign　languages；　but　others　in
clear；　bold　English　type；　with　quaint　wood…cuts　and　illustrations。
One　seemed　to　be　a　chronicle　of　battles　and　sieges；　with　pictured
representations　of　combatants　spitted　with　arrows；　cleanly　lopped
off　in　limb；　or　toppled　over　distinctly　by　visible　cannon…shot。　　He
was　deep　in　its　perusal　when　he　heard　the　clatter　of　a　horse's
hoofs　in　the　court…yard　and　the　voice　of　Flynn。　　He　ran　to　the
window；　and　was　astonished　to　see　his　friend　already　on　horseback；
taking　leave　of　his　host。

For　one　instant　Clarence　felt　one　of　those　sudden　revulsions　of
feeling　common　to　his　age；　but　which　he　had　always　timidly　hidden
under　dogged　demeanor。　　Flynn；　his　only　friend！　　Flynn；　his　only
boyish　confidant！　　Flynn；　his　latest　hero；　was　going　away　and
forsaking　him　without　a　word　of　parting！　　It　was　true　that　he　had
only　agreed　to　take　him　to　his　guardian；　but　still　Flynn　need　not
have　left　him　without　a　word　of　hope　or　encouragement！　　With　any
one　else　Clarence　would　probably　have　taken　refuge　in　his　usual
Indian　stoicism；　but　the　same　feeling　that　had　impelled　him　to
offer　Flynn　his　boyish　confidences　on　their　first　meeting　now
overpowered　him。　　He　dropped　his　book；　ran　out　into　the　corridor；
and　made　his　way　to　the　court…yard；　just　as　Flynn　galloped　out　from
the　arch。

But　the　boy　uttered　a　despairing　shout　that　reached　the　rider。　　He
drew　rein；　wheeled；　halted；　and　sat　facing　Clarence　impatiently。
To　add　to　Clarence's　embarrassment　his　cousin　had　lingered　in　the
corridor；　attracted　by　the　interruption；　and　a　peon；　lounging　in
the　archway；　obsequiously　approached　Flynn's　bridle…rein。　　But　the
rider　waved　him　off；　and；　turning　sternly　to　Clarence；　said：

〃What's　the　matter　now？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Clarence；　striving　to　keep　back　the　hot　tears　that
rose　in　his　eyes。　　〃But　you　were　going　away　without　saying　'good…
by。'　　You've　been　very　kind　to　me；　andandI　want　to　thank　you！〃

A　deep　flush　crossed　Flynn's　face。　　Then　glancing　suspiciously
towards　the　corridor；　he　said　hurriedly；

〃Did　HE　send　you？〃

〃No；　I　came　myself。　　I　heard　you　going。〃

〃All　right。　　Good…by。〃　　He　leaned　forward　as　if　about　to　take
Clarence's　outstretched　hand；　checked　himself　suddenly　with　a　grim
smile；　and　taking　from　his　pocket　a　gold　coin　handed　it　to　the　boy。

Clarence　took　it；　tossed　it　with　a　proud　gesture　to　the　waiting
peon；　who　caught　it　thankfully；　drew　back　a　step　from　Flynn；　and
saying；　with　white　cheeks；　〃I　only　wanted　to　say　good…by；〃　dropped
his　hot　eyes　to　the　ground。　　But　it　did　not　seem　to　be　his　own
voice　that　had　spoken；　nor　his　own　self　that　had　prompted　the　act。

There　was　a　quick　interchange　of　glances　between　the　departing
guest　and　his　late　host；　in　which　Flynn's　eyes　flashed　with　an　odd；
admiring　fire；　but　when　Clarence　raised　his　head　again　he　was　gone。
And　as　the　boy　turned　back　with　a　broken　heart　towards　the
corridor；　his　cousin　laid　his　hand　upon　his　shoulder。

〃Muy　hidalgamente；　Clarence；〃　he　said　pleasantly。　　〃Yes；　we　shall
make　something　of　you！〃


CHAPTER　X


Then　followed　to　Clarence　three　uneventful　years。　　During　that
interval　he　learnt　that　Jackson　Brant；　or　Don　Juan　Robinsonfor
the　tie　of　kinship　was　the　least　factor　in　their　relations　to　each
other；　and　after　the　departure　of　Flynn　was　tacitly　ignored　by
bothwas　more　Spanish　than　American。　　An　early　residence　in　Lower
California；　marriage　with　a　rich　Mexican　widow；　whose　dying
childless　left　him　sole　heir；　and　some　strange　restraining
idiosyncrasy　of　temperament　had　quite　denationalized　him。　　A
bookish　recluse；　somewhat　superfastidious　towards　his　own
countrymen；　the　more　Clarence　knew　him　the　more　singular　appeared
his　acquaintance　with　Flynn；　but　as　he　did　not　exhibit　more
communicativeness　on　this　point　than　upon　their　own　kinship；
Clarence　finally　concluded　that　it　was　due　to　the　dominant
character　of　his　former　friend；　and　thought　no　more　about　it。　　He
entered　upon　the　new　life　at　El　Refugio　with　no　disturbing　past。
Quickly　adapting　himself　to　the　lazy　freedom　of　this　hacienda
existence；　he　spent　the　mornings　on　horseback　ranging　the　hills
among　his　cousin's　cattle；　and　the　afternoons　and　evenings　busied
among　his　cousin's　books　with　equally　lawless　and　undisciplined
independence。　　The　easy…going　Don　Juan；　it　is　true；　attempted　to
make　good　his　rash　promise　to　teach　the　boy　Spanish；　and　actually
set　him　a　few　tasks；　but　in　a　few　weeks　the　quick…witted　Clarence
acquired　such　a　colloquial　proficiency　from　his　casual　acquaintance
with　vaqueros　and　small　traders　that　he　was　glad　to　leave　the
matter　in　his　young　kinsman's　hands。　　Again；　by　one　of　those
illogical　sequences　which　make　a　lifelong　reputation　depend　upon　a
single　trivial　act；　Clarence's　social　status　was　settled　forever　at
El　Refugio　Rancho　by　his　picturesque　diversion　of　Flynn's　parting
gift。　　The　grateful　peon　to　whom　the　boy　had　scornfully　tossed　the
coin　repeated　the　act；　gesture；　and　spirit　of　the　scene　to　his
companion；　and　Don　Juan's　unknown　and　youthful　relation　was　at　once
recognized　as　hijo　de　la　familia；　and　undeniably　a　hidalgo　born　and
bred。　　But　in　the　more　vivid　imagination　of　feminine　El　Refugio　the
incident　reached　its　highest　poetic　form。　　〃It　is　true；　Mother　of
God；〃　said　Chucha　of　the　Mill；　〃it　was　Domingo　who　himself　relates
it　as　it　were　the　Creed。　　When　the　American　escort　had　arrived　with
the　young　gentleman；　this　escort；　look　you；　being　not　of　the　same
quality；　he　is　departing　again　without　a　word　of　permission。　　Comes
to　him　at　this　moment　my　little　hidalgo。　　'You　have　yourself
forgotten　to　take　from　me　your　demission；'　he　said。　　This　escort；
thinking　to　make　his　peace　with　a　mere　muchacho；　gives　to　him　a
gold　piece　of　twenty　pesos。　　The　little　hidalgo　has　taken　it　SO；
and　with　the　words；　'Ah！　you　would　make　of　me　your　almoner　to　my
cousin's　people；'　has　given　it　at　the　moment　to　Domingo；　and　with　a
grace　and　fire　admirable。〃　　But　it　is　certain　that　Clarence's
singular　simplicity　and　truthfulness；　a　faculty　of　being
picturesquely　indolent　in　a　way　that　suggested　a　dreamy　abstraction
of　mind　rather　than　any　vulgar　tendency　to　bodily　ease　and　comfort；
and　possibly　the　fact　that　he　was　a　good　horseman；　made　him　a
popular　hero　at　El　Refugio。　　At　the　end　of　three　years　Don　Juan
found　that　this　inexperienced　and　apparently　idle　boy　of　fourteen
knew　more　of　the　practical　ruling　of　the　rancho　than　he　did
himself；　also　that　this　unlettered　young　rustic　had　devoured　nearly
all　the　books　in　his　library　with　boyish　recklessness　of　digestion。
He　found；　too；　that　in　spite　of　his　singular　independence　of
action；　Clarence　was　possessed　of　an　invincible　loyalty　of
principle；　and　that；　asking　no　sentimental　affection；　and　indeed
yielding　non