a waif of the plains-第20节

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action；　Clarence　was　possessed　of　an　invincible　loyalty　of
principle；　and　that；　asking　no　sentimental　affection；　and　indeed
yielding　none；　he　was；　without　presuming　on　his　relationship；
devoted　to　his　cousin's　interest。　　It　seemed　that　from　being　a
glancing　ray　of　sunshine　in　the　house；　evasive　but　never　obtrusive；
he　had　become　a　daily　necessity　of　comfort　and　security　to　his
benefactor。

Clarence　was；　however；　astonished；　when；　one　morning；　Don　Juan；
with　the　same　embarrassed　manner　he　had　shown　at　their　first
meeting；　suddenly　asked　him；　〃what　business　he　expected　to　follow。〃
It　seemed　the　more　singular；　as　the　speaker；　like　most　abstracted
men；　had　hitherto　always　studiously　ignored　the　future；　in　their
daily　intercourse。　　Yet　this　might　have　been　either　the　habit　of
security　or　the　caution　of　doubt。　　Whatever　it　was；　it　was　some
sudden　disturbance　of　Don　Juan's　equanimity；　as　disconcerting　to
himself　as　it　was　to　Clarence。　　So　conscious　was　the　boy　of　this
that；　without　replying　to　his　cousin's　question；　but　striving　in
vain　to　recall　some　delinquency　of　his　own；　he　asked；　with　his
usual　boyish　directness

〃Has　anything　happened？　　Have　I　done　anything　wrong？〃

〃No；　no；〃　returned　Don　Juan　hurriedly。　　〃But；　you　see；　it's　time
that　you　should　think　of　your　futureor　at　least　prepare　for　it。
I　mean　you　ought　to　have　some　more　regular　education。　　You　will
have　to　go　to　school。　　It's　too　bad；〃　he　added　fretfully；　with　a
certain　impatient　forgetfulness　of　Clarence's　presence；　and　as　if
following　his　own　thought。　　〃Just　as　you　are　becoming　of　service　to
me；　and　justifying　your　ridiculous　position　hereand　all　this　dd
nonsense　that's　gone　beforeI　mean；　of　course；　Clarence；〃　he
interrupted　himself；　catching　sight　of　the　boy's　whitening　cheek
and　darkening　eye；　〃I　mean；　you　knowthis　ridiculousness　of　my
keeping　you　from　school　at　your　age；　and　trying　to　teach　you
myselfdon't　you　see。〃

〃You　think　it　isridiculous；〃　repeated　Clarence；　with　dogged
persistency。

〃I　mean　I　am　ridiculous；〃　said　Don　Juan　hastily。　　〃There！　there！
let's　say　no　more　about　it。　　To…morrow　we'll　ride　over　to　San　Jose
and　see　the　Father　Secretary　at　the　Jesuits'　College　about　your
entering　at　once。　　It's　a　good　school；　and　you'll　always　be　near
the　rancho！〃　　And　so　the　interview　ended。

I　am　afraid　that　Clarence's　first　idea　was　to　run　away。　　There　are
few　experiences　more　crushing　to　an　ingenuous　nature　than　the
sudden　revelation　of　the　aspect　in　which　it　is　regarded　by　others。
The　unfortunate　Clarence；　conscious　only　of　his　loyalty　to　his
cousin's　interest　and　what　he　believed　were　the　duties　of　his
position；　awoke　to　find　that　position　〃ridiculous。〃　　In　an
afternoon's　gloomy　ride　through　the　lonely　hills；　and　later　in　the
sleepless　solitude　of　his　room　at　night；　he　concluded　that　his
cousin　was　right。　　He　would　go　to　school；　he　would　study　hardso
hard　that　in　a　little；　a　very　little　while；　he　could　make　a　living
for　himself。　　He　awoke　contented。　　It　was　the　blessing　of　youth
that　this　resolve　and　execution　seemed　as　one　and　the　same　thing。

The　next　day　found　him　installed　as　a　pupil　and　boarder　in　the
college。　　Don　Juan's　position　and　Spanish　predilections　naturally
made　his　relation　acceptable　to　the　faculty；　but　Clarence　could　not
help　perceiving　that　Father　Sobriente；　the　Principal；　regarded　him
at　times　with　a　thoughtful　curiosity　that　made　him　suspect　that　his
cousin　had　especially　bespoken　that　attention；　and　that　he
occasionally　questioned　him　on　his　antecedents　in　a　way　that　made
him　dread　a　renewal　of　the　old　questioning　about　his　progenitor。
For　the　rest；　he　was　a　polished；　cultivated　man；　yet；　in　the
characteristic；　material　criticism　of　youth；　I　am　afraid　that
Clarence　chiefly　identified　him　as　a　priest　with　large　hands；　whose
soft　palms　seemed　to　be　cushioned　with　kindness；　and　whose　equally
large　feet；　encased　in　extraordinary　shapeless　shoes　of　undyed
leather；　seemed　to　tread　down　noiselesslyrather　than　to
ostentatiously　crushthe　obstacles　that　beset　the　path　of　the
young　student。　　In　the　cloistered　galleries　of　the　court…yard
Clarence　sometimes　felt　himself　borne　down　by　the　protecting　weight
of　this　paternal　hand；　in　the　midnight　silence　of　the　dormitory　he
fancied　he　was　often　conscious　of　the　soft　browsing　tread　and
snuffly　muffled　breathing　of　his　elephantine…footed　mentor。

His　relations　with　his　school…fellows　were　at　first　far　from
pleasant。　Whether　they　suspected　favoritism；　whether　they　resented
that　old　and　unsympathetic　manner　which　sprang　from　his　habits　of
association　with　his　elders；　or　whether　they　rested　their
objections　on　the　broader　grounds　of　his　being　a　stranger；　I　do　not
know；　but　they　presently　passed　from　cruel　sneers　to　physical
opposition。　　It　was　then　found　that　this　gentle　and　reserved　youth
had　retained　certain　objectionable；　rude；　direct；　rustic　qualities
of　fist　and　foot；　and　that；　violating　all　rules　and　disdaining　the
pomp　and　circumstance　of　school…boy　warfare；　of　which　he　knew
nothing；　he　simply　thrashed　a　few　of　his　equals　out　of　hand；　with
or　without　ceremony；　as　the　occasion　or　the　insult　happened。　　In
this　emergency　one　of　the　seniors　was　selected　to　teach　this
youthful　savage　his　proper　position。　　A　challenge　was　given；　and
accepted　by　Clarence　with　a　feverish　alacrity　that　surprised
himself　as　much　as　his　adversary。　　This　was　a　youth　of　eighteen；
his　superior　in　size　and　skill。

The　first　blow　bathed　Clarence's　face　in　his　own　blood。　　But　the
sanguinary　chrism；　to　the　alarm　of　the　spectators；　effected　an
instantaneous　and　unhallowed　change　in　the　boy。　　Instantly　closing
with　his　adversary；　he　sprang　at　his　throat　like　an　animal；　and
locking　his　arm　around　his　neck　began　to　strangle　him。　　Blind　to
the　blows　that　rained　upon　him；　he　eventually　bore　his　staggering
enemy　by　sheer　onset　and　surprise　to　the　earth。　　Amidst　the　general
alarm；　the　strength　of　half　a　dozen　hastily　summoned　teachers　was
necessary　to　unlock　his　hold。　　Even　then　he　struggled　to　renew　the
conflict。　　But　his　adversary　had　disappeared；　and　from　that　day
forward　Clarence　was　never　again　molested。

Seated　before　Father　Sobriente　in　the　infirmary；　with　swollen　and
bandaged　face；　and　eyes　that　still　seemed　to　see　everything　in　the
murky　light　of　his　own　blood；　Clarence　felt　the　soft　weight　of　the
father's　hand　upon　his　knee。

〃My　son；〃　said　the　priest　gently；　〃you　are　not　of　our　religion；　or
I　should　claim　as　a　right　to　ask　a　question　of　your　own　heart　at
this　moment。　　But　as　to　a　good　friend；　Claro；　a　good　friend；〃　he
continued；　patting　the　boy's　knee；　〃you　will　tell　me；　old　Father
Sobriente；　frankly　and　truthfully；　as　is　your　habit；　one　little
thing。　　Were　you　not　afraid？〃

〃No；〃　said　Clarence　doggedly。　〃I'll　lick　him　again　to…morrow。〃

〃Softly；　my　son！　　It　was　not　of　HIM　I　speak；　but　of　something　more
terrible　and　awful。　　Were　you　not　afraid　ofof〃　he　paused；　and
suddenly　darting　his　clear　eyes　into　the　very　depths　of　Clarence's
soul；　added〃of　YOURSELF？〃

The　boy　started；　shuddered；　and　burst　into　tears。

〃So；　so；〃　said　the　priest　gently；　〃we　have　found　our　real　enemy。
Good！　　Now；　by　the　grace　of　God；　my　little　warrior；　we　shall　fight
HIM　and　conquer。〃

Whether　Clarence　profited　by　this　lesson；　or　whether　this　brief
exhibition　of　his　quality　prevented　any　repetition　of　the　cause；
the　episode　was　soon　forgotten。　　As　his　school…fellows　had　never
been　his　associates　or　confidants；　it　mattered　little　to　him
whether　they　feared　or　respected　him；　or　were　hypocritically
obsequious；　after　the　fashion　of　the　weaker。　　His　studies；　at　all
events；　profited　by　this　lack　of　distraction。　　Already　his　two
years　of　desultory　and　omnivorous　reading　had　given　him　a　facile
familiarity　with　many　things；　which　left　him　utterly　free　of　the
timidity；　awkwardness；　or　non…interest　of　a　beginner。　　His　usually
reserved　manner；　which　had　been　lack　of　expression　rather　than　of
conviction；　had　deceived　his　tutors。　　The　audacity　of　a　mind　that
had　never　been　dominated　by　others；　and　owed　no　allegiance　to
precedent；　made　his　merely　superficial　progress　something
marvelous。

At　the　end　of　the　first　year　he　was　a　phenomenal　scholar；　who
seemed　capable　of　anything。　　Nevertheless；　Father　Sobriente　had　an
interview　with　Don　Juan；　and　as　a　result　Clarence　was　slightly　kept
back　in　his　studies；　a　little　more　freedom　from　the　rules　was
conceded　to　him；　and　he　was　even　encouraged　to　take　some　diversion。
Of　such　was　the　privilege　to　visit　the　neighboring　town　of　Santa
Clara　unrestricted　and　unattended。　　He　had　always　been　liberally
furnished　with　pocket…money；　for　which；　in　his　companionless　state
and　Spartan　habits；　he　had　a　singular　and　unboyish　contempt。
Nevertheless；　he　always　appeared　dressed　with　scrupulous　neatness；
and　was　rather　distinguished…looking　in　his　older　reserve　and
melancholy　self…reliance。

Lounging　one　afternoon　along　the　Alameda；　a　leafy　avenue　set　out　by
the　early　Mission　Fathers　between　the　village　of　San　Jose　and　the
convent　of　Santa　Clara；　he　saw　a　double　file　of　young　girls　from
the　convent　approaching；　on　their　usual　promenade。　　A　view　of　this
procession　being　the　fondest　ambition　of　the　San　Jose　colle