a waif of the plains-第22节

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embarrassed　pleasure　he　was　conscious　of　a　moment　before。

〃Then　you're　living　with　your　father？〃　said　Susy；　changing　the
subject。

〃You　mean　my　COUSIN；〃　said　Clarence；　smiling。　　〃You　know　my　father
died　long　before　I　ever　knew　you。〃

〃Yes；　that's　what　YOU　used　to　say；　Clarence；　but　papa　says　it　isn't
so。〃　　But　seeing　the　boy's　wondering　eyes　fixed　on　her　with　a
troubled　expression；　she　added　quickly；　〃Oh；　then；　he　IS　your
cousin！〃

〃Well；　I　think　I　ought　to　know；〃　said　Clarence；　with　a　smile；　that
was；　however；　far　from　comfortable；　and　a　quick　return　of　his　old
unpleasant　recollections　of　the　Peytons。　　〃Why；　I　was　brought　to
him　by　one　of　his　friends。〃　　And　Clarence　gave　a　rapid　boyish
summary　of　his　journey　from　Sacramento；　and　Flynn's　discovery　of
the　letter　addressed　to　Silsbee。　　But　before　he　had　concluded　he
was　conscious　that　Susy　was　by　no　means　interested　in　these
details；　nor　in　the　least　affected　by　the　passing　allusion　to　her
dead　father　and　his　relation　to　Clarence's　misadventures。　　With　her
rounded　chin　in　her　hand；　she　was　slowly　examining　his　face；　with　a
certain　mischievous　yet　demure　abstraction。　　〃I　tell　you　what；
Clarence；〃　she　said；　when　he　had　finished；　〃you　ought　to　make　your
cousin　get　you　one　of　those　sombreros；　and　a　nice　gold…braided
serape。　　They'd　just　suit　you。　　And　thenthen　you　could　ride　up
and　down　the　Alameda　when　we　are　going　by。〃

〃But　I'm　coming　to　see　you　atat　your　house；　and　at　the　convent；〃
he　said　eagerly。　　〃Father　Sobriente　and　my　cousin　will　fix　it　all
right。〃

But　Susy　shook　her　head；　with　superior　wisdom。　　〃No；　they　must
never　know　our　secret！neither　papa　nor　mamma；　especially　mamma。
And　they　mustn't　know　that　we've　met　againAFTER　THESE　YEARS！〃　　It
is　impossible　to　describe　the　deep　significance　which　Susy's　blue
eyes　gave　to　this　expression。　　After　a　pause　she　went　on

〃No！　　We　must　never　meet　again；　Clarence；　unless　Mary　Rogers　helps。
She　is　my　best；　my　ONLIEST　friend；　and　older　than　I；　having　had
trouble　herself；　and　being　expressly　forbidden　to　see　him　again。
You　can　speak　to　her　about　Suzettethat's　my　name　now；　I　was
rechristened　Suzette　Alexandra　Peyton　by　mamma。　　And　now；
Clarence；〃　dropping　her　voice　and　glancing　shyly　around　the　saloon；
〃you　may　kiss　me　just　once　under　my　hat；　for　good…by。〃　　She
adroitly　slanted　her　broad…brimmed　hat　towards　the　front　of　the
shop；　and　in　its　shadow　advanced　her　fresh　young　cheek　to　Clarence。

Coloring　and　laughing；　the　boy　pressed　his　lips　to　it　twice。　　Then
Susy　arose；　with　the　faintest　affectation　of　a　sigh；　shook　out　her
skirt；　drew　on　her　gloves　with　the　greatest　gravity；　and　saying；
〃Don't　follow　me　further　than　the　doorthey're　coming　now；〃　walked
with　supercilious　dignity　past　the　preoccupied　proprietor　and
waiters　to　the　entrance。　　Here　she　said；　with　marked　civility；
〃Good…afternoon；　Mr。　Brant；〃　and　tripped　away　towards　the　hotel。
Clarence　lingered　for　a　moment　to　look　after　the　lithe　and　elegant
little　figure；　with　its　shining　undulations　of　hair　that　fell　over
the　back　and　shoulders　of　her　white　frock　like　a　golden　mantle；　and
then　turned　away　in　the　opposite　direction。

He　walked　home　in　a　state；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　of　absurd
perplexity。　　There　were　many　reasons　why　his　encounter　with　Susy
should　have　been　of　unmixed　pleasure。　　She　had　remembered　him　of
her　own　free　will；　and；　in　spite　of　the　change　in　her　fortune；　had
made　the　first　advances。　　Her　doubts　about　her　future　interviews
had　affected　him　but　little；　still　less；　I　fear；　did　he　think　of
the　other　changes　in　her　character　and　disposition；　for　he　was　of
that　age　when　they　added　only　a　piquancy　and　fascination　to　heras
of　one　who；　in　spite　of　her　weakness　of　nature；　was　still　devoted
to　him！　　But　he　was　painfully　conscious　that　this　meeting　had
revived　in　him　all　the　fears；　vague　uneasiness；　and　sense　of　wrong
that　had　haunted　his　first　boyhood；　and　which　he　thought　he　had
buried　at　El　Refugio　four　years　ago。　　Susy's　allusion　to　his　father
and　the　reiteration　of　Peyton's　skepticism　awoke　in　his　older
intellect　the　first　feeling　of　suspicion　that　was　compatible　with
his　open　nature。　　Was　this　recurring　reticence　and　mystery　due　to
any　act　of　his　father's？　　But；　looking　back　upon　it　in　after…years；
he　concluded　that　the　incident　of　that　day　was　a　premonition　rather
than　a　recollection。


CHAPTER　XI


When　he　reached　the　college　the　Angelus　had　long　since　rung。　　In
the　corridor　he　met　one　of　the　Fathers；　who；　instead　of　questioning
him；　returned　his　salutation　with　a　grave　gentleness　that　struck
him。　　He　had　turned　into　Father　Sobriente's　quiet　study　with　the
intention　of　reporting　himself；　when　he　was　disturbed　to　find　him
in　consultation　with　three　or　four　of　the　faculty；　who　seemed　to　be
thrown　into　some　slight　confusion　by　his　entrance。　　Clarence　was
about　to　retire　hurriedly　when　Father　Sobriente；　breaking　up　the
council　with　a　significant　glance　at　the　others；　called　him　back。
Confused　and　embarrassed；　with　a　dread　of　something　impending；　the
boy　tried　to　avert　it　by　a　hurried　account　of　his　meeting　with
Susy；　and　his　hopes　of　Father　Sobriente's　counsel　and　assistance。
Taking　upon　himself　the　idea　of　suggesting　Susy's　escapade；　he
confessed　the　fault。　　The　old　man　gazed　into　his　frank　eyes　with　a
thoughtful；　half…compassionate　smile。　　〃I　was　just　thinking　of
giving　you　a　holiday　withwith　Don　Juan　Robinson。〃　　The　unusual
substitution　of　this　final　title　for　the　habitual　〃your　cousin〃
struck　Clarence　uneasily。　　〃But　we　will　speak　of　that　later。　　Sit
down；　my　son；　I　am　not　busy。　　We　shall　talk　a　little。　　Father　Pedro
says　you　are　getting　on　fluently　with　your　translations。　　That　is
excellent；　my　son；　excellent。〃

Clarence's　face　beamed　with　relief　and　pleasure。　　His　vague　fears
began　to　dissipate。

〃And　you　translate　even　from　dictation！　　Good！　　We　have　an　hour　to
spare；　and　you　shall　give　to　me　a　specimen　of　your　skill。　　Eh？
Good！　　I　will　walk　here　and　dictate　to　you　in　my　poor　English；　and
you　shall　sit　there　and　render　it　to　me　in　your　good　Spanish。　　Eh？
So　we　shall　amuse　and　instruct　ourselves。〃

Clarence　smiled。　　These　sporadic　moments　of　instruction　and
admonition　were　not　unusual　to　the　good　Father。　　He　cheerfully
seated　himself　at　the　Padre's　table　before　a　blank　sheet　of　paper；
with　a　pen　in　his　hand。　　Father　Sobriente　paced　the　apartment；　with
his　usual　heavy　but　noiseless　tread。　　To　his　surprise；　the　good
priest；　after　an　exhaustive　pinch　of　snuff；　blew　his　nose；　and
began；　in　his　most　lugubrious　style　of　pulpit　exhortation：

〃It　has　been　written　that　the　sins　of　the　father　shall　be　visited
upon　the　children；　and　the　unthinking　and　worldly　have　sought
refuge　from　this　law　by　declaring　it　harsh　and　cruel。　　Miserable
and　blind！　　For　do　we　not　see　that　the　wicked　man；　who　in　the　pride
of　his　power　and　vainglory　is　willing　to　risk　punishment　to
HIMSELFand　believes　it　to　be　couragemust　pause　before　the　awful
mandate　that　condemns　an　equal　suffering　to　those　he　loves；　which
he　cannot　withhold　or　suffer　for？　　In　the　spectacle　of　these
innocents　struggling　against　disgrace；　perhaps　disease；　poverty；　or
desertion；　what　avails　his　haughty；　all…defying　spirit？　　Let　us
imagine；　Clarence。〃

〃Sir？〃　said　the　literal　Clarence；　pausing　in　his　exercise。

〃I　mean；〃　continued　the　priest；　with　a　slight　cough；　〃let　the
thoughtful　man　picture　a　father：　a　desperate；　self…willed　man；　who
scorned　the　laws　of　God　and　societykeeping　only　faith　with　a
miserable　subterfuge　he　called　'honor；'　and　relying　only　on　his　own
courage　and　his　knowledge　of　human　weakness。　　Imagine　him　cruel　and
bloodya　gambler　by　profession；　an　outlaw　among　men；　an　outcast
from　the　Church；　voluntarily　abandoning　friends　and　family；the
wife　he　should　have　cherished；　the　son　he　should　have　reared　and
educatedfor　the　gratification　of　his　deadly　passions。　　Yet
imagine　that　man　suddenly　confronted　with　the　thought　of　that
heritage　of　shame　and　disgust　which　he　had　brought　upon　his
innocent　offspringto　whom　he　cannot　give　even　his　own　desperate
recklessness　to　sustain　its　vicarious　suffering。　　What　must　be　the
feelings　of　a　parent〃

〃Father　Sobriente；〃　said　Clarence　softly。

To　the　boy's　surprise；　scarcely　had　he　spoken　when　the　soft
protecting　palm　of　the　priest　was　already　upon　his　shoulder；　and
the　snuffy　but　kindly　upper　lip；　trembling　with　some　strange
emotion；　close　beside　his　cheek。

〃What　is　it；　Clarence？〃　he　said　hurriedly。　　〃Speak；　my　son；　without
fear！　　You　would　ask〃

〃I　only　wanted　to　know　if　'padre'　takes　a　masculine　verb　here；〃
replied　Clarence　naively。

Father　Sobriente　blew　his　nose　violently。　　〃Trulythough　used　for
either　gender；　by　the　context　masculine；〃　he　responded　gravely。
〃Ah；〃　he　added；　leaning　over　Clarence；　and　scanning　his　work
hastily；　〃Good；　very　good！　　And　now；　possibly；〃　he　continued；
passing　his　hand　like　a　damp　sponge　over　his　heated　brow；　〃we　shall
reverse　our　exercise。　　I　shall　deliver　to　you　in　Spanish　what　you
shall　render　back　in　English；　eh？　　Andlet　us　considerwe　shall
make　something　more　familiar　and　narrative；　eh？〃

To　this　Clarence；　somewhat　bored　by　these　present　solemn
abstractions；　assented　gladly；　and　took　up　his