sally dows-第26章

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and　founders　had　carried　out　the　suggestions　they　had　found　there
with　loving　taste　and　intelligence。

Themselves　old　voyageurs；　trappers；　and　traders；　they　still　loved
Nature　too　well　to　exclude　her　from　the　restful　homes　they　had
achieved　after　years　of　toiling　face　to　face　with　her。　　So　a　strip
of　primeval　forest　on　the　one　side；　and　rolling　level　prairie　on
the　other；　still　came　up　to　the　base　of　the　hill；　whereon　they
had　built　certain　solid　houses；　which　a　second　generation　had
beautified　and　improved　with　modern　taste；　but　which　still　retained
their　old　honesty　of　foundation　and　wholesome　rustic　space。　　These
yet　stood　among　the　old　trees；　military　squares；　and　broad　sloping
avenues　of　the　town。　　Seen　from　the　railway　by　day；　the　regularity
of　streets　and　blocks　was　hidden　by　environing　trees；　there
remained　only　a　picturesque　lifting　of　rustic　gardens；　brown　roofs；
gables；　spires；　and　cupolas　above　the　mirroring　lake：　seen　from　the
railway　this　bitter　night；　the　invisible　terraces　and　streets　were
now　pricked　out　by　symmetrical　lines　and　curves　of　sparkling
lights；　which　glittered　through　the　leafless　boughs　and　seemed　to
encircle　the　hill　like　a　diadem。

Central　in　the　chiefest　square；　and　yet　preserving　its　old　lordly
isolation　in　a　wooded　garden；　the　homestead　of　Enoch　Lane　stood
with　all　its　modern　additions　and　improvements。　　Already　these
included　not　only　the　latest　phases　of　decoration；　but　various
treasures　brought　by　the　second　generation　from　Europe；　which　they
were　wont　to　visit；　but　from　which　they　always　contentedly　returned
to　their　little　provincial　town。　　Whether　there　was　some　instinctive
yearning；　like　the　stirred　sap　of　great　forests；　in　their　wholesome
pioneer　blood；　or　whether　there　was　some　occult　fascination　in　the
pretty　town…crested　hill　itself；　it　was　still　certain　that　the
richest　inhabitants　always　preferred　to　live　in　Lakeville。　　Even　the
young；　who　left　it　to　seek　their　fortune　elsewhere；　came　back　to
enjoy　their　success　under　the　sylvan　vaults　of　this　vast　ancestral
roof。　　And　that　was　why；　this　22d　of　December；　1870；　the　whole
household　of　Gabriel　Lane　was　awaiting　the　arrival　from　California
of　his　brother；　Sylvester　Lane；　at　the　old　homestead　which　he　had
left　twenty　years　ago。

〃And　you　don't　know　how　he　looks？〃　said　Kitty　Lane　to　her　father。

〃I　do；　perfectly；　rather　chubby；　with　blue　eyes；　curly　hair；　fair
skin；　and　blushes　when　you　speak　to　him。〃

〃Papa！〃

〃Eh？Oh；　well；　he　USED　to。　　You　see　that　was　twenty…five　years
ago；　when　he　left　here　for　boarding…school。　　He　ran　away　from
there；　as　I　told　you；　went　to　sea；　and　finally　brought　up　at　San
Francisco。〃

〃And　you　haven't　had　any　picture；　or　photograph　of　him；　since？〃

〃Nothat　isI　say！you　haven't；　any　of　you；　got　a　picture　of
Sylvester；　have　you？〃　he　turned　in　a　vague　parenthetical　appeal　to
the　company　of　relatives　and　friends　collected　in　the　drawing…room
after　dinner。

〃Cousin　Jane　has；　she　knows　all　about　him！〃

But　it　appeared　that　Cousin　Jane　had　only　heard　Susan　Marckland　say
that　Edward　Bingham　had　told　her　that　he　was　in　California　when
〃Uncle　Sylvester〃　had　been　nearly　hanged　by　a　Vigilance　Committee
for　protecting　a　horse　thief　or　a　gambler；　or　some　such　person。
This　was　felt　to　be　ineffective　as　a　personal　description。

〃He's　sure　to　wear　a　big　beard；　they　all　do　when　they　first　come
back；〃　said　Amos　Gunn；　with　metropolitan　oraculousness。

〃He　has　a　big　curling　mustache；　long　silken　hair；　and　broad
shoulders；〃　said　Marie　du　Page。

There　was　such　piquant　conviction　in　the　manner　of　the　speaker；　who
was　also　a　very　pretty　girl；　that　they　all　turned　towards　her；　and
Kitty　quickly　said；

〃But　YOU'VE　never　seen　him？〃

〃Nobut〃　　She　stopped；　and；　lifting　one　shoulder；　threw　her
spirited　head　sideways；　in　a　pretty　deprecatory　way；　with　elevated
eyebrows　and　an　expression　intended　to　show　the　otherwise
untranslatable　character　of　her　impression。　　But　it　showed　quite
as　pleasantly　the　other　fact；　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　a
foreigner；　an　old　French　military　explorer；　and　that　she　had
retained　even　in　Anglo…Saxon　Lakeville　some　of　the　Gallic
animation。

〃Well；　how　many　of　you　girls　are　going　with　me　to　meet　him　at　the
station？〃　said　Gabriel；　dismissing　with　masculine　promptness　the
lesser　question。　　〃It's　time　to　be　off。〃

〃I'd　like　to　go；〃　said　Kitty；　〃and　so　would　Cousin　Jane；　but
really；　papa；　you　see　if　YOU　don't　know　him；　and　WE　don't　either；
and　you've　got　to　satisfy　yourself　that　it's　the　right　man；　and
then　introduce　YOURSELF　and　then　usand　all　this　on　the　platform
before　everybodyit　makes　it　rather　embarrassing　for　us。　　And
then；　as　he's　your　younger　brother　and　we're　supposed　to　be　his
affectionate　nieces；　you　know；　it　would　make　HIM　feel　SO
ridiculous！〃

〃And　if　he　were　to　KISS　you；〃　said　Marie　tragically；　〃and　then　turn
out　not　to　be　him！〃

〃So；〃　continued　Kitty；　〃you'd　better　take　Cousin　John；　who　was　more
in　Uncle　Sylvester's　time；　to　represent　the　Past　of　the　family；　and
perhaps　Mr。　Gunn〃

〃To　represent　the　future；　I　suppose？〃　interrupted　Gabriel　in　a
wicked　whisper。

〃To　represent　a　name　that　most　men　of　the　world　in　New　York　and　San
Francisco　know；〃　went　on　Kitty；　without　a　blush。　　〃It　would　make
recognition　and　introduction　easier。　　And　take　an　extra　fur　with
you；　dearnot　for　HIM　but　for　yourself。　　I　suppose　he's　lived　so
much　in　the　open　air　as　to　laugh　at　our　coddling。〃

〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　her　father　thoughtfully；　〃the　last
telegram　I　have　from　him；　en　route；　says　he's　half　frozen；　and
wants　a　close　carriage　sent　to　the　station。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Marie　impatiently；　〃you　forget　the　poor　creature
comes　from　burning　canyons　and　hot　golden　sands　and　perpetual
sunshine。〃

〃Very　well；　but　come　along；　Marie；　and　see　how　I've　prepared　his
room；〃　and　as　her　father　left　the　drawing…room　Kitty　carried　off
her　old　schoolfellow　upstairs。

The　room　selected　for　the　coming　Sylvester　had　been　one　of　the
elaborate　guest…chambers；　but　was　now　stripped　of　its　more
luxurious　furniture　and　arranged　with　picturesque　yet　rural
extravagance。　　A　few　rare　buffalo；　bear；　and　panther　skins　were
disposed　over　the　bare　floor；　and　even　displayed　gracefully　over
some　elaborately　rustic　chairs。　　The　handsome　French　bedstead　had
been　displaced　for　a　small　wrought…iron　ascetic…looking　couch
covered　with　a　gorgeously　striped　Mexican　blanket。　　The　fireplace
had　been　dismantled　of　its　steel　grate；　and　the　hearth　extended　so
as　to　allow　a　pile　of　symmetrically　heaped　moss…covered　hickory
logs　to　take　its　place。　　The　walls　were　covered　with　trophies　of
the　chase；　buck…horns　and　deer…heads；　and　a　number　of　Indian　arrows
stood　in　a　sheaf　in　the　corners　beside　a　few　modern　guns　and
rifles。

〃Perfectly　lovely；〃　said　Marie；　〃but〃with　a　slight　shiver　of　her
expressive　shoulders〃a　little　cold　and　outdoorish；　eh？〃

〃Nonsense；〃　returned　Kitty　dictatorially；　〃and　if　he　IS　cold；　he
can　easily　light　those　logs。　　They　always　build　their　open　fires
under　a　tree。　　Why；　even　Mr。　Gunn　used　to　do　that　when　he　was
camping　out　in　the　Adirondacks　last　summer。　　I　call　it　perfectly
comfortable　and　SO　natural。〃　　Nevertheless；　they　had　both　tucked
their　chilly　hands　under　the　fleecy　shawls　they　had　snatched　from
the　hall　for　this　hyperborean　expedition。

〃You　have　taken　much　pains　for　him；　Kaitee；〃　said　Marie；　with　her
faintest　foreign　intonation。　　〃You　will　like　this　strange　uncle
you？〃

〃He　is　a　wonderful　man；　Marie；　he's　been　everywhere；　seen　everything；
and　done　everything　out　there。　　He's　fought　duels；　been　captured　by
Indians　and　tied　to　a　stake　to　be　tortured。　　He's　been　leader　of　a
Vigilance　Committee；　and　they　say　that　he　has　often　shot　and　killed
men　himself。　　I'm　afraid　he's　been　rather　wicked；　you　know。　　He's
lived　alone　in　the　woods　like　a　hermit　without　seeing　a　soul；　and
then；　again；　he's　been　a　chief　among　the　Indians；　with　Heaven　knows
how　many　Indian　wives！　　They　called　him　'The　Pale…faced　Thunderbolt；'
my　dear；　and　'The　Young　Man　who　Swallows　the　Lightning；'　or
something　like　that。〃

〃And　what　can　he　want　here？〃　asked　Marie。

〃To　see　us；　my　dear；〃　said　Kitty　loftily；　〃and　then；　too；　he　has　to
settle　something　about　HIS　share　of　the　property；　for　you　know
grandpa　left　a　share　of　it　to　him。　　Not　that　he's　ever　bothered
himself　about　it；　for　he's　rich；a　kind　of　Monte　Cristo；　you
know；with　a　gold　mine　and　an　island　off　the　coast；　to　say　nothing
of　a　whole　county　that　he　owns；　that　is　called　after　him；　and
millions　of　wild　cattle　that　he　rides　among　and　lassos！　　It's
dreadfully　hard　to　do。　　You　know　you　take　a　long　rope　with　a
slipknot；　and　you　throw　it　around　your　head　so；　and〃

〃Hark！〃　said　Marie；　with　a　dramatic　start；　and　her　finger　on　her
small　mouth；　〃he　comes！〃

There　was　the　clear　roll　of　wheels　along　the　smooth；　frozen
carriage　sweep　towards　the　house；　the　sharp　crisp　click　of　hoofs　on
stone；　the　opening　of　heavy　doors；　the　sudden　sparkling　invasion　of
frigid　air；　the　uplifting　of　voices　in　greeting；but　all　familiar！
There　were　Gabriel　Lane's　cheery；　hopeful　tones；　the　soprano　of
Cousin　Jane　and　Cousin　Emma；　the　baritone　of　Mr。　Gunn；　and　the
grave　measured　oratorical　utterance　of　Parson　Dexter；　who　had
joined　the　party　at　the　station；　but　certainly　the　accents　of　no
STRANGER。　　Had　he　come？　　Yes；　for　his　name　was　just　then　called；
and　the　quick　ear　of　Marie　had　detected　a　light；　lounging；　alien
footstep　cross　the　cold　strip　of　marble　vestibule。　　The　two　girls
exchanged　a　rapid　glance；　each　looked　into　the　mirror；　and　then
interrogatively　at　the　other；　nodded　their　heads　affirmatively；　and
descended　to　the　drawing…room。　　A　group　had　already　drawn　round　the
fire；　and　a　small　central　figure；　who；　with　its　back　turned　towards
them；　was　still　enwrapped　in　an　enormous　overcoat　of　rich　fur；　was
engaged　in　presenting　an　alternate　small　varnished　leather　boot　to
the　warmth　of　the　grate。　　As　they　entered　the　room　the　heavy　fur
was　yielded　up　with　apparent　reluctance；　and　revealed　to　the
astonished　girls　a　man　of　ordinary　stature　with　a　slight　and
elegant　figure　set　off　by　a　traveling　suit　of　irreproachable　cut。
His　light　reddish…yellow　hair；　mustache；　and　sunburned　cheek；　which
seemed　all　of　one　color　and　outline；　made　it　impossible　to　detect
the　gray　of　the　one　or　the　hollowness　of　the　other；　and　gave　no
indication　of　his　age。　　Yet　there　was　clearly　no　mistake。　　Here　was
Gabriel　Lane　seizing　their　nervously　cold　fingers　and　presenting
them　to　their　〃Uncle　Sylvester。〃

Far　from　attempting　to　kiss　Kitty；　the　stranger　for　an　instant
seemed　oblivious　of　the　little　hand　she　offered　him　in　the　half…
preoccupied　bow　he　gave　her。　　But　Marie　was　not　so　easily　passed
over；　and；　with　her　audacious　face　challenging　his；　he　abstractedly
imparted　to　the　shake　of　her　hand　something　of　the　fervor　that　he
should　have　shown　his　relative。　　And；　then；　still　warming　his　feet
on　the　fender；　he　seemed　to　have　forgotten　them　both。

〃Accustomed　as　you　have　been；　sir；〃　said　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dexter；
seizing　upon　an　awkward　silence；　and　accenting　it　laboriously；
〃perhaps　I　should　say　INURED　as　you　have　been　to　the　exciting　and
stirring　incidents　of　a　lawless　and　adventurou