a phyllis of the sierras-第13章

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indication　or　sign　of　something　important　that's　below　itisn't

it？〃



Louise　shrugged　her　shoulders　sceptically。　　〃It　don't　follow。　　It's

just　as　likely　to　cover　rubbish；　after　you've　taken　the　trouble　to

look。〃



〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　with　measured　gentleness；　and　passed　quietly　out

of　the　room。



The　moon　had　already　risen　when　Bradley；　with　his　brierwood　pipe；

preceded　Richardson　upon　the　veranda。　　The　latter　threw　his　large

frame　into　Louise's　rocking…chair　near　the　edge　of　the　abyss；

Bradley；　with　his　own　chair　tilted　against　the　side　of　the　house

after　the　national　fashion；　waited　for　him　to　speak。　　The　absence

of　Mainwaring　and　the　stimulus　of　Mrs。　Bradley's　graciousness　had

given　the　banker　a　certain　condescending　familiarity；　which　Bradley

received　with　amused　and　ironical　tolerance　that　his　twinkling　eyes

made　partly　visible　in　the　darkness。



〃One　of　the　things　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about；　Bradley；　was　that

old　affair　of　the　advance　you　asked　for　from　the　Bank。　　We　did　not

quite　see　our　way　to　it　then；　and；　speaking　as　a　business　man；　it

isn't　really　a　matter　of　business　now；　but　it　has　lately　been　put

to　me　in　a　light　that　would　make　the　doing　of　it　possibleyou

understand？　　The　fact　of　the　matter　is　this：　Sir　Robert　Mainwaring；

the　father　of　the　young　fellow　you've　got　in　your　house；　is　one　of

our　directors　and　largest　shareholders；　and　I　can　tell　youif　you

don't　suspect　it　alreadyyou've　been　lucky；　Bradleydeucedly

luckyto　have　had　him　in　your　house　and　to　have　rendered　him　a

service。　　He's　the　heir　to　one　of　the　largest　landed　estates　in　his

country；　one　of　the　oldest　county　families；　and　will　step　into　the

title　some　day。　　But；　ahem！〃　he　coughed　patronizingly；　〃you　knew

all　that！　　No？　　Well；　that　charming　wife　of　yours；　at　least；　does；

for　she's　been　talking　about　it。　　Gad；　Bradley；　it　takes　those

women　to　find　out　anything　of　that　kind；　eh？〃



The　light　in　Bradley's　eyes　and　his　pipe　went　slowly　out　together。



〃Then　we'll　say　that　affair　of　the　advance　is　as　good　as　settled。

It's　Sir　Robert's　wish；　you　understand；　and　this　young　fellow's

wish；and　if　you'll　come　down　to　the　Bank　next　week　we'll　arrange

it　for　you；　I　think　you'll　admit　they're　doing　the　handsome　to　you

and　yours。　　And　therefore；〃　he　lowered　his　voice　confidentially；

〃you'll　see；　Bradley；　that　it　will　only　be　the　honorable　thing　in

you；　you　know；　to　look　upon　the　affair　as　finished；　and；　in　fact；

to　do　all　you　can〃he　drew　his　chair　closer〃tototo　drop　this

other　foolishness。〃



〃I　don't　think　I　quite　understand　you！〃　said　Bradley；　slowly。



〃But　your　wife　does；　if　you　don't；〃　returned　Richardson；　bluntly；

〃I　mean　this　foolish　flirtation　between　Louise　Macy　and　Mainwaring；

which　is　utterly　preposterous。　　Why；　man；　it　can't　possibly　come　to

anything；　and　it　couldn't　be　allowed　for　a　moment。　　Look　at　his

position　and　hers。　　I　should　think；　as　a　practical　man；　it　would

strike　you〃



〃Only　one　thing　strikes　me；　Richardson；〃　interrupted　Bradley；　in　a

singularly　distinct　whisper；　rising；　and　moving　nearer　the　speaker；

〃it　is　that　you're　sitting　perilously　near　the　edge　of　this

veranda。　　For；　by　the　living　God；　if　you　don't　take　yourself　out　of

that　chair　and　out　of　this　house；　I　won't　be　answerable　for　the

consequences！〃



〃Hold　on　there　a　minute；　will　you？〃　said　Mainwaring's　voice　from

the　window。



Both　men　turned　towards　it。　　A　long　leg　was　protruding　from

Mainwaring's　window；　it　was　quickly　followed　by　the　other　leg　and

body　of　the　occupant；　and　the　next　moment　Mainwaring　come　towards

the　two　men；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets。



〃Not　so　loud；〃　he　said；　looking　towards　the　house。



〃Let　that　man　go；〃　said　Bradley；　in　a　repressed　voice。　　〃You　and　I；

Mainwaring；　can　speak　together　afterwards。〃



〃That　man　must　stay　until　he　hears　what　I　have　got　to　say；〃　said

Mainwaring；　stepping　between　them。　　He　was　very　white　and　grave　in

the　moonlight；　but　very　quiet；　and　he　did　not　take　his　hands　from

his　pockets。　　〃I've　listened　to　what　he　said　because　he　came　here

on　MY　business；　which　was　simply　to　offer　to　do　you　a　service。

That　was　all；　Bradley；　that　I　told　him　to　do。　　This　rot　about　what

he　expects　of　you　in　return　is　his　own　impertinence。　　If　you'd

punched　his　head　when　he　began　it；　it　would　have　been　all　right。

But　since　he　has　begun　it；　before　he　goes　I　think　he　ought　to　hear

me　tell　you　that　I　have　already　OFFERED　myself　to　Miss　Macy；　and

she　has　REFUSED　me！　　If　she　had　given　me　the　least　encouragement；　I

should　have　told　you　before。　　Further；　I　want　to　say　that；　in　spite

of　that　man's　insinuations；　I　firmly　believe　that　no　one　is　aware

of　the　circumstance　except　Miss　Macy　and　myself。〃



〃I　had　no　idea　of　intimating　that　anything　had　happened　that　was

not　highly　honorable　and　creditable　to　you　and　the　young　lady；〃

began　Richardson　hurriedly。



〃I　don't　know　that　it　was　necessary　for　you　to　have　any　ideas　on

the　subject　at　all；〃　said　Mainwaring；　sternly；　〃nor　that；　having

been　shown　how　you　have　insulted　this　gentleman　and　myself；　you

need　trouble　us　an　instant　longer　with　your　company。　　You　need　not

come　back。　　I　will　manage　my　other　affairs　myself。〃



〃Very　well；　Mr。　Mainwaringbutyou　may　be　sure　that　I　shall

certainly　take　the　first　opportunity　to　explain　myself　to　Sir

Robert；〃　returned　Richardson　as；　with　an　attempt　at　dignity；　he

strode　away。



There　was　an　interval　of　silence。



〃Don't　be　too　hard　upon　a　fellow；　Bradley；〃　said　Mainwaring　as

Bradley　remained　dark　and　motionless　in　the　shadow。　　〃It　is　a　poor

return　I'm　making　you　for　your　kindness；　but　I　swear　I　never

thought　of　anything　likelikethis。〃



〃Nor　did　I；〃　said　Bradley；　bitterly。



〃I　know　it；　and　that's　what　makes　it　so　infernally　bad　for　me。

Forgive　me；　won't　you？　　Think　of　me；　old　fellow；　as　the　wretchedest

ass　you　ever　met；　but　not　such　a　cad　as　this　would　make　me！〃　　As

Mainwaring　stepped　out　from　the　moonlight　towards　him　with　extended

hand；　Bradley　grasped　it　warmly。



〃Thankstherethanks；　old　fellow！　　And；　BradleyI　saydon't　say

anything　to　your　wife；　for　I　don't　think　she　knows　it。　　And；

Bradleylook　hereI　didn't　like　to　be　anything　but　plain　before

that　fellow；　but　I　don't　mind　telling　YOU；　now　that　it's　all　over；

that　I　really　think　LouiseMiss　Macydidn't　altogether　understand

me　either。〃



With　another　shake　of　the　hand　they　separated　for　the　night。　　For　a

long　time　after　Mainwaring　had　gone；　Bradley　remained　gazing

thoughtfully　into　the　Great　Canyon。　　He　thought　of　the　time　when　he

had　first　come　there；　full　of　life　and　enthusiasm；　making　an　ideal

world　of　his　pure　and　wholesome　eyrie　on　the　ledge。　　What　else　he

thought　will；　probably；　never　be　known　until　the　misunderstanding

of　honorable　and　chivalrous　men　by　a　charming　and　illogical　sex

shall　incite　the　audacious　pen　of　some　more　daring　romancer。



When　he　returned　to　the　house；　he　said　kindly　to　his　wife；　〃I　have

been　thinking　to…day　about　your　hotel　scheme；　and　I　shall　write　to

Sacramento　to…night　to　accept　that　capitalist's　offer。〃





CHAPTER　V。





The　sun　was　just　rising。　　In　two　years　of　mutation　and　change　it

had　seen　the　little　cottage　clinging　like　a　swallow's　nest　to　the

rocky　caves　of　a　great　Sierran　canyon　give　way　to　a　straggling；

many…galleried　hotel；　and　a　dozen　blackened　chimneys　rise　above　the

barren　tableland　where　once　had　stood　the　lonely　forge。　　To　that

conservative　orb　of　light　and　heat　there　must　have　been　a　peculiar

satisfaction　in　looking　down　a　few　hours　earlier　upon　the

battlements　and　gables　of　Oldenhurst；　whose　base　was　deeply

embedded　in　the　matured　foundations　and　settled　traditions　of　an

English　county。　　For　the　rising　sun　had　for　ten　centuries　found

Oldenhurst　in　its　place；　from　the　heavy　stone　terrace　that　covered

the　dead…and…forgotten　wall；　where　a　Roman　sentinel　had　once　paced；

to　the　little　grating　in　the　cloistered　quadrangle；　where　it　had

seen　a　Cistercian　brother　place　the　morning　dole。　　It　had　daily

welcomed　the　growth　of　this　vast　and　picturesque　excrescence　of　the

times；　it　had　smiled　every　morning　upon　this　formidable　yet　quaint

incrustation　of　power　and　custom；　ignoring；　as　Oldenhurst　itself

had　ignored；　the　generations　who　possessed　it；　the　men　who　built

it；　the　men　who　carried　it　with　fire　and　sword；　the　men　who　had

lied　and　cringed　for　it；　the　King　who　had　given　it　to　a　favorite；

the　few　brave　hearts　who　had　died　for　it　in　exile；　and　the　one　or

two　who　had　bought　and　paid　for　it。　　For　Oldenhurst　had　absorbed

all　these　and　more　until　it　had　become　a　story　of　the　past；

incarnate　in　stone；　greenwood；　and　flower；　it　had　even　drained　the

life…blood　from　adjacent　hamlets；　repaying　them　with　tumuli　growths

like　its　own；　in　the　shape　of　purposeless　lodges；　quaintly

incompetent　hospitals　and　schools；　and　churches　where　the

inestimable　blessing　and　knowledge　of　its　gospel　were　taught　and

fostered。　　Nor　had　it　dealt　more　kindly　with　the　gentry　within　its

walls；　sending　some　to　the　scaffold；　pillorying　others　in　infamous

office；　reducing　a　few　to　poverty；　and　halting　its　later　guests

with　gout　and　paralysis。　　It　had　given　them　in　exchange　the　dubious

immortality　of　a　portrait　gallery；　from　which　they　stared　with

stony　and　equal　resignation；　it　had　preserved　their　useless　armor

and　accoutrements；　it　had　set　up　their　marble　effigies　in　churches

or　laid　them　in　cross…legged　attitudes　to　trip　up　the　unwary；　until

in　death；　as　in　life；　they　got　between　the　congregation　and　the

Truth　that　was　taught　there。　　It　had　allowed　an　Oldenhurst

crusader；　with　a　broken　nose　like　a　pugilist；　on　the　strength　of

his　having　been　twice　to　the　Holy　Land；　to　hide　the　beautifully

illuminated　Word　from　the　lowlier　worshipper　on　the　humbler

benches；　it　had　sent　an　iconoclastic　Bishop　of　the　Reformation

to　a　nearer　minster　to　ostentatiously　occupy　the　place　of　the

consecrated　image　he　had　overthrown。　　Small　wonder　that　crowding

the　Oldenhurst　retainers　gradually　into　smaller　space；　with

occasional　Sabbath　glimpses　of　the　living　rulers　of　Oldenhurst

already　in　railed…off　exaltation；　it　had　forced　them　to　accept

Oldenhurst　as　a　synonym　of　eternity；　and　left　the　knowledge　of　a

higher　Power　to　what　time　they　should　be　turned　out　to　their　longer

sleep　under　the　tender　grass　of　the　beautiful　outer　churchyard。



And　even　so；　while　every　stone　of　the　pile　of　Oldenhurst　and　every

tree　in　its　leafy　park　might　have　been　eloquent　with　the　story　of

vanity；　selfishness；　and　unequal　justice；　it　had　been　left　to　the

infinite　mercy　of　Nature　to　seal　their　lips　with　a　spell　of　beauty

that　left　mankind　equally　dumb；　earth；　air；　and　moisture　had

entered　into　a　gentle　conspiracy　to　soften；　mellow；　and　clothe　its

external　blemishes　of　breach　and　accident；　its　irregular　design；

its　additions；　accretions；　ruins；　and　lapses　with　a　harmonious

charm　of　outline　and　color；　poets；　romancers；