a phyllis of the sierras-第15章

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！



action　of　the　catastrophe　until　the　affairs　of　the　Sierran　Land　and

Timber　Company　could　be　examined　and　some　plan　of　reconstruction

arranged。



During　this　interval　of　five　months；　in　which　the　credit　of　Sir

Robert　Mainwaring　was　preserved　with　the　secret　of　his　disaster；

Bradley　was　a　frequent　and　welcome　visitor　to　Oldenhurst。　　Apart

from　his　strange　and　chivalrous　friendship　for　the　Mainwarings

which　was　as　incomprehensible　to　Sir　Robert　as　Sir　Robert's　equally

eccentric　and　Quixotic　speculations　had　been　to　Bradleyhe　began

to　feel　a　singular　and　weird　fascination　for　the　place。　　A　patient

martyr　in　the　vast　London　house　he　had　taken　for　his　wife　and

cousin's　amusement；　he　loved　to　escape　the　loneliness　of　its　autumn

solitude　or　the　occasional　greater　loneliness　of　his　wife's　social

triumphs。　　The　handsome；　thoughtful　man　who　sometimes　appeared　at

the　foot　of　his　wife's　table　or　melted　away　like　a　well…bred　ghost

in　the　hollow　emptiness　of　her　brilliant　receptions；　piqued　the

languid　curiosity　of　a　few。　　A　distinguished　personage；　known　for

his　tactful　observance　of　convenances　that　others　forgot；　had　made

a　point　of　challenging　this　gentlemanly　apparition；　and　had

followed　it　up　with　courteous　civilities；　which　led　to　exchange　of

much　respect　but　no　increase　of　acquaintance。　　He　had　even　spent　a

week　at　Buckenthorpe；　with　Canterbridge　in　the　coverts　and　Lady

Canterbridge　in　the　music…room　and　library。　　He　had　returned　more

thoughtful；　and　for　some　time　after　was　more　frequent　in　his

appearances　at　home；　and　more　earnest　in　his　renewed　efforts　to

induce　his　wife　to　return　to　America　with　him。



〃You'll　never　be　happy　anywhere　but　in　California；　among　those

common　people；〃　she　replied；　〃and　while　I　was　willing　to　share　your

poverty　THERE；〃　she　added　dryly；　〃I　prefer　to　share　your　wealth

among　civilized　ladies　and　gentlemen。　　Besides；〃　she　continued；　〃we

must　consider　Louise。　　She　is　as　good　as　engaged　to　Lord　Dunshunner；

and　I　do　not　intend　that　you　shall　make　a　mess　of　her　affairs　here

as　you　did　in　California。〃



It　was　the　first　time　he　had　heard　of　Lord　Dunshunner's　proposals；

it　was　the　first　allusion　she　had　ever　made　to　Louise　and

Mainwaring。



Meantime；　the　autumn　leaves　had　fallen　silently　over　the　broad

terraces　of　Oldenhurst　with　little　changes　to　the　fortunes　of　the

great　house　itself。　　The　Christmas　house…party　included　Lady

Canterbridge；　whose　husband　was　still　detained　at　Homburg　in

company　with　Dunshunner；　and　Bradley；　whose　wife　and　cousin

lingered　on　the　continent。　　He　was　slightly　embarrassed　when　Lady

Canterbridge　turned　to　him　one　afternoon　as　they　were　returning

from　the　lake　and　congratulated　him　abruptly　upon　Louise's

engagement。



〃Perhaps　you　don't　care　to　be　congratulated；〃　she　said；　as　he　did

not　immediately　respond；　〃and　you　had　as　little　to　do　with　it　as

with　that　other？　　It　is　a　woman's　function。〃



〃What　other？〃　echoed　Bradley。



Lady　Canterbridge　slightly　turned　her　handsome　head　towards　him　as

she　walked　unbendingly　at　his　side。　　〃Tell　me　how　you　manage　to

keep　your　absolute　simplicity　so　fresh。　　Do　you　suppose　it　wasn't

known　at　Oldenhurst　that　Frank　had　quite　compromised　himself　with

Miss　Macy　over　there？〃



〃It　certainly　was　not　known　'over　there；'〃　said　Bradley；　curtly。



〃Don't　be　angry　with　me。〃



Such　an　appeal　from　the　tall；　indifferent　woman　at　his　side；　so

confidently　superior　to　criticism；　and　uttered　in　a　low　tone；　made

him　smile；　albeit　uneasily。



〃I　only　meant　to　congratulate　you；〃　she　continued　carelessly。

〃Dunshunner　is　not　a　bad　sort　of　fellow；　and　will　come　into　a　good

property　some　day。　　And　then；　society　is　so　made　up　of　caprice；

just　now；　that　it　is　well　for　your　wife's　cousin　to　make　the　most

of　her　opportunities　while　they　last。　　She　is　very　popular　now；　but

next　season〃　　Seeing　that　Bradley　remained　silent；　she　did　not

finish　the　sentence；　but　said　with　her　usual　abruptness；　〃Do　you

know　a　Miss　Araminta　Eulalie　Sharpe？〃



Bradley　started。　　Could　any　one　recognize　honest　Minty　in　the

hopeless　vulgarity　which　this　fine　lady　had　managed　to　carelessly

import　into　her　name？　　His　eye　kindled。



〃She　is　an　old　friend　of　mine；　Lady　Canterbridge。〃



〃How　fortunate！　　Then　I　can　please　you　by　giving　you　good　news　of

her。　　She　is　the　coming　sensation。　　They　say　she　is　very　rich；　but

quite　one　of　the　people；　you　know：　in　fact；　she　makes　no　scruples

of　telling　you　her　father　was　a　blacksmith；　I　think；　and　takes　the

dear　old　man　with　her　everywhere。　　FitzHarry　raves　about　her；　and

says　her　naivete　is　something　too　delicious。　　She　is　regularly　in

with　some　of　the　best　people　already。　　Lady　Dungeness　has　taken　her

up；　and　Northforeland　is　only　waiting　for　your　cousin's　engagement

to　be　able　to　go　over　decently。　　Shall　I　ask　her　to　Buckenthorpe？

come；　now；　as　an　apology　for　my　rudeness　to　your　cousin？〃　　She　was

very　womanly　now　in　spite　of　her　high　collar；　her　straight　back；

and　her　tightly…fitting　jacket；　as　she　stood　there　smiling。

Suddenly；　her　smile　faded；　she　drew　her　breath　in　quickly。



She　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　usually　thoughtful　face　and　eyes；

now　illuminated　with　some　pleasant　memory。



〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　smilingly；　yet　with　a　certain　hesitation；　as

he　thought　of　The　Lookout　and　Araminta　Eulalie　Sharpe；　and　tried　to

reconcile　them　with　the　lady　before　him。　　〃I　should　like　it　very

much。〃



〃Then　you　have　known　Miss　Sharpe　a　long　time？〃　continued　Lady

Canterbridge　as　they　walked　on。



〃While　we　were　at　The　Lookout　she　was　our　nearest　neighbor。〃



〃And　I　suppose　your　wife　will　consider　it　quite　proper　for　you　to

see　her　again　at　my　house？〃　said　Lady　Canterbridge；　with　a　return

of　conventional　levity。



〃Oh！　quite；〃　said　Bradley。



They　had　reached　the　low　Norman…arched　side…entrance　to　the

quadrangle。　　As　Bradley　swung　open　the　bolt…studded　oaken　door　to

let　her　pass；　she　said　carelessly；



〃Then　you　are　not　coming　in　now？〃



〃No；　I　shall　walk　a　little　longer。〃



〃And　I　am　quite　forgiven？〃



〃I　am　thanking　you　very　much；〃　he　said；　smiling　directly　into　her

blue　eyes。　　She　lowered　them；　and　vanished　into　the　darkness　of　the

passage。



The　news　of　Minty's　success　was　further　corroborated　by　Sir　Robert；

who　later　that　evening　called　Bradley　into　the　study。　　〃Frank　has

been　writing　from　Nice　that　he　has　renewed　his　acquaintance　with

some　old　Californian　friends　of　yoursa　Mr。　and　Miss　Sharpe。　　Lady

Canterbridge　says　that　they　are　well　known　in　London　to　some　of　our

friends；　but　I　would　like　to　ask　you　something　about　them。　　Lady

Mainwaring　was　on　the　point　of　inviting　them　here　when　I　received　a

letter　from　Mr。　Sharpe　asking　for　a　BUSINESS　interview。　　Pray　who

is　this　Sharpe？〃



〃You　say　he　writes　for　a　BUSINESS　interview？〃　asked　Bradley。



〃Yes。〃



Bradley　hesitated　for　a　moment　and　then　said　quietly；　〃Perhaps；

then；　I　am　justified　in　a　breach　of　confidence　to　him；　in　order　to

answer　your　question。　　He　is　the　man　who　has　assumed　all　the

liabilities　of　the　Sierran　Land　and　Timber　Company　to　enable　the

Bank　to　resume　payment。　　But　he　did　it　on　the　condition　that　you

were　never　to　know　it。　　For　the　rest；　he　was　a　blacksmith　who　made

a　fortune；　as　Lady　Canterbridge　will　tell　you。〃



〃How　very　oddhow　kind；　I　mean。　　I　should　like　to　have　been　civil

to　him　on　Frank's　account　alone。〃



〃I　should　see　him　on　business　and　be　civil　to　him　afterwards。〃　　Sir

Robert　received　the　American's　levity　with　his　usual　seriousness。



〃No；　they　must　come　here　for　Christmas。　　His　daughter　is？〃



〃Araminta　Eulalie　Sharpe；〃　said　Bradley；　in　defiant　memory　of　Lady

Canterbridge。



Sir　Robert　winced　audibly。　　〃I　shall　rely　on　you；　my　dear　boy；　to

help　me　make　it　pleasant　for　them；〃　he　said。



Christmas　came；　but　not　Minty。　　It　drew　a　large　contingent　from

Oldenhurst　to　the　quaint　old　church；　who　came　to　view　the　green…

wreathed　monuments；　and　walls　spotted　with　crimson　berries；　as　if

with　the　blood　of　former　Oldenhurst　warriors；　and　to　impress　the

wondering　villagers　with　the　ineffable　goodness　and　bounty　of　the

Creator　towards　the　Lords　of　Oldenhurst　and　their　friends。　　Sir

Robert；　a　little　gouty；　kept　the　house；　and　Bradley；　somewhat

uneasy　at　the　Sharpes'　absence；　but　more　distrait　with　other

thoughts；　wandered　listlessly　in　the　long　library。　　At　the　lower

angle　it　was　embayed　into　the　octagon　space　of　a　former　tower；

which　was　furnished　as　a　quaint　recess　for　writing　or　study；

pierced　through　its　enormous　walls　with　a　lance…shaped　window；

hidden　by　heavy　curtains。　　He　was　gazing　abstractedly　at　the

melancholy　eyes　of　Sir　Percival；　looking　down　from　the　dark　panel

opposite；　when　he　heard　the　crisp　rustle　of　a　skirt。　　Lady

Canterbridge　tightly　and　stiffly　buttoned　in　black　from　her　long

narrow　boots　to　her　slim；　white…collared　neck；　stood　beside　him

with　a　prayer…book　in　her　ungloved　hand。　　Bradley　colored　quickly；

the　penetrating　incense　of　the　Christmas　boughs　and　branches　that

decked　the　walls　and　ceilings；　mingled　with　some　indefinable

intoxicating　aura　from　the　woman　at　his　side；　confused　his　senses。

He　seemed　to　be　losing　himself　in　some　forgotten　past　coeval　with

the　long；　quaintly…lighted　room；　the　rich　hangings；　and　the　painted

ancestor　of　this　handsome　woman。　　He　recovered　himself　with　an

effort；　and　said；



〃You　are　going　to　church？〃



〃I　may　meet　them　coming　home；　it's　all　the　same。　　You　like　HIM？〃

she　said　abruptly；　pointing　to　the　portrait。　　〃I　thought　you　did

not　care　for　that　sort　of　man　over　there。〃



〃A　man　like　that　must　have　felt　the　impotence　of　his　sacrifice

before　he　died；　and　that　condoned　everything；〃　said　Bradley；

thoughtfully。



〃Then　you　don't　think　him　a　fool？　　Bob　says　it　was　a　fair　bargain

for　a　title　and　an　office；　and　that　by　dying　he　escaped　trial　and

the　confiscation　of　what　he　had。〃



Bradley　did　not　reply。



〃I　am　disturbing　your　illusions　again。　　Yet　I　rather　like　them。　　I

think　you　are　quite　capable　of　a　sacrificeperhaps　you　know　what

it　is　already。〃



He　felt　that　she　was　looking　at　him；　he　felt　equally　that　he　could

not　respond　with　a　commonplace。　　He　was　silent。



〃I　have　offended　you　again；　Mr。　Bradley；〃　she　said。　　〃Please　be

Christian；　and　pardon　me。　　You　know　this　is　a　season　of　peace　and

goodwill。〃　　She　raised　her　blue　eyes　at　the　same　moment　to　the

Christmas　decorations　on　the　ceiling。　　They　were　standing　before

the　parted　drapery　of　the　lance　window。　　Midway　between　the　arched

curtains　hung　a　spray　of　mistletoethe　conceit　of　a　mischievous

housemaid。　　Their　eyes　met　it　simultaneously。



Bradley　had　Lady　Canterbridge's　slim；　white　hand　in　his　own。　　The

next　moment　voices　were　heard　in　the　passage；　and　the　door　nearly

opposite　to　them　opened　deliberately。　　The　idea　of　their　apparent

seclusion　and　half　compromising　attitude　flashed　through　the　min