a phyllis of the sierras-第4章

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and　did　not　ask　WHY　Mainwaring's　young　brother　should　contemplate

his　death　with　satisfaction。　　Nevertheless；　some　time　afterwards

Miss　Macy　remarked　that　it　seemed　hard　that　the　happiness　of　one

member　of　a　family　should　depend　upon　a　calamity　to　another。　　〃As

for　instance？〃　asked　Mainwaring；　who　had　already　forgotten　the

circumstance。　　〃Why；　if　you　had　died　and　your　younger　brother

succeeded　to　the　baronetcy；　and　become　Sir　Robert　Mainwaring；〃

responded　Miss　Macy；　with　precision。　　This　was　the　first　and　only

allusion　to　his　family　and　prospective　rank。　　On　the　other　hand；　he

hadthrough　naive　and　boyish　inquiries；　which　seemed　to　amuse　his

entertainersacquired；　as　he　believed；　a　full　knowledge　of　the

history　and　antecedents　of　the　Bradley　household。　　He　knew　how

Bradley　had　brought　his　young　wife　and　her　cousin　to　California

and　abandoned　a　lucrative　law　practice　in　San　Francisco　to　take

possession　of　this　mountain　mill　and　woodland；　which　he　had

acquired　through　some　professional　service。



〃Then　you　are　a　barrister　really？〃　said　Mainwaring；　gravely。



Bradley　laughed。　　〃I'm　afraid　I've　had　more　practicethough　not　as

lucrative　a　oneas　surgeon　or　doctor。〃



〃But　you're　regularly　on　the　rolls；　you　know；　you're　entered　as

Counsel；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing？〃　continued　Mainwaring；　with

great　seriousness。



〃Well；　yes；〃　replied　Bradley；　much　amused。　　〃I'm　afraid　I　must

plead　guilty　to　that。〃



〃It's　not　a　bad　sort　of　thing；〃　said　Mainwaring；　naively；　ignoring

Bradley's　amusement。　　〃I've　got　a　cousin　who's　gone　in　for　the　law。

Got　out　of　the　army　to　do　ittoo。　　He's　a　sharp　fellow。〃



〃Then　you　DO　allow　a　man　to　try　many　tradesover　there；〃　said　Miss

Macy；　demurely。



〃Yes；　sometimes；〃　said　Mainwaring；　graciously；　but　by　no　means

certain　that　the　case　was　at　all　analogous。



Nevertheless；　as　if　relieved　of　certain　doubts　of　the　conventional

quality　of　his　host's　attainments；　he　now　gave　himself　up　to　a　very

hearty　and　honest　admiration　of　Bradley。　　〃You　know　it's　awfully

kind　of　him　to　talk　to　a　fellow　like　me　who　just　pulled　through；

and　never　got　any　prizes　at　Oxford；　and　don't　understand　the　half

of　these　things；〃　he　remarked　confidentially　to　Mrs。　Bradley。　　〃He

knows　more　about　the　things　we　used　to　go　in　for　at　Oxford　than

lots　of　our　men；　and　he's　never　been　there。　　He's　uncommonly

clever。〃



〃Jim　was　always　very　brilliant；〃　returned　Mrs。　Bradley；

indifferently；　and　with　more　than　even　conventionally　polite　wifely

deprecation；　〃I　wish　he　were　more　practical。〃



〃Practical！　　Oh；　I　say；　Mrs。　Bradley！　　Why；　a　fellow　that　can　go　in

among　a　lot　of　workmen　and　tell　them　just　what　to　doan　all…round

chap　that　can　be　independent　of　his　valet；　his　doctor；　and　his

banker！　　By　JoveTHAT'S　practical！〃



〃I　mean；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　coldly；　〃that　there　are　some　things

that　a　gentleman　ought　not　to　be　practical　about　nor　independent

of。　　Mr。　Bradley　would　have　done　better　to　have　used　his　talents　in

some　more　legitimate　and　established　way。〃



Mainwaring　looked　at　her　in　genuine　surprise。　　To　his　inexperienced

observation　Bradley's　intelligent　energy　and；　above　all；　his

originality；　ought　to　have　been　priceless　in　the　eyes　of　his　wife

the　American　female　of　his　species。　　He　felt　that　slight　shock

which　most　loyal　or　logical　men　feel　when　first　brought　face　to

face　with　the　easy　disloyalty　and　incomprehensible　logic　of　the

feminine　affections。　　Here　was　a　fellow；　by　Jove；　that　any　woman

ought　to　be　proud　of；　andandhe　stopped　blankly。　　He　wondered　if

Miss　Macy　sympathized　with　her　cousin。



Howbeit；　this　did　not　affect　the　charm　of　their　idyllic　life　at　The

Lookout。　　The　precipice　over　which　they　hung　was　as　charming　as

ever　in　its　poetic　illusions　of　space　and　depth　and　color；　the

isolation　of　their　comfortable　existence　in　the　tasteful　yet

audacious　habitation；　the　pleasant　routine　of　daily　tasks　and

amusements；　all　tended　to　make　the　enforced　quiet　and　inaction　of

his　convalescence　a　lazy　recreation。　　He　was　really　improving；　more

than　that；　he　was　conscious　of　a　certain　satisfaction　in　this

passive　observation　of　novelty　that　was　healthier　and　perhaps　TRUER

than　his　previous　passion　for　adventure　and　that　febrile　desire　for

change　and　excitement　which　he　now　felt　was　a　part　of　his　disease。

Nor　were　incident　and　variety　entirely　absent　from　this　tranquil

experience。　　He　was　one　day　astonished　at　being　presented　by

Bradley　with　copies　of　the　latest　English　newspapers；　procured　from

Sacramento；　and　he　equally　astonished　his　host；　after　profusely

thanking　him；　by　only　listlessly　glancing　at　their　columns。　　He

estopped　a　proposed　visit　from　one　of　his　influential　countrymen；

in　the　absence　of　his　fair　entertainers　at　their　domestic　duties；

he　extracted　infinite　satisfaction　from　Foo…Yup；　the　Chinese

servant；　who　was　particularly　detached　for　his　service。　　From　his

invalid　coign　of　vantage　at　the　window　he　was　observant　of　all　that

passed　upon　the　veranda；　that　al…fresco　audience…room　of　The

Lookout；　and　he　was　good…humoredly　conscious　that　a　great　many

eccentric　and　peculiar　visitors　were　invariably　dragged　thither　by

Miss　Macy；　and　goaded　into　characteristic　exhibition　within　sight

and　hearing　of　her　guest；　with　a　too　evident　view；　under　the

ostentatious　excuse　of　extending　his　knowledge　of　national

character　or　mischievously　shocking　him。



〃When　you　are　strong　enough　to　stand　Captain　Gashweiler's　opinions

of　the　Established　Church　and　Chinamen；〃　said　Miss　Macy；　after　one

of　these　revelations；　〃I'll　get　Jim　to　bring　him　here；　for　really　he

swears　so　outrageously　that　even　in　the　broadest　interests　of

international　understanding　and　good…will　neither　Mrs。　Bradley　nor

myself　could　be　present。〃



On　another　occasion　she　provokingly　lingered　before　his　window　for

a　moment　with　a　rifle　slung　jauntily　over　her　shoulder。　　〃If　you

hear　a　shot　or　two　don't　excite　yourself；　and　believe　we're　having

a　lynching　case　in　the　woods。　　It　will　be　only　me。　　There's　some

creatureconfess；　you　expected　me　to　say　'critter'hanging　round

the　barn。　　It　may　be　a　bear。　　Good…by。〃　　She　missed　the　creature；

which　happened　to　be　really　a　bear；much　to　Mainwaring's　illogical

satisfaction。　　〃I　wonder　why；〃　he　reflected；　with　vague　uneasiness；

〃she　doesn't　leave　all　that　sort　of　thing　to　girls　like　that　tow…

headed　girl　at　the　blacksmith's。〃



It　chanced；　however；　that　this　blacksmith's　tow…headed　daughter；

who；　it　may　be　incidentally　remarked；　had　the　additional

eccentricities　of　large　black　eyes　and　large　white　teeth；　came　to

the　fore　in　quite　another　fashion。　　Shortly　after　this；　Mainwaring

being　able　to　leave　his　room　and　join　the　family　board；　Mrs。

Bradley　found　it　necessary　to　enlarge　her　domestic　service；　and

arranged　with　her　nearest　neighbor；　the　blacksmith；　to　allow　his

daughter　to　come　to　The　Lookout　for　a　few　days　to　〃do　the　chores〃

and　assist　in　the　housekeeping；　as　she　had　on　previous　occasions。

The　day　of　her　advent　Bradley　entered　Mainwaring's　room；　and；

closing　the　door　mysteriously；　fixed　his　blue　eyes；　kindling　with

mischief；　on　the　young　Englishman。



〃You　are　aware；　my　dear　boy；〃　he　began　with　affected　gravity；　〃that

you　are　now　living　in　a　land　of　liberty；　where　mere　artificial

distinctions　are　not　known；　and　where　Freedom　from　her　mountain

heights　generally　levels　all　social　positions。　　I　think　you　have

graciously　admitted　that　fact。〃



〃I　know　I've　been　taking　a　tremendous　lot　of　freedom　with　you　and

yours；　old　man；　and　it's　a　deuced　shame；〃　interrupted　Mainwaring；

with　a　faint　smile。



〃And　that　nowhere；〃　continued　Bradley；　with　immovable　features；

〃does　equality　exist　as　perfectly　as　above　yonder　unfathomable

abyss；　where　you　have　also；　doubtless；　observed　the　American　eagle

proudly　soars　and　screams　defiance。〃



〃Then　that　was　the　fellow　that　kept　me　awake　this　morning；　and　made

me　wonder　if　I　was　strong　enough　to　hold　a　gun　again。〃



〃That　wouldn't　have　settled　the　matter；〃　continued　Bradley；

imperturbably。　　〃The　case　is　simply　this：　Miss　Minty　Sharpe；　that

blacksmith's　daughter；　has　once　or　twice　consented；　for　a　slight

emolument；　to　assist　in　our　domestic　service　for　a　day　or　two；　and

she　comes　back　again　to…day。　　Now；　under　the　aegis　of　that　noble

bird　whom　your　national　instincts　tempt　you　to　destroy；　she　has　on

all　previous　occasions　taken　her　meals　with　us；　at　the　same　table；

on　terms　of　perfect　equality。　　She　will　naturally　expect　to　do　the

same　now。　　Mrs。　Bradley　thought　it　proper；　therefore；　to　warn　you；

that；　in　case　your　health　was　not　quite　equal　to　this　democratic

simplicity；　you　could　still　dine　in　your　room。〃



〃It　would　be　great　funif　Miss　Sharpe　won't　object　to　my

presence。〃



〃But　it　must　not　be　'great　fun；'〃　returned　Bradley；　more　seriously；

〃for　Miss　Minty's　perception　of　humor　is　probably　as　keen　as　yours；

and　she　would　be　quick　to　notice　it。　　And；　so　far　from　having　any

objection　to　you；　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　we　owe　her　consent　to

come　to　her　desire　of　making　your　acquaintance。〃



〃She　will　find　my　conduct　most　exemplary；〃　said　Mainwaring；

earnestly。



〃Let　us　hope　so；〃　concluded　Bradley；　with　unabated　gravity。　　〃And；

now　that　you　have　consented；　let　me　add　from　my　own　experience　that

Miss　Minty's　lemon…pies　alone　are　worthy　of　any　concession。



The　dinner…hour　came。　　Mainwaring；　a　little　pale　and　interesting；

leaning　on　the　arm　of　Bradley；　crossed　the　hall；　and　for　the　first

time　entered　the　dining…room　of　the　house　where　he　had　lodged　for

three　weeks。　　It　was　a　bright；　cheerful　apartment；　giving　upon　the

laurels　of　the　rocky　hillside；　and　permeated；　like　the　rest　of　the

house；　with　the　wholesome　spice　of　the　valleyan　odor　that；　in　its

pure　desiccating　property；　seemed　to　obliterate　all　flavor　of　alien

human　habitation；　and　even　to　dominate　and　etherealize　the

appetizing　smell　of　the　viands　before　them。　　The　bare；　shining；

planed；　boarded　walls　appeared　to　resent　any　decoration　that　might

have　savored　of　dust；　decay；　or　moisture。　　The　four　large　windows

and　long；　open　door；　set　in　scanty　strips　of　the　plainest　spotless

muslin；　framed　in　themselves　pictures　of　woods　and　rock　and　sky　of

limitless　depth；　color；　and　distance；　that　made　all　other　adornment

impertinent。　　Nature；　invading　the　room　at　every　opening；　had

banished　Art　from　those　neutral　walls。



〃It's　like　a　picnic；　with　comfort；〃　said　Mainwaring；　glancing　round

him　with　boyish　appreciation。　　Miss　Minty　was　not　yet　there；　the

Chinaman　was　alone　in　attendance。　　Mainwaring　could　not　help

whispering；　half　mischievously；　to　Louise；　〃You　draw　the　line　at

Chinamen；　I　suppose？〃



〃WE　don't；　but　HE　does；〃　answered　the　young　girl。　　〃He　considers　us

his　social　inferiors。　　Buthush！〃



Minty　Sharpe　had　just　entered　the　room；　and　was　advancing　with

smiling　confidence　towards　the　table。　　Mainwaring　was　a　little

st