a sappho of green springs-第13章

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even　mystery。　　You　found　me　lying　in　the　road　down　yonder；　after　a

stupid　accident　that　might　have　happened　to　any　other　careless

tramp；　and　which　scarcely　gave　me　a　claim　to　a　bed　in　the　county

hospital；　much　less　under　this　kindly　roof。　　It　was　not　my　fault；

as　you　know；　that　all　this　did　not　come　out　sooner；　but　while　it

doesn't　lessen　your　generosity；　it　doesn't　lessen　my　debt；　and

although　I　cannot　hope　to　ever　repay　you；　I　can　at　least　keep　the

score　from　running　on。　　Pardon　my　speaking　so　bluntly；　but　my

excuse　for　speaking　at　all　was　to　say　'Good…by'　and　'God　bless

you。'　　Dr。　Duchesne　has　promised　to　give　me　a　lift　on　my　way　in　his

buggy　when　he　goes。〃



There　was　a　slight　touch　of　consciousness　in　his　voice　in　spite　of

its　sadness；　which　struck　the　young　girl　as　a　weak　and　even

ungentlemanly　note　in　his　otherwise　self…abnegating　and

undemonstrative　attitude。　　If　he　was　a　common　tramp；　he　wouldn't

talk　in　that　way；　and　if　he　wasn't；　why　did　he　lie？　　Her　practical

good　sense　here　asserted　itself。



〃But　you　are　far　from　strong　yet；　in　fact；　the　doctor　says　you

might　have　a　relapse　at　any　moment；　and　you　havethat　is；　you　SEEM

to　have　no　money；〃　she　said　gravely。



〃That's　true；〃　he　said；　quickly。　　〃I　remember　I　was　quite　played

out　when　I　entered　the　settlement；　and　I　think　I　had　parted　from

even　some　little　trifles　I　carried　with　me。　　I　am　afraid　I　was　a

poor　find　to　those　who　picked　me　up；　and　you　ought　to　have　taken

warning。　　But　the　doctor　has　offered　to　lend　me　enough　to　take　me

to　San　Francisco；　if　only　to　give　a　fair　trial　to　the　machine　he

has　set　once　more　a…going。〃



〃Then　you　have　friends　in　San　Francisco？〃　said　the　young　girl

quickly。　　〃Those　who　know　you？　　Why　not　write　to　them　first；　and

tell　them　you　are　here？〃



〃I　don't　think　your　postmaster　here　would　be　preoccupied　with

letters　for　John　Baxter；　if　I　did；〃　he　said；　quietly。　　〃But　here

is　the　doctor　waiting。　　Good…by。〃



He　stood　looking　at　her　in　a　peculiar；　yet　half…resigned　way；　and

held　out　his　hand。　　For　a　moment　she　hesitated。　　Had　he　been　less

independent　and　strong；　she　would　have　refused　to　let　him　gohave

offered　him　some　slight　employment　at　the　ranch；　for　oddly　enough；

in　spite　of　the　suspicion　that　he　was　concealing　something；　she

felt　that　she　would　have　trusted　him；　and　he　would　have　been　a　help

to　her。　　But　he　was　not　only　determined；　but　SHE　was　all　the　time

conscious　that　he　was　a　totally　different　man　from　the　one　she　had

taken　care　of；　and　merely　ordinary　prudence　demanded　that　she

should　know　something　more　of　him　first。　　She　gave　him　her　hand

constrainedly；　he　pressed　it　warmly。



Dr。　Duchesne　drove　up；　helped　him　into　the　buggy；　smiled　a　good…

natured　but　half…perfunctory　assurance　that　he　would　look　after

〃her　patient；〃　and　drove　away。



The　whole　thing　was　over；　but　so　unexpectedly；　so　suddenly；　so

unromantically；　so　unsatisfactorily；　that；　although　her　common

sense　told　her　that　it　was　perfectly　natural；　proper；　business…

like；　and　reasonable；　and；　above　all；　final　and　complete；　she　did

not　know　whether　to　laugh　or　be　angry。　　Yet　this　was　her　parting

from　the　man　who　had　but　a　few　days　ago　moved　her　to　tears　with　a

single　hopeless　gesture。　　Well；　this　would　teach　her　what　to

expect。　　Well；　what　had　she　expected？　　Nothing！



Yet　for　the　rest　of　the　day　she　was　unreasonably　irritable；　and；

if　the　conjointure　be　not　paradoxical；　severely　practical；　and

inhumanly　just。　　Falling　foul　of　some　presumption　of　Miguel's；

based　upon　his　prescriptive　rights　through　long　service　on　the

estate；　with　the　recollection　of　her　severity　towards　his

antagonist　in　her　mind；　she　rated　that　trusted　retainer　with　such

pitiless　equity　and　unfeminine　logic　that　his　hot　Latin　blood

chilled　in　his　veins；　and　he　stood　livid　on　the　road。　　Then；

informing　Dick　Shipley　with　equally　relentless　calm　that　she　might

feel　it　necessary　to　change　ALL　her　foremen　unless　they　could　agree

in　harmony；　she　sought　the　dignified　seclusion　of　her　castle。　　But

her　respected　parents；　whose　triumphant　relief　at　the　stranger's

departure　had　emboldened　them　to　await　her　return　in　their　porch

with　bended　bows　of　invective　and　lifted　javelins　of　aggression；

recoiled　before　the　resistless　helm　of　this　cold…browed　Minerva；

who　galloped　contemptuously　past　them。



Nevertheless；　she　sat　late　that　night　at　her　desk。　　The　cold　moon

looked　down　upon　her　window；　and　lit　up　the　empty　porch　where　her

silent　guest　had　mutely　watched　her。　　For　a　moment　she　regretted

that　he　had　recovered　his　reason；　excusing　herself　on　the　practical

ground　that　he　would　never　have　known　his　dependence；　and　he　would

have　been　better　cared　for　by　her。　　She　felt　restless　and　uneasy。

This　slight　divergence　from　the　practical　groove　in　which　her　life

had　been　set　had　disturbed　her　in　many　other　things；　and　given　her

the　first　views　of　the　narrowness　of　it。



Suddenly　she　heard　a　step　in　the　porch。　　The　lateness　of　the　hour；

perhaps　some　other　reason；　seemed　to　startle　her；　and　she　half

rose。　　The　next　moment　the　figure　of　Miguel　appeared　at　the

doorway；　and　with　a　quick；　hurried　look　around　him；　and　at　the　open

window；　he　approached　her。　　He　was　evidently　under　great　excitement；

his　hollow　shaven　cheek　looked　like　a　waxen　effigy　in　the　mission

church；　his　yellow；　tobacco…stained　eye　glittered　like　phosphorescent

amber；　his　lank　gray　hair　was　damp　and　perspiring；　but　more　striking

than　this　was　the　evident　restraint　he　had　put　upon　himself；

pressing　his　broad…brimmed　sombrero　with　both　of　his　trembling

yellow　hands　against　his　breast。　　The　young　girl　cast　a　hurried

glance　at　the　open　window　and　at　the　gun　which　stood　in　the　corner；

and　then　confronted　him　with　clear　and　steady　eyes；　but　a　paler

cheek。



Ah；　he　began　in　Spanish；　which　he　himself　had　taught　her　as　a

child；　it　was　a　strange　thing；　his　coming　there　to…night；　but；

then；　mother　of　God！　it　was　a　strange；　a　terrible　thing　that　she

had　done　to　himold　Miguel；　her　uncle's　servant：　he　that　had　known

her　as　a　muchacha；　he　that　had　lived　all　his　life　at　the　ranchay；

and　whose　fathers　before　him　had　lived　there　all　THEIR　lives　and

driven　the　cattle　over　the　very　spot　where　she　now　stood；　before

the　thieving　Americans　came　here！　　But　he　would　be　calm；　yes；　the

senora　should　find　him　calm；　even　as　she　was　when　she　told　him　to

go。　　He　would　not　speak。　　No；　heMiguelwould　contain　himself；

yes；　he　HAD　mastered　himself；　but　could　he　restrain　others？　　Ah；

yes；　OTHERSthat　was　it。　　Could　he　keep　Manuel　and　Pepe　and

Dominguez　from　talking　to　the　milkmanthat　leaking　sieve；　that

gabbling　brute　of　a　Shipley；　for　whose　sake　she　had　cast　off　her

old　servant　that　very　day？



She　looked　at　him　with　cold　astonishment；　but　without　fear。　　Was　he

drunk　with　aguardiente；　or　had　his　jealousy　turned　his　brain？　　He

continued　gasping；　but　still　pressing　his　hat　against　his　breast。



Ah；　he　saw　it　all！　　Yes；　it　was　to…day；　the　day　he　left。　　Yes；　she

had　thought　it　safe　to　cast　Miguel　off　nownow　that　HE　was　gone！



Without　in　the　least　understanding　him；　the　color　had　leaped　to　her

cheek；　and　the　consciousness　of　it　made　her　furious。



〃How　dare　you？〃　she　said；　passionately。　　〃What　has　that　stranger　to

do　with　my　affairs　or　your　insolence？〃



He　stopped　and　gazed　at　her　with　a　certain　admiring　loyalty。　　〃Ah！

so；〃　he　said；　with　a　deep　breath；　〃the　senora　is　the　niece　of　her

uncle。　　She　does　well　not　to　fear　HIMa　dog；〃with　a　slight

shrug；〃who　is　more　than　repaid　by　the　senora's　condescension。　　HE

dare　not　speak！〃



〃Who　dare　not　speak？　　Are　you　mad？〃　　She　stopped　with　a　sudden

terrible　instinct　of　apprehension。　　〃Miguel；〃　she　said　in　her

deepest　voice；　〃answer　me；　I　command　you！　　Do　you　know　anything　of

this　man？〃



It　was　Miguel's　turn　to　recoil　from　his　mistress。　　〃Ah；　my　God！　is

it　possible　the　senora　has　not　suspect？〃



〃Suspect！〃　said　Josephine；　haughtily；　albeit　her　proud　heart　was

beating　quickly。　　〃I　SUSPECT　nothing。　　I　command　you　to　tell　me

what　you　KNOW。〃



Miguel　turned　with　a　rapid　gesture　and　closed　the　door。　　Then；

drawing　her　away　from　the　window；　he　said　in　a　hurried　whisper；



〃I　know　that　that　man　has　not　the　name　of　Baxter！　　I　know　that　he

has　the　name　of　Randolph；　a　young　gambler；　who　have　won　a　large　sum

at　Sacramento；　and；　fearing　to　be　robbed　by　those　he　won　of；　have

walk　to　himself　through　the　road　in　disguise　of　a　miner。　　I　know

that　your　brother　Esteban　have　decoyed　him　here；　and　have　fallen　on

him。〃



〃Stop！〃　said　the　young　girl；　her　eyes；　which　had　been　fixed　with

the　agony　of　conviction；　suddenly　flashing　with　the　energy　of

despair。　　〃And　you　call　yourself　the　servant　of　my　uncle；　and　dare

say　this　of　his　nephew？〃



〃Yes；　senora；〃　broke　out　the　old　man；　passionately。　　〃It　is　because

I　am　the　servant　of　your　uncle　that　I；　and　I　ALONE；　dare　say　it　to

you！　　It　is　because　I　perjured　my　soul；　and　have　perjured　my　soul

to　deny　it　elsewhere；　that　I　now　dare　to　say　it！　　It　is　because　I；

your　servant；　knew　it　from　one　of　my　countrymen；　who　was　of　the

gang；because　I；　Miguel；　knew　that　your　brother　was　not　far　away

that　night；　and　because　I；　whom　you　would　dismiss；　have　picked　up

this　pocket…book　of　Randolph's　and　your　brother's　ring　which　he

have　dropped；　and　I　have　found　beneath　the　body　of　the　man　you　sent

me　to　fetch。〃



He　drew　a　packet　from　his　bosom；　and　tossed　it　on　the　desk　before

her。



〃And　why　have　you　not　told　me　this　before？〃　said　Josephine；

passionately。



Miguel　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃What　good？　　Possibly　this　dog　Randolph　would　die。　　Possibly　he

would　liveas　a　lunatic。　　Possibly　would　happen　what　has　happened！

The　senora　is　beautiful。　　The　American　has　eyes。　　If　the　Dona

Josephine's　beauty　shall　finish　what　the　silly　Don　Esteban's　arm

have　begunwhat　matter？〃



〃Stop！〃　cried　Josephine；　pressing　her　hands　across　her　shuddering

eyes。　　Then；　uncovering　her　white　and　set　face；　she　said　rapidly；

〃Saddle　my　horse　and　your　own　at　once。　　Then　take　your　choice！

Come　with　me　and　repeat　all　that　you　have　said　in　the　presence　of

that　man；　or　leave　this　ranch　forever。　　For　if　I　live　I　shall　go　to

him　tonight；　and　tell　the　whole　story。〃



The　old　man　cast　a　single　glance　at　his　mistress；　shrugged　his

shoulders；　and；　without　a　word；　left　the　room。　　But　in　ten　minutes

they　were　on　their　way　to　the　county　town。



Day　was　breaking　over　the　distant　Burnt　Ridgea　faint；　ghostly

level；　like　a　funeral　pall；　in　the　dim　horizonas　they　drew　up

before　the　gaunt；　white…painted　pile　of　the　hospital　building。

Josephine　uttered　a　cry。　　Dr。　Duchesne's　buggy　was　before　the　door。

On　its　very　threshold　they　met　the　doctor；　dark　and　irritated。

〃Then　you　heard　the　news？〃　he　said；　quickly。



Josephine　turned　her　white　face　to　the　doctor's。　　〃What　news？〃　she

asked；　in　a　voice　that　seemed　strangely　deep　and　resonant。