a sappho of green springs-第17章

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family。　　It　was　strange　her　father　had　not　spoken　more　of　MRS。

Randolph；　who　was　clearly　the　superior　of　his　old　friend。　　What

fine　manners　they　all　had；　so　different　from　other　people　she　had

known！　　There　was　quite　an　Old　World　civilization　about　them；

really；　it　was　like　going　abroad！　　She　would　make　the　most　of　her

opportunity　and　profit　by　her　visit。　　She　would　begin　by　improving

her　French；　they　spoke　it　perfectly；　and　with　such　a　pure　accent。

She　would　correct　certain　errors　she　was　conscious　of　in　her　own

manners；　and　copy　Mrs。　Randolph　as　much　as　possible。　　Certainly；

there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　said　of　Mrs。　Randolph's　way　of　looking

at　things。　　Now　she　thought　of　it　calmly；　there　WAS　too　much

informality　and　freedom　in　American　ways！　　There　was　not　enough

respect　due　to　position　and　circumstances。　　Take　those　men　in　the

wheat…field；　for　example。　　Yet　here　she　found　it　difficult　to

formulate　an　indictment　against　them　for　〃freedom。〃　　She　would　like

to　go　there　some　day　with　the　Randolphs　and　let　them　see　what

company　manners　were！　　She　was　thoroughly　convinced　now　that　her

father　had　done　wrong　in　sending　her　alone；　it　certainly　was　most

disrespectful　to　them　and　careless　of　him　（she　had　quite　forgotten

that　she　had　herself　proposed　to　her　father　to　go　alone　rather　than

wait　at　the　hotel）；　and　she　must　have　looked　very　ridiculous　in　her

fine　clothes　and　the　broken…down　buggy。　　When　her　trunk　came　by

express　to…morrow　she　would　look　out　something　more　sober。　　She

must　remember　that　she　was　in　a　Catholic　and　religious　household

now。　　Ah；　yes！　how　very　fine　it　was　to　see　that　priest　at　dinner　in

his　soutane；　sitting　down　like　one　of　the　family；　and　making　them

all　seem　like　a　picture　of　some　historical　and　aristocratic

romance！　　And　then　they　were　actually　〃de　Fontanges　l'Hommadieu。〃

How　different　he　was　from　that　shabby　Methodist　minister　who　used

to　come　to　see　her　father　in　a　black　cravat　with　a　hideous　bow！

Really　there　was　something　to　say　for　a　religion　that　contained　so

much　picturesque　refinement；　and　for　her　partbut　that　will　do。　　I

beg　to　say　that　I　am　not　writing　of　any　particular　snob　or　feminine

monstrosity；　but　of　a　very　charming　creature；　who　was　quite　able　to

say　her　prayers　afterwards　like　a　good　girl；　and　lay　her　pretty

cheek　upon　her　pillow　without　a　blush。



She　opened　her　window　and　looked　out。　　The　moon；　a　great　silver

dome；　was　uplifting　itself　from　a　bluish…gray　level；　which　she　knew

was　the　distant　plain　of　wheat。　　Somewhere　in　its　midst　appeared　a

dull　star；　at　times　brightening　as　if　blown　upon　or　drawn　upwards

in　a　comet…like　trail。　　By　some　odd　instinct　she　felt　that　it　was

the　solitary　forge　of　the　young　inventor；　and　pictured　him　standing

before　it　with　his　abstracted　hazel　eyes　and　a　face　more　begrimed

in　the　moonlight　than　ever。　　When　DID　he　wash　himself？　　Perhaps　not

until　Sunday。　　How　lonely　it　must　be　out　there！　　She　slightly

shivered　and　turned　from　the　window。　　As　she　did　so；　it　seemed　to

her　that　something　knocked　against　her　door　from　without。　　Opening

it　quickly；　she　was　almost　certain　that　the　sound　of　a　rustling

skirt　retreated　along　the　passage。　　It　was　very　late；　perhaps　she

had　disturbed　the　house　by　shutting　her　window。　　No　doubt　it　was

the　motherly　interest　of　Mrs。　Randolph　that　impelled　her　to　come

softly　and　look　after　her；　and　for　once　her　simple　surmises　were

correct。　　For　not　only　the　inspecting　eyes　of　her　hostess；　but　the

amatory　glances　of　the　youthful　Emile；　had　been　fastened　upon　her

window　until　the　light　disappeared；　and　even　the　Holy　Mission

Church　of　San　Jose　had　assured　itself　of　the　dear　child's　safety

with　a　large　and　supple　ear　at　her　keyhole。



The　next　morning　Major　Randolph　took　her　with　Adele　in　a　light

cariole　over　the　ranch。　　Although　his　domain　was　nearly　as　large　as

the　adjoining　wheat　plain；　it　was　not；　like　that；　monopolized　by

one　enormous　characteristic　yield；　but　embraced　a　more　diversified

product。　　There　were　acres　and　acres　of　potatoes　in　rows　of　endless

and　varying　succession；　there　were　miles　of　wild　oats　and　barley；

which　overtopped　them　as　they　drove　in　narrow　lanes　of　dry　and

dusty　monotony；　there　were　orchards　of　pears；　apricots；　peaches；

and　nectarines；　and　vineyards　of　grapes；　so　comparatively　dwarfed

in　height　that　they　scarcely　reached　to　the　level　of　their　eyes；

yet　laden　and　breaking　beneath　the　weight　of　their　ludicrously

disproportionate　fruit。　　What　seemed　to　be　a　vast　green　plateau

covered　with　tiny　patches；　that　headed　the　northern　edge　of　the

prospect；　was　an　enormous　bed　of　strawberry　plants。　　But　everywhere；

crossing　the　track；　bounding　the　fields；　orchards；　and　vineyards；

intersecting　the　paths　of　the　whole　domain；　were　narrow　irrigating

ducts　and　channels　of　running　water。



〃Those；〃　said　the　major；　poetically；　〃are　the　veins　and　arteries　of

the　ranch。　　Come　with　me　now；　and　I'll　show　you　its　pulsating

heart。〃　　Descending　from　the　wagon　into　pedestrian　prose　again；　he

led　Rose　a　hundred　yards　further　to　a　shed　that　covered　a　wonderful

artesian　well。　　In　the　centre　of　a　basin　a　column　of　water　rose

regularly　with　the　even　flow　and　volume　of　a　brook。　　〃It　is　one　of

the　largest　in　the　State；〃　said　the　major；　〃and　is　the　life　of　all

that　grows　here　during　six　months　of　the　year。〃



Pleased　as　the　young　girl　was　with　those　evidences　of　the　prosperity

and　position　of　her　host；　she　was　struck；　however；　with　the　fact

that　the　farm…laborers；　wine…growers；　nurserymen；　and　all　field

hands　scattered　on　the　vast　estate　were　apparently　of　the　same

independent；　unpastoral；　and　unprofessional　character　as　the　men　of

the　wheat…field。　　There　were　no　cottages　or　farm　buildings　that　she

could　see；　nor　any　apparent　connection　between　the　household　and　the

estate；　far　from　suggesting　tenantry　or　retainers；　the　men　who　were

working　in　the　fields　glanced　at　them　as　they　passed　with　the

indifference　of　strangers；　or　replied　to　the　major's　greetings　or

questionings　with　perfect　equality　of　manner；　or　even　businesslike

reserve　and　caution。　　Her　host　explained　that　the　ranch　was　worked

by　a　company　〃on　shares；〃　that　those　laborers　were；　in　fact；　the

bulk　of　the　company；　and　that　he；　the　major；　only　furnished　the

land；　the　seed；　and　the　implements。　　〃That　man　who　was　driving　the

long　roller；　and　with　whom　you　were　indignant　because　he　wouldn't

get　out　of　our　way；　is　the　president　of　the　company。〃



〃That　needn't　make　him　so　uncivil；〃　said　Rose；　poutingly；　〃for　if

it　comes　to　that　you're　the　LANDLORD；〃　she　added　triumphantly。



〃No；〃　said　the　major；　good…humoredly。　　〃I　am　simply　the　man　driving

the　lighter　and　more　easily…managed　team　for　pleasure；　and　he's　the

man　driving　the　heavier　and　more　difficult　machine　for　work。　　It's

for　me　to　get　out　of　his　way；　and　looked　at　in　the　light　of　my

being　THE　LANDLORD　it　is　still　worse；　for　as　we're　working　'on

shares'　I'm　interrupting　HIS　work；　and　reducing　HIS　profits　merely

because　I　choose　to　sacrifice　my　own。〃



I　need　not　say　that　those　atrociously　leveling　sentiments　were

received　by　the　young　ladies　with　that　feminine　scorn　which　is　only

qualified　by　misconception。　　Rose；　who；　under　the　influence　of　her

hostess；　had　a　vague　impression　that　they　sounded　something　like

the　French　Revolution；　and　that　Adele　must　feel　like　the　Princess

Elizabeth；　rushed　to　her　relief　like　a　good　girl。　　〃But；　major；

now；　YOU'RE　a　gentleman；　and　if　YOU　had　been　driving　that　roller；

you　know　you　would　have　turned　out　for　us。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　said　the　major；　mischievously；　〃but　if

I　had；　I　should　have　known　that　the　other　fellow　who　accepted　it

wasn't　a　gentleman。〃



But　Rose；　having　sufficiently　shown　her　partisanship　in　the

discussion；　after　the　feminine　fashion；　did　not　care　particularly

for　the　logical　result。　　After　a　moment's　silence　she　resumed：

〃And　the　wheat　ranch　belowis　that　carried　on　in　the　same　way？〃



〃Yes。　　But　their　landlord　is　a　bank；　who　advances　not　only　the

land；　but　the　money　to　work　it；　and　doesn't　ride　around　in　a　buggy

with　a　couple　of　charmingly　distracting　young　ladies。〃



〃And　do　they　all　share　alike？〃　continued　Rose；　ignoring　the

pleasantry；　〃big　and　littlethat　young　inventor　with　the　rest？〃



She　stopped。　　She　felt　the　ingenue's　usually　complacent　eyes

suddenly　fixed　upon　her　with　an　unhallowed　precocity；　and　as

quickly　withdrawn。　　Without　knowing　why；　she　felt　embarrassed；　and

changed　the　subject。



The　next　day　they　drove　to　the　Convent　of　Santa　Clara　and　the

Mission　College　of　San　Jose。　　Their　welcome　at　both　places　seemed

to　Rose　to　be　a　mingling　of　caste　greeting　and　spiritual　zeal；　and

the　austere　seclusion　and　reserve　of　those　cloisters　repeated　that

suggestion　of　an　Old　World　civilization　that　had　already　fascinated

the　young　Western　girl。　　They　made　other　excursions　in　the

vicinity；　but　did　not　extend　it　to　a　visit　to　their　few　neighbors。

With　their　reserved　and　exclusive　ideas　this　fact　did　not　strike

Rose　as　peculiar；　but　on　a　later　shopping　expedition　to　the　town　of

San　Jose；　a　certain　reticence　and　aggressive　sensitiveness　on　the

part　of　the　shopkeepers　and　tradespeople　towards　the　Randolphs

produced　an　unpleasant　impression　on　her　mind。　　She　could　not　help

noticing；　too；　that　after　the　first　stare　of　astonishment　which

greeted　her　appearance　with　her　hostess；　she　herself　was　included　in

the　antagonism。　　With　her　youthful　prepossession　for　her　friends；

this　distinction　she　regarded　as　flattering　and　aristocratic；　and　I

fear　she　accented　it　still　more　by　discussing　with　Mrs。　Randolph　the

merits　of　the　shopkeepers'　wares　in　schoolgirl　French　before　them。

She　was　unfortunate　enough；　however；　to　do　this　in　the　shop　of　a

polyglot　German。



〃Oxcoos　me；　mees；〃　he　said　gravely；〃but　dot　lady　speeks　Engeleesh

so　goot　mit　yourselluf；　and　ven　you　dells　to　her　dot　silk　is　hallf

gotton　in　English；　she　onderstand　you　mooch　better；　and　it　don't

make　nodings　to　me。〃　　The　laugh　which　would　have　followed　from　her

own　countrywomen　did　not；　however；　break　upon　the　trained　faces　of

the　〃de　Fontanges　l'Hommadieus；〃　yet　while　Rose　would　have　joined

in　it；　albeit　a　little　ruefully；　she　felt　for　the　first　time

mortified　at　their　civil　insincerity。



At　the　end　of　two　weeks；　Major　Randolph　received　a　letter　from　Mr。

Mallory。　　When　he　had　read　it；　he　turned　to　his　wife：　〃He　thanks

you；〃　he　said；　〃for　your　kindness　to　his　daughter；　and　explains

that　his　sudden　departure　was　owing　to　the　necessity　of　his　taking

advantage　of　a　great　opportunity　for　speculation　that　had　offered。〃

As　Mrs。　Randolph　turned　away　with　a　slight　shrug　of　the　shoulders；

the　major　continued：　〃But　you　haven't　heard　all！　　That　opportunity

was　the　securing　of　a　half　interest　in　a　cinnabar　lode　in　Sonora；

which　has　already　gone　up　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　his　hands！

By　Jove！　a　man　can　afford　to　drop　a　little　social　c