a sappho of green springs-第18章

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

By　Jove！　a　man　can　afford　to　drop　a　little　social　ceremony　on　those

termseh；　Josephine？〃　he　concluded　with　a　triumphant　chuckle。



〃He's　as　likely　to　lose　his　hundred　thousand　to…morrow；　while　his

manners　will　remain；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph。　　〃I've　no　faith　in　these

sudden　California　fortunes！〃



〃You're　wrong　as　regards　Mallory；　for　he's　as　careful　as　he　is

lucky。　　He　don't　throw　money　away　for　appearance　sake；　or　he'd　have

a　rich　home　for　that　daughter。　　He　could　afford　it。〃



Mrs。　Randolph　was　silent。　　〃She　is　his　only　daughter；　I　believe；〃

she　continued　presently。



〃Yeshe　has　no　other　kith　or　kin；〃　returned　the　major。



〃She　seems　to　be　very　much　impressed　by　Emile；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph。



Major　Randolph　faced　his　wife　quickly。



〃In　the　name　of　all　that's　ridiculous；　my　dear；　you　are　not　already

thinking　of〃he　gasped。



〃I　should　be　very　loth　to　give　MY　sanction　to　anything　of　the　kind；

knowing　the　difference　of　her　birth；　education；　and　religion；

although　the　latter　I　believe　she　would　readily　change；〃　said　Mrs。

Randolph；　severely。　　〃But　when　you　speak　of　MY　already　thinking　of

'such　things；'　do　you　suppose　that　your　friend；　Mr。　Mallory；　didn't

consider　all　that　when　he　sent　that　girl　here？〃



〃Never；〃　said　the　major；　vehemently；　〃and　if　it　entered　his　head

now；　by　Jove；　he'd　take　her　away　to…morrowalways　supposing　I

didn't　anticipate　him　by　sending　her　off　myself。〃



Mrs。　Randolph　uttered　her　mirthless　laugh。　　〃And　you　suppose　the

girl　would　go？　　Really；　major；　you　don't　seem　to　understand　this

boasted　liberty　of　your　own　countrywoman。　　What　does　she　care　for

her　father's　control？　　Why；　she'd　make　him　do　just　what　SHE　wanted。

But；〃　she　added　with　an　expression　of　dignity；　〃perhaps　we　had

better　not　discuss　this　until　we　know　something　of　Emile's　feelings

in　the　matter。　　That　is　the　only　question　that　concerns　us。〃　　With

this　she　swept　out　of　the　room；　leaving　the　major　at　first

speechless　with　honest　indignation；　and　then　after　the　fashion　of

all　guileless　natures；　a　little　uneasy　and　suspicious　of　his　own

guilelessness。　　For　a　day　or　two　after；　he　found　himself；　not

without　a　sensation　of　meanness；　watching　Rose　when　in　Emile's

presence；　but　he　could　distinguish　nothing　more　than　the　frank

satisfaction　she　showed　equally　to　the　others。　　Yet　he　found

himself　regretting　even　that；　so　subtle　was　the　contagion　of　his

wife's　suspicions。





CHAPTER　III





It　had　been　a　warm　morning；　an　unusual　mist；　which　the　sun　had　not

dissipated；　had　crept　on　from　the　great　grain…fields　beyond；　and

hung　around　the　house　charged　with　a　dry；　dusty　closeness　that

seemed　to　be　quite　independent　of　the　sun's　rays；　and　more　like　a

heated　exhalation　or　emanation　of　the　soil　itself。　　In　its　acrid

irritation　Rose　thought　she　could　detect　the　breath　of　the　wheat　as

on　the　day　she　had　plunged　into　its　pale；　green　shadows。　　By　the

afternoon　this　mist　had　disappeared；　apparently　in　the　same

mysterious　manner；　but　not　scattered　by　the　usual　trade…wind；

whichanother　unusual　circumstancethat　day　was　not　forthcoming。

There　was　a　breathlessness　in　the　air　like　the　hush　of　listening

expectancy；　which　filled　the　young　girl　with　a　vague　restlessness；

and　seemed　to　even　affect　a　scattered　company　of　crows　in　the　field

beyond　the　house；　which　rose　suddenly　with　startled　but　aimless

wings；　and　then　dropped　vacantly　among　the　grain　again。



Major　Randolph　was　inspecting　a　distant　part　of　the　ranch；　Mrs。

Randolph　was　presumably　engaged　in　her　boudoir；　and　Rose　was

sitting　between　Adele　and　Emile　before　the　piano　in　the　drawing…

room；　listlessly　turning　over　the　leaves　of　some　music。　　There　had

been　an　odd　mingling　of　eagerness　and　abstraction　in　the　usual

attentions　of　the　young　man　that　morning；　and　a　certain　nervous

affectation　in　his　manner　of　twisting　the　ends　of　a　small　black

moustache；　which　resembled　his　mother's　eyebrows；　that　had　affected

Rose　with　a　half…amused；　half…uneasy　consciousness；　but　which　she

had；　however；　referred　to　the　restlessness　produced　by　the　weather。

It　occurred　to　her　also　that　the　vacuously　amiable　Adele　had　once

or　twice　regarded　her　with　the　same　precocious；　childlike　curiosity

and　infantine　cunning　she　had　once　before　exhibited。　　All　this　did

not；　however；　abate　her　admiration　for　bothperhaps　particularly

for　this　picturesquely　gentlemanly　young　fellow；　with　his　gentle

audacities　of　compliment；　his　caressing　attentions；　and　his

unfailing　and　equal　address。　　And　when；　discovering　that　she　had

mislaid　her　fan　for　the　fifth　time　that　morning；　he　started　up　with

equal　and　undiminished　fire　to　go　again　and　fetch　it；　the　look　of

grateful　pleasure　and　pleading　perplexity　in　her　pretty　eyes　might

have　turned　a　less　conceited　brain　than　his。



〃But　you　don't　know　where　it　is！〃



〃I　shall　find　it　by　instinct。〃



〃You　are　spoiling　meyou　two。〃　　The　parenthesis　was　a　hesitating

addition；　but　she　continued；　with　fresh　sincerity；　〃I　shall　be

quite　helpless　when　I　leave　hereif　I　am　ever　able　to　go　by

myself。〃



〃Don't　ever　go；　then。〃



〃But　just　now　I　want　my　fan；　it　is　so　close　everywhere　to…day。〃



〃I　fly；　mademoiselle。〃



He　started　to　the　door。



She　called　after　him：



〃Let　me　help　your　instinct；　then；　I　had　it　last　in　the　major's

study。〃



〃That　was　where　I　was　going。〃



He　disappeared。　　Rose　got　up　and　moved　uneasily　towards　the　window。

〃How　queer　and　quiet　it　looks　outside。　　It's　really　too　bad　that　he

should　be　sent　after　that　fan　again。　　He'll　never　find　it。〃　　She

resumed　her　place　at　the　piano；　Adele　following　her　with　round；

expectant　eyes。　　After　a　pause　she　started　up　again。　　〃I'll　go　and

fetch　it　myself；〃　she　said；　with　a　half…embarrassed　laugh；　and　ran

to　the　door。



Scarcely　understanding　her　own　nervousness；　but　finding　relief　in

rapid　movement；　Rose　flew　lightly　up　the　staircase。　　The　major's

study；　where　she　had　been　writing　letters；　during　his　absence；　that

morning；　was　at　the　further　end　of　a　long　passage；　and　near　her　own

bedroom；　the　door　of　which；　as　she　passed；　she　noticed；　half…

abstractedly；　was　open；　but　she　continued　on　and　hurriedly　entered

the　study。　　At　the　same　moment　Emile；　with　a　smile　on　his　face；

turned　towards　her　with　the　fan　in　his　hand。



〃Oh；　you've　found　it；〃　she　said；　with　nervous　eagerness。　　〃I　was　so

afraid　you'd　have　all　your　trouble　for　nothing。〃



She　extended　her　hand；　with　a　half…breathless　smile；　for　the　fan；

but　he　caught　her　outstretched　little　palm　in　his　own；　and　held　it。



〃Ah！　but　you　are　not　going　to　leave　us；　are　you？〃



In　a　flash　of　consciousness　she　understood　him；　and；　as　it　seemed

to　her；　her　own　nervousness；　and　all；　and　everything。　　And　with　it

came　a　swift　appreciation　of　all　it　meant　to　her　and　her　future。

To　be　always　with　him　and　like　him；　a　part　of　this　refined　and

restful　seclusionakin　to　all　that　had　so　attracted　her　in　this

house；　not　to　be　obliged　to　educate　herself　up　to　it；　but　to　be　in

it　on　equal　terms　at　once；　to　know　that　it　was　no　wild；　foolish

youthful　fancy；　but　a　wise；　thoughtful；　and　prudent　resolve；　that

her　father　would　understand　and　her　friends　respect：　these　were　the

thoughts　that　crowded　quickly　upon　her；　more　like　an　explanation　of

her　feelings　than　a　revelation；　in　the　brief　second　that　he　held

her　hand。　　It　was　not；　perhaps；　love　as　she　had　dreamed　it；　and

even　BELIEVED　it；　before。　　She　was　not　ashamed　or　embarrassed；　she

even　felt；　with　a　slight　pride；　that　she　was　not　blushing。　　She

raised　her　eyes　frankly。　　What　she　WOULD　have　said　she　did　not

know；　for　the　door；　which　he　had　closed　behind　her；　began　to　shake

violently。



It　was　not　the　fear　of　some　angry　intrusion　or　interference　surely

that　made　him　drop　her　hand　instantly。　　It　was　nother　second

thoughtthe　idea　that　some　one　had　fallen　in　a　fit　against　it　that

blanched　his　face　with　abject　and　unreasoning　terror！　　It　must　have

been　something　else　that　caused　him　to　utter　an　inarticulate　cry

and　dash　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　stairs　like　a　madman！　　What

had　happened？



In　her　own　self…possession　she　knew　that　all　this　was　passing

rapidly；　that　it　was　not　the　door　now　that　was　still　shaking；　for

it　had　swung　almost　shut　againbut　it　was　the　windows；　the　book…

shelves；　the　floor　beneath　her　feet；　that　were　all　shaking。　　She

heard　a　hurried　scrambling；　the　trampling　of　feet　below；　and　the

quick　rustling　of　a　skirt　in　the　passage；　as　if　some　one　had

precipitately　fled　from　her　room。　　Yet　no　one　had　called　to　her

even　HE　had　said　nothing。　　Whatever　had　happened　they　clearly　had

not　cared　for　her　to　know。



The　jarring　and　rattling　ceased　as　suddenly；　but　the　house　seemed

silent　and　empty。　　She　moved　to　the　door；　which　had　now　swung　open

a　few　inches；　but　to　her　astonishment　it　was　fixed　in　that

position；　and　she　could　not　pass。　　As　yet　she　had　been　free　from

any　personal　fear；　and　even　now　it　was　with　a　half　smile　at　her

imprisonment　in　the　major's　study；　that　she　rang　the　bell　and

turned　to　the　window。　　A　man；　whom　she　recognized　as　one　of　the

ranch　laborers；　was　standing　a　hundred　feet　away　in　the　garden；

looking　curiously　at　the　house。　　He　saw　her　face　as　she　tried　to

raise　the　sash；　uttered　an　exclamation；　and　ran　forward。　　But

before　she　could　understand　what　he　said；　the　sash　began　to　rattle

in　her　hand；　the　jarring　recommenced；　the　floor　shook　beneath　her

feet；　a　hideous　sound　of　grinding　seemed　to　come　from　the　walls；　a

thin　seam　of　dust…like　smoke　broke　from　the　ceiling；　and　with　the

noise　of　falling　plaster　a　dozen　books　followed　each　other　from　the

shelves；　in　what　in　the　frantic　hurry　of　that　moment　seemed　a

grimly　deliberate　succession；　a　picture　hanging　against　the　wall；

to　her　dazed　wonder；　swung　forward；　and　appeared　to　stand　at　right

angles　from　it；　she　felt　herself　reeling　against　the　furniture；　a

deadly　nausea　overtook　her；　as　she　glanced　despairingly　towards　the

window；　the　outlying　fields　beyond　the　garden　seemed　to　be

undulating　like　a　sea。　　For　the　first　time　she　raised　her　voice；

not　in　fear；　but　in　a　pathetic　little　cry　of　apology　for　her

awkwardness　in　tumbling　about　and　not　being　able　to　grapple　this

new　experience；　and　then　she　found　herself　near　the　door；　which　had

once　more　swung　free。　　She　grasped　it　eagerly；　and　darted　out　of

the　study　into　the　deserted　passage。　　Here　some　instinct　made　her

follow　the　line　of　the　wall；　rather　than　the　shaking　balusters　of

the　corridor　and　staircase；　but　before　she　reached　the　bottom　she

heard　a　shout；　and　the　farm　laborer　she　had　seen　coming　towards　her

seized　her　by　the　arm；　dragged　her　to　the　open　doorway　of　the

drawing…room；　and　halted　beneath　its　arch　in　the　wall。　　Another

thrill；　but　lighter　than　before；　passed　through　the　building；　then

all　was　still　again。



〃It's　over；　I　reckon　that's　al