a sappho of green springs-第19章

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all　was　still　again。



〃It's　over；　I　reckon　that's　all　just　now；〃　said　the　man；　coolly。

〃It's　quite　safe　to　cut　and　run　for　the　garden　now；　through　this

window。〃　　He　half　led；　half　lifted　her　through　the　French　window　to

the　veranda　and　the　ground；　and　locking　her　arm　in　his；　ran　quickly

forward　a　hundred　feet　from　the　house；　stopping　at　last　beneath　a

large　post　oak　where　there　was　a　rustic　seat　into　which　she　sank。

〃You're　safe　now；　I　reckon；〃　he　said　grimly。



She　looked　towards　the　house；　the　sun　was　shining　brightly；　a　cool

breeze　seemed　to　have　sprung　up　as　they　ran。　　She　could　see　a

quantity　of　rubbish　lying　on　the　roof　from　which　a　dozen　yards　of

zinc　gutter　were　perilously　hanging；　the　broken　shafts　of　the

further　cluster　of　chimneys；　a　pile　of　bricks　scattered　upon　the

ground　and　among　the　battered　down　beams　of　the　end　of　the　veranda

but　that　was　all。　　She　lifted　her　now　whitened　face　to　the　man；

and　with　the　apologetic　smile　still　lingering　on　her　lips；　asked：



〃What　does　it　all　mean？　　What　has　happened？〃



The　man　stared　at　her。　　〃D'ye　mean　to　say　ye　don't　know？〃



〃How　could　I？　　They　must　have　all　left　the　house　as　soon　as　it

began。　　I　was　talking　toto　M。　l'Hommadieu；　and　he　suddenly　left。〃



The　man　brought　his　face　angrily　down　within　an　inch　of　her　own。

〃D'ye　mean　to　say　that　them　dd　French　half…breeds　stampeded　and

left　yer　there　alone？〃



She　was　still　too　much　stupefied　by　the　reaction　to　fully

comprehend　his　meaning；　and　repeated　feebly　with　her　smile　still

faintly　lingering：　〃But　you　don't　tell　me　WHAT　it　was？〃



〃An　earthquake；〃　said　the　man；　roughly；　〃and　if　it　had　lasted　ten

seconds　longer　it　would　have　shook　the　whole　shanty　down　and　left

you　under　it。　　Yer　kin　tell　that　to　them；　if　they　don't　know　it；

but　from　the　way　they　made　tracks　to　the　fields；　I　reckon　they　did。

They're　coming　now。〃



Without　another　word　he　turned　away　half　surlily；　half　defiantly；

passing　scarce　fifty　yards　away　Mrs。　Randolph　and　her　daughter；　who

were　hastening　towards　their　guest。



〃Oh；　here　you　are！〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　with　the　nearest　approach

to　effusion　that　Rose　had　yet　seen　in　her　manner。　　〃We　were

wondering　where　you　had　run　to；　and　were　getting　quite　concerned。

Emile　was　looking　for　you　everywhere。〃



The　recollection　of　his　blank　and　abject　face；　his　vague　outcry　and

blind　fright；　came　back　to　Rose　with　a　shock　that　sent　a　flash　of

sympathetic　shame　to　her　face。　　The　ingenious　Adele　noticed　it；　and

dutifully　pinched　her　mother's　arm。



〃Emile？〃　echoed　Rose　faintly〃looking　for　ME？〃



Mother　and　daughter　exchanged　glances。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　cheerfully；　〃he　says　he　started　to　run

with　you；　but　you　got　ahead　and　slipped　out　of　the　garden　dooror

something　of　the　kind；〃　she　added；　with　the　air　of　making　light　of

Rose's　girlish　fears。　　〃You　know　one　scarcely　knows　what　one　does

at　such　times；　and　it　must　have　been　frightfully　strange　to　YOU

and　he's　been　quite　distracted；　lest　you　should　have　wandered　away。

Adele；　run　and　tell　him　Miss　Mallory　has　been　here　under　the　oak

all　the　time。〃



Rose　startedand　then　fell　hopelessly　back　in　her　seat。　　Perhaps

it　WAS　true！　　Perhaps　he　had　not　rushed　off　with　that　awful　face

and　without　a　word。　　Perhaps　she　herself　had　been　half…frightened

out　of　her　reason。　　In　the　simple；　weak　kindness　of　her　nature　it

seemed　less　dreadful　to　believe　that　the　fault　was　partly　her　own。



〃And　you　went　back　into　the　house　to　look　for　us　when　all　was

over；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　fixing　her　black；　beady；　magnetic　eyes

on　Rose；　〃and　that　stupid　yokel　Zake　brought　you　out　again。　　He

needn't　have　clutched　your　arm　so　closely；　my　dear；I　must　speak

to　the　major　about　his　excessive　familiaritybut　I　suppose　I　shall

be　told　that　that　is　American　freedom。　　I　call　it　'a　liberty。'〃



It　struck　Rose　that　she　had　not　even　thanked　the　manin　the　same

flash　that　she　remembered　something　dreadful　that　he　had　said。　　She

covered　her　face　with　her　hands　and　tried　to　recall　herself。



Mrs。　Randolph　gently　tapped　her　shoulder　with　a　mixture　of　maternal

philosophy　and　discipline；　and　continued：　〃Of　course；　it's　an

upsetand　you're　confused　still。　　That's　nothing。　　They　say；　dear；

it's　perfectly　well　known　that　no　two　people's　recollections　of

these　things　ever　are　the　same。　　It's　really　ridiculous　the

contradictory　stories　one　hears。　　Isn't　it；　Emile？〃



Rose　felt　that　the　young　man　had　joined　them　and　was　looking　at

her。　　In　the　fear　that　she　should　still　see　some　trace　of　the

startled；　selfish　animal　in　his　face；　she　did　not　dare　to　raise　her

eyes　to　his；　but　looked　at　his　mother。　　Mrs。　Randolph　was　standing

then；　collected　but　impatient。



〃It's　all　over　now；〃　said　Emile；　in　his　usual　voice；　〃and　except

the　chimneys　and　some　fallen　plaster　there's　really　no　damage　done。

But　I'm　afraid　they　have　caught　it　pretty　badly　at　the　mission；　and

at　San　Francisco　in　those　tall；　flashy；　rattle…trap　buildings

they're　putting　up。　　I've　just　sent　off　one　of　the　men　for　news。〃



Her　father　was　in　San　Francisco　by　that　time；　and　she　had　never

thought　of　him！　　In　her　quick　remorse　she　now　forgot　all　else　and

rose　to　her　feet。



〃I　must　telegraph　to　my　father　at　once；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃he　is

there。〃



〃You　had　better　wait　until　the　messenger　returns　and　hear　his

news；〃　said　Emile。　　〃If　the　shock　was　only　a　slight　one　in　San

Francisco；　your　father　might　not　understand　you；　and　would　be

alarmed。〃



She　could　see　his　face　nowthere　was　no　record　of　the　past

expression　upon　it；　but　he　was　watching　her　eagerly。　　Mrs。　Randolph

and　Adele　had　moved　away　to　speak　to　the　servants。　　Emile　drew

nearer。



〃You　surely　will　not　desert　us　now？〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。



〃Please　don't；〃　she　said　vaguely。　　〃I'm　so　worried；〃　and；　pushing

quickly　past　him；　she　hurriedly　rejoined　the　two　women。



They　were　superintending　the　erection　of　a　long　tent　or　marquee　in

the　garden；　hastily　extemporized　from　the　awnings　of　the　veranda

and　other　cloth。　　Mrs。　Randolph　explained　that；　although　all　danger

was　over；　there　was　the　possibility　of　the　recurrence　of　lighter

shocks　during　the　day　and　night；　and　that　they　would　all　feel　much

more　secure　and　comfortable　to　camp　out　for　the　next　twenty…four

hours　in　the　open　air。



〃Only　imagine　you're　picnicking；　and　you'll　enjoy　it　as　most　people

usually　enjoy　those　horrid　al　fresco　entertainments。　　I　don't

believe　there's　the　slightest　real　necessity　for　it；　but；〃　she

added　in　a　lower　voice；　〃the　Irish　and　Chinese　servants　are　so

demoralized　now；　they　wouldn't　stay　indoors　with　us。　　It's　a　common

practice　here；　I　believe；　for　a　day　or　two　after　the　shock；　and　it

gives　time　to　put　things　right　again　and　clear　up。　　The　old；　one…

storied；　Spanish　houses　with　walls　three　feet　thick；　and　built

round　a　courtyard　or　patio；　were　much　safer。　　It's　only　when　the

Americans　try　to　improve　upon　the　old　order　of　things　with　their

pinchbeck　shams　and　stucco　that　Providence　interferes　like　this　to

punish　them。〃



It　was　the　fact；　however；　that　Rose　was　more　impressed　by　what

seemed　to　her　the　absolute　indifference　of　Providence　in　the

matter；　and　the　cool　resumption　by　Nature　of　her　ordinary

conditions。　　The　sky　above　their　heads　was　as　rigidly　blue　as　ever；

and　as　smilingly　monotonous；　the　distant　prospect；　with　its　clear；

well…known　silhouettes；　had　not　changed；　the　crows　swung　on　lazy；

deliberate　wings　over　the　grain　as　before；　and　the　trade…wind　was

again　blowing　in　its　quiet　persistency。　　And　yet　she　knew　that

something　had　happened　that　would　never　again　make　her　enjoyment　of

the　prospect　the　samethat　nothing　would　ever　be　as　it　was

yesterday。　　I　think　at　first　she　referred　only　to　the　material　and

larger　phenomena；　and　did　not　confound　this　revelation　of　the

insecurity　of　the　universe　with　her　experience　of　man。　　Yet　the

fact　also　remained　that　to　the　conservative；　correct；　and；　as　she

believed；　secure　condition　to　which　she　had　been　approximating；　all

her　relations　were　rudely　shaken　and　upset。　　It　really　seemed　to

this　simple…minded　young　woman　that　the　revolutionary　disturbance

of　settled　conditions　might　have　as　Providential　an　origin　as　the

〃Divine　Right〃　of　which　she　had　heard　so　much。





CHAPTER　IV





In　her　desire　to　be　alone　and　to　evade　the　now　significant

attentions　of　Emile；　she　took　advantage　of　the　bustle　that　followed

the　hurried　transfer　of　furniture　and　articles　from　the　house　to

escape　through　the　garden　to　the　outlying　fields。　　Striking　into

one　of　the　dusty　lanes　that　she　remembered；　she　wandered　on　for

half　an　hour　until　her　progress　and　meditation　were　suddenly

arrested。　　She　had　come　upon　a　long　chasm　or　crack　in　the　soil；

full　twenty　feet　wide　and　as　many　in　depth；　crossing　her　path　at

right　angles。　　She　did　not　remember　having　seen　it　before；　the

track　of　wheels　went　up　to　its　precipitous　edge；　she　could　see　the

track　on　the　other　side；　but　the　hiatus　remained；　unbridged　and

uncovered。　　It　was　not　there　yesterday。　　She　glanced　right　and

left；　the　fissure　seemed　to　extend；　like　a　moat　or　ditch；　from　the

distant　road　to　the　upland　between　her　and　the　great　wheat　valley

below；　from　which　she　was　shut　off。　　An　odd　sense　of　being　in　some

way　a　prisoner　confronted　her。　　She　drew　back　with　an　impatient

start；　and　perhaps　her　first　real　sense　of　indignation。　　A　voice

behind　her；　which　she　at　once　recognized；　scarcely　restored　her

calmness。



〃You　can't　get　across　there；　miss。〃



She　turned。　　It　was　the　young　inventor　from　the　wheat　ranch；　on

horseback　and　with　a　clean　face。　　He　had　just　ridden　out　of　the

grain　on　the　same　side　of　the　chasm　as　herself。



〃But　you　seem　to　have　got　over；〃　she　said　bluntly。



〃Yes；　but　it　was　further　up　the　field。　　I　reckoned　that　the　split

might　be　deeper　but　not　so　broad　in　the　rock　outcrop　over　there

than　in　the　adobe　here。　　I　found　it　so　and　jumped　it。〃



He　looked　as　if　he　mightalert；　intelligent；　and　self…contained。

He　lingered　a　moment；　and　then　continued：



〃I'm　afraid　you　must　have　been　badly　shaken　and　a　little　frightened

up　there　before　the　chimneys　came　down？〃



〃No；〃　she　was　glad　to　say　briefly；　and　she　believed　truthfully；　I

wasn't　frightened。　　I　didn't　even　know　it　was　an　earthquake。〃



〃Ah！〃　he　reflected；　〃that　was　because　you　were　a　stranger。　　It's

oddthey're　all　like　that。　　I　suppose　it's　because　nobody　really

expects　or　believes　in　the　unlooked…for　thing；　and　yet　that's　the

thing　that　always　happens。　　And　then；　of　course；　that　other　affair；

which　really　is　serious；　startled　you　the　more。〃



She　felt　herself　ridiculously　and　angrily　blushing。　　〃I　don't　know

what　you　mean；〃　she　said　icily。　　〃What　other　affair？〃



〃Why；　the　well。〃



〃The　well？〃　she　repeated　vacantly。



〃Yes；　the　artesian　well　has　stopped。　　Didn't　the　major　tell　you？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　girl。