a sappho of green springs-第20章

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〃The　well？〃　she　repeated　vacantly。



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



〃No；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃He　was　away；　I　haven't　seen　him　yet。〃



〃Well；　the　flow　of　water　has　ceased　completely。　　That's　what　I'm

here　for。　　The　major　sent　for　me；　and　I've　been　to　examine　it。〃



〃And　is　that　stoppage　so　very　important？〃　she　said　dubiously。



It　was　his　turn　to　look　at　her　wonderingly。



〃If　it's　LOST　entirely；　it　means　ruin　for　the　ranch；〃　he　said

sharply。　　He　wheeled　his　horse；　nodded　gravely；　and　trotted　off。



Major　Randolph's　figure　of　the　〃life…blood　of　the　ranch〃　flashed

across　her　suddenly。　　She　knew　nothing　of　irrigation　or　the　costly

appliances　by　which　the　Californian　agriculturist　opposed　the　long

summer　droughts。　　She　only　vaguely　guessed　that　the　dreadful

earthquake　had　struck　at　the　prosperity　of　those　people　whom　only

a　few　hours　ago　she　had　been　proud　to　call　her　friends。　　The

underlying　goodness　of　her　nature　was　touched。　　Should　she　let

a　momentary　faultif　it　were　not　really；　after　all；　only　a

misunderstandingrise　between　her　and　them　at　such　a　moment？

She　turned　and　hurried　quickly　towards　the　house。



Hastening　onward；　she　found　time；　however；　to　wonder　also　why　these

common　menshe　now　included　even　the　young　inventor　in　that

categorywere　all　so　rude　and　uncivil　to　HER！　　She　had　never

before　been　treated　in　this　way；　she　had　always　been　rather

embarrassed　by　the　admiring　attentions　of　young　men　（clerks　and

collegians）　in　her　Atlantic　home；　and；　of　professional　men

（merchants　and　stockbrokers）　in　San　Francisco。　　It　was　true　that

they　were　not　as　continually　devoted　to　her　and　to　the　nice　art　and

etiquette　of　pleasing　as　Emile；they　had　other　things　to　think

about；　being　in　business　and　not　being　GENTLEMEN；but　then　they

were　greatly　superior　to　these　clowns；　who　took　no　notice　of　her；

and　rode　off　without　lingering　or　formal　leave…taking　when　their

selfish　affairs　were　concluded。　　It　must　be　the　contact　of　the

vulgar　earththis　wretched；　cracking；　material；　and　yet

ungovernable　and　lawless　earththat　so　depraved　them。　　She　felt

she　would　like　to　say　this　to　some　onenot　her　father；　for　he

wouldn't　listen　to　her；　nor　to　the　major；　who　would　laughingly

argue　with　her；　but　to　Mrs。　Randolph；　who　would　understand　her；　and

perhaps　say　it　some　day　in　her　own　sharp；　sneering　way　to　these

very　clowns。　　With　those　gentle　sentiments　irradiating　her　blue

eyes；　and　putting　a　pink　flush　upon　her　fair　cheeks；　Rose　reached

the　garden　with　the　intention　of　rushing　sympathetically　into　Mrs。

Randolph's　arms。　　But　it　suddenly　occurred　to　her　that　she　would　be

obliged　to　state　how　she　became　aware　of　this　misfortune；　and　with

it　came　an　instinctive　aversion　to　speak　of　her　meeting　with　the

inventor。　　She　would　wait　until　Mrs。　Randolph　told　her。　　But

although　that　lady　was　engaged　in　a　low…voiced　discussion　in　French

with　Emile　and　Adele；　which　instantly　ceased　at　her　approach；　there

was　no　allusion　made　to　the　new　calamity。　　〃You　need　not　telegraph

to　your　father；〃　she　said　as　Rose　approached；　〃he　has　already

telegraphed　to　you　for　news；　as　you　were　out；　and　the　messenger　was

waiting　an　answer；　we　opened　the　dispatch；　and　sent　one；　telling

him　that　you　were　all　right；　and　that　he　need　not　hurry　here　on

your　account。　　So　you　are　satisfied；　I　hope。〃　　A　few　hours　ago　this

would　have　been　true；　and　Rose　would　have　probably　seen　in　the

action　of　her　hostess　only　a　flattering　motherly　supervision；　there

was；　in　fact；　still　a　lingering　trace　of　trust　in　her　mind　yet　she

was　conscious　that　she　would　have　preferred　to　answer　the　dispatch

herself；　and　to　have　let　her　father　come。　　To　a　girl　brought　up

with　a　belief　in　the　right　of　individual　independence　of　thought

and　action；　there　was　something　in　Mrs。　Randolph's　practical

ignoring　of　that　right　which　startled　her　in　spite　of　her　new

conservatism；　while；　as　the　daughter　of　a　business　man；　her

instincts　revolted　against　Mrs。　Randolph's　unbusiness…like　action

with　the　telegram；　however　vulgar　and　unrefined　she　may　have　begun

to　consider　a　life　of　business。　　The　result　was　a　certain

constraint　and　embarrassment　in　her　manner；　which；　however；　had　the

laudable　effect　of　limiting　Emile's　attention　to　significant

glances；　and　was　no　doubt　variously　interpreted　by　the　others。　　But

she　satisfied　her　conscience　by　determining　to　make　a　confidence　of

her　sympathy　to　the　major　on　the　first　opportunity。



This　she　presently　found　when　the　others　were　preoccupied；　the

major　greeting　her　with　a　somewhat　careworn　face；　but　a　voice　whose

habitual　kindness　was　unchanged。　　When　he　had　condoled　with　her　on

the　terrifying　phenomenon　that　had　marred　her　visit　to　the　ranch；

and　she　could　not　help　impatiently　noticing　that　he　too　seemed　to

have　accepted　his　wife's　theory　that　she　had　been　half　deliriously

frightened；he　regretted　that　her　father　had　not　concluded　to　come

down　to　the　ranch；　as　his　practical　advice　would　have　been

invaluable　in　this　emergency。　　She　was　about　to　eagerly　explain

why；　when　it　occurred　to　her　that　Mrs。　Randolph　had　only　given　him

a　suppressed　version　of　the　telegram；　and　that　she　would　be

betraying　her；　or　again　taking　sides　in　this　partisan　divided　home。

With　some　hesitation　she　at　last　alluded　to　the　accident　to　the

artesian　well。　　The　major　did　not　ask　her　how　she　had　heard　of　it；

it　was　a　bad　business；　he　thought；　but　it　might　not　be　a　total

loss。　　The　water　may　have　been　only　diverted　by　the　shock　and　might

be　found　again　at　the　lower　level；　or　in　some　lateral　fissure。　　He

had　sent　hurriedly　for　Tom　Bentthat　clever　young　engineer　at　the

wheat　ranch；　who　was　always　studying　up　these　things　with　his

inventionsand　that　was　his　opinion。　　No；　Tom　was　not　a　well…

digger；　but　it　was　generally　known　that　he　had　〃located〃　one　or

two；　and　had　long　ago　advised　the　tapping　of　that　flow　by　a　second

boring；　in　case　of　just　such　an　emergency。　　He　was　coming　again　to…

morrow。　　By　the　way；　he　had　asked　how　the　young　lady　visitor　was；

and　hoped　she　had　not　been　alarmed　by　the　earthquake！



Rose　felt　herself　again　blushing；　and；　what　was　more　singular；　with

an　unexpected　and　it　seemed　to　her　ridiculous　pleasure；　although

outwardly　she　appeared　to　ignore　the　civility　completely。　　And　she

had　no　intention　of　being　so　easily　placated。　　If　this　young　man

thought　by　mere　perfunctory　civilities　to　her　HOST　to　make　up　for

his　clownishness　to　HER；　he　was　mistaken。　　She　would　let　him　see　it

when　he　called　to…morrow。　　She　quickly　turned　the　subject　by

assuring　the　major　of　her　sympathy　and　her　intention　of　sending　for

her　father。　　For　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　and　during　their　al

fresco　dinner　she　solved　the　difficulty　of　her　strained　relations

with　Mrs。　Randolph　and　Emile　by　conversing　chiefly　with　the　major；

tacitly　avoiding；　however；　any　allusion　to　this　Mr。　Bent。　　But　Mrs。

Randolph　was　less　careful。



〃You　don't　really　mean　to　say；　major；〃　she　began　in　her　dryest；

grittiest　manner；　〃that　instead　of　sending　to　San　Francisco　for

some　skilled　master…mechanic；　you　are　going　to　listen　to　the

vagaries　of　a　conceited；　half…educated　farm…laborer；　and　employ

him？　　You　might　as　well　call　in　some　of　those　wizards　or　water…

witches　at　once。〃　　But　the　major；　like　many　other　well…managed

husbands　who　are　good…humoredly　content　to　suffer　in　the　sunshine

of　prosperity；　had　no　idea　of　doing　so　in　adversity；　and　the

prospect　of　being　obliged　to　go　back　to　youthful　struggles　had

recalled　some　of　the　independence　of　that　period。　　He　looked　up

quietly；　and　said：



〃If　his　conclusions　are　as　clear　and　satisfactory　to…morrow　as　they

were　to…day；　I　shall　certainly　try　to　secure　his　services。〃



〃Then　I　can　only　say　I　would　prefer　the　water…witch。　　He　at　least

would　not　represent　a　class　of　neighbors　who　have　made　themselves

systematically　uncivil　and　disagreeable　to　us。〃



〃I　am　afraid；　Josephine；　we　have　not　tried　to　make　ourselves

particularly　agreeable　to　THEM；〃　said　the　major。



〃If　that　can　only　be　done　by　admitting　their　equality；　I　prefer

they　should　remain　uncivil。　　Only　let　it　be　understood；　major；　that

if　you　choose　to　take　this　Tom…the…ploughboy　to　mend　your　well；　you

will　at　least　keep　him　there　while　he　is　on　the　property。〃



With　what　retort　the　major　would　have　kept　up　this　conjugal

discussion；　already　beginning　to　be　awkward　to　the　discreet

visitor；　is　not　known；　as　it　was　suddenly　stopped　by　a　bullet　from

the　rosebud　lips　of　the　ingenuous　Adele。



〃Why；　he's　very　handsome　when　his　face　is　clean；　and　his　hands　are

small　and　not　at　all　hard。　　And　he　doesn't　talk　the　least　bit　queer

or　common。〃



There　was　a　dead　silence。　　〃And　pray　where　did　YOU　see　him；　and

what　do　you　know　about　his　hands？〃　asked　Mrs。　Randolph；　in　her　most

desiccated　voice。　　〃Or　has　the　major　already　presented　you　to　him？

I　shouldn't　be　surprised。〃



〃No；　but〃hesitated　the　young　girl；　with　a　certain　mouse…like

audacity；〃when　you　sent　me　to　look　after　Miss　Mallory；　I　came　up

to　him　just　after　he　had　spoken　to　her；　and　he　stopped　to　ask　me

how　we　all　were；　and　if　Miss　Mallory　was　really　frightened　by　the

earthquake；　and　he　shook　hands　for　good　afternoonthat's　all。〃



〃And　who　taught　you　to　converse　with　common　strangers　and　shake

hands　with　them？〃　continued　Mrs。　Randolph；　with　narrowing　lips。



〃Nobody；　mamma；　but　I　thought　if　Miss　Mallory；　who　is　a　young　lady；

could　speak　to　him；　so　could　I；　who　am　not　out　yet。〃



〃We　won't　discuss　this　any　further　at　present；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；

stiffly；　as　the　major　smiled　grimly　at　Rose。　　〃The　earthquake　seems

to　have　shaken　down　in　this　house　more　than　the　chimneys。〃



It　certainly　had　shaken　all　power　of　sleep　from　the　eyes　of　Rose

when　the　household　at　last　dispersed　to　lie　down　in　their　clothes

on　the　mattresses　which　had　been　arranged　under　the　awnings。　　She

was　continually　starting　up　from　confused　dreams　of　the　ground

shaking　under　her；　or　she　seemed　to　be　standing　on　the　brink　of

some　dreadful　abyss　like　the　great　chasm　on　the　grain…field；　when

it　began　to　tremble　and　crumble　beneath　her　feet。　　It　was　near

morning　when；　unable　to　endure　it　any　longer；　she　managed　without

disturbing　the　sleeping　Adele；　who　occupied　the　same　curtained

recess　with　her；　to　slip　out　from　the　awning。　　Wrapped　in　a　thick

shawl；　she　made　her　way　through　the　encompassing　trees　and　bushes

of　the　garden　that　had　seemed　to　imprison　and　suffocate　her；　to　the

edge　of　the　grain…field；　where　she　could　breathe　the　fresh　air

beneath　an　open；　starlit　sky。　　There　was　no　moon　and　the　darkness

favored　her；　she　had　no　fears　that　weighed　against　the　horror　of

seclusion　with　her　own　fancies。　　Besides；　they　were　camping　OUT　of

the　house；　and　if　she　chose　to　sit　up　or　walk　about；　no　one　could

think　it　strange。　　She　wished　her　father　were　here　that　she　might

have　some　one　of　her　own　kin　to　talk　to