a sappho of green springs-第21章

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have　some　one　of　her　own　kin　to　talk　to；　yet　she　knew　not　what　to

say　to　him　if　he　had　come。　　She　wanted　somebody　to　sympathize　with

her　feelings；or　rather；　perhaps；　some　one　to　combat　and　even

ridicule　the　uneasiness　that　had　lately　come　over　her。　　She　knew

what　her　father　would　say；〃Do　you　want　to　go；　or　do　you　want　to

stay　here？　　Do　you　like　these　people；　or　do　you　not？〃　　She

remembered　the　one　or　two　glowing　and　enthusiastic　accounts　she　had

written　him　of　her　visit　here；　and　felt　herself　blushing　again。

What　would　he　think　of　Mrs。　Randolph's　opening　and　answering　the

telegram？　　Wouldn't　he　find　out　from　the　major　if　she　had　garbled

the　sense　of　his　dispatch？



Away　to　the　right；　in　the　midst　of　the　distant　and　invisible　wheat…

field；　there　was　the　same　intermittent　star；　which　like　a　living；

breathing　thing　seemed　to　dilate　in　glowing　respiration；　as　she　had

seen　it　the　first　night　of　her　visit。　　Mr。　Bent's　forge！　　It　must

be　nearly　daylight　now；　the　poor　fellow　had　been　up　all　night；　or

else　was　stealing　this　early　march　on　the　day。　　She　recalled

Adele's　sudden　eulogium　of　him。　　The　first　natural　smile　that　had

come　to　her　lips　since　the　earthquake　broke　up　her　nervous

restraint；　and　sent　her　back　more　like　her　old　self　to　her　couch。



But　she　had　not　proceeded　far　towards　the　tent；　when　she　heard　the

sound　of　low　voices　approaching　her。　　It　was　the　major　and　his

wife；　who；　like　herself；　had　evidently　been　unable　to　sleep；　and

were　up　betimes。　　A　new　instinct　of　secretiveness；　which　she　felt

was　partly　the　effect　of　her　artificial　surrounding；　checked　her

first　natural　instinct　to　call　to　them；　and　she　drew　back　deeper　in

the　shadow　to　let　them　pass。　　But　to　her　great　discomfiture　the

major　in　a　conversational　emphasis　stopped　directly　in　front　of

her。



〃You　are　wrong；　I　tell　you；　a　thousand　times　wrong。　　The　girl　is

simply　upset　by　this　earthquake。　　It's　a　great　pity　her　father

didn't　come　instead　of　telegraphing。　　And　by　Jove；　rather　than　hear

any　more　of　this；　I'll　send　for　him　myself；〃　said　the　major；　in　an

energetic　but　suppressed　voice。



〃And　the　girl　won't　thank　you；　and　you'll　be　a　fool　for　your

pains；〃　returned　Mrs。　Randolph；　with　dry　persistency。



〃But　according　to　your　own　ideas　of　propriety；　Mallory　ought　to　be

the　first　one　to　be　consultedand　by　me；　too。〃



〃Not　in　this　case。　　Of　course；　before　any　actual　engagement　is　on；

you　can　speak　of　Emile's　attentions。〃



〃But　suppose　Mallory　has　other　views。　　Suppose　he　declines　the

honor。　　The　man　is　no　fool。〃



〃Thank　you。　　But　for　that　very　reason　he　must。　　Listen　to　me；

major；　if　he　doesn't　care　to　please　his　daughter　for　her　own　sake；

he　will　have　to　do　so　for　the　sake　of　decency。　　Yes；　I　tell　you；

she　has　thoroughly　compromised　herselfquite　enough；　if　it　is　ever

known；　to　spoil　any　other　engagement　her　father　may　make。　　Why；　ask

Adele！　　The　day　of　the　earthquake　she　ABSOLUTELY　had　the　audacity

to　send　him　out　of　the　room　upstairs　into　your　study　for　her　fan；

and　then　follow　him　up　there　alone。　　The　servants　knew　it。　　I　knew

it；　for　I　was　in　her　room　at　the　time　with　Father　Antonio。　　The

earthquake　made　it　plain　to　everybody。　　Decline　it！　　No。　　Mr。

Mallory　will　think　twice　about　it　before　he　does　that。　　What's

that？　　Who's　there？〃



There　was　a　sudden　rustle　in　the　bushes　like　the　passage　of　some

frightened　animaland　then　all　was　still　again。





CHAPTER　V





The　sun；　an　hour　high；　but　only　just　topping　the　greenish　crests　of

the　wheat；　was　streaming　like　the　morning　breeze　through　the　open

length　of　Tom　Bent's　workshed。　　An　exaggerated　and　prolonged　shadow

of　the　young　inventor　himself　at　work　beside　his　bench　was

stretching　itself　far　into　the　broken…down　ranks　of　stalks　towards

the　invisible　road；　and　falling　at　the　very　feet　of　Rose　Mallory　as

she　emerged　from　them。



She　was　very　pale；　very　quiet；　and　very　determined。　　The　traveling

mantle　thrown　over　her　shoulders　was　dusty；　the　ribbons　that　tied

her　hat　under　her　round　chin　had　become　unloosed。　　She　advanced；

walking　down　the　line　of　shadow　directly　towards　him。



〃I　am　afraid　I　will　have　to　trouble　you　once　more；〃　she　said　with

a　faint　smile；　which　did　not；　however；　reach　her　perplexed　eyes。

〃Could　you　give　me　any　kind　of　a　conveyance　that　would　take　me　to

San　Jose　at　once？〃



The　young　man　had　started　at　the　rustling　of　her　dress　in　the

shavings；　and　turned　eagerly。　　The　faintest　indication　of　a　loss　of

interest　was　visible　for　an　instant　in　his　face；　but　it　quickly

passed　into　a　smile　of　recognition。　　Yet　she　felt　that　he　had

neither　noticed　any　change　in　her　appearance；　nor　experienced　any

wonder　at　seeing　her　there　at　that　hour。



〃I　did　not　take　a　buggy　from　the　house；〃　she　went　on　quickly；　〃for

I　left　early；　and　did　not　want　to　disturb　them。　　In　fact；　they

don't　know　that　I　am　gone。　　I　was　worried　at　not　hearing　news　from

my　father　in　San　Francisco　since　the　earthquake；　and　I　thought　I

would　run　down　to　San　Jose　to　inquire　without　putting　them　to　any

trouble。　　Anything　will　do　that　you　have　ready；　if　I　can　take　it　at

once。〃



Still　without　exhibiting　the　least　surprise；　Bent　nodded

affirmatively；　put　down　his　tools；　begged　her　to　wait　a　moment；　and

ran　off　in　the　direction　of　the　cabin。　　As　he　disappeared　behind

the　wheat；　she　lapsed　quite　suddenly　against　the　work　bench；　but

recovered　herself　a　moment　later；　leaning　with　her　back　against　it；

her　hands　grasping　it　on　either　side；　and　her　knit　brows　and

determined　little　face　turned　towards　the　road。　　Then　she　stood

erect　again；　shook　the　dust　out　of　her　skirts；　lifted　her　veil；

wiped　her　cheeks　and　brow　with　the　corner　of　a　small　handkerchief；

and　began　walking　up　and　down　the　length　of　the　shed　as　Bent

reappeared。



He　was　accompanied　by　the　man　who　had　first　led　her　through　the

wheat。　　He　gazed　upon　her　with　apparently　all　the　curiosity　and

concern　that　the　other　had　lacked。



〃You　want　to　get　to　San　Jose　as　quick　as　you　can？〃　he　said

interrogatively。



〃Yes；〃　she　said　quickly；　〃if　you　can　help　me。〃



〃You　walked　all　the　way　from　the　major's　here？〃　he　continued；

without　taking　his　eyes　from　her　face。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered　with　an　affectation　of　carelessness　she　had　not

shown　to　Bent。　　〃But　I　started　very　early；　it　was　cool　and

pleasant；　and　didn't　seem　far。〃



〃I'll　put　you　down　in　San　Jose　inside　the　hour。　　You　shall　have　my

horse　and　trotting　sulky；　and　I'll　drive　you　myself。　　Will　that

do？〃



She　looked　at　him　wonderingly。　　She　had　not　forgotten　his　previous

restraint　and　gravity；　but　now　his　face　seemed　to　have　relaxed　with

some　humorous　satisfaction。　　She　felt　herself　coloring　slightly；

but　whether　with　shame　or　relief　she　could　not　tell。



〃I　shall　be　so　much　obliged　to　you；〃　she　replied　hesitatingly；　〃and

so　will　my　father；　I　know。〃



〃I　reckon；〃　said　the　man　with　the　same　look　of　amused　conjecture；

then；　with　a　quick；　assuring　nod；　he　turned　away；　and　dived　into

the　wheat　again。



〃You're　all　right　now；　Miss　Mallory；〃　said　Bent；　complacently。

〃Dawson　will　fix　it。　　He's　got　a　good　horse；　and　he's　a　good

driver；　too。〃　　He　paused；　and　then　added　pleasantly；　〃I　suppose

they're　all　well　up　at　the　house？〃



It　was　so　evident　that　his　remark　carried　no　personal　meaning　to

herself　that　she　was　obliged　to　answer　carelessly；　〃Oh；　yes。〃



〃I　suppose　you　see　a　good　deal　of　Miss　RandolphMiss　Adele；　I

think　you　call　her？〃　he　remarked　tentatively；　and　with　a　certain

boyish　enthusiasm；　which　she　had　never　conceived　possible　to　his

nature。



〃Yes；〃　she　replied　a　little　dryly；　〃she　is　the　only　young　lady

there。〃　　She　stopped；　remembering　Adele's　naive　description　of　the

man　before　her；　and　said　abruptly；　〃You　know　her；　then？〃



〃A　little；〃　replied　the　young　man；　modestly。　　〃I　see　her　pretty

often　when　I　am　passing　the　upper　end　of　the　ranch。　　She's　very

well　brought　up；　and　her　manners　are　very　refineddon't　you　think

so？and　yet　she's　just　as　simple　and　natural　as　a　country　girl。

There's　a　great　deal　in　education　after　all；　isn't　there？〃　he　went

on　confidentially；　〃and　although〃he　lowered　his　voice　and　looked

cautiously　around　him〃I　believe　that　some　of　us　here　don't　fancy

her　mother　much；　there's　no　doubt　that　Mrs。　Randolph　knows　how　to

bring　up　her　children。　　Some　people　think　that　kind　of　education　is

all　artificial；　and　don't　believe　in　it；　but　I　do！〃



With　the　consciousness　that　she　was　running　away　from　these　people

and　the　shameful　disclosure　she　had　heard　last　nightwith　the

recollection　of　Adele's　scandalous　interpretation　of　her　most

innocent　actions　and　her　sudden　and　complete　revulsion　against　all

that　she　had　previously　admired　in　that　household；　to　hear　this　man

who　had　seemed　to　her　a　living　protest　against　their　ideas　and

principles；　now　expressing　them　and　holding　them　up　for　emulation；

almost　took　her　breath　away。



〃I　suppose　that　means　you　intend　to　fix　Major　Randolph's　well　for

him？〃　she　said　dryly。



〃Yes；〃　he　returned　without　noticing　her　manner；　〃and　I　think　I　can

find　that　water　again。　　I've　been　studying　it　up　all　night；　and　do

you　know　what　I'm　going　to　do？　　I　am　going　to　make　the　earthquake

that　lost　it　help　me　to　find　it　again。〃　　He　paused；　and　looked　at

her　with　a　smile　and　a　return　of　his　former　enthusiasm。　　〃Do　you

remember　the　crack　in　the　adobe　field　that　stopped　you　yesterday？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　slight　shiver。



〃I　told　you　then　that　the　same　crack　was　a　split　in　the　rock

outcrop　further　up　the　plain；　and　was　deeper。　　I　am　satisfied　now；

from　what　I　have　seen；　that　it　is　really　a　rupture　of　the　whole

strata　all　the　way　down。　　That's　the　one　weak　point　that　the

imprisoned　water　is　sure　to　find；　and　that's　where　the　borer　will

tap　itin　the　new　well　that　the　earthquake　itself　has　sunk。〃



It　seemed　to　her　now　that　she　understood　his　explanation　perfectly；

and　she　wondered　the　more　that　he　had　been　so　mistaken　in　his

estimate　of　Adele。　　She　turned　away　a　little　impatiently　and　looked

anxiously　towards　the　point　where　Dawson　had　disappeared。　　Bent

followed　her　eyes。



〃He'll　be　here　in　a　moment；　Miss　Mallory。　　He　has　to　drive　slowly

through　the　grain；　but　I　hear　the　wheels。〃　　He　stopped；　and　his

voice　took　up　its　previous　note　of　boyish　hesitation。　　〃By　the　way

I'llI'll　be　going　up　to　the　Rancho　this　afternoon　to　see　the

major。　　Have　you　any　message　for　Mrs。　Randolphor　forfor　Miss

Adele？〃



〃No〃said　Rose；　hesitatingly；　〃andand〃



〃I　see；〃　interrupted　Bent；　carelessly。　　〃You　don't　want　anything

said　about　your　coming　here。　　I　won't。〃



It　struck　her　that　he　seemed　to　have　no　ulterior　meaning　in　the

suggestion。　　But　before　she　could　make　any　reply；　Dawson

reappeared；　driving　a　handsome　mare　harnessed　to　a　light；　spider…

like　vehicle。　　He　had　also　assumed；　evidently　in　great　haste；　a

black　frock　coat　buttoned　o