a sappho of green springs-第26章

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design　eventually　provided　the　initials？〃



〃That　is　our　secret；〃　responded　Somers；　with　affected　gravity。



The　wines　were　of　characteristic　expensiveness；　and　provoked　the

same　general　comment。　　Rushbrook　seldom　drank　wine；　Somers　had

selected　it。　　But　the　barbaric　opulence　of　the　entertainment

culminated　in　the　Californian　fruits；　piled　in　pyramids　on　silver

dishes；　gorgeous　and　unreal　in　their　size　and　painted　beauty；　and

the　two　Divas　smiled　over　a　basket　of　grapes　and　peaches　as

outrageous　in　dimensions　and　glaring　color　as　any　pasteboard

banquet　at　which　they　had　professionally　assisted。　　As　the　courses

succeeded　each　other；　under　the　exaltation　of　wine；　conversation

became　more　general　as　regarded　participation；　but　more　local　and

private　as　regarded　the　subject；　until　Miss　Nevil　could　no　longer

follow　it。　　The　interests　of　that　one；　the　hopes　of　another；　the

claims　of　a　third；　in　affairs　that　were　otherwise　uninteresting；

were　all　discussed　with　singular　youthfulness　of　trust　that　to　her

alone　seemed　remarkable。　　Not　that　she　lacked　entertainment　from

the　conversation　of　her　clever　companion；　whose　confidences　and

criticisms　were　very　pleasant　to　her；　but　she　had　a　gentlewoman's

instinct　that　he　talked　to　her　too　much；　and　more　than　was

consistent　with　his　duties　as　the　general　host。　　She　looked　around

the　table　for　her　singular　acquaintance　of　an　hour　before；　but　she

had　not　seen　him　since。　　She　would　have　spoken　about　him　to　Somers；

but　she　had　an　instinctive　idea　that　the　latter　would　be

antipathetic；　in　spite　of　the　stranger's　flattering　commendation。

So　she　found　herself　again　following　Somers's　cynical　but　good…

humored　description　of　the　various　guests；　and；　I　fear；　seeing　with

his　eyes；　listening　with　his　ears；　and　occasionally　participating

in　his　superior　attitude。　　The　〃fearful　joy〃　she　had　found　in　the

novelty　of　the　situation　and　the　originality　of　the　actors　seemed

now　quite　right　from　this　critical　point　of　view。　　So　she　learned

how　the　guest　with　the　long　hair　was　an　unknown　painter；　to　whom

Rushbrook　had　given　a　commission　for　three　hundred　yards　of　painted

canvas；　to　be　cut　up　and　framed　as　occasion　and　space　required；　in

Rushbrook's　new　hotel　in　San　Francisco；　how　the　gray…bearded

foreigner　near　him　was　an　accomplished　bibliophile　who　was

furnishing　Mr。　Rushbrook's　library　from　spoils　of　foreign

collections；　and　had　suffered　unheard…of　agonies　from　the

millionaire's　insisting　upon　a　handsome　uniform　binding　that　should

deprive　certain　precious　but　musty　tomes　of　their　crumbling；　worm…

eaten　coverings；　how　the　very　gentle；　clerical…looking　stranger；

mildest　of　a　noisy；　disputing　crowd　at　the　other　table；　was　a

notorious　duelist　and　dead　shot；　how　the　only　gentleman　at　the

table　who　retained　a　flannel　shirt　and　high　boots　was　not　a　late…

coming　mountaineer；　but　a　well…known　English　baronet　on　his

travels；　how　the　man　who　told　a　somewhat　florid　and　emphatic

anecdote　was　a　popular　Eastern　clergyman；　how　the　one　querulous；

discontented　face　in　a　laughing　group　was　the　famous　humorist　who

had　just　convulsed　it；　and　how　a　pale；　handsome　young　fellow；　who

ate　and　drank　sparingly　and　disregarded　the　coquettish　advances　of

the　prettiest　Diva　with　the　cold　abstraction　of　a　student；　was　a

notorious　roue　and　gambler。　　But　there　was　a　sudden　and　unlooked…

for　change　of　criticism　and　critic。



The　festivity　had　reached　that　stage　when　the　guests　were　more　or

less　accessible　to　emotion；　and　more　or　less　touched　by　the

astounding　fact　that　every　one　was　enjoying　himself。　　This

phenomenon；　which　is　apt　to　burst　into　song　or　dance　among　other

races；　is　constrained　to　voice　itself　in　an　Anglo…Saxon　gathering

by　some　explanation；　apology；　or　moralknown　as　an　after…dinner

speech。　　Thus　it　was　that　the　gentleman　from　Siskyou；　who　had　been

from　time　to　time　casting　glances　at　Somers　and　his　fair　companion

at　the　head　of　the　table；　now　rose　to　his　feet；　albeit　unsteadily；

pushed　back　his　chair；　and　began：



〃'Pears　to　me；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　and　feller　pardners；　that　on

an　occasion　like　this；　suthin'　oughter　be　said　of　the　man　who　got

it　upwhose　money　paid　for　it；　and　who　ain't　here　to　speak　for

himself；　except　by　deputy。　　Yet　you　all　know　that's　Bob　Rushbrook's

stylehe　ain't　here；　because　he's　full　of　some　other　plan　or

improvementsand　it's　like　him　to　start　suthin'　of　this　kind；　give

it　its　aim　and　purpose；　and　then　stand　aside　to　let　somebody　else

run　it　for　him。　　There　ain't　no　man　livin'　ez　hez；　so　to　speak；

more　fast　horses　ready　saddled　for　riding；　and　more　fast　men　ready

spurred　to　ride　'em；whether　to　win　his　races　or　run　his　errands。

There　ain't　no　man　livin'　ez　knows　better　how　to　make　other　men's

games　his；　or　his　game　seem　to　be　other　men's。　　And　from　Jack

Somers　smilin'　over　there；　ez　knows　where　to　get　the　best　wine　that

Bob　pays　for；　and　knows　how　to　run　this　yer　show　for　Bob；　at　Bob's

expensewe're　all　contented。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　we're　all

contented。　　We　stand；　so　to　speak；　on　the　cards　he's　dealt　us。

What　may　be　his　little　game；　it　ain't　for　us　to　say；　but　whatever

it　is；　WE'RE　IN　IT。　　Gentlemen　and　ladies；　we'll　drink　Bob's

health！〃



There　was　a　somewhat　sensational　pause；　followed　by　good…natured

laughter　and　applause；　in　which　Somers　joined；　yet　not　without　a

certain　constraint　that　did　not　escape　the　quick　sympathy　of　the

shocked　and　unsmiling　Miss　Nevil。　　It　was　with　a　feeling　of　relief

that　she　caught　the　chaperoning　eye　of　Mrs。　Leyton；　who　was

entreating　her　in　the　usual　mysterious　signal　to　the　other　ladies

to　rise　and　follow　her。　　When　she　reached　the　drawing…room；　a

little　behind　the　others；　she　was　somewhat　surprised　to　observe

that　the　stranger　whom　she　had　missed　during　the　evening　was

approaching　her　with　Mrs。　Leyton。



〃Mr。　Rushbrook　returned　sooner　than　he　expected；　but　unfortunately；

as　he　always　retires　early；　he　has　only　time　to　say　'goodnight'　to

you　before　he　goes。〃



For　an　instant　Grace　Nevil　was　more　angry　than　disconcerted。　　Then

came　the　conviction　that　she　was　stupid　not　to　have　suspected　the

truth　before。　　Who　else　would　that　brusque　stranger　develop　into

but　this　rude　host？　　She　bowed　formally。



Mr。　Rushbrook　looked　at　her　with　the　faintest　smile　on　his　handsome

mouth。　　〃Well；　Miss　Nevil；　I　hope　Jack　Somers　satisfied　your

curiosity？〃



With　a　sudden　recollection　of　the　Siskyou　gentleman's　speech；　and　a

swift　suspicion　that　in　some　way　she　had　been　made　use　of　with　the

others　by　this　forceful…looking　man　before　her；　she　answered

pertly：



〃Yes；　but　there　was　a　speech　by　a　gentleman　from　Siskyou　that

struck　me　as　being　nearer　to　the　purpose。〃



〃That's　so；I　heard　it　as　I　came　in；　said　Mr。　Rushbrook；　calmly。

〃I　don't　know　but　you're　right。〃





CHAPTER　IV





Six　months　had　passed。　　The　Villa　of　Maecenas　was　closed　at　Los

Osos　Canyon；　and　the　southwest　trade…winds　were　slanting　the　rains

of　the　wet　season　against　its　shut　windows　and　barred　doors。

Within　that　hollow；　deserted　shell；　its　aspectsave　for　a　single

exceptionwas　unchanged；　the　furniture　and　decorations　preserved

their　eternal　youth　undimmed　by　time；　the　rigidly…arranged　rooms；

now　closed　to　life　and　light；　developed　more　than　ever　their

resemblance　to　a　furniture　warehouse。　　The　single　exception　was　the

room　which　Grace　Nevil　had　rearranged　for　herself；　and　that；　oddly

enough；　was　stripped　and　bareeven　to　its　paper　and　mouldings。



In　other　respects；　the　sealed　treasures　of　Rushbrook's　villa；　far

from　provoking　any　sentimentality；　seemed　only　to　give　truth　to　the

current　rumor　that　it　was　merely　waiting　to　be　transformed　into　a

gorgeous　watering…place　hotel　under　Rushbrook's　direction；　that；

with　its　new　ball…room　changed　into　an　elaborate　dining…hall；　it

would　undergo　still　further　improvement；　the　inevitable　end　and

object　of　all　Rushbrook's　enterprise；　and　that　its　former

proprietor　had　already　begun　another　villa　whose　magnificence

should　eclipse　the　last。　　There　certainly　appeared　to　be　no　limit

to　the　millionaire's　success　in　all　that　he　personally　undertook；

or　in　his　fortunate　complicity　with　the　enterprise　and　invention　of

others。　　His　name　was　associated　with　the　oldest　and　safest

schemes；　as　well　as　the　newest　and　boldestwith　an　equal　guarantee

of　security。　　A　few；　it　was　true；　looked　doubtingly　upon　this　〃one

man　power；〃　but　could　not　refute　the　fact　that　others　had　largely

benefited　by　association　with　him；　and　that　he　shared　his　profits

with　a　royal　hand。　　Some　objected　on　higher　grounds　to　his

brutalizing　the　influence　of　wealth　by　his　material　and

extravagantly　practical　processes；　instead　of　the　gentler

suggestions　of　education　and　personal　example；　and　were　impelled　to

point　out　the　fact　that　he　and　his　patronage　were　vulgar。　　It　was

felt；　however；　by　those　who　received　his　benefits；　that　a　proper

sense　of　this　inferiority　was　all　that　ethics　demanded　of　them。

One　could　still　accept　Rushbrook's　barbaric　gifts　by　humorously

recognizing　the　fact　that　he　didn't　know　any　better；　and　that　it

pleased　him；　as　long　as　they　resented　any　higher　pretensions。



The　rain…beaten　windows　of　Rushbrook's　town　house；　however；　were

cheerfully　lit　that　December　evening。　　Mr。　Rushbrook　seldom　dined

alone；　in　fact；　it　was　popularly　alleged　that　very　often　the

unfinished　business　of　the　day　was　concluded　over　his　bountiful　and

perfect　board。　　He　was　dressing　as　James　entered　the　room。



〃Mr。　Leyton　is　in　your　study；　sir；　he　will　stay　to　dinner。〃



〃All　right。〃



〃I　think；　sir；〃　added　James；　with　respectful　suggestiveness；　〃he

wants　to　talk。　　At　least；　sir；　he　asked　me　if　you　would　likely　come

downstairs　before　your　company　arrived。〃



〃Ah！　　Well；　tell　the　others　I'm　dining　on　BUSINESS；　and　set　dinner

for　two　in　the　blue　room。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Meanwhile；　Mr。　Leytona　man　of　Rushbrook's　age；　but　not　so　fresh

and　vigorous…lookinghad　thrown　himself　in　a　chair　beside　the

study　fire；　after　a　glance　around　the　handsome　and　familiar　room。

For　the　house　had　belonged　to　a　brother　millionaire；　it　had　changed

hands　with　certain　shares　of　〃Water　Front；〃as　some　of　Rushbrook's

dealings　had　the　true　barbaric　absence　of　money　detail；and　was

elegantly　and　tastefully　furnished。　　The　cuckoo　had；　however；

already　laid　a　few　characteristic　eggs　in　this　adopted　nest；　and　a

white　marble　statue　of　a　nude　and　ill…fed　Virtue；　sent　over　by

Rushbrook's　Paris　agent；　and　unpacked　that　morning；　stood　in　one

corner；　and　materially　brought　down　the　temperature。　　A　Japanese

praying…throne　of　pure　ivory；　and；　above　it；　a　few　yards　of

improper；　colored　exposure　by　an　old　master；　equalized　each　other。



〃And　what　is　all　this　affair　about　the　dinner？〃　suddenly　asked　a

tartly…pitched　female　voice　with　a　foreign　accent。



Mr。　Leyton　turned　quickly；　and　was　just　conscious　of　a　faint

shriek；　the　rustle　of　a　ski