a sappho of green springs-第28章

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blotter　open；　and　its　leaves　still　bearing　the　marks　of　her　own

handwriting。　　So　complete　to　her　mind　was　the　idea　of　her　own

tenancy　in　this　bachelor's　mansion；　that　she　looked　around　with　a

half　indignant　alarm　for　the　photograph　or　portrait　of　herself　that

might　further　indicate　it。　　But　there　was　no　other　exposition。　　The

only　thing　that　had　been　added　was　a　gilt　legend　on　the　satin　case

of　the　blotter；〃Los　Osos；　August　20；　186…；〃　the　day　she　had

occupied　the　room。



She　was　pleased；　astonished；　but　more　than　all；　disturbed。　　The

only　man　who　might　claim　a　right　to　this　figurative　possession

of　her　tastes　and　habits　was　the　one　whom　she　had　quietly；

reflectively；　and　understandingly　half　accepted　as　her　lover；　and

on　whose　account　she　had　come　to　consult　Rushbrook。　　But　Somers　was

not　a　sentimentalist；　in　fact；　as　a　young　girl；　forced　by　her

independent　position　to　somewhat　critically　scrutinize　masculine

weaknesses；　this　had　always　been　a　point　in　his　favor；　yet　even　if

he　had　joined　with　his　friend　Rushbrook　to　perpetuate　the　memory　of

their　first　acquaintanceship；　his　taste　merely　would　not　have

selected　a　chambre　de　garcon　in　Mr。　Rushbrook's　home　for　its

exhibition。　　Her　conception　of　the　opposite　characters　of　the　two

men　was　singularly　distinct　and　real；　and　this　momentary　confusion

of　them　was　disagreeable　to　her　woman's　sense。　　But　at　this　moment

James　came　to　release　her　and　conduct　her　to　Rushbrook's　study；

where　he　would　join　her　at　once。　　Everything　had　been　arranged　as

she　had　wished。



Even　a　more　practical　man　than　Rushbrook　might　have　lingered　over

the　picture　of　the　tall；　graceful　figure　of　Miss　Nevil；　quietly

enthroned　in　a　large　armchair　by　the　fire；　her　scarlet；　satin…lined

cloak　thrown　over　its　back；　and　her　chin　resting　on　her　hand。　　But

the　millionaire　walked　directly　towards　her　with　his　usual

frankness　of　conscious　but　restrained　power；　and　she　felt；　as　she

always　did；　perfectly　at　her　ease　in　his　presence。　　Even　as　she

took　his　outstretched　hand；　its　straightforward　grasp　seemed　to

endow　her　with　its　own　confidence。



〃You'll　excuse　my　coming　here　so　abruptly；〃　she　smiled；　〃but　I

wanted　to　get　before　Mr。　Leyton；　who；　I　believe；　wishes　to　see　you

on　the　same　business　as　myself。〃



〃He　is　here　already；　and　dining　with　me；〃　said　Rushbrook。



〃Ah！　does　he　know　I　am　here？〃　asked　the　girl；　quietly。



〃No；　as　he　said　you　had　thought　of　coming　with　him　and　didn't；　I

presumed　you　didn't　care　to　have　him　know　you　had　come　alone。〃



〃Not　exactly　that；　Mr。　Rushbrook；〃　she　said；　fixing　her　beautiful

eyes　on　him　in　bright　and　trustful　confidence；　〃but　I　happen　to

have　a　fuller　knowledge　of　this　business　than　he　has；　and　yet；　as

it　is　not　altogether　my　own　secret；　I　was　not　permitted　to　divulge

it　to　him。　　Nor　would　I　tell　it　to　you；　only　I　cannot　bear　that　you

should　think　that　I　had　anything　to　do　with　this　wretched

inquisition　into　Mr。　Somers's　prospects。　　Knowing　as　well　as　you　do

how　perfectly　independent　I　am；　you　would　think　it　strange；

wouldn't　you？　　But　you　would　think　it　still　more　surprising　when

you　found　out　that　I　and　my　uncle　already　know　how　liberally　and

generously　you　had　provided　for　Mr。　Somers　in　the　future。〃



〃How　I　had　provided　for　Mr。　Somers　in　the　future？〃　repeated　Mr。

Rushbrook；　looking　at　the　fire；　〃eh？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　young　girl；　indifferently；　〃how　you　were　to　put　him

in　to　succeed　you　in　the　Water　Front　Trust；　and　all　that。　　He　told

it　to　me　and　my　uncle　at　the　outset　of　our　acquaintance；

confidentially；　of　course；　and　I　dare　say　with　an　honorable

delicacy　that　was　like　him；　butI　suppose　now　you　will　think　me

foolishall　the　while　I'd　rather　he　had　not。〃



〃You'd　rather　he　had　not；〃　repeated　Mr。　Rushbrook；　slowly。



〃Yes；〃　continued　Grace；　leaning　forward　with　her　rounded　elbows　on

her　knees；　and　her　slim；　arched　feet　on　the　fender。　　〃Now　you　are

going　to　laugh　at　me；　Mr。　Rushbrook；　but　all　this　seemed　to　me　to

spoil　any　spontaneous　feeling　I　might　have　towards　him；　and　limit

my　independence　in　a　thing　that　should　be　a　matter　of　free　will

alone。　　It　seemed　too　much　like　a　business　proposition！　　There；　my

kind　friend！〃　she　added；　looking　up　and　trying　to　read　his　face

with　a　half　girlish　pout；　followed；　however；　by　a　maturer　sigh；

〃I'm　bothering　you　with　a　woman's　foolishness　instead　of　talking

business。　　And〃another　sigh〃I　suppose　it　IS　business　for　my

uncle；　who　has；　it　seems；　bought　into　this　Trust　on　these　possible

contingencies；　has；　perhaps；　been　asking　questions　of　Mr。　Leyton。

But　I　don't　want　you　to　think　that　I　approve　of　them；　or　advise

your　answering　them。　　But　you　are　not　listening。〃



〃I　had　forgotten　something；〃　said　Rushbrook；　with　an　odd

preoccupation。　　〃Excuse　me　a　momentI　will　return　at　once。〃



He　left　the　room　quite　as　abstractedly；　and　when　he　reached　the

passage；　he　apparently　could　not　remember　what　he　had　forgotten；　as

he　walked　deliberately　to　the　end　window；　where；　with　his　arms

folded　behind　his　back；　he　remained　looking　out　into　the　street。　　A

passer…by；　glancing　up；　might　have　said　he　had　seen　the　pale；　stern

ghost　of　Mr。　Rushbrook；　framed　like　a　stony　portrait　in　the　window。

But　he　presently　turned　away；　and　re…entered　the　room；　going　up　to

Grace；　who　was　still　sitting　by　the　fire；　in　his　usual　strong　and

direct　fashion。



〃Well！　　Now　let　me　see　what　you　want。　　I　think　this　would　do。〃



He　took　a　seat　at　his　open　desk；　and　rapidly　wrote　a　few　lines。



〃There；〃　he　continued；　〃when　you　write　to　your　uncle；　inclose

that。〃



Grace　took　it；　and　read：





DEAR　MISS　NEVIL；Pray　assure　your　uncle　from　me　that　I　am　quite

ready　to　guarantee；　in　any　form　that　he　may　require；　the

undertaking　represented　to　him　by　Mr。　John　Somers。　　Yours　very

truly；



ROBERT　RUSHBROOK。





A　quick　flush　mounted　to　the　young　girl's　cheeks。　　〃But　this　is　a

SECURITY；　Mr。　Rushbrook；〃　she　said　proudly；　handing　him　back　the

paper；　〃and　my　uncle　does　not　require　that。　　Nor　shall　I　insult　him

or　you　by　sending　it。〃



〃It　is　BUSINESS；　Miss　Nevil；〃　said　Rushbrook；　gravely。　　He　stopped；

and　fixed　his　eyes　upon　her　animated　face　and　sparkling　eyes。　　〃You

can　send　it　to　him　or　not；　as　you　like。　　But〃a　rare　smile　came　to

his　handsome　mouth〃as　this　is　a　letter　to　YOU；　you　must　not

insult　ME　by　not　accepting　it。〃



Replying　to　his　smile　rather　than　the　words　that　accompanied　it；

Miss　Nevil　smiled；　too。　　Nevertheless；　she　was　uneasy　and

disturbed。　　The　interview；　whatever　she　might　have　vaguely　expected

from　it；　had　resolved　itself　simply　into　a　business　indorsement　of

her　lover；　which　she　had　not　sought；　and　which　gave　her　no

satisfaction。　　Yet　there　was　the　same　potent　and　indefinably

protecting　presence　before　her　which　she　had　sought；　but　whose

omniscience　and　whose　help　she　seemed　to　have　lost　the　spell　and

courage　to　put　to　the　test。　　He　relieved　her　in　his　abrupt　but　not

unkindly　fashion。　　〃Well；　when　is　it　to　be？〃



〃It？〃



〃Your　marriage。〃



〃Oh；　not　for　some　time。　　There's　no　hurry。〃



It　might　have　struck　the　practical　Mr。　Rushbrook　that；　even

considered　as　a　desirable　business　affair；　the　prospective

completion　of　this　contract　provoked　neither　frank　satisfaction　nor

conventional　dissimulation　on　the　part　of　the　young　lady；　for　he

regarded　her　calm　but　slightly　wearied　expression　fixedly。　　But　he

only　said：　〃Then　I　shall　say　nothing　of　this　interview　to　Mr。

Leyton？〃



〃As　you　please。　　It　really　matters　little。　　Indeed；　I　suppose　I　was

rather　foolish　in　coming　at　all；　and　wasting　your　valuable　time　for

nothing。〃



She　had　risen；　as　if　taking　his　last　question　in　the　significance

of　a　parting　suggestion；　and　was　straightening　her　tall　figure；

preparatory　to　putting　on　her　cloak。　　As　she　reached　it；　he　stepped

forward；　and　lifted　it　from　the　chair　to　assist　her。　　The　act　was

so　unprecedented；　as　Mr。　Rushbrook　never　indulged　in　those　minor

masculine　courtesies；　that　she　was　momentarily　as　confused　as　a

younger　girl　at　the　gallantry　of　a　younger　man。　　In　their　previous

friendship　he　had　seldom　drawn　near　her　except　to　shake　her　hand

a　circumstance　that　had　always　recurred　to　her　when　his　free　and

familiar　life　had　been　the　subject　of　gossip。　　But　she　now　had　a

more　frightened　consciousness　that　her　nerves　were　strangely

responding　to　his　powerful　propinquity；　and　she　involuntarily

contracted　her　pretty　shoulders　as　he　gently　laid　the　cloak　upon

them。　　Yet　even　when　the　act　was　completed；　she　had　a　superstitious

instinct　that　the　significance　of　this　rare　courtesy　was　that　it

was　final；　and　that　he　had　helped　her　to　interpose　something　that

shut　him　out　from　her　forever。



She　was　turning　away　with　a　heightened　color；　when　the　sound　of

light；　hurried　footsteps；　and　the　rustle　of　a　woman's　dress　was

heard　in　the　hall。　　A　swift　recollection　of　her　companion's

infelicitous　reputation　now　returned　to　her；　and　Grace　Nevil；　with

a　slight　stiffening　of　her　whole　frame；　became　coldly　herself

again。　　Mr。　Rushbrook　betrayed　neither　surprise　nor　agitation。

Begging　her　to　wait　a　moment　until　he　could　arrange　for　her　to　pass

to　her　carriage　unnoticed；　he　left　the　room。



Yet　it　seemed　that　the　cause　of　the　disturbance　was　unsuspected　by

Mr。　Rushbrook。　　Mr。　Leyton；　although　left　to　the　consolation　of

cigars　and　liquors　in　the　blue　room；　had　become　slightly　weary　of

his　companion's　prolonged　absence。　　Satisfied　in　his　mind　that

Rushbrook　had　joined　the　gayer　party；　and　that　he　was　even　now

paying　gallant　court　to　the　Signora；　he　became　again　curious　and

uneasy。　　At　last　the　unmistakable　sound　of　whispering　voices　in　the

passage　got　the　better　of　his　sense　of　courtesy　as　a　guest；　and　he

rose　from　his　seat；　and　slightly　opened　the　door。　　As　he　did　so　the

figures　of　a　man　and　woman；　conversing　in　earnest　whispers；　passed

the　opening。　　The　man's　arm　was　round　the　woman's　waist；　the　woman

wasas　he　had　suspectedthe　one　who　had　stood　in　the　doorway；　the

Signorabutthe　man　was　NOT　Rushbrook。　　Mr。　Leyton　drew　back　this

time　in　unaffected　horror。　　It　was　none　other　than　Jack　Somers！



Some　warning　instinct　must　at　that　moment　have　struck　the　woman；

for　with　a　stifled　cry　she　disengaged　herself　from　Somers's　arm；

and　dashed　rapidly　down　the　hall。　　Somers；　evidently　unaware　of　the

cause；　stood　irresolute　for　a　moment；　and　then　more　silently　but

swiftly　disappeared　into　a　side　corridor　as　if　to　intercept　her。

It　was　the　rapid　passage　of　the　Signora　that　had　attracted　the

attention　of　Grace　and　Rushbrook　in　the　study；　and　it　was　the

moment　after　it　that　Mr。　Rushbrook　left。





CHAPTER　VI





Vaguely　uneasy；　and　still　perplexed　with　her　previous　agitation；　as

Mr。　Rushbrook　closed　the　door　behind　him；　Grace；　following　some

feminine　instinct　rather　than　any　definite　reason；　walked　to　the

door　and　placed　her　hand　upon　the　lock　to　prevent　any　int