a sappho of green springs-第29章

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feminine　instinct　rather　than　any　definite　reason；　walked　to　the

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

until　he　returned。　　Her　caution　seemed　to　be　justified　a　moment

later；　for　a　heavier　but　stealthier　footstep　halted　outside。　　The

handle　of　the　door　was　turned；　but　she　resisted　it　with　the　fullest

strength　of　her　small　hand　until　a　voice；　which　startled　her；

called　in　a　hurried　whisper：



〃Open　quick；　'tis　I。〃



She　stepped　back　quickly；　flung　the　door　open；　and　beheld　Somers　on

the　threshold！



The　astonishment；　agitation；　and　above　all；　the　awkward　confusion

of　this　usually　self…possessed　and　ready　man；　was　so　unlike　him；

and　withal　so　painful；　that　Grace　hurried　to　put　an　end　to　it；　and

for　an　instant　forgot　her　own　surprise　at　seeing　him。　　She　smiled

assuringly；　and　extended　her　hand。



〃GraceMiss　NevilI　beg　your　pardonI　didn't　imagine〃he　began

with　a　forced　laugh。　　〃I　mean；　of　courseI　cannotbut〃　　He

stopped；　and　then　assuming　a　peculiar　expression；　said：　〃But　what

are　YOU　doing　here？〃



At　any　other　moment　the　girl　would　have　resented　the　tone；　which

was　as　new　to　her　as　his　previous　agitation；　but　in　her　present

self…consciousness　her　situation　seemed　to　require　some

explanation。　　〃I　came　here；〃　she　said；　〃to　see　Mr。　Rushbrook　on

business。　　Your　businessOUR　business；〃　she　added；　with　a　charming

smile；　using　for　the　first　time　the　pronoun　that　seemed　to　indicate

their　unity　and　interest；　and　yet　fully　aware　of　a　vague

insincerity　in　doing　so。



〃Our　BUSINESS？〃　he　repeated；　ignoring　her　gentler　meaning　with　a

changed　emphasis　and　a　look　of　suspicion。



〃Yes；〃　said　Grace；　a　little　impatiently。　　〃Mr。　Leyton　thought　he

ought　to　write　to　my　uncle　something　positive　as　to　your　prospects

with　Mr。　Rushbrook；　and〃



〃You　came　here　to　inquire？〃　said　the　young　man；　sharply。



〃I　came　here　to　stop　any　inquiry；〃　said　Grace；　indignantly。　　〃I

came　here　to　say　I　was　satisfied　with　what　you　had　confided　to　me

of　Mr。　Rushbrook's　generosity；　and　that　was　enough！〃



〃With　what　I　had　confided　to　you？　　You　dared　say　that？〃



Grace　stopped；　and　instantly　faced　him。　　But　any　indignation　she

might　have　felt　at　his　speech　and　manner　was　swallowed　up　in　the

revulsion　and　horror　that　overtook　her　with　the　sudden　revelation

she　saw　in　his　white　and　frightened　face。　　Leyton's　strange

inquiry；　Rushbrook's　cold　composure　and　scornful　acceptance　of　her

own　credulousness；　came　to　her　in　a　flash　of　shameful　intelligence。

Somers　had　lied！　　The　insufferable　meanness　of　it！　　A　lie；　whose

very　uselessness　and　ignobility　had　defeated　its　purposea　lie

that　implied　the　basest　suspicion　of　her　own　independence　and

truthfulnesssuch　a　lie　now　stood　out　as　plainly　before　her　as　his

guilty　face。



〃Forgive　my　speaking　so　rudely；〃　he　said　with　a　forced　smile　and

attempt　to　recover　his　self…control；　〃but　you　have　ruined　me　unless

you　deny　that　I　told　you　anything。　　It　was　a　jokean　extravagance

that　I　had　forgotten；　at　least；　it　was　a　confidence　between　you　and

me　that　you　have　foolishly　violated。　　Say　that　you　misunderstood

methat　it　was　a　fancy　of　your　own。　　Say　anythinghe　trusts　you

he'll　believe　anything　you　say。〃



〃He　HAS　believed　me；〃　said　Grace；　almost　fiercely；　turning　upon　him

with　the　paper　that　Rushbrook　had　given　her　in　her　outstretched

hand。　　〃Read　that！〃



He　read　it。　　Had　he　blushed；　had　he　stammered；　had　he　even　kept　up

his　former　frantic　and　pitiable　attitude；　she　might　at　that　supreme

moment　have　forgiven　him。　　But　to　her　astonishment　his　face

changed；　his　handsome　brow　cleared；　his　careless；　happy　smile

returned；　his　graceful　confidence　came　backhe　stood　before　her

the　elegant；　courtly；　and　accomplished　gentleman　she　had　known。　　He

returned　her　the　paper；　and　advancing　with　extended　hand；　said

triumphantly：



〃Superb！　　Splendid！　　No　one　but　a　woman　could　think　of　that！　　And

only　one　woman　achieve　it。　　You　have　tricked　the　great　Rushbrook。

You　are　indeed　worthy　of　being　a　financier's　wife！〃



〃No；〃　she　said　passionately；　tearing　up　the　paper　and　throwing　it

at　his　feet；　〃not　as　YOU　understand　itand　never　YOURS！　　You　have

debased　and　polluted　everything　connected　with　it；　as　you　would

have　debased　and　polluted　ME。　　Out　of　my　presence　that　you　are

insultingout　of　the　room　of　the　man　whose　magnanimity　you　cannot

understand！〃



The　destruction　of　the　guarantee　apparently　stung　him　more　than　the

words　that　accompanied　it。　　He　did　not　relapse　again　into　his

former　shamefaced　terror；　but　as　a　malignant　glitter　came　into　his

eyes；　he　regained　his　coolness。



〃It　may　not　be　so　difficult　for　others　to　understand；　Miss　Nevil；〃

he　said；　with　polished　insolence；　〃and　as　Bob　Rushbrook's

generosity　to　pretty　women　is　already　a　matter　of　suspicion；

perhaps　you　are　wise　to　destroy　that　record　of　it。〃



〃Coward！〃　said　Grace；　〃stand　aside　and　let　me　pass！〃　　She　swept　by

him　to　the　door。　　But　it　opened　upon　Rushbrook's　re…entrance。　　He

stood　for　an　instant　glancing　at　the　pair；　and　then　on　the

fragments　of　the　paper　that　strewed　the　floor。　　Then；　still　holding

the　door　in　his　hand；　he　said　quietly：



〃One　moment　before　you　go；　Miss　Nevil。　　If　this　is　the　result　of

any　misunderstanding　as　to　the　presence　of　another　woman　here；　in

company　with　Mr。　Somers；　it　is　only　fair　to　him　to　say　that　that

woman　is　here　as　a　friend　of　MINE；　not　of　his；　and　I　alone　am

responsible。〃



Grace　halted；　and　turned　the　cold　steel　of　her　proud　eyes　on　the

two　men。　　As　they　rested　on　Rushbrook　they　quivered　slightly。　　〃I

can　already　bear　witness；〃　she　said　coldly；　〃to　the　generosity　of

Mr。　Rushbrook　in　a　matter　which　then　touched　me。　　But　there

certainly　is　no　necessity　for　him　to　show　it　now　in　a　matter　in

which　I　have　not　the　slightest　concern。〃



As　she　swept　out　of　the　room　and　was　received　in　the　respectable

shadow　of　the　waiting　James；　Rushbrook　turned　to　Somers。



〃And　I'M　afraid　it　won't　dofor　Leyton　saw　you；〃　he　said　curtly。

〃Now；　then；　shut　that　door；　for　you　and　I；　Jack　Somers；　have　a　word

to　say　to　each　other。〃



What　that　word　was；　and　how　it　was　said　and　received；　is　not　a　part

of　this　record。　　But　it　is　told　that　it　was　the　beginning　of　that

mighty　Iliad；　still　remembered　of　men；　which　shook　the　financial

camps　of　San　Francisco；　and　divided　them　into　bitter　contending

parties。　　For　when　it　became　known　the　next　day　that　Somers　had

suddenly　abandoned　Rushbrook；　and　carried　over　to　a　powerful

foreign　capitalist　the　secret　methods；　and　even；　it　was　believed；

the　LUCK　of　his　late　employer；　it　was　certain　that　there　would　be

war　to　the　knife；　and　that　it　was　no　longer　a　struggle　of　rival

enterprise；　but　of　vindictive　men。





CHAPTER　VII





For　a　year　the　battle　between　the　Somers　faction　and　the　giant　but

solitary　Rushbrook　raged　fiercely；　with　varying　success。　　I　grieve

to　say　that　the　proteges　and　parasites　of　Maecenas　deserted　him　in

a　body；　nay；　they　openly　alleged　that　it　was　the　true　artistic

nature　and　refinement　of　Somers　that　had　always　attracted　them；　and

that　a　man　like　Rushbrook；　who　bought　pictures　by　the　yard；

equally　of　the　unknown　struggling　artist　and　the　famous　masters；

was　no　true　patron　of　Art。　　Rushbrook　made　no　attempt　to　recover

his　lost　prestige；　and　once；　when　squeezed　into　a　tight　〃corner；〃

and　forced　to　realize　on　his　treasures；　he　put　them　up　at　auction

and　the　people　called　them　〃daubs；〃　their　rage　knew　no　bounds。　　It

was　then　that　an　unfettered　press　discovered　that　Rushbrook　never

was　a　Maecenas　at　all；　grimly　deprecated　his　assumption　of　that

title；　and　even　doubted　if　he　were　truly　a　millionaire。　　It　was　at

this　time　that　a　few　stood　by　himnotably；　the　mill　inventor　from

Siskyou；　grown　plethoric　with　success；　but　eventually　ground

between　the　upper　and　nether　millstone　of　the　Somers　and　Rushbrook

party。　　Miss　Nevil　had　returned　to　the　Atlantic　States　with　Mrs。

Leyton。　　While　rumors　had　played　freely　with　the　relations　of

Somers　and　the　Signora　as　the　possible　cause　of　the　rupture　between

him　and　Rushbrook；　no　mention　had　ever　been　made　of　the　name　of

Miss　Nevil。



It　was　raining　heavily　one　afternoon；　when　Mr。　Rushbrook　drove　from

his　office　to　his　San　Francisco　house。　　The　fierce　struggle　in

which　he　was　engaged　left　him　little　time　for　hospitality；　and　for

the　last　two　weeks　his　house　had　been　comparatively　deserted。　　He

passed　through　the　empty　rooms；　changed　in　little　except　the

absence　of　some　valuable　monstrosities　which　had　gone　to　replenish

his　capital。　　When　he　reached　his　bedroom；　he　paused　a　moment　at

the　open　door。



〃James！〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　James；　appearing　out　of　the　shadow。



〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃



〃I　thought　you　might　be　wanting　something；　sir。〃



〃You　were　waiting　there　this　morning；　you　were　in　the　ante…room　of

my　study　while　I　was　writing。　　You　were　outside　the　blue　room　while

I　sat　at　breakfast。　　You　were　at　my　elbow　in　the　drawing…room　late

last　night。　　Now；　James；〃　continued　Mr。　Rushbrook；　with　his　usual

grave　directness；　〃I　don't　intend　to　commit　suicide；　I　can't　afford

it；　so　keep　your　time　and　your　rest　for　yourselfyou　want　it

that's　a　good　fellow。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃James！〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Rushbrook　extended　his　hand。　　There　was　that　faint；　rare　smile　on

his　handsome　mouth；　for　which　James　would　at　any　time　have　laid

down　his　life。　　But　he　only　silently　grasped　his　master's　hand；　and

the　two　men　remained　looking　into　each　other's　eyes　without　a　word。

Then　Mr。　Rushbrook　entered　his　room；　lay　down；　and　went　to　sleep；

and　James　vanished　in　the　shadow。



At　the　end　of　an　hour　Mr。　Rushbrook　awoke　refreshed；　and　even

James；　who　came　to　call　him；　appeared　to　have　brightened　in　the

interval。　　〃I　have　ordered　a　fire；　sir；　in　the　reserved　room；　the

one　fitted　up　from　Los　Osos；　as　your　study　has　had　no　chance　of

being　cleaned　these　two　weeks。　　It　will　be　a　change　for　you；　sir。

I　hope　you'll　excuse　my　not　waking　you　to　consult　you　about　it。〃



Rushbrook　remained　so　silent　that　James；　fancying　he　had　not　heard

him；　was　about　to　repeat　himself　when　his　master　said　quickly；

〃Very　well；　come　for　me　there　when　dinner　is　ready；〃　and　entered

the　passage　leading　to　the　room。　　James　did　not　follow　him；　and

when　Mr。　Rushbrook；　opening　the　door；　started　back　with　an

exclamation；　no　one　but　the　inmate　heard　the　word　that　rose　to　his

lips。



For　there；　seated　before　the　glow　of　the　blazing　fire；　was　Miss

Grace　Nevil。　　She　had　evidently　just　arrived；　for　her　mantle　was

barely　loosened　around　her　neck；　and　upon　the　fringe　of　brown　hair

between　her　bonnet　and　her　broad；　low　forehead　a　few　drops　of　rain

still　sparkled。　　As　she　lifted　her　long　lashes　quickly　towards　the

door；　it　seemed　as　if　they；　too；　had　caught　a　little　of　that

moisture。　　Rushbrook　moved　impatiently　forward；　and　then　stopped。

Grace　rose　unhesi