susy, a story of the plains-第20章

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possibility　of　interruption。



〃Hush！　　Mrs。　McClosky's　here；〃　she　whispered。



〃Mrs。　McClosky？〃　repeated　Clarence　vaguely。



〃Yes；　of　course；〃　impatiently。　　〃My　Aunt　Jane。　　Silly！　　We　just　cut

away　down　here　to　surprise　you。　　Aunty's　never　seen　the　place；　and

here　was　a　good　chance。〃



〃And　your　motherMrs。　Peyton？　　Has　shedoes　she？〃stammered

Clarence。



〃Has　shedoes　she？〃　mimicked　Susy；　with　increasing　impatience。

〃Why；　of　course　she　DOESN'T　know　anything　about　it。　　She　thinks　I'm

visiting　Mary　Rogers　at　Oakland。　　And　I　amAFTERWARDS；〃　she

laughed。　　〃I　just　wrote　to　Aunt　Jane　to　meet　me　at　Alameda；　and　we

took　the　stage　to　Santa　Inez　and　drove　on　here　in　a　buggy。　　Wasn't

it　real　fun？　　Tell　me；　Clarence！　　You　don't　say　anything！　　Tell　me

wasn't　it　real　fun？〃



This　was　all　so　like　her　old；　childlike；　charming；　irresponsible

self；　that　Clarence；　troubled　and　bewildered　as　he　was；　took　her

hands　and　drew　her　like　a　child　towards　him。



〃Of　course；〃　she　went　on；　yet　stopping　to　smell　a　rosebud　in　his

buttonhole；　〃I　have　a　perfect　right　to　come　to　my　own　home；　goodness

knows！　and　if　I　bring　my　own　aunt；　a　married　woman；　with　me；

although；〃　loftily；　〃there　may　be　a　young　unmarried　gentleman　alone

there；still　I　fail　to　see　any　impropriety　in　it！〃



He　was　still　holding　her；　but　in　that　instant　her　manner　had

completely　changed　again；　the　old　Susy　seemed　to　have　slipped　away

and　evaded　him；　and　he　was　retaining　only　a　conscious　actress　in　his

arms。



〃Release　me；　Mr。　Brant；　please；〃　she　said；　with　a　languid　affected

glance　behind　her；　〃we　are　not　alone。〃



Then；　as　the　rustling　of　a　skirt　sounded　nearer　in　the　passage；　she

seemed　to　change　back　to　her　old　self　once　more；　and　with　a

lightning　flash　of　significance　whispered；



〃She　knows　everything！〃



To　add　to　Clarence's　confusion；　the　woman　who　entered　cast　a　quick

glance　of　playful　meaning　on　the　separating　youthful　pair。　　She　was

an　ineffective　blonde　with　a　certain　beauty　that　seemed　to　be

gradually　succumbing　to　the　ravages　of　paint　and　powder　rather　than

years；　her　dress　appeared　to　have　suffered　from　an　equally　unwise

excess　of　ornamentation　and　trimming；　and　she　gave　the　general

impression　of　having　been　intended　for　exhibition　in　almost　any

other　light　than　the　one　in　which　she　happened　to　be。　　There　were

two　or　three　mud…stains　on　the　laces　of　her　sleeve　and　underskirt

that　were　obtrusively　incongruous。　　Her　voice；　which　had；　however；　a

ring　of　honest　intention　in　it；　was　somewhat　over…strained；　and

evidently　had　not　yet　adjusted　itself　to　the　low…ceilinged；

conventual…like　building。



〃There；　children；　don't　mind　me！　　I　know　I'm　not　on　in　this　scene；

but　I　got　nervous　waiting　there；　in　what　you　call　the　'salon；'　with

only　those　Greaser　servants　staring　round　me　in　a　circle；　like　a

regular　chorus。　　My！　but　it's　anteek　hereregular　anteekSpanish。〃

Then；　with　a　glance　at　Clarence；　〃So　this　is　Clarence　Brant；your

Clarence？　　Interduce　me；　Susy。〃



In　his　confusion　of　indignation；　pain；　and　even　a　certain　conception

of　the　grim　ludicrousness　of　the　situation；　Clarence　grasped

despairingly　at　the　single　sentence　of　Susy's。　　〃In　my　own　home。〃

Surely；　at　least；　it　was　HER　OWN　HOME；　and　as　he　was　only　the

business　agent　of　her　adopted　mother；　he　had　no　right　to　dictate　to

her　under　what　circumstances　she　should　return　to　it；　or　whom　she

should　introduce　there。　　In　her　independence　and　caprice　Susy　might

easily　have　gone　elsewhere　with　this　astounding　relative；　and　would

Mrs。　Peyton　like　it　better？　　Clinging　to　this　idea；　his　instinct　of

hospitality　asserted　itself。　　He　welcomed　Mrs。　McClosky　with　nervous

effusion：



〃I　am　only　Mrs。　Peyton's　major　domo　here；　but　any　guest　of　her

DAUGHTER'S　is　welcome。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　McClosky；　with　ostentatious　archness；　〃I　reckon

Susy　and　I　understand　your　position　here；　and　you've　got　a　good

berth　of　it。　　But　we　won't　trouble　you　much　on　Mrs。　Peyton's

account；　will　we；　Susy？　　And　now　she　and　me　will　just　take　a　look

around　the　shanty；it　is　real　old　Spanish　anteek；　ain't　it？and

sorter　take　stock　of　it；　and　you　young　folks　will　have　to　tear

yourselves　apart　for　a　while；　and　play　propriety　before　me。　　You've

got　to　be　on　your　good　behavior　while　I'm　here；　I　can　tell　you！　　I'm

a　heavy　old　'doo…anna。'　　Ain't　I；　Susy？　　School…ma'ms　and　mother

superiors　ain't　in　the　game　with　ME　for　discipline。〃



She　threw　her　arms　around　the　young　girl's　waist　and　drew　her

towards　her　affectionately；　an　action　that　slightly　precipitated

some　powder　upon　the　black　dress　of　her　niece。　　Susy　glanced

mischievously　at　Clarence；　but　withdrew　her　eyes　presently　to　let

them　rest　with　unmistakable　appreciation　and　admiration　on　her

relative。　　A　pang　shot　through　Clarence's　breast。　　He　had　never　seen

her　look　in　that　way　at　Mrs。　Peyton。　　Yet　here　was　this　stranger；

provincial；　overdressed；　and　extravagant；　whose　vulgarity　was　only

made　tolerable　through　her　good　humor；　who　had　awakened　that

interest　which　the　refined　Mrs。　Peyton　had　never　yet　been　able　to

touch。　　As　Mrs。　McClosky　swept　out　of　the　room　with　Susy　he　turned

away　with　a　sinking　heart。



Yet　it　was　necessary　that　the　Spanish　house　servants　should　not

suspect　this　treason　to　their　mistress；　and　Clarence　stopped　their

childish　curiosity　about　the　stranger　with　a　careless　and　easy

acceptance　of　Susy's　sudden　visit　in　the　light　of　an　ordinary

occurrence；　and　with　a　familiarity　towards　Mrs。　McClosky　which

became　the　more　distasteful　to　him　in　proportion　as　he　saw　that　it

was　evidently　agreeable　to　her。　　But；　easily　responsive；　she　became

speedily　confidential。　　Without　a　single　question　from　himself；　or　a

contributing　remark　from　Susy；　in　half　an　hour　she　had　told　him　her

whole　history。　　How；　as　Jane　Silsbee；　an　elder　sister　of　Susy's

mother；　she　had　early　eloped　from　the　paternal　home　in　Kansas　with

McClosky；　a　strolling　actor。　　How　she　had　married　him　and　gone　on

the　stage　under　his　stage　name；　effectively　preventing　any

recognition　by　her　family。　　How；　coming　to　California；　where　her

husband　had　become　manager　of　the　theatre　at　Sacramento；　she　was

indignant　to　find　that　her　only　surviving　relation；　a　sister…in…law；

living　in　the　same　place；　had　for　a　money　consideration　given　up　all

claim　to　the　orphaned　Susy；　and　how　she　had　resolved　to　find　out　〃if

the　poor　child　was　happy。〃　　How　she　succeeded　in　finding　out　that

she　was　not　happy。　　How　she　wrote　to　her；　and　even　met　her　secretly

at　San　Francisco　and　Oakland；　and　how　she　had　undertaken　this

journey　partly　for　〃a　lark；〃　and　partly　to　see　Clarence　and　the

property。　　There　was　no　doubt　of　the　speaker's　sincerity；　with　this

outrageous　candor　there　was　an　equal　obliviousness　of　any　indelicacy

in　her　conduct　towards　Mrs。　Peyton　that　seemed　hopeless。　　Yet　he

must　talk　plainly　to　her；　he　must　say　to　her　what　he　could　not　say

to　Susy；　upon　HER　Mrs。　Peyton's　happinesshe　believed　he　was

thinking　of　Susy's　alsodepended。　　He　must　take　the　first

opportunity　of　speaking　to　her　alone。



That　opportunity　came　sooner　than　he　had　expected。　　After　dinner；

Mrs。　McClosky　turned　to　Susy；　and　playfully　telling　her　that　she　had

〃to　talk　business〃　with　Mr。　Brant；　bade　her　go　to　the　salon　and

await　her。　　When　the　young　girl　left　the　room；　she　looked　at

Clarence；　and；　with　that　assumption　of　curtness　with　which　coarse

but　kindly　natures　believe　they　overcome　the　difficulty　of　delicate

subjects；　said　abruptly：



〃Well；　young　man；　now　what's　all　this　between　you　and　Susy？　　I'm

looking　after　her　interestssame　as　if　she　was　my　own　girl。　　If

you've　got　anything　to　say；　now's　your　time。　　And　don't　you　shilly…

shally　too　long　over　it；　either；　for　you　might　as　well　know　that　a

girl　like　that　can　have　her　pick　and　choice；　and　be　beholden　to　no

one；　and　when　she　don't　care　to　choose；　there's　me　and　my　husband

ready　to　do　for　her　all　the　same。　　We　mightn't　be　able　to　do　the

anteek　Spanish　Squire；　but　we've　got　our　own　line　of　business；　and

it's　a　comfortable　one。〃



To　have　this　said　to　him　under　the　roof　of　Mrs。　Peyton；　from　whom；

in　his　sensitiveness；　he　had　thus　far　jealously　guarded　his　own

secret；　was　even　more　than　Clarence's　gentleness　could　stand；　and

fixed　his　wavering　resolution。



〃I　don't　think　we　quite　understand　each　other；　Mrs。　McClosky；〃　he

said　coldly；　but　with　glittering　eyes。　　〃I　have　certainly　something

to　say　to　you；　if　it　is　not　on　a　subject　as　pleasant　as　the　one　you

propose；　it　is；　nevertheless；　one　that　I　think　you　and　I　are　more

competent　to　discuss　together。〃



Then；　with　quiet　but　unrelenting　directness；　he　pointed　out　to　her

that　Susy　was　a　legally　adopted　daughter　of　Mrs。　Peyton；　and；　as　a

minor；　utterly　under　her　control；　that　Mrs。　Peyton　had　no　knowledge

of　any　opposing　relatives；　and　that　Susy　had　not　only　concealed　the

fact　from　her；　but　that　he　was　satisfied　that　Mrs。　Peyton　did　not

even　know　of　Susy's　discontent　and　alienation；　that　she　had　tenderly

and　carefully　brought　up　the　helpless　orphan　as　her　own　child；　and

even　if　she　had　not　gained　her　affection　was　at　least　entitled　to

her　obedience　and　respect；　that　while　Susy's　girlish　caprice　and

inexperience　excused　HER　conduct；　Mrs。　Peyton　and　her　friends　would

have　a　right　to　expect　more　consideration　from　a　person　of　Mrs。

McClosky's　maturer　judgment。　　That　for　these　reasons；　and　as　the

friend　of　Mrs。　Peyton；　whom　he　could　alone　recognize　as　Susy's

guardian　and　the　arbiter　of　her　affections；　he　must　decline　to

discuss　the　young　girl　with　any　reference　to　himself　or　his　own

intentions。



An　unmistakable　flush　asserted　itself　under　the　lady's　powder。



〃Suit　yourself；　young　man；　suit　yourself；〃　she　said；　with　equally

direct　resentment　and　antagonism；　〃only　mebbee　you'll　let　me　tell

you　that　Jim　McClosky　ain't　no　fool；　and　mebbee　knows　what　lawyers

think　of　an　arrangement　with　a　sister…in…law　that　leaves　a　real

sister　out！　　Mebbee　that's　a　'Sister's　title'　you　ain't　thought　of；

Mr。　Brant！　　And　mebbee　you'll　find　out　that　your　chance　o'　gettin'

Mrs。　Peyton's　consent　ain't　as　safe　to　gamble　on　as　you　reckon　it

is。　　And　mebbee；　what's　more　to　the　purpose；　if　you　DID　get　it；　it

might　not　be　just　the　trump　card　to　fetch　Susy　with！　　And　to　wind

up；　Mr。　Brant；　when　you　DO　have　to　come　down　to　the　bed…rock　and　me

and　Jim　McClosky；　you　may　find　out　that　him　and　me　have　discovered　a

better　match　for　Susy　than　the　son　of　old　Ham　Brant；　who　is　trying

to　play　the　Spanish　grandee　off　his　father's　money　on　a　couple　of

women。　　And　we　mayn't　have　to　go　far　to　do　itor　to　get　THE　REAL

THING；　Mr。　Brant！〃



Too　heartsick　and　disgusted　to　even　notice　the　slur　upon　himself　or

the　import　of　her　last　words；　Clarence　only　rose　and　bowed　as　she

jumped　up　from　the　table。　　But　as　she　reached　the　door　he　said；　half

appealingly：



〃Whatever　are　your　other　intentions；　Mrs。　McClosky；　as　we　are　both