susy, a story of the plains-第24章

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and　slight　bowiness　of　the　leg　generally　recognized　in　his

profession　as　the　lounging　exit　of　high　comedy。



The　mingling　of　awe　and　an　uneasy　sense　of　changed　relations　which

that　meeting　with　Jim　had　brought　to　Phoebe　was　not　lessened　when

she　entered　the　theatre　with　her　father　that　evening；　and　even　Mr。

Hopkins　seemed　to　share　her　feelings。　　The　theatre　was　large；　and

brilliant　in　decoration；　the　seats　were　well　filled　with　the　same

heterogeneous　mingling　she　had　seen　in　the　dining…room　at　the　Placer

Hotel；　but　in　the　parquet　were　some　fashionable　costumes　and

cultivated　faces。　　Mr。　Hopkins　was　not　altogether　so　sure　that　Jim

had　been　〃only　gassing。〃　　But　the　gorgeous　drop　curtain；

representing　an　allegory　of　Californian　prosperity　and　abundance；

presently　uprolled　upon　a　scene　of　Western　life　almost　as　striking

in　its　glaring　unreality。　　From　a　rose…clad　English　cottage　in　a

subtropical　landscape　skipped　〃Rosalie；　the　Prairie　Flower。〃　　The

briefest　of　skirts；　the　most　unsullied　of　stockings；　the　tiniest　of

slippers；　and　the　few　diamonds　that　glittered　on　her　fair　neck　and

fingers；　revealed　at　once　the　simple　and　unpretending　daughter　of

the　American　backwoodsman。　　A　tumult　of　delighted　greeting　broke

from　the　audience。　　The　bright　color　came　to　the　pink；　girlish

cheeks；　gratified　vanity　danced　in　her　violet　eyes；　and　as　she

piquantly　bowed　her　acknowledgments；　this　great　breath　of　praise

seemed　to　transfigure　and　possess　her。　　A　very　young　actor　who

represented　the　giddy　world　in　a　straw　hat　and　with　an　effeminate

manner　was　alternately　petted　and　girded　at　by　her　during　the

opening　exposition　of　the　plot；　until　the　statement　that　a　〃dark

destiny〃　obliged　her　to　follow　her　uncle　in　an　emigrant　train　across

the　plains　closed　the　act；　apparently　extinguished　him；　and　left　HER

the　central　figure。　　So　far；　she　evidently　was　the　favorite。　　A

singular　aversion　to　her　crept　into　the　heart　of　Phoebe。



But　the　second　act　brought　an　Indian　attack　upon　the　emigrant　train；

and　here　〃Rosalie〃　displayed　the　archest　heroism　and　the　pinkest　and

most　distracting　self…possession；　in　marked　contrast　to　the　giddy

worldling　who；　having　accompanied　her　apparently　for　comic　purposes

best　known　to　himself；　cowered　abjectly　under　wagons；　and　was　pulled

ignominiously　out　of　straw；　until　Red　Dick　swept　out　of　the　wings

with　a　chosen　band　and　a　burst　of　revolvers　and　turned　the　tide　of

victory。　　Attired　as　a　picturesque　combination　of　the　Neapolitan

smuggler；　river…bar　miner；　and　Mexican　vacquero；　Jim　Hooker

instantly　began　to　justify　the　plaudits　that　greeted　him　and　the

most　sanguinary　hopes　of　the　audience。　　A　gloomy　but　fascinating

cloud　of　gunpowder　and　dark　intrigue　from　that　moment　hung　about　the

stage。



Yet　in　this　sombre　obscuration　Rosalie　had　passed　a　happy　six

months；　coming　out　with　her　character　and　stockings　equally

unchanged　and　unblemished；　to　be　rewarded　with　the　hand　of　Red　Dick

and　the　discovery　of　her　father；　the　governor　of　New　Mexico；　as　a

white…haired；　but　objectionable　vacquero；　at　the　fall　of　the

curtain。



Through　this　exciting　performance　Phoebe　sat　with　a　vague　and

increasing　sense　of　loneliness　and　distrust。　　She　did　not　know　that

Hooker　had　added　to　his　ordinary　inventive　exaggeration　the　form　of

dramatic　composition。　　But　she　had　early　detected　the　singular　fact

that　such　shadowy　outlines　of　plot　as　the　piece　possessed　were

evidently　based　on　his　previous　narrative　of　his　OWN　experiences；

and　the　saving　of　Susy　Peytonby　himself！　　There　was　the　episode　of

their　being　lost　on　the　plains；　as　he　had　already　related　it　to　her；

with　the　addition　of　a　few　years　to　Susy's　age　and　some　vivid

picturesqueness　to　himself　as　Red　Dick。　　She　was　not；　of　course；

aware　that　the　part　of　the　giddy　worldling　was　Jim's　own　conception

of　the　character　of　Clarence。　　But　what；　even　to　her　provincial

taste；　seemed　the　extravagance　of　the　piece；　she　felt；　in　some　way；

reflected　upon　the　truthfulness　of　the　story　she　had　heard。　　It

seemed　to　be　a　parody　on　himself；　and　in　the　laughter　which　some　of

the　most　thrilling　points　produced　in　certain　of　the　audience；　she

heard　an　echo　of　her　own　doubts。　　But　even　this　she　could　have　borne

if　Jim's　confidence　had　not　been　given　to　the　general　public；　it　was

no　longer　HERS　alone；　she　shared　it　with　them。　　And　this　strange；

bold　girl；　who　acted　with　him；the　〃Blanche　Belville〃　of　the

bills；how　often　he　must　have　told　HER　the　story；　and　yet　how　badly

she　had　learned　it！　　It　was　not　her　own　idea　of　it；　nor　of　HIM。　　In

the　last　extravagant　scene　she　turned　her　weary　and　half…shamed　eyes

from　the　stage　and　looked　around　the　theatre。　　Among　a　group　of

loungers　by　the　wall　a　face　that　seemed　familiar　was　turned　towards

her　own　with　a　look　of　kindly　and　sympathetic　recognition。　　It　was

the　face　of　Clarence　Brant。　　When　the　curtain　fell；　and　she　and　her

father　rose　to　go；　he　was　at　their　side。　　He　seemed　older　and　more

superior　looking　than　she　had　ever　thought　him　before；　and　there　was

a　gentle　yet　sad　wisdom　in　his　eyes　and　voice　that　comforted　her

even　while　it　made　her　feel　like　crying。



〃You　are　satisfied　that　no　harm　has　come　to　our　friend；〃　he　said

pleasantly。　　〃Of　course　you　recognized　him？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　we　met　him　to…day；〃　said　Phoebe。　　Her　provincial　pride

impelled　her　to　keep　up　a　show　of　security　and　indifference。　　〃We

are　going　to　supper　with　him。〃



Clarence　slightly　lifted　his　brows。



〃You　are　more　fortunate　than　I　am；〃　he　said　smilingly。　　〃I　only

arrived　here　at　seven；　and　I　must　leave　at　midnight。〃



Phoebe　hesitated　a　moment；　then　said　with　affected　carelessness：



〃What　do　you　think　of　the　young　girl　who　plays　with　him？　　Do　you

know　her？　　Who　is　she？〃



He　looked　at　her　quickly；　and　then　said；　with　some　surprise：



〃Did　he　not　tell　you？〃



〃She　WAS　the　adopted　daughter　of　Mrs。　Peyton；Miss　Susan　Silsbee；〃

he　said　gravely。



〃Then　she　DID　run　away　from　home　as　they　said；〃　said　Phoebe

impulsively。



〃Not　EXACTLY　as　they　said；〃　said　Clarence　gently。　　〃She　elected　to

make　her　home　with　her　aunt；　Mrs。　McClosky；　who　is　the　wife　of　the

manager　of　this　theatre；　and　she　adopted　the　profession　a　month　ago。

As　it　now　appears　that　there　was　some　informality　in　the　old

articles　of　guardianship；　Mrs。　Peyton　would　have　been　powerless　to

prevent　her　from　doing　either；　even　if　she　had　wished　to。〃



The　infelicity　of　questioning　Clarence　regarding　Susy　suddenly

flashed　upon　the　forgetful　Phoebe；　and　she　colored。　　Yet；　although

sad；　he　did　not　look　like　a　rejected　lover。



〃Of　course；　if　she　is　here　with　her　own　relatives；　that　makes　all

the　difference；〃　she　said　gently。　　〃It　is　protection。〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Clarence。



〃And；〃　continued　Phoebe　hesitatingly；　〃she　is　playing　withwithan

old　friendMr。　Hooker！〃



〃That　is　quite　proper；　too；　considering　their　relations；〃　said

Clarence　tolerantly。



〃Idon'tunderstand；〃　stammered　Phoebe。



The　slightly　cynical　smile　on　Clarence's　face　changed　as　he　looked

into　Phoebe's　eyes。



〃I've　just　heard　that　they　are　married；〃　he　returned　gently。





CHAPTER　XII。





Nowhere　had　the　long　season　of　flowers　brought　such　glory　as　to　the

broad　plains　and　slopes　of　Robles　Rancho。　　By　some　fortuitous　chance

of　soil；　or　flood；　or　drifting　pollen；　the　three　terraces　had　each

taken　a　distinct　and　separate　blossom　and　tint　of　color。　　The

straggling　line　of　corral；　the　crumbling　wall　of　the　old　garden；　the

outlying　chapel；　and　even　the　brown　walls　of　the　casa　itself；　were

half　sunken　in　the　tall　racemes　of　crowding　lupines；　until　from　the

distance　they　seemed　to　be　slowly　settling　in　the　profundity　of　a

dark…blue　sea。　　The　second　terrace　was　a　league…long　flow　of　gray

and　gold　daisies；　in　which　the　cattle　dazedly　wandered　mid…leg　deep。

A　perpetual　sunshine　of　yellow　dandelions　lay　upon　the　third。　　The

gentle　slope　to　the　dark…green　canada　was　a　broad　cataract　of

crimson　poppies。　　Everywhere　where　water　had　stood；　great　patches　of

color　had　taken　its　place。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　rains　had　ceased

only　that　the　broken　heavens　might　drop　flowers。



Never　before　had　its　beautya　beauty　that　seemed　built　upon　a

cruel；　youthful；　obliterating　forgetfulness　of　the　paststruck

Clarence　as　keenly　as　when　he　had　made　up　his　mind　that　he　must

leave　the　place　forever。　　For　the　tale　of　his　mischance　and　ill…

fortune；　as　told　by　Hopkins；　was　unfortunately　true。　　When　he

discovered　that　in　his　desire　to　save　Peyton's　house　by　the　purchase

of　the　Sisters'　title　he　himself　had　been　the　victim　of　a　gigantic

fraud；　he　accepted　the　loss　of　the　greater　part　of　his　fortune　with

resignation；　and　was　even　satisfied　by　the　thought　that　he　had　at

least　effected　the　possession　of　the　property　for　Mrs。　Peyton。　　But

when　he　found　that　those　of　his　tenants　who　had　bought　under　him　had

acquired　only　a　dubious　possession　of　their　lands　and　no　title；　he

had　unhesitatingly　reimbursed　them　for　their　improvements　with　the

last　of　his　capital。　　Only　the　lawless　Gilroy　had　good…humoredly

declined。　　The　quiet　acceptance　of　the　others　did　not；　unfortunately；

preclude　their　settled　belief　that　Clarence　had　participated　in　the

fraud；　and　that　even　now　his　restitution　was　making　a　dangerous

precedent；　subversive　of　the　best　interests　of　the　State；　and

discouraging　to　immigration。　　Some　doubted　his　sanity。　　Only　one；

struck　with　the　sincerity　of　his　motive；　hesitated　to　take　his

money；　with　a　look　of　commiseration　on　his　face。



〃Are　you　not　satisfied？〃　asked　Clarence；　smiling。



〃Yes；　but〃



〃But　what？〃



〃Nothin'。　　Only　I　was　thinkin'　that　a　man　like　you　must　feel　awful

lonesome　in　Calforny！〃



Lonely　he　was；　indeed；　but　his　loneliness　was　not　the　loss　of

fortune　nor　what　it　might　bring。　　Perhaps　he　had　never　fully

realized　his　wealth；　it　had　been　an　accident　rather　than　a　custom　of

his　life；　and　when　it　had　failed　in　the　only　test　he　had　made　of　its

power；　it　is　to　be　feared　that　he　only　sentimentally　regretted　it。

It　was　too　early　yet　for　him　to　comprehend　the　veiled　blessings　of

the　catastrophe　in　its　merciful　disruption　of　habits　and　ways　of

life；　his　loneliness　was　still　the　hopeless　solitude　left　by

vanished　ideals　and　overthrown　idols。　　He　was　satisfied　that　he　had

never　cared　for　Susy；　but　he　still　cared　for　the　belief　that　he　had。



After　the　discovery　of　Pedro's　body　that　fatal　morning；　a　brief　but

emphatic　interview　between　himself　and　Mrs。　McClosky　had　followed。

He　had　insisted　upon　her　immediately　accompanying　Susy　and　himself

to　Mrs。　Peyton　in　San　Francisco。　　Horror…stricken　and　terrified　at

the　catastrophe；　and　frightened　by　the　strange　looks　of　the　excited

servants；　they　did　not　dare　to　disobey　him。　　He　had　left　them　with

Mrs。　Peyton　in　the　briefest　preliminary　interview；　during　which　he

spoke　only　of　the　catastrophe；　shielding　the　woman　from　the