susy, a story of the plains-第25章

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

spoke　only　of　the　catastrophe；　shielding　the　woman　from　the

presumption　of　having　provoked　it；　and　urging　only　the　importance　of

settling　the　question　of　guardianship　at　once。　　It　was　odd　that　Mrs。

Peyton　had　been　less　disturbed　than　he　imagined　she　would　be　at　even

his　charitable　version　of　Susy's　unfaithfulness　to　her；　it　even

seemed　to　him　that　she　had　already　suspected　it。　　But　as　he　was

about　to　withdraw　to　leave　her　to　meet　them　alone；　she　had　stopped

him　suddenly。



〃What　would　you　advise　me　to　do？〃



It　was　his　first　interview　with　her　since　the　revelation　of　his　own

feelings。　　He　looked　into　the　pleading；　troubled　eyes　of　the　woman

he　now　knew　he　had　loved；　and　stammered：



〃You　alone　can　judge。　　Only　you　must　remember　that　one　cannot　force

an　affection　any　more　than　one　can　prevent　it。〃



He　felt　himself　blushing；　and；　conscious　of　the　construction　of　his

words；　he　even　fancied　that　she　was　displeased。



〃Then　you　have　no　preference？〃　she　said；　a　little　impatiently。



〃None。〃



She　made　a　slight　gesture　with　her　handsome　shoulders；　but　she　only

said；　〃I　should　have　liked　to　have　pleased　you　in　this；〃　and　turned

coldly　away。　　He　had　left　without　knowing　the　result　of　the

interview；　but　a　few　days　later　he　received　a　letter　from　her

stating　that　she　had　allowed　Susy　to　return　to　her　aunt；　and　that

she　had　resigned　all　claims　to　her　guardianship。



〃It　seemed　to　be　a　foregone　conclusion；〃　she　wrote；　〃and　although　I

cannot　think　such　a　change　will　be　for　her　permanent　welfare；　it　is

her　present　WISH；　and　who　knows；　indeed；　if　the　change　will　be

permanent？　　I　have　not　allowed　the　legal　question　to　interfere　with

my　judgment；　although　her　friends　must　know　that　she　forfeits　any

claim　upon　the　estate　by　her　action；　but　at　the　same　time；　in　the

event　of　her　suitable　marriage；　I　should　try　to　carry　out　what　I

believe　would　have　been　Mr。　Peyton's　wishes。〃



There　were　a　few　lines　of　postscript：　〃It　seems　to　me　that　the

change　would　leave　you　more　free　to　consult　your　own　wishes　in

regard　to　continuing　your　friendship　with　Susy；　and　upon　such　a

footing　as　may　please　you。　　I　judge　from　Mrs。　McClosky's

conversation　that　she　believed　you　thought　you　were　only　doing　your

duty　in　reporting　to　me；　and　that　the　circumstances　had　not　altered

the　good　terms　in　which　you　all　three　formerly　stood。〃



Clarence　had　dropped　the　letter　with　a　burning　indignation　that

seemed　to　sting　his　eyes　until　a　scalding　moisture　hid　the　words

before　him。　　What　might　not　Susy　have　said？　　What　exaggeration　of

his　affection　was　she　not　capable　of　suggesting？　　He　recalled　Mrs。

McClosky；　and　remembered　her　easy　acceptance　of　him　as　Susy's　lover。

What　had　they　told　Mrs。　Peyton？　　What　must　be　her　opinion　of　his

deceit　towards　herself？　　It　was　hard　enough　to　bear　this　before　he

knew　he　loved　her。　　It　was　intolerable　now！　　And　this　is　what　she

meant　when　she　suggested　that　he　should　renew　his　old　terms　with

Susy；　it　was　for　HIM　that　this　ill…disguised；　scornful　generosity　in

regard　to　Susy's　pecuniary　expectations　was　intended。　　What　should

he　do？　　He　would　write　to　her；　and　indignantly　deny　any　clandestine

affection　for　Susy。　　But　could　he　do　that；　in　honor；　in　truthfulness？

Would　it　not　be　better　to　write　and　confess　all？　　Yes；EVERYTHING。



Fortunately　for　his　still　boyish　impulsiveness；　it　was　at　this　time

that　the　discovery　of　his　own　financial　ruin　came　to　him。　　The

inquest　on　the　body　of　Pedro　Valdez　and　the　confession　of　his

confidant　had　revealed　the　facts　of　the　fraudulent　title　and　forged

testamentary　documents。　　Although　it　was　correctly　believed　that

Pedro　had　met　his　death　in　an　escapade　of　gallantry　or　intrigue；　the

coroner's　jury　had　returned　a　verdict　of　〃accidental　death；〃　and　the

lesser　scandal　was　lost　in　the　wider；　far…spreading　disclosure　of

fraud。　　When　he　had　resolved　to　assume　all　the　liabilities　of　his

purchase；　he　was　obliged　to　write　to　Mrs。　Peyton　and　confess　his

ruin。　　But　he　was　glad　to　remind　her　that　it　did　not　alter　HER

status　or　security；　he　had　only　given　her　the　possession；　and　she

would　revert　to　her　original　and　now　uncontested　title。　　But　as

there　was　now　no　reason　for　his　continuing　the　stewardship；　and　as

he　must　adopt　some　profession　and　seek　his　fortune　elsewhere；　he

begged　her　to　relieve　him　of　his　duty。　　Albeit　written　with　a

throbbing　heart　and　suffused　eyes；　it　was　a　plain；　business…like；

and　practical　letter。　　Her　reply　was　equally　cool　and　matter　of

fact。　　She　was　sorry　to　hear　of　his　losses；　although　she　could　not

agree　with　him　that　they　could　logically　sever　his　present

connection　with　the　rancho；　or　that；　placed　upon　another　and

distinctly　business　footing；　the　occupation　would　not　be　as

remunerative　to　him　as　any　other。　　But；　of　course；　if　he　had　a

preference　for　some　more　independent　position；　that　was　another

question；　although　he　would　forgive　her　for　using　the　privilege　of

her　years　to　remind　him　that　his　financial　and　business　success　had

not　yet　justified　his　independence。　　She　would　also　advise　him　not

to　decide　hastily；　or；　at　least；　to　wait　until　she　had　again

thoroughly　gone　over　her　husband's　papers　with　her　lawyer；　in

reference　to　the　old　purchase　of　the　Sisters'　title；　and　the

conditions　under　which　it　was　bought。　　She　knew　that　Mr。　Brant　would

not　refuse　this　as　a　matter　of　business；　nor　would　that　friendship；

which　she　valued　so　highly；　allow　him　to　imperil　the　possession　of

the　rancho　by　leaving　it　at　such　a　moment。　　As　soon　as　she　had

finished　the　examination　of　the　papers；　she　would　write　again。　　Her

letter　seemed　to　leave　him　no　hope；　if；　indeed；　he　had　ever　indulged

in　any。　　It　was　the　practical　kindliness　of　a　woman　of　business；

nothing　more。　　As　to　the　examination　of　her　husband's　papers；　that

was　a　natural　precaution。　　He　alone　knew　that　they　would　give　no

record　of　a　transaction　which　had　never　occurred。　　He　briefly

replied　that　his　intention　to　seek　another　situation　was　unchanged；

but　that　he　would　cheerfully　await　the　arrival　of　his　successor。

Two　weeks　passed。　　Then　Mr。　Sanderson；　Mrs。　Peyton's　lawyer；

arrived；　bringing　an　apologetic　note　from　Mrs。　Peyton。　　She　was　so

sorry　her　business　was　still　delayed；　but　as　she　had　felt　that　she

had　no　right　to　detain　him　entirely　at　Robles；　she　had　sent　to　Mr。

Sanderson　to　TEMPORARILY　relieve　him；　that　he　might　be　free　to　look

around　him　or　visit　San　Francisco　in　reference　to　his　own　business；

only　extracting　a　promise　from　him　that　he　would　return　to　Robles　to

meet　her　at　the　end　of　the　week；　before　settling　upon　anything。



The　bitter　smile　with　which　Clarence　had　read　thus　far　suddenly

changed。　　Some　mysterious　touch　of　unbusiness…like　but　womanly

hesitation；　that　he　had　never　noticed　in　her　previous　letters；　gave

him　a　faint　sense　of　pleasure；　as　if　her　note　had　been　perfumed。　　He

had　availed　himself　of　the　offer。　　It　was　on　this　visit　to

Sacramento　that　he　had　accidentally　discovered　the　marriage　of　Susy

and　Hooker。



〃It's　a　great　deal　better　business　for　her　to　have　a　husband　in　the

'profesh'　if　she's　agoin'　to　stick　to　it；〃　said　his　informant；　Mrs。

McClosky；　〃and　she's　nothing　if　she　ain't　business　and　profesh；　Mr。

Brant。　　I　never　see　a　girl　that　was　born　for　the　stageyes；　you

might　say　jess　cut　out　o'　the　boards　of　the　stageas　that　girl　Susy

is！　　And　that's　jest　what's　the　matter；　and　YOU　know　it；　and　I　know

it；　and　there　you　are！〃



It　was　with　these　experiences　that　Clarence　was　to…day　reentering

the　wooded　and　rocky　gateway　of　the　rancho　from　the　high　road　of　the

canada；　but　as　he　cantered　up　the　first　slope；　through　the　drift　of

scarlet　poppies　that　almost　obliterated　the　track；　and　the　blue　and

yellow　blooms　of　the　terraces　again　broke　upon　his　view；　he　thought

only　of　Mrs。　Peyton's　pleasure　in　this　changed　aspect　of　her　old

home。　　She　had　told　him　of　it　once　before；　and　of　her　delight　in　it；

and　he　had　once　thought　how　happy　he　should　be　to　see　it　with　her。



The　servant　who　took　his　horse　told　him　that　the　senora　had　arrived

that　morning　from　Santa　Inez；　bringing　with　her　the　two　Senoritas

Hernandez　from　the　rancho　of　Los　Canejos；　and　that　other　guests　were

expected。　　And　there　was　the　Senor　Sanderson　and　his　Reverence　Padre

Esteban。　　Truly　an　affair　of　hospitality；　the　first　since　the　padron

died。　　Whatever　dream　Clarence　might　have　had　of　opportunities　for

confidential　interview　was　rudely　dispelled。　　Yet　Mrs。　Peyton　had

left　orders　to　be　informed　at　once　of　Don　Clarencio's　arrival。



As　he　crossed　the　patio　and　stepped　upon　the　corridor　he　fancied　he

already　detected　in　the　internal　arrangements　the　subtle　influence

of　Mrs。　Peyton's　taste　and　the　indefinable　domination　of　the

mistress。　　For　an　instant　he　thought　of　anticipating　the　servant　and

seeking　her　in　the　boudoir；　but　some　instinct　withheld　him；　and　he

turned　into　the　study　which　he　had　used　as　an　office。　　It　was　empty；

a　few　embers　glimmered　on　the　hearth。　　At　the　same　moment　there　was

a　light　step　behind　him；　and　Mrs。　Peyton　entered　and　closed　the　door

behind　her。　　She　was　very　beautiful。　　Although　paler　and　thinner；

there　was　an　odd　sort　of　animation　about　her；　so　unlike　her　usual

repose　that　it　seemed　almost　feverish。



〃I　thought　we　could　talk　together　a　few　moments　before　the　guests

arrive。　　The　house　will　be　presently　so　full；　and　my　duties　as

hostess　commence。〃



〃I　wasabout　to　seek　youinin　the　boudoir；〃　hesitated　Clarence。



She　gave　an　impatient　shiver。



〃Good　heavens；　not　there！　　I　shall　never　go　there　again。　　I　should

fancy　every　time　I　looked　out　of　the　window　that　I　saw　the　head　of

that　man　between　the　bars。　　No！　I　am　only　thankful　that　I　wasn't

here　at　the　time；　and　that　I　can　keep　my　remembrance　of　the　dear　old

place　unchanged。〃　　She　checked　herself　a　little　abruptly；　and　then

added　somewhat　irrelevantly　but　cheerfully；　〃Well；　you　have　been

away？　　What　have　you　done？〃



〃Nothing；〃　said　Clarence。



〃Then　you　have　kept　your　promise；〃　she　said；　with　the　same　nervous

hilarity。



〃I　have　returned　here　without　making　any　other　engagement；〃　he　said

gravely；　〃but　I　have　not　altered　my　determination。〃



She　shrugged　her　shoulders　again；　or；　as　it　seemed；　the　skin　of　her

tightly　fitting　black　dress　above　them；　with　the　sensitive　shiver　of

a　highly　groomed　horse；　and　moved　to　the　hearth　as　if　for　warmth；

put　her　slim；　slippered　foot　upon　the　low　fender；　drawing；　with　a

quick　hand；　the　whole　width　of　her　skirt　behind　her　until　it

clingingly　accented　the　long；　graceful　curve　from　her　hip　to　her

feet。　　All　this　was　so　unlike　her　usual　fastidiousness　and　repose

that　he　was　struck　by　it。　　With　her　eyes　on　the　glowing　embers　of

the　hearth；　and　tentatively　advancing　her　toe　to　its　warmth　and

drawing　it　away；　she　said：



〃Of　course；　you　must　please　yourself。　　I　am　af