a first family of tasajara-第24章

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sense　of　injury　inflicted　upon　him　by　'Lige's　exposures。　　With　a

daughter　so　incomparably　gifted；a　matchless　creation　that　was

enough　in　herself　to　ennoble　that　fortune　which　his　own　skill　and

genius　had　lifted　from　the　muddy　tules　of　Tasajara　where　this　'Lige

had　left　it；that　SHE　should　be　subjected　to　this　annoyance　seemed

an　infamy　that　Providence　could　not　allow！　　What　was　his　mere

venial　transgression　to　this　exaggerated　retribution？



〃Clemmy；　girl；　I'm　going　to　ask　you　a　question。　　Listen；　pet。〃　　He

had　begun　with　a　reminiscent　tenderness　of　the　epoch　of　her

childhood；　but　meeting　the　unresponding　maturity　of　her　clear　eyes

he　abandoned　it。　　〃You　know；　Clementina；　I　have　never　interfered　in

your　affairs；　nor　tried　to　influence　your　friendships　for　anybody。

Whatever　people　may　have　to　say　of　me　they　can't　say　that！　　I've

always　trusted　you；　as　I　would　myself；　to　choose　your　own

associates；　I　have　never　regretted　it；　and　I　don't　regret　it　now。

But　I'd　like　to　knowI　have　reasons　to…day　for　askinghow　matters

stand　between　you　and　Grant。〃



The　Parian　head　of　Minerva　on　the　bookcase　above　her　did　not　offer

the　spectator　a　face　less　free　from　maidenly　confusion　than

Clementina's　at　that　moment。　　Her　father　had　certainly　expected

none；　but　he　was　not　prepared　for　the　perfect　coolness　of　her

reply。



〃Do　you　mean；　have　I　ACCEPTED　him？〃



〃No；wellyes。〃



〃No；　then！　　Is　that　what　he　wished　to　see　you　about？　　It　was

understood　that　he　was　not　to　allude　again　to　the　subject　to　any

one。〃



〃He　has　not　to　ME。　　It　was　only　my　own　idea。　　He　had　something　very

different　to　tell　me。　　You　may　not　know；　Clementina；〃　he　begun

cautiously；　〃that　I　have　been　lately　the　subject　of　some　anonymous

slanders；　and　Grant　has　taken　the　trouble　to　track　them　down　for

me。　　It　is　a　calumny　that　goes　back　as　far　as　Sidon；　and　I　may　want

your　level　head　and　good　memory　to　help　me　to　refute　it。〃　　He　then

repeated　calmly　and　clearly；　with　no　trace　of　the　fury　that　had

raged　within　him　a　moment　before；　the　substance　of　Grant's

revelation。



The　young　girl　listened　without　apparent　emotion。　　When　he　had

finished　she　said　quickly：　〃And　what　do　you　want　me　to　recollect？〃



The　hardest　part　of　Harcourt's　task　was　coming。　　〃Well；　don't　you

remember　that　I　told　you　the　day　the　surveyors　went　awaythatI

had　bought　this　land　of　'Lige　Curtis　some　time　before？〃



〃Yes；　I　remember　your　saying　so；　but〃



〃But　what？〃



〃I　thought　you　only　meant　that　to　satisfy　mother。〃



Daniel　Harcourt　felt　the　blood　settling　round　his　heart；　but　he　was

constrained　by　an　irresistible　impulse　to　know　the　worst。　　〃Well；

what　did　YOU　think　it　really　was？〃



〃I　only　thought　that　'Lige　Curtis　had　simply　let　you　have　it；

that's　all。〃



Harcourt　breathed　again。　　〃But　what　for？　　Why　should　he？〃



〃WellON　MY　ACCOUNT。〃



〃On　YOUR　account！　　What　in　Heaven's　name　had　YOU　to　do　with　it？〃



〃He　loved　me。〃　　There　was　not　the　slightest　trace　of　vanity；　self…

consciousness　or　coquetry　in　her　quiet；　fateful　face；　and　for　this

very　reason　Harcourt　knew　that　she　was　speaking　the　truth。



〃Loved　YOU！you；　Clementina！my　daughter！　　Did　he　ever　TELL　you

so？〃



〃Not　in　words。　　He　used　to　walk　up　and　down　on　the　road　when　I　was

at　the　back　window　or　in　the　garden；　and　often　hung　about　the　bank

of　the　creek　for　hours；　like　some　animal。　　I　don't　think　the　others

saw　him；　and　when　they　did　they　thought　it　was　Parmlee　for

Euphemia。　　Even　Euphemia　thought　so　too；　and　that　was　why　she　was

so　conceited　and　hard　to　Parmlee　towards　the　end。　　She　thought　it

was　Parmlee　that　night　when　Grant　and　Rice　came；　but　it　was　'Lige

Curtis　who　had　been　watching　the　window　lights　in　the　rain；　and　who

must　have　gone　off　at　last　to　speak　to　you　in　the　store。　　I　always

let　Phemie　believe　that　it　was　Parmlee；it　seemed　to　please　her。〃



There　was　not　the　least　tone　of　mischief　or　superiority；　or　even　of

patronage　in　her　manner。　　It　was　as　quiet　and　cruel　as　the　fate

that　might　have　led　'Lige　to　his　destruction。　　Even　her　father　felt

a　slight　thrill　of　awe　as　she　paused。　　〃Then　he　never　really　spoke

to　you？〃　he　asked　hurriedly。



〃Only　once。　　I　was　gathering　swamp　lilies　all　alone；　a　mile　below

the　bend　of　the　creek；　and　he　came　upon　me　suddenly。　　Perhaps　it

was　that　I　didn't　jump　or　startI　didn't　see　anything　to　jump　or

start　atthat　he　said；　'You're　not　frightened　at　me；　Miss

Harcourt；　like　the　other　girls？　　You　don't　think　I'm　drunk　or　half

madas　they　do？'　　I　don't　remember　exactly　what　I　said；　but　it

meant　that　whether　he　was　drunk　or　half　mad　or　sober　I　didn't　see

any　reason　to　be　afraid　of　him。　　And　then　he　told　me　that　if　I　was

fond　of　swamp　lilies　I　might　have　all　I　wanted　at　his　place；　and

for　the　matter　of　that　the　place　too；　as　he　was　going　away；　for　he

couldn't　stand　the　loneliness　any　longer。　　He　said　that　he　had

nothing　in　common　with　the　place　and　the　peopleno　more　than　I

hadand　that　was　what　he　had　always　fancied　in　me。　　I　told　him

that　if　he　felt　in　that　way　about　his　place　he　ought　to　leave　it；

or　sell　it　to　some　one　who　cared　for　it；　and　go　away。　　That　must

have　been　in　his　mind　when　he　offered　it　to　you；at　least　that's

what　I　thought　when　you　told　us　you　had　bought　it。　　I　didn't　know

but　what　he　might　have　told　you；　but　you　didn't　care　to　say　it

before　mother。〃



Mr。　Harcourt　sat　gazing　at　her　with　breathless　amazement。　　〃And

youthink　that'Lige　Curtislovliked　you？〃



〃Yes；　I　think　he　didand　that　he　does　now！〃



〃NOW！　　What　do　you　mean？　　The　man　is　dead！〃　said　Harcourt　starting。



〃That's　just　what　I　don't　believe。〃



〃Impossible！　　Think　of　what　you　are　saying。〃



〃I　never　could　quite　understand　or　feel　that　he　was　dead　when

everybody　said　so；　and　now　that　I've　heard　this　story　I　KNOW　that

he　is　living。〃



〃But　why　did　he　not　make　himself　known　in　time　to　claim　the

property？〃



〃Because　he　did　not　care　for　it。〃



〃What　did　he　care　for；　then？〃



〃Me；　I　suppose。〃



〃But　this　calumny　is　not　like　a　man　who　loves　you。〃



〃It　is　like　a　JEALOUS　one。〃



With　an　effort　Harcourt　threw　off　his　bewildered　incredulity　and

grasped　the　situation。　　He　would　have　to　contend　with　his　enemy　in

the　flesh　and　blood；　but　that　flesh　and　blood　would　be　very　weak　in

the　hands　of　the　impassive　girl　beside　him。　　His　face　lightened。



The　same　idea　might　have　been　in　Clementina's　mind　when　she　spoke

again；　although　her　face　had　remained　unchanged。　　〃I　do　not　see　why

YOU　should　bother　yourself　further　about　it；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is

only　a　matter　between　myself　and　him；　you　can　leave　it　to　me。〃



〃But　if　you　are　mistaken　and　he　should　not　be　living？〃



〃I　am　not　mistaken。　　I　am　even　certain　now　that　I　have　seen　him。〃



〃Seen　him！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　girl　with　the　first　trace　of　animation　in　her　face。

〃It　was　four　or　five　months　ago　when　we　were　visiting　the　Briones

at　Monterey。　　We　had　ridden　out　to　the　old　Mission　by　moonlight。

There　were　some　Mexicans　lounging　around　the　posada；　and　one　of

them　attracted　my　attention　by　the　way　he　seemed　to　watch　me；

without　revealing　any　more　of　his　face　than　I　could　see　between　his

serape　and　the　black　silk　handkerchief　that　was　tied　around　his

head　under　his　sombrero。　　But　I　knew　he　was　an　Americanand　his

eyes　were　familiar。　　I　believe　it　was　he。〃



〃Why　did　you　not　speak　of　it　before？〃



The　look　of　animation　died　out　of　the　girl's　face。　　〃Why　should　I？〃

she　said　listlessly。　　〃I　did　not　know　of　these　reports　then。　　He

was　nothing　more　to　us。　　You　wouldn't　have　cared　to　see　him　again。〃

She　rose；　smoothed　out　her　skirt　and　stood　looking　at　her　father。

〃There　is　one　thing；　of　course；　that　you'll　do　at　once。〃



Her　voice　had　changed　so　oddly　that　he　said　quickly：　〃What's　that？〃



〃Call　Grant　off　the　scent。　　He'll　only　frighten　or　exasperate　your

game；　and　that's　what　you　don't　want。〃



Her　voice　was　as　imperious　as　it　had　been　previously　listless。　　And

it　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　known　her　to　use　slang。



It　seemed　as　startling　as　if　it　had　fallen　from　the　marble　lips

above　him。



〃But　I've　promised　him　that　we　should　go　together　to　my　lawyer　to…

morrow；　and　begin　a　suit　against　the　proprietors　of　the　'Clarion。'〃



〃Do　nothing　of　the　kind。　　Get　rid　of　Grant's　assistance　in　this

matter；　and　see　the　'Clarion'　proprietor　yourself。　　What　sort　of　a

man　is　he？　　Can　you　invite　him　to　your　house？〃



〃I　have　never　seen　him；　I　believe　he　lives　at　San　Jose。　　He　is　a

wealthy　man　and　a　large　land　owner　there。　　You　understand　that

after　the　first　article　appeared　in　his　paper；　and　I　knew　that　he

had　employed　your　brotheralthough　Grant　says　that　he　had　nothing

to　do　with　it　and　left　Fletcher　on　account　of　itI　could　have　no

intercourse　with　him。　　Even　if　I　invited　him　he　would　not　come。〃



〃He　MUST　come。　　Leave　it　to　ME。〃　　She　stopped　and　resumed　her

former　impassive　manner。　　〃I　had　something　to　say　to　you　too；

father。　　Mr。　Shipley　proposed　to　me　the　day　we　went　to　San　Mateo。〃



Her　father's　eyes　lit　with　an　eager　sparkle。　　〃Well；〃　he　said

quickly。



〃I　reminded　him　that　I　had　known　him　only　a　few　weeks；　and　that　I

wanted　time　to　consider。〃



〃Consider！　　Why；　Clemmy；　he's　one　of　the　oldest　Boston　families；

rich　from　his　father　and　grandfatherrich　when　I　was　a　shopkeeper

and　your　mother〃



〃I　thought　you　liked　Grant？〃　she　said　quietly。



〃Yes；　but　if　YOU　have　no　choice　nor　feeling　in　the　matter；　why

Shipley　is　far　the　better　man。　　And　if　any　of　the　scandal　should

come　to　his　ears〃



〃So　much　the　better　that　the　hesitation　should　come　from　me。　　But

if　you　think　it　better；　I　can　sit　down　here　and　write　to　him　at

once　declining　the　offer。〃　　She　moved　towards　the　desk。



〃No！　No！　　I　did　not　mean　that；〃　said　Harcourt　quickly。　　〃I　only

thought　that　if　he　did　hear　anything　it　might　be　said　that　he　had

backed　out。〃



〃His　sister　knows　of　his　offer；　and　though　she　don't　like　it　nor

me；　she　will　not　deny　the　fact。　　By　the　way；　you　remember　when　she

was　lost　that　day　on　the　road　to　San　Mateo？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　she　was　with　your　son；　John　Milton；　all　the　time；　and　they

lunched　together　at　Crystal　Spring。　　It　came　out　quite　accidentally

through　the　hotel…keeper。〃



Harcourt's　brow　darkened。　　〃Did　she　know　him　before？〃



〃I　can't　say；　but　she　does　now。〃



Harcourt's　face　was　heavy　with　distrust。　　〃Taking　Shipley's　offer

and　these　scandals　into　consideration；　I　don't　like　the　look　of

this；　Clementina。〃



〃I　do；〃　said　the　girl　simply。



Harcourt　gazed　at　her　keenly　and　with　the　shadow　of　distrust　still

upon　him。　　It　seemed　to　be　quite　impossible；　even　with　what　he　knew

of　her　calmly　cold　nature；　that　she　should　be　equally　uninfluenced

by　Grant　or　Shipley。　　Had　she　some　steadfast；　lofty　ideal；　or

perhaps　some　already　absorbing　passion　of　which　he　knew　nothing？

She　was　not　a　girl　to　be