a first family of tasajara-第27章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



didn't　hurt　himin　your　regular　looney　style；　for　rich　or　poor；

drunk　or　sober；　ragged　or　elegant；　plain　or　handsome；you're

always　the　same　'Lige　Curtis！〃



In　proportion　as　that　material；　practical；　rustic　selfwhich

nobody　but　'Lige　Curtis　had　ever　seencame　back　to　her；　so　in

proportion　the　irresolute；　wavering；　weak　and　emotional　vagabond　of

Sidon　came　out　to　meet　it。　　He　looked　at　her　with　a　vague　smile；

his　five　years　of　childish　resentment；　albeit　carried　on　the

shoulders　of　a　man　mentally　and　morally　her　superior；　melted　away。

He　drew　her　towards　him；　yet　at　the　same　moment　a　quick　suspicion

returned。



〃Well；　and　what　are　you　doing　here？　　Has　this　man　who　has　followed

you　any　right；　any　claim　upon　you？〃



〃None　but　what　you　in　your　folly　have　forced　upon　him！　　You　have

made　him　father's　ally。　　I　don't　know　why　he　came　here。　　I　only

know　why　I　didto　find　YOU！〃



〃You　suspected　then？〃



〃I　KNEW！　　Hush！〃



The　returning　voices　of　Grant　and　of　Mrs。　Ramirez　were　heard　in　the

courtyard。　　Clementina　made　a　warning　yet　girlishly　mirthful

gesture；　again　caught　his　hand；　drew　him　quickly　to　the　French

window；　and　slipped　through　it　with　him　into　the　garden；　where　they

were　quickly　lost　in　the　shadows　of　a　ceanothus　hedge。



〃They　have　probably　met　Don　Jose　in　the　orchard；　and　as　he　and　Don

Diego　have　business　together；　Dona　Clementina　has　without　doubt

gone　to　her　room　and　left　them。　　For　you　are　not　very　entertaining

to　the　ladies　to…day；you　two　caballeros！　　You　have　much　politics

together；　eh？or　you　have　discussed　and　disagreed；　eh？　　I　will

look　for　the　Senorita；　and　let　you　go；　Don　Distraido！〃



It　is　to　be　feared　that　Grant's　apologies　and　attempts　to　detain

her　were　equally　feeble；as　it　seemed　to　him　that　this　was　the

only　chance　he　might　have　of　seeing　Clementina　except　in　company

with　Fletcher。　　As　Mrs。　Ramirez　left　he　lit　a　cigarette　and

listlessly　walked　up　and　down　the　gallery。　　But　Clementina　did　not

come；　neither　did　his　hostess　return。　　A　subdued　step　in　the

passage　raised　his　hopes；it　was　only　the　grizzled　major　domo；　to

show　him　his　room　that　he　might　prepare　for　dinner。



He　followed　mechanically　down　the　long　passage　to　a　second

corridor。　　There　was　a　chance　that　he　might　meet　Clementina；　but　he

reached　his　room　without　encountering　any　one。　　It　was　a　large

vaulted　apartment　with　a　single　window；　a　deep　embrasure　in　the

thick　wall　that　seemed　to　focus　like　a　telescope　some　forgotten；

sequestered　part　of　the　leafy　garden。　　While　washing　his　hands；

gazing　absently　at　the　green　vignette　framed　by　the　dark　opening；

his　attention　was　drawn　to　a　movement　of　the　foliage；　stirred

apparently　by　the　rapid　passage　of　two　half…hidden　figures。　　The

quick　flash　of　a　feminine　skirt　seemed　to　indicate　the　coy　flight

of　some　romping　maid　of　the　casa；　and　the　pursuit　and　struggle　of

her　vaquero　swain。　　To　a　despairing　lover　even　the　spectacle　of

innocent；　pastoral　happiness　in　others　is　not　apt　to　be　soothing；

and　Grant　was　turning　impatiently　away　when　he　suddenly　stopped

with　a　rigid　face　and　quickly　approached　the　window。　　In　her

struggles　with　the　unseen　Corydon；　the　clustering　leaves　seemed　to

have　yielded　at　the　same　moment　with　the　coy　Chloris；　and　parting

disclosed　a　stolen　kiss！　　Grant's　hand　lay　like　ice　against　the

wall。　　For；　disengaging　Fletcher's　arm　from　her　waist　and　freeing

her　skirt　from　the　foliage；　it　was　the　calm；　passionless　Clementina

herself　who　stepped　out；　and　moved　pensively　towards　the　casa。





CHAPTER　XI。





〃Readers　of　the　'Clarion'　will　have　noticed　that　allusion　has　been

frequently　made　in　these　columns　to　certain　rumors　concerning　the

early　history　of　Tasajara　which　were　supposed　to　affect　the　pioneer

record　of　Daniel　Harcourt。　　It　was　deemed　by　the　conductors　of　this

journal　to　be　only　consistent　with　the　fearless　and　independent

duty　undertaken　by　the　'Clarion'　that　these　rumors　should　be　fully

chronicled　as　part　of　the　information　required　by　the　readers　of　a

first…class　newspaper；　unbiased　by　any　consideration　of　the　social

position　of　the　parties；　but　simply　as　a　matter　of　news。　　For　this

the　'Clarion'　does　not　deem　it　necessary　to　utter　a　word　of

apology。　　But　for　that　editorial　comment　or　attitude　which　the

proprietors　felt　was　justified　by　the　reliable　sources　of　their

information　they　now　consider　it　only　due　in　honor　to　themselves；

their　readers；　and　Mr。　Harcourt　to　fully　and　freely　apologize。　　A

patient　and　laborious　investigation　enables　them　to　state　that　the

alleged　facts　published　by　the　'Clarion'　and　copied　by　other

journals　are　utterly　unsupported　by　testimony；　and　the　charges

although　more　or　less　vaguewhich　were　based　upon　them　are　equally

untenable。　　We　are　now　satisfied　that　one　'Elijah　Curtis；'　a　former

pioneer　of　Tasajara　who　disappeared　five　years　ago；　and　was

supposed　to　be　drowned；　has　not　only　made　no　claim　to　the　Tasajara

property；　as　alleged；　but　has　given　no　sign　of　his　equally　alleged

resuscitation　and　present　existence；　and　that　on　the　minutest

investigation　there　appears　nothing　either　in　his　disappearance；　or

the　transfer　of　his　property　to　Daniel　Harcourt；　that　could　in　any

way　disturb　the　uncontested　title　to　Tasajara　or　the　unimpeachable

character　of　its　present　owner。　　The　whole　story　now　seems　to　have

been　the　outcome　of　one　of　those　stupid　rural　hoaxes　too　common　in

California。〃





〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Ashwood；　laying　aside　the　'Clarion'　with　a

skeptical　shrug　of　her　pretty　shoulders；　as　she　glanced　up　at　her

brother；　〃I　suppose　this　means　that　you　are　going　to　propose　again

to　the　young　lady？〃



〃I　have；〃　said　Jack　Shipley；　〃that's　the　worst　of　itand　got　my

answer　before　this　came　out。〃



〃Jack！〃　said　Mrs。　Ashwood；　thoroughly　surprised。



〃Yes！　　You　see；　Conny；　as　I　told　you　three　weeks　ago；　she　said　she

wanted　time　to　consider；that　she　scarcely　knew　me；　and　all　that！

Well；　I　thought　it　wasn't　exactly　a　gentleman's　business　to　seem　to

stand　off　after　that　last　attack　on　her　father；　and　so；　last　week；

I　went　down　to　San　Jose；　where　she　was　staying；　and　begged　her　not

to　keep　me　in　suspense。　　And；　by　Jove！　she　froze　me　with　a　look；

and　said　that　with　these　aspersions　on　her　father's　character；　she

preferred　not　to　be　under　obligations　to　any　one。〃



〃And　you　believed　her？〃



〃Oh；　hang　it　all！　　Look　here；　Conny；I　wish　you'd　just　try　for

once　to　find　out　some　good　in　that　family；　besides　what　that

sentimental　young　widower　John　Milton　may　have。　　You　seem　to　think

because　they've　quarreled　with　HIM　there　isn't　a　virtue　left　among

them。〃



Far　from　seeming　to　offer　any　suggestion　of　feminine　retaliation；

Mrs。　Ashwood　smiled　sweetly。　　〃My　dear　Jack；　I　have　no　desire　to

keep　you　from　trying　your　luck　again　with　Miss　Clementina；　if

that's　what　you　mean；　and　indeed　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　a

family　who　felt　a　mesalliance　as　sensitively　as　the　Harcourts　felt

that　affair　of　their　son's；　would　be　as　keenly　alive　to　the

advantages　of　a　good　match　for　their　daughter。　　As　to　young　Mr。

Harcourt；　he　never　talked　to　me　of　the　vices　of　his　family；　nor　has

he　lately　troubled　me　much　with　the　presence　of　his　own　virtues。

I　haven't　heard　from　him　since　we　came　here。〃



〃I　suppose　he　is　satisfied　with　the　government　berth　you　got　for

him；〃　returned　her　brother　dryly。



〃He　was　very　grateful　to　Senator　Flynn；　who　appreciates　his

talents；　but　who　offered　it　to　him　as　a　mere　question　of　fitness；〃

replied　Mrs。　Ashwood　with　great　precision　of　statement。　　〃But　you

don't　seem　to　know　he　declined　it　on　account　of　his　other　work。〃



〃Preferred　his　old　Bohemian　ways；　eh？　　You　can't　change　those

fellows；　Conny。　　They　can't　get　over　the　fascinations　of

vagabondage。　　Sorry　your　lady…patroness　scheme　didn't　work。　　Pity

you　couldn't　have　promoted　him　in　the　line　of　his　profession；　as

the　Grand　Duchess　of　Girolstein　did　Fritz。〃



〃For　Heaven's　sake；　Jack；　go　to　Clementina！　　You　may　not　be

successful；　but　there　at　least　the　perfect　gentlemanliness　and

good　taste　of　your　illustrations　will　not　be　thrown　away。〃



〃I　think　of　going　to　San　Francisco　tomorrow；　anyway；〃　returned　Jack

with　affected　carelessness。　　〃I'm　getting　rather　bored　with　this

wild　seaside　watering　place　and　its　glitter　of　ocean　and　hopeless

background　of　mountain。　　It's　nothing　to　me　that　'there's　no　land

nearer　than　Japan'　out　there。　　It　may　be　very　healthful　to　the

tissues；　but　it's　weariness　to　the　spirit；　and　I　don't　see　why　we

can't　wait　at　San　Francisco　till　the　rains　send　us　further　south；

as　well　as　here。〃



He　had　walked　to　the　balcony　of　their　sitting…room　in　the　little

seaside　hotel　where　this　conversation　took　place；　and　gazed

discontentedly　over　the　curving　bay　and　sandy　shore　before　him。

After　a　slight　pause　Mrs。　Ashwood　stepped　out　beside　him。



〃Very　likely　I　may　go　with　you；〃　she　said；　with　a　perceptible　tone

of　weariness。　　〃We　will　see　after　the　post　arrives。〃



〃By　the　way；　there　is　a　little　package　for　you　in　my　room；　that

came　this　morning。　　I　brought　it　up；　but　forgot　to　give　it　to　you。

You'll　find　it　on　my　table。〃



Mrs。　Ashwood　abstractedly　turned　away　and　entered　her　brother's

room　from　the　same　balcony。　　The　forgotten　parcel；　which　looked

like　a　roll　of　manuscript；　was　lying　on　his　dressing…table。　　She

gazed　attentively　at　the　handwriting　on　the　wrapper　and　then　gave　a

quick　glance　around　her。　　A　sudden　and　subtle　change　came　over　her。

She　neither　flushed　nor　paled；　nor　did　the　delicate　lines　of

expression　in　her　face　quiver　or　change。　　But　as　she　held　the

parcel　in　her　hand　her　whole　being　seemed　to　undergo　some　exquisite

suffusion。　　As　the　medicines　which　the　Arabian　physician　had

concealed　in　the　hollow　handle　of　the　mallet　permeated　the　languid

royal　blood　of　Persia；　so　some　volatile　balm　of　youth　seemed　to

flow　in　upon　her　with　the　contact　of　that　strange　missive　and

transform　her　weary　spirit。



〃Jack！〃　she　called；　in　a　high　clear　voice。　　But　Jack　had　already

gone　from　the　balcony　when　she　reached　it　with　an　elastic　step　and

a　quick　youthful　swirl　and　rustling　of　her　skirt。　　He　was　lighting

his　cigar　in　the　garden。



〃Jack；〃　she　said；　leaning　half　over　the　railing；　〃come　back　here　in

an　hour　and　we'll　talk　over　that　matter　of　yours　again。〃



Jack　looked　up　eagerly　and　as　if　he　might　even　come　up　then；　but

she　added　quickly；　〃In　about　an　hourI　must　think　it　over；〃　and

withdrew。



She　re…entered　the　sitting…room；　shut　the　door　carefully　and　locked

it；　half　pulled　down　the　blind；　walking　once　or　twice　around　the

table　on　which　the　parcel　lay；　with　one　eye　on　it　like　a　graceful

cat。　　Then　she　suddenly　sat　down；　took　it　up　with　a　grave　practical

face；　examined　the　postmark　curiously；　and　opened　it　with　severe

deliberation。　　It　contained　a　manuscript　and　a　letter　of　four

closely　written　pages。　　She　glanced　at　the　manuscript　with　bri