susy, a story of the plains-第13章

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the　perfect　understanding　in　his　own　mind　that　his　proposition　meant

the　complete　abandonment　of　his　rendezvous　with　Susy。　　Mrs。　Peyton

was　astounded　and　slightly　stirred　with　his　earnestness；　albeit

unaware　of　all　it　implied。



〃It's　a　great　temptation；　Mr。　Brant；〃　she　said；　with　a　playful

smile；　which　dazzled　Clarence　with　its　first　faint　suggestion　of　a

refined　woman's　coquetry；　〃but　I'm　afraid　that　Mr。　Peyton　would

think　me　going　mad　in　my　old　age。　　No。　　Go　on　and　enjoy　your　gallop；

and　if　you　should　see　those　giddy　girls　anywhere；　send　them　home

early　for　chocolate；　before　the　cold　wind　gets　up。〃



She　turned；　waved　her　slim　white　hand　playfully　in　acknowledgment　of

Clarence's　bared　head；　and　moved　away。



For　the　first　few　moments　the　young　man　tried　to　find　relief　in

furious　riding；　and　in　bullying　his　spirited　horse。　　Then　he　pulled

quickly　up。　　What　was　he　doing？　　What　was　he　going　to　do？　　What

foolish；　vapid　deceit　was　this　that　he　was　going　to　practice　upon

that　noble；　queenly；　confiding；　generous　woman？　　（He　had　already

forgotten　that　she　had　always　distrusted　him。）　　What　a　fool　he　was

not　to　tell　her　half…jokingly　that　he　expected　to　meet　Susy！　　But

would　he　have　dared　to　talk　half…jokingly　to　such　a　woman　on　such　a

topic？　　And　would　it　have　been　honorable　without　disclosing　the

WHOLE　truth；that　they　had　met　secretly　before？　　And　was　it　fair　to

Susy？dear；　innocent；　childish　Susy！　　Yet　something　must　be　done！

It　was　such　trivial；　purposeless　deceit；　after　all；　for　this　noble

woman；　Mrs。　Peyton；　so　kind；　so　gentle；　would　never　object　to　his

loving　Susy　and　marrying　her。　　And　they　would　all　live　happily

together；　and　Mrs。　Peyton　would　never　be　separated　from　them；　but

always　beaming　tenderly　upon　them　as　she　did　just　now　in　the　garden。

Yes；　he　would　have　a　serious　understanding　with　Susy；　and　that　would

excuse　the　clandestine　meeting　to…day。



His　rapid　pace；　meantime；　had　brought　him　to　the　imperceptible

incline　of　the　terrace；　and　he　was　astonished；　in　turning　in　the

saddle；　to　find　that　the　casa；　corral；　and　outbuildings　had

completely　vanished；　and　that　behind　him　rolled　only　the　long　sea　of

grain；　which　seemed　to　have　swallowed　them　in　its　yellowing　depths。

Before　him　lay　the　wooded　ravine　through　which　the　stagecoach

passed；　which　was　also　the　entrance　to　the　rancho；　and　there；　too；

probably；　was　the　turning　of　which　Susy　had　spoken。　　But　it　was

still　early　for　the　rendezvous；　indeed；　he　was　in　no　hurry　to　meet

her　in　his　present　discontented　state；　and　he　made　a　listless

circuit　of　the　field；　in　the　hope　of　discovering　the　phenomena　that

had　caused　the　rancho's　mysterious　disappearance。　　When　he　had　found

that　it　was　the　effect　of　the　different　levels；　his　attention　was

arrested　by　a　multitude　of　moving　objects　in　a　still　more　distant

field；　which　proved　to　be　a　band　of　wild　horses。　　In　and　out　among

them；　circling　aimlessly；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　appeared　two　horsemen

apparently　performing　some　mystic　evolution。　　To　add　to　their

singular　performance；　from　time　to　time　one　of　the　flying　herd；

driven　by　the　horsemen　far　beyond　the　circle　of　its　companions；

dropped　suddenly　and　unaccountably　in　full　career。　　The　field　closed

over　it　as　if　it　had　been　swallowed　up。　　In　a　few　moments　it

appeared　again；　trotting　peacefully　behind　its　former　pursuer。　　It

was　some　time　before　Clarence　grasped　the　meaning　of　this　strange

spectacle。　　Although　the　clear；　dry　atmosphere　sharply　accented　the

silhouette…like　outlines　of　the　men　and　horses；　so　great　was　the

distance　that　the　slender　forty…foot　lasso；　which　in　the　skillful

hands　of　the　horsemen　had　effected　these　captures；　was　COMPLETELY

INVISIBLE！　　The　horsemen　were　Peyton's　vacqueros；　making　a　selection

from　the　young　horses　for　the　market。　　He　remembered　now　that　Peyton

had　told　him　that　he　might　be　obliged　to　raise　money　by　sacrificing

some　of　his　stock；　and　the　thought　brought　back　Clarence's

uneasiness　as　he　turned　again　to　the　trail。　　Indeed；　he　was　hardly

in　the　vein　for　a　gentle　tryst；　as　he　entered　the　wooded　ravine　to

seek　the　madrono　tree　which　was　to　serve　as　a　guide　to　his　lady's

bower。



A　few　rods　further；　under　the　cool　vault　filled　with　woodland

spicing；　he　came　upon　it。　　In　its　summer　harlequin　dress　of　scarlet

and　green；　with　hanging　bells　of　poly…tinted　berries；　like　some

personified　sylvan　Folly；　it　seemed　a　fitting　symbol　of　Susy's

childish　masquerade　of　passion。　　Its　bizarre　beauty；　so　opposed　to

the　sober　gravity　of　the　sedate　pines　and　hemlocks；　made　it　an

unmistakable　landmark。　　Here　he　dismounted　and　picketed　his　horse。

And　here；　beside　it；　to　the　right；　ran　the　little　trail　crawling

over　mossy　boulders；　a　narrow　yellow　track　through　the　carpet　of

pine　needles　between　the　closest　file　of　trees；　an　almost

imperceptible　streak　across　pools　of　chickweed　at　their　roots；　and　a

brown　and　ragged　swath　through　the　ferns。　　As　he　went　on；　the

anxiety　and　uneasiness　that　had　possessed　him　gave　way　to　a　languid

intoxication　of　the　senses；　the　mysterious　seclusion　of　these

woodland　depths　recovered　the　old　influence　they　had　exerted　over

his　boyhood。　　He　was　not　returning　to　Susy；　as　much　as　to　the　older

love　of　his　youth；　of　which　she　was；　perhaps；　only　an　incident。　　It

was　therefore　with　an　odd　boyish　thrill　again　that；　coming　suddenly

upon　a　little　hollow；　like　a　deserted　nest；　where　the　lost　trail

made　him　hesitate；　he　heard　the　crackle　of　a　starched　skirt　behind

him；　was　conscious　of　the　subtle　odor　of　freshly　ironed　and　scented

muslin；　and　felt　the　gentle　pressure　of　delicate　fingers　upon　his

eyes。



〃Susy！〃



〃You　silly　boy！　　Where　were　you　blundering　to？　　Why　didn't　you　look

around　you？〃



〃I　thought　I　would　hear　your　voices。〃



〃Whose　voices；　idiot？〃



〃Yours　and　Mary's；〃　returned　Clarence　innocently；　looking　round　for

the　confidante。



〃Oh；　indeed！　　Then　you　wanted　to　see　MARY？　　Well；　she's　looking　for

me　somewhere。　　Perhaps　you'll　go　and　find　her；　or　shall　I？〃



She　was　offering　to　pass　him　when　he　laid　his　hand　on　hers　to　detain

her。　　She　instantly　evaded　it；　and　drew　herself　up　to　her　full

height；　incontestably　displaying　the　dignity　of　the　added　inches　to

her　skirt。　　All　this　was　charmingly　like　the　old　Susy；　but　it　did

not　bid　fair　to　help　him　to　a　serious　interview。　　And；　looking　at

the　pretty；　pink；　mocking　face　before　him；　with　the　witchery　of　the

woodland　still　upon　him；　he　began　to　think　that　he　had　better　put　it

off。



〃Never　mind　about　Mary；〃　he　said　laughingly。　　〃But　you　said　you

wanted　to　see　me；　Susy；　and　here　I　am。〃



〃Said　I　wanted　to　see　you？〃　repeated　Susy；　with　her　blue　eyes　lifted

in　celestial　scorn　and　wonderment。　　〃Said　I　wanted　to　see　you？　　Are

you　not　mistaken；　Mr。　Brant？　　Really；　I　imagined　that　you　came　here

to　see　ME。〃



With　her　fair　head　upturned；　and　the　leaf　of　her　scarlet　lip

temptingly　curled　over；　Clarence　began　to　think　this　latest　phase　of

her　extravagance　the　most　fascinating。　　He　drew　nearer　to　her　as　he

said　gently；　〃You　know　what　I　mean；　Susy。　　You　said　yesterday　you

were　troubled。　　I　thought　you　might　have　something　to　tell　me。〃



〃I　should　think　it　was　YOU　who　might　have　something　to　tell　me　after

all　these　years；〃　she　said　poutingly；　yet　self…possessed。　　〃But　I

suppose　you　came　here　only　to　see　Mary　and　mother。　　I'm　sure　you　let

them　know　that　plainly　enough　last　evening。〃



〃But　you　said〃began　the　stupefied　Clarence。



〃Never　mind　what　I　said。　　It's　always　what　I　say；　never　what　YOU

say；　and　you　don't　say　anything。〃



The　woodland　influence　must　have　been　still　very　strong　upon

Clarence　that　he　did　not　discover　in　all　this　that；　while　Susy's

general　capriciousness　was　unchanged；　there　was　a　new　and　singular

insincerity　in　her　manifest　acting。　　She　was　either　concealing　the

existence　of　some　other　real　emotion；　or　assuming　one　that　was

absent。　　But　he　did　not　notice　it；　and　only　replied　tenderly：