susy, a story of the plains-第17章

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mingled　sense　of　grace　and　comfort。　　There　was　a　womanly　refinement

in　its　careless　negligence；　and　even　the　delicate　wrapper　of

Japanese　silk；　gathered　at　the　waist　and　falling　in　easy　folds　to

the　feet　of　the　graceful　mistress　of　this　charming　disorder；　looked

a　part　of　its　refined　abandonment。



Clarence　hesitated　as　on　the　threshold　of　some　sacred　shrine。　　But

Mrs。　Peyton；　with　her　own　hands；　cleared　a　space　for　him　on　the

lounge。



〃You　will　easily　suspect　from　all　this　disorder；　Mr。　Brant；　that　I

spend　a　greater　part　of　my　time　here；　and　that　I　seldom　see　much

company。　　Mr。　Peyton　occasionally　comes　in　long　enough　to　stumble

over　a　footstool　or　upset　a　vase；　and　I　think　Mary　and　Susy　avoid　it

from　a　firm　conviction　that　there　is　work　concealed　in　these

baskets。　　But　I　have　my　books　here；　and　in　the　afternoons；　behind

these　thick　walls；　one　forgets　the　incessant　stir　and　restlessness

of　the　dreadful　winds　outside。　　Just　now　you　were　foolish　enough　to

tempt　them　while　you　were　nervous；　or　worried；　or　listless。　　Take　my

word　for　it；　it's　a　great　mistake。　　There　is　no　more　use　fighting

them；　as　I　tell　Mr。　Peyton；　than　of　fighting　the　people　born　under

them。　　I　have　my　own　opinion　that　these　winds　were　sent　only　to　stir

this　lazy　race　of　mongrels　into　activity；　but　they　are　enough　to

drive　us　Anglo…Saxons　into　nervous　frenzy。　　Don't　you　think　so？　　But

you　are　young　and　energetic；　and　perhaps　you　are　not　affected　by

them。〃



She　spoke　pleasantly　and　playfully；　yet　with　a　certain　nervous

tension　of　voice　and　manner　that　seemed　to　illustrate　her　theory。

At　least；　Clarence；　in　quick　sympathy　with　her　slightest　emotion；

was　touched　by　it。　　There　is　no　more　insidious　attraction　in　the

persons　we　admire；　than　the　belief　that　we　know　and　understand　their

unhappiness；　and　that　our　admiration　for　them　is　lifted　higher　than

a　mere　mutual　instinctive　sympathy　with　beauty　or　strength。　　This

adorable　woman　had　suffered。　　The　very　thought　aroused　his　chivalry。

It　loosened；　also；　I　fear；　his　quick；　impulsive　tongue。



Oh；　yes；　he　knew　it。　　He　had　lived　under　this　whip　of　air　and　sky

for　three　years；　alone　in　a　Spanish　rancho；　with　only　the　native

peons　around　him；　and　scarcely　speaking　his　own　tongue　even　to　his

guardian。　　He　spent　his　mornings　on　horseback　in　fields　like　these；

until　the　vientos　generales；　as　they　called　them；　sprang　up　and

drove　him　nearly　frantic；　and　his　only　relief　was　to　bury　himself

among　the　books　in　his　guardian's　library；　and　shut　out　the　world；

just　as　she　did。　　The　smile　which　hovered　around　the　lady's　mouth　at

that　moment　arrested　Clarence；　with　a　quick　remembrance　of　their

former　relative　positions；　and　a　sudden　conviction　of　his

familiarity　in　suggesting　an　equality　of　experience；　and　he　blushed。

But　Mrs。　Peyton　diverted　his　embarrassment　with　an　air　of　interested

absorption　in　his　story；　and　said：



〃Then　you　know　these　people　thoroughly；　Mr。　Brant？　　I　am　afraid　that

WE　do　not。〃



Clarence　had　already　gathered　that　fact　within　the　last　few　days；

and；　with　his　usual　impulsive　directness；　said　so。　　A　slight

knitting　of　Mrs。　Peyton's　brows　passed　off；　however；　as　he　quickly

and　earnestly　went　on　to　say　that　it　was　impossible　for　the　Peytons

in　their　present　relations　to　the　natives　to　judge　them；　or　to　be

judged　by　them　fairly。　　How　they　were　a　childlike　race；　credulous

and　trustful；　but；　like　all　credulous　and　trustful　people；　given　to

retaliate　when　imposed　upon　with　a　larger　insincerity；　exaggeration；

and　treachery。　　How　they　had　seen　their　houses　and　lands　occupied　by

strangers；　their　religion　scorned；　their　customs　derided；　their

patriarchal　society　invaded　by　hollow　civilization　or　frontier

brutalityall　this　fortified　by　incident　and　illustration；　the

outcome　of　some　youthful　experience；　and　given　with　the　glowing

enthusiasm　of　conviction。　　Mrs。　Peyton　listened　with　the　usual

divided　feminine　interest　between　subject　and　speaker。



Where　did　this　rough；　sullen　boyas　she　had　known　himpick　up　this

delicate　and　swift　perception；　this　reflective　judgment；　and　this

odd　felicity　of　expression？　　It　was　not　possible　that　it　was　in　him

while　he　was　the　companion　of　her　husband's　servants　or　the

recognized　〃chum〃　of　the　scamp　Hooker。　　No。　　But　if　HE　could　have

changed　like　this；　why　not　Susy？　　Mrs。　Peyton；　in　the　conservatism

of　her　sex；　had　never　been　quite　free　from　fears　of　her　adopted

daughter's　hereditary　instincts；　but；　with　this　example　before　her；

she　now　took　heart。　　Perhaps　the　change　was　coming　slowly；　perhaps

even　now　what　she　thought　was　indifference　and　coldness　was　only

some　abnormal　preparation　or　condition。　　But　she　only　smiled　and

said：



〃Then；　if　you　think　those　people　have　been　wronged；　you　are　not　on

our　side；　Mr。　Brant？〃



What　to　an　older　and　more　worldly　man　would　have　seemed；　and

probably　was；　only　a　playful　reproach；　struck　Clarence　deeply；　and

brought　his　pent…up　feelings　to　his　lips。



〃YOU　have　never　wronged　them。　　You　couldn't　do　it；　it　isn't　in　your

nature。　　I　am　on　YOUR　side；　and　for　you　and　yours　always；　Mrs。

Peyton。　　From　the　first　time　I　saw　you　on　the　plains；　when　I　was

brought；　a　ragged　boy；　before　you　by　your　husband；　I　think　I　would

gladly　have　laid　down　my　life　for　you。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you　now

that　I　was　even　jealous　of　poor　Susy；　so　anxious　was　I　for　the

smallest　share　in　your　thoughts；　if　only　for　a　moment。　　You　could

have　done　anything　with　me　you　wished；　and　I　should　have　been

happy；far　happier　than　I　have　been　ever　since。　　I　tell　you　this；

Mrs。　Peyton；　now；　because　you　have　just　doubted　if　I　might　be　'on

your　side；'　but　I　have　been　longing　to　tell　it　all　to　you　before；

and　it　is　that　I　am　ready　to　do　anything　you　want；all　you　want；

to　be　on　YOUR　SIDE　and　at　YOUR　SIDE；　now　and　forever。〃



He　was　so　earnest　and　hearty；　and　above　all　so　appallingly　and

blissfully　happy；　in　this　relief　of　his　feelings；　smiling　as　if　it

were　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world；　and　so　absurdly

unconscious　of　his　twenty…two　years；　his　little　brown　curling

mustache；　the　fire　in　his　wistful；　yearning　eyes；　and；　above　all；　of

his　clasped　hands　and　lover…like　attitude；　that　Mrs。　Peytonat

first　rigid　as　stone；　then　suffused　to　the　eyescast　a　hasty　glance

round　the　apartment；　put　her　handkerchief　to　her　face；　and　laughed

like　a　girl。



At　which　Clarence；　by　no　means　discomposed；　but　rather　accepting　her

emotion　as　perfectly　natural；　joined　her　heartily；　and　added：



〃It's　so；　Mrs。　Peyton；　I'm　glad　I　told　you。　　You　don't　mind　it；　do

you？〃



But　Mrs。　Peyton　had　resumed　her　gravity；　and　perhaps　a　touch　of　her

previous　misgivings。



〃I　should　certainly　be　very　sorry；〃　she　said；　looking　at　him

critically；　〃to　object　to　your　sharing　your　old　friendship　for　your

little　playmate　with　her　parents　and　guardians；　or　to　your

expressing　it　to　THEM　as　frankly　as　to　her。〃



She　saw　the　quick　change　in　his　mobile　face　and　the　momentary　arrest

of　its　happy　expression。　　She　was　frightened　and　yet　puzzled。　　It

was　not　the　sensitiveness　of　a　lover　at　the　mention　of　the　loved

one's　name；　and　yet　it　suggested　an　uneasy　consciousness。　　If　his

previous　impulsive　outburst　had　been　prompted　honestly；　or　even

artfully；　by　his　passion　for　Susy；　why　had　he　looked　so　shocked　when

she　spoke　of　her？



But　Clarence；　whose　emotion　had　been　caused　by　the　sudden　recall　of

his　knowledge　of　Susy's　own　disloyalty　to　the　woman　whose　searching

eyes　were　upon　him；　in　his　revulsion　against　the　deceit　was；　for　an

instant；　upon　the　point　of　divulging　all。　　Perhaps；　if　Mrs。　Peyton

had　shown　more　confidence；　he　would　have　done　so；　and　materially

altered　the　evolution　of　this　story。　　But；　happily；　it　is　upon　these

slight　human　weaknesses　that　your　romancer　depends；　and　Clarence；

with　no　other　reason　than　the　instinctive　sympathy　of　youth　with

youth　in　its　opposition　to　wisdom　and　experience；　let　the

opportunity　pass；　and　took　the　respon