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第33章

susy, a story of the plains-第33章

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and the discovery of her father; the governor of New Mexico; as a

white…haired; but objectionable vacquero; at the fall of the

curtain。



Through this exciting performance Phoebe sat with a vague and

increasing sense of loneliness and distrust。  She did not know that

Hooker had added to his ordinary inventive exaggeration the form of

dramatic composition。  But she had early detected the singular fact

that such shadowy outlines of plot as the piece possessed were

evidently based on his previous narrative of his OWN experiences;

and the saving of Susy Peytonby himself!  There was the episode of

their being lost on the plains; as he had already related it to her;

with the addition of a few years to Susy's age and some vivid

picturesqueness to himself as Red Dick。  She was not; of course;

aware that the part of the giddy worldling was Jim's own conception

of the character of Clarence。  But what; even to her provincial

taste; seemed the extravagance of the piece; she felt; in some way;

reflected upon the truthfulness of the story she had heard。  It

seemed to be a parody on himself; and in the laughter which some of

the most thrilling points produced in certain of the audience; she

heard an echo of her own doubts。  But even this she could have borne

if Jim's confidence had not been given to the general public; it was

no longer HERS alone; she shared it with them。  And this strange;

bold girl; who acted with him;the 〃Blanche Belville〃 of the

bills;how often he must have told HER the story; and yet how badly

she had learned it!  It was not her own idea of it; nor of HIM。  In

the last extravagant scene she turned her weary and half…shamed eyes

from the stage and looked around the theatre。  Among a group of

loungers by the wall a face that seemed familiar was turned towards

her own with a look of kindly and sympathetic recognition。  It was

the face of Clarence Brant。  When the curtain fell; and she and her

father rose to go; he was at their side。  He seemed older and more

superior looking than she had ever thought him before; and there was

a gentle yet sad wisdom in his eyes and voice that comforted her

even while it made her feel like crying。



〃You are satisfied that no harm has come to our friend;〃 he said

pleasantly。  〃Of course you recognized him?〃



〃Oh; yes; we met him to…day;〃 said Phoebe。  Her provincial pride

impelled her to keep up a show of security and indifference。  〃We

are going to supper with him。〃



Clarence slightly lifted his brows。



〃You are more fortunate than I am;〃 he said smilingly。  〃I only

arrived here at seven; and I must leave at midnight。〃



Phoebe hesitated a moment; then said with affected carelessness:



〃What do you think of the young girl who plays with him?  Do you

know her?  Who is she?〃



He looked at her quickly; and then said; with some surprise:



〃Did he not tell you?〃



〃She WAS the adopted daughter of Mrs。 Peyton;Miss Susan Silsbee;〃

he said gravely。



〃Then she DID run away from home as they said;〃 said Phoebe

impulsively。



〃Not EXACTLY as they said;〃 said Clarence gently。  〃She elected to

make her home with her aunt; Mrs。 McClosky; who is the wife of the

manager of this theatre; and she adopted the profession a month ago。

As it now appears that there was some informality in the old

articles of guardianship; Mrs。 Peyton would have been powerless to

prevent her from doing either; even if she had wished to。〃



The infelicity of questioning Clarence regarding Susy suddenly

flashed upon the forgetful Phoebe; and she colored。  Yet; although

sad; he did not look like a rejected lover。



〃Of course; if she is here with her own relatives; that makes all

the difference;〃 she said gently。  〃It is protection。〃



〃Certainly;〃 said Clarence。



〃And;〃 continued Phoebe hesitatingly; 〃she is playing withwithan

old friendMr。 Hooker!〃



〃That is quite proper; too; considering their relations;〃 said

Clarence tolerantly。



〃Idon'tunderstand;〃 stammered Phoebe。



The slightly cynical smile on Clarence's face changed as he looked

into Phoebe's eyes。



〃I've just heard that they are married;〃 he returned gently。





CHAPTER XII。





Nowhere had the long season of flowers brought such glory as to the

broad plains and slopes of Robles Rancho。  By some fortuitous chance

of soil; or flood; or drifting pollen; the three terraces had each

taken a distinct and separate blossom and tint of color。  The

straggling line of corral; the crumbling wall of the old garden; the

outlying chapel; and even the brown walls of the casa itself; were

half sunken in the tall racemes of crowding lupines; until from the

distance they seemed to be slowly settling in the profundity of a

dark…blue sea。  The second terrace was a league…long flow of gray

and gold daisies; in which the cattle dazedly wandered mid…leg deep。

A perpetual sunshine of yellow dandelions lay upon the third。  The

gentle slope to the dark…green canada was a broad cataract of

crimson poppies。  Everywhere where water had stood; great patches of

color had taken its place。  It seemed as if the rains had ceased

only that the broken heavens might drop flowers。



Never before had its beautya beauty that seemed built upon a

cruel; youthful; obliterating forgetfulness of the paststruck

Clarence as keenly as when he had made up his mind that he must

leave the place forever。  For the tale of his mischance and ill…

fortune; as told by Hopkins; was unfortunately true。  When he

discovered that in his desire to save Peyton's house by the purchase

of the Sisters' title he himself had been the victim of a gigantic

fraud; he accepted the loss of the greater part of his fortune with

resignation; and was even satisfied by the thought that he had at

least effected the possession of the property for Mrs。 Peyton。  But

when he found that those of his tenants who had bought under him had

acquired only a dubious possession of their lands and no title; he

had unhesitatingly reimbursed them for their improvements with the

last of his capital。  Only the lawless Gilroy had good…humoredly

declined。  The quiet acceptance of the others did not; unfortunately;

preclude their settled belief that Clarence had participated in the

fraud; and that even now his restitution was making a dangerous

precedent; subversive of the best interests of the State; and

discouraging to immigration。  Some doubted his sanity。  Only one;

struck with the sincerity of his motive; hesitated to take his

money; with a look of commiseration on his face。



〃Are you not satisfied?〃 asked Clarence; smiling。



〃Yes; but〃



〃But what?〃



〃Nothin'。  Only I was thinkin' that a man like you must feel awful

lonesome in Calforny!〃



Lonely he was; indeed; but his loneliness was not the loss of

fortune nor what it might bring。  Perhaps he had never fully

realized his wealth; it had been an accident rather than a custom of

his life; and when it had failed in the only test he had made of its

power; it is to be feared that he only sentimentally regretted it。

It was too early yet for him to comprehend the veiled blessings of

the catastrophe in its merciful disruption of habits and ways of

life; his loneliness was still the hopeless solitude left by

vanished ideals and overthrown idols。  He was satisfied that he had

never cared for Susy; but he still cared for the belief that he had。



After the discovery of Pedro's body that fatal morning; a brief but

emphatic interview between himself and Mrs。 McClosky had followed。

He had insisted upon her immediately accompanying Susy and himself

to Mrs。 Peyton in San Francisco。  Horror…stricken and terrified at

the catastrophe; and frightened by the strange looks of the excited

servants; they did not dare to disobey him。  He had left them with

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

spoke only of the catastrophe; shielding the woman from the

pr

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