susy, a story of the plains-第35章

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home。　　She　had　told　him　of　it　once　before；　and　of　her　delight　in　it；

and　he　had　once　thought　how　happy　he　should　be　to　see　it　with　her。



The　servant　who　took　his　horse　told　him　that　the　senora　had　arrived

that　morning　from　Santa　Inez；　bringing　with　her　the　two　Senoritas

Hernandez　from　the　rancho　of　Los　Canejos；　and　that　other　guests　were

expected。　　And　there　was　the　Senor　Sanderson　and　his　Reverence　Padre

Esteban。　　Truly　an　affair　of　hospitality；　the　first　since　the　padron

died。　　Whatever　dream　Clarence　might　have　had　of　opportunities　for

confidential　interview　was　rudely　dispelled。　　Yet　Mrs。　Peyton　had

left　orders　to　be　informed　at　once　of　Don　Clarencio's　arrival。



As　he　crossed　the　patio　and　stepped　upon　the　corridor　he　fancied　he

already　detected　in　the　internal　arrangements　the　subtle　influence

of　Mrs。　Peyton's　taste　and　the　indefinable　domination　of　the

mistress。　　For　an　instant　he　thought　of　anticipating　the　servant　and

seeking　her　in　the　boudoir；　but　some　instinct　withheld　him；　and　he

turned　into　the　study　which　he　had　used　as　an　office。　　It　was　empty；

a　few　embers　glimmered　on　the　hearth。　　At　the　same　moment　there　was

a　light　step　behind　him；　and　Mrs。　Peyton　entered　and　closed　the　door

behind　her。　　She　was　very　beautiful。　　Although　paler　and　thinner；

there　was　an　odd　sort　of　animation　about　her；　so　unlike　her　usual

repose　that　it　seemed　almost　feverish。



〃I　thought　we　could　talk　together　a　few　moments　before　the　guests

arrive。　　The　house　will　be　presently　so　full；　and　my　duties　as

hostess　commence。〃



〃I　wasabout　to　seek　youinin　the　boudoir；〃　hesitated　Clarence。



She　gave　an　impatient　shiver。



〃Good　heavens；　not　there！　　I　shall　never　go　there　again。　　I　should

fancy　every　time　I　looked　out　of　the　window　that　I　saw　the　head　of

that　man　between　the　bars。　　No！　I　am　only　thankful　that　I　wasn't

here　at　the　time；　and　that　I　can　keep　my　remembrance　of　the　dear　old

place　unchanged。〃　　She　checked　herself　a　little　abruptly；　and　then

added　somewhat　irrelevantly　but　cheerfully；　〃Well；　you　have　been

away？　　What　have　you　done？〃



〃Nothing；〃　said　Clarence。



〃Then　you　have　kept　your　promise；〃　she　said；　with　the　same　nervous

hilarity。



〃I　have　returned　here　without　making　any　other　engagement；〃　he　said

gravely；　〃but　I　have　not　altered　my　determination。〃



She　shrugged　her　shoulders　again；　or；　as　it　seemed；　the　skin　of　her

tightly　fitting　black　dress　above　them；　with　the　sensitive　shiver　of

a　highly　groomed　horse；　and　moved　to　the　hearth　as　if　for　warmth；

put　her　slim；　slippered　foot　upon　the　low　fender；　drawing；　with　a

quick　hand；　the　whole　width　of　her　skirt　behind　her　until　it

clingingly　accented　the　long；　graceful　curve　from　her　hip　to　her

feet。　　All　this　was　so　unlike　her　usual　fastidiousness　and　repose

that　he　was　struck　by　it。　　With　her　eyes　on　the　glowing　embers　of

the　hearth；　and　tentatively　advancing　her　toe　to　its　warmth　and

drawing　it　away；　she　said：



〃Of　course；　you　must　please　yourself。　　I　am　afraid　I　have　no　right

except　that　of　habit　and　custom　to　keep　you　here；　and　you　know；〃　she

added；　with　an　only　half…withheld　bitterness；　〃that　they　are　not

always　very　effective　with　young　people　who　prefer　to　have　the

ordering　of　their　own　lives。　　But　I　have　something　still　to　tell　you

before　you　finally　decide。　　I　have；　as　you　know；　been　looking　over

myover　Mr。　Peyton's　papers　very　carefully。　　Well；　as　a　result；　I

find；　Mr。　Brant；　that　there　is　no　record　whatever　of　his　wonderfully

providential　purchase　of　the　Sisters'　title　from　you；　that　he　never

entered　into　any　written　agreement　with　you；　and　never　paid　you　a

cent；　and　that；　furthermore；　his　papers　show　me　that　he　never　even

contemplated　it；　nor；　indeed；　even　knew　of　YOUR　owning　the　title

when　he　died。　　Yes；　Mr。　Brant；　it　was　all　to　YOUR　foresight　and

prudence；　and　YOUR　generosity　alone；　that　we　owe　our　present

possession　of　the　rancho。　　When　you　helped　us　into　that　awful

window；　it　was　YOUR　house　we　were　entering；　and　if　it　had　been　YOU；

and　not　those　wretches；　who　had　chosen　to　shut　the　doors　on　us　after

the　funeral；　we　could　never　have　entered　here　again。　　Don't　deny　it；

Mr。　Brant。　　I　have　suspected　it　a　long　time；　and　when　you　spoke　of

changing　YOUR　position；　I　determined　to　find　out　if　it　wasn't　I　who

had　to　leave　the　house　rather　than　you。　　One　moment；　please。　　And　I

did　find　out；　and　it　WAS　I。　　Don't　speak；　please；　yet。　　And　now；〃

she　said；　with　a　quick　return　to　her　previous　nervous　hilarity；

〃knowing　this；　as　you　did；　and　knowing；　too；　that　I　would　know　it

when　I　examined　the　papers；don't　speak；　I'm　not　through　yet；

don't　you　think　that　it　was　just　a　LITTLE　cruel　for　you　to　try　to

hurry　me；　and　make　me　come　here　instead　of　your　coming　to　ME　in　San

Francisco；　when　I　gave　you　leave　for　that　purpose？〃



〃But；　Mrs。　Peyton；〃　gasped　Clarence。



〃Please　don't　interrupt　me；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　touch　of　her　old

imperiousness；　〃for　in　a　moment　I　must　join　my　guests。　　When　I　found

you　wouldn't　tell　me；　and　left　it　to　me　to　find　out；　I　could　only　go

away　as　I　did；　and　really　leave　you　to　control　what　I　believed　was

your　own　property。　　And　I　thought；　too；　that　I　understood　your

motives；　and；　to　be　frank　with　you；　that　worried　me；　for　I　believed

I　knew　the　disposition　and　feelings　of　a　certain　person　better　than

yourself。〃



〃One　moment；〃　broke　out　Clarence；　〃you　MUST　hear　me；　now。　　Foolish

and　misguided　as　that　purchase　may　have　been；　I　swear　to　you　I　had

only　one　motive　in　making　it；to　save　the　homestead　for　you　and

your　husband；　who　had　been　my　first　and　earliest　benefactors。　　What

the　result　of　it　was；　you；　as　a　business　woman；　know；　your　friends

know；　your　lawyer　will　tell　you　the　same。　　You　owe　me　nothing。　　I

have　given　you　nothing　but　the　repossession　of　this　property；　which

any　other　man　could　have　done；　and　perhaps　less　stupidly　than　I　did。

I　would　not　have　forced　you　to　come　here　to　hear　this　if　I　had

dreamed　of　your　suspicions；　or　even　if　I　had　simply　understood　that

you　would　see　me　in　San　Francisco　as　I　passed　through。〃



〃Passed　through？　　Where　were　you　going？〃　she　said　quickly。



〃To　Sacramento。〃



The　abrupt　change　in　her　manner　startled　him　to　a　recollection　of

Susy；　and　he　blushed。　　She　bit　her　lips；　and　moved　towards　the

window。



〃Then　you　saw　her？〃　she　said；　turning　suddenly　towards　him。　　The

inquiry　of　her　beautiful　eyes　was　more　imperative　than　her　speech。



Clarence　recognized　quickly　what　he　thought　was　his　cruel　blunder　in

touching　the　half…healed　wound　of　separation。　　But　he　had　gone　too

far　to　be　other　than　perfectly　truthful　now。



〃Yes；　I　saw　her　on　the　stage；〃　he　said；　with　a　return　of　his　boyish

earnestness；　〃and　I　learned　something　which　I　wanted　you　to　first

hear　from　me。　　She　is　MARRIED；and　to　Mr。　Hooker；　who　is　in　the

same　theatrical　company　with　her。　　But　I　want　you　to　think；　as　I

honestly　do；　that　it　is　the　best　for　her。　　She　has　married　in　her

profession；　which　is　a　great　protection　and　a　help　to　her　success；

and　she　has　married　a　man　who　can　look　lightly　upon　certain

qualities　in　her　that　others　might　not　be　so　lenient　to。　　His　worst

faults　are　on　the　surface；　and　will　wear　away　in　contact　with　the

world；　and　he　looks　up　to　her　as　his　superior。　　I　gathered　this　from

her　friend；　for　I　did　not　speak　with　her　myself；　I　did　not　go　there

to　see　her。　　But　as　I　expected　to　be　leaving　you　soon；　I　thought　it

only　right　that　as　I　was　the　humble　means　of　first　bringing　her　into

your　life；　I　should　bring　you　this　last　news；　which　I　suppose　takes

her　out　of　it　forever。　　Only　I　want　you　to　believe　that　YOU　have

nothing　to　regret；　and　that　SHE　is　neither　lost　nor　unhappy。〃



The　expression　of　suspicious　inquiry　on　her　face　when　he　began

changed　gradually　to　perplexity　as　he　continued；　and　then　relaxed

into　a　faint；　peculiar　smile。　　But　there　was　not　the　slightest　trace

of　that　pain；　wounded　pride；　indignation；　or　anger；　that　he　had

expected　t