the argonauts of north liberty-第14章

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unconsciously　feared　her。　　The　strong　man　whose　dominance　over　men
and　women　alike　had　been　his　salient　characteristic；　had　begun　to
feel　an　undefinable　sense　of　some　unrecognized　quality　in　the　woman
he　loved。　　He　had　once　or　twice　detected　it　in　a　tone　of　her　voice；
in　a　remembered　and　perhaps　even　once　idolized　gesture；　or　in　the
accidental　lapse　of　some　bewildering　word。　　With　the　generosity　of
a　large　nature　he　had　put　the　thought　aside；　referring　it　to　some
selfish　weakness　of　his　own；　ormore　fatuous　than　allto　a
possible　diminution　of　his　own　affection。

He　was　standing　on　the　steps　ready　to　receive　her。　　Few　of　her
appreciative　sex　could　have　remained　indifferent　to　the　tender　and
touching　significance　of　his　silent　and　subdued　welcome。　　He　had
that　piteous　wistfulness　of　eye　seen　in　some　dogs　and　the　husbands
of　many　charming　womenthe　affection　that　pardons　beforehand　the
indifference　it　has　learned　to　expect。　　She　approached　him　smiling
in　her　turn；　meeting　the　sublime　patience　of　being　unloved　with
the　equally　resigned　patience　of　being　loved；　and　feeling　that
comforting　sense　of　virtue　which　might　become　a　bore；　but　never　a
self…reproach。　　For　the　rest；　she　was　prettier　than　ever；　her　five
years　of　expanded　life　had　slightly　rounded　the　elongated　oval　of
her　face；　filled　up　the　ascetic　hollows　of　her　temples；　and　freed
the　repression　of　her　mouth　and　chin。　　A　more　genial　climate　had
quickened　the　circulation　that　North　Liberty　had　arrested；　and
suffused　the　transparent　beauty　of　her　skin　with　eloquent　life。　　It
seemed　as　if　the　long；　protracted　northern　spring　of　her　youth　had
suddenly　burst　into　a　summer　of　womanhood　under　those　gentle　skies；
and　yet　enough　of　her　puritan　precision　of　manner；　movement；　and
gesture　remained　to　temper　her　fuller　and　more　exuberant　life　and
give　it　repose。　　In　a　community　of　pretty　women　more　or　less　given
to　the　license　and　extravagance　of　the　epoch；　she　always　looked
like　a　lady。

He　took　her　in　his　arms　and　half…lifted　her　up　the　last　step　of　the
veranda。　　She　resisted　slightly　with　her　characteristic　action　of
catching　his　wrists　in　both　her　hands　and　holding　him　off　with　an
awkward　primness；　and　almost　in　the　same　tone　that　she　had　used　to
Edward　Blandford　five　years　before；　said：

〃There；　Dick；　that　will　do。〃


CHAPTER　II


Demorest's　dream　of　a　few　days'　conjugal　seclusion　and　confidences
with　his　wife　was　quickly　dispelled　by　that　lady。　　〃I　came　down
with　Rosita　Pico；　whose　father；　you　know；　once　owned　this
property；〃　she　said。　　〃She's　gone　on　to　her　cousins　at　Los　Osos
Rancho　to…night；　but　comes　here　to…morrow　for　a　visit。　　She　knows
the　place　well；　in　fact；　she　once　had　a　romantic　love　affair　here。
But　she　is　very　entertaining。　　It　will　be　a　little　change　for　us；〃
she　added；　naively。

Demorest　kept　back　a　sigh；　without　changing　his　gentle　smile。　　〃I'm
glad　for　your　sake；　dear。　　But　is　she　not　a　little　flighty　and
inclined　to　flirt　a　good　deal？　　I　think　I've　heard　so。〃

〃She's　a　young　girl　who　has　been　severely　tried；　Richard；　and
perhaps　is　not　to　blame　for　endeavoring　to　forget　it　in　such
distraction　as　she　can　find；〃　said　Mrs。　Demorest；　with　a　slight
return　of　her　old　manner。　　〃I　can　understand　her　feelings
perfectly。〃　　She　looked　pointedly　at　her　husband　as　she　spoke；　it
being　one　of　her　late　habits　to　openly　refer　to　their　ante…nuptial
acquaintance　as　a　natural　reaction　from　the　martyrdom　of　her　first
marriage；　with　a　quiet　indifference　that　seemed　almost　an
indelicacy。　　But　her　husband　only　said：　〃As　you　like；　dear；〃
vaguely　remembering　Dona　Rosita　as　the　alleged　heroine　of　a
forgotten　romance　with　some　earlier　American　adventurer　who　had
disappeared；　and　trying　vainly　to　reconcile　his　wife's　sentimental
description　of　her　with　his　own　recollection　of　the　buxom；　pretty；
laughing；　but　dangerous…eyed　Spanish　girl　he　had；　however；　seen　but
once。

She　arrived　the　next　day；　flying　into　a　protracted　embrace　of　Joan；
which　included　a　smiling　recognition　of　Demorest　with　an　unoccupied
blue　eye；　and　a　shake　of　her　fan　over　his　wife's　shoulder。　　Then
she　drew　back　and　seemed　to　take　in　the　whole　veranda　and　garden　in
another　long　caress　of　her　eyes。　　〃Ah…yess！　　I　have　recog…nized　it；
mooch。　　It　es　ze　same。　　Of　no　changenot　even　of　a　leetle。　　No；
she　ess　alwaysesso。〃　　She　stopped；　looked　unutterable　things　at
Joan；　pressed　her　fan　below　a　spray　of　roses　on　her　full　bodice　as
if　to　indicate　some　thrilling　memory　beneath　it；　shook　her　head
again；　suddenly　caught　sight　of　Demorest's　serious　face；　said：　〃Ah；
that　brigand　of　our　husband　laughs　himself　at　me；〃　and　then　herself
broke　into　a　charming　ripple　of　laughter。

〃But　I　was　not　laughing；　Dona　Rosita；〃　said　Demorest；　smiling
sadly；　however；　in　spite　of　himself。

She　made　a　little　grimace；　and　then　raised　her　elbows；　slightly
lifting　her　shoulders。　　〃As　it　shall　please　you；　Senor。　　But　he　is
gonethees　passion。　　Yesswhat　you　shall　call　thees　sentiment　of
lofzoas　he　came！〃　　She　threw　her　fingers　in　the　air　as　if　to
illustrate　the　volatile　and　transitory　passage　of　her　affections；
and　then　turned　again　to　Joan　with　her　back　towards　Demorest。

〃Do　please　go　onDona　Rosita；〃　said　he；　〃I　never　heard　the　real
story。　　If　there　is　any　romance　about　my　house；　I'd　like　to　know
it；〃　he　added　with　a　faint　sigh。

Dona　Rosita　wheeled　upon　him　with　an　inquiring　little　look。　　〃Ah；
you　have　the　sentiment；　and　YOU；〃　she　continued；　taking　Joan　by　the
arms；　〃YOU　have　not。　　Eet　ess　good　so。　　When　athe　wife；〃　she
continued　boldly；　hazarding　an　extended　English　abstraction；　〃he
has　the　sentimente　and　the　hoosband　he　has　nothing；　eet　is　not
goodfor　a…himze　wife；〃　she　concluded　triumphantly。

〃But　I　have　great　appreciation　and　I　am　dying　to　hear　it；〃　said
Demorest；　trying　to　laugh。

〃Well；　poor　one；　you　look　so。　　But　you　shall　lif　till　another
time；〃　said　Dona　Rosita；　with　a　mock　courtesy；　gliding　with　Joan
away。

The　〃other　time〃　came　that　evening　when　chocolate　was　served　on　the
veranda；　where　Dona　Rosita；　mantilla…draped　against　the　dry；　clear；
moonlit　air；　sat　at　the　feet　of　Joan　on　the　lowest　step。　　Demorest；
uneasily　observant　of　the　influence　of　the　giddy　foreigner　on　his
wife；　and　conscious　of　certain　confidences　between　them　from　which
he　was　excluded；　leaned　against　a　pillar　of　the　porch　in　half
abstracted　resignation；　Joan；　under　the　tutelage　of　Rosita；　lit　a
cigarette；　Demorest　gazed　at　her　wonderingly；　trying　to　recall；　in
her　fuller　and　more　animated　face；　some　memory　of　the　pale；　refined
profile　of　the　Puritan　girl　he　had　first　met　in　the　Boston　train；
the　faint　aurora　of　whose　cheek　in　that　northern　clime　seemed　to
come　and　go　with　his　words。　　Becoming　conscious　at　last　of　the　eyes
of　Dona　Rosita　watching　him　from　below；　with　an　effort　he　recalled
his　duty　as　her　host　and　gallantly　reminded　her　that　moonlight　and
the　hour　seemed　expressly　fitted　for　her　promised　love　story。

〃Do　tell　it；〃　said　Joan；　〃I　don't　mind　hearing　it　again。〃

〃Then　you　know　it　already？〃　said　Demorest；　surprised。

Joan　took　the　cigarette　from　her　lips；　laughed　complacently；　and
exchanged　a　familiar　glance　with　Rosita。　　〃She　told　it　me　a　year
ago；　when　we　first　knew　each　other；〃　she　replied。　　〃Go　on；　dear；〃
to　Rosita。

Thus　encouraged；　Dona　Rosita　began；　addressing　herself　first　in
Spanish　to　Demorest；　who　understood　the　language　better　than　his
wife；　and　lapsing　into　her　characteristic　English　as　she　appealed
to　them　both。　　It　was　really　very　little　to　interest　Don　Ricardo
this　story　of　a　silly　muchacha　like　herself　and　a　strange
caballero。　　He　would　go　to　sleep　while　she　was　talking；　and　to…
night　he　would　say　to　his　wife；　〃Mother　of　God！　why　have　you
brought　here　this　chattering　parrot　who　speaks　but　of　one　thing？〃
But　she　would　go　on　always　like　the　windmill；　whether　there　was
grain　to　grind　or　no。　　〃It　was　four　years　ago。　　Ah！　Don　Ricardo　did
not　remember　the　country　thenit　was　when　the　first　Americans
camenow　it　is　different。　　Then　there　were　no　coachesin　truth
one　travelled　very　little；　and　always　on　horseback；　only　to　see
one's　neighbors。　　And　suddenly；　as　if　in　one　day；　it　was　changed；
there　were　strange　men　on　the　roa