a first family of tasajara-第17章

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him　for　that；〃　he　said　bitterly。　　〃Anyhowdon't　you　think　it's

mighty　queer　his　coming　here　after　his　friendfor　it　was　he　who

introduced　Rice　to　ushad　behaved　so　to　your　sister；　and　caused

all　this　divorce　and　scandal？〃



〃Perhaps　he　may　know　nothing　about　it；　he　and　Rice　separated　long

ago；　even　before　Grant　became　so　famous。　　We　never　saw　much　of　him；

you　know；　after　we　came　here。　　Suppose　you　leave　him　to　ME。　　I'll

see　him。〃



Mr。　Harcourt　reflected。　　〃Didn't　he　used　to　be　rather　attentive　to

Phemie？〃



Clementina　shrugged　her　shoulders　carelessly。　　〃I　dare　saybut　I

don't　think　that　NOW〃



〃Who　said　anything　about　NOW？〃　retorted　her　father；　with　a　return

of　his　old　abruptness。　　After　a　pause　he　said：　〃I'll　go　down　and

see　him　first；　and　then　send　for　you。　　You　can　keep　him　for　the

opening　and　dinner；　if　you　like。〃



Meantime　Lawrence　Grant；　serenely　unsuspicious　of　these　domestic

confidences；　had　been　shown　into　the　parlora　large　room　furnished

in　the　same　style　as　the　drawing…room　of　the　hotel　he　had　just

quitted。　　He　had　ample　time　to　note　that　it　was　that　wonderful

Second　Empire　furniture　which　he　remembered　that　the　early　San

Francisco　pioneers　in　the　first　flush　of　their　wealth　had　imported

directly　from　France；　and　which　for　years　after　gave　an　unexpected

foreign　flavor　to　the　western　domesticity　and　a　tawdry　gilt

equality　to　saloons　and　drawing…rooms；　public　and　private。　　But　he

was　observant　of　a　corresponding　change　in　Harcourt；　when　a　moment

later　he　entered　the　room。　　That　individuality　which　had　kept　the

former　shopkeeper　of　Sidon　distinct　from；　although　perhaps　not

superior　to；　his　customerswas　strongly　marked。　　He　was　perhaps

now　more　nervously　alert　than　then；　he　was　certainly　more　impatient

than　before；but　that　was　pardonable　in　a　man　of　large　affairs　and

action。　　Grant　could　not　deny　that　he　seemed　improved；rather

perhaps　that　the　setting　of　fine　clothes；　cleanliness；　and　the

absence　of　petty　worries；　made　his　characteristics　respectable。

That　which　is　ill　breeding　in　homespun；　is　apt　to　become　mere

eccentricity　in　purple　and　fine　linen；　Grant　felt　that　Harcourt

jarred　on　him　less　than　he　did　before；　and　was　grateful　without

superciliousness。　　Harcourt；　relieved　to　find　that　Grant　was

neither　critical　nor　aggressively　reminiscent；　and　above　all　not

inclined　to　claim　the　credit　of　creating　him　and　Tasajara；　became

more　confident；　more　at　his　ease；　and；　I　fear；　in　proportion　more

unpleasant。　　It　is　the　repose　and　not　the　struggle　of　the　parvenu

that　confounds　us。



〃And　YOU；　Grant；you　have　made　yourself　famous；　and；　I　hear；　have

got　pretty　much　your　own　prices　for　your　opinions　ever　since　it　was

known　that　youyouerwere　connected　with　the　growth　of　Tasajara。〃



Grant　smiled；　he　was　not　quite　prepared　for　this；　but　it　was

amusing　and　would　pass　the　time。　　He　murmured　a　sentence　of　half

ironical　deprecation；　and　Mr。　Harcourt　continued：



〃I　haven't　got　my　San　Francisco　house　here　to　receive　you　in；　but　I

hope　some　day；　sir；　to　see　you　there。　　We　are　only　here　for　the　day

and　night；　but　if　you　care　to　attend　the　opening　ceremonies　at　the

new　hall；　we　can　manage　to　give　you　dinner　afterwards。　　You　can

escort　my　daughter　Clementina；she's　here　with　me。〃



The　smile　of　apologetic　declination　which　had　begun　to　form　on

Grant's　lips　was　suddenly　arrested。　　〃Then　your　daughter　is　here？〃

he　asked；　with　unaffected　interest。



〃Yes；she　is　in　fact　a　patroness　of　the　library　and　sewing…circle；

and　takes　the　greatest　interest　in　it。　　The　Reverend　Doctor

Pilsbury　relies　upon　her　for　everything。　　She　runs　the　society；

even　to　the　training　of　the　young　ladies；　sir。　　You　shall　see　their

exercises。〃



This　was　certainly　a　new　phase　of　Clementina's　character。　　Yet　why

should　she　not　assume　the　role　of　Lady　Bountiful　with　the　other

functions　of　her　new　condition。　　〃I　should　have　thought　Miss

Harcourt　would　have　found　this　rather　difficult　with　her　other

social　duties；〃　he　said；　〃and　would　have　left　it　to　her　married

sister。〃　　He　thought　it　better　not　to　appear　as　if　avoiding

reference　to　Euphemia；　although　quietly　ignoring　her　late

experiences。　　Mr。　Harcourt　was　less　easy　in　his　response。



〃Now　that　Euphemia　is　again　with　her　own　family；〃　he　said

ponderously；　with　an　affectation　of　social　discrimination　that　was

in　weak　contrast　to　his　usual　direct　business　astuteness；　〃I

suppose　she　may　take　her　part　in　these　things；　but　just　now　she

requires　rest。　　You　may　have　heard　some　rumor　that　she　is　going

abroad　for　a　time？　　The　fact　is　she　hasn't　the　least　intention　of

doing　so；　nor　do　we　consider　there　is　the　slightest　reason　for　her

going。〃　　He　paused　as　if　to　give　great　emphasis　to　a　statement　that

seemed　otherwise　unimportant。　　〃But　here's　Clementina　coming；　and　I

must　get　you　to　excuse　ME。　　I've　to　meet　the　trustees　of　the　church

in　ten　minutes；　but　I　hope　she'll　persuade　you　to　stay；　and　I'll

see　you　later　at　the　hall。〃



As　Clementina　entered　the　room　her　father　vanished　and；　I　fear；　as

completely　dropped　out　of　Mr。　Grant's　mind。　　For　the　daughter's

improvement　was　greater　than　her　father's；　yet　so　much　more　refined

as　to　be　at　first　only　delicately　perceptible。　　Grant　had　been

prepared　for　the　vulgar　enhancement　of　fine　clothes　and　personal

adornment；　for　the　specious　setting　of　luxurious　circumstances　and

surroundings；　for　the　aplomb　that　came　from　flattery　and　conscious

power。　　But　he　found　none　of　these；　her　calm　individuality　was

intensified　rather　than　subdued；　she　was　dressed　simply；　with　an

economy　of　ornament；　rich　material；　and　jewelry；　but　an　accuracy　of

taste　that　was　always　dominant。　　Her　plain　gray　merino　dress；

beautifully　fitting　her　figure；　suggested；　with　its　pale　blue

facings；　some　uniform；　as　of　the　charitable　society　she　patronized。

She　came　towards　him　with　a　graceful　movement　of　greeting；　yet　her

face　showed　no　consciousness　of　the　interval　that　had　elapsed　since

they　met；　he　almost　fancied　himself　transported　back　to　the

sitting…room　at　Sidon　with　the　monotonous　patter　of　the　leaves

outside；　and　the　cool　moist　breath　of　the　bay　and　alder　coming　in

at　the　window。



〃Father　says　that　you　are　only　passing　through　Tasajara　to…day；　as

you　did　through　Sidon　five　years　ago；〃　she　said　with　a　smiling

earnestness　that　he　fancied　however　was　the　one　new　phase　of　her

character。　　〃But　I　won't　believe　it！　　At　least　we　will　not　accept

another　visit　quite　as　accidental　as　that；　even　though　you　brought

us　twice　the　good　fortune　you　did　then。　　You　see；　we　have　not

forgotten　it　if　you　have；　Mr。　Grant。　　And　unless　you　want　us　to

believe　that　your　fairy　gifts　will　turn　some　day　to　leaves　and

ashes；　you　will　promise　to　stay　with　us　tonight；　and　let　me　show

you　some　of　the　good　we　have　done　with　them。　　Perhaps　you　don't

know；　or　don't　want　to　know；　that　it　was　I　who　got　up　this　'Library

and　Home　Circle　of　the　Sisters　of　Tasajara'　which　we　are　to　open

to…day。　　And　can　you　imagine　why？　　You　rememberor　have　you

forgottenthat　you　once　affected　to　be　concerned　at　the　social

condition　of　the　young　ladies　on　the　plains　of　Sidon？　　Well；　Mr。

Grant；　this　is　gotten　up　in　order　that　the　future　Mr。　Grants　who

wander　may　find　future　Miss　Billingses　who　are　worthy　to　converse

with　them　and　entertain　them；　and　who　no　longer　wear　men's　hats　and

live　on　the　public　road。〃



It　was　such　a　long　speech　for　one　so　taciturn　as　he　remembered

Clementina　to　have　been；　so　unexpected　in　tone　considering　her

father's　attitude　towards　him；　and　so　unlooked　for　in　its　reference

to　a　slight　incident　of　the　past；　that　Grant's　critical　contemplation

of　her　gave　way　to　a　quiet　and　grateful　glance　of　admiration。　　How

could　he　have　been　so　mistaken　in　her　character？　　He　had　always

preferred　the　outspoken　Euphemia；　and　yet　why　should　he　not　have

been　equally　mistaken　in　her？　　Without　having　any　personal　knowledge

of　Rice's　matrimonial　troublesfor　their　intimate　companion