a first family of tasajara-第36章

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He　was　too　much　engaged　in　watching　her　to　take　note　of　Fletcher's

manifest　disturbance；　or　the　evident　effort　with　which　he　at　last

bowed　to　her。　　That　this　unexpected　double　meeting　with　the

daughter　of　the　man　he　had　wronged；　and　the　man　who　had　espoused

the　quarrel；　should　be　confounding　to　him　appeared　only　natural。

But　he　was　unprepared　to　understand　the　feverish　alacrity　with

which　he　accepted　Dona　Maria's　invitation　to　chocolate；　or　the

equally　animated　way　in　which　Clementina　threw　herself　into　her

hostess's　Spanish　levity。　　He　knew　it　was　an　awkward　situation；

that　must　be　surmounted　without　a　scene；　he　was　quite　prepared　in

the　presence　of　Clementina　to　be　civil　to　Fletcher；　but　it　was　odd

that　in　this　feverish　exchange　of　courtesies　and　compliments　HE；

Grant；　should　feel　the　greater　awkwardness　and　be　the　most　ill　at

ease。　　He　sat　down　and　took　his　part　in　the　conversation；　he　let　it

transpire　for　Clementina's　benefit　that　he　had　been　to　Los　Gatos

only　on　business；　yet　there　was　no　opportunity　for　even　a

significant　glance；　and　he　had　the　added　embarrassment　of　seeing

that　she　exhibited　no　surprise　nor　seemed　to　attach　the　least

importance　to　his　inopportune　visit。　　In　a　miserable　indecision　he

allowed　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　the　high…flown　hospitality　of

his　Spanish　hostess；　and　consented　to　stay　to　an　early　dinner。　　It

was　part　of　the　infelicity　of　circumstance　that　the　voluble　Dona

Mariaelecting　him　as　the　distinguished　stranger　above　the

resident　Fletchermonopolized　him　and　attached　him　to　her　side。

She　would　do　the　honors　of　her　house；　she　must　show　him　the　ruins

of　the　old　Mission　beside　the　corral；　Don　Diego　and　Clementina

would　join　them　presently　in　the　garden。　　He　cast　a　despairing

glance　at　the　placidly　smiling　Clementina；　who　was　apparently

equally　indifferent　to　the　evident　constraint　and　assumed　ease　of

the　man　beside　her；　and　turned　away　with　Mrs。　Ramirez。



A　silence　fell　upon　the　gallery　so　deep　that　the　receding　voices

and　footsteps　of　Grant　and　his　hostess　in　the　long　passage　were

distinctly　heard　until　they　reached　the　end。　　Then　Fletcher　arose

with　an　inarticulate　exclamation。　　Clementina　instantly　put　her

finger　to　her　lips；　glanced　around　the　gallery；　extended　her　hand

to　him；　and　saying　〃Come；〃　half…led；　half…dragged　him　into　the

passage。　　To　the　right　she　turned　and　pushed　open　the　door　of　a

small　room　that　seemed　a　combination　of　boudoir　and　oratory；　lit　by

a　French　window　opening　to　the　garden；　and　flanked　by　a　large　black

and　white　crucifix　with　a　prie　Dieu　beneath　it。　　Closing　the　door

behind　them　she　turned　and　faced　her　companion。　　But　it　was　no

longer　the　face　of　the　woman　who　had　been　sitting　in　the　gallery；

it　was　the　face　that　had　looked　back　at　her　from　the　mirror　at

Tasajara　the　night　that　Grant　had　left　hereager；　flushed；

material　with　commonplace　excitement！



〃'Lige　Curtis；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；〃　he　answered　passionately；　〃Lige　Curtis；　whom　you　thought

dead！　　'Lige　Curtis；　whom　you　once　pitied；　condoled　with　and

despised！　　'Lige　Curtis；　whose　lands　and　property　have　enriched

you！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　would　have　shared　it　with　you　freely　at　the

time；　but　whom　your　father　juggled　and　defrauded　of　it！　　'Lige

Curtis；　branded　by　him　as　a　drunken　outcast　and　suicide！　　'Lige

Curtis〃



〃Hush！〃　　She　clapped　her　little　hand　over　his　mouth　with　a　quick

but　awkward　schoolgirl　gesture；　inconceivable　to　any　who　had　known

her　usual　languid　elegance　of　motion；　and　held　it　there。　　He

struggled　angrily；　impatiently；　reproachfully；　and　then；　with　a

sudden　characteristic　weakness　that　seemed　as　much　of　a　revelation

as　her　once　hoydenish　manner；　kissed　it；　when　she　let　it　drop。

Then　placing　both　her　hands　still　girlishly　on　her　slim　waist　and

curtseying　grotesquely　before　him；　she　said：　〃'Lige　Curtis！　　Oh；

yes！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　swore　to　do　everything　for　me！　　'Lige

Curtis；　who　promised　to　give　up　liquor　for　me；who　was　to　leave

Tasajara　for　me！　　'Lige　Curtis；　who　was　to　reform；　and　keep　his

land　as　a　nest…egg　for　us　both　in　the　future；　and　then　who　sold　it

and　himselfand　meto　dad　for　a　glass　of　whiskey！　　'Lige　Curtis；

who　disappeared；　and　then　let　us　think　he　was　dead；　only　that　he

might　attack　us　out　of　the　ambush　of　his　grave！〃



〃Yes；　but　think　what　I　have　suffered　all　these　years；　not　for　the

cursed　landyou　know　I　never　cared　for　thatbut　for　YOU；you；

Clementina；YOU　rich；　admired　by　every　one；　idolized；　held　far

above　me；ME；　the　forgotten　outcast；　the　wretched　suicideand　yet

the　man　to　whom　you　had　once　plighted　your　troth。　　Which　of　those

greedy　fortune…hunters　whom　my　moneymy　life…blood　as　you　might

have　thought　it　wasattracted　to　you；　did　you　care　to　tell　that

you　had　ever　slipped　out　of　the　little　garden　gate　at　Sidon　to　meet

that　outcast！　　Do　you　wonder　that　as　the　years　passed　and　YOU　were

happy；　I　did　not　choose　to　be　so　forgotten？　　Do　you　wonder　that

when　YOU　shut　the　door　on　the　past　I　managed　to　open　it　againif

only　a　little　waythat　its　light　might　startle　you？〃



Yet　she　did　not　seem　startled　or　disturbed；　and　remained　only

looking　at　him　critically。



〃You　say　that　you　have　suffered；〃　she　replied　with　a　smile。　　〃You

don't　look　it！　　Your　hair　is　white；　but　it　is　becoming　to　you；　and

you　are　a　handsomer　man；　'Lige　Curtis；　than　you　were　when　I　first

met　you；　you　are　finer；〃　she　went　on；　still　regarding　him；

〃stronger　and　healthier　than　you　were　five　years　ago；　you　are　rich

and　prosperous；　you　have　everything　to　make　you　happy；　but〃here

she　laughed　a　little；　held　out　both　her　hands；　taking　his　and

holding　his　arms　apart　in　a　rustic；　homely　fashion〃but　you　are

still　the　same　old　'Lige　Curtis！　　It　was　like　you　to　go　off　and

hide　yourself　in　that　idiotic　way；　it　was　like　you　to　let　the

property　slide　in　that　stupid；　unselfish　fashion；　it　was　like　you

to　get　real　mad；　and　say　all　those　mean；　silly　things　to　dad；　that

didn't　hurt　himin　your　regular　looney　style；　for　rich　or　poor；

drunk　or　sober；　ragged　or　elegant；　plain　or　handsome；you're

always　the　same　'Lige　Curtis！〃



In　proportion　as　that　material；　practical；　rustic　selfwhich

nobody　but　'Lige　Curtis　had　ever　seencame　back　to　her；　so　in

proportion　the　irresolute；　wavering；　weak　and　emotional　vagabond　of

Sidon　came　out　to　meet　it。　　He　looked　at　her　with　a　vague　smile；

his　five　years　of　childish　resentment；　albeit　carried　on　the

shoulders　of　a　man　mentally　and　morally　her　superior；　melted　away。

He　drew　her　towards　him；　yet　at　the　same　moment　a　quick　suspicion

returned。



〃Well；　and　what　are　you　doing　here？　　Has　this　man　who　has　followed

you　any　right；　any　claim　upon　you？〃



〃None　but　what　you　in　your　folly　have　forced　upon　him！　　You　have

made　him　father's　ally。　　I　don't　know　why　he　came　here。　　I　only

know　why　I　didto　find　YOU！〃



〃You　suspected　then？〃



〃I　KNEW！　　Hush！〃



The　returning　voices　of　Grant　and　of　Mrs。　Ramirez　were　heard　in　the

courtyard。　　Clementina　made　a　warning　yet　girlishly　mirthful

gesture；　again　caught　his　hand；　drew　him　quickly　to　the　French

window；　and　slipped　through　it　with　him　into　the　garden；　where　they

were　quickly　lost　in　the　shadows　of　a　ceanothus　hedge。



〃They　have　probably　met　Don　Jose　in　the　orchard；　and　as　he　and　Don

Diego　have　business　together；　Dona　Clementina　has　without　doubt

gone　to　her　room　and　left　them。　　For　you　are　not　very　entertaining

to　the　ladies　to…day；you　two　caballeros！　　You　have　much　politics

together；　eh？or　you　have　discussed　and　disagreed；　eh？　　I　will

look　for　the　Senorita；　and　let　you　go；　Don　Distraido！〃



It　is　to　be　feared　that　Grant's　apologies　and　attempts　to　detain

her　were　equally　feeble；as　it　seemed　to　him　that　this　was　the

only　chance　he　might　have　of　seeing　Clementina　except　in　company

with　Fletcher。　　As　Mrs。　Ramirez　left　he　lit　a　cigarette　and

listlessly　walked　up　and　down　the　gallery。　　But　Clementina　did　not

come；　neither　did　his　hostess　return。　　A　subdued　step　in　the

pass