a waif of the plains-第23章

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or　without　ceremony；　as　the　occasion　or　the　insult　happened。　　In
this　emergency　one　of　the　seniors　was　selected　to　teach　this
youthful　savage　his　proper　position。　　A　challenge　was　given；　and
accepted　by　Clarence　with　a　feverish　alacrity　that　surprised
himself　as　much　as　his　adversary。　　This　was　a　youth　of　eighteen；
his　superior　in　size　and　skill。

The　first　blow　bathed　Clarence's　face　in　his　own　blood。　　But　the
sanguinary　chrism；　to　the　alarm　of　the　spectators；　effected　an
instantaneous　and　unhallowed　change　in　the　boy。　　Instantly　closing
with　his　adversary；　he　sprang　at　his　throat　like　an　animal；　and
locking　his　arm　around　his　neck　began　to　strangle　him。　　Blind　to
the　blows　that　rained　upon　him；　he　eventually　bore　his　staggering
enemy　by　sheer　onset　and　surprise　to　the　earth。　　Amidst　the　general
alarm；　the　strength　of　half　a　dozen　hastily　summoned　teachers　was
necessary　to　unlock　his　hold。　　Even　then　he　struggled　to　renew　the
conflict。　　But　his　adversary　had　disappeared；　and　from　that　day
forward　Clarence　was　never　again　molested。

Seated　before　Father　Sobriente　in　the　infirmary；　with　swollen　and
bandaged　face；　and　eyes　that　still　seemed　to　see　everything　in　the
murky　light　of　his　own　blood；　Clarence　felt　the　soft　weight　of　the
father's　hand　upon　his　knee。

〃My　son；〃　said　the　priest　gently；　〃you　are　not　of　our　religion；　or
I　should　claim　as　a　right　to　ask　a　question　of　your　own　heart　at
this　moment。　　But　as　to　a　good　friend；　Claro；　a　good　friend；〃　he
continued；　patting　the　boy's　knee；　〃you　will　tell　me；　old　Father
Sobriente；　frankly　and　truthfully；　as　is　your　habit；　one　little
thing。　　Were　you　not　afraid？〃

〃No；〃　said　Clarence　doggedly。　〃I'll　lick　him　again　to…morrow。〃

〃Softly；　my　son！　　It　was　not　of　HIM　I　speak；　but　of　something　more
terrible　and　awful。　　Were　you　not　afraid　ofof〃　he　paused；　and
suddenly　darting　his　clear　eyes　into　the　very　depths　of　Clarence's
soul；　added〃of　YOURSELF？〃

The　boy　started；　shuddered；　and　burst　into　tears。

〃So；　so；〃　said　the　priest　gently；　〃we　have　found　our　real　enemy。
Good！　　Now；　by　the　grace　of　God；　my　little　warrior；　we　shall　fight
HIM　and　conquer。〃

Whether　Clarence　profited　by　this　lesson；　or　whether　this　brief
exhibition　of　his　quality　prevented　any　repetition　of　the　cause；
the　episode　was　soon　forgotten。　　As　his　school…fellows　had　never
been　his　associates　or　confidants；　it　mattered　little　to　him
whether　they　feared　or　respected　him；　or　were　hypocritically
obsequious；　after　the　fashion　of　the　weaker。　　His　studies；　at　all
events；　profited　by　this　lack　of　distraction。　　Already　his　two
years　of　desultory　and　omnivorous　reading　had　given　him　a　facile
familiarity　with　many　things；　which　left　him　utterly　free　of　the
timidity；　awkwardness；　or　non…interest　of　a　beginner。　　His　usually
reserved　manner；　which　had　been　lack　of　expression　rather　than　of
conviction；　had　deceived　his　tutors。　　The　audacity　of　a　mind　that
had　never　been　dominated　by　others；　and　owed　no　allegiance　to
precedent；　made　his　merely　superficial　progress　something
marvelous。

At　the　end　of　the　first　year　he　was　a　phenomenal　scholar；　who
seemed　capable　of　anything。　　Nevertheless；　Father　Sobriente　had　an
interview　with　Don　Juan；　and　as　a　result　Clarence　was　slightly　kept
back　in　his　studies；　a　little　more　freedom　from　the　rules　was
conceded　to　him；　and　he　was　even　encouraged　to　take　some　diversion。
Of　such　was　the　privilege　to　visit　the　neighboring　town　of　Santa
Clara　unrestricted　and　unattended。　　He　had　always　been　liberally
furnished　with　pocket…money；　for　which；　in　his　companionless　state
and　Spartan　habits；　he　had　a　singular　and　unboyish　contempt。
Nevertheless；　he　always　appeared　dressed　with　scrupulous　neatness；
and　was　rather　distinguished…looking　in　his　older　reserve　and
melancholy　self…reliance。

Lounging　one　afternoon　along　the　Alameda；　a　leafy　avenue　set　out　by
the　early　Mission　Fathers　between　the　village　of　San　Jose　and　the
convent　of　Santa　Clara；　he　saw　a　double　file　of　young　girls　from
the　convent　approaching；　on　their　usual　promenade。　　A　view　of　this
procession　being　the　fondest　ambition　of　the　San　Jose　collegian；
and　especially　interdicted　and　circumvented　by　the　good　Fathers
attending　the　college　excursions；　Clarence　felt　for　it　the　profound
indifference　of　a　boy　who；　in　the　intermediate　temperate　zone　of
fifteen　years；　thinks　that　he　is　no　longer　young　and　romantic！　　He
was　passing　them　with　a　careless　glance；　when　a　pair　of　deep　violet
eyes　caught　his　own　under　the　broad　shade　of　a　coquettishly
beribboned　hat；　even　as　it　had　once　looked　at　him　from　the　depths
of　a　calico　sunbonnet。　　Susy！　　He　started；　and　would　have　spoken；
but　with　a　quick　little　gesture　of　caution　and　a　meaning　glance　at
the　two　nuns　who　walked　at　the　head　and　foot　of　the　file；　she
indicated　him　to　follow。　　He　did　so　at　a　respectful　distance；
albeit　wondering。　　A　little　further　on　Susy　dropped　her
handkerchief；　and　was　obliged　to　dart　out　and　run　back　to　the　end
of　the　file　to　recover　it。　　But　she　gave　another　swift　glance　of
her　blue　eyes　as　she　snatched　it　up　and　demurely　ran　back　to　her
place。　　The　procession　passed　on；　but　when　Clarence　reached　the
spot　where　she　had　paused　he　saw　a　three…cornered　bit　of　paper
lying　in　the　grass。　　He　was　too　discreet　to　pick　it　up　while　the
girls　were　still　in　sight；　but　continued　on；　returning　to　it　later。
It　contained　a　few　words　in　a　schoolgirl's　hand；　hastily　scrawled
in　pencil：　〃Come　to　the　south　wall　near　the　big　pear…tree　at　six。〃

Delighted　as　Clarence　felt；　he　was　at　the　same　time　embarrassed。
He　could　not　understand　the　necessity　of　this　mysterious
rendezvous。　　He　knew　that　if　she　was　a　scholar　she　was　under
certain　conventual　restraints；　but　with　the　privileges　of　his
position　and　friendship　with　his　teachers；　he　believed　that　Father
Sobriente　would　easily　procure　him　an　interview　with　this　old　play…
fellow；　of　whom　he　had　often　spoken；　and　who　was；　with　himself；　the
sole　survivor　of　his　tragical　past。　　And　trusted　as　he　was　by
Sobriente；　there　was　something　in　this　clandestine　though　innocent
rendezvous　that　went　against　his　loyalty。　　Nevertheless；　he　kept
the　appointment；　and　at　the　stated　time　was　at　the　south　wall　of
the　convent；　over　which　the　gnarled　boughs　of　the　distinguishing
pear…tree　hung。　　Hard　by　in　the　wall　was　a　grated　wicket　door　that
seemed　unused。

Would　she　appear　among　the　boughs　or　on　the　edge　of　the　wall？
Either　would　be　like　the　old　Susy。　　But　to　his　surprise　he　heard
the　sound　of　the　key　turning　in　the　lock。　　The　grated　door　suddenly
swung　on　its　hinges；　and　Susy　slipped　out。　　Grasping　his　hand；　she
said；　〃Let's　run；　Clarence；〃　and　before　he　could　reply　she　started
off　with　him　at　a　rapid　pace。　　Down　the　lane　they　flewvery　much；
as　it　seemed　to　Clarence's　fancy；　as　they　had　flown　from　the　old
emigrant　wagon　on　the　prairie；　four　years　before。　　He　glanced　at
the　fluttering；　fairy…like　figure　beside　him。　　She　had　grown　taller
and　more　graceful；　she　was　dressed　in　exquisite　taste；　with　a
minuteness　of　luxurious　detail　that　bespoke　the　spoilt　child；　but
there　was　the　same　prodigal　outburst　of　rippling；　golden　hair　down
her　back　and　shoulders；　violet　eyes；　capricious　little　mouth；　and
the　same　delicate　hands　and　feet　he　had　remembered。　　He　would　have
preferred　a　more　deliberate　survey；　but　with　a　shake　of　her　head
and　an　hysteric　little　laugh　she　only　said；　〃Run；　Clarence；　run；〃
and　again　darted　forward。　　Arriving　at　the　cross…street；　they
turned　the　corner；　and　halted　breathlessly。

〃But　you're　not　running　away　from　school；　Susy；　are　you？〃　said
Clarence　anxiously。

〃Only　a　little　bit。　　Just　enough　to　get　ahead　of　the　other　girls；〃
she　said；　rearranging　her　brown　curls　and　tilted　hat。　　〃You　see；
Clarence；〃　she　condescended　to　explain；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of
older　superiority；　〃mother's　here　at　the　hotel　all　this　week；　and
I'm　allowed　to　go　home　every　night；　like　a　day　scholar。　　Only
there's　three　or　four　other　girls　that　go　out　at　the　same　time　with
me；　and　one　of　the　Sisters；　and　to…day　I　got　ahead　of　'em　just　to
see　YOU。〃

〃But〃　began　Clarence。

〃Oh；　it's　all　right；　the　other　girls　knew　it；　and　helped　me。　　They
don't　start　out　for