a waif of the plains-第25章

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the　back　and　shoulders　of　her　white　frock　like　a　golden　mantle；　and
then　turned　away　in　the　opposite　direction。

He　walked　home　in　a　state；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　of　absurd
perplexity。　　There　were　many　reasons　why　his　encounter　with　Susy
should　have　been　of　unmixed　pleasure。　　She　had　remembered　him　of
her　own　free　will；　and；　in　spite　of　the　change　in　her　fortune；　had
made　the　first　advances。　　Her　doubts　about　her　future　interviews
had　affected　him　but　little；　still　less；　I　fear；　did　he　think　of
the　other　changes　in　her　character　and　disposition；　for　he　was　of
that　age　when　they　added　only　a　piquancy　and　fascination　to　heras
of　one　who；　in　spite　of　her　weakness　of　nature；　was　still　devoted
to　him！　　But　he　was　painfully　conscious　that　this　meeting　had
revived　in　him　all　the　fears；　vague　uneasiness；　and　sense　of　wrong
that　had　haunted　his　first　boyhood；　and　which　he　thought　he　had
buried　at　El　Refugio　four　years　ago。　　Susy's　allusion　to　his　father
and　the　reiteration　of　Peyton's　skepticism　awoke　in　his　older
intellect　the　first　feeling　of　suspicion　that　was　compatible　with
his　open　nature。　　Was　this　recurring　reticence　and　mystery　due　to
any　act　of　his　father's？　　But；　looking　back　upon　it　in　after…years；
he　concluded　that　the　incident　of　that　day　was　a　premonition　rather
than　a　recollection。


CHAPTER　XI


When　he　reached　the　college　the　Angelus　had　long　since　rung。　　In
the　corridor　he　met　one　of　the　Fathers；　who；　instead　of　questioning
him；　returned　his　salutation　with　a　grave　gentleness　that　struck
him。　　He　had　turned　into　Father　Sobriente's　quiet　study　with　the
intention　of　reporting　himself；　when　he　was　disturbed　to　find　him
in　consultation　with　three　or　four　of　the　faculty；　who　seemed　to　be
thrown　into　some　slight　confusion　by　his　entrance。　　Clarence　was
about　to　retire　hurriedly　when　Father　Sobriente；　breaking　up　the
council　with　a　significant　glance　at　the　others；　called　him　back。
Confused　and　embarrassed；　with　a　dread　of　something　impending；　the
boy　tried　to　avert　it　by　a　hurried　account　of　his　meeting　with
Susy；　and　his　hopes　of　Father　Sobriente's　counsel　and　assistance。
Taking　upon　himself　the　idea　of　suggesting　Susy's　escapade；　he
confessed　the　fault。　　The　old　man　gazed　into　his　frank　eyes　with　a
thoughtful；　half…compassionate　smile。　　〃I　was　just　thinking　of
giving　you　a　holiday　withwith　Don　Juan　Robinson。〃　　The　unusual
substitution　of　this　final　title　for　the　habitual　〃your　cousin〃
struck　Clarence　uneasily。　　〃But　we　will　speak　of　that　later。　　Sit
down；　my　son；　I　am　not　busy。　　We　shall　talk　a　little。　　Father　Pedro
says　you　are　getting　on　fluently　with　your　translations。　　That　is
excellent；　my　son；　excellent。〃

Clarence's　face　beamed　with　relief　and　pleasure。　　His　vague　fears
began　to　dissipate。

〃And　you　translate　even　from　dictation！　　Good！　　We　have　an　hour　to
spare；　and　you　shall　give　to　me　a　specimen　of　your　skill。　　Eh？
Good！　　I　will　walk　here　and　dictate　to　you　in　my　poor　English；　and
you　shall　sit　there　and　render　it　to　me　in　your　good　Spanish。　　Eh？
So　we　shall　amuse　and　instruct　ourselves。〃

Clarence　smiled。　　These　sporadic　moments　of　instruction　and
admonition　were　not　unusual　to　the　good　Father。　　He　cheerfully
seated　himself　at　the　Padre's　table　before　a　blank　sheet　of　paper；
with　a　pen　in　his　hand。　　Father　Sobriente　paced　the　apartment；　with
his　usual　heavy　but　noiseless　tread。　　To　his　surprise；　the　good
priest；　after　an　exhaustive　pinch　of　snuff；　blew　his　nose；　and
began；　in　his　most　lugubrious　style　of　pulpit　exhortation：

〃It　has　been　written　that　the　sins　of　the　father　shall　be　visited
upon　the　children；　and　the　unthinking　and　worldly　have　sought
refuge　from　this　law　by　declaring　it　harsh　and　cruel。　　Miserable
and　blind！　　For　do　we　not　see　that　the　wicked　man；　who　in　the　pride
of　his　power　and　vainglory　is　willing　to　risk　punishment　to
HIMSELFand　believes　it　to　be　couragemust　pause　before　the　awful
mandate　that　condemns　an　equal　suffering　to　those　he　loves；　which
he　cannot　withhold　or　suffer　for？　　In　the　spectacle　of　these
innocents　struggling　against　disgrace；　perhaps　disease；　poverty；　or
desertion；　what　avails　his　haughty；　all…defying　spirit？　　Let　us
imagine；　Clarence。〃

〃Sir？〃　said　the　literal　Clarence；　pausing　in　his　exercise。

〃I　mean；〃　continued　the　priest；　with　a　slight　cough；　〃let　the
thoughtful　man　picture　a　father：　a　desperate；　self…willed　man；　who
scorned　the　laws　of　God　and　societykeeping　only　faith　with　a
miserable　subterfuge　he　called　'honor；'　and　relying　only　on　his　own
courage　and　his　knowledge　of　human　weakness。　　Imagine　him　cruel　and
bloodya　gambler　by　profession；　an　outlaw　among　men；　an　outcast
from　the　Church；　voluntarily　abandoning　friends　and　family；the
wife　he　should　have　cherished；　the　son　he　should　have　reared　and
educatedfor　the　gratification　of　his　deadly　passions。　　Yet
imagine　that　man　suddenly　confronted　with　the　thought　of　that
heritage　of　shame　and　disgust　which　he　had　brought　upon　his
innocent　offspringto　whom　he　cannot　give　even　his　own　desperate
recklessness　to　sustain　its　vicarious　suffering。　　What　must　be　the
feelings　of　a　parent〃

〃Father　Sobriente；〃　said　Clarence　softly。

To　the　boy's　surprise；　scarcely　had　he　spoken　when　the　soft
protecting　palm　of　the　priest　was　already　upon　his　shoulder；　and
the　snuffy　but　kindly　upper　lip；　trembling　with　some　strange
emotion；　close　beside　his　cheek。

〃What　is　it；　Clarence？〃　he　said　hurriedly。　　〃Speak；　my　son；　without
fear！　　You　would　ask〃

〃I　only　wanted　to　know　if　'padre'　takes　a　masculine　verb　here；〃
replied　Clarence　naively。

Father　Sobriente　blew　his　nose　violently。　　〃Trulythough　used　for
either　gender；　by　the　context　masculine；〃　he　responded　gravely。
〃Ah；〃　he　added；　leaning　over　Clarence；　and　scanning　his　work
hastily；　〃Good；　very　good！　　And　now；　possibly；〃　he　continued；
passing　his　hand　like　a　damp　sponge　over　his　heated　brow；　〃we　shall
reverse　our　exercise。　　I　shall　deliver　to　you　in　Spanish　what　you
shall　render　back　in　English；　eh？　　Andlet　us　considerwe　shall
make　something　more　familiar　and　narrative；　eh？〃

To　this　Clarence；　somewhat　bored　by　these　present　solemn
abstractions；　assented　gladly；　and　took　up　his　pen。　　Father
Sobriente；　resuming　his　noiseless　pacing；　began：

〃On　the　fertile　plains　of　Guadalajara　lived　a　certain　caballero；
possessed　of　flocks　and　lands；　and　a　wife　and　son。　　But；　being　also
possessed　of　a　fiery　and　roving　nature；　he　did　not　value　them　as　he
did　perilous　adventure；　feats　of　arms；　and　sanguinary　encounters。
To　this　may　be　added　riotous　excesses；　gambling　and　drunkenness；
which　in　time　decreased　his　patrimony；　even　as　his　rebellious　and
quarrelsome　spirit　had　alienated　his　family　and　neighbors。　　His
wife；　borne　down　by　shame　and　sorrow；　died　while　her　son　was　still
an　infant。　　In　a　fit　of　equal　remorse　and　recklessness　the
caballero　married　again　within　the　year。　　But　the　new　wife　was　of　a
temper　and　bearing　as　bitter　as　her　consort。　　Violent　quarrels
ensued　between　them；　ending　in　the　husband　abandoning　his　wife　and
son；　and　leaving　St。　LouisI　should　say　Guadalajarafor　ever。
Joining　some　adventurers　in　a　foreign　land；　under　an　assumed　name；
he　pursued　his　reckless　course；　until；　by　one　or　two　acts　of
outlawry；　he　made　his　return　to　civilization　impossible。　　The
deserted　wife　and　step…mother　of　his　child　coldly　accepted　the
situation；　forbidding　his　name　to　be　spoken　again　in　her　presence；
announced　that　he　was　dead；　and　kept　the　knowledge　of　his　existence
from　his　own　son；　whom　she　placed　under　the　charge　of　her　sister。
But　the　sister　managed　to　secretly　communicate　with　the　outlawed
father；　and；　under　a　pretext；　arranged　between　them；　of　sending　the
boy　to　another　relation；　actually　dispatched　the　innocent　child　to
his　unworthy　parent。　　Perhaps　stirred　by　remorse；　the　infamous　man〃

〃Stop！〃　said　Clarence　suddenly。

He　had　thrown　down　his　pen；　and　was　standing　erect　and　rigid　before
the　Father。

〃You　are　trying　to　tell　me　something；　Father　Sobriente；〃　he　said；
with　an　effort。　　〃Speak　out；　I　implore　you。　　I　can　stand　anything
but　this　mystery。　　I　am　no　longer　a　child。　　I　have　a　right　to　know
all。　　This　that　you　are　telling　me　is　no　fableI　see　it　in　your
f