a phyllis of the sierras-第11章

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say；　however；　it　was　in　the　line　of　another　personal　aggrievement；

albeit　it　took　the　form　of　religious　reflection。



〃It's　curous；　Minty；　wot's　foreordained；　and　wot　ain't。　　Now；　yer's

one　of　them　high　and　mighty　fellows；　after　the　Lord；　ez　comes

meanderin'　around　here；　and　drops　offez　fur　ez　I　kin　hearin　a

kind　o'　faint　at　the　first　house　he　kems　to；　and　is　taken　in　and

lodged　and　sumptuously　fed；　and；　nat'rally；　they　gets　their　reward

for　it。　　Now　wot's　to　hev　kept　that　young　feller　from　coming　HERE

and　droppin'　down　in　my　forge；　or　in　this　very　room；　and　YOU　a

tendin'　him；　and　jist　layin'　over　them　folks　at　The　Lookout？〃



〃Wot's　got　hold　o'　ye；　Pop？　　Don't　I　tell　ye　he　had　a　letter　to　Jim

Bradley？〃　said　Minty；　quickly；　with　an　angry　flash　of　color　in　her

cheek。



〃That　ain't　it；〃　said　Sharpe　confidently；　〃it's　cos　he　WALKED。

Nat'rally；　you'd　think　he'd　RIDE；　being　high　and　mighty；　and　that's

where；　ez　the　parson　will　tell　ye；　wot's　merely　fi…nite　and　human

wisdom　errs！　　Ef　that　feller　had　ridden；　he'd　have　had　to　come　by

this　yer　road；　and　by　this　yer　forge；　and　stop　a　spell　like　any

other。　　But　it　was　foreordained　that　he　should　walk；　jest　cos　it

wasn't　generally　kalkilated　and　reckoned　on。　　So；　YOU　had　no　show。〃



For　a　moment；　Minty　seemed　struck　with　her　father's　original

theory。　　But　with　a　vigorous　shake　of　her　shoulders　she　threw　it

off。　　Her　eyes　darkened。



〃I　reckon　you　ain't　thinking；　Pop〃　she　began。



〃I　was　only　sayin'　it　was　curous；〃　be　rejoined　quietly。

Nevertheless；　after　a　pause；　he　rose；　coughed；　and　going　up　to　the

young　girl；　as　she　leaned　over　the　dresser；　bent　his　powerful　arm

around　her；　and；　drawing　her　and　the　plate　she　was　holding　against

his　breast；　laid　his　bearded　cheek　for　an　instant　softly　upon　her

rebellious　head。　　〃It's　all　right；　Minty；〃　he　said；　〃ain't　it；

pet？〃　　Minty's　eyelids　closed　gently　under　the　familiar　pressure。

〃Wot's　that　in　your　hair；　Minty？〃　he　said　tactfully；　breaking　an

embarrassing　pause。



〃Bar's　grease；　father；〃　murmured　Minty；　in　a　child's　voicethe

grown…up　woman；　under　that　magic　touch；　having　lapsed　again　into

her　father's　motherless　charge　of　ten　years　before。



〃It's　pow'ful　soothin'；　and　pretty；〃　said　her　father。



〃I　made　it　myselfdo　you　want　some？〃　asked　Minty。



〃Not　now；　girl！〃　　For　a　moment　they　slightly　rocked　each　other　in

that　attitudethe　man　dexterously；　the　woman　with　infinite

tendernessand　then　they　separated。



Late　that　night；　after　Richelieu　had　returned；　and　her　father

wrestled　in　his　fitful　sleep　with　the　remorse　of　his　guilty

indulgence　at　supper；　Minty　remained　alone　in　her　room；　hard　at

work；　surrounded　by　the　contents　of　one　of　her　mother's　trunks　and

the　fragments　of　certain　ripped…up　and　newly…turned　dresses。　　For

Minty　had　conceived　the　bold　idea　of　altering　one　of　her　mother's

gowns　to　the　fashion　of　a　certain　fascinating　frock　worn　by　Louise

Macy。　　It　was　late　when　her　self…imposed　task　was　completed。　　With

a　nervous　trepidation　that　was　novel　to　her；　Minty　began　to　disrobe

herself　preparatory　to　trying　on　her　new　creation。　　The　light　of　a

tallow　candle　and　a　large　swinging　lantern；　borrowed　from　her

father's　forge；　fell　shyly　on　her　milky　neck　and　shoulders；　and

shone　in　her　sparkling　eyes；　as　she　stood　before　her　largest

mirrorthe　long　glazed　door　of　a　kitchen　clock　which　she　had

placed　upon　her　chest　of　drawers。　　Had　poor　Minty　been　content　with

the　full；　free；　and　goddess…like　outlines　that　it　reflected；　she

would　have　been　spared　her　impending　disappointment。　　For；　alas！

the　dress　of　her　model　had　been　framed　upon　a　symmetrically

attenuated　French　corset；　and　the　unfortunate　Minty's　fuller　and

ampler　curves　had　under　her　simple　country　stays　known　no　more

restraining　cincture　than　knew　the　Venus　of　Milo。　　The　alteration

was　a　hideous　failure；　it　was　neither　Minty's　statuesque　outline

nor　Louise　Macy's　graceful　contour。　　Minty　was　no　fool；　and　the

revelation　of　this　slow　education　of　the　figure　and　training　of

outlinewhether　fair　or　false　in　artstruck　her　quick　intelligence

with　all　its　full　and　hopeless　significance。　　A　bitter　light　sprang

to　her　eyes；　she　tore　the　wretched　sham　from　her　shoulders；　and　then

wrapping　a　shawl　around　her；　threw　herself　heavily　and　sullenly　on

the　bed。　　But　inaction　was　not　a　characteristic　of　Minty's　emotion；

she　presently　rose　again；　and；　taking　an　old　work…box　from　her

trunk；　began　to　rummage　in　its　recesses。　　It　was　an　old　shell…

incrusted　affair；　and　the　apparent　receptacle　of　such　cheap　odds　and

ends　of　jewelry　as　she　possessed；　a　hideous　cameo　ring；　the　property

of　the　late　Mrs。　Sharpe；　was　missing。　　She　again　rapidly　explored

the　contents　of　the　box；　and　then　an　inspiration　seized　her；　and　she

darted　into　her　brother's　bedroom。



That　precocious　and　gallant　Lovelace　of　ten；　despite　all　sentiment；

had　basely　succumbed　to　the　gross　materialism　of　youthful　slumber。

On　a　cot　in　the　corner；　half　hidden　under　the　wreck　of　his　own

careless　and　hurried　disrobing；　with　one　arm　hanging　out　of　the

coverlid；　Richelieu　lay　supremely　unconscious。　　On　the　forefinger

of　his　small　but　dirty　hand　the　missing　cameo　was　still　glittering

guiltily。　　With　a　swift　movement　of　indignation　Minty　rushed　with

uplifted　palm　towards　the　tempting　expanse　of　youthful　cheek　that

lay　invitingly　exposed　upon　the　pillow。　　Then　she　stopped　suddenly。



She　had　seen　him　lying　thus　a　hundred　times　before。　　On　the　pillow

near　him　an　indistinguishable　mass　of　golden　furthe　helpless　bulk

of　a　squirrel　chained　to　the　leg　of　his　cot；　at　his　feet　a　wall…

eyed　cat；　who　had　followed　his　tyrannous　caprices　with　the　long…

suffering　devotion　of　her　sex；　on　the　shelf　above　him　a　loathsome

collection　of　flies　and　tarantulas　in　dull　green　bottles：　a　slab　of

ginger…bread　for　light　nocturnal　refection；　and　her　own　pot　of

bear's　grease。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　piteous　defencelessness　of

youthful　sleep；　perhaps　it　was　some　lingering　memory　of　her

father's　caress；　but　as　she　gazed　at　him　with　troubled　eyes；　the

juvenile　reprobate　slipped　back　into　the　baby…boy　that　she　had

carried　in　her　own　childish　arms　such　a　short　time　ago；　when　the

maternal　responsibility　had　descended　with　the　dead　mother's　ill…

fitting　dresses　upon　her　lank　girlish　figure　and　scant　virgin

breastand　her　hand　fell　listlessly　at　her　side。



The　sleeper　stirred　slightly　and　awoke。　　At　the　same　moment；　by

some　mysterious　sympathy；　a　pair　of　beady　bright　eyes　appeared　in

the　bulk　of　fur　near　his　curls；　the　cat　stretched　herself；　and　even

a　vague　agitation　was　heard　in　the　bottles　on　the　shelf。　　Richelieu's

blinking　eyes　wandered　from　the　candle　to　his　sister；　and　then

the　guilty　hand　was　suddenly　withdrawn　under　the　bedclothes。



〃No　matter；　dear；〃　said　Minty；　〃it's　mar's；　and　you　kin　wear　it

when　you　like；　if　you'll　only　ask　for　it。〃



Richelieu　wondered　if　he　was　dreaming！　　This　unexpected　mildness

this　inexplicable　tremor　in　his　sister's　voice：　it　must　be　some

occult　influence　of　the　night　season　on　the　sisterly　mind；　possibly

akin　to　a　fear　of　ghosts！　　He　made　a　mental　note　of　it　in　view　of

future　favors；　yet　for　the　moment　he　felt　embarrassedly　gratified。

〃Ye　ain't　wantin'　anything；　Minty；〃　he　said　affectionately；　〃a　pail

o'　cold　water　from　the　far　springno　nothin'？〃　　He　made　an

ostentatious　movement　as　if　to　rise；　yet　sufficiently　protracted　to

prevent　any　hasty　acceptance　of　his　prodigal　offer。



〃No；　dear；〃　she　said；　still　gazing　at　him　with　an　absorbed　look　in

her　dark　eyes。



Richelieu　felt　a　slight　creepy　sensation　under　that　lonely　far…off

gaze。　　〃Your　eyes　look　awful　big　at　night；　Minty；〃　he　said。　　He

would　have　added　〃and　pretty；〃　but　she　was　his　sister；　and　he　had

the　lofty　fraternal　conviction　of　his　duty　in　repressing　the

inordinate　vanity　of　the　sex。　　〃Ye're　sure　ye　ain't　wantin'

nothin'？〃



〃Not　now；　dear。〃　　She　paused　a　moment；　and　then　said　deliberately：

〃But　you　wo