a phyllis of the sierras-第20章

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Lady　Canterbridge's　examining　eyes。



The　next　morning；　finding　an　opportunity　to　be　alone　with　him；

Bradley；　with　a　tactful　mingling　of　sympathy　and　directness　informed

his　host　that　he　was　cognizant　of　the　disaster　that　had　overtaken

the　Bank；　and　delicately　begged　him　to　accept　any　service　he　could

render　him。　　〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　speak　as　plainly　to　you　as

I　would　to　your　son：　my　friendship　for　him　justifies　an　equal

frankness　to　any　one　he　loves；　but　I　should　not　intrude　upon　your

confidence　if　I　did　not　believe　that　my　knowledge　and　assistance

might　be　of　benefit　to　you。　　Although　I　did　not　sell　my　lands　to

Richardson　or　approve　of　his　methods；〃　he　continued；　〃I　fear　it　was

some　suggestion　of　mine　that　eventually　induced　him　to　form　the

larger　and　more　disastrous　scheme　that　ruined　the　Bank。　　So　you　see；〃

he　added　lightly；　〃I　claim　a　right　to　offer　you　my　services。〃

Touched　by　Bradley's　sincerity　and　discreet　intelligence；　Sir　Robert

was　equally　frank。　　During　the　recital　of　his　Californian

investmentsa　chronicle　of　almost　fatuous　speculation　and　imbecile

enterpriseBradley　was　profoundly　moved　at　the　naive　ignorance　of

business　and　hopeless　ingenuousness　of　this　old　habitue　of　a　cynical

world　and　an　intriguing　and　insincere　society；　to　whom　no　scheme

had　been　too　wild　for　acceptance。　　As　Bradley　listened　with　a

half…saddened　smile　to　the　grave　visions　of　this　aged　enthusiast；

he　remembered　the　son's　unsophisticated　simplicity：　what　he　had

considered　as　the　〃boyishness〃　of　immaturity　was　the　taint　of　the

utterly　unpractical　Mainwaring　blood。　　It　was　upon　this　blood；　and

others　like　it；　that　Oldenhurst　had　for　centuries　waxed　and

fattened。



Bradley　was　true　to　his　promise　of　assistance；　and　with　the　aid　of

two　or　three　of　his　brother…millionaires；　whose　knowledge　of　the

resources　of　the　locality　was　no　less　powerful　and　convincing　than

the　security　of　their　actual　wealth；　managed　to　stay　the　immediate

action　of　the　catastrophe　until　the　affairs　of　the　Sierran　Land　and

Timber　Company　could　be　examined　and　some　plan　of　reconstruction

arranged。



During　this　interval　of　five　months；　in　which　the　credit　of　Sir

Robert　Mainwaring　was　preserved　with　the　secret　of　his　disaster；

Bradley　was　a　frequent　and　welcome　visitor　to　Oldenhurst。　　Apart

from　his　strange　and　chivalrous　friendship　for　the　Mainwarings

which　was　as　incomprehensible　to　Sir　Robert　as　Sir　Robert's　equally

eccentric　and　Quixotic　speculations　had　been　to　Bradleyhe　began

to　feel　a　singular　and　weird　fascination　for　the　place。　　A　patient

martyr　in　the　vast　London　house　he　had　taken　for　his　wife　and

cousin's　amusement；　he　loved　to　escape　the　loneliness　of　its　autumn

solitude　or　the　occasional　greater　loneliness　of　his　wife's　social

triumphs。　　The　handsome；　thoughtful　man　who　sometimes　appeared　at

the　foot　of　his　wife's　table　or　melted　away　like　a　well…bred　ghost

in　the　hollow　emptiness　of　her　brilliant　receptions；　piqued　the

languid　curiosity　of　a　few。　　A　distinguished　personage；　known　for

his　tactful　observance　of　convenances　that　others　forgot；　had　made

a　point　of　challenging　this　gentlemanly　apparition；　and　had

followed　it　up　with　courteous　civilities；　which　led　to　exchange　of

much　respect　but　no　increase　of　acquaintance。　　He　had　even　spent　a

week　at　Buckenthorpe；　with　Canterbridge　in　the　coverts　and　Lady

Canterbridge　in　the　music…room　and　library。　　He　had　returned　more

thoughtful；　and　for　some　time　after　was　more　frequent　in　his

appearances　at　home；　and　more　earnest　in　his　renewed　efforts　to

induce　his　wife　to　return　to　America　with　him。



〃You'll　never　be　happy　anywhere　but　in　California；　among　those

common　people；〃　she　replied；　〃and　while　I　was　willing　to　share　your

poverty　THERE；〃　she　added　dryly；　〃I　prefer　to　share　your　wealth

among　civilized　ladies　and　gentlemen。　　Besides；〃　she　continued；　〃we

must　consider　Louise。　　She　is　as　good　as　engaged　to　Lord　Dunshunner；

and　I　do　not　intend　that　you　shall　make　a　mess　of　her　affairs　here

as　you　did　in　California。〃



It　was　the　first　time　he　had　heard　of　Lord　Dunshunner's　proposals；

it　was　the　first　allusion　she　had　ever　made　to　Louise　and

Mainwaring。



Meantime；　the　autumn　leaves　had　fallen　silently　over　the　broad

terraces　of　Oldenhurst　with　little　changes　to　the　fortunes　of　the

great　house　itself。　　The　Christmas　house…party　included　Lady

Canterbridge；　whose　husband　was　still　detained　at　Homburg　in

company　with　Dunshunner；　and　Bradley；　whose　wife　and　cousin

lingered　on　the　continent。　　He　was　slightly　embarrassed　when　Lady

Canterbridge　turned　to　him　one　afternoon　as　they　were　returning

from　the　lake　and　congratulated　him　abruptly　upon　Louise's

engagement。



〃Perhaps　you　don't　care　to　be　congratulated；〃　she　said；　as　he　did

not　immediately　respond；　〃and　you　had　as　little　to　do　with　it　as

with　that　other？　　It　is　a　woman's　function。〃



〃What　other？〃　echoed　Bradley。



Lady　Canterbridge　slightly　turned　her　handsome　head　towards　him　as

she　walked　unbendingly　at　his　side。　　〃Tell　me　how　you　manage　to

keep　your　absolute　simplicity　so　fresh。　　Do　you　suppose　it　wasn't

known　at　Oldenhurst　that　Frank　had　quite　compromised　himself　with

Miss　Macy　over　there？〃



〃It　certainly　was　not　known　'over　there；'〃　said　Bradley；　curtly。



〃Don't　be　angry　with　me。〃



Such　an　appeal　from　the　tall；　indifferent　woman　at　his　side；　so

confidently　superior　to　criticism；　and　uttered　in　a　low　tone；　made

him　smile；　albeit　uneasily。



〃I　only　meant　to　congratulate　you；〃　she　continued　carelessly。

〃Dunshunner　is　not　a　bad　sort　of　fellow；　and　will　come　into　a　good

property　some　day。　　And　then；　society　is　so　made　up　of　caprice；

just　now；　that　it　is　well　for　your　wife's　cousin　to　make　the　most

of　her　opportunities　while　they　last。　　She　is　very　popular　now；　but

next　season〃　　Seeing　that　Bradley　remained　silent；　she　did　not

finish　the　sentence；　but　said　with　her　usual　abruptness；　〃Do　you

know　a　Miss　Araminta　Eulalie　Sharpe？〃



Bradley　started。　　Could　any　one　recognize　honest　Minty　in　the

hopeless　vulgarity　which　this　fine　lady　had　managed　to　carelessly

import　into　her　name？　　His　eye　kindled。



〃She　is　an　old　friend　of　mine；　Lady　Canterbridge。〃



〃How　fortunate！　　Then　I　can　please　you　by　giving　you　good　news　of

her。　　She　is　the　coming　sensation。　　They　say　she　is　very　rich；　but

quite　one　of　the　people；　you　know：　in　fact；　she　makes　no　scruples

of　telling　you　her　father　was　a　blacksmith；　I　think；　and　takes　the

dear　old　man　with　her　everywhere。　　FitzHarry　raves　about　her；　and

says　her　naivete　is　something　too　delicious。　　She　is　regularly　in

with　some　of　the　best　people　already。　　Lady　Dungeness　has　taken　her

up；　and　Northforeland　is　only　waiting　for　your　cousin's　engagement

to　be　able　to　go　over　decently。　　Shall　I　ask　her　to　Buckenthorpe？

come；　now；　as　an　apology　for　my　rudeness　to　your　cousin？〃　　She　was

very　womanly　now　in　spite　of　her　high　collar；　her　straight　back；

and　her　tightly…fitting　jacket；　as　she　stood　there　smiling。

Suddenly；　her　smile　faded；　she　drew　her　breath　in　quickly。



She　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　usually　thoughtful　face　and　eyes；

now　illuminated　with　some　pleasant　memory。



〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　smilingly；　yet　with　a　certain　hesitation；　as

he　thought　of　The　Lookout　and　Araminta　Eulalie　Sharpe；　and　tried　to

reconcile　them　with　the　lady　before　him。　　〃I　should　like　it　very

much。〃



〃Then　you　have　known　Miss　Sharpe　a　long　time？〃　continued　Lady

Canterbridge　as　they　walked　on。



〃While　we　were　at　The　Lookout　she　was　our　nearest　neighbor。〃



〃And　I　suppose　your　wife　will　consider　it　quite　proper　for　you　to

see　her　again　at　my　house？〃　said　Lady　Canterbridge；　with　a　return

of　conventional　levity。



〃Oh！　quite；〃　said　Bradley。



They　had　reached　the　low　Norman…arched　side…entrance　to　the

quadrangle。　　As　Bradley　swung　open　the　bolt…studded　oaken　door　to

let　her　pass；　she　said　carelessly；



〃Then　you　are　not　coming　in　now？〃



〃