a phyllis of the sierras-第21章

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let　her　pass；　she　said　carelessly；



〃Then　you　are　not　coming　in　now？〃



〃No；　I　shall　walk　a　little　longer。〃



〃And　I　am　quite　forgiven？〃



〃I　am　thanking　you　very　much；〃　he　said；　smiling　directly　into　her

blue　eyes。　　She　lowered　them；　and　vanished　into　the　darkness　of　the

passage。



The　news　of　Minty's　success　was　further　corroborated　by　Sir　Robert；

who　later　that　evening　called　Bradley　into　the　study。　　〃Frank　has

been　writing　from　Nice　that　he　has　renewed　his　acquaintance　with

some　old　Californian　friends　of　yoursa　Mr。　and　Miss　Sharpe。　　Lady

Canterbridge　says　that　they　are　well　known　in　London　to　some　of　our

friends；　but　I　would　like　to　ask　you　something　about　them。　　Lady

Mainwaring　was　on　the　point　of　inviting　them　here　when　I　received　a

letter　from　Mr。　Sharpe　asking　for　a　BUSINESS　interview。　　Pray　who

is　this　Sharpe？〃



〃You　say　he　writes　for　a　BUSINESS　interview？〃　asked　Bradley。



〃Yes。〃



Bradley　hesitated　for　a　moment　and　then　said　quietly；　〃Perhaps；

then；　I　am　justified　in　a　breach　of　confidence　to　him；　in　order　to

answer　your　question。　　He　is　the　man　who　has　assumed　all　the

liabilities　of　the　Sierran　Land　and　Timber　Company　to　enable　the

Bank　to　resume　payment。　　But　he　did　it　on　the　condition　that　you

were　never　to　know　it。　　For　the　rest；　he　was　a　blacksmith　who　made

a　fortune；　as　Lady　Canterbridge　will　tell　you。〃



〃How　very　oddhow　kind；　I　mean。　　I　should　like　to　have　been　civil

to　him　on　Frank's　account　alone。〃



〃I　should　see　him　on　business　and　be　civil　to　him　afterwards。〃　　Sir

Robert　received　the　American's　levity　with　his　usual　seriousness。



〃No；　they　must　come　here　for　Christmas。　　His　daughter　is？〃



〃Araminta　Eulalie　Sharpe；〃　said　Bradley；　in　defiant　memory　of　Lady

Canterbridge。



Sir　Robert　winced　audibly。　　〃I　shall　rely　on　you；　my　dear　boy；　to

help　me　make　it　pleasant　for　them；〃　he　said。



Christmas　came；　but　not　Minty。　　It　drew　a　large　contingent　from

Oldenhurst　to　the　quaint　old　church；　who　came　to　view　the　green…

wreathed　monuments；　and　walls　spotted　with　crimson　berries；　as　if

with　the　blood　of　former　Oldenhurst　warriors；　and　to　impress　the

wondering　villagers　with　the　ineffable　goodness　and　bounty　of　the

Creator　towards　the　Lords　of　Oldenhurst　and　their　friends。　　Sir

Robert；　a　little　gouty；　kept　the　house；　and　Bradley；　somewhat

uneasy　at　the　Sharpes'　absence；　but　more　distrait　with　other

thoughts；　wandered　listlessly　in　the　long　library。　　At　the　lower

angle　it　was　embayed　into　the　octagon　space　of　a　former　tower；

which　was　furnished　as　a　quaint　recess　for　writing　or　study；

pierced　through　its　enormous　walls　with　a　lance…shaped　window；

hidden　by　heavy　curtains。　　He　was　gazing　abstractedly　at　the

melancholy　eyes　of　Sir　Percival；　looking　down　from　the　dark　panel

opposite；　when　he　heard　the　crisp　rustle　of　a　skirt。　　Lady

Canterbridge　tightly　and　stiffly　buttoned　in　black　from　her　long

narrow　boots　to　her　slim；　white…collared　neck；　stood　beside　him

with　a　prayer…book　in　her　ungloved　hand。　　Bradley　colored　quickly；

the　penetrating　incense　of　the　Christmas　boughs　and　branches　that

decked　the　walls　and　ceilings；　mingled　with　some　indefinable

intoxicating　aura　from　the　woman　at　his　side；　confused　his　senses。

He　seemed　to　be　losing　himself　in　some　forgotten　past　coeval　with

the　long；　quaintly…lighted　room；　the　rich　hangings；　and　the　painted

ancestor　of　this　handsome　woman。　　He　recovered　himself　with　an

effort；　and　said；



〃You　are　going　to　church？〃



〃I　may　meet　them　coming　home；　it's　all　the　same。　　You　like　HIM？〃

she　said　abruptly；　pointing　to　the　portrait。　　〃I　thought　you　did

not　care　for　that　sort　of　man　over　there。〃



〃A　man　like　that　must　have　felt　the　impotence　of　his　sacrifice

before　he　died；　and　that　condoned　everything；〃　said　Bradley；

thoughtfully。



〃Then　you　don't　think　him　a　fool？　　Bob　says　it　was　a　fair　bargain

for　a　title　and　an　office；　and　that　by　dying　he　escaped　trial　and

the　confiscation　of　what　he　had。〃



Bradley　did　not　reply。



〃I　am　disturbing　your　illusions　again。　　Yet　I　rather　like　them。　　I

think　you　are　quite　capable　of　a　sacrificeperhaps　you　know　what

it　is　already。〃



He　felt　that　she　was　looking　at　him；　he　felt　equally　that　he　could

not　respond　with　a　commonplace。　　He　was　silent。



〃I　have　offended　you　again；　Mr。　Bradley；〃　she　said。　　〃Please　be

Christian；　and　pardon　me。　　You　know　this　is　a　season　of　peace　and

goodwill。〃　　She　raised　her　blue　eyes　at　the　same　moment　to　the

Christmas　decorations　on　the　ceiling。　　They　were　standing　before

the　parted　drapery　of　the　lance　window。　　Midway　between　the　arched

curtains　hung　a　spray　of　mistletoethe　conceit　of　a　mischievous

housemaid。　　Their　eyes　met　it　simultaneously。



Bradley　had　Lady　Canterbridge's　slim；　white　hand　in　his　own。　　The

next　moment　voices　were　heard　in　the　passage；　and　the　door　nearly

opposite　to　them　opened　deliberately。　　The　idea　of　their　apparent

seclusion　and　half　compromising　attitude　flashed　through　the　minds

of　both　at　the　same　time。　　Lady　Canterbridge　stepped　quickly

backward；　drawing　Bradley　with　her；　into　the　embrasure　of　the

window；　the　folds　of　the　curtain　swung　together　and　concealed　them

from　view。



The　door　had　been　opened　by　the　footman；　ushering　in　a　broad…

shouldered　man；　who　was　carrying　a　travelling…bag　and　an　umbrella

in　his　hand。　　Dropping　into　an　arm…chair　before　the　curtain；　he

waved　away　the　footman；　who；　even　now；　mechanically　repeated　a

previously　vain　attempt　to　relieve　the　stranger　of　his　luggage。



〃You　leave　that　'ere　grip　sack　where　it　is；　young　man；　and　tell　Sir

Robert　Mainwaring　that　Mr。　Demander　Sharpe；　of　Californy；　wishes　to

see　himon　businesson　BUSINESS；　do　ye'　hear？　　You　hang　onter

that　sentenceon　BUSINESS！　it's　about　ez　much　ez　you　kin　carry；　I

reckon；　and　leave　that　grip　sack　alone。〃



From　behind　the　curtain　Bradley　made　a　sudden　movement　to　go

forward；　but　Lady　Canterbridgenow　quite　pale　but　collected

restrained　him　with　a　warning　movement　of　her　hand。　　Sir　Robert's

stick　and　halting　step　were　next　heard　along　the　passage；　and　he

entered　the　room。　　His　simple　and　courteous　greeting　of　the

stranger　was　instantly　followed　by　a　renewed　attack　upon　the　〃grip

sack；〃　and　a　renewed　defence　of　it　by　the　stranger。



〃No；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　the　voice　argumentatively；　〃this　yer's　a

BUSINESS　interview；　and　until　it's　overif　YOU　pleasewe'll

remain　ez　we　air。　　I'm　Demander　Sharpe；　of　Californy；　and　I　and　my

darter；　Minty；　oncet　had　the　pleasure　of　knowing　your　boy　over

thar；　and　of　meeting　him　agin　the　other　day　at　Nice。〃



〃I　think；〃　said　Sir　Robert's　voice　gently；　〃that　these　are　not　the

only　claims　you　have　upon　me。　　I　have　only　a　day　or　two　ago　heard

from　Mr。　Bradley　that　I　owe　to　your　generous　hands　and　your

disinterested　liberality　the　saving　of　my　California　fortune。〃



There　was　the　momentary　sound　of　a　pushed…back　chair；　a　stamping　of

feet；　and　then　Mr。　Sharpe's　voice　rose　high　with　the　blacksmith's

old　querulous　aggrieved　utterance



〃So　it's　that　finikin'；　conceited　Bradley　aginthat's　giv'　me

away！　　Ef　that　man's　all…fired　belief　in　his　being　the　Angel

Gabriel　and　Dan'l　Webster　rolled　inter　one　don't　beat　anythin'！　　I

suppose　that　high…flyin'　jay…bird　kalkilated　to　put　you　and　me　and

my　gal　and　yer　boy　inter　harness　for　his　four　hoss　chariot　and　he

sittin'　kam　on　the　box　drivin'　us！　　Why　don't　he　tend　to　his　own

business；　and　look　arter　his　own　concernsinstead　o'　leaving　Jinny

Bradley　and　Loo　Macy　dependent　on　Kings　and　Queens　and　titled　folks

gen'rally；　and　he；　Jim　Bradley；　philanderin'　with　another　man's

wifewhile　that　thar　man　is　hard　at　work　tryin'　to　make　a　honest

livin'　fer　his　wife；　buckin'　agin　faro　an'　the　tiger　gen'rally　at

Monaco！　　Eh？　　And　that　man　a…inter…meddlin'　with　me！　　Ef；〃

continued　the　voice；　dropped　to　a　tone　of　hopeless　moral

conviction；　〃ef　there's　a　man　I　mor'aly　despiseit's　that　finikin'

Jim　Bradley。〃



〃You　quite　mis