a phyllis of the sierras-第22章

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

Jim　Bradley。〃



〃You　quite　misunderstand　me；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　Sir　Robert's

hurried　voice；　〃he　told　me　you　had　pledged　him　to　secrecy；　and　he

only　revealed　it　to　explain　why　you　wished　to　see　me。〃



There　was　a　grunt　of　half…placated　wrath　from　Sharpe；　and　then　the

voice　resumed；　but　more　deliberately；　〃Well；　to　come　back　to

business：　you've　got　a　boy；　Francis；　and　I've　got　a　darter；

Araminty。　　They've　sorter　taken　a　shine　to　each　other　and　they　want

to　get　married。　　Mind　yerwait　a　moment！it　wasn't　allus　so。　　No；

sir；　when　my　gal　Araminty　first　seed　your　boy　in　Californy　she　was

poor；　and　she　didn't　kalkilate　to　get　inter　anybody's　family

unbeknownst　or　on　sufferance。　　Then　she　got　rich　and　you　got　poor；

and　thenhold　on　a　minit！she　allows；　does　my　girl；　that　there

ain't　any　nearer　chance　o'　their　making　a　match　than　they　were

afore；　for　she　isn't　goin'　to　hev　it　said　that　she　married　your　son

fur　the　chance　of　some　day　becomin'　Lady　Mainwaring。〃



〃One　moment；　Mr。　Sharpe；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　Baronet；　gravely：

〃I　am　both　flattered　and　pained　by　what　I　believe　to　be　the　kindly

object　of　your　visit。　　Indeed；　I　may　say　I　have　gathered　a

suspicion　of　what　might　be　the　sequel　of　this　most　unhappy

acquaintance　of　my　son　and　your　daughter；　but　I　cannot　believe　that

he　has　kept　you　in　ignorance　of　his　unfortunate　prospects　and　his

still　more　unfortunate　state　of　health。〃



〃When　I　told　ye　to　hold　on　a　minit；〃　continued　the　blacksmith's

voice；　with　a　touch　of　querulousness　in　its　accent；　〃that　was　jist

wot　I　was　comin'　to。　　I　knowed　part　of　it　from　my　own　pocket；　she

knowed　the　rest　of　it　from　his　lip　and　the　doctors　she　interviewed。

And　then　she　says　to　mesez　my　girl　MintyPop；'　she　sez；　'he's

got　nothing　to　live　for　now　but　his　title；　and　that　he　never　may

live　to　get；　so　that　I　think　ye　kin　jist　go；　Pop；　and　fairly　and

squarely；　as　a　honest　man；　ask　his　father　to　let　me　hev　him。'

Them's　my　darter's　own　words；　Sir　Robert；　and　when　I　tell　yer　that

she's　got　a　million　o'　dollars　to　back　them；　ye'll　know　she　means

business；　every　time。〃



〃Did　Francis　know　that　you　were　coming　here？〃



〃Bless　ye；　no！　he　don't　know　that　she　would　have　him。　　Ef　it　kem　to

that；　he　ain't　even　asked　her！　　She　wouldn't　let　him　until　she　was

sure　of　YOU。〃



〃Then　you　mean　to　say　there　is　no　engagement？〃



〃In　course　not。　　I　reckoned　to　do　the　square　thing　first　with　ye。〃



The　halting　step　of　the　Baronet　crossing　the　room　was　heard

distinctly。　　He　had　stopped　beside　Sharpe。　　〃My　dear　Mr。　Sharpe；〃

he　said；　in　a　troubled　voice；　〃I　cannot　permit　this　sacrifice。　　It

is　tootoo　great！〃



〃Then；〃　said　Sharpe'　s　voice　querulously；　〃I'm　afraid　we　must　do

without　your　permission。　　I　didn't　reckon　to　find　a　sort　o'　British

Jim　Bradley　in　you。　　If　YOU　can't　permit　my　darter　to　sacrifice

herself　by　marryin'　your　son；　I　can't　permit　her　to　sacrifice　her

love　and　him　by　NOT　marryin'　him。　　So　I　reckon　this　yer　interview

is　over。〃



〃I　am　afraid　we　are　both　old　fools；　Mr。　Sharpe；　butwe　will　talk

this　over　with　Lady　Mainwaring。　　Come〃　　There　was　evidently　a

slight　struggle　near　the　chair　over　some　inanimate　object。　　But　the

next　moment　the　Baronet's　voice　rose；　persuasively；　〃Really；　I　must

insist　upon　relieving　you　of　your　bag　and　umbrella。〃



〃Well；　if　you'll　let　me　telegraph　'yes'　to　Minty；　I　don't　care　if

yer　do。〃



When　the　room　was　quiet　again；　Lady　Canterbridge　and　James　Bradley

silently　slipped　from　the　curtain；　and；　without　a　word；　separated

at　the　door。





There　was　a　merry　Christmas　at　Oldenhurst　and　at　Nice。　　But　whether

Minty's　loving　sacrifice　was　accepted　or　not；　or　whether　she　ever

reigned　as　Lady　Mainwaring；　or　lived　an　untitled　widow；　I　cannot

say。　　But　as　Oldenhurst　still　exists　in　all　its　pride　and　power；　it

is　presumed　that　the　peril　that　threatened　its　fortunes　was

averted；　and　that　if　another　heroine　was　not　found　worthy　of　a

frame　in　its　picture…gallery；　at　least　it　had　been　sustained　as　of

old　by　devotion　and　renunciation。











End