a phyllis of the sierras-第6章

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daughter　to　come　to　The　Lookout　for　a　few　days　to　〃do　the　chores〃

and　assist　in　the　housekeeping；　as　she　had　on　previous　occasions。

The　day　of　her　advent　Bradley　entered　Mainwaring's　room；　and；

closing　the　door　mysteriously；　fixed　his　blue　eyes；　kindling　with

mischief；　on　the　young　Englishman。



〃You　are　aware；　my　dear　boy；〃　he　began　with　affected　gravity；　〃that

you　are　now　living　in　a　land　of　liberty；　where　mere　artificial

distinctions　are　not　known；　and　where　Freedom　from　her　mountain

heights　generally　levels　all　social　positions。　　I　think　you　have

graciously　admitted　that　fact。〃



〃I　know　I've　been　taking　a　tremendous　lot　of　freedom　with　you　and

yours；　old　man；　and　it's　a　deuced　shame；〃　interrupted　Mainwaring；

with　a　faint　smile。



〃And　that　nowhere；〃　continued　Bradley；　with　immovable　features；

〃does　equality　exist　as　perfectly　as　above　yonder　unfathomable

abyss；　where　you　have　also；　doubtless；　observed　the　American　eagle

proudly　soars　and　screams　defiance。〃



〃Then　that　was　the　fellow　that　kept　me　awake　this　morning；　and　made

me　wonder　if　I　was　strong　enough　to　hold　a　gun　again。〃



〃That　wouldn't　have　settled　the　matter；〃　continued　Bradley；

imperturbably。　　〃The　case　is　simply　this：　Miss　Minty　Sharpe；　that

blacksmith's　daughter；　has　once　or　twice　consented；　for　a　slight

emolument；　to　assist　in　our　domestic　service　for　a　day　or　two；　and

she　comes　back　again　to…day。　　Now；　under　the　aegis　of　that　noble

bird　whom　your　national　instincts　tempt　you　to　destroy；　she　has　on

all　previous　occasions　taken　her　meals　with　us；　at　the　same　table；

on　terms　of　perfect　equality。　　She　will　naturally　expect　to　do　the

same　now。　　Mrs。　Bradley　thought　it　proper；　therefore；　to　warn　you；

that；　in　case　your　health　was　not　quite　equal　to　this　democratic

simplicity；　you　could　still　dine　in　your　room。〃



〃It　would　be　great　funif　Miss　Sharpe　won't　object　to　my

presence。〃



〃But　it　must　not　be　'great　fun；'〃　returned　Bradley；　more　seriously；

〃for　Miss　Minty's　perception　of　humor　is　probably　as　keen　as　yours；

and　she　would　be　quick　to　notice　it。　　And；　so　far　from　having　any

objection　to　you；　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　we　owe　her　consent　to

come　to　her　desire　of　making　your　acquaintance。〃



〃She　will　find　my　conduct　most　exemplary；〃　said　Mainwaring；

earnestly。



〃Let　us　hope　so；〃　concluded　Bradley；　with　unabated　gravity。　　〃And；

now　that　you　have　consented；　let　me　add　from　my　own　experience　that

Miss　Minty's　lemon…pies　alone　are　worthy　of　any　concession。



The　dinner…hour　came。　　Mainwaring；　a　little　pale　and　interesting；

leaning　on　the　arm　of　Bradley；　crossed　the　hall；　and　for　the　first

time　entered　the　dining…room　of　the　house　where　he　had　lodged　for

three　weeks。　　It　was　a　bright；　cheerful　apartment；　giving　upon　the

laurels　of　the　rocky　hillside；　and　permeated；　like　the　rest　of　the

house；　with　the　wholesome　spice　of　the　valleyan　odor　that；　in　its

pure　desiccating　property；　seemed　to　obliterate　all　flavor　of　alien

human　habitation；　and　even　to　dominate　and　etherealize　the

appetizing　smell　of　the　viands　before　them。　　The　bare；　shining；

planed；　boarded　walls　appeared　to　resent　any　decoration　that　might

have　savored　of　dust；　decay；　or　moisture。　　The　four　large　windows

and　long；　open　door；　set　in　scanty　strips　of　the　plainest　spotless

muslin；　framed　in　themselves　pictures　of　woods　and　rock　and　sky　of

limitless　depth；　color；　and　distance；　that　made　all　other　adornment

impertinent。　　Nature；　invading　the　room　at　every　opening；　had

banished　Art　from　those　neutral　walls。



〃It's　like　a　picnic；　with　comfort；〃　said　Mainwaring；　glancing　round

him　with　boyish　appreciation。　　Miss　Minty　was　not　yet　there；　the

Chinaman　was　alone　in　attendance。　　Mainwaring　could　not　help

whispering；　half　mischievously；　to　Louise；　〃You　draw　the　line　at

Chinamen；　I　suppose？〃



〃WE　don't；　but　HE　does；〃　answered　the　young　girl。　　〃He　considers　us

his　social　inferiors。　　Buthush！〃



Minty　Sharpe　had　just　entered　the　room；　and　was　advancing　with

smiling　confidence　towards　the　table。　　Mainwaring　was　a　little

startled；　he　had　seen　Minty　in　a　holland　sun…bonnet　and　turned　up

skirt　crossing　the　veranda；　only　a　moment　before；　in　the　brief

instant　between　the　dishing…up　of　dinner　and　its　actual　announcement

she　had　managed　to　change　her　dress；　put　on　a　clean　collar；　cuffs；

and　a　large　jet　brooch；　and　apply　some　odorous　unguent　to　her

rebellious　hair。　　Her　face；　guiltless　of　powder　or　cold　cream；　was

still　shining　with　the　healthy　perspiration　of　her　last　labors　as

she　promptly　took　the　vacant　chair　beside　Mainwaring。



〃Don't　mind　me；　folks；〃　she　said　cheerfully；　resting　her　plump

elbow　on　the　table；　and　addressing　the　company　generally；　but

gazing　with　frank　curiosity　into　the　face　of　the　young　man　at　her

side。　　〃It　was　a　keen　jump；　I　tell　yer；　to　get　out　of　my　old　duds

inter　these；　and　look　decent　inside　o'　five　minutes。　　But　I　reckon

I　ain't　kept　yer　waitin'　longleast　of　all　this　yer　sick　stranger。

But　you're　looking　pearter　than　you　did。　　You're　wonderin'　like　ez

not　where　I　ever　saw　ye　before？〃　she　continued；　laughing。　　〃Well；

I'll　tell　you。　　Last　week！　I'd　kem　over　yer　on　a　chance　of　seein'

Jenny　Bradley；　and　while　I　was　meanderin'　down　the　veranda　I　saw

you　lyin'　back　in　your　chair　by　the　window　drowned　in　sleep；　like　a

baby。　　Lordy！　　I　mout　hev　won　a　pair　o'　gloves；　but　I　reckoned　you

were　Loo's　game；　and　not　mine。〃



The　slightly　constrained　laugh　which　went　round　the　table　after

Miss　Minty's　speech　was　due　quite　as　much　to　the　faint　flush　that

had　accented　Mainwaring's　own　smile　as　to　the　embarrassing　remark

itself。　　Mrs。　Bradley　and　Miss　Macy　exchanged　rapid　glances。

Bradley；　who　alone　retained　his　composure；　with　a　slight　flicker　of

amusement　in　the　corner　of　his　eye　and　nostril；　said　quickly：　〃You

see；　Mainwaring；　how　nature　stands　ready　to　help　your　convalescence

at　every　turn。　　If　Miss　Minty　had　only　followed　up　her　healing

opportunity；　your　cure　would　have　been　complete。〃



〃Ye　mout　hev　left　some　o'　that　pretty　talk　for　HIM　to　say；〃　said

Minty；　taking　up　her　knife　and　fork　with　a　slight　shrug；　〃and　you

needn't　call　me　MISS　Minty　either；　jest　because　there's　kempeny

present。〃



〃I　hope　you　won't　look　upon　me　as　company；　Minty；　or　I　shall　be

obliged　to　call　you　'Miss'　too；〃　said　Mainwaring；　unexpectedly

regaining　his　usual　frankness。



Bradley's　face　brightened；　Miss　Minty　raised　her　black　eyes　from

her　plate　with　still　broader　appreciation。



〃There's　nothin'　mean　about　that；〃　she　said；　showing　her　white

teeth。　　〃Well；　what's　YOUR　first　name？〃



〃Not　as　pretty　as　yours；　I'm　afraid。　　It's　Frank。〃



〃No　it　ain't；　it's　Francis！　　You　reckon　to　be　Sir　Francis　some

day；〃　she　said　gravely。　　〃You　can't　play　any　Frank　off　on　me。　　You

wouldn't　do　it　on　HER；〃　she　added；　indicating　Louise　with　her

elbow。



A　momentous　silence　followed。　　The　particular　form　that　Minty's

vulgarity　had　taken　had　not　been　anticipated　by　the　two　other

women。　　They　had；　not　unreasonably；　expected　some　original　audacity

or　gaucherie　from　the　blacksmith's　daughter；　which　might　astonish

yet　amuse　their　guest；　and　condone　for　the　situation　forced　upon

them。　　But　they　were　not　prepared　for　a　playfulness　that　involved

themselves　in　a　ridiculous　indiscretion。　　Mrs。　Bradley's　eyes

sought　her　husband's　meaningly；　Louise's　pretty　mouth　hardened。

Luckily　the　cheerful　cause　of　it　suddenly　jumped　up　from　the　table；

and　saying　that　the　stranger　was　starving；　insisted　upon　bringing　a

dish　from　the　other　side　and　helping　him　herself　plentifully。

Mainwaring　rose　gallantly　to　take　the　dish　from　her　hand；　a　slight

scuffle　ensued　which　ended　in　the　young　man　being　forced　down　in

his　chair　by　the　pressure　of　Minty's　strong　plump　hand　on　his

shoulder。　　〃There；〃　she　said；　〃ye　kin　mind　your　dinner　now；　and　I

reckon　we'll　give　the　others　a　chance　to　chip　into　the　conversation；〃

and　at　once　applied　herself　to　the　plate　before　her。