a phyllis of the sierras-第7章

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and　at　once　applied　herself　to　the　plate　before　her。



The　conversation　presently　became　general；　with　the　exception　that

Minty；　more　or　less　engrossed　by　professional　anxiety　in　the

quality　of　the　dinner　and　occasional　hurried　visits　to　the　kitchen；

briefly　answered　the　few　polite　remarks　which　Mainwaring　felt

called　upon　to　address　to　her。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　conscious；

malgre　her　rallying　allusions　to　Miss　Macy；　that　he　felt　none　of

the　vague　yet　half　pleasant　anxiety　with　which　Louise　was　beginning

to　inspire　him。　　He　felt　at　ease　in　Minty's　presence；　and　believed；

rightly　or　wrongly；　that　she　understood　him　as　well　as　he

understood　her。　　And　there　were　certainly　points　in　common　between

his　two　hostesses　and　their　humbler　though　proud　dependent。　　The

social　evolution　of　Mrs。　Bradley　and　Louise　Macy　from　some　previous

Minty　was　neither　remote　nor　complete；　the　self…sufficient

independence；　ease；　and　quiet　self…assertion　were　alike　in　each。

The　superior　position　was　still　too　recent　and　accidental　for

either　to　resent　or　criticise　qualities　that　were　common　to　both。

At　least；　this　was　what　he　thought　when　not　abandoning　himself　to

the　gratification　of　a　convalescent　appetite；　to　the　presence　of

two　pretty　women；　the　sympathy　of　a　genial　friend；　the　healthy

intoxication　of　the　white　sunlight　that　glanced　upon　the　pine

walls；　the　views　that　mirrored　themselves　in　the　open　windows；　and

the　pure　atmosphere　in　which　The　Lookout　seemed　to　swim。　　Wandering

breezes　of　balm　and　spice　lightly　stirred　the　flowers　on　the　table；

and　seemed　to　fan　his　hair　and　forehead　with　softly　healing　breath。

Looking　up　in　an　interval　of　silence；　he　caught　Bradley's　gray　eyes

fixed　upon　him　with　a　subdued　light　of　amusement　and　affection；　as

of　an　elder　brother　regarding　a　schoolboy's　boisterous　appetite　at

some　feast。　　Mainwaring　laid　down　his　knife　and　fork　with　a

laughing　color；　touched　equally　by　Bradley's　fraternal　kindliness

and　the　consciousness　of　his　gastronomical　powers。



〃Hang　it；　Bradley；　look　here！　　I　know　my　appetite's　disgraceful；

but　what　can　a　fellow　do？　　In　such　air；　with　such　viands　and　such

company！　　It's　like　the　bees　getting　drunk　on　Hybla　and　Hymettus；

you　know。　　I'm　not　responsible！〃



〃It's　the　first　square　meal　I　believe　you've　really　eaten　in　six

months；〃　said　Bradley；　gravely。　　〃I　can't　understand　why　your

doctor　allowed　you　to　run　down　so　dreadfully。〃



〃I　reckon　you　ain't　as　keerful　of　yourself；　you　Britishers；　ez　us；〃

said　Minty。　　〃Lordy！　　Why　there's　Pop　invests　in　more　patent

medicines　in　one　day　than　you　have　in　two　weeks；　and　he'd　make　two

of　you。　　Mebbe　your　folks　don't　look　after　you　enough。〃



〃I'm　a　splendid　advertisement　of　what　YOUR　care　and　your　medicines

have　done；〃　said　Mainwaring；　gratefully；　to　Mrs。　Bradley；　〃and　if

you　ever　want　to　set　up　a　'Cure'　here；　I'm　ready　with　a　ten…page

testimonial。〃



〃Have　a　care；　Mainwaring；〃　said　Bradley；　laughing；　〃that　the　ladies

don't　take　you　at　your　word。　　Louise　and　Jenny　have　been　doing

their　best　for　the　last　year　to　get　me　to　accept　a　flattering　offer

from　a　Sacramento　firm　to　put　up　a　hotel　for　tourists　on　the　site

of　The　Lookout。　　Why；　I　believe　that　they　have　already　secretly　in

their　hearts　concocted　a　flaming　prospectus　of　'Unrivalled　Scenery'

and　'Health…giving　Air；'　and　are　looking　forward　to　Saturday　night

hops　on　the　piazza。〃



〃Have　you　really；　though？〃　said　Mainwaring；　gazing　from　the　one　to

the　other。



〃We　should　certainly　see　more　company　than　we　do　now；　and　feel　a

little　less　out　of　the　world；〃　said　Louise；　candidly。　　〃There　are

no　neighbors　hereI　mean　the　people　at　the　Summit　are　not；〃　she

added；　with　a　slight　glance　towards　Minty。



〃And　Mr。　Bradley　would　find　it　more　profitablenot　to　say　more

suitable　to　a　man　of　his　positionthan　this　wretched　saw…mill　and

timber　business；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　decidedly。



Mainwaring　was　astounded；　was　it　possible　they　considered　it　more

dignified　for　a　lawyer　to　keep　a　hotel　than　a　saw…mill？　　Bradley；

as　if　answering　what　was　passing　in　his　mind；　said　mischievously；

〃I'm　not　sure；　exactly；　what　my　position　is；　my　dear；　and　I'm

afraid　I've　declined　the　hotel　on　business　principles。　　But；　by　the

way；　Mainwaring；　I　found　a　letter　at　the　mill　this　morning　from　Mr。

Richardson。　　He　is　about　to　pay　us　the　distinguished　honor　of

visiting　The　Lookout；　solely　on　your　account；　my　dear　fellow。〃



〃But　I　wrote　him　that　I　was　much　better；　and　it　wasn't　necessary

for　him　to　come；〃　said　Mainwaring。



〃He　makes　an　excuse　of　some　law　business　with　me。　　I　suppose　he

considers　the　mere　fact　of　his　taking　the　trouble　to　come　here；　all

the　way　from　San　Francisco；　a　sufficient　honor　to　justify　any

absence　of　formal　invitation；〃　said　Bradley；　smiling。



〃But　he's　onlyI　mean　he's　my　father's　banker；〃　said　Mainwaring；

correcting　himself；　〃andyou　don't　keep　a　hotel。〃



〃Not　yet；〃　returned　Bradley；　with　a　mischievous　glance　at　the　two

women；　〃but　The　Lookout　is　elastic；　and　I　dare　say　we　can　manage　to

put　him　up。〃



A　silence　ensued。　　It　seemed　as　if　some　shadow；　or　momentary

darkening　of　the　brilliant　atmosphere；　some　film　across　the　mirror…

like　expanse　of　the　open　windows；　or　misty　dimming　of　their

wholesome　light；　had　arisen　to　their　elevation。　　Mainwaring　felt

that　he　was　looking　forward　with　unreasoning　indignation　and

uneasiness　to　this　impending　interruption　of　their　idyllic　life；

Mrs。　Bradley　and　Louise；　who　had　become　a　little　more　constrained

and　formal　under　Minty's　freedom；　were　less　sympathetic；　even　the

irrepressible　Minty　appeared　absorbed　in　the　responsibilities　of

the　dinner。



Bradley　alone　preserved　his　usual　patient　good…humor。　　〃We'll　take

our　coffee　on　the　veranda；　and　the　ladies　will　join　us　by　and　by；

Mainwaring；　besides；　I　don't　know　that　I　can　allow　you；　as　an

invalid；　to　go　entirely　through　Minty's　bountiful　menu　at　present。

You　shall　have　the　sweets　another　time。〃



When　they　were　alone　on　the　veranda；　he　said；　between　the　puffs　of

his　black　brier…wood　pipe；a　pet　aversion　of　Mrs。　Bradley；〃I

wonder　how　Richardson　will　accept　Minty！〃



〃If　I　can；　I　think　he　MUST；〃　returned　Mainwaring；　dryly。　　〃By　Jove；

it　will　be　great　fun　to　see　him；　but〃he　stopped　and　hesitated〃I

don't　know　about　the　ladies。　　I　don't　think；　you　know；　that　they'll

stand　Minty　again　before　another　stranger。〃



Bradley　glanced　quickly　at　the　young　man；　their　eyes　met；　and　they

both　joined　in　a　superior　and；　I　fear；　disloyal　smile。　　After　a

pause　Bradley；　as　if　in　a　spirit　of　further　confidence；　took　his

pipe　from　his　mouth　and　pointed　to　the　blue　abyss　before　them。



〃Look　at　that　profundity；　Mainwaring；　and　think　of　it　ever　being

bullied　and　overawed　by　a　long　veranda…load　of　gaping；　patronizing

tourists；　and　the　idiotic　flirting　females　of　their　species。　　Think

of　a　lot　of　over…dressed　creatures　flouting　those　severe　outlines

and　deep…toned　distances　with　frippery　and　garishness。　　You　know

how　you　have　been　lulled　to　sleep　by　that　delicious；　indefinite；

far…off　murmur　of　the　canyon　at　nightthink　of　it　being　broken　by

a　crazy　waltz　or　a　monotonous　germanby　the　clatter　of　waiters　and

the　pop　of　champagne　corks。　　And　yet；　by　thunder；　those　women　are

capable　of　liking　both　and　finding　no　discord　in　them！〃



〃Dancing　ain't　half　bad；　you　know；〃　said　Mainwaring；　conscientiously；

〃if　a　chap's　got　the　wind　to　do　it；　and　all　Americans；　especially

the　women；　dance　better　than　we　do。　　But　I　say；　Bradley；　to　hear　you

talk；　a　fellow　wouldn't　suspect　you　were　as　big　a　Vandal　as　anybody；

with　a　beastly；　howling　saw…mill　in　the　heart　of　the　primeval

forest。　　By　Jove；　you　quite　bowled　me　over　that　first　day　we　met；

when　you　popped　your　head　out　of　that　delirium　tremens　shaking　mill；

like　the　very　genius　of　destructive　improvement。〃



〃But　that　was　FIGHTING　Nature；　not　patronizing　her；　and　it's　a

business　that　pays。　　That　reminds　me　that　I　must　go　back