a phyllis of the sierras-第8章

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

business　that　pays。　　That　reminds　me　that　I　must　go　back　to　it；〃

said　Bradley；　rising　and　knocking　the　ashes　from　his　pipe。



〃Not　AFTER　dinner；　surely！〃　said　Mainwaring；　in　surprise。　　〃Come

now；　that's　too　much　like　the　bolting　Yankee　of　the　travellers'

books。〃



〃There's　a　heavy　run　to　get　through　tonight。　　We're　working　against

time；〃　returned　Bradley。　　Even　while　speaking　he　had　vanished

within　the　house；　returned　quicklyhaving　replaced　his　dark　suit

by　jean　trousers　tucked　in　heavy　boots；　and　a　red　flannel　shirt

over　his　starched　white　oneand；　nodding　gayly　to　Mainwaring；

stepped　from　the　lower　end　of　the　veranda。　　〃The　beggar　actually

looks　pleased　to　go；〃　said　Mainwaring　to　himself　in　wonderment。



〃Oh！　Jim；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　appearing　at　the　door。



〃Yes；〃　said　Bradley；　faintly；　from　the　bushes。



〃Minty's　ready。　　You　might　take　her　home。〃



〃All　right。　　I'll　wait。〃



〃I　hope　I　haven't　frightened　Miss　Sharpe　away；〃　said　Mainwaring。

〃She　isn't　going；　surely？〃



〃Only　to　get　some　better　clothes；　on　account　of　company。　　I'm

afraid　you　are　giving　her　a　good　deal　of　trouble；　Mr。　Mainwaring；〃

said　Mrs。　Bradley；　laughing。



〃She　wished　me　to　say　good…by　to　you　for　her；　as　she　couldn't　come

on　the　veranda　in　her　old　shawl　and　sun…bonnet；〃　added　Louise；　who

had　joined　them。　　〃What　do　you　really　think　of　her；　Mr。　Mainwaring？

I　call　her　quite　pretty；　at　times。　　Don't　you？〃



Mainwaring　knew　not　what　to　say。　　He　could　not　understand　why　they

could　have　any　special　interest　in　the　girl；　or　care　to　know　what

he；　a　perfect　stranger；　thought　of　her。　　He　avoided　a　direct　reply；

however；　by　playfully　wondering　how　Mrs。　Bradley　could　subject　her

husband　to　Miss　Minty's　undivided　fascinations。



〃Oh；　Jim　always　takes　her　homeif　it's　in　the　evening。　　He　gets

along　with　these　people　better　than　we　do；〃　returned　Mrs。　Bradley；

dryly。　　〃But；〃　she　added；　with　a　return　of　her　piquant　Quaker…like

coquettishness；　〃Jim　says　we　are　to　devote　ourselves　to　you　to…

nightin　retaliation；　I　suppose。　　We　are　to　amuse　you；　and　not　let

you　get　excited；　and　you　are　to　be　sent　to　bed　early。〃



It　is　to　be　feared　that　these　latter　wise　precautionsinvaluable

for　all　defenceless　and　enfeebled　humanitywere　not　carried　out：

and　it　was　late　when　Mainwaring　eventually　retired；　with　brightened

eyes　and　a　somewhat　accelerated　pulse。　　For　the　ladies；　who　had

quite　regained　that　kindly　equanimity　which　Minty　had　rudely

interrupted；　had　also　added　a　delicate　and　confidential　sympathy　in

their　relations　with　Mainwaring；as　of　people　who　had　suffered　in

common；and　he　experienced　these　tender　attentions　at　their　hands

which　any　two　women　are　emboldened　by　each　other's　saving　presence

to　show　any　single　member　of　our　sex。　　Indeed；　he　hardly　knew

if　his　satisfaction　was　the　more　complete　when　Mrs。　Bradley；

withdrawing　for　a　few　moments；　left　him　alone　on　the　veranda　with

Louise　and　the　vast；　omnipotent　night。



For　a　while　they　sat　silent；　in　the　midst　of　the　profound　and

measureless　calm。　　Looking　down　upon　the　dim　moonlit　abyss　at　their

feet；　they　themselves　seemed　a　part　of　this　night　that　arched　above

it；　the　half…risen　moon　appeared　to　linger　long　enough　at　their

side　to　enwrap　and　suffuse　them　with　its　glory；　a　few　bright　stars

quietly　ringed　themselves　around　them；　and　looked　wonderingly　into

the　level　of　their　own　shining　eyes。　　For　some　vague　yearning　to

humanity　seemed　to　draw　this　dark　and　passionless　void　towards

them。　　The　vast　protecting　maternity　of　Nature　leant　hushed　and

breathless　over　the　solitude。　　Warm　currents　of　air　rose

occasionally　from　the　valley；　which　one　might　have　believed　were

sighs　from　its　full　and　overflowing　breast；　or　a　grateful　coolness

swept　their　cheeks　and　hair　when　the　tranquil　heights　around　them

were　moved　to　slowly　respond。　　Odors　from　invisible　bay　and　laurel

sometimes　filled　the　air；　the　incense　of　some　rare　and　remoter

cultivated　meadow　beyond　their　ken；　or　the　strong　germinating

breath　of　leagues　of　wild　oats；　that　had　yellowed　the　upland　by

day。　　In　the　silence　and　shadow；　their　voices　took　upon　themselves；

almost　without　their　volition；　a　far…off　confidential　murmur；　with

intervals　of　meaning　silencerather　as　if　their　thoughts　had

spoken　for　themselves；　and　they　had　stopped　wonderingly　to　listen。

They　talked　at　first　vaguely　to　this　discreet　audience　of　space　and

darkness；　and　then；　growing　bolder；　spoke　to　each　other　and　of

themselves。　　Invested　by　the　infinite　gravity　of　nature；　they　had

no　fear　of　human　ridicule　to　restrain　their　youthful　conceit　or　the

extravagance　of　their　unimportant　confessions。　　They　talked　of

their　tastes；　of　their　habits；　of　their　friends　and　acquaintances。

They　settled　some　points　of　doctrine；　duty；　and　etiquette；　with　the

sweet　seriousness　of　youth　and　its　all…powerful　convictions。　　The

listening　vines　would　have　recognized　no　flirtation　or　love…making

in　their　animated　but　important　confidences；　yet　when　Mrs。　Bradley

reappeared　to　warn　the　invalid　that　it　was　time　to　seek　his　couch；

they　both　coughed　slightly　in　the　nervous　consciousness　of　some

unaccustomed　quality　in　their　voices；　and　a　sense　of　interruption

far　beyond　their　own　or　the　innocent　intruder's　ken。



〃Well？〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　in　the　sitting…room　as　Mainwaring's

steps　retreated　down　the　passage　to　his　room。



〃Well；〃　said　Louise　with　a　slight　yawn；　leaning　her　pretty

shoulders　languidly　against　the　door…post；　as　she　shaded　her

moonlight…accustomed　eyes　from　the　vulgar　brilliancy　of　Mrs。

Bradley's　bedroom　candle。　　〃Welloh；　he　talked　a　great　deal　about

'his　people'　as　he　called　them；　and　I　talked　about　us。　　He's　very

nice。　　You　know　in　some　things　he's　really　like　a　boy。〃



〃He　looks　much　better。〃



〃Yes；　but　he　is　far　from　strong　yet。〃



Meantime；　Mainwaring　had　no　other　confidant　of　his　impressions　than

his　own　thoughts。　　Mingled　with　his　exaltation；　which　was　the　more

seductive　that　it　had　no　well…defined　foundation　for　existing；　and

implied　no　future　responsibility；　was　a　recurrence　of　his　uneasiness

at　the　impending　visit　of　Richardson　the　next　day。　　Strangely　enough；

it　had　increased　under　the　stimulus　of　the　evening。　　Just　as　he　was

really　getting　on　with　the　family；　he　felt　sure　that　this　visitor

would　import　some　foreign　element　into　their　familiarity；　as　Minty

had　done。　　It　was　possible　they　would　not　like　him：　now　he

remembered　there　was　really　something　ostentatiously　British　and

insular　about　this　Richardsonsomething　they　would　likely　resent。

Why　couldn't　this　fellow　have　come　lateror　even　before？　　Before

what？　　But　here　he　fell　asleep；　and　almost　instantly　slipped　from

this　veranda　in　the　Sierras；　six　thousand　miles　away；　to　an　ancient

terrace；　overgrown　with　moss　and　tradition；　that　overlooked　the

sedate　glory　of　an　English　park。　　Here　he　found　himself；　restricted

painfully　by　his　inconsistent　night…clothes；　endeavoring　to　impress

his　mother　and　sisters　with　the　singular　virtues　and　excellences　of

his　American　host　and　hostessesvirtues　and　excellences　that　he

himself　was　beginning　to　feel　conscious　had　become　more　or　less

apocryphal　in　that　atmosphere。　　He　heard　his　mother's　voice　saying

severely；　〃When　you　learn；　Francis；　to　respect　the　opinions　and

prejudices　of　your　family　enough　to　prevent　your　appearing　before

them　in　this　uncivilized　aboriginal　costume；　we　will　listen　to　what

you　have　to　say　of　the　friends　whose　habits　you　seem　to　have

adopted；〃　and　he　was　frantically　indignant　that　his　efforts　to

convince　them　that　his　negligence　was　a　personal　oversight；　and　not

a　Californian　custom；　were　utterly　futile。　　But　even　then　this

vision　was　brushed　away　by　the　bewildering　sweep　of　Louise's　pretty

skirt　across　the　dreamy　picture；　and　her　delicate　features　and

softly…fringed　eyes　remained　the　last　to　slip　from　his　fading

consciousness。



The　moon　ros