tales of trail and town-第13章

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or　even　sent　over　for　me　from　the　Towers。　　No！　you　Americans　take

people　on　their　'face　value；'　as　my　brother　Reggy　says；　and　we

always　want　to　know　what　are　the　'securities。'　　And　then　American

men　are　more　gallant；　though；〃　she　declared　mischievously；　〃I　think

you　are　an　exception　in　that　way。　　Indeed；〃　she　went　on；　〃the　more

I　see　of　your　countrymen　the　less　you　seem　like　them。　　You　are　more

like　us；more　like　an　Englishmanindeed；　more　like　an　Englishman

than　most　Englishmen；I　mean　in　the　matter　of　reserve　and　all　that

sort　of　thing；　you　know。　　It's　odd；isn't　it？　　Is　your　sister　like

you？〃



〃You　shall　judge　for　yourself；〃　said　Peter　with　a　gayety　that　was

forced　in　proportion　as　his　forebodings　became　more　gloomy。　　Would

his　sister's　peculiaritieseven　her　secretbe　safe　from　the　clear

eyes　of　the　young　girl？



〃I　know　I　shall　like　her；〃　said　Lady　Elfrida；　simply。　　〃I　mean　to

make　friends　with　her　before　we　leave；　and　I　hope　to　see　a　great

deal　of　her；　and；〃　she　said　with　a　naive　non　sequitur；　that；

however；　had　its　painful　significance　to　Peter；　〃I　do　want　you　to

show　me　some　Indiansyour　Indians；　you　know　YOUR　friends。　　I've

seen　some　of　them；　of　course；　I　am　afraid　I　am　a　little　prejudiced；

for　I　did　not　like　them。　　You　see　my　taste　has　to　be　educated；　I

suppose；　but　I　thought　them　so　foolishly　vain　and　presuming。〃



〃That　is　their　perfect　childishness；〃　said　Peter　quickly。　　〃It　is

not；　I　believe；　considered　a　moral　defect；〃　he　added　bitterly。



Lady　Elfrida　laughed；　and　yet　at　the　same　moment　a　look　of　appeal

that　was　in　itself　quite　as　childlike　shone　in　her　blue　eyes。

〃There；　I　have　blundered　again；　I　know；　but　I　told　you　I　have　such

ridiculous　prejudices！　　And　I　really　want　to　like　them　as　you　do。

Only；〃　she　laughed　again；　〃it　seems　strange　that　YOU；　of　all　men；

should　have　interested　yourself　in　people　so　totally　different　to

you。　　But　what　will　be　the　result　if　your　efforts　are　successful？

Will　they　remain　a　distinct　race？　　Will　you　make　citizens；

soldiers；　congressmen；　governors　of　them？　　Will　they　intermarry

with　the　whites？　　Is　that　a　part　of　your　plan？　　I　hope　not！〃



It　was　a　part　of　Peter's　sensitive　excitement　that　even　through　the

unconscious　irony　of　this　speech　he　was　noticing　the　difference

between　the　young　English　girl's　evident　interest　in　a　political

problem　and　the　utter　indifference　of　his　own　countrywomen。　　Here

was　a　girl　scarcely　out　of　her　teens；　with　no　pretension　to　being　a

blue　stocking；　with　half　the　aplomb　of　an　American　girl　of　her　own

age；　gravely　considering　a　question　of　political　economy。　　Oddly

enough；　it　added　to　his　other　irritation；　and　he　said　almost

abruptly；　〃Why　not？〃



She　took　the　question　literally　and　with　a　little　youthful

timidity。　　〃But　these　mixed　races　never　attain　to　anything；　do

they？　　I　thought　that　was　understood。　　But；〃　she　added　with

feminine　quickness；　〃and　I　suppose　it's　again　only　a　PERSONAL

argument；　YOU　wouldn't　like　your　sister　to　have　married　an　Indian；

would　you？〃



The　irony　of　the　situation　had　reached　its　climax　to　Peter。　　It

didn't　seem　to　be　his　voice　that　said；　〃I　can　answer　by　an　argument

still　more　personal。　　I　have　even　thought　myself　of　marrying　an

Indian　woman。〃



It　seemed　to　him　that　what　he　said　was　irrevocable；　but　he　was

desperate。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　in　a　moment　more　he　would　have

told　her　his　whole　secret。　　But　the　young　girl　drew　back　from　him

with　a　slight　start　of　surprise。　　There　may　have　been　something　in

the　tone　of　his　voice　and　in　his　manner　that　verged　upon　a

seriousness　she　was　never　contemplating　in　her　random　talk；　it　may

have　been　an　uneasiness　of　some　youthful　imprudence　in　pressing　the

subject　upon　a　man　of　his　superiority；　and　that　his　abrupt　climax

was　a　rebuke。　　But　it　was　only　for　a　moment；　her　youthful　buoyancy；

and；　above　all；　a　certain　common　sense　that　was　not　incompatible　to

her　high　nature；　came　to　her　rescue。　　〃But　that；〃　she　said　with

quick　mischievousness；　〃would　be　a　SACRIFICE　taken　in　the　interest

of　these　people；　don't　you　see；　and　being　a　sacrifice；　it's　no

argument。〃



Peter　saw　his　mistake；　but　there　was　something　so　innocent　and

delightful　in　the　youthful　triumph　of　this　red…lipped　logician；

that　he　was　forced　to　smile。　　I　have　said　that　his　smile　was　rare

and　fascinating；　a　concession　wrung　from　his　dark　face　and　calm

beardless　lips　that　most　people　found　irresistible；　but　it　was　odd；

nevertheless；　that　Lady　Elfrida　now　for　the　first　time　felt　a

sudden　and　not　altogether　unpleasant　embarrassment　over　the　very

subject　she　had　approached　with　such　innocent　fearlessness。　　There

was　a　new　light　in　her　eyes；　a　fresher　color　in　her　cheeks　as　she

turned　her　faceshe　knew　not　whyaway　from　him。　　But　it　enabled

her　to　see　a　figure　approaching　them　from　the　fort。　　And　I　grieve

to　say　that；　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　Lady　Elfrida

was　guilty　of　an　affected　start。



〃Oh；　here's　Reggy　coming　to　look　for　me。　　I'd　quite　forgotten；　but

I'm　so　glad。　　I　want　you　to　know　my　brother　Reggy。　　He　was　always

so　sorry　he　missed　you　at　the　Grange。〃



The　tall；　young；　good…looking　brown　Englishman　who　had　sauntered　up

bestowed　a　far　more　critical　glance　upon　Peter's　horse　than　upon

Peter；　but　nevertheless　grasped　his　hand　heartily　as　his　sister

introduced　him。　　Perhaps　both　men　were　equally　undemonstrative；

although　the　reserve　of　one　was　from　temperament　and　the　other　from

education。　　Nevertheless　Lord　Reginald　remarked；　with　a　laugh；　that

it　was　awfully　jolly　to　be　there；　and　that　it　had　been　a　beastly

shame　that　he　was　in　Scotland　when　Atherly　was　at　the　Grange。　　That

none　of　them　had　ever　suspected　till　they　came　to　the　fort　that　he；

Atherly；　was　one　of　those　government　chappies；　and　so　awfully　keen

on　Indian　politics。　　〃Friddy〃　had　been　the　first　to　find　it　out；

but　they　thought　she　was　chaffing。　　At　which　〃Friddy；〃　who　had

suddenly　resolved　herself　into　the　youthfulest　of　schoolgirls　in

the　presence　of　her　brother；　put　her　parasol　like　an　Indian　club

behind　her　back；　and　still　rosy；　beamed　admiringly　upon　Reggy。

Then　the　three；　Peter　leading　his　horse；　moved　on　towards　the　fort；

presently　meeting　〃Georgy；〃　the　six…foot　Guardsman　cousin　in

extraordinary　tweeds　and　flannel　shirt；　Lord　Runnybroke；　uncle　of

Friddy；　middle…aged　and　flannel…shirted；　a　mighty　hunter；　Lady

Runnybroke；　in　a　brown　duster；　but　with　a　stately　head　that

suggested　ostrich　feathers；　Moyler…Spence；　M。　P。；　with　an　eyeglass；

and　the　Hon。　Evelyn　Kayne；　closely　attended　by　the　always　gallant

Lieutenant　Forsyth。　　Peter　began　to　feel　a　nervous　longing　to　be

alone　on　the　burning　plain　and　the　empty　horizon　beyond　them；　until

he　could　readjust　himself　to　these　new　conditions；　and　glanced

half…wearily　around　him。　　But　his　eye　met　Friddy's；　who　seemed　to

have　evoked　this　gathering　with　a　wave　of　her　parasol；　like　the

fairy　of　a　pantomime；　and　he　walked　on　in　silence。



A　day　or　two　of　unexpected　pleasure　passed　for　Peter。　　In　these　new

surroundings　he　found　he　could　separate　Lady　Elfrida　from　his

miserable　past；　and　the　conventional　restraint　of　Ashley　Grange。

Again；　the　revelation　of　her　familiar　name　Friddy　seemed　to　make

her　more　accessible　and　human　to　him　than　her　formal　title；　and

suited　the　girlish　simplicity　that　lay　at　the　foundation　of　her

character；　of　which　he　had　seen　so　little　before。　　At　least　so　he

fancied；　and　so　excused　himself；　it　was　delightful　to　find　her

referring　to　him　as　an　older　friend；　pleasant；　indeed；　to　see　that

her　family　tacitly　recognized　it；　and　frequently　appealed　to　him

with　the　introduction；　〃Friddy　says　you　can　tell　us；〃　or　〃You　and

Friddy　had　better　arrange　it　between　you。〃　　Even　the　dreaded

introduction　of　his　sister　was　an　agreeable　surprise；　owing　to　Lady

Elfrida's　frank　and　sympathetic　prepossession；　which　Jenny　could

not　resist。　　In　a　few　moments　they　were　walking　together　in　serious

and　apparently　confidential　conversatio