a sappho of green springs-第13章

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and　adornment。　　A　desk　covered　with　papers；　a　shelf　displaying　a

ledger　and　account…books；　another　containing　works　of　reference；　a

table　with　a　vase　of　flowers　and　a　lady's　riding…whip　upon　it；　a

map　of　California　flanked　on　either　side　by　an　embroidered　silken

workbag　and　an　oval　mirror　decked　with　grasses；　a　calendar　and

interest…table　hanging　below　two　school…girl　crayons　of　classic

heads　with　the　legend；　〃Josephine　Forsyth　fecit；〃were　part　of　its

incongruous　accessories。　　The　young　girl　went　to　her　desk；　but

presently　moved　and　turned　towards　the　window　thoughtfully。　　The

last　gleam　had　died　from　the　steel…blue　sky；　a　few　lights　like　star

points　began　to　prick　out　the　lower　valley。　　The　expression　of

monotonous　restraint　and　endurance　had　not　yet　faded　from　her　face。



Yet　she　had　been　accustomed　to　scenes　like　the　one　she　had　just

passed　though　since　her　girlhood。　　Five　years　ago；　Alexander

Forsyth；　her　uncle；　had　brought　her　to　this　spotthen　a　mere　log

cabin　on　the　hillsideas　a　refuge　from　the　impoverished　and

shiftless　home　of　his　elder　brother　Thomas　and　his　ill…tempered

wife。　　Here　Alexander　Forsyth；　by　reason　of　his　more　dominant

character　and　business　capacity；　had　prospered　until　he　became　a

rich　and　influential　ranch　owner。　　Notwithstanding　her　father's

jealousy　of　Alexander's　fortune；　and　the　open　rupture　that　followed

between　the　brothers；　Josephine　retained　her　position　in　the　heart

and　home　of　her　uncle　without　espousing　the　cause　of　either；　and

her　father　was　too　prudent　not　to　recognize　the　near　and

prospective　advantages　of　such　a　mediator。　　Accustomed　to　her

parents'　extravagant　denunciations；　and　her　uncle's　more　repressed

but　practical　contempt　of　them；　the　unfortunate　girl　early

developed　a　cynical　disbelief　in　the　virtues　of　kinship　in　the

abstract；　and　a　philosophical　resignation　to　its　effects　upon　her

personally。　　Believing　that　her　father　and　uncle　fairly　represented

the　fraternal　principle；　she　was　quite　prepared　for　the　early

defection　and　distrust　of　her　vagabond　and　dissipated　brother

Stephen；　and　accepted　it　calmly。　　True　to　an　odd　standard　of

justice；　which　she　had　erected　from　the　crumbling　ruins　of　her　own

domestic　life；　she　was　tolerant　of　everything　but　human　perfection。

This　quality；　however　fatal　to　her　higher　growth；　had　given　her　a

peculiar　capacity　for　business　which　endeared　her　to　her　uncle。

Familiar　with　the　strong　passions　and　prejudices　of　men；　she　had

none　of　those　feminine　meannesses；　a　wholesome　distrust　of　which

had　kept　her　uncle　a　bachelor。　　It　was　not　strange；　therefore；　that

when　he　died　two　years　ago　it　was　found　that　he　had　left　her　his

entire　property；　real　and　personal；　limited　only　by　a　single

condition。　　She　was　to　undertake　the　vocation　of　a　〃sole　trader；〃

and　carry　on　the　business　under　the　name　of　〃J。　Forsyth。〃　　If　she

married；　the　estate　and　property　was　to　be　held　distinct　from　her

husband's；　inalienable　under　the　〃Married　Woman's　Property　Act；〃

and　subject　during　her　life　only　to　her　own　control　and　personal

responsibilities　as　a　trader。



The　intense　disgust　and　discomfiture　of　her　parents；　who　had

expected　to　more　actively　participate　in　their　brother's　fortune；

may　be　imagined。　　But　it　was　not　equal　to　their　fury　when

Josephine；　instead　of　providing　for　them　a　separate　maintenance　out

of　her　abundance；　simply　offered　to　transfer　them　and　her　brother

to　her　own　house　on　a　domestic　but　not　a　business　equality。　　There

being　no　alternative　but　their　former　precarious　shiftless　life　in

their　〃played…out〃　claim　in　the　valley；　they　wisely　consented；

reserving　the　sacred　right　of　daily　protest　and　objurgation。　　In

the　economy　of　Burnt　Ridge　Ranch　they　alone　took　it　upon　themselves

to　represent　the　shattered　domestic　altar　and　its　outraged　Lares

and　Penates。　　And　so　conscientiously　did　they　perform　their　task　as

even　occasionally　to　impede　the　business　visitor　to　the　ranch；　and

to　cause　some　of　the　more　practical　neighbors　seriously　to　doubt

the　young　girl's　commercial　wisdom。　　But　she　was　firm。　　Whether　she

thought　her　parents　a　necessity　of　respectable　domesticity；　or

whether　she　regarded　their　presence　in　the　light　of　a　penitential

atonement　for　some　previous　disregard　of　them；　no　one　knew。　　Public

opinion　inclined　to　the　latter。



The　black　line　of　ridge　faded　out　with　her　abstraction；　and　she

turned　from　the　window　and　lit　the　lamp　on　her　desk。　　The　yellow

light　illuminated　her　face　and　figure。　　In　their　womanly　graces

there　was　no　trace　of　what　some　people　believed　to　be　a　masculine

character；　except　a　singularly　frank　look　of　critical　inquiry　and

patient　attention　in　her　dark　eyes。　　Her　long　brown　hair　was

somewhat　rigidly　twisted　into　a　knot　on　the　top　of　her　head；　as　if

more　for　security　than　ornament。　　Brown　was　also　the　prevailing

tint　of　her　eyebrows；　thickly…set　eyelashes；　and　eyes；　and　was　even

suggested　in　the　slight　sallowness　of　her　complexion。　　But　her　lips

were　well…cut　and　fresh…colored　and　her　hands　and　feet　small　and

finely　formed。　　She　would　have　passed　for　a　pretty　girl；　had　she

not　suggested　something　more。



She　sat　down；　and　began　to　examine　a　pile　of　papers　before　her　with

that　concentration　and　attention　to　detail　which　was　characteristic

of　her　eyes；　pausing　at　times　with　prettily　knit　brows；　and　her

penholder　between　her　lips；　in　the　semblance　of　a　pout　that　was

pleasant　enough　to　see。　　Suddenly　the　rattle　of　hoofs　and　wheels

struck　her　with　the　sense　of　something　forgotten；　and　she　put　down

her　work　quickly　and　stood　up　listening。　　The　sound　of　rough　voices

and　her　father's　querulous　accents　was　broken　upon　by　a　cultivated

and　more　familiar　utterance：　〃All　right；　I'll　speak　to　her　at　once。

Wait　there；〃　and　the　door　opened　to　the　well…known　physician　of

Burnt　Ridge；　Dr。　Duchesne。



〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　with　an　abruptness　that　was　only　saved　from

being　brusque　by　a　softer　intonation　and　a　reassuring　smile；　〃I　met

Miguel　helping　an　accident　into　your　buggy。　　Your　orders；　eh？〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Josephine；　quietly。　　〃A　man　I　saw　on　the　road。〃



〃Well；　it's　a　bad　case；　and　wants　prompt　attention。　　And　as　your

house　is　the　nearest　I　came　with　him　here。〃



Certainly；〃　she　said　gravely。　　〃Take　him　to　the　second　room　beyond

Steve's　roomit's　ready；〃　she　explained　to　two　dusky　shadows　in

the　hall　behind　the　doctor。



〃And　look　here；〃　said　the　doctor；　partly　closing　the　door　behind

him　and　regarding　her　with　critical　eyes；　〃you　always　said　you'd

like　to　see　some　of　my　queer　cases。　　Well；　this　is　onea　serious

one；　too；　in　fact；　it's　just　touch　and　go　with　him。　　There's　a

piece　of　the　bone　pressing　on　the　brain　no　bigger　than　that；　but　as

much　as　if　all　Burnt　Ridge　was　atop　of　him！　　I'm　going　to　lift　it。

I　want　somebody　here　to　stand　by；　some　one　who　can　lend　a　hand　with

a　sponge；　eh？some　one　who　isn't　going　to　faint　or　scream；　or　even

shake　a　hair's…breadth；　eh？〃



The　color　rose　quickly　to　the　girl's　cheek；　and　her　eyes　kindled。

〃I'll　come；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　　〃Who　is　he？〃



The　doctor　stared　slightly　at　the　unessential　query。　　〃Don't　know；

one　of　the　river　miners；　I　reckon。　　It's　an　urgent　case。　　I'll　go

and　get　everything　ready。　　You'd　better；〃　he　added；　with　an　ominous

glance　at　her　gray　frock；　〃put　something　over　your　dress。〃　　The

suggestion　made　her　grave；　but　did　not　alter　her　color。



A　moment　later　she　entered　the　room。　　It　was　the　one　that　had

always　been　set　apart　for　her　brother：　the　very　bed　on　which　the

unconscious　man　lay　had　been　arranged　that　morning　with　her　own

hands。　　Something　of　this　passed　through　her　mind　as　she　saw　that

the　doctor　had　wheeled　it　beneath　the　strong　light　in　the　centre　of

the　room；　stripped　its　outer　coverings　with　professional

thoughtfulness；　and　rearranged　the　mattresses。　　But　it　did　not　seem

like　the　same　room。　　There　was　a　pungent　odor　in　the　air　from　some

freshly…opened　phial；　an　almost　feminine　neatness　and　luxur