a sappho of green springs-第22章

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L'Hommadieu；　devoted　herself　to　bringing　up　her　children　after　the

extremest　of　French　methods；　and　in　resurrecting　a　〃de〃　from　her

own　family　to　give　a　distinct　and　aristocratic　character　to　their

name。　　The　〃de　Fontanges　l'Hommadieu〃　were；　however；　only　known　to

their　neighbors；　after　the　Western　fashion；　by　their　stepfather's

name；when　they　were　known　at　allwhich　was　seldom。　　For　the　boy

was　unpleasantly　conceited　as　a　precocious　worldling；　and　the　girl

as　unpleasantly　complacent　in　her　role　of　ingenue。　　The　household

was　completely　dominated　by　Mrs。　Randolph。　　A　punctilious　Catholic；

she　attended　all　the　functions　of　the　adjacent　mission；　and　the

shadow　of　a　black　soutane　at　twilight　gliding　through　the　wild　oat…

fields　behind　the　ranch　had　often　been　mistaken　for　a　coyote。　　The

peace…loving　major　did　not　object　to　a　piety　which；　while　it　left

his　own　conscience　free；　imparted　a　respectable　religious　air　to

his　household；　and　kept　him　from　the　equally　distasteful　approaches

of　the　Puritanism　of　his　neighbors；　and　was　blissfully　unconscious

that　he　was　strengthening　the　antagonistic　foreign　element　in　his

family　with　an　alien　church。



Meantime；　as　the　repaired　buggy　was　slowly　making　its　way　towards

his　house；　Major　Randolph　entered　his　wife's　boudoir　with　a　letter

which　the　San　Francisco　post　had　just　brought　him。　　A　look　of

embarrassment　on　his　good…humored　face　strengthened　the　hard　lines

of　hers；　she　felt　some　momentary　weakness　of　her　natural　enemy；　and

prepared　to　give　battle。



〃I'm　afraid　here's　something　of　a　muddle；　Josephine；〃　he　began　with

a　deprecating　smile。　　〃Mallory；　who　was　coming　down　here　with　his

daughter；　you　know〃



〃This　is　the　first　intimation　I　have　had　that　anything　has　been

settled　upon；〃　interrupted　the　lady；　with　appalling　deliberation。



〃However；　my　dear；　you　know　I　told　you　last　week　that　he　thought　of

bringing　her　here　while　he　went　South　on　business。　　You　know；　being

a　widower；　he　has　no　one　to　leave　her　with。〃



〃And　I　suppose　it　is　the　American　fashion　to　intrust　one's

daughters　to　any　old　boon　companions？〃



〃Mallory　is　an　old　friend；〃　interrupted　the　major；　impatiently。

〃He　knows　I'm　married；　and　although　he　has　never　seen　YOU；　he　is

quite　willing　to　leave　his　daughter　here。〃



〃Thank　you！〃



〃Come；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　The　man　naturally　believes　that　my

wife　will　be　a　proper　chaperone　for　his　daughter。　　But　that　is　not

the　present　question。　　He　intended　to　call　here；　I　expected　to　take

you　over　to　San　Jose　to　see　her　and　all　that；　you　know；　but　the

fact　of　it　isthat　isit　seems　from　this　letter　thathe's　been

called　away　sooner　than　he　expected；　and　thatwellhang　it！　the

girl　is　actually　on　her　way　here　now。〃



〃Alone？〃



〃I　suppose　so。　　You　know　one　thinks　nothing　of　that　here。〃



〃Or　any　other　propriety；　for　that　matter。〃



〃For　heaven's　sake；　Josephine；　don't　be　ridiculous！　　Of　course　it's

stupid　her　coming　in　this　way；　and　Mallory　ought　to　have　brought

herbut　she's　coming；　and　we　must　receive　her。　　By　Jove！　　Here　she

is　now！〃　he　added；　starting　up　after　a　hurried　glance　through　the

window。　　〃But　what　kind　of　a　dd　turn…out　is　that；　anyhow？〃



It　certainly　was　an　odd…looking　conveyance　that　had　entered　the

gates；　and　was　now　slowly　coming　up　the　drive　towards　the　house。

A　large　draught　horse　harnessed　to　a　dust…covered　buggy；　whose

strained　fore…axle；　bent　by　the　last　mile　of　heavy　road；　had

slanted　the　tops　of　the　fore…wheels　towards　each　other　at　an

alarming　angle。　　The　light；　graceful　dress　and　elegant　parasol　of

the　young　girl；　who　occupied　half　of　its　single　seat；　looked

ludicrously　pronounced　by　the　side　of　the　slouching　figure　and

grimy　duster　of　the　driver；　who　occupied　the　other　half。



Mrs。　Randolph　gave　a　gritty　laugh。　　〃I　thought　you　said　she　was

alone。　　Is　that　an　escort　she　has　picked　up；　American　fashion；　on

the　road？〃



〃That's　her　hired　driver；　no　doubt。　　Hang　it！　she　can't　drive　here

by　herself；〃　retorted　the　major；　impatiently；　hurrying　to　the　door

and　down　the　staircase。　　But　he　was　instantly　followed　by　his　wife。

She　had　no　idea　of　permitting　a　possible　understanding　to　be

exchanged　in　their　first　greeting。　　The　late　M。　l'Hommadieu　had

been　able　to　impart　a　whole　plan　of　intrigue　in　a　single　word　and

glance。



Happily；　Rose　Mallory；　already　in　the　hall；　in　a　few　words　detailed

the　accident　that　had　befallen　her；　to　the　honest　sympathy　of　the

major　and　the　coldly…polite　concern　of　Mrs。　Randolph；　who；　in

deliberately　chosen　sentences；　managed　to　convey　to　the　young　girl

the　conviction　that　accidents　of　any　kind　to　young　ladies　were　to

be　regarded　as　only　a　shade　removed　from　indiscretions。　　Rose　was

impressed；　and　even　flattered；　by　the　fastidiousness　of　this

foreign…appearing　woman；　and　after　the　fashion　of　youthful　natures；

accorded　to　her　the　respect　due　to　recognized　authority。　　When　to

this　authority；　which　was　evident；　she　added　a　depreciation　of　the

major；　I　fear　that　some　common　instinct　of　feminine　tyranny

responded　in　Rose's　breast；　and　that　on　the　very　threshold　of　the

honest　soldier's　home　she　tacitly　agreed　with　the　wife　to　look　down

upon　him。　　Mrs。　Randolph　departed　to　inform　her　son　and　daughter　of

their　guest's　arrival。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　however；　they　had

already　observed　her　approach　to　the　house　through　the　slits　of

their　drawn　window…blinds；　and　those　even　narrower　prejudices　and

limited　comprehensions　which　their　education　had　fostered。　　The

girl；　Adele；　had　only　grasped　the　fact　that　Rose　had　come　to　their

house　in　fine　clothes；　alone　with　a　man；　in　a　broken…down　vehicle；

and　was　moved　to　easy　mirth　and　righteous　wonder。　　The　young　man；

Emile；　had　agreed　with　her；　with　the　mental　reservation　that　the

guest　was　pretty；　and　must　eventually　fall　in　love　with　him。　　They

both；　however；　welcomed　her　with　a　trained　politeness　and　a

superficial　attention　that；　while　the　indifference　of　her　own

countrymen　in　the　wheat…field　was　still　fresh　in　her　recollection；

struck　her　with　grateful　contrast；　the　major's　quiet　and　unobtrusive

kindliness　naturally　made　less　impression；　or　was　accepted　as　a

matter　of　course。



〃Well；〃　said　the　major；　cheerfully　but　tentatively；　to　his　wife

when　they　were　alone　again；　〃she　seems　a　nice　girl；　after　all；　and

a　good　deal　of　pluck　and　character；　by　Jove！　to　push　on　in　that

broken　buggy　rather　than　linger　or　come　in　a　farm　cart；　eh？〃



〃She　was　alone　in　that　wheat…field；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　with　grim

deliberation；　〃for　half　an　hour；　she　confesses　it　herselfTALKING

WITH　A　YOUNG　MAN！〃



〃Yes；　but　the　others　had　gone　for　the　buggy。　　And；　in　the　name　of

Heaven；　what　would　you　have　her　dohide　herself　in　the　grain？〃

said　the　major；　desperately。　　〃Besides；〃　he　added；　with　a

recklessness　he　afterwards　regretted；　〃that　mechanical　chap　they've

got　there　is　really　intelligent　and　worth　talking　to。〃



〃I　have　no　doubt　SHE　thought　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　with　a

mirthless　smile。　　〃In　fact；　I　have　observed　that　the　American

freedom　generally　means　doing　what　you　WANT　to　do。　　Indeed；　I

wonder　she　didn't　bring　him　with　her！　　Only　I　beg；　major；　that　you

will　not　again；　in　the　presence　of　my　daughter；and　I　may　even

say；　of　my　son；talk　lightly　of　the　solitary　meetings　of　young

ladies　with　mechanics；　even　though　their　faces　were　smutty；　and

their　clothes　covered　with　oil。〃



The　major　here　muttered　something　about　there　being　less　danger　in

a　young　lady　listening　to　the　intelligence　of　a　coarsely…dressed

laborer　than　to　the　compliments　of　a　rose…scented　fop；　but　Mrs。

Randolph　walked　out　of　the　room　before　he　finished　the　evident

platitude。



That　night　Rose　Mallory　retired　to　her　room　in　a　state　of　sell…

satisfaction　that　she　even　felt　was　to　a　certain　extent　a　virtue。

She　was　delighted　with　her　reception　and　with　her　hostess　and

family。　　It　was　strange　her　father　had　not　spoken　more　of　MRS。

Randolph；　who　was　clearly　the