a sappho of green springs-第31章

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stopped　unloading；　and　moved　away　one　after　the　othereven　the

driver　joining　in　the　exodus。　　Mrs。　Randolph　smiled　sarcastically；

it　was　plain　that　these　people；　with　all　their　boasted　independence；

were　quite　amenable　to　pecuniary　considerations。　　Nevertheless；

as　Dawson　remained　looking　quietly　at　her；　she　said：



〃Then　I　suppose　they've　concluded　to　go　and　see？〃



〃No；　I've　sent　them　away　so　that　they　couldn't　HEAR。〃



〃Hear　what？〃



〃What　I've　got　to　say　to　you。〃



She　looked　at　him　suddenly。　　Then　she　said；　with　a　disdainful

glance　around　her：　〃I　see　I　am　helpless　here；　andthanks　to　your

trickeryalone。　　Have　a　care；　sir；　I　warn　you　that　you　will　have

to　answer　to　Major　Randolph　for　any　insolence。〃



〃I　reckon　you　won't　tell　Major　Randolph　what　I　have　to　say　to　you；〃

he　returned　coolly。



Her　lips　were　nearly　a　grayish　hue；　but　she　said　scornfully：　〃And

why　not？　　Do　you　know　who　you　are　talking　to？〃



The　man　came　lazily　forward　to　the　carryall；　carelessly　brushed

aside　the　slack　reins；　and　resting　his　elbows　on　the　horse's　back；

laid　his　chin　on　his　hands；　as　he　looked　up　in　the　woman's　face。



〃Yes；　I　know　who　I'm　talking　to；〃　he　said　coolly。　　〃But　as　the

major　don't；　I　reckon　you　won't　tell　him。〃



〃Stand　away　from　that　horse！〃　she　said；　her　whole　face　taking　the

grayish　color　of　her　lips；　but　her　black　eyes　growing　smaller　and

brighter。　　〃Hand　me　those　reins；　and　let　me　pass！　　What　canaille

are　you　to　stop　me？〃



〃I　thought　so；〃　returned　the　man；　without　altering　his　position；

〃you　don't　know　ME。　　You　never　saw　ME　before。　　Well；　I'm　Jim

Dawson；　the　nephew　of　L'Hommadieu；　YOUR　OLD　MASTER！〃



She　gripped　the　iron　rail　of　the　seat　as　if　to　leap　from　it；　but

checked　herself　suddenly　and　leaned　back；　with　a　set　smile　on　her

mouth　that　seemed　stamped　there。　　It　was　remarkable　that　with　that

smile　she　flung　away　her　old　affectation　of　superciliousness　for　an

older　and　ruder　audacity；　and　that　not　only　the　expression；　but　the

type　of　her　face　appeared　to　have　changed。



〃I　don't　say；〃　continued　the　man　quietly；　〃that　he　didn't　MARRY　you

before　he　died。　　But　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　the　laws　of　his

State　didn't　recognize　the　marriage　of　a　master　with　his　octoroon

slave！　　And　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　even　if　he　had　freed　you；

he　couldn't　change　your　blood。　　Why；　if　I'd　been　willing　to　stay　at

Avoyelles　to　be　a　nigger…driver　like　him；　the　plantation　of　'de

Fontanges'whose　name　you　have　takenwould　have　been　left　to　me。

If　YOU　had　stayed　there；　you　might　have　been　my　property　instead　of

YOUR　owning　a　square　man　like　Randolph。　　You　didn't　think　of　that

when　you　came　here；　did　you？〃　he　said　composedly。



〃Oh；　mon　Dieu！〃　she　said；　dropping　rapidly　into　a　different　accent；

with　her　white　teeth　and　fixed　mirthless　smile；　〃so　it　is　a　claim

for　PROPERTY；　eh？　　You're　wanting　moneyyou？　　Tres　bien；　you

forget　we　are　in　California；　where　one　does　not　own　a　slave。　　And

you　have　a　fine　story　there；　my　poor　friend。　　Very　pretty；　but　very

hard　to　prove；　m'sieu。　　And　these　peasants　are　in　it；　eh；　working

it　on　shares　like　the　farm；　eh？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Dawson；　slightly　changing　his　position；　and　passing

his　hand　over　the　horse's　neck　with　a　half…wearied　contempt；　〃one

of　these　men　is　from　Plaquemine；　and　the　other　from　Coupee。　　They

know　all　the　l'Hommadieus'　history。　　And　they　know　a　streak　of　the

tar　brush　when　they　see　it。　　They　took　your　measure　when　they　came

here　last　year；　and　sized　you　up　fairly。　　So　had　I；　for　the　matter

of　that；　when　I　FIRST　saw　you。　　And　we　compared　notes。　　But　the

major　is　a　square　man；　for　all　he　is　your　husband；　and　we　reckoned

he　had　a　big　enough　contract　on　his　hands　to　take　care　of　you　and

l'Hommadieu's　half…breeds；　and　so〃he　tossed　the　reins

contemptuously　aside〃we　kept　this　to　ourselves。〃



〃And　now　you　wantwhateh？〃



〃We　want　an　end　to　this　foolery；〃　he　broke　out　roughly；　stepping

back　from　the　vehicle；　and　facing　her　suddenly；　with　his　first

angry　gesture。　　〃We　want　an　end　to　these　airs　and　grimaces；　and　all

this　dandy　nigger　business；　we　want　an　end　to　this　'cake…walking'

through　the　wheat；　and　flouting　of　the　honest　labor　of　your

betters。　　We　want　you　and　your　'de　Fontanges'　to　climb　down。　　And

we　want　an　end　to　this　roping…in　of　white　folks　to　suit　your　little

game；　we　want　an　end　to　your　trying　to　mix　your　nigger　blood　with

any　one　here；　and　we　intend　to　stop　it。　　We　draw　the　line　at　the

major。〃



Lashed　as　she　had　been　by　those　words　apparently　out　of　all

semblance　of　her　former　social　arrogance；　a　lower　and　more　stubborn

resistance　seemed　to　have　sprung　up　in　her；　as　she　sat　sideways；

watching　him　with　her　set　smile　and　contracting　eyes。



〃Ah；〃　she　said　dryly；　〃so　SHE　IS　HERE。　　I　thought　so。　　Which　of　you

is　it；　eh？　　It's　a　good　specMallory's　a　rich　man。　　She's　not

particular。〃



The　man　had　stopped　as　if　listening；　his　head　turned　towards　the

road。　　Then　he　turned　carelessly；　and　facing　her　again；　waved　his

hand　with　a　gesture　of　tired　dismissal；　and　said；　〃Go！　　You'll　find

your　driver　over　there　by　the　tool…shed。　　He　has　heard　nothing　yet

but　I've　given　you　fair　warning。　　Go！〃



He　walked　slowly　back　towards　the　shed；　as　the　woman；　snatching　up

the　reins；　drove　violently　off　in　the　direction　where　the　men　had

disappeared。　　But　she　turned　aside；　ignoring　her　waiting　driver　in

her　wild　and　reckless　abandonment　of　all　her　old　conventional

attitudes；　and　lashing　her　horse　forward　with　the　same　set　smile　on

her　face；　the　same　odd　relaxation　of　figure；　and　the　same　squaring

of　her　elbows。



Avoiding　the　main　road；　she　pushed　into　a　narrow　track　that

intersected　another　nearer　the　scene　of　the　accident　to　Rose's

buggy　three　weeks　before。　　She　had　nearly　passed　it　when　she　was

hailed　by　a　strange　voice；　and　looking　up；　perceived　a　horseman

floundering　in　the　mazes　of　the　wheat　to　one　side　of　the　track。

Whatever　mean　thought　of　her　past　life　she　was　flying　from；

whatever　mean　purpose　she　was　flying　to；　she　pulled　up　suddenly；

and　as　suddenly　resumed　her　erect；　aggressive　stiffness。　　The

stranger　was　a　middle…aged　man；　in　dress　and　appearance　a　dweller

of　cities。　　He　lifted　his　hat　as　he　perceived　the　occupant　of　the

wagon　to　be　a　lady。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　fear　I've　lost　my　way　in　trying　to　make　a

short　cut　to　the　Excelsior　Company's　Ranch。〃



〃You　are　in　it　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　quickly。



〃Thank　you；　but　where　can　I　find　the　farmhouse？〃



〃There　is　none；〃　she　returned；　with　her　old　superciliousness；

〃unless　you　choose　to　give　that　name　to　the　shanties　and　sheds

where　the　laborers　and　servants　live；　near　the　road。〃



The　stranger　looked　puzzled。　　〃I'm　looking　for　a　Mr。　Dawson；〃　he

said　reflectively；　〃but　I　may　have　made　some　mistake。　　Do　you　know

Major　Randolph's　house　hereabouts？〃



〃I　do。　　I　am　Mrs。　Randolph；〃　she　said　stiffly。



The　stranger's　brow　cleared；　and　he　smiled　pleasantly。　　〃Then　this

is　a　fortunate　meeting；〃　he　said；　raising　his　hat　again　as　he

reined　in　his　horse　beside　the　wagon；　〃for　I　am　Mr。　Mallory；　and　I

was　looking　forward　to　the　pleasure　of　presenting　myself　to　you　an

hour　or　two　later。　　The　fact　is；　an　old　acquaintance；　Mr。　Dawson；

telegraphed　me　yesterday　to　meet　him　here　on　urgent　business；　and　I

felt　obliged　to　go　there　first。〃



Mrs。　Randolph's　eyes　sparkled　with　a　sudden　gratified　intelligence；

but　her　manner　seemed　rather　to　increase　than　abate　its　grim

precision。



〃Our　meeting　this　morning；　Mr。　Mallory；　is　both　fortunate　and

unfortunate；　for　I　regret　to　say　that　your　daughter；　who　has　not

been　quite　herself　since　the　earthquake；　was　missing　early　this

morning　and　has　not　yet　been　found；　though　we　have　searched

everywhere。　　Understand　me；〃　she　said；　as　the　stranger　started；　〃I

have　no　fear　for　her　PERSONAL　safety；　I　am　only　concerned　for　any

INDISCRETION　that　she　may　commit　in　the　presence　of　these　strangers

whose　com