a sappho of green springs-第33章

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demurely　with　his　master；　〃but　Mr。　Appleby　takes　ten　over　to　San

Mateo；　and　some　may　sleep　there。　　The　char…a…banc　is　still　out　and

five　saddle…horses；　to　a　picnic　in　Green　Canyon；　and　I　can't

positively　say；　but　I　should　think　you　might　count　on　seeing　about

forty…five　guests　before　you　go　to　town　to…morrow。　　The　opera

troupe　seem　to　have　not　exactly　understood　the　invitation；　sir。〃



〃How？　　I　gave　it　myself。〃



〃The　chorus　and　supernumeraries　thought　themselves　invited　too；

sir；　and　have　come；　I　believe；　sir。　　At　least　Signora　Pegrelli　and

Madame　Denise　said　so；　and　that　they　would　speak　to　you　about　it；

but　that　meantime　I　could　put　them　up　anywhere。〃



〃And　you　made　no　distinction；　of　course？〃



〃No；　sir；　I　put　them　in　the　corresponding　rooms　opposite；　sir。

I　don't　think　the　prima　donnas　like　it。〃



〃Ah！〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Whatever　was　in　their　minds；　the　two　men　never　changed　their

steady；　practical　gravity　of　manner。　　The　major…domo's　appeared　to

be　a　subdued　imitation　of　his　master's；　worn；　as　he　might　have　worn

his　master's　clothes；　had　he　accepted；　or　Mr。　Rushbrook　permitted；

such　a　degradation。　　By　this　time　they　had　reached　the　door　of　Mr。

Rushbrook's　room；　and　the　man　paused。　　〃I　didn't　include　some

guests　of　Mr。　Leyton's；　sir；　that　he　brought　over　here　to　show

around　the　place；　but　he　told　me　to　tell　you　he　would　take　them

away　again；　or　leave　them；　as　you　liked。　　They're　some　Eastern

strangers　stopping　with　him。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Rushbrook；　quietly；　as　he　entered　his　own

apartment。　　It　was　decorated　as　garishly　as　the　hall；　as　staring

and　vivid　in　color；　but　wholesomely　new　and　clean　for　all　its

paint；　veneering；　and　plaster。　　It　was　filled　with　heterogeneous

splendorall　new　and　well　kept；　yet　with　so　much　of　the　attitude

of　the　show…room　still　lingering　about　it　that　one　almost　expected

to　see　the　various　articles　of　furniture　ticketed　with　their

prices。　　A　luxurious　bed；　with　satin　hangings　and　Indian　carved

posts；　standing　ostentatiously　in　a　corner；　kept　up　this

resemblance；　for　in　a　curtained　recess　stood　a　worn　camp　bedstead；

Rushbrook's　real　couch；　Spartan　in　its　simplicity。



Mr。　Rushbrook　drew　his　watch　from　his　pocket；　and　deliberately

divested　himself　of　his　boots；　coat；　waistcoat；　and　cravat。　　Then

rolling　himself　in　a　fleecy；　blanket…like　rug　with　something　of　the

habitual　dexterity　of　a　frontiersman；　he　threw　himself　on　his

couch；　closed　his　eyes；　and　went　instantly　to　sleep。　　Lying　there；

he　appeared　to　be　a　man　comfortably　middle…aged；　with　thick　iron…

gray　hair　that　might　have　curled　had　he　encouraged　such

inclination；　a　skin　roughened　and　darkened　by　external　hardships

and　exposure；　but　free　from　taint　of　inner　vice　or　excess；　and

indistinctive　features　redeemed　by　a　singularly　handsome　mouth。　　As

the　lower　part　of　the　face　was　partly　hidden　by　a　dense　but

closely…cropped　beard；　it　is　probable　that　the　delicate　outlines　of

his　lips　had　gained　something　from　their　framing。



He　slept；　through　what　seemed　to　be　the　unnatural　stillness　of　the

large　house；a　quiet　that　might　have　come　from　the　lingering

influence　of　the　still　virgin　solitude　around　it；　as　if　Nature　had

forgotten　the　intrusion；　or　were　stealthily　retaking　her　own；　and

later；　through　the　rattle　of　returning　wheels　or　the　sound　of

voices；　which　were；　however；　promptly　absorbed　in　that　deep　and

masterful　silence　which　was　the　unabdicating　genius　of　the　canyon。

For　it　was　remarkable　that　even　the　various　artists；　musicians；

orators；　and　poets　whom　Maecenas　had　gathered　in　his　cool　business

fashion　under　that　roof；　all　seemed　to　become；　by　contrast　with

surrounding　Nature；　as　new　and　artificial　as　the　house；　and　as

powerless　to　assert　themselves　against　its　influence。



He　was　still　sleeping　when　James　re…entered　the　room；　but　awoke

promptly　at　the　sound　of　his　voice。　　In　a　few　moments　he　had

rearranged　his　scarcely　disordered　toilette；　and　stepped　out

refreshed　and　observant　into　the　hall。　　The　guests　were　still

absent　from　that　part　of　the　building；　and　he　walked　leisurely　past

the　carelessly　opened　doors　of　the　rooms　they　had　left。　　Everywhere

he　met　the　same　glaring　ornamentation　and　color；　the　same

garishness　of　treatment；　the　same　inharmonious　extravagance　of

furniture；　and　everywhere　the　same　troubled　acceptance　of　it　by　the

inmates；　or　the　same　sense　of　temporary　and　restricted　tenancy。

Dresses　were　hung　over　cheval　glasses；　clothes　piled　up　on　chairs

to　avoid　the　use　of　doubtful　and　over　ornamented　wardrobes；　and　in

some　cases　more　practical　guests　had　apparently　encamped　in　a

corner　of　their　apartment。　　A　gentleman　from　Siskyousole

proprietor　of　a　mill　patent　now　being　considered　by　Maecenashad

confined　himself　to　a　rocking…chair　and　clothes…horse　as　being

trustworthy　and　familiar；　a　bolder　spirit　from　Yrekain　treaty　for

capital　to　start　an　independent　journal　devoted　to　Maecenas's

interestshad　got　a　good　deal　out　of；　and　indeed　all　he　had　INTO；

a　Louis　XVI。　armoire；　while　a　young　painter　from　Sacramento　had

simply　retired　into　his　adjoining　bath…room；　leaving　the　glories　of

his　bedroom　untarnished。　　Suddenly　he　paused。



He　had　turned　into　a　smaller　passage　in　order　to　make　a　shorter　cut

through　one　of　the　deserted　suites　of　apartments　that　should　bring

him　to　that　part　of　the　building　where　he　designed　to　make　his

projected　improvement；　when　his　feet　were　arrested　on　the　threshold

of　a　sitting…room。　　Although　it　contained　the　same　decoration　and

furniture　as　the　other　rooms；　it　looked　totally　different！　　It　was

tasteful；　luxurious；　comfortable；　and　habitable。　　The　furniture

seemed　to　have　fallen　into　harmonious　position；　even　the　staring

decorations　of　the　walls　and　ceiling　were　toned　down　by　sprays　of

laurel　and　red…stained　manzanito　boughs　with　their　berries；

apparently　fresh　plucked　from　the　near　canyon。　　But　he　was　more

unexpectedly　impressed　to　see　that　the　room　was　at　that　moment

occupied　by　a　tall；　handsome　girl；　who　had　paused　to　take　breath；

with　her　hand　still　on　the　heavy　centre…table　she　was　moving。

Standing　there；　graceful；　glowing；　and　animated；　she　looked　the

living　genius　of　the　recreated　apartment。





CHAPTER　II





Mr。　Rushbrook　glanced　rapidly　at　his　unknown　guest。　　〃Excuse　me；〃

he　said；　with　respectful　business　brevity；　〃but　I　thought　every　one

was　out；〃　and　he　stepped　backward　quickly。



〃I've　only　just　come；〃　she　said　without　embarrassment；　〃and　would

you　mind；　as　you　ARE　here；　giving　me　a　lift　with　this　table？〃



〃Certainly；〃　replied　Rushbrook；　and　under　the　young　girl's

direction　the　millionaire　moved　the　table　to　one　side。



During　the　operation　he　was　trying　to　determine　which　of　his

unrecognized　guests　the　fair　occupant　was。　　Possibly　one　of　the

Leyton　party；　that　James　had　spoken　of　as　impending。



〃Then　you　have　changed　all　the　furniture；　and　put　up　these　things？〃

he　asked；　pointing　to　the　laurel。



〃Yes；　the　room　was　really　something　TOO　awful。　　It　looks　better

now；　don't　you　think？〃



〃A　hundred　per　cent。；〃　said　Rushbrook；　promptly。　　〃Look　here；　I'll

tell　you　what　you've　done。　　You've　set　the　furniture　TO　WORK！　　It

was　simply　lying　stillwith　no　return　to　anybody　on　the　investment。〃



The　young　girl　opened　her　gray　eyes　at　this；　and　then　smiled。　　The

intruder　seemed　to　be　characteristic　of　California。　　As　for

Rushbrook；　he　regretted　that　he　did　not　know　her　better；　he　would

at　once　have　asked　her　to　rearrange　all　the　rooms；　and　have　managed

in　some　way　liberally　to　reward　her　for　it。　　A　girl　like　that　had

no　nonsense　about　her。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　wonder　Mr。　Rushbrook　don't　look　at　it　in　that

way。　　It　is　a　shame　that　all　these　pretty　thingsand　you　know　they

are　really　good　and　valuableshouldn't　show　what　they　are。　　But　I

suppose　everybody　here　accepts　the　fact　that　this　man　simply　buys

them　because　they　are　valuable；　and　nobody　interferes；　and　is

content　to　humor　him；　laugh