a sappho of green springs-第34章

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

content　to　humor　him；　laugh　at　him；　and　feel　superior。　　It　don't

strike　me　as　quite　fair；　does　it　you？〃



Rushbrook　was　pleased。　　Without　the　vanity　that　would　be　either

annoyed　at　this　revelation　of　his　reputation；　or　gratified　at　her

defense　of　it；　he　was　simply　glad　to　discover　that　she　had　not

recognized　him　as　her　host；　and　could　continue　the　conversation

unreservedly。　　〃Have　you　seen　the　ladies'　boudoir？〃　he　asked。　　〃You

know；　the　room　fitted　with　knick…knacks　and　pretty　thingssome　of

'em　bought　from　old　collections　in　Europe；　by　fellows　who　knew　what

they　were　but　perhaps；〃　he　added；　looking　into　her　eyes　for　the

first　time；　〃didn't　know　exactly　what　ladies　cared　for。〃



〃I　merely　glanced　in　there　when　I　first　came；　for　there　was　such　a

queer　lot　of　womenI'm　told　he　isn't　very　particular　in　that　way

that　I　didn't　stay。〃



〃And　you　didn't　think　THEY　might　be　just　as　valuable　and　good　as

some　of　the　furniture；　if　they　could　have　been　pulled　around　and

put　into　shape；　or　set　in　a　corner；　eh？〃



The　young　girl　smiled；　she　thought　her　fellow…guest　rather　amusing；

none　the　less　so；　perhaps；　for　catching　up　her　own　ideas；　but

nevertheless　she　slightly　shrugged　her　shoulders　with　that　hopeless

skepticism　which　women　reserve　for　their　own　sex。　　〃Some　of　them

looked　as　if　they　had　been　pulled　around；　as　you　say；　and　hadn't

been　improved　by　it。〃



〃There's　no　one　there　now；〃　said　Rushbrook；　with　practical

directness；　〃come　and　take　a　look　at　it。〃　　She　complied　without

hesitation；　walking　by　his　side；　tall；　easy；　and　self…possessed；

apparently　accepting　without　self…consciousness　his　half　paternal；

half　comrade…like　informality。　　The　boudoir　was　a　large　room；

repeating　on　a　bigger　scale　the　incongruousness　and　ill　fitting

splendor　of　the　others。　　When　she　had　of　her　own　accord　recognized

and　pointed　out　the　more　admirable　articles；　he　said；　gravely

looking　at　his　watch；　〃We've　just　about　seven　minutes　yet；　if　you'd

like　to　pull　and　haul　these　things　around；　I'll　help　you。〃



The　young　girl　smiled。　　〃I'm　quite　content　with　what　I've　done　in

my　own　room；　where　I　have　no　one's　taste　to　consult　but　my　own。　　I

hardly　know　how　Mr。　Rushbrook；　or　his　lady　friends；　might　like　my

operating　here。〃　　Then　recognizing　with　feminine　tact　the　snub　that

might　seem　implied　in　her　refusal；　she　said　quickly；　〃Tell　me

something　about　our　hostbut　first　look！　isn't　that　pretty？〃



She　had　stopped　before　the　window　that　looked　upon　the　dim　blue

abyss　of　the　canyon；　and　was　leaning　out　to　gaze　upon　it。

Rushbrook　joined　her。



〃There　isn't　much　to　be　changed　down　THERE；　is　there？〃　he　said；

half　interrogatively。



〃No；　not　unless　Mr。　Rushbrook　took　it　into　his　head　to　roof　it　in；

and　somebody　was　ready　with　a　contract　to　do　it。　　But　what　do　you

know　of　him？　　Remember；　I'm　quite　a　stranger　here。〃



〃You　came　with　Charley　Leyton？〃



〃With　MRS。　Leyton's　party；〃　said　the　young　girl；　with　a　half…

smiling　emphasis。　　〃But　it　seems　that　we　don't　know　whether　Mr。

Rushbrook　wants　us　here　or　not　till　he　comes。　　And　the　drollest

thing　about　it　is　that　they're　all　so　perfectly　frank　in　saying

so。〃



〃Charley　and　he　are　old　friends；　and　you'll　do　well　to　trust　to

their　judgment。〃



This　was　hardly　the　kind　of　response　that　the　handsome　and　clever

society　girl　before　him　had　been　in　the　habit　of　receiving；　but　it

amused　her。　　Her　fellow…guest　was　decidedly　original。　　But　he

hadn't　told　her　about　Rushbrook；　and　it　struck　her　that　his　opinion

would　be　independent；　at　least。　　She　reminded　him　of　it。



〃Look　here；〃　said　Rushbrook；　〃you'll　meet　a　man　here　to…nightor

he'll　be　sure　to　meet　YOUwho'll　tell　you　all　about　Rushbrook。

He's　a　smart　chap；　knows　everybody　and　talks　well。　　His　name　is

Jack　Somers；　he　is　a　great　ladies'　man。　　He　can　talk　to　you　about

these　sort　of　things；　too；〃indicating　the　furniture　with　a　half

tolerant；　half　contemptuous　gesture；　that　struck　her　as

inconsistent　with　what　seemed　to　be　his　previous　interest；〃just

as　well　as　he　can　talk　of　people。　　Been　in　Europe；　too。〃



The　young　girl's　eye　brightened　with　a　quick　vivacity　at　the　name；

but　a　moment　after　became　reflective　and　slightly　embarrassed。　　〃I

know　himI　met　him　at　Mr。　Leyton's。　　He　has　already　talked　of　Mr。

Rushbrook；　but；〃　she　added；　avoiding　any　conclusion；　with　a　pretty

pout；　〃I'd　like　to　have　the　opinion　of　others。　　Yours；　now；　I　fancy

would　be　quite　independent。〃



〃You　stick　to　what　Jack　Somers　has　said；　good　or　bad；　and　you　won't

be　far　wrong；〃　he　said　assuringly。　　He　stopped；　his　quick　ear　had

heard　approaching　voices；　he　returned　to　her　and　held　out　his　hand。

As　it　seemed　to　her　that　in　California　everybody　shook　hands　with

everybody　else　on　the　slightest　occasions；　sometimes　to　save

further　conversation；　she　gave　him　her　own。　　He　shook　it；　less

forcibly　than　she　had　feared；　and　abruptly　left　her。　　For　a　moment

she　was　piqued　at　this　superior　and　somewhat　brusque　way　of

ignoring　her　request；　but　reflecting　that　it　might　be　the

awkwardness　of　an　untrained　man；　she　dismissed　it　from　her　mind。

The　voices　of　her　friends　in　the　already　resounding　passages　also

recalled　her　to　the　fact　that　she　had　been　wandering　about　the

house　with　a　stranger；　and　she　rejoined　them　a　little　self…

consciously。



〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Leyton；　gayly；　〃it　seems　we　are　to　stay。

Leyton　says　Rushbrook　won't　hear　of　our　going。〃



〃Does　that　mean　that　your　husband　takes　the　whole　opera　troupe　over

to　your　house　in　exchange？〃



〃Don't　be　satirical；　but　congratulate　yourself　on　your　opportunity

of　seeing　an　awfully　funny　gathering。　　I　wouldn't　have　you　miss　it

for　the　world。　　It's　the　most　characteristic　thing　out。〃



〃Characteristic　of　what？〃



〃Of　Rushbrook；　of　course。　　Nobody　else　would　conceive　of　getting

together　such　a　lot　of　queer　people。〃



〃But　don't　it　strike　you　that　we're　a　part　of　the　lot？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　returned　the　lively　Mrs。　Leyton。　　〃No　doubt　that's　the

reason　why　Jack　Somers　is　coming　over；　and　is　so　anxious　that　YOU

should　stay。　　I　can't　imagine　why　else　he　should　rave　about　Miss

Grace　Nevil　as　he　does。　　Come；　Grace；　no　New　York　or　Philadelphia

airs；　here！　　Consider　your　uncle's　interests　with　this　capitalist；

to　say　nothing　of　ours。　　Because　you're　a　millionaire　and　have　been

accustomed　to　riches　from　your　birth；　don't　turn　up　your　nose　at

our　unpampered　appetites。　　Besides；　Jack　Somers　is　Rushbrook's

particular　friend；　and　he　may　think　your　criticisms　unkind。〃



〃But　IS　Mr。　Somers　such　a　great　friend　of　Mr。　Rushbrook's？〃　asked

Grace　Nevil。



〃Why；　of　course。　　Rushbrook　consults　him　about　all　these　things；

gives　him　carte　blanche　to　invite　whom　he　likes　and　order　what　he

likes；　and　trusts　his　taste　and　judgment　implicitly。〃



〃Then　this　gathering　is　Mr。　Somers's　selection？〃



〃How　preposterous　you　are；　Grace。　　Of　course　not。　　Only　Somers's

IDEA　of　what　is　pleasing　to　Rushbrook；　gotten　up　with　a　taste　and

discretion　all　his　own。　　You　know　Somers　is　a　gentleman；　educated

at　West　Pointtraveled　all　over　Europeyou　might　have　met　him

there；　and　Rushbrookwell；　you　have　only　to　see　him　to　know　what

HE　is。　　Don't　you　understand？〃



A　slight　seriousness；　the　same　shadow　that　once　before　darkened　the

girl's　charming　face　gave　way　to　a　mischievous　knitting　of　her

brows　as　she　said　naively；　〃No。〃





CHAPTER　III





Grace　Nevil　had　quite　recovered　her　equanimity　when　the

indispensable　Mr。　Somers；　handsome；　well…bred；　and　self…restrained；

approached　her　later　in　the　crowded　drawing…room。　　Blended　with　his

subdued　personal　admiration　was　a　certain　ostentation　of　respect

as　of　a　tribute　to　a　distinguished　guestthat　struck　her。　　〃I　am

to　have　the　pleasure　of　taking　you　in；　Miss　Nevil；〃　he　said。　　〃It's

my　one　compensation　for　the　dreadful　responsibility　just　thrust

upon　me。　　Our　host　has　been　suddenly　calle