a sappho of green springs-第36章

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Bob　pays　for；　and　knows　how　to　run　this　yer　show　for　Bob；　at　Bob's

expensewe're　all　contented。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　we're　all

contented。　　We　stand；　so　to　speak；　on　the　cards　he's　dealt　us。

What　may　be　his　little　game；　it　ain't　for　us　to　say；　but　whatever

it　is；　WE'RE　IN　IT。　　Gentlemen　and　ladies；　we'll　drink　Bob's

health！〃



There　was　a　somewhat　sensational　pause；　followed　by　good…natured

laughter　and　applause；　in　which　Somers　joined；　yet　not　without　a

certain　constraint　that　did　not　escape　the　quick　sympathy　of　the

shocked　and　unsmiling　Miss　Nevil。　　It　was　with　a　feeling　of　relief

that　she　caught　the　chaperoning　eye　of　Mrs。　Leyton；　who　was

entreating　her　in　the　usual　mysterious　signal　to　the　other　ladies

to　rise　and　follow　her。　　When　she　reached　the　drawing…room；　a

little　behind　the　others；　she　was　somewhat　surprised　to　observe

that　the　stranger　whom　she　had　missed　during　the　evening　was

approaching　her　with　Mrs。　Leyton。



〃Mr。　Rushbrook　returned　sooner　than　he　expected；　but　unfortunately；

as　he　always　retires　early；　he　has　only　time　to　say　'goodnight'　to

you　before　he　goes。〃



For　an　instant　Grace　Nevil　was　more　angry　than　disconcerted。　　Then

came　the　conviction　that　she　was　stupid　not　to　have　suspected　the

truth　before。　　Who　else　would　that　brusque　stranger　develop　into

but　this　rude　host？　　She　bowed　formally。



Mr。　Rushbrook　looked　at　her　with　the　faintest　smile　on　his　handsome

mouth。　　〃Well；　Miss　Nevil；　I　hope　Jack　Somers　satisfied　your

curiosity？〃



With　a　sudden　recollection　of　the　Siskyou　gentleman's　speech；　and　a

swift　suspicion　that　in　some　way　she　had　been　made　use　of　with　the

others　by　this　forceful…looking　man　before　her；　she　answered

pertly：



〃Yes；　but　there　was　a　speech　by　a　gentleman　from　Siskyou　that

struck　me　as　being　nearer　to　the　purpose。〃



〃That's　so；I　heard　it　as　I　came　in；　said　Mr。　Rushbrook；　calmly。

〃I　don't　know　but　you're　right。〃





CHAPTER　IV





Six　months　had　passed。　　The　Villa　of　Maecenas　was　closed　at　Los

Osos　Canyon；　and　the　southwest　trade…winds　were　slanting　the　rains

of　the　wet　season　against　its　shut　windows　and　barred　doors。

Within　that　hollow；　deserted　shell；　its　aspectsave　for　a　single

exceptionwas　unchanged；　the　furniture　and　decorations　preserved

their　eternal　youth　undimmed　by　time；　the　rigidly…arranged　rooms；

now　closed　to　life　and　light；　developed　more　than　ever　their

resemblance　to　a　furniture　warehouse。　　The　single　exception　was　the

room　which　Grace　Nevil　had　rearranged　for　herself；　and　that；　oddly

enough；　was　stripped　and　bareeven　to　its　paper　and　mouldings。



In　other　respects；　the　sealed　treasures　of　Rushbrook's　villa；　far

from　provoking　any　sentimentality；　seemed　only　to　give　truth　to　the

current　rumor　that　it　was　merely　waiting　to　be　transformed　into　a

gorgeous　watering…place　hotel　under　Rushbrook's　direction；　that；

with　its　new　ball…room　changed　into　an　elaborate　dining…hall；　it

would　undergo　still　further　improvement；　the　inevitable　end　and

object　of　all　Rushbrook's　enterprise；　and　that　its　former

proprietor　had　already　begun　another　villa　whose　magnificence

should　eclipse　the　last。　　There　certainly　appeared　to　be　no　limit

to　the　millionaire's　success　in　all　that　he　personally　undertook；

or　in　his　fortunate　complicity　with　the　enterprise　and　invention　of

others。　　His　name　was　associated　with　the　oldest　and　safest

schemes；　as　well　as　the　newest　and　boldestwith　an　equal　guarantee

of　security。　　A　few；　it　was　true；　looked　doubtingly　upon　this　〃one

man　power；〃　but　could　not　refute　the　fact　that　others　had　largely

benefited　by　association　with　him；　and　that　he　shared　his　profits

with　a　royal　hand。　　Some　objected　on　higher　grounds　to　his

brutalizing　the　influence　of　wealth　by　his　material　and

extravagantly　practical　processes；　instead　of　the　gentler

suggestions　of　education　and　personal　example；　and　were　impelled　to

point　out　the　fact　that　he　and　his　patronage　were　vulgar。　　It　was

felt；　however；　by　those　who　received　his　benefits；　that　a　proper

sense　of　this　inferiority　was　all　that　ethics　demanded　of　them。

One　could　still　accept　Rushbrook's　barbaric　gifts　by　humorously

recognizing　the　fact　that　he　didn't　know　any　better；　and　that　it

pleased　him；　as　long　as　they　resented　any　higher　pretensions。



The　rain…beaten　windows　of　Rushbrook's　town　house；　however；　were

cheerfully　lit　that　December　evening。　　Mr。　Rushbrook　seldom　dined

alone；　in　fact；　it　was　popularly　alleged　that　very　often　the

unfinished　business　of　the　day　was　concluded　over　his　bountiful　and

perfect　board。　　He　was　dressing　as　James　entered　the　room。



〃Mr。　Leyton　is　in　your　study；　sir；　he　will　stay　to　dinner。〃



〃All　right。〃



〃I　think；　sir；〃　added　James；　with　respectful　suggestiveness；　〃he

wants　to　talk。　　At　least；　sir；　he　asked　me　if　you　would　likely　come

downstairs　before　your　company　arrived。〃



〃Ah！　　Well；　tell　the　others　I'm　dining　on　BUSINESS；　and　set　dinner

for　two　in　the　blue　room。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Meanwhile；　Mr。　Leytona　man　of　Rushbrook's　age；　but　not　so　fresh

and　vigorous…lookinghad　thrown　himself　in　a　chair　beside　the

study　fire；　after　a　glance　around　the　handsome　and　familiar　room。

For　the　house　had　belonged　to　a　brother　millionaire；　it　had　changed

hands　with　certain　shares　of　〃Water　Front；〃as　some　of　Rushbrook's

dealings　had　the　true　barbaric　absence　of　money　detail；and　was

elegantly　and　tastefully　furnished。　　The　cuckoo　had；　however；

already　laid　a　few　characteristic　eggs　in　this　adopted　nest；　and　a

white　marble　statue　of　a　nude　and　ill…fed　Virtue；　sent　over　by

Rushbrook's　Paris　agent；　and　unpacked　that　morning；　stood　in　one

corner；　and　materially　brought　down　the　temperature。　　A　Japanese

praying…throne　of　pure　ivory；　and；　above　it；　a　few　yards　of

improper；　colored　exposure　by　an　old　master；　equalized　each　other。



〃And　what　is　all　this　affair　about　the　dinner？〃　suddenly　asked　a

tartly…pitched　female　voice　with　a　foreign　accent。



Mr。　Leyton　turned　quickly；　and　was　just　conscious　of　a　faint

shriek；　the　rustle　of　a　skirt；　and　the　swift　vanishing　of　a　woman's

figure　from　the　doorway。　　Mr。　Leyton　turned　red。　　Rushbrook　lived

en　garcon；　with　feminine　possibilities；　Leyton　was　a　married　man

and　a　deacon。　　The　incident　which；　to　a　man　of　the　world；　would

have　brought　only　a　smile；　fired　the　inexperienced　Leyton　with

those　exaggerated　ideas　and　intense　credulity　regarding　vice　common

to　some　very　good　men。　　He　walked　on　tip…toe　to　the　door；　and

peered　into　the　passage。　　At　that　moment　Rushbrook　entered　from　the

opposite　door　of　the　room。



〃Well；〃　said　Rushbrook；　with　his　usual　practical　directness；　〃what

do　you　think　of　her？〃



Leyton；　still　flushed；　and　with　eyebrows　slightly　knit；　said；

awkwardly；　that　he　had　scarcely　seen　her。



〃She　cost　me　already　ten　thousand　dollars；　and　I　suppose　I'll　have

to　eventually　fix　up　a　separate　room　for　her　somewhere；〃　continued

Rushhrook。



〃I　should　certainly　advise　it；〃　said　Leyton；　quickly；　〃for　really；

Rushbrook；　you　know　that　something　is　due　to　the　respectable　people

who　come　here；　and　any　of　them　are　likely　to　see〃



〃Ah！〃　interrupted　Rushbrook；　seriously；　〃you　think　she　hasn't　got

on　clothes　enough。　　Why；　look　here；　old　manshe's　one　of　the

Virtues；　and　that's　the　rig　in　which　they　always　travel。　　She's　a

'Temperance'　or　a　'Charity'　or　a　'Resignation；'　or　something　of

that　kind。　　You'll　find　her　name　there　in　French　somewhere　at　the

foot　of　the　marble。〃



Leyton　saw　his　mistake；　but　feltas　others　sometimes　felta　doubt

whether　this　smileless　man　was　not　inwardly　laughing　at　him。　　He

replied；　with　a　keen；　rapid　glance　at　his　host：



〃I　was　referring　to　some　woman　who　stood　in　that　doorway　just　now；

and　addressed　me　rather　familiarly；　thinking　it　was　you。〃



〃Oh；　the　Signora；〃　said　Rushbrook；　with　undisturbed　directness；

〃well；　you　saw　her　at　Los　Osos　last　summer。　　Likely　she　DID　think

you　were　me。〃



The　cool　ignoring　of　an