a sappho of green springs-第37章

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you　were　me。〃



The　cool　ignoring　of　any　ulterior　thought　in　Leyton's　objection

forced　the　guest　to　be　equally　practical　in　his　reply。



〃Yes；　but　the　fact　is　that　Miss　Nevil　had　talked　of　coming　here

with　me　this　evening　to　see　you　on　her　own　affairs；　and　it　wouldn't

have　been　exactly　the　thing　for　her　to　meet　that　woman。〃



〃She　wouldn't；〃　said　Rushbrook；　promptly；　〃nor　would　YOU；　if　you

had　gone　into　the　parlor　as　Miss　Nevil　would　have　done。　　But　look

here！　　If　that's　the　reason　why　you　didn't　bring　her；　send　for　her

at　once；　my　coachman　can　take　a　card　from　you；　the　brougham's　all

ready　to　fetch　her；　and　there　you　are。　　She'll　see　only　you　and

me。〃　　He　was　already　moving　towards　the　bell；　when　Leyton　stopped

him。



〃No　matter　now。　　I　can　tell　you　her　business；　I　fancy；　and　in　fact；

I　came　here　to　speak　of　it；　quite　independently　of　her。〃



〃That　won't　do；　Leyton；〃　interrupted　Rushbrook；　with　crisp

decision。　　〃One　or　the　other　interview　is　unnecessary；　it　wastes

time；　and　isn't　business。　　Better　have　her　present；　even　if　she

don't　say　a　word。〃



〃Yes；　but　not　in　this　matter；〃　responded　Leyton；　〃it's　about

Somers。　　You　know　he's　been　very　attentive　to　her　ever　since　her

uncle　left　her　here　to　recruit　her　health；　and　I　think　she　fancies

him。　　Well；　although　she's　independent　and　her　own　mistress；　as　you

know；　Mrs。　Leyton　and　I　are　somewhat　responsible　for　her

acquaintance　with　Somers；and　for　that　matter　so　are　you；　and　as

my　wife　thinks　it　means　a　marriage；　we　ought　to　know　something　more

positive　about　Somers's　prospects。　　Now；　all　we　really　know　is　that

he's　a　great　friend　of　yours；　that　you　trust　a　good　deal　to　him；

that　he　manages　your　social　affairs；　that　you　treat　him　as　a　son　or

nephew；　and　it's　generally　believed　that　he's　as　good　as　provided

for　by　youeh？　　Did　you　speak？〃



〃No；〃　said　Rushbrook；　quietly　regarding　the　statue　as　if　taking　its

measurement　for　a　suitable　apartment　for　it。　　〃Go　on。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Leyton；　a　little　impatiently；　〃that's　the　belief

everybody　has；　and　you've　not　contradicted　it。　　And　on　that　we've

taken　the　responsibility　of　not　interfering　with　Somers's

attentions。〃



〃Well？〃　said　Rushbrook；　interrogatively。



〃Well；〃　replied　Leyton；　emphatically；　〃you　see　I　must　ask　you

positively　if　you　HAVE　done　anything；　or　are　you　going　to　do

anything　for　him？〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Rushbrook；　with　exasperating　coolness；　〃what　do　you

call　this　marriage？〃



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Leyton。



〃Look　here；　Leyton；〃　said　Rushbrook；　suddenly　and　abruptly　facing

him；　〃Jack　Somers　has　brains；　knowledge　of　society；　tact；

accomplishments；　and　good　looks：　that's　HIS　capital　as　much　as　mine

is　money。　　I　employ　him：　that's　his　advertisement；　recommendation；

and　credit。　　Now；　on　the　strength　of　this；　as　you　say；　Miss　Nevil

is　willing　to　invest　in　him；　I　don't　see　what　more　can　be　done。〃



〃But　if　her　uncle　don't　think　it　enough？〃



〃She's　independent；　and　has　money　for　both。〃



〃But　if　she　thinks　she's　been　deceived；　and　changes　her　mind？〃



〃Leyton；　you　don't　know　Miss　Nevil。　　Whatever　that　girl　undertakes

she's　weighed　fully；　and　goes　through　with。　　If　she's　trusted　him

enough　to　marry　him；　money　won't　stop　her；　if　she　thinks　she's　been

deceived；　YOU'LL　never　know　it。〃



The　enthusiasm　and　conviction　were　so　unlike　Rushbrook's　usual

cynical　toleration　of　the　sex　that　Leyton　stared　at　him。



〃That's　odd；〃　he　returned。　　〃That's　what　she　says　of　you。〃



〃Of　ME；　you　mean　Somers？〃



〃No；　of　YOU。　　Come；　Rushbrook；　don't　pretend　you　don't　know　that

Miss　Nevil　is　a　great　partisan　of　yours；　swears　by　you；　says　you're

misunderstood　by　people；　and；　what's　infernally　odd　in　a　woman　who

don't　belong　to　the　class　you　fancy；　don't　talk　of　your　habits。

That's　why　she　wants　to　consult　you　about　Somers；　I　suppose；　and

that's　why；　knowing　you　might　influence　her；　I　came　here　first　to

warn　you。〃



〃And　I've　told　you　that　whatever　I　might　say　or　do　wouldn't

influence　her。　　So　we'll　drop　the　subject。〃



〃Not　yet；　for　you're　bound　to　see　Miss　Nevil　sooner　or　later。　　Now；

if　she　knows　that　you've　done　nothing　for　this　man；　your　friend　and

her　lover；　won't　she　be　justified　in　thinking　that　you　would　have　a

reason　for　it？〃



〃Yes。　　I　should　give　it。〃



〃What　reason？〃



〃That　I　knew　she'd　be　more　contented　to　have　him　speculate　with　HER

money　than　mine。〃



〃Then　you　think　that　he　isn't　a　business　man？〃



〃I　think　that　she　thinks　so；　or　she　wouldn't　marry　him；　it's　part

of　the　attraction。　　But　come；　James　has　been　for　five　minutes

discreetly　waiting　outside　the　door　to　tell　us　dinner　is　ready；　and

the　coast　clear　of　all　other　company。　　But　look　here；〃　he　said；

suddenly　stopping；　with　his　arm　in　Leyton's；　〃you're　through　your

talk；　I　suppose；　perhaps　you'd　rather　we'd　dine　with　the　Signora

and　the　others　than　alone？〃



For　an　instant　Leyton　thrilled　with　the　fascination　of　what　he

firmly　believed　was　a　guilty　temptation。　　Rushbrook；　perceiving　his

hesitation；　added：



〃By　the　way；　Somers　is　of　the　party；　and　one　or　two　others　you

know。〃



Mr。　Leyton　opened　his　eyes　widely　at　this；　either　the　temptation

had　passed；　or　the　idea　of　being　seen　in　doubtful　company　by　a

younger　man　was　distasteful；　for　he　hurriedly　disclaimed　any

preference。　　〃But；〃　he　added　with　half…significant　politeness；

〃perhaps　I'm　keeping　YOU　from　them？〃



〃It　makes　not　the　slightest　difference　to　me；〃　calmly　returned

Rushbrook；　with　such　evident　truthfulness　that　Leyton　was　both

convinced　and　chagrined。



Preceded　by　the　grave　and　ubiquitous　James；　they　crossed　the　large

hall；　and　entered　through　a　smaller　passage　a　charming　apartment

hung　with　blue　damask；　which　might　have　been　a　boudoir；　study；　or

small　reception…room；　yet　had　the　air　of　never　having　been　anything

continuously。　　It　would　seem　that　Rushbrook's　habit　of　〃camping

out〃　in　different　parts　of　his　mansion　obtained　here　as　at　Los

Osos；　and　with　the　exception　of　a　small　closet　which　contained　his

Spartan　bed；　the　rooms　were　used　separately　or　in　suites；　as

occasion　or　his　friends　required。　　It　is　recorded　that　an　Eastern

guest；　newly　arrived　with　letters　to　Rushbrook；　after　a　tedious

journey；　expressed　himself　pleased　with　this　same　blue　room；　in

which　he　had　sumptuously　dined　with　his　host；　and　subsequently　fell

asleep　in　his　chair。　　Without　disturbing　his　guest；　Rushbrook　had

the　table　removed；　a　bed；　washstand；　and　bureau　brought　in；　the

sleeping　man　delicately　laid　upon　the　former；　and　left　to　awaken　to

an　Arabian　night's　realization　of　his　wish。





CHAPTER　V





James　had　barely　disposed　of　his　master　and　Mr。　Leyton；　and　left

them　to　the　ministrations　of　two　of　his　underlings；　before　he　was

confronted　with　one　of　those　difficult　problems　that　it　was　part　of

his　functions　to　solve。　　The　porter　informed　him　that　a　young　lady

had　just　driven　up　in　a　carriage　ostensibly　to　see　Mr。　Rushbrook；

and　James；　descending　to　the　outer　vestibule；　found　himself　face　to

face　with　Miss　Grace　Nevil。　　Happily；　that　young　lady；　with　her

usual　tact；　spared　him　some　embarrassment。



〃Oh！　James；〃　she　said　sweetly；　〃do　you　think　that　I　could　see　Mr。

Rushbrook　for　a　few　moments　IF　I　WAITED　FOR　THE　OPPORTUNITY？　　You

understand；　I　don't　wish　to　disturb　him　or　his　company　by　being

regularly　announced。〃



The　young　girl's　practical　intelligence　appeared　to　increase　the

usual　respect　which　James　had　always　shown　her。　　〃I　understand；

miss。〃　　He　thought　for　a　moment；　and　said：　〃Would　you　mind；　then；

following　me　where　you　could　wait　quietly　and　alone？〃　　As　she

quickly　assented；　he　preceded　her　up　the　staircase；　past　the　study

and　drawing…room；　which　he　did　not　enter；　and　stopped　before　a

small　door　at　the　end　of　the　passage。　　Then；　handing　her　a　key

which　he　took　from　his　pocket；　he　said：　〃This　is　the　only　room　in

the　house　that　is　strictly　reserved　for　Mr。　Rushbrook；