susy, a story of the plains-第1部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！






Susy；　A　Story　of　the　Plains



by　Bret　Harte







CHAPTER　I。





Where　the　San　Leandro　turnpike　stretches　its　dusty；　hot；　and

interminable　length　along　the　valley；　at　a　point　where　the　heat　and

dust　have　become　intolerable；　the　monotonous　expanse　of　wild　oats　on

either　side　illimitable；　and　the　distant　horizon　apparently　remoter

than　ever；　it　suddenly　slips　between　a　stunted　thicket　or　hedge　of

〃scrub　oaks；〃　which　until　that　moment　had　been　undistinguishable

above　the　long；　misty；　quivering　level　of　the　grain。　　The　thicket

rising　gradually　in　height；　but　with　a　regular　slope　whose　gradient

had　been　determined　by　centuries　of　western　trade　winds；　presently

becomes　a　fair　wood　of　live…oak；　and　a　few　hundred　yards　further　at

last　assumes　the　aspect　of　a　primeval　forest。　　A　delicious　coolness

fills　the　air；　the　long；　shadowy　aisles　greet　the　aching　eye　with　a

soothing　twilight；　the　murmur　of　unseen　brooks　is　heard；　and；　by　a

strange　irony；　the　enormous；　widely…spaced　stacks　of　wild　oats　are

replaced　by　a　carpet　of　tiny…leaved　mosses　and　chickweed　at　the

roots　of　trees；　and　the　minutest　clover　in　more　open　spaces。　　The

baked　and　cracked　adobe　soil　of　the　now　vanished　plains　is　exchanged

for　a　heavy　red　mineral　dust　and　gravel；　rocks　and　boulders　make

their　appearance；　and　at　times　the　road　is　crossed　by　the　white

veins　of　quartz。　　It　is　still　the　San　Leandro　turnpike；a　few　miles

later　to　rise　from　this　canada　into　the　upper　plains　again；but　it

is　also　the　actual　gateway　and　avenue　to　the　Robles　Rancho。　　When

the　departing　visitors　of　Judge　Peyton；　now　owner　of　the　rancho；

reach　the　outer　plains　again；　after　twenty　minutes'　drive　from　the

house；　the　canada；　rancho；　and　avenue　have　as　completely　disappeared

from　view　as　if　they　had　been　swallowed　up　in　the　plain。



A　cross　road　from　the　turnpike　is　the　usual　approach　to　the　casa　or

mansion；a　long；　low　quadrangle　of　brown　adobe　wall　in　a　bare　but

gently　sloping　eminence。　　And　here　a　second　surprise　meets　the

stranger。　　He　seems　to　have　emerged　from　the　forest　upon　another

illimitable　plain；　but　one　utterly　trackless；　wild；　and　desolate。

It　is；　however；　only　a　lower　terrace　of　the　same　valley；　and；　in

fact；　comprises　the　three　square　leagues　of　the　Robles　Rancho。

Uncultivated　and　savage　as　it　appears；　given　over　to　wild　cattle　and

horses　that　sometimes　sweep　in　frightened　bands　around　the　very　casa

itself；　the　long　south　wall　of　the　corral　embraces　an　orchard　of

gnarled　pear…trees；　an　old　vineyard；　and　a　venerable　garden　of

olives　and　oranges。　　A　manor；　formerly　granted　by　Charles　V。　to　Don

Vincente　Robles；　of　Andalusia；　of　pious　and　ascetic　memory；　it　had

commended　itself　to　Judge　Peyton；　of　Kentucky；　a　modern　heretic

pioneer　of　bookish　tastes　and　secluded　habits；　who　had　bought　it　of

Don　Vincente's　descendants。　　Here　Judge　Peyton　seemed　to　have

realized　his　idea　of　a　perfect　climate；　and　a　retirement；　half…

studious；　half…active；　with　something　of　the　seignioralty　of　the　old

slaveholder　that　he　had　been。　　Here；　too；　he　had　seen　the　hope　of

restoring　his　wife's　healthfor　which　he　had　undertaken　the

overland　emigrationmore　than　fulfilled　in　Mrs。　Peyton's　improved

physical　condition；　albeit　at　the　expense；　perhaps；　of　some　of　the

languorous　graces　of　ailing　American　wifehood。



It　was　with　a　curious　recognition　of　this　latter　fact　that　Judge

Peyton　watched　his　wife　crossing　the　patio　or　courtyard　with　her　arm

around　the　neck　of　her　adopted　daughter　〃Suzette。〃　　A　sudden　memory

crossed　his　mind　of　the　first　day　that　he　had　seen　them　together；

the　day　that　he　had　brought　the　child　and　her　boy…companiontwo

estrays　from　an　emigrant　train　on　the　plainsto　his　wife　in　camp。

Certainly　Mrs。　Peyton　was　stouter　and　stronger　fibred；　the　wonderful

Californian　climate　had　materialized　her　figure；　as　it　had　their

Eastern　fruits　and　flowers；　but　it　was　stranger　that　〃Susy〃the

child　of　homelier　frontier　blood　and　parentage；　whose　wholesome

peasant　plumpness　had　at　first　attracted　themshould　have　grown

thinner　and　more　graceful；　and　even　seemed　to　have　gained　the

delicacy　his　wife　had　lost。　　Six　years　had　imperceptibly　wrought

this　change；　it　had　never　struck　him　before　so　forcibly　as　on　this

day　of　Susy's　return　from　the　convent　school　at　Santa　Clara　for　the

holidays。



The　woman　and　child　had　reached　the　broad　veranda　which；　on　one　side

of　the　patio；　replaced　the　old　Spanish　corridor。　　It　was　the　single

modern　innovation　that　Peyton　had　allowed　himself　when　he　had　broken

the　quadrangular　symmetry　of　the　old　house　with　a　wooden　〃annexe〃　or

addition　beyond　the　walls。　　It　made　a　pleasant　lounging…place；

shadowed　from　the　hot　midday　sun　by　sloping　roofs　and　awnings；　and

sheltered　from　the　boisterous　afternoon　trade　winds　by　the　opposite

side　of　the　court。　　But　Susy　did　not　seem　inclined　to　linger　there

long　that　morning；　in　spite　of　Mrs。　Peyton's　evident　desire　for　a

maternal　tete…a…tete。　　The　nervous　preoccupation　and　capricious

ennui　of　an　indulged　child　showed　in　her　pretty　but　discontented

face；　and　knit　her　curved　eyebrows；　and　Peyton　saw　a　look　of　pain

pass　over　his　wife's　face　as　the　young　girl　suddenly　and　half…

laughingly　broke　away　and　fluttered　off　towards　the　old　garden。



Mrs。　Peyton　looked　up　and　caught　her　husband's　eye。



〃I　am　afraid　Susy　finds　it　more　dull　here　every　time　she　returns；〃

she　said；　with　an　apologetic　smile。　　〃I　am　glad　she　has　invited　one

of　her　school　friends　to　come　for　a　visit　to…morrow。　　You　know；

yourself；　John；〃　she　added；　with　a　slight　partisan　attitude；　〃that

the　lonely　old　house　and　wild　plain　are　not　particularly　lively　for

young　people；　however　much　they　may　suit　YOUR　ways。〃



〃It　certainly　must　be　dull　if　she　can't　stand　it　for　three　weeks　in

the　year；〃　said　her　husband　dryly。　　〃But　we　really　cannot　open　the

San　Francisco　house　for　her　summer　vacation；　nor　can　we　move　from

the　rancho　to　a　more　fashionable　locality。　　Besides；　it　will　do　her

good　to　run　wild　here。　　I　can　remember　when　she　wasn't　so

fastidious。　　In　fact；　I　was　thinking　just　now　how　changed　she　was

from　the　day　when　we　picked　her　up〃



〃How　often　am　I　to　remind　you；　John；〃　interrupted　the　lady；　with

some　impatience；　〃that　we　agreed　never　to　speak　of　her　past；　or　even

to　think　of　her　as　anything　but　our　own　child。　　You　know　how　it

pains　me！　　And　the　poor　dear　herself　has　forgotten　it；　and　thinks　of

us　only　as　her　own　parents。　　I　really　believe　that　if　that　wretched

father　and　mother　of　hers　had　not　been　killed　by　the　Indians；　or

were　to　come　to　life　again；　she　would　neither　know　them　nor　care　for

them。　　I　mean；　of　course；　John；〃　she　said；　averting　her　eyes　from　a

slightly　cynical　smile　on　her　husband's　face；　〃that　it's　only

natural　for　young　children　to　be　forgetful；　and　ready　to　take　new

impressions。〃



〃And　as　long；　dear；　as　WE　are　not　the　subjects　of　this　youthful

forgetfulness；　and　she　isn't　really　finding　US　as　stupid　as　the

rancho；〃　replied　her　husband　cheerfully；　〃I　suppose　we　mustn't

complain。〃



〃John；　how　can　you　talk　such　nonsense？〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton　impatiently。

〃But　I　have　no　fear　of　that；〃　she　added；　with　a　slightly　ostentatious

confidence。　　〃I　only　wish　I　was　as　sure〃



〃Of　what？〃



〃Of　nothing　happening　that　could　take　her　from　us。　　I　do　not　mean

death；　John；like　our　first　little　one。　　That　does　not　happen　to

one　twice；　but　I　sometimes　dread〃



〃What？　　She's　only　fifteen；　and　it's　rather　early　to　think　about　the

only　other　inevitable　separation；marriage。　　Come；　Ally；　this　is

mere　fancy。　　She　has　been　given　up　to　us　by　her　family；at　least；

by　all　that　we　know　are　left　of　them。　　I　have　legally　adopted　her。

If　I　have　not　made　her　my　heiress；　it　is　because　I　prefer　to　leave

everything　to　YOU；　and　I　would　rather　she　should　know　that　she　was

dependent　upon　you　for　the　future　than　upon　me。〃



〃And　I　can　make　a　will　in　her　favor　if　I　want　to？〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton

quickly。



〃Always；〃　responded　her　husband　smilingly；　〃but　you　have　ample　time

to　think　of　that；　I　trust。　　Meanwhile　I　have　some　news　for　you　which

may　make　Susy's　visit　to　the　rancho　this　time　less　dull　to　her。　　You

remember　Clarence　Brant；　the　boy　who　was　with　her　when　we　picked　her

up；　and　who　really　saved　her　life？〃



〃No；　I　don't；〃　said　Mrs。　Peyton　pettishly；　〃nor　do　I　want　to！　　You

know；　John；　how　distasteful　and　unpleasant　it　is　for　me　to　have

those　dreary；　petty；　and　vulgar　details　of　the　poor　child's　past

life　recalled；　and；　thank　Heaven；　I　have　forgotten　them　except　when

you　choose　to　drag　them　before　me。　　You　agreed；　long　ago；　that　we

were　never　to　talk　of　the　Indian　massacre　of　her　parents；　so　that　we

could　also　ignore　it　before　her；　then　why　do　you　talk　of　her　vulgar

friends；　who　are　just　as　unpleasant？　　Please　let　us　drop　the　past。〃



〃Willingly；　my　dear；　but；　unfortunately；　we　cannot　make　others　do

it。　　And　this　is　a　case　in　point。　　It　appears　that　this　boy；　whom　we

brought　to　Sacramento　to　deliver　to　a　relative〃



〃And　who　was　a　wicked　little　impostor；you　remember　that　yourself；

John；　for　he　said　that　he　was　the　son　of　Colonel　Brant；　and　that　he

was　dead；　and　you　know；　and　my　brother　Harry　knew；　that　Colonel

Brant　was　alive　all　the　time；　and　that　he　was　lying；　and　Colonel

Brant　was　not　his　father；〃　broke　in　Mrs。　Peyton　impatiently。



〃As　it　seems　you　do　remember　that　much；〃　said　Peyton　dryly；　〃it　is

only　just　to　him　that　I　should　tell　you　that　it　appears　that　he　was

not　an　impostor。　　His　story　was　TRUE。　　I　have　just　learned　that

Colonel　Brant　WAS　actually　his　father；　but　had　concealed　his　lawless

life　here；　as　well　as　his　identity；　from　the　boy。　　He　was　really

that　vague　relative　to　whom　Clarence　was　confided；　and　under　that

disguise　he　afterwards　protected　the　boy；　had　him　carefully　educated

at　the　Jesuit　College　of　San　Jose；　and；　dying　two　years　ago　in　that

filibuster　raid　in　Mexico；　left　him　a　considerable　fortune。〃