a sappho of green springs-第18部分

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a　widower；　he　has　no　one　to　leave　her　with。〃



〃And　I　suppose　it　is　the　American　fashion　to　intrust　one's

daughters　to　any　old　boon　companions？〃



〃Mallory　is　an　old　friend；〃　interrupted　the　major；　impatiently。

〃He　knows　I'm　married；　and　although　he　has　never　seen　YOU；　he　is

quite　willing　to　leave　his　daughter　here。〃



〃Thank　you！〃



〃Come；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　The　man　naturally　believes　that　my

wife　will　be　a　proper　chaperone　for　his　daughter。　　But　that　is　not

the　present　question。　　He　intended　to　call　here；　I　expected　to　take

you　over　to　San　Jose　to　see　her　and　all　that；　you　know；　but　the

fact　of　it　isthat　isit　seems　from　this　letter　thathe's　been

called　away　sooner　than　he　expected；　and　thatwellhang　it！　the

girl　is　actually　on　her　way　here　now。〃



〃Alone？〃



〃I　suppose　so。　　You　know　one　thinks　nothing　of　that　here。〃



〃Or　any　other　propriety；　for　that　matter。〃



〃For　heaven's　sake；　Josephine；　don't　be　ridiculous！　　Of　course　it's

stupid　her　coming　in　this　way；　and　Mallory　ought　to　have　brought

herbut　she's　coming；　and　we　must　receive　her。　　By　Jove！　　Here　she

is　now！〃　he　added；　starting　up　after　a　hurried　glance　through　the

window。　　〃But　what　kind　of　a　dd　turn…out　is　that；　anyhow？〃



It　certainly　was　an　odd…looking　conveyance　that　had　entered　the

gates；　and　was　now　slowly　coming　up　the　drive　towards　the　house。

A　large　draught　horse　harnessed　to　a　dust…covered　buggy；　whose

strained　fore…axle；　bent　by　the　last　mile　of　heavy　road；　had

slanted　the　tops　of　the　fore…wheels　towards　each　other　at　an

alarming　angle。　　The　light；　graceful　dress　and　elegant　parasol　of

the　young　girl；　who　occupied　half　of　its　single　seat；　looked

ludicrously　pronounced　by　the　side　of　the　slouching　figure　and

grimy　duster　of　the　driver；　who　occupied　the　other　half。



Mrs。　Randolph　gave　a　gritty　laugh。　　〃I　thought　you　said　she　was

alone。　　Is　that　an　escort　she　has　picked　up；　American　fashion；　on

the　road？〃



〃That's　her　hired　driver；　no　doubt。　　Hang　it！　she　can't　drive　here

by　herself；〃　retorted　the　major；　impatiently；　hurrying　to　the　door

and　down　the　staircase。　　But　he　was　instantly　followed　by　his　wife。

She　had　no　idea　of　permitting　a　possible　understanding　to　be

exchanged　in　their　first　greeting。　　The　late　M。　l'Hommadieu　had

been　able　to　impart　a　whole　plan　of　intrigue　in　a　single　word　and

glance。



Happily；　Rose　Mallory；　already　in　the　hall；　in　a　few　words　detailed

the　accident　that　had　befallen　her；　to　the　honest　sympathy　of　the

major　and　the　coldly…polite　concern　of　Mrs。　Randolph；　who；　in

deliberately　chosen　sentences；　managed　to　convey　to　the　young　girl

the　conviction　that　accidents　of　any　kind　to　young　ladies　were　to

be　regarded　as　only　a　shade　removed　from　indiscretions。　　Rose　was

impressed；　and　even　flattered；　by　the　fastidiousness　of　this

foreign…appearing　woman；　and　after　the　fashion　of　youthful　natures；

accorded　to　her　the　respect　due　to　recognized　authority。　　When　to

this　authority；　which　was　evident；　she　added　a　depreciation　of　the

major；　I　fear　that　some　common　instinct　of　feminine　tyranny

responded　in　Rose's　breast；　and　that　on　the　very　threshold　of　the

honest　soldier's　home　she　tacitly　agreed　with　the　wife　to　look　down

upon　him。　　Mrs。　Randolph　departed　to　inform　her　son　and　daughter　of

their　guest's　arrival。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　however；　they　had

already　observed　her　approach　to　the　house　through　the　slits　of

their　drawn　window…blinds；　and　those　even　narrower　prejudices　and

limited　comprehensions　which　their　education　had　fostered。　　The

girl；　Adele；　had　only　grasped　the　fact　that　Rose　had　come　to　their

house　in　fine　clothes；　alone　with　a　man；　in　a　broken…down　vehicle；

and　was　moved　to　easy　mirth　and　righteous　wonder。　　The　young　man；

Emile；　had　agreed　with　her；　with　the　mental　reservation　that　the

guest　was　pretty；　and　must　eventually　fall　in　love　with　him。　　They

both；　however；　welcomed　her　with　a　trained　politeness　and　a

superficial　attention　that；　while　the　indifference　of　her　own

countrymen　in　the　wheat…field　was　still　fresh　in　her　recollection；

struck　her　with　grateful　contrast；　the　major's　quiet　and　unobtrusive

kindliness　naturally　made　less　impression；　or　was　accepted　as　a

matter　of　course。



〃Well；〃　said　the　major；　cheerfully　but　tentatively；　to　his　wife

when　they　were　alone　again；　〃she　seems　a　nice　girl；　after　all；　and

a　good　deal　of　pluck　and　character；　by　Jove！　to　push　on　in　that

broken　buggy　rather　than　linger　or　come　in　a　farm　cart；　eh？〃



〃She　was　alone　in　that　wheat…field；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　with　grim

deliberation；　〃for　half　an　hour；　she　confesses　it　herselfTALKING

WITH　A　YOUNG　MAN！〃



〃Yes；　but　the　others　had　gone　for　the　buggy。　　And；　in　the　name　of

Heaven；　what　would　you　have　her　dohide　herself　in　the　grain？〃

said　the　major；　desperately。　　〃Besides；〃　he　added；　with　a

recklessness　he　afterwards　regretted；　〃that　mechanical　chap　they've

got　there　is　really　intelligent　and　worth　talking　to。〃



〃I　have　no　doubt　SHE　thought　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Randolph；　with　a

mirthless　smile。　　〃In　fact；　I　have　observed　that　the　American

freedom　generally　means　doing　what　you　WANT　to　do。　　Indeed；　I

wonder　she　didn't　bring　him　with　her！　　Only　I　beg；　major；　that　you

will　not　again；　in　the　presence　of　my　daughter；and　I　may　even

say；　of　my　son；talk　lightly　of　the　solitary　meetings　of　young

ladies　with　mechanics；　even　though　their　faces　were　smutty；　and

their　clothes　covered　with　oil。〃



The　major　here　muttered　something　about　there　being　less　danger　in

a　young　lady　listening　to　the　intelligence　of　a　coarsely…dressed

laborer　than　to　the　compliments　of　a　rose…scented　fop；　but　Mrs。

Randolph　walked　out　of　the　room　before　he　finished　the　evident

platitude。



That　night　Rose　Mallory　retired　to　her　room　in　a　state　of　sell…

satisfaction　that　she　even　felt　was　to　a　certain　extent　a　virtue。

She　was　delighted　with　her　reception　and　with　her　hostess　and

family。　　It　was　strange　her　father　had　not　spoken　more　of　MRS。

Randolph；　who　was　clearly　the　superior　of　his　old　friend。　　What

fine　manners　they　all　had；　so　different　from　other　people　she　had

known！　　There　was　quite　an　Old　World　civilization　about　them；

really；　it　was　like　going　abroad！　　She　would　make　the　most　of　her

opportunity　and　profit　by　her　visit。　　She　would　begin　by　improving

her　French；　they　spoke　it　perfectly；　and　with　such　a　pure　accent。

She　would　correct　certain　errors　she　was　conscious　of　in　her　own

manners；　and　copy　Mrs。　Randolph　as　much　as　possible。　　Certainly；

there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　said　of　Mrs。　Randolph's　way　of　looking

at　things。　　Now　she　thought　of　it　calmly；　there　WAS　too　much

informality　and　freedom　in　American　ways！　　There　was　not　enough

respect　due　to　position　and　circumstances。　　Take　those　men　in　the

wheat…field；　for　example。　　Yet　here　she　found　it　difficult　to

formulate　an　indictment　against　them　for　〃freedom。〃　　She　would　like

to　go　there　some　day　with　the　Randolphs　and　let　them　see　what

company　manners　were！　　She　was　thoroughly　convinced　now　that　her

father　had　done　wrong　in　sending　her　alone；　it　certainly　was　most

disrespectful　to　them　and　careless　of　him　（she　had　quite　forgotten

that　she　had　herself　proposed　to　her　father　to　go　alone　rather　than

wait　at　the　hotel）；　and　she　must　have　looked　very　ridiculous　in　her

fine　clothes　and　the　broken…down　buggy。　　When　her　trunk　came　by

express　to…morrow　she　would　look　out　something　more　sober。　　She

must　remember　that　she　was　in　a　Catholic　and　religious　household

now。　　Ah；　yes！　how　very　fine　it　was　to　see　that　priest　at　dinner　in

his　soutane；　sitting　down　like　one　of　the　family；　and　making　them

all　seem　like　a　picture　of　some　historical　and　aristocratic

romance！　　And　then　they　were　actually　〃de　Fontanges　l'Hommadieu。〃

How　different　he　was　from　that　shabby　Methodist　minister　who　used

to　come　to　see　her　father　in　a　black　cravat　with　a　hideous　bow！

Really　there　was　something　to　say　for　a　religion　that　contained　so

much　picturesque　refinement；　and　for　her　partbut　that　will　do。　　I

beg　to　say　that　I　am　not　writing　of　any　particular　snob　or　feminine

monstrosity；　but　of　a　very　charming　creature；　who　was　quite　able　to

say　her　prayers　afterwards　like　a　good　girl；　and　lay　her　pretty

cheek　upon　her　pillow　without　a　blush。



She　opened　her　window　and　looked　out。　　The　moon；　a　great　silver

dome；　was　uplifting　itself　from　a　bluish…gray　level；　which　she　knew

was　the　distant　plain　of　wheat。　　Somewhere　in　its　midst　appeared　a

dull　star；　at　times　brightening　as　if　blown　upon　or　drawn　upwards

in　a　comet…like　trail。　　By　some　odd　instinct　she　felt　that　it　was

the　solitary　forge　of　the　young　inventor；　and　pictured　him　standing

before　it　with　his　abstracted　hazel　eyes　and　a　face　more　begrimed

in　the　moonlight　than　ever。　　When　DID　he　wash　himself？　　Perhaps　not

until　Sunday。　　How　lonely　it　must　be　out　there！　　She　slightly

shivered　and　turned　from　the　window。　　As　she　did　so；　it　seemed　to

her　that　something　knocked　against　her　door　from　without。　　Opening

it　quickly；　she　was　almost　certain　that　the　sound　of　a　rustling

skirt　retreated　along　the　passage。　　It　was　very　late；　perhaps　she

had　disturbed　the　house　by　shutting　her　window。　　No　doubt　it　was

the　motherly　interest　of　Mrs。　Randolph　that　impelled　her　to　come

softly　and　look　after　her；　and　for　once　her　simple　surmises　were

correct。　　For　not　only　the　inspecting　eyes　of　her　hostess；　but　the

amatory　glances　of　the　youthful　Emile；　had　been　fastened　upon　her

window　until　the　light　disappeared；　and　even　the　Holy　Mission

Church　of　San　Jose　had　assured　itself　of　the　dear　child's　safety

with　a　large　and　supple　ear　at　her　keyhole。



The　next　morning　Major　Randolph　took　her　with　Adele　in　a　light

cariole　over　the　ranch。　　Although　his　domain　was　nearly　as　large　as

the　adjoining　wheat　plain；　it　was　not；　like　that；　monopolized　by

one　enormous　characteristic　yield；　but　embraced　a　more　diversified

product。　　There　were　acres　and　acres　of　potatoe