a sappho of green springs-第26部分

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their　seclusion；　came　the　engineer；　Thomas　Bent；　and　on　his　arm；

gazing　ingenuously　into　his　face；　the　figure　of　Adele；her　own

perfect　daughter。





〃I　don't　think；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Mallory；　as　the　anxious　Rose

flew　into　his　arms　on　his　return　to　San　Jose；　a　few　hours　later；

〃that　it　will　be　necessary　for　you　to　go　back　again　to　Major

Randolph's　before　we　leave。　　I　have　said　'Good…by'　for　you　and

thanked　them；　and　your　trunks　are　packed　and　will　be　sent　here。

The　fact　is；　my　dear；　you　see　this　affair　of　the　earthquake　and　the

disaster　to　the　artesian　well　have　upset　all　their　arrangements；

and　I　am　afraid　that　my　little　girl　would　be　only　in　their　way　just

now。〃



〃And　you　have　seen　Mr。　Dawsonand　you　know　why　he　sent　for　you？〃

asked　the　young　girl；　with　nervous　eagerness。



〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Mallory　thoughtfully；　〃THAT　was　really

important。　　You　see；　my　child；〃　he　continued；　taking　her　hand　in

one　of　his　own　and　patting　the　back　of　it　gently　with　the　other；

〃we　think；　Dawson　and　I；　of　taking　over　the　major's　ranch　and

incorporating　it　with　the　Excelsior　in　one；　to　be　worked　on　shares

like　the　Excelsior；　and　as　Mrs。　Randolph　is　very　anxious　to　return

to　the　Atlantic　States　with　her　children；　it　is　quite　possible。

Mrs。　Randolph；　as　you　have　possibly　noticed；〃　Mr。　Mallory　went　on；

still　patting　his　daughter's　hand；　〃does　not　feel　entirely　at　home

here；　and　will　consequently　leave　the　major　free　to　rearrange；　by

himself；　the　ranch　on　the　new　basis。　　In　fact；　as　the　change　must

be　made　before　the　crops　come　in；　she　talks　of　going　next　week。

But　if　you　like　the　place；　Rose；　I've　no　doubt　the　major　and　Dawson

will　always　find　room　for　you　and　me　when　we　run　down　there　for　a

little　fresh　air。〃



〃And　did　you　have　all　that　in　your　mind；　papa；　when　you　came　down

here；　and　was　that　what　you　and　Mr。　Dawson　wanted　to　talk　about？〃

said　the　astonished　Rose。



〃Mainly；　my　dear；　mainly。　　You　see　I'm　a　capitalist　now；　and　the

real　value　of　capital　is　to　know　how　and　when　to　apply　it　to

certain　conditions。〃



〃And　this　Mr。Mr。　Bentdo　you　thinkhe　will　go　on　and　find　the

water；　papa？〃　said　Rose；　hesitatingly。



〃Ah！　BentTom　Bentoh；　yes；〃　said　Mallory；　with　great　heartiness。

〃Capital　fellow；　Bent！　and　mighty　ingenious！　　Glad　you　met　him！

Well；〃　thoughtfully　but　still　heartily；　〃he　may　not　find　it　exactly

where　he　expected；　but　he'll　find　it　or　something　better。　　We　can't

part　with　him；　and　he　has　promised　Dawson　to　stay。　　We'll　utilize

HIM；　you　may　be　sure。〃



It　would　seem　that　they　did；　and　from　certain　interviews　and

conversations　that　took　place　between　Mr。　Bent　and　Miss　Mallory　on

a　later　visit；　it　would　also　appear　that　her　father　had　exercised　a

discreet　reticence　in　regard　to　a　certain　experiment　of　the　young

inventor；　of　which　he　had　been　an　accidental　witness。







A　MAECENAS　OF　THE　PACIFIC　SLOPE





CHAPTER　I





As　Mr。　Robert　Rushbrook；　known　to　an　imaginative　press　as　the

〃Maecenas　of　the　Pacific　Slope；〃　drove　up　to　his　country　seat；

equally　referred　to　as　a　〃palatial　villa；〃　he　cast　a　quick　but

practical　look　at　the　pillared　pretensions　of　that　enormous　shell

of　wood　and　paint　and　plaster。　　The　statement；　also　a　reportorial

one；　that　its　site；　the　Canyon　of　Los　Osos；　〃some　three　years　ago

was　disturbed　only　by　the　passing　tread　of　bear　and　wild…cat；〃　had

lost　some　of　its　freshness　as　a　picturesque　apology；　and　already

successive　improvements　on　the　original　building　seemingly　cast　the

older　part　of　the　structure　back　to　a　hoary　antiquity。　　To　many　it

stood　as　a　symbol　of　everything　Robert　Rushbrook　did　or　had　done

an　improvement　of　all　previous　performances；　it　was　like　his　own

lifean　exciting　though　irritating　state　of　transition　to

something　better。　　Yet　the　visible　architectural　result；　as　here

shown；　was　scarcely　harmonious；　indeed；　some　of　his　friendsand

Maecenas　had　manyprofessed　to　classify　the　various　improvements

by　the　successive　fortunate　ventures　in　their　owner's　financial

career；　which　had　led　to　new　additions；　under　the　names；　of　〃The

Comstock　Lode　Period；〃　〃The　Union　Pacific　Renaissance；〃　〃The　Great

Wheat　Corner；〃　and　〃Water　Front　Gable　Style；〃　a　humorous　trifling

that　did　not；　however；　prevent　a　few　who　were　artists　from

accepting　Maecenas's　liberal　compensation　for　their　services　in

giving　shape　to　those　ideas。



Relinquishing　to　a　groom　his　fast…trotting　team；　the　second　relay

in　his　two　hours'　drive　from　San　Francisco；　he　leaped　to　the　ground

to　meet　the　architect；　already　awaiting　his　orders　in　the

courtyard。　　With　his　eyes　still　fixed　upon　the　irregular　building

before　him；　he　mingled　his　greeting　and　his　directions。



〃Look　here；　Barker；　we'll　have　a　wing　thrown　out　here；　and　a

hundred…foot　ballroom。　　Something　to　hold　a　crowd；　something　that

can　be　used　for　musicsabe？a　concert；　or　a　show。〃



〃Have　you　thought　of　any　style；　Mr。　Rushbrook？〃　suggested　the

architect。



〃No；〃　said　Rushbrook；　〃I've　been　thinking　of　the　timethirty　days；

and　everything　to　be　in。　　You'll　stop　to　dinner。　　I'll　have　you　sit

near　Jack　Somers。　　You　can　talk　style　to　him。　　Say　I　told　you。〃



〃You　wish　it　completed　in　thirty　days？〃　repeated　the　architect；

dubiously。



〃Well；　I　shouldn't　mind　if　it　were　less。　　You　can　begin　at　once。

There's　a　telegraph　in　the　house。　　Patrick　will　take　any　message；

and　you　can　send　up　to　San　Francisco　and　fix　things　before　dinner。〃



Before　the　man　could　reply；　Rushbrook　was　already　giving　a　hurried

interview　to　the　gardener　and　others　on　his　way　to　the　front　porch。

In　another　moment　he　had　entered　his　own　hall；a　wonderful　temple

of　white　and　silver　plaster；　formal；　yet　friable　like　the　sugared

erection　of　a　wedding　cake；where　his　major…domo　awaited　him。



〃Well；　who's　here？〃　asked　Rushbrook；　still　advancing　towards　his

apartments。



〃Dinner　is　set　for　thirty；　sir；〃　said　the　functionary；　keeping　step

demurely　with　his　master；　〃but　Mr。　Appleby　takes　ten　over　to　San

Mateo；　and　some　may　sleep　there。　　The　char…a…banc　is　still　out　and

five　saddle…horses；　to　a　picnic　in　Green　Canyon；　and　I　can't

positively　say；　but　I　should　think　you　might　count　on　seeing　about

forty…five　guests　before　you　go　to　town　to…morrow。　　The　opera

troupe　seem　to　have　not　exactly　understood　the　invitation；　sir。〃



〃How？　　I　gave　it　myself。〃



〃The　chorus　and　supernumeraries　thought　themselves　invited　too；

sir；　and　have　come；　I　believe；　sir。　　At　least　Signora　Pegrelli　and

Madame　Denise　said　so；　and　that　they　would　speak　to　you　about　it；

but　that　meantime　I　could　put　them　up　anywhere。〃



〃And　you　made　no　distinction；　of　course？〃



〃No；　sir；　I　put　them　in　the　corresponding　rooms　opposite；　sir。

I　don't　think　the　prima　donnas　like　it。〃



〃Ah！〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Whatever　was　in　their　minds；　the　two　men　never　changed　their

steady；　practical　gravity　of　manner。　　The　major…domo's　appeared　to

be　a　subdued　imitation　of　his　master's；　worn；　as　he　might　have　worn

his　master's　clothes；　had　he　accepted；　or　Mr。　Rushbrook　permitted；

such　a　degradation。　　By　this　time　they　had　reached　the　door　of　Mr。

Rushbrook's　room；　and　the　man　paused。　　〃I　didn't　include　some

guests　of　Mr。　Leyton's；　sir；　that　he　brought　over　here　to　show

around　the　place；　but　he　told　me　to　tell　you　he　would　take　them

away　again；　or　leave　them；　as　you　liked。　　They're　some　Eastern

strangers　stopping　with　him。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Rushbrook；　quietly；　as　he　entered　his　own

apartment。　　It　was　decorated　as　garishly　as　the　hall；　as　staring

and　vivid　in　color；　but　wholesomely　new　and　clean　for　all　its

paint；　veneering；　and　plaster。　　It　was　filled　with　heterogeneous

splendorall　new　and　well　kept；　yet　with　so　much　of　the　attitude

of　the　show…room　still　lingering　about　it　that　one　almost　expected

to　see　the　various　articles　of　furniture　ticketed　with　their

prices。　　A　luxurious　bed；　with　satin　hangings　and　Indian　carved

posts；　standing　ostentatiously　in　a　corner；　kept　up　this

resemblance；　for　in　a　curtained　recess　stood　a　worn　camp　bedstead；

Rushbrook's　real　couch；　Spartan　in　its　simplicity。



Mr。　Rushbrook　drew　his　watch　from　his　pocket；　and　deliberately

divested　himself　of　his　boots；　coat；　waistcoat；　and　cravat。　　Then

rolling　himself　in　a　fleecy；　blanket…like　rug　with　something　of　the

habitual　dexterity　of　a　frontiersman；　he　threw　himself　on　his

couch；　closed　his　eyes；　and　went　instantly　to　sleep。　　Lying　there；

he　appeared　to　be　a　man　comfortably　middle…aged；　with　thick　iron…

gray　hair　that　might　have　curled　had　he　encouraged　such

inclination；　a　skin　roughened　and　darkened　by　external　hardships

and　exposure；　but　free　from　taint　of　inner　vice　or　excess；　and

indistinctive　features　redeemed　by　a　singularly　handsome　mouth。　　As

the　lower　part　of　the　face　was　partly　hidden　by　a　dense　but

closely…cropped　beard；　it　is　probable　that　the　delicate　outlines　of

his　lips　had　gained　something　from　their　framing。



He　slept；　through　what　seemed　to　be　the　unnatural　stillness　of　the

large　house；a　quiet　that　might　have　come　from　the　lingering

influence　of　the　still　virgin　solitude　around　it；　as　if　Nature　had

forgotten　the　intrusion；　or　were　stealthily　retaking　her　own；　and

later；　through　the　rattle　of　returning　wheels　or　the　sound　of

voices；　which　were；　however；　promptly　absorbed　in　that　deep　and

masterful　silence　which　was　the　unabdicating　genius　of　the　canyon。

For　it　was　remarkable　that　even　the　various　artists；　musicians；

orators；　and　poets　whom　Maecenas　had　gathered　in　his　cool　business

fashion　under　that　roof；　all　seemed　to　become；　by　contrast　with

surrounding　Nature；　as　new　and　artificial　as　the　house；　and　as

powerless　to　assert　themselves　against　its　influence。



He　was　still　sleeping　when　James　re…entered　the　room；　but　awoke

promptly　at　the　sound　of　his　voice。　　In　a　few　moments　he　had

rearranged　his　scarcely　disordered　toilette；　and　stepped　out

refreshed　and　observant　into　the