whirligigs-第42部分

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her　since　the　day　she　was　born；　she　is　as　innocent　and

unsullied　in　life　and　deed　as　a　holy　saint。　　In　that　lowly

street　where　she　dwells　she　first　saw　the　light；　and　she

has　lived　there　ever　since；　spending　her　days　in　generous

self…sacrifice　for　others。　　Och；　ye　spalpeen！〃　　continued

Father　Rogan；　raising　his　finger　in　kindly　anger　at　Lorison。

〃What　for；　I　wonder；　could　she　be　after　making　a　fool

of　hersilf；　and　shamin'　her　swate　soul　with　lies；　for　the

like　of　you！〃



〃Sir；〃　said　Lorison；　trembling；　〃say　what　you　please

of　me。　　Doubt　it　as　you　must；　I　will　yet　prove　my　gratitude

to　you；　and　my　devotion　to　her。　　But　let　me　speak　to　her

once　now；　let　me　kneel　for　just　one　moment　at　her　feet；

and　　〃



〃Tut；　tut！〃　　said　the　priest。　　〃How　many　acts　of　a

love　drama　do　you　think　an　old　bookworm　like　me　capable

of　witnessing？　　Besides；　what　kind　of　figures　do　we　cut；

spying　upon　the　mysteries　of　midnight　millinery！　　Go

to　meet　your　wife　to…morrow；　as　she　ordered　you；　and　obey

her　thereafter；　and　maybe　some　time　I　shall　get　forgive…

ness　for　the　part　I　have　played　in　this　night's　work。　　Off

wid　yez　down　the　shtairs；　now！　　'Tis　late；　and　an　ould

man　like　me　should　be　takin'　his　rest。〃







　　　　　　　　　　MADAME　BO…PEEP；　OF　THE　RANCHES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃AUNT　ELLEN；〃　said　Octavia；　cheerfully；　as　she　threw

her　black　kid　gloves　carefully　at　the　dignified　Persian　cat

on　the　window…seat；　〃I'm　a　pauper。〃



〃You　are　so　extreme　in　your　statements；　Octavia；

dear；〃　said　Aunt　Ellen；　mildly；　looking　up　from　her　paper。



〃If　you　find　yourself　temporarily　in　need　of　some　small

change　for　bonbons；　you　will　find　my　purse　in　the　drawer

of　the　writing　desk。〃



Octavia　Beaupree　removed　her　hat　and　seated　herself

on　a　footstool　near　her　aunt's　chair；　clasping　her　hands

about　her　knees。　Her　slim　and　flexible　figure；　clad　in　a

modish　mourning　costume；　accommodated　itself　easily

and　gracefully　to　the　trying　position。　Her　bright　and

youthful　face；　with　its　pair　of　sparkling；　life…enamoured

eyes；　tried　to　compose　itself　to　the　seriousness　that　the

occasion　seemed　to　demand。



〃You　good　auntie；　it　isn't　a　case　of　bonbons；　it　is　abject；

staring；　unpicturesque　poverty；　with　ready…made　clothes；

gasolined　gloves；　and　probably　one　o'clock　dinners　all

waiting　with　the　traditional　wolf　at　the　door。　I've　just

come　from　my　lawyer；　auntie；　and；　'Please；　ma'am；　I

ain't　got　nothink　't　all。　Flowers；　lady？　Buttonhole；

gentleman？　Pencils；　sir；　three　for　five；　to　help　a　poor

widow？'　Do　I　do　it　nicely；　auntie；　or；　as　a　bread…winner

accomplishment；　were　my　lessons　in　elocution　entirely

wasted？〃



〃Do　be　serious；　my　dear；〃　said　Aunt　Ellen；　letting　her

paper　fall　to　the　floor；　〃long　enough　to　tell　me　what　you

mean。　Colonel　Beaupree's　estate　　〃



〃Colonel　Beaupree's　estate；〃　interrupted　Octavia；

emphasizing　her　words　with　appropriate　dramatic　ges…

tures；　〃is　of　Spanish　castellar　architecture。　Colonel

Beaupree's　resources　are　　wind。　Colonel　Beaupree's

stocks　are　　water。　Colonel　Beaupree's　income　is　

all　in。　The　statement　lacks　the　legal　technicalities　to

which　I　have　been　listening　for　an　hour；　but　that　is　what

it　means　when　translated。〃



〃Octavia！〃　　Aunt　Ellen　was　now　visibly　possessed　by

consternation。　〃I　can　hardly　believe　it。　And　it　was　the

impression　that　he　was　worth　a　million。　And　the　De

Peysters　themselves　introduced　him！〃



Octavia　rippled　out　a　laugh；　and　then　became　properly

grave。



〃De　mortuis　nil；　auntie　　not　even　the　rest　of　it。　The

dear　old　colonel　　what　a　gold　brick　he　was；　after　all！

I　paid　for　my　bargain　fairly　　I'm　all　here；　am　I　not？　

　items：　eyes；　fingers；　toes；　youth；　old　family；　unques…

tionable　position　in　society　as　called　for　in　the　contract

no　wild…cat　stock　here。〃　Octavia　picked　up　the

morning　paper　from　the　floor。　〃But　I'm　not　going　to

'squeal'　　isn't　that　what　they　call　it　when　you　rail　at

Fortune　because　you've；　lost　the　game？〃　She　turned

the　pages　of　the　paper　calmly。　〃'Stock　market'　　no

use　for　that。　'Society's　doings'　　that's　done。　Here　is

my　page　　the　wish　column。　A　Van　Dresser　could　not

be　said　to　'want'　for　anything；　of　course。　'Chamber…

maids；　cooks；　canvassers；　stenographers…〃



〃Dear；〃　said　Aunt　Ellen；　with　a　little　tremor　in　her

voice；　〃please　do　not　talk　in　that　way。　Even　if　your

affairs　are　in　so　unfortunate　a　condition；　there　is　my　three

thousand　　〃



Octavia　sprang　up　lithely；　and　deposited　a　smart　kiss

on　the　delicate　cheek　of　the　prim　little　elderly　maid。



〃Blessed　auntie；　your　three　thousand　is　just　sufficient

to　insure　your　Hyson　to　be　free　from　willow　leaves　and

keep　the　Persian　in　sterilized　cream。　I　know　I'd　be

welcome；　but　I　prefer　to　strike　bottom　like　Beelzebub

rather　than　hang　around　like　the　Peri　listening　to　the

music　from　the　side　entrance。　I'm　going　to　earn　my　own

living。　There's　nothing　else　to　do。　I'm　a　　Oh；　oh；　oh！

　I　had　forgotten。　There's　one　thing　saved　from　the

wreck。　It's　a　corral　　no；　a　ranch　in　　let　me　see　

Texas：　an　asset；　dear　old　Mr。　Bannister　called　it。　How

pleased　he　was　to　show　me　something　he　could　describe

as　unencumbered！　I've　a　description　of　it　among　those

stupid　papers　he　made　me　bring　away　with　me　from　his

office。　I'll　try　to　find　it。〃



Octavia　found　her　shopping…bag；　and　drew　from　it　a

long　envelope　filled　with　typewritten　documents。



〃A　ranch　in　Texas；〃　sighed　Aunt　Ellen。　〃It　sounds

to　me　more　like　a　liability　than　an　asset。　Those　are　the

places　where　the　centipedes　are　found；　and　cowboys；

and　fandangos。〃



〃'The　Rancho　de　las　Sombras；'〃　read　Octavia　from

a　sheet　of　violently　purple　typewriting　〃'is　situated　one

hundred　and　ten　miles　southeast　of　San　Antonio；　and

thirty…eight　miles　from　its　nearest　railroad　station；　Nopal；

on　the　I。　and　G。　N。　Ranch；　consists　of　7；680　acres　of　well…

watered　land；　with　title　conferred　by　State　patents；　and

twenty…two　sections；　or　14；080　acres；　partly　under　yearly

running　lease　and　partly　bought　under　State's　twenty…

year…purchase　act。　Eight　thousand　graded　merino　sheep；

with　the　necessary　equipment　of　horses；　vehicles　and

general　ranch　paraphernalia。　Ranch…house　built　of

brick；　with　six　rooms　comfortably　furnished　according　to

the　requirements　of　the　climate。　All　within　a　strong

barbed…wire　fence。



〃'The　present　ranch　manager　seems　to　be　competent

and　reliable；　and　is　rapidly　placing　upon　a　paying　basis

a　business　that；　in　other　hands；　had　been　allowed　to　suffer

from　neglect　and　misconduct。



〃'This　property　was　secured　by　Colonel　Beaupree　in　a

deal　with　a　Western　irrigation　syndicate；　and　the　title

to　it　seems　to　be　perfect。　With　careful　management　and

the　natural　increase　of　land　values；　it　ought　to　be　made

the　foundation　for　a　comfortable　fortune　for　its　owner。'〃



When　Octavia　ceased　reading；　Aunt　Ellen　uttered

something　as　near　a　sniff　as　her　breeding　permitted。



〃The　prospectus；〃　she　said；　with　uncompromising

metropolitan　suspicion；　〃doesn't　mention　the　centipedes；

or　the　Indians。　And　you　never　did　like　mutton；　Octavia。

I　don't　see　what　advantage　you　can　derive　from　this　

desert。〃



But　Octavia　was　in　a　trance。　Her　eyes　were　steadily

regarding　something　quite　beyond　their　focus。　Her　lips

were　parted；　and　her　face　was　lighted　by　the　kindling

furor　of　the　explorer；　the　ardent；　stirring　disquiet　of　the

adventurer。　Suddenly　she　clasped　her　hands　together

exultantly。



〃The　problem　solves　itself；　auntie；〃　she　cried。　〃I'm

going　to　that　ranch。　I'm　going　to　live　on　it。　I'm

going　to　learn　to　like　mutton；　and　even　concede　the　good

qualities　of　centipedes　　at　a　respectful　distance。　It's

just　what　I　need。　It's　a　new　life　that　comes　when　my　old

one　is　just　ending。　It's　a　release；　auntie；　it　isn't　a　narrow…

ing。　Think　of　the　gallops　over　those　leagues　of　prairies；

with　the　wind　tugging　at　the　roots　of　your　hair；　the　com…

ing　close　to　the　earth　and　learning　over　again　the　stories

of　the　growing　grass　and　the　little　wild　flowers　without

names！　Glorious　is　what　it　will　be。　Shall　I　be　a

shepherdess　with　a　Watteau　hat；　and　a　crook　to　keep　the

bad　wolves　from　the　lambs；　or　a　typical　Western　ranch

girl；　with　short　hair；　like　the　pictures　of　her　in　the　Sunday

papers？　I　think　the　latter。　And　they'll　have　my　picture；

too；　with　the　wild…cats　I've　slain；　single…handed；　hanging

from　my　saddle　horn。　'From　the　Four　Hundred　to　the

Flocks'　is　the　way　they'll　headline　it；　and　they'll　print

photographs　of　the　old　Van　Dresser　mansion　and　the

church　where　I　was　married。　They　won't　have　my

picture；　but　they'll　get　an　artist　to　draw　it。　I'll　be　wild

and　woolly；　and　I'll　grow　my　own　wool。〃



〃Octavia！〃　　Aunt　Ellen　condensed　into　the　one　word

all　the　protests　she　was　unable　to　utter。



〃Don't　say　a　word；　auntie。　I'm　going。　I'll　see　the

sky　at　night　fit　down　on　the　world　like　a　big　butter…dish

cover；　and　I'll　make　friends　again　with　the　stars　that　I

haven't　had　a　chat　with　since　I　was　a　wee　child。　I　wish

to　go。　I'm　tired　of　all　this。　I'm　glad　I　haven't　any

money。　I　could　bless　Colonel　Beaupree　for　that　ranch；

and　forgive　him　for　all　his　bubbles。　What　if　the　life　will

be　rough　and　lonely！　I　　I　deserve　it。　I　shut　my　heart

to　everything　except　that　miserable　ambition。　I　　oh；

I　wish　to　go　away；　and　forget　　forget！〃



Octavia　swerved　suddenly　to　her　knees；　laid　her　flushed

face　in　her　aunt's　lap；　and　shook　with　turbulent　sobs。



Aunt　Ellen　bent　over　her；　and　smoothed　the　coppery…

brown　hair。



〃I　didn't　know；〃　she　said；　gently；　〃I　didn't　know　

that。　Who　was　it；　dear？



When　Mrs。　Octavia　Beaupree；　n閑　Van　Dresser；

stepped　from　the　train　at　Nopal；　her　manner　lost；　for　the

moment；　some　of　that　easy　certitude　which　had　always

marked　her　movements。　The　town　was　of　recent　estab…

lishment；　and　seemed　to　have　been　hastily　constructed　of

undressed　lumber　and　flapping　canvas。　The　element

that　had　congre