the twins of table mountain-第4部分

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for　Miss　Euphemia　to　overhear：　〃I　see　I　have　made　a　mistake。　　A
resemblanceonly　a　mere　resemblance；　as　I　look　at　you　nowled　me
astray。　　Of　course　you　don't　know　any　young　lady　in　the　profession？〃

〃Of　course　he　doesn't；　Sol；〃　said　Miss　Euphemia。　　〃I　could　have
told　you　that。　　He　didn't　even　know　ME！〃

The　voice　and　mock…heroic　attitude　of　the　speaker　was　enough　to
relieve　the　general　embarrassment　with　a　laugh。　　Rand；　now
pleasantly　conscious　of　only　Miss　Euphemia's　presence；　again
offered　the　hospitality　of　his　cabin；　with　the　polite　recognition
of　her　friends　in　the　sentence；　〃and　you　might　as　well　come　along
too。〃

〃But　won't　we　incommode　the　lady　of　the　house？〃　said　Mrs。　Sol
politely。

〃What　lady　of　the　house〃？　said　Rand　almost　angrily。

〃Why；　Ruth；　you　know！〃

It　was　Rand's　turn　to　become　hilarious。　　〃Ruth；〃　he　said；　〃is　short
for　Rutherford；　my　brother。〃　　His　laugh；　however；　was　echoed　only
by　Euphemia。

〃Then　you　have　a　brother？〃　said　Mrs。　Sol　benignly。

〃Yes；〃　said　Rand：　〃he　will　be　here　soon。〃　　A　sudden　thought　dropped
the　color　from　his　cheek。　　〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　turning　impulsively
upon　Sol。　　〃I　have　a　brother；　a　twin…brother。　　It　couldn't　be　HIM〃

Sol　was　conscious　of　a　significant　feminine　pressure　on　his　right
arm。　　He　was　equal　to　the　emergency。　　〃I　think　not；〃　he　said
dubiously；　〃unless　your　brother's　hair　is　much　darker　than　yours。
Yes！　now　I　look　at　you；　yours　is　brown。　　He　has　a　mole　on　his　right
cheek　hasn't　he？〃

The　red　came　quickly　back　to　Rand's　boyish　face。　　He　laughed。　　〃No；
sir：　my　brother's　hair　is；　if　any　thing；　a　shade　lighter　than　mine；
and　nary　mole。　　Come　along！〃

And　leading　the　way；　Rand　disclosed　the　narrow　steps　winding　down
to　the　shelf　on　which　the　cabin　hung。　　〃Be　careful；〃　said　Rand；
taking　the　now　unresisting　hand　of　the　〃Marysville　Pet〃　as　they
descended：　〃a　step　that　way；　and　down　you　go　two　thousand　feet　on
the　top　of　a　pine…tree。〃

But　the　girl's　slight　cry　of　alarm　was　presently　changed　to　one　of
unaffected　pleasure　as　they　stood　on　the　rocky　platform。　　〃It　isn't
a　house：　it's　a　NEST；　and　the　loveliest！〃　said　Euphemia　breathlessly。

〃It's　a　scene；　a　perfect　scene；　sir！〃　said　Sol；　enraptured。　　〃I
shall　take　the　liberty　of　bringing　my　scene…painter　to　sketch　it
some　day。　　It　would　do　for　'The　Mountaineer's　Bride'　superbly；　or；〃
continued　the　little　man；　warming　through　the　blue…black　border　of
his　face　with　professional　enthusiasm；　〃it's　enough　to　make　a　play
itself。　　'The　Cot　on　the　Crags。'　　Last　scenemoonlightthe
struggle　on　the　ledge！　　The　Lady　of　the　Crags　throws　herself　from
the　beetling　heights！A　shriek　from　the　depthsa　woman's　wail！〃

〃Dry　up！〃　sharply　interrupted　Rand；　to　whom　this　speech　recalled
his　brother's　half…forgotten　strangeness。　　〃Look　at　the　prospect。〃

In　the　full　noon　of　a　cloudless　day；　beneath　them　a　tumultuous　sea
of　pines　surged；　heaved；　rode　in　giant　crests；　stretched　and　lost
itself　in　the　ghostly；　snow…peaked　horizon。　　The　thronging　woods
choked　every　defile；　swept　every　crest；　filled　every　valley　with
its　dark…green　tilting　spears；　and　left　only　Table　Mountain　sunlit
and　bare。　　Here　and　there　were　profound　olive　depths；　over　which
the　gray　hawk　hung　lazily；　and　into　which　blue　jays　dipped。　　A
faint；　dull　yellowish　streak　marked　an　occasional　watercourse；　a
deeper　reddish　ribbon；　the　mountain　road　and　its　overhanging　murky
cloud　of　dust。

〃Is　it　quite　safe　here？〃　asked　Mrs。　Sol；　eying　the　little　cabin。
〃I　mean　from　storms？〃

〃It　never　blows　up　here；〃　replied　Rand；　〃and　nothing　happens。〃

〃It　must　be　lovely；〃　said　Euphemia；　clasping　her　hands。

〃It　IS　that；〃　said　Rand　proudly。　　〃It's　four　years　since　Ruth　and　I
took　up　this　yer　claim；　and　raised　this　shanty。　　In　that　four　years
we　haven't　left　it　alone　a　night；　or　cared　to。　　It's　only　big
enough　for　two；　and　them　two　must　be　brothers。　　It　wouldn't　do　for
mere　pardners　to　live　here　alone；they　couldn't　do　it。　　It
wouldn't　be　exactly　the　thing　for　man　and　wife　to　shut　themselves
up　here　alone。　　But　Ruth　and　me　know　each　other's　ways；　and　here
we'll　stay　until　we've　made　a　pile。　　We　sometimesone　of　ustakes
a　pasear　to　the　Ferry　to　buy　provisions；　but　we're　glad　to　crawl　up
to　the　back　of　old　'Table'　at　night。〃

〃You're　quite　out　of　the　world　here；　then？〃　suggested　Mrs。　Sol。

〃That's　it；　just　it！　　We're　out　of　the　world；out　of　rows；　out　of
liquor；　out　of　cards；　out　of　bad　company；　out　of　temptation。
Cussedness　and　foolishness　hez　got　to　follow　us　up　here　to　find　us；
and　there's　too　many　ready　to　climb　down　to　them　things　to　tempt
'em　to　come　up　to　us。〃

There　was　a　little　boyish　conceit　in　his　tone；　as　he　stood　there；
not　altogether　unbecoming　his　fresh　color　and　simplicity。　　Yet；
when　his　eyes　met　those　of　Miss　Euphemia；　he　colored；　he　hardly
knew　why；　and　the　young　lady　herself　blushed　rosily。

When　the　neat　cabin；　with　its　decorated　walls；　and　squirrel　and
wild…cat　skins；　was　duly　admired；　the　luncheon…basket　of　the
Saunders　party　was　re…enforced　by　provisions　from　Rand's　larder；
and　spread　upon　the　ledge；　the　dimensions　of　the　cabin　not
admitting　four。　　Under　the　potent　influence　of　a　bottle；　Sol　became
hilarious　and　professional。　　The　〃Pet〃　was　induced　to　favor　the
company　with　a　recitation；　and；　under　the　plea　of　teaching　Rand；　to
perform　the　clog…dance　with　both　gentlemen。　　Then　there　was　an
interval；　in　which　Rand　and　Euphemia　wandered　a　little　way　down　the
mountain…side　to　gather　laurel；　leaving　Mr。　Sol　to　his　siesta　on　a
rock；　and　Mrs。　Sol　to　take　some　knitting　from　the　basket；　and　sit
beside　him。

When　Rand　and　his　companion　had　disappeared；　Mrs。　Sol　nudged　her
sleeping　partner。　　〃Do　you　think　that　WAS　the　brother？〃

Sol　yawned。　　〃Sure　of　it。　　They're　as　like　as　two　peas；　in　looks。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　him　so；　then？〃

〃Will　you　tell　me；　my　dear；　why　you　stopped　me　when　I　began？〃

〃Because　something　was　said　about　Ruth　being　here；　and　I　supposed
Ruth　was　a　woman；　and　perhaps　Pinkney's　wife；　and　knew　you'd　be
putting　your　foot　in　it　by　talking　of　that　other　woman。　　I　supposed
it　was　for　fear　of　that　he　denied　knowing　you。〃

〃Well；　when　HEthis　Randtold　me　he　had　a　twin…brother；　he　looked
so　frightened　that　I　knew　he　knew　nothing　of　his　brother's　doings
with　that　woman；　and　I　threw　him　off　the　scent。　　He's　a　good
fellow；　but　awfully　green；　and　I　didn't　want　to　worry　him　with
tales。　　I　like　him；　and　I　think　Phemie　does　too。〃

〃Nonsense！　　He's　a　conceited　prig！　　Did　you　hear　his　sermon　on　the
world　and　its　temptations？　　I　wonder　if　he　thought　temptation　had
come　up　to　him　in　the　person　of　us　professionals　out　on　a　picnic。
I　think　it　was　positively　rude。〃

〃My　dear　woman；　you're　always　seeing　slights　and　insults。　　I　tell
you　he's　taken　a　shine　to　Phemie；　and　he's　as　good　as　four　seats
and　a　bouquet　to　that　child　next　Wednesday　evening；　to　say　nothing
of　the　eclat　of　getting　this　St。　Simeonwhat　do　you　call　him？
Stalactites？〃

〃Stylites；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Sol。

〃Stylites；　off　from　his　pillar　here。　　I'll　have　a　paragraph　in　the
paper；　that　the　hermit　crabs　of　Table　Mountain〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool；　Sol！〃

〃The　hermit　twins　of　Table　Mountain　bespoke　the　chaste　performance。〃

〃One　of　them　being　the　protector　of　the　well…known　Mornie　Nixon；〃
responded　Mrs。　Sol；　viciously　accenting　the　name　with　her　knitting…
needles。

〃Rosy；　you're　unjust。　　You're　prejudiced　by　the　reports　of　the
town。　　Mr。　Pinkney's　interest　in　her　may　be　a　purely　artistic　one；
although　mistaken。　　She'll　never　make　a　good　variety…actress：　she's
too　heavy。　　And　the　boys　don't　give　her　a　fair　show。　　No　woman　can
make　a　debut　in　my　version　of　'Somnambula；'　and　have　the　front　row
in　the　pit　say　to　her　in　the　sleepwalking　scene；　'You're　out　rather
late；　Mornie。　　Kinder　forgot　to　put　on　your　things；　didn't　you？
Mother　sick；　I　suppose；　and　you're　goin'　for　more　gin？　　Hurry
along；　or　you'll　ketch　it　when　ye　get　home。'　　Why；　you　couldn't　do
it　yourself；　Rosy！〃

To　which　Mrs。　Sol's　illogical　climax　was；　that；　〃bad　as　Rutherford
might　be；　this　Sunday…school　superintendent；　Rand；　was　worse。〃

Rand　and　his　companion　returned　late；　but　in　high　spirits。　　There
was　an　unnecessary　effusiveness　in　the　way　in　which　Euphemia　kissed
Mrs。　Sol；the　one　woman　present；　who　UNDERSTOOD；　and　was　to　be
propitiated；which　did　not　tend　to　increase　Mrs。　Sol's　good　humor。
She　had　her　basket　packed　all　ready　for　departure；　and　even　the
earnest　solicitation　of　Rand；　that　they　would　defer　their　going
until　sunset；　produced　no　effect。

〃Mr。　RandMr。　Pinkney；　I　meansays　the　sunsets　here　are　so
lovely；〃　pleaded　Euphemia。

〃There　is　a　rehearsal　at　seven　o'clock；　and　we　have　no　time　to
lose；〃　said　Mrs。　Sol　significantly。

〃I　forgot　to　say；〃　said　the　〃Marysville　Pet〃　timidly；　glancing　at
Mrs。　Sol；　〃that　Mr。　Rand　says　he　will　bring　his　brother　on
Wednesday　night；　and　wants　four　seats　in　front；　so　as　not　to　be
crowded。〃

Sol　shook　the　young　man's　hand　warmly。　　〃You'll　not　regret　it；　sir：
it's　a　surprising；　a　remarkable　performance。〃

〃I'd　like　to　go　a　piece　down　the　mountain　with　you；〃　said　Rand；
with　evident　sincerity；　looking　at　Miss　Euphemia；　〃but　Ruth　isn't
here　yet；　and　we　make　a　rule　never　to　leave　the　place　alone。　　I'll
show　you　the　slide：　it's　the　quickest　way　to　go　down。　　If　you　meet
any　one　who　looks　like　me；　and　talks　like　me；　call　him　'Ruth；'　and
tell　him　I'm　waitin'　for　him　yer。〃

Miss　Phemia；　the　last　to　go；　standing　on　the　verge　of　the
declivity；　here　remarked；　with　a　dangerous　smile；　that；　if　she　met
any　one　who　bore　that　resemblance；　she　might　be　tempted　to　keep　him
with　her；a　playfulness　that　brought　the　ready　color　to　Rand's
cheek。　　When　she　added　to　this　the　greater　audacity　of　kissing　her
hand　to　him；　the　young　hermit　actually　turned　away　in　sheer
embarrassment。　　When　he　looked　around　again；　she　was　gone；　and　for
the　first　time　in　his　experience　the　mountain　seemed　barren　and
lonely。

The　too　sympathetic　reader　who　would　rashly　deduce　from　this　any
newly　awakened　sentiment　in　the　virgin　heart　of　Rand　would　quite
misapprehend　that　peculiar　young　man。　　That　singular　mixture　of
boyish　inexperience　and　mature　doubt　and　disbelief；　which　was
partly　the　result　of　his　temperament；