a sappho of green springs-第15部分

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〃Suspect！〃　said　Josephine；　haughtily；　albeit　her　proud　heart　was

beating　quickly。　　〃I　SUSPECT　nothing。　　I　command　you　to　tell　me

what　you　KNOW。〃



Miguel　turned　with　a　rapid　gesture　and　closed　the　door。　　Then；

drawing　her　away　from　the　window；　he　said　in　a　hurried　whisper；



〃I　know　that　that　man　has　not　the　name　of　Baxter！　　I　know　that　he

has　the　name　of　Randolph；　a　young　gambler；　who　have　won　a　large　sum

at　Sacramento；　and；　fearing　to　be　robbed　by　those　he　won　of；　have

walk　to　himself　through　the　road　in　disguise　of　a　miner。　　I　know

that　your　brother　Esteban　have　decoyed　him　here；　and　have　fallen　on

him。〃



〃Stop！〃　said　the　young　girl；　her　eyes；　which　had　been　fixed　with

the　agony　of　conviction；　suddenly　flashing　with　the　energy　of

despair。　　〃And　you　call　yourself　the　servant　of　my　uncle；　and　dare

say　this　of　his　nephew？〃



〃Yes；　senora；〃　broke　out　the　old　man；　passionately。　　〃It　is　because

I　am　the　servant　of　your　uncle　that　I；　and　I　ALONE；　dare　say　it　to

you！　　It　is　because　I　perjured　my　soul；　and　have　perjured　my　soul

to　deny　it　elsewhere；　that　I　now　dare　to　say　it！　　It　is　because　I；

your　servant；　knew　it　from　one　of　my　countrymen；　who　was　of　the

gang；because　I；　Miguel；　knew　that　your　brother　was　not　far　away

that　night；　and　because　I；　whom　you　would　dismiss；　have　picked　up

this　pocket…book　of　Randolph's　and　your　brother's　ring　which　he

have　dropped；　and　I　have　found　beneath　the　body　of　the　man　you　sent

me　to　fetch。〃



He　drew　a　packet　from　his　bosom；　and　tossed　it　on　the　desk　before

her。



〃And　why　have　you　not　told　me　this　before？〃　said　Josephine；

passionately。



Miguel　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃What　good？　　Possibly　this　dog　Randolph　would　die。　　Possibly　he

would　liveas　a　lunatic。　　Possibly　would　happen　what　has　happened！

The　senora　is　beautiful。　　The　American　has　eyes。　　If　the　Dona

Josephine's　beauty　shall　finish　what　the　silly　Don　Esteban's　arm

have　begunwhat　matter？〃



〃Stop！〃　cried　Josephine；　pressing　her　hands　across　her　shuddering

eyes。　　Then；　uncovering　her　white　and　set　face；　she　said　rapidly；

〃Saddle　my　horse　and　your　own　at　once。　　Then　take　your　choice！

Come　with　me　and　repeat　all　that　you　have　said　in　the　presence　of

that　man；　or　leave　this　ranch　forever。　　For　if　I　live　I　shall　go　to

him　tonight；　and　tell　the　whole　story。〃



The　old　man　cast　a　single　glance　at　his　mistress；　shrugged　his

shoulders；　and；　without　a　word；　left　the　room。　　But　in　ten　minutes

they　were　on　their　way　to　the　county　town。



Day　was　breaking　over　the　distant　Burnt　Ridgea　faint；　ghostly

level；　like　a　funeral　pall；　in　the　dim　horizonas　they　drew　up

before　the　gaunt；　white…painted　pile　of　the　hospital　building。

Josephine　uttered　a　cry。　　Dr。　Duchesne's　buggy　was　before　the　door。

On　its　very　threshold　they　met　the　doctor；　dark　and　irritated。

〃Then　you　heard　the　news？〃　he　said；　quickly。



Josephine　turned　her　white　face　to　the　doctor's。　　〃What　news？〃　she

asked；　in　a　voice　that　seemed　strangely　deep　and　resonant。



〃The　poor　fellow　had　another　attack　last　night；　and　died　of

exhaustion　about　an　hour　ago。　　I　was　too　late　to　save　him。〃



〃Did　he　say　anything？　　Was　he　conscious？〃　asked　the　girl；　hoarsely。



〃No；　incoherent！　　Now　I　think　of　it；　he　harped　on　the　same　string

as　he　did　the　night　of　the　operation。　　What　was　it　he　said？　you

remember。〃



〃'You'll　have　to　kill　me　first；'〃　repeated　Josephine；　in　a　choking

voice。



〃Yes；　something　about　his　dying　before　he'd　tell。　　Well；　he　came

back　to　it　before　he　went　offthey　often　do。　　You　seem　a　little

hoarse　with　your　morning　ride。　　You　should　take　care　of　that　voice

of　yours。　　By　the　way；　it's　a　good　deal　like　your　brother's。〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



The　Chatelaine　of　Burnt　Ridge　never　married。









THROUGH　THE　SANTA　CLARA　WHEAT





CHAPTER　I





It　was　an　enormous　wheat…field　in　the　Santa　Clara　valley；

stretching　to　the　horizon　line　unbroken。　　The　meridian　sun　shone

upon　it　without　glint　or　shadow；　but　at　times；　when　a　stronger　gust

of　the　trade　winds　passed　over　it；　there　was　a　quick　slanting

impression　of　the　whole　surface　that　was；　however；　as　unlike　a

billow　as　itself　was　unlike　a　sea。　　Even　when　a　lighter　zephyr

played　down　its　long　level；　the　agitation　was　superficial；　and

seemed　only　to　momentarily　lift　a　veil　of　greenish　mist　that　hung

above　its　immovable　depths。　　Occasional　puffs　of　dust　alternately

rose　and　fell　along　an　imaginary　line　across　the　field；　as　if　a

current　of　air　were　passing　through　it；　but　were　otherwise

inexplicable。



Suddenly　a　faint　shout；　apparently　somewhere　in　the　vicinity　of　the

line；　brought　out　a　perfectly　clear　response；　followed　by　the

audible　murmur　of　voices；　which　it　was　impossible　to　localize。　　Yet

the　whole　field　was　so　devoid　of　any　suggestion　of　human　life　or

motion　that　it　seemed　rather　as　if　the　vast　expanse　itself　had

become　suddenly　articulate　and　intelligible。



〃Wot　say？〃



〃Wheel　off。〃



〃Whare？〃



〃In　the　road。〃



One　of　the　voices　here　indicated　itself　in　the　direction　of　the

line　of　dust；　and　said；　〃Comin'；〃　and　a　man　stepped　out　from　the

wheat　into　a　broad　and　dusty　avenue。



With　his　presence　three　things　became　apparent。



First；　that　the　puffs　of　dust　indicated　the　existence　of　the

invisible　avenue　through　the　unlimited　and　unfenced　field　of　grain；

secondly；　that　the　stalks　of　wheat　on　either　side　of　it　were　so

tall　as　to　actually　hide　a　passing　vehicle；　and　thirdly；　that　a

vehicle　had　just　passed；　had　lost　a　wheel；　and　been　dragged　partly

into　the　grain　by　its　frightened　horse；　which　a　dusty　man　was

trying　to　restrain　and　pacify。



The　horse；　given　up　to　equine　hysterics；　and　evidently　convinced

that　the　ordinary　buggy　behind　him　had　been　changed　into　some

dangerous　and　appalling　creation；　still　plunged　and　kicked

violently　to　rid　himself　of　it。　　The　man　who　had　stepped　out　of　the

depths　of　the　wheat　quickly　crossed　the　road；　unhitched　the　traces；

drew　back　the　vehicle；　and；　glancing　at　the　traveler's　dusty　and

disordered　clothes；　said；　with　curt　sympathy：



〃Spilt；　too；　but　not　hurt；　eh？〃



〃No；　neither　of　us。　　I　went　over　with　the　buggy　when　the　wheel

cramped；　but　SHE　jumped　clear。〃



He　made　a　gesture　indicating　the　presence　of　another。　　The　man

turned　quickly。　　There　was　a　second　figure；　a　young　girl　standing

beside　the　grain　from　which　he　had　emerged；　embracing　a　few　stalks

of　wheat　with　one　arm　and　a　hand　in　which　she　still　held　her

parasol；　while　she　grasped　her　gathered　skirts　with　the　other；　and

trying　to　find　a　secure　foothold　for　her　two　neat　narrow　slippers

on　a　crumbling　cake　of　adobe　above　the　fathomless　dust　of　the

roadway。　　Her　face；　although　annoyed　and　discontented；　was　pretty；

and　her　light　dress　and　slim　figure　were　suggestive　of　a　certain

superior　condition。



The　man's　manner　at　once　softened　with　Western　courtesy。　　He　swung

his　broad…brimmed　hat　from　his　head；　and　bent　his　body　with　the

ceremoniousness　of　the　country　ball…room。　　〃I　reckon　the　lady　had

better　come　up　to　the　shanty　out　o'　the　dust　and　sun　till　we　kin

help　you　get　these　things　fixed；〃　he　said　to　the　driver。　　〃I'll

send　round　by　the　road　for　your　hoss；　and　have　one　of　mine　fetch　up

your　wagon。〃



〃Is　it　far？〃　asked　the　girl；　slightly　acknowledging　his　salutation；

without　waiting　for　her　companion　to　reply。



〃Only　a　step　this　way；〃　he　answered；　motioning　to　the　field　of

wheat　beside　her。



〃What　in　THERE？　　I　never　could　go　in　there；〃　she　said；　decidedly。



〃It's　a　heap　shorter　than　by　the　road；　and　not　so　dusty。　　I'll　go

with　you；　and　pilot　you。〃



The　young　girl　cast　a　vexed　look　at　her　companion　as　the　probable

cause　of　all　this　trouble；　and　shook　her　head。　　But　at　the　same

moment　one　little　foot　slipped　from　the　adobe　into　the　dust　again。

She　instantly　clambered　back　with　a　little　feminine　shriek；　and

ejaculated：　〃Well；　of　all　things！〃　and　then；　fixing　her　blue

annoyed　eyes　on　the　stranger；　asked　impatiently；　〃Why　couldn't　I　go

there　by　the　road　'n　the　wagon？　　I　could　manage　to　hold　on　and　keep

in。〃



〃Because　I　reckon　you'd　find　it　too　pow'ful　hot　waitin'　here　till

we　got　round　to　ye。〃



There　was　no　doubt　it　was　very　hot；　the　radiation　from　the　baking

roadway　beating　up　under　her　parasol；　and　pricking　her　cheekbones

and　eyeballs　like　needles。　　She　gave　a　fastidious　little　shudder；

furled　her　parasol；　gathered　her　skirts　still　tighter；　faced　about；

and　said；　〃Go　on；　then。〃　　The　man　slipped　backwards　into　the　ranks

of　stalks；　parting　them　with　one　hand；　and　holding　out　the　other　as

if　to　lead　her。　　But　she　evaded　the　invitation　by　holding　her

tightly…drawn　skirt　with　both　hands；　and　bending　her　head　forward

as　if　she　had　not　noticed　it。　　The　next　moment　the　road；　and　even

the　whole　outer　world；　disappeared　behind　them；　and　they　seemed

floating　in　a　choking　green　translucent　mist。



But　the　effect　was　only　momentary；　a　few　steps　further　she　found

that　she　could　walk　with　little　difficulty　between　the　ranks　of

stalks；　which　were　regularly　spaced；　and　the　resemblance　now

changed　to　that　of　a　long　pillared　conservatory　of　greenish　glass；

that　touched　all　objects　with　its　pervading　hue。　　She　also　found

that　the　close　air　above　her　head　was　continually　freshened　by　the

interchange　of　currents　of　lower　temperature　from　below；as　if　the

whole　vast　field　had　a　circulation　of　its　own；and　that　the　adobe

beneath　her　feet　was　gratefully　cool　to　her　tread。　　There　was　no

dust；　as　he　had　said；　what　had　at　first　half　suffocated　her　seemed

to　be　some　stimulating　aroma　of　creation　that　filled　the　narrow

green　aisles；　and　now　imparted　a　strange　vigor　and　excitement　to

her　as　she　walked　along。　　Meantime　her　guide　was　not　conversationally

idle。　　Now；　no　doubt；　she　had　never　seen　anything　like　this　before？

It　was　ordinary　wheat；　only　it　was　grown　on　adobe