a phyllis of the sierras-第15部分

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the　dead…and…forgotten　wall；　where　a　Roman　sentinel　had　once　paced；

to　the　little　grating　in　the　cloistered　quadrangle；　where　it　had

seen　a　Cistercian　brother　place　the　morning　dole。　　It　had　daily

welcomed　the　growth　of　this　vast　and　picturesque　excrescence　of　the

times；　it　had　smiled　every　morning　upon　this　formidable　yet　quaint

incrustation　of　power　and　custom；　ignoring；　as　Oldenhurst　itself

had　ignored；　the　generations　who　possessed　it；　the　men　who　built

it；　the　men　who　carried　it　with　fire　and　sword；　the　men　who　had

lied　and　cringed　for　it；　the　King　who　had　given　it　to　a　favorite；

the　few　brave　hearts　who　had　died　for　it　in　exile；　and　the　one　or

two　who　had　bought　and　paid　for　it。　　For　Oldenhurst　had　absorbed

all　these　and　more　until　it　had　become　a　story　of　the　past；

incarnate　in　stone；　greenwood；　and　flower；　it　had　even　drained　the

life…blood　from　adjacent　hamlets；　repaying　them　with　tumuli　growths

like　its　own；　in　the　shape　of　purposeless　lodges；　quaintly

incompetent　hospitals　and　schools；　and　churches　where　the

inestimable　blessing　and　knowledge　of　its　gospel　were　taught　and

fostered。　　Nor　had　it　dealt　more　kindly　with　the　gentry　within　its

walls；　sending　some　to　the　scaffold；　pillorying　others　in　infamous

office；　reducing　a　few　to　poverty；　and　halting　its　later　guests

with　gout　and　paralysis。　　It　had　given　them　in　exchange　the　dubious

immortality　of　a　portrait　gallery；　from　which　they　stared　with

stony　and　equal　resignation；　it　had　preserved　their　useless　armor

and　accoutrements；　it　had　set　up　their　marble　effigies　in　churches

or　laid　them　in　cross…legged　attitudes　to　trip　up　the　unwary；　until

in　death；　as　in　life；　they　got　between　the　congregation　and　the

Truth　that　was　taught　there。　　It　had　allowed　an　Oldenhurst

crusader；　with　a　broken　nose　like　a　pugilist；　on　the　strength　of

his　having　been　twice　to　the　Holy　Land；　to　hide　the　beautifully

illuminated　Word　from　the　lowlier　worshipper　on　the　humbler

benches；　it　had　sent　an　iconoclastic　Bishop　of　the　Reformation

to　a　nearer　minster　to　ostentatiously　occupy　the　place　of　the

consecrated　image　he　had　overthrown。　　Small　wonder　that　crowding

the　Oldenhurst　retainers　gradually　into　smaller　space；　with

occasional　Sabbath　glimpses　of　the　living　rulers　of　Oldenhurst

already　in　railed…off　exaltation；　it　had　forced　them　to　accept

Oldenhurst　as　a　synonym　of　eternity；　and　left　the　knowledge　of　a

higher　Power　to　what　time　they　should　be　turned　out　to　their　longer

sleep　under　the　tender　grass　of　the　beautiful　outer　churchyard。



And　even　so；　while　every　stone　of　the　pile　of　Oldenhurst　and　every

tree　in　its　leafy　park　might　have　been　eloquent　with　the　story　of

vanity；　selfishness；　and　unequal　justice；　it　had　been　left　to　the

infinite　mercy　of　Nature　to　seal　their　lips　with　a　spell　of　beauty

that　left　mankind　equally　dumb；　earth；　air；　and　moisture　had

entered　into　a　gentle　conspiracy　to　soften；　mellow；　and　clothe　its

external　blemishes　of　breach　and　accident；　its　irregular　design；

its　additions；　accretions；　ruins；　and　lapses　with　a　harmonious

charm　of　outline　and　color；　poets；　romancers；　and　historians　had

equally　conspired　to　illuminate　the　dark　passages　and　uglier

inconsistencies　of　its　interior　life　with　the　glamour　of　their　own

fancy。　　The　fragment　of　menacing　keep；　with　its　choked　oubliettes；

became　a　bower　of　tender　ivy；　the　grim　story　of　its　crimes；

properly　edited　by　a　contemporary　bard　of　the　family；　passed　into　a

charming　ballad。　　Even　the　superstitious　darkness　of　its　religious

house　had　escaped　through　fallen　roof　and　shattered　wall；　leaving

only　the　foliated　and　sun…pierced　screen　of　front；　with　its　rose…

window　and　pinnacle　of　cross　behind。　　Pilgrims　from　all　lands　had

come　to　see　it；　fierce　Republicans　had　crossed　the　seas　to　gaze　at

its　mediaeval　outlines；　and　copy　them　in　wood　and　stucco　on　their

younger　soil。　　Politicians　had　equally　pointed　to　it　as　a

convincing　evidence　of　their　own　principles　and　in　refutation　of

each　other；　and　it　had　survived　both。　　For　it　was　this　belief　in

its　own　perpetuity　that　was　its　strength　and　weakness。　　And　that

belief　was　never　stronger　than　on　this　bright　August　morning；　when

it　was　on　the　verge　of　dissolution。　　A　telegram　brought　to　Sir

Robert　Mainwaring　had　even　then　as　completely　shattered　and

disintegrated　Oldenhurst；　in　all　it　was　and　all　it　meant；　as　if

the　brown…paper　envelope　had　been　itself　charged　with　the　electric

fluid。



Sir　Robert　Mainwaring；　whose　family　had　for　three　centuries

possessed　Oldenhurst；　had　received　the　news　of　his　financial　ruin；

and　the　vast　pile　which　had　survived　the　repeated　invasion　of

superstition；　force；　intrigue；　and　even　progress；　had　succumbed　to

a　foe　its　founders　and　proprietors　had　loftily　ignored　and　left　to

Jews　and　traders。　　The　acquisition　of　money；　except　by　despoilment；

gift；　royal　favor；　or　inheritance；　had　been　unknown　at　Oldenhurst。

The　present　degenerate　custodian　of　its　fortunes；　staggering　under

the　weight　of　its　sentimental　mortmain　already　alluded　to；　had

speculated　in　order　to　keep　up　its　material　strength；　that　was

gradually　shrinking　through　impoverished　land　and　the　ruined　trade

it　had　despised。　　He　had　invested　largely　in　California　mines；　and

was　the　chief　shareholder　in　a　San　Francisco　Bank。　　But　the　mines

had　proved　worthless；　the　Bank　had　that　morning　suspended　payment；

owing　to　the　failure　of　a　large　land　and　timber　company　on　the

Sierras　which　it　had　imprudently　〃carried。〃　　The　spark　which　had

demolished　Oldenhurst　had　been　fired　from　the　new　telegraph…station

in　the　hotel　above　the　great　Sierran　canyon。



There　was　a　large　house…party　at　Oldenhurst　that　morning。　　But　it

had　been　a　part　of　the　history　of　the　Mainwarings　to　accept　defeat

gallantly　and　as　became　their　blood。　　Sir　Percival；the　second

gentleman　on　the　left　as　you　entered　the　library；unhorsed；　dying

on　a　distant　moor；　with　a　handful　of　followers；　abandoned　by　a

charming　Prince　and　a　miserable　cause；　was　scarcely　a　greater　hero

than　this　ruined　but　undaunted　gentleman　of　eighty；　entering　the

breakfast…room　a　few　hours　later　as　jauntily　as　his　gout　would

permit；　and　conscientiously　dispensing　the　hospitalities　of　his

crumbling　house。　　When　he　had　arranged　a　few　pleasure　parties　for

the　day　and　himself　thoughtfully　anticipated　the　different　tastes

of　his　guests；　he　turned　to　Lady　Mainwaring。



〃Don't　forget　that　somebody　ought　to　go　to　the　station　to　meet　the

Bradleys。　　Frank　writes　from　St。　Moritz　that　they　are　due　here

to…day。〃



Lady　Mainwaring　glanced　quickly　at　her　husband；　and　said　sotto

voce；　〃Do　you　think　they'll　care　to　come　NOW？　　They　probably　have

heard　all　about　it。〃



〃Not　how　it　affects　me；〃　returned　Sir　Robert；　in　the　same　tone；

〃and　as　they　might　think　that　because　Frank　was　with　them　on　that

California　mountain　we　would　believe　it　had　something　to　do　with

Richardson　involving　the　Bank　in　that　wretched　company；　we　must

really　INSIST　upon　their　coming。〃



〃Bradley！〃　echoed　the　Hon。　Captain　FitzHarry；　overhearing　the　name

during　a　late　forage　on　the　sideboard；　〃Bradley！there　was　an

awfully　pretty　American　at　Biarritz；　travelling　with　a　cousin；　I

thinka　Miss　Mason　or　Macy。　　Those　sort　of　people；　you　know；　who

have　a　companion　as　pretty　as　themselves；　bring　you　down　with　the

other　barrel　if　one　misseseh？　　Very　clever；　both　of　them；　and

hardly　any　accent。〃



〃Mr。　Bradley　was　a　very　dear　friend　of　Frank's；　and　most　kind　to

him；〃　said　Lady　Mainwaring；　gravely。



〃Didn't　know　there　WAS　a　Mr。　Bradley；　really。　　He　didn't　come　to

the　fore；　then；〃　said　the　unabashed　Captain。　　〃Deuced　hard　to

follow　up　those　American　husbands！〃



〃And　their　wives　wouldn't　thank　you；　if　you　did；〃　said　Lady

Griselda　Armiger；　with　a　sweet　smile。



〃If　it　is　the　Mrs。　Bradley　I　mean；〃　said　Lady　Canterbridge　from　the

lower　end　of　the　table；　looking　up　from　her　letter；　〃who　looks　a

little　like　Mrs。　Summertree；　and　has　a　pretty　cousin　with　her　who

has　very　good　frocks；　I'm　afraid　you　won't　be　able　to　get　her　down

here。　　She's　booked　with　engagements　for　the　next　six　weeks。　　She

and　her　cousin　made　all　the　running　at　Grigsby　Royal；　and　she　has

quite　deposed　that　other　American　beauty　in　Northforeland's　good

graces。　　She　regularly　affiche'd　him；　and　it　is　piteous　to　see　him

follow　her　about。　　No；　my　dear；　I　don't　believe　they'll　come　to　any

one　of　less　rank　than　a　Marquis。　　If　they　did；　I'm　sure　Canterbridge

would　have　had　them　at　Buckenthorpe　already。〃



〃I　wonder　if　there　was　ever　anything　in　Frank's　admiration　of　this

Miss　Macy？〃　said　Lady　Mainwaring　a　few　moments　later；　lingering

beside　her　husband　in　his　study。



〃I　really　don't　know；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　abstractedly：　〃his　letters

were　filled　with　her　praises；　and　Richardson　thought〃



〃Pray　don't　mention　that　man's　name　again；〃　said　Lady　Mainwaring；

with　the　first　indication　of　feeling　she　had　shown。　　〃I　shouldn't

trust　him。〃



〃But　why　do　you　ask？〃　returned　her　husband。



Lady　Mainwaring　was　silent　for　a　moment。　　〃She　is　very　rich；　I

believe；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃At　least；　Frank　writes　that　some

neighbors　of　theirs　whom　he　met　in　the　Engadine　told　him　they　had

sold　the　site　of　that　absurd　cottage　where　he　was　ill　for　some

extravagant　sum。〃



〃My　dear　Geraldine；〃　said　the　old　man；　affectionately；　taking　his

wife's　hand　in　his　own；　that　now　for　the　first　time　trembled；　〃if

you　have　any　hope　based　upon　what　you　are　thinking　of　now；　let　it

be　the　last　and　least。　　You　forget　that　Paget　told　us　that　with　the

best　care　he　could　scarcely　ensure　Frank's　return　to　perfect

health。　　Even　if　God　in　his　mercy　spared　him　long　enough　to　take　my

place；　what　girl　would　be　willing　to　tie　herself　to　a　man　doomed　to

sickness　and　poverty？　　Hardly　the　one　you　speak　of；　my　dear。〃



Lady　Canterbridge　proved　a　true　prophet。　　Mrs。　Bradley　and　Miss

Macy　did　not　come；　regretfully　alleging　a　previous　engagement　made

on　th