a phyllis of the sierras-第6部分

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and　the　consciousness　of　his　gastronomical　powers。



〃Hang　it；　Bradley；　look　here！　　I　know　my　appetite's　disgraceful；

but　what　can　a　fellow　do？　　In　such　air；　with　such　viands　and　such

company！　　It's　like　the　bees　getting　drunk　on　Hybla　and　Hymettus；

you　know。　　I'm　not　responsible！〃



〃It's　the　first　square　meal　I　believe　you've　really　eaten　in　six

months；〃　said　Bradley；　gravely。　　〃I　can't　understand　why　your

doctor　allowed　you　to　run　down　so　dreadfully。〃



〃I　reckon　you　ain't　as　keerful　of　yourself；　you　Britishers；　ez　us；〃

said　Minty。　　〃Lordy！　　Why　there's　Pop　invests　in　more　patent

medicines　in　one　day　than　you　have　in　two　weeks；　and　he'd　make　two

of　you。　　Mebbe　your　folks　don't　look　after　you　enough。〃



〃I'm　a　splendid　advertisement　of　what　YOUR　care　and　your　medicines

have　done；〃　said　Mainwaring；　gratefully；　to　Mrs。　Bradley；　〃and　if

you　ever　want　to　set　up　a　'Cure'　here；　I'm　ready　with　a　ten…page

testimonial。〃



〃Have　a　care；　Mainwaring；〃　said　Bradley；　laughing；　〃that　the　ladies

don't　take　you　at　your　word。　　Louise　and　Jenny　have　been　doing

their　best　for　the　last　year　to　get　me　to　accept　a　flattering　offer

from　a　Sacramento　firm　to　put　up　a　hotel　for　tourists　on　the　site

of　The　Lookout。　　Why；　I　believe　that　they　have　already　secretly　in

their　hearts　concocted　a　flaming　prospectus　of　'Unrivalled　Scenery'

and　'Health…giving　Air；'　and　are　looking　forward　to　Saturday　night

hops　on　the　piazza。〃



〃Have　you　really；　though？〃　said　Mainwaring；　gazing　from　the　one　to

the　other。



〃We　should　certainly　see　more　company　than　we　do　now；　and　feel　a

little　less　out　of　the　world；〃　said　Louise；　candidly。　　〃There　are

no　neighbors　hereI　mean　the　people　at　the　Summit　are　not；〃　she

added；　with　a　slight　glance　towards　Minty。



〃And　Mr。　Bradley　would　find　it　more　profitablenot　to　say　more

suitable　to　a　man　of　his　positionthan　this　wretched　saw…mill　and

timber　business；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　decidedly。



Mainwaring　was　astounded；　was　it　possible　they　considered　it　more

dignified　for　a　lawyer　to　keep　a　hotel　than　a　saw…mill？　　Bradley；

as　if　answering　what　was　passing　in　his　mind；　said　mischievously；

〃I'm　not　sure；　exactly；　what　my　position　is；　my　dear；　and　I'm

afraid　I've　declined　the　hotel　on　business　principles。　　But；　by　the

way；　Mainwaring；　I　found　a　letter　at　the　mill　this　morning　from　Mr。

Richardson。　　He　is　about　to　pay　us　the　distinguished　honor　of

visiting　The　Lookout；　solely　on　your　account；　my　dear　fellow。〃



〃But　I　wrote　him　that　I　was　much　better；　and　it　wasn't　necessary

for　him　to　come；〃　said　Mainwaring。



〃He　makes　an　excuse　of　some　law　business　with　me。　　I　suppose　he

considers　the　mere　fact　of　his　taking　the　trouble　to　come　here；　all

the　way　from　San　Francisco；　a　sufficient　honor　to　justify　any

absence　of　formal　invitation；〃　said　Bradley；　smiling。



〃But　he's　onlyI　mean　he's　my　father's　banker；〃　said　Mainwaring；

correcting　himself；　〃andyou　don't　keep　a　hotel。〃



〃Not　yet；〃　returned　Bradley；　with　a　mischievous　glance　at　the　two

women；　〃but　The　Lookout　is　elastic；　and　I　dare　say　we　can　manage　to

put　him　up。〃



A　silence　ensued。　　It　seemed　as　if　some　shadow；　or　momentary

darkening　of　the　brilliant　atmosphere；　some　film　across　the　mirror…

like　expanse　of　the　open　windows；　or　misty　dimming　of　their

wholesome　light；　had　arisen　to　their　elevation。　　Mainwaring　felt

that　he　was　looking　forward　with　unreasoning　indignation　and

uneasiness　to　this　impending　interruption　of　their　idyllic　life；

Mrs。　Bradley　and　Louise；　who　had　become　a　little　more　constrained

and　formal　under　Minty's　freedom；　were　less　sympathetic；　even　the

irrepressible　Minty　appeared　absorbed　in　the　responsibilities　of

the　dinner。



Bradley　alone　preserved　his　usual　patient　good…humor。　　〃We'll　take

our　coffee　on　the　veranda；　and　the　ladies　will　join　us　by　and　by；

Mainwaring；　besides；　I　don't　know　that　I　can　allow　you；　as　an

invalid；　to　go　entirely　through　Minty's　bountiful　menu　at　present。

You　shall　have　the　sweets　another　time。〃



When　they　were　alone　on　the　veranda；　he　said；　between　the　puffs　of

his　black　brier…wood　pipe；a　pet　aversion　of　Mrs。　Bradley；〃I

wonder　how　Richardson　will　accept　Minty！〃



〃If　I　can；　I　think　he　MUST；〃　returned　Mainwaring；　dryly。　　〃By　Jove；

it　will　be　great　fun　to　see　him；　but〃he　stopped　and　hesitated〃I

don't　know　about　the　ladies。　　I　don't　think；　you　know；　that　they'll

stand　Minty　again　before　another　stranger。〃



Bradley　glanced　quickly　at　the　young　man；　their　eyes　met；　and　they

both　joined　in　a　superior　and；　I　fear；　disloyal　smile。　　After　a

pause　Bradley；　as　if　in　a　spirit　of　further　confidence；　took　his

pipe　from　his　mouth　and　pointed　to　the　blue　abyss　before　them。



〃Look　at　that　profundity；　Mainwaring；　and　think　of　it　ever　being

bullied　and　overawed　by　a　long　veranda…load　of　gaping；　patronizing

tourists；　and　the　idiotic　flirting　females　of　their　species。　　Think

of　a　lot　of　over…dressed　creatures　flouting　those　severe　outlines

and　deep…toned　distances　with　frippery　and　garishness。　　You　know

how　you　have　been　lulled　to　sleep　by　that　delicious；　indefinite；

far…off　murmur　of　the　canyon　at　nightthink　of　it　being　broken　by

a　crazy　waltz　or　a　monotonous　germanby　the　clatter　of　waiters　and

the　pop　of　champagne　corks。　　And　yet；　by　thunder；　those　women　are

capable　of　liking　both　and　finding　no　discord　in　them！〃



〃Dancing　ain't　half　bad；　you　know；〃　said　Mainwaring；　conscientiously；

〃if　a　chap's　got　the　wind　to　do　it；　and　all　Americans；　especially

the　women；　dance　better　than　we　do。　　But　I　say；　Bradley；　to　hear　you

talk；　a　fellow　wouldn't　suspect　you　were　as　big　a　Vandal　as　anybody；

with　a　beastly；　howling　saw…mill　in　the　heart　of　the　primeval

forest。　　By　Jove；　you　quite　bowled　me　over　that　first　day　we　met；

when　you　popped　your　head　out　of　that　delirium　tremens　shaking　mill；

like　the　very　genius　of　destructive　improvement。〃



〃But　that　was　FIGHTING　Nature；　not　patronizing　her；　and　it's　a

business　that　pays。　　That　reminds　me　that　I　must　go　back　to　it；〃

said　Bradley；　rising　and　knocking　the　ashes　from　his　pipe。



〃Not　AFTER　dinner；　surely！〃　said　Mainwaring；　in　surprise。　　〃Come

now；　that's　too　much　like　the　bolting　Yankee　of　the　travellers'

books。〃



〃There's　a　heavy　run　to　get　through　tonight。　　We're　working　against

time；〃　returned　Bradley。　　Even　while　speaking　he　had　vanished

within　the　house；　returned　quicklyhaving　replaced　his　dark　suit

by　jean　trousers　tucked　in　heavy　boots；　and　a　red　flannel　shirt

over　his　starched　white　oneand；　nodding　gayly　to　Mainwaring；

stepped　from　the　lower　end　of　the　veranda。　　〃The　beggar　actually

looks　pleased　to　go；〃　said　Mainwaring　to　himself　in　wonderment。



〃Oh！　Jim；〃　said　Mrs。　Bradley；　appearing　at　the　door。



〃Yes；〃　said　Bradley；　faintly；　from　the　bushes。



〃Minty's　ready。　　You　might　take　her　home。〃



〃All　right。　　I'll　wait。〃



〃I　hope　I　haven't　frightened　Miss　Sharpe　away；〃　said　Mainwaring。

〃She　isn't　going；　surely？〃



〃Only　to　get　some　better　clothes；　on　account　of　company。　　I'm

afraid　you　are　giving　her　a　good　deal　of　trouble；　Mr。　Mainwaring；〃

said　Mrs。　Bradley；　laughing。



〃She　wished　me　to　say　good…by　to　you　for　her；　as　she　couldn't　come

on　the　veranda　in　her　old　shawl　and　sun…bonnet；〃　added　Louise；　who

had　joined　them。　　〃What　do　you　really　think　of　her；　Mr。　Mainwaring？

I　call　her　quite　pretty；　at　times。　　Don't　you？〃



Mainwaring　knew　not　what　to　say。　　He　could　not　understand　why　they

could　have　any　special　interest　in　the　girl；　or　care　to　know　what

he；　a　perfect　stranger；　thought　of　her。　　He　avoided　a　direct　reply；

however；　by　playfully　wondering　how　Mrs。　Bradley　could　subject　her

husband　to　Miss　Minty's　undivided　fascinations。



〃Oh；　Jim　always　takes　her　homeif　it's　in　the　evening。　　He　gets

along　with　these　people　better　than　we　do；〃　returned　Mrs。　Bradley；

dryly。　　〃But；〃　she　added；　with　a　return　of　her　piquant　Quaker…like

coquettishness；　〃Jim　says　we　are　to　devote　ourselves　to　you　to…

nightin　retaliation；　I　suppose。　　We　are　to　amuse　you；　and　not　let

you　get　excited；　and　you　are　to　be　sent　to　bed　early。〃



It　is　to　be　feared　that　these　latter　wise　precautionsinvaluable

for　all　defenceless　and　enfeebled　humanitywere　not　carried　out：

and　it　was　late　when　Mainwaring　eventually　retired；　with　brightened

eyes　and　a　somewhat　accelerated　pulse。　　For　the　ladies；　who　had

quite　regained　that　kindly　equanimity　which　Minty　had　rudely

interrupted；　had　also　added　a　delicate　and　confidential　sympathy　in

their　relations　with　Mainwaring；as　of　people　who　had　suffered　in

common；and　he　experienced　these　tender　attentions　at　their　hands

which　any　two　women　are　emboldened　by　each　other's　saving　presence

to　show　any　single　member　of　our　sex。　　Indeed；　he　hardly　knew

if　his　satisfaction　was　the　more　complete　when　Mrs。　Bradley；

withdrawing　for　a　few　moments；　left　him　alone　on　the　veranda　with

Louise　and　the　vast；　omnipotent　night。



For　a　while　they　sat　silent；　in　the　midst　of　the　profound　and

measureless　calm。　　Looking　down　upon　the　dim　moonlit　abyss　at　their

feet；　they　themselves　seemed　a　part　of　this　night　that　arched　above

it；　the　half…risen　moon　appeared　to　linger　long　enough　at　their

side　to　enwrap　and　suffuse　them　with　its　glory；　a　few　bright　stars

quietly　ringed　themselves　around　them；　and　looked　wonderingly　into

the　level　of　their　own　shining　eyes。　　For　some　vague　yearning　to

humanity　seemed　to　draw　this　dark　and　passionless　void　towards

them。　　The　vast　protecting　maternity　of　Nature　leant　hushed　and

breathless　over　the　solitude。　　Warm　currents　of　air　rose

occasionally　from　the　valley；　which　one　might　have　believed　were

sighs　from　its　full　and　overflowing　breast；　or　a　grateful　coolness

swept　their　cheeks　and　hair　when　the　tranquil　heights　around　them

were　moved　to　slowly　respond。　　Odors　from　invisible　bay　and　laurel

sometimes　filled　the　air；　the　incense　of　some　rare　and　remoter

cultivated　meadow　beyond　their　ken