on the frontier-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！





Mrs。　Tucker　would　have　uttered　a　hasty　reply；　but　the　perfect　and

good…natured　simplicity　of　Dona　Clara　withheld　her。　　Nevertheless；

she　treated　Don　Jose　with　a　certain　reserve　at　their　next　meeting；

until　it　brought　the　simple…minded　Castilian　so　dangerously　near

the　point　of　demanding　an　explanation　which　implied　too　much　that

she　was　obliged　to　restore　him　temporarily　to　his　old　footing。

Meantime　she　had　a　brilliant　idea。　　She　would　write　to　Calhoun

Weaver；　whom　she　had　avoided　since　that　memorable　day。　　She　would

say　she　wished　to　consult　him。　　He　would　come　to　Los　Cuervos；　he

might　suggest　something　to　lighten　this　weary　waiting；　at　least　she

would　show　them　all　that　she　had　still　old　friends。　　Yet　she　did

not　dream　of　returning　to　her　Blue　Grass　home；　her　parents　had　died

since　she　left；　she　shrank　from　the　thought　of　dragging　her　ruined

life　before　the　hopeful　youth　of　her　girlhood's　companions。



Mr。　Calhoun　Weaver　arrived　promptly；　ostentatiously；　oracularly；

and　cordially；　but　a　little　coarsely。　　He　haddid　she　remember？

expected　this　from　the　first。　　Spencer　had　lost　his　head　through

vanity；　and　had　attempted　too　much。　　It　required　foresight　and

firmness；　as　he　himselfwho　had　lately　made　successful

〃combinations〃　which　she　might　perhaps　have　heard　ofwell　knew。

But　Spencer　had　got　the　〃big　head。〃　　〃As　to　that　womana　devilish

handsome　woman　too！well；　everybody　knew　that　Spencer　always　had　a

weakness　that　way；　and　he　would　saybut　if　she　didn't　care　to　hear

any　more　about　herwell；　perhaps　she　was　right。　　That　was　the　best

way　to　take　it。〃　　Sitting　before　her；　prosperous；　weak；

egotistical；　incompetent；　unavailable；　and　yet　filled　with　a　vague

kindliness　of　intent；　Mrs。　Tucker　loathed　him。　　A　sickening

perception　of　her　own　weakness　in　sending　for　him；　a　new　and　aching

sense　of　her　utter　isolation　and　helplessness；　seemed　to　paralyze

her。



〃Nat'rally　you　feel　bad；〃　he　continued；　with　the　large　air　of　a

profound　student　of　human　nature。　　〃Nat'rally；　nat'rally　you're

kept　in　an　uncomfortable　state；　not　knowing　jist　how　you　stand。

There　ain't　but　one　thing　to　do。　　Jist　rise　up；　quiet　like；　and　get

a　divorce　agin　Spencer。　　Hold　on！　　There　ain't　a　judge　or　jury　in

California　that　wouldn't　give　it　to　you　right　off　the　nail；　without

asking　questions。　　Why；　you　'ld　get　it　by　default　if　you　wanted　to；

you　'ld　just　have　to　walk　over　the　course！　　And　then；　Belle；〃　he

drew　his　chair　still　nearer　her；　〃when　you've　settled　down　again

well！I　don't　mind　renewing　that　offer　I　once　made　ye；　before

Spencer　ever　came　round　yeI　don't　mind；　Belle；　I　swear　I　don't！

Honest　Injin！　　I'm　in　earnest；　there's　my　hand！〃



Mrs。　Tucker's　reply　has　not　been　recorded。　　Enough　that　half　an

hour　later　Mr。　Weaver　appeared　in　the　courtyard　with　traces　of

tears　on　his　foolish　face；　a　broken　falsetto　voice；　and　other

evidence　of　mental　and　moral　disturbance。　　His　cordiality　and

oracular　predisposition　remained　sufficiently　to　enable　him　to

suggest　the　magical　words　〃Blue　Grass〃　mysteriously　to　Concha；　with

an　indication　of　his　hand　to　the　erect　figure　of　her　pale　mistress

in　the　doorway；　who　waved　to　him　a　silent　but　half…compassionate

farewell。



At　about　this　time　a　slight　change　in　her　manner　was　noticed　by　the

few　who　saw　her　more　frequently。　　Her　apparently　invincible

girlishness　of　spirit　had　given　way　to　a　certain　matronly

seriousness。　　She　applied　herself　to　her　household　cares　and　the

improvement　of　the　hacienda　with　a　new　sense　of　duty　and　a　settled

earnestness；　until　by　degrees　she　wrought　into　it　not　only　her

instinctive　delicacy　and　taste；　but　part　of　her　own　individuality。

Even　the　rude　rancheros　and　tradesmen　who　were　permitted　to　enter

the　walls　in　the　exercise　of　their　calling　began　to　speak

mysteriously　of　the　beauty　of　this　garden　of　the　almarjal。　　She

went　out　but　seldom；　and　then　accompanied　by　the　one　or　the　other

of　her　female　servants；　in　long　drives　on　unfrequented　roads。　　On

Sundays　she　sometimes　drove　to　the　half…ruined　mission　church　of

Santa　Inez；　and　hid　herself；　during　mass；　in　the　dim　monastic

shadows　of　the　choir。　　Gradually　the　poorer　people　whom　she　met　in

these　journeys　began　to　show　an　almost　devotional　reverence　for

her；　stopping　in　the　roads　with　uncovered　heads　for　her　to　pass；　or

making　way　for　her　in　the　tienda　or　plaza　of　the　wretched　town　with

dumb　courtesy。　　She　began　to　feel　a　strange　sense　of　widowhood；

that；　while　it　at　times　brought　tears　to　her　eyes；　was；　not　without

a　certain　tender　solace。　　In　the　sympathy　and　simpleness　of　this

impulse　she　went　as　far　as　to　revive　the　mourning　she　had　worn　for

her　parents；　but　with　such　a　fatal　accenting　of　her　beauty；　and

dangerous　misinterpreting　of　her　condition　to　eligible　bachelors

strange　to　the　country；　that　she　was　obliged　to　put　it　off　again。

Her　reserve　and　dignified　manner　caused　others　to　mistake　her

nationality　for　that　of　the　Santierras；　and　in　〃Dona　Bella〃　the

simple　Mrs。　Tucker　was　for　a　while　forgotten。　　At　times　she　even

forgot　it　herself。　　Accustomed　now　almost　entirely　to　the　accents

of　another　language　and　the　features　of　another　race；　she　would　sit

for　hours　in　the　corridor；　whose　massive　bronzed　inclosure　even　her

tasteful　care　could　only　make　an　embowered　mausoleum　of　the　Past；

or　gaze　abstractedly　from　the　dark　embrasures　of　her　windows　across

the　stretching　almarjal　to　the　shining　lagoon　beyond　that

terminated　the　estuary。　　She　had　a　strange　fondness　for　this

tranquil　mirror；　which　under　sun　or　stars　always　retained　the

passive　reflex　of　the　sky　above；　and　seemed　to　rest　her　weary　eyes。

She　had　objected　to　one　of　the　plans　projected　by　Poindexter　to

redeem　the　land　and　deepen　the　water　at　the　embarcadero；　as　it

would　have　drained　the　lagoon；　and　the　lawyer　had　postponed　the

improvement　to　gratify　her　fancy。　　So　she　kept　it　through　the　long

summer　unchanged　save　by　the　shadows　of　passing　wings　or　the　lazy

files　of　sleeping　sea…fowl。



On　one　of　these　afternoons　she　noticed　a　slowly　moving　carriage

leave　the　high　road　and　cross　the　almarjal　skirting　the　edge　of　the

lagoon。　　If　it　contained　visitors　for　Los　Cuervos　they　had

evidently　taken　a　shorter　cut　without　waiting　to　go　on　to　the

regular　road　which　intersected　the　highway　at　right　angles　a　mile

farther　on。　　It　was　with　some　sense　of　annoyance　and　irritation

that　she　watched　the　trespass；　and　finally　saw　the　vehicle　approach

the　house。　　A　few　moments　later　the　servant　informed　her　that　Mr。

Patterson　would　like　to　see　her　alone。　　When　she　entered　the

corridor；　which　in　the　dry　season　served　as　a　reception　hall；　she

was　surprised　to　see　that　Patterson　was　not　alone。　　Near　him　stood

a　well…dressed　handsome　woman；　gazing　about　her　with　good…humored

admiration　of　Mrs。　Tucker's　taste　and　ingenuity。



〃It　don't　look　much　like　it　did　two　years　ago；〃　said　the　stranger

cheerfully。　　〃You've　improved　it　wonderfully。〃



Stiffening　slightly；　Mrs。　Tucker　turned　inquiringly　to　Mr。

Patterson。　　But　that　gentleman's　usual　profound　melancholy　appeared

to　be　intensified　by　the　hilarity　of　his　companion。　　He　only　sighed

deeply　and　rubbed　his　leg　with　the　brim　of　his　hat　in　gloomy

abstraction。



〃Well！　go　on；　then；〃　said　the　woman；　laughing　and　nudging　him。　　〃Go

onintroduce　mecan't　you？　　Don't　stand　there　like　a　tombstone。

You　won't？　　Well；　I'll　introduce　myself。〃　　She　laughed　again；　and

then；　with　an　excellent　imitation　of　Patterson's　lugubrious

accents；　said；　〃Mr。　Spencer　Tucker's　wife　that　IS；　allow　me　to

introduce　you　to　Mr。　Spencer　Tucker's　sweetheart　that　WAS！　　Hold

on！　　I　said　THAT　WAS。　　For　true　as　I　stand　here；　ma'amand　I

reckon　I　wouldn't　stand　here　if　it　wasn't　trueI　haven't　set　eyes

on　him　since　the　day　he　left　you。〃



〃It's　the　Gospel　truth；　every　word；〃　said　Patterson；　stirred　into　a

sudden　activity　by　Mrs。　Tucker's　white　and　rigid　face。　　〃It's　the

frozen　truth；　and　I　kin　prove　it。　　For　I　kin　swear　that　when　that

there　young　woman　was　sailin'　outer　the　Golden　Gate；　Spencer　Tucker

was　in　my　bar　room；　I　kin　swear　that　I　fed　him；　lickered　him；　give

him　a　hoss　and　set　him　in　his　road　to　Monterey　that　very　night。〃



〃Then；　where　is　he　now？〃　said　Mrs。　Tucker；　suddenly　facing　them。



They　looked　at　each　other；　and　then　looked　at　Mrs。　Tucker。　　Then

both　together　replied　slowly　and　in　perfect　unison；　〃That'swhat

wewanttoknow。〃　　They　seemed　so　satisfied　with　this　effect

that　they　as　deliberately　repeated；　〃Yesthat'swhatwewant

toknow。〃



Between　the　shock　of　meeting　the　partner　of　her　husband's　guilt　and

the　unexpected　revelation　to　her　inexperience；　that　in　suggestion

and　appearance　there　was　nothing　beyond　the　recollection　of　that

guilt　that　was　really　shocking　in　the　womanbetween　the

extravagant　extremes　of　hope　and　fear　suggested　by　their　words；

there　was　something　so　grotesquely　absurd　in　the　melodramatic

chorus　that　she　with　difficulty　suppressed　a　hysterical　laugh。



〃That's　the　way　to　take　it；〃　said　the　woman；　putting　her　own　good…

humored　interpretation　upon　Mrs。　Tucker's　expression。　　〃Now；　look

here！　　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。〃　　She　carefully　selected　the

most　comfortable　chair；　and　sitting　down；　lightly　crossed　her　hands

in　her　lap。　　〃Well；　I　left　here　on　the　13th　of　last　January　on　the

ship　Argo；　calculating　that　your　husband　would　join　the　ship　just

inside　the　Heads。　　That　was　our　arrangement；　but　if　anything

happened　to　prevent　him；　he　was　to　join　me　in　Acapulco。　　Well！　　He

didn't　come　aboard；　and　we　sailed　without　him。　　But　it　appears　now

he　did　attempt　to　join　the　ship；　but　his　boat　was　capsized。　　There；

now；　don't　be　alarmed！　he　wasn't　drowned；　as　Patterson　can　swear

tono；　catch　HIM！　not　a　hair　of　him　was　hurt；　but　II　was　bundled

off　to　the　end　of　the　earth　in　Mexico；　alone；　without　a　cent　to

bless　me。　　For　true　as　you　live；　that　hound　of　a　captain；　when　he

found；　as　he　thought；　that　Spencer　was　nabbed；　he　just　confiscated