susy, a story of the plains-第27部分

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〃That　is　quite　proper；　too；　considering　their　relations；〃　said

Clarence　tolerantly。



〃Idon'tunderstand；〃　stammered　Phoebe。



The　slightly　cynical　smile　on　Clarence's　face　changed　as　he　looked

into　Phoebe's　eyes。



〃I've　just　heard　that　they　are　married；〃　he　returned　gently。





CHAPTER　XII。





Nowhere　had　the　long　season　of　flowers　brought　such　glory　as　to　the

broad　plains　and　slopes　of　Robles　Rancho。　　By　some　fortuitous　chance

of　soil；　or　flood；　or　drifting　pollen；　the　three　terraces　had　each

taken　a　distinct　and　separate　blossom　and　tint　of　color。　　The

straggling　line　of　corral；　the　crumbling　wall　of　the　old　garden；　the

outlying　chapel；　and　even　the　brown　walls　of　the　casa　itself；　were

half　sunken　in　the　tall　racemes　of　crowding　lupines；　until　from　the

distance　they　seemed　to　be　slowly　settling　in　the　profundity　of　a

dark…blue　sea。　　The　second　terrace　was　a　league…long　flow　of　gray

and　gold　daisies；　in　which　the　cattle　dazedly　wandered　mid…leg　deep。

A　perpetual　sunshine　of　yellow　dandelions　lay　upon　the　third。　　The

gentle　slope　to　the　dark…green　canada　was　a　broad　cataract　of

crimson　poppies。　　Everywhere　where　water　had　stood；　great　patches　of

color　had　taken　its　place。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　rains　had　ceased

only　that　the　broken　heavens　might　drop　flowers。



Never　before　had　its　beautya　beauty　that　seemed　built　upon　a

cruel；　youthful；　obliterating　forgetfulness　of　the　paststruck

Clarence　as　keenly　as　when　he　had　made　up　his　mind　that　he　must

leave　the　place　forever。　　For　the　tale　of　his　mischance　and　ill…

fortune；　as　told　by　Hopkins；　was　unfortunately　true。　　When　he

discovered　that　in　his　desire　to　save　Peyton's　house　by　the　purchase

of　the　Sisters'　title　he　himself　had　been　the　victim　of　a　gigantic

fraud；　he　accepted　the　loss　of　the　greater　part　of　his　fortune　with

resignation；　and　was　even　satisfied　by　the　thought　that　he　had　at

least　effected　the　possession　of　the　property　for　Mrs。　Peyton。　　But

when　he　found　that　those　of　his　tenants　who　had　bought　under　him　had

acquired　only　a　dubious　possession　of　their　lands　and　no　title；　he

had　unhesitatingly　reimbursed　them　for　their　improvements　with　the

last　of　his　capital。　　Only　the　lawless　Gilroy　had　good…humoredly

declined。　　The　quiet　acceptance　of　the　others　did　not；　unfortunately；

preclude　their　settled　belief　that　Clarence　had　participated　in　the

fraud；　and　that　even　now　his　restitution　was　making　a　dangerous

precedent；　subversive　of　the　best　interests　of　the　State；　and

discouraging　to　immigration。　　Some　doubted　his　sanity。　　Only　one；

struck　with　the　sincerity　of　his　motive；　hesitated　to　take　his

money；　with　a　look　of　commiseration　on　his　face。



〃Are　you　not　satisfied？〃　asked　Clarence；　smiling。



〃Yes；　but〃



〃But　what？〃



〃Nothin'。　　Only　I　was　thinkin'　that　a　man　like　you　must　feel　awful

lonesome　in　Calforny！〃



Lonely　he　was；　indeed；　but　his　loneliness　was　not　the　loss　of

fortune　nor　what　it　might　bring。　　Perhaps　he　had　never　fully

realized　his　wealth；　it　had　been　an　accident　rather　than　a　custom　of

his　life；　and　when　it　had　failed　in　the　only　test　he　had　made　of　its

power；　it　is　to　be　feared　that　he　only　sentimentally　regretted　it。

It　was　too　early　yet　for　him　to　comprehend　the　veiled　blessings　of

the　catastrophe　in　its　merciful　disruption　of　habits　and　ways　of

life；　his　loneliness　was　still　the　hopeless　solitude　left　by

vanished　ideals　and　overthrown　idols。　　He　was　satisfied　that　he　had

never　cared　for　Susy；　but　he　still　cared　for　the　belief　that　he　had。



After　the　discovery　of　Pedro's　body　that　fatal　morning；　a　brief　but

emphatic　interview　between　himself　and　Mrs。　McClosky　had　followed。

He　had　insisted　upon　her　immediately　accompanying　Susy　and　himself

to　Mrs。　Peyton　in　San　Francisco。　　Horror…stricken　and　terrified　at

the　catastrophe；　and　frightened　by　the　strange　looks　of　the　excited

servants；　they　did　not　dare　to　disobey　him。　　He　had　left　them　with

Mrs。　Peyton　in　the　briefest　preliminary　interview；　during　which　he

spoke　only　of　the　catastrophe；　shielding　the　woman　from　the

presumption　of　having　provoked　it；　and　urging　only　the　importance　of

settling　the　question　of　guardianship　at　once。　　It　was　odd　that　Mrs。

Peyton　had　been　less　disturbed　than　he　imagined　she　would　be　at　even

his　charitable　version　of　Susy's　unfaithfulness　to　her；　it　even

seemed　to　him　that　she　had　already　suspected　it。　　But　as　he　was

about　to　withdraw　to　leave　her　to　meet　them　alone；　she　had　stopped

him　suddenly。



〃What　would　you　advise　me　to　do？〃



It　was　his　first　interview　with　her　since　the　revelation　of　his　own

feelings。　　He　looked　into　the　pleading；　troubled　eyes　of　the　woman

he　now　knew　he　had　loved；　and　stammered：



〃You　alone　can　judge。　　Only　you　must　remember　that　one　cannot　force

an　affection　any　more　than　one　can　prevent　it。〃



He　felt　himself　blushing；　and；　conscious　of　the　construction　of　his

words；　he　even　fancied　that　she　was　displeased。



〃Then　you　have　no　preference？〃　she　said；　a　little　impatiently。



〃None。〃



She　made　a　slight　gesture　with　her　handsome　shoulders；　but　she　only

said；　〃I　should　have　liked　to　have　pleased　you　in　this；〃　and　turned

coldly　away。　　He　had　left　without　knowing　the　result　of　the

interview；　but　a　few　days　later　he　received　a　letter　from　her

stating　that　she　had　allowed　Susy　to　return　to　her　aunt；　and　that

she　had　resigned　all　claims　to　her　guardianship。



〃It　seemed　to　be　a　foregone　conclusion；〃　she　wrote；　〃and　although　I

cannot　think　such　a　change　will　be　for　her　permanent　welfare；　it　is

her　present　WISH；　and　who　knows；　indeed；　if　the　change　will　be

permanent？　　I　have　not　allowed　the　legal　question　to　interfere　with

my　judgment；　although　her　friends　must　know　that　she　forfeits　any

claim　upon　the　estate　by　her　action；　but　at　the　same　time；　in　the

event　of　her　suitable　marriage；　I　should　try　to　carry　out　what　I

believe　would　have　been　Mr。　Peyton's　wishes。〃



There　were　a　few　lines　of　postscript：　〃It　seems　to　me　that　the

change　would　leave　you　more　free　to　consult　your　own　wishes　in

regard　to　continuing　your　friendship　with　Susy；　and　upon　such　a

footing　as　may　please　you。　　I　judge　from　Mrs。　McClosky's

conversation　that　she　believed　you　thought　you　were　only　doing　your

duty　in　reporting　to　me；　and　that　the　circumstances　had　not　altered

the　good　terms　in　which　you　all　three　formerly　stood。〃



Clarence　had　dropped　the　letter　with　a　burning　indignation　that

seemed　to　sting　his　eyes　until　a　scalding　moisture　hid　the　words

before　him。　　What　might　not　Susy　have　said？　　What　exaggeration　of

his　affection　was　she　not　capable　of　suggesting？　　He　recalled　Mrs。

McClosky；　and　remembered　her　easy　acceptance　of　him　as　Susy's　lover。

What　had　they　told　Mrs。　Peyton？　　What　must　be　her　opinion　of　his

deceit　towards　herself？　　It　was　hard　enough　to　bear　this　before　he

knew　he　loved　her。　　It　was　intolerable　now！　　And　this　is　what　she

meant　when　she　suggested　that　he　should　renew　his　old　terms　with

Susy；　it　was　for　HIM　that　this　ill…disguised；　scornful　generosity　in

regard　to　Susy's　pecuniary　expectations　was　intended。　　What　should

he　do？　　He　would　write　to　her；　and　indignantly　deny　any　clandestine

affection　for　Susy。　　But　could　he　do　that；　in　honor；　in　truthfulness？

Would　it　not　be　better　to　write　and　confess　all？　　Yes；EVERYTHING。



Fortunately　for　his　still　boyish　impulsiveness；　it　was　at　this　time

that　the　discovery　of　his　own　financial　ruin　came　to　him。　　The

inquest　on　the　body　of　Pedro　Valdez　and　the　confession　of　his

confidant　had　revealed　the　facts　of　the　fraudulent　title　and　forged

testamentary　documents。　　Although　it　was　correctly　believed　that

Pedro　had　met　his　death　in　an　escapade　of　gallantry　or　intrigue；　the

coroner's　jury　had　returned　a　verdict　of　〃accidental　death；〃　and　the

lesser　scandal　was　lost　in　the　wider；　far…spreading　disclosure　of

fraud。　　When　he　had　resolved　to　assume　all　the　liabilities　of　his

purchase；　he　was　obliged　to　write　to　Mrs。　Peyton　and　confess　his

ruin。　　But　he　was　glad　to　remind　her　that　it　did　not　alter　HER

status　or　security；　he　had　only　given　her　the　possession；　and　she

would　revert　to　her　original　and　now　uncontested　title。　　But　as

there　was　now　no　reason　for　his　continuing　the　stewardship；　and　as

he　must　adopt　some　profession　and　seek　his　fortune　elsewhere；　he

begged　her　to　relieve　him　of　his　duty。　　Albeit　written　with　a

throbbing　heart　and　suffused　eyes；　it　was　a　plain；　business…like；

and　practical　letter。　　Her　reply　was　equally　cool　and　matter　of

fact。　　She　was　sorry　to　hear　of　his　losses；　although　she　could　not

agree　with　him　that　they　could　logically　sever　his　present

connection　with　the　rancho；　or　that；　placed　upon　another　and

distinctly　business　footing；　the　occupation　would　not　be　as

remunerative　to　him　as　any　other。　　But；　of　course；　if　he　had　a

preference　for　some　more　independent　position；　that　was　another

question；　although　he　would　forgive　her　for　using　the　privilege　of

her　years　to　remind　him　that　his　financial　and　business　success　had

not　yet　justified　his　independence。　　She　would　also　advise　him　not

to　decide　hastily；　or；　at　least；　to　wait　until　she　had　again

thoroughly　gone　over　her　husband's　papers　with　her　lawyer；　in

reference　to　the　old　purchase　of　the　Sisters'　title；　and　the

conditions　under　which　it　was　bought。　　She　knew　that　Mr。　Brant　would

not　refuse　this　as　a　matter　of　business；　nor　would　that　friendship；

which　she　valued　so　highly；　allow　him　to　imperil　the　possession　of

the　rancho　by　leaving　it　at　such　a　moment。　　As　soon　as　she　had

finished　the　examination　of　the　papers；　she　would　write　again。　　Her

letter　seemed　to　leave　him　no　hope；　if；　indeed；　he　had　ever　indulged

in　any。　　It　was　the　practical　kindliness　of　a　woman　of　business；

nothing　more。　　As　to　the　examination　of　her　husband's　papers；　that

was　a　natural　precaution。　　He　alone　knew　that　they　would　give　no

record　of　a　transaction　which　had　never　occurred。　　He　briefly