tales of trail and town-第11部分

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her　high　nature；　came　to　her　rescue。　　〃But　that；〃　she　said　with

quick　mischievousness；　〃would　be　a　SACRIFICE　taken　in　the　interest

of　these　people；　don't　you　see；　and　being　a　sacrifice；　it's　no

argument。〃



Peter　saw　his　mistake；　but　there　was　something　so　innocent　and

delightful　in　the　youthful　triumph　of　this　red…lipped　logician；

that　he　was　forced　to　smile。　　I　have　said　that　his　smile　was　rare

and　fascinating；　a　concession　wrung　from　his　dark　face　and　calm

beardless　lips　that　most　people　found　irresistible；　but　it　was　odd；

nevertheless；　that　Lady　Elfrida　now　for　the　first　time　felt　a

sudden　and　not　altogether　unpleasant　embarrassment　over　the　very

subject　she　had　approached　with　such　innocent　fearlessness。　　There

was　a　new　light　in　her　eyes；　a　fresher　color　in　her　cheeks　as　she

turned　her　faceshe　knew　not　whyaway　from　him。　　But　it　enabled

her　to　see　a　figure　approaching　them　from　the　fort。　　And　I　grieve

to　say　that；　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　Lady　Elfrida

was　guilty　of　an　affected　start。



〃Oh；　here's　Reggy　coming　to　look　for　me。　　I'd　quite　forgotten；　but

I'm　so　glad。　　I　want　you　to　know　my　brother　Reggy。　　He　was　always

so　sorry　he　missed　you　at　the　Grange。〃



The　tall；　young；　good…looking　brown　Englishman　who　had　sauntered　up

bestowed　a　far　more　critical　glance　upon　Peter's　horse　than　upon

Peter；　but　nevertheless　grasped　his　hand　heartily　as　his　sister

introduced　him。　　Perhaps　both　men　were　equally　undemonstrative；

although　the　reserve　of　one　was　from　temperament　and　the　other　from

education。　　Nevertheless　Lord　Reginald　remarked；　with　a　laugh；　that

it　was　awfully　jolly　to　be　there；　and　that　it　had　been　a　beastly

shame　that　he　was　in　Scotland　when　Atherly　was　at　the　Grange。　　That

none　of　them　had　ever　suspected　till　they　came　to　the　fort　that　he；

Atherly；　was　one　of　those　government　chappies；　and　so　awfully　keen

on　Indian　politics。　　〃Friddy〃　had　been　the　first　to　find　it　out；

but　they　thought　she　was　chaffing。　　At　which　〃Friddy；〃　who　had

suddenly　resolved　herself　into　the　youthfulest　of　schoolgirls　in

the　presence　of　her　brother；　put　her　parasol　like　an　Indian　club

behind　her　back；　and　still　rosy；　beamed　admiringly　upon　Reggy。

Then　the　three；　Peter　leading　his　horse；　moved　on　towards　the　fort；

presently　meeting　〃Georgy；〃　the　six…foot　Guardsman　cousin　in

extraordinary　tweeds　and　flannel　shirt；　Lord　Runnybroke；　uncle　of

Friddy；　middle…aged　and　flannel…shirted；　a　mighty　hunter；　Lady

Runnybroke；　in　a　brown　duster；　but　with　a　stately　head　that

suggested　ostrich　feathers；　Moyler…Spence；　M。　P。；　with　an　eyeglass；

and　the　Hon。　Evelyn　Kayne；　closely　attended　by　the　always　gallant

Lieutenant　Forsyth。　　Peter　began　to　feel　a　nervous　longing　to　be

alone　on　the　burning　plain　and　the　empty　horizon　beyond　them；　until

he　could　readjust　himself　to　these　new　conditions；　and　glanced

half…wearily　around　him。　　But　his　eye　met　Friddy's；　who　seemed　to

have　evoked　this　gathering　with　a　wave　of　her　parasol；　like　the

fairy　of　a　pantomime；　and　he　walked　on　in　silence。



A　day　or　two　of　unexpected　pleasure　passed　for　Peter。　　In　these　new

surroundings　he　found　he　could　separate　Lady　Elfrida　from　his

miserable　past；　and　the　conventional　restraint　of　Ashley　Grange。

Again；　the　revelation　of　her　familiar　name　Friddy　seemed　to　make

her　more　accessible　and　human　to　him　than　her　formal　title；　and

suited　the　girlish　simplicity　that　lay　at　the　foundation　of　her

character；　of　which　he　had　seen　so　little　before。　　At　least　so　he

fancied；　and　so　excused　himself；　it　was　delightful　to　find　her

referring　to　him　as　an　older　friend；　pleasant；　indeed；　to　see　that

her　family　tacitly　recognized　it；　and　frequently　appealed　to　him

with　the　introduction；　〃Friddy　says　you　can　tell　us；〃　or　〃You　and

Friddy　had　better　arrange　it　between　you。〃　　Even　the　dreaded

introduction　of　his　sister　was　an　agreeable　surprise；　owing　to　Lady

Elfrida's　frank　and　sympathetic　prepossession；　which　Jenny　could

not　resist。　　In　a　few　moments　they　were　walking　together　in　serious

and　apparently　confidential　conversation。　　For　to　Peter's　wonder　it

was　the　〃Lady　Elfrida〃　side　of　the　English　girl's　nature　that

seemed　to　have　attracted　Jenny；　and　not　the　playfulness　of

〃Friddy；〃　and　he　was　delighted　to　see　that　the　young　girl　had

assumed　a　grave　chaperonship　of　the　tall　Mrs。　Lascelles　that　would

have　done　credit　to　Mrs。　Carter　or　Lady　Runnybroke。　　Had　he　been

less　serious　he　might　have　been　amused；　too；　at　the　importance　of

his　own　position　in　the　military　outpost；　through　the　arrival　of

the　strangers。　　That　this　grave　political　enthusiast　and　civilian

should　be　on　familiar　terms　with　a　young　Englishwoman　of　rank　was

at　first　inconceivable　to　the　officers。　　And　that　he　had　never

alluded　to　it　before　seemed　to　them　still　more　remarkable。



Nevertheless；　there　was　much　liveliness　and　good　fellowship　at　the

fort。　　Captains　and　lieutenants　down　to　the　youngest　〃cub；〃

Forsyth；　vied　with　each　other　to　please　the　Englishmen；　supplied

them　with　that　characteristic　American　humor　and　anecdote　which　it

is　an　Englishman's　privilege　to　bring　away　with　him；　and　were

picturesquely　and　chivalrously　devoted　in　their　attentions　to　the

ladies；　who　were　pleased　and　amused　by　it；　though　it　is　to　be

doubted　if　it　increased　their　respect　for　the　giver；　although　they

were　more　grateful　for　it　than　the　average　American　woman。　　Lady

Elfrida　found　the　officers　very　entertaining　and　gallant。

Accustomed　to　the　English　officer；　and　his　somewhat　bored　way　of

treating　his　profession　and　his　duties；　she　may　have　been　amused　at

the　zeal；　earnestness；　and　enthusiasm　of　these　youthful　warriors；

who　aspired　to　appear　as　nothing　but　soldiers；　when　she　contrasted

them　with　her　Guardsmen　relatives　who　aspired　to　be　everything　else

but　that；　but　she　kept　it　to　herself。　　It　was　a　recognized；

respectable；　and　even　superior　occupation　for　gentlemen　in　England；

what　it　might　be　in　America；who　knows？　　She　certainly　found

Peter；　the　civilian；　more　attractive；　for　there　really　was　nothing

English　to　compare　him　with；　and　she　had　something　of　the　same

feeling　in　her　friendship　for　Jenny；　except　the　patronage　which

Jenny　seemed　to　solicit；　and　perhaps　require；　as　a　foreigner。



One　afternoon　the　English　guests；　accompanied　by　a　few　of　their

hosts　and　a　small　escort；　were　making　a　shooting　expedition　to　the

vicinity　of　Green　Spring；　when　Peter；　plunged　in　his　report；　looked

up　to　find　his　sister　entering　his　office。　　Her　face　was　pale；　and

there　was　something　in　her　expression　which　reawakened　his　old

anxiety。　　Nevertheless　he　smiled；　and　said　gently：



〃Why　are　you　not　enjoying　yourself　with　the　others？〃



〃I　have　a　headache；〃　she　said；　languidly；　〃but；〃　lifting　her　eyes

suddenly　to　his；　〃why　are　YOU　not？　　You　are　their　good　friend；　you

know；even　their　relation。〃



〃No　more　than　you　are；〃　he　returned；　with　affected　gayety。　　〃But

look　at　the　reportit　is　only　half　finished！　　I　have　already　been

shirking　it　for　them。〃



〃You　mustn't　let　your　devotion　to　the　Indians　keep　you　from　your

older　friends；〃　said　Mrs。　Lascelles；　with　an　odd　laugh。　　〃But　you

never　told　me　about　these　people　before；　Peter；　tell　me　now。　　They

were　very　kind　to　you；　weren't　they；　on　account　of　your

relationship？〃



〃Entirely　on　account　of　that；〃　said　Peter；　with　a　sudden　bitterness

he　could　not　repress。　　〃But　they　are　very　pleasant；〃　he　added

quickly；　〃and　very　simple　and　unaffected；　in　spite　of　their　rank；

perhaps　I　ought　to　say；　BECAUSE　of　it。〃



〃You　mean　they　are　kind　to　us　because　they　feel　themselves

superior；just　as　you　are　kind　to　the　Indians；　Peter。〃



〃I　am　afraid　they　have　no　such　sense　of　political　equality　towards

us；　Jenny；　as　impels　me　to　be　just　to　the　Indian；〃　he　said　with

affected　lightness。　　〃But　Lady　Elfrida　sympathizes　with　the

Indiansvery　much。〃



〃She！〃　　The　emphasis　which　his　sister　put　upon　the　personal　pronoun

was　unmistakable；　but　Peter　ignored　it；　and　so　apparently　did　she；

as　she　said　the　next　moment　in　a　different　voice；　〃She's　very

pretty；　don't　you　think？〃



〃Very；〃　said　Peter　coldly。



There　was　a　long　pause。　　Peter　slightly　fingered　one　of　the　sheets

of　his　delayed　report　on　his　desk。　　His　sister　looked　up。　　〃I'm

afraid　I'm　as　bad　as　Lady　Elfrida　in　keeping　you　from　your　Indians；

but　I　had　something　to　say　to　you。　　No　matter；　another　time　will　do

when　you're　not　so　busy。〃



〃Please　go　on　now；〃　said　Peter；　with　affected　unconcern；　yet　with　a

feeling　of　uneasiness　creeping　over　him。



〃It　was　only　this；〃　said　Jenny；　seating　herself　with　her　elbow　on

the　desk　and　her　chin　in　a　cup…like　hollow　of　her　hand；　〃did　you

ever　think　that　in　the　interests　of　these　poor　Indians；　you　know；

purely　for　the　sake　of　your　belief　in　them；　and　just　to　show　that

you　were　above　vulgar　prejudices；did　you　ever　think　you　could

marry　one　of　them？〃



Two　thoughts　flashed　quickly　on　Peter's　mind；first；　that　Lady

Elfrida　had　repeated　something　of　their　conversation　to　his　sister；

secondly；　that　some　one　had　told　her　of　Little　Daybreak。　　Each　was

equally　disturbing。　　But　he　recovered　himself　quickly　and　said；　〃I

might　if　I　thought　it　was　required。　　But　even　a　sacrifice　is　not

always　an　example。〃



〃Then　you　think　it　would　be　a　sacrifice？〃　she　said；　slowly　raising

her　dark　eyes　to　his。



〃If　I　did　something　against　received　opinion；　against　precedent；

and　for　aught　I　know　against　even　the　prejudices　of　those　I　wish　to

serve；　however　lofty　my　intention　was　and　however　great　the　benefit

to　them　in　the　end；　it　would　still　be　a　sacrifice　in　the　present。〃

He　saw　his　own　miserable　logic　and　affected　didactics；　but　he　went

on　lightly；　〃But　why　do　you　ask　such　a　question？　　You　haven't　any

one　in　your　mind　for　me；　have　you？〃



She　had　risen　thoughtfully　and　was　moving　towards　the　door。

Suddenly　she　turned　with　a　quick；　odd　vivacity：　〃Perhaps　I　had。

Oh；　Peter；　there　was　such　a　lovely