a phyllis of the sierras-第5节

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of。　　Mr。　Bradley　would　have　done　better　to　have　used　his　talents　in

some　more　legitimate　and　established　way。〃



Mainwaring　looked　at　her　in　genuine　surprise。　　To　his　inexperienced

observation　Bradley's　intelligent　energy　and；　above　all；　his

originality；　ought　to　have　been　priceless　in　the　eyes　of　his　wife

the　American　female　of　his　species。　　He　felt　that　slight　shock

which　most　loyal　or　logical　men　feel　when　first　brought　face　to

face　with　the　easy　disloyalty　and　incomprehensible　logic　of　the

feminine　affections。　　Here　was　a　fellow；　by　Jove；　that　any　woman

ought　to　be　proud　of；　andandhe　stopped　blankly。　　He　wondered　if

Miss　Macy　sympathized　with　her　cousin。



Howbeit；　this　did　not　affect　the　charm　of　their　idyllic　life　at　The

Lookout。　　The　precipice　over　which　they　hung　was　as　charming　as

ever　in　its　poetic　illusions　of　space　and　depth　and　color；　the

isolation　of　their　comfortable　existence　in　the　tasteful　yet

audacious　habitation；　the　pleasant　routine　of　daily　tasks　and

amusements；　all　tended　to　make　the　enforced　quiet　and　inaction　of

his　convalescence　a　lazy　recreation。　　He　was　really　improving；　more

than　that；　he　was　conscious　of　a　certain　satisfaction　in　this

passive　observation　of　novelty　that　was　healthier　and　perhaps　TRUER

than　his　previous　passion　for　adventure　and　that　febrile　desire　for

change　and　excitement　which　he　now　felt　was　a　part　of　his　disease。

Nor　were　incident　and　variety　entirely　absent　from　this　tranquil

experience。　　He　was　one　day　astonished　at　being　presented　by

Bradley　with　copies　of　the　latest　English　newspapers；　procured　from

Sacramento；　and　he　equally　astonished　his　host；　after　profusely

thanking　him；　by　only　listlessly　glancing　at　their　columns。　　He

estopped　a　proposed　visit　from　one　of　his　influential　countrymen；

in　the　absence　of　his　fair　entertainers　at　their　domestic　duties；

he　extracted　infinite　satisfaction　from　Foo…Yup；　the　Chinese

servant；　who　was　particularly　detached　for　his　service。　　From　his

invalid　coign　of　vantage　at　the　window　he　was　observant　of　all　that

passed　upon　the　veranda；　that　al…fresco　audience…room　of　The

Lookout；　and　he　was　good…humoredly　conscious　that　a　great　many

eccentric　and　peculiar　visitors　were　invariably　dragged　thither　by

Miss　Macy；　and　goaded　into　characteristic　exhibition　within　sight

and　hearing　of　her　guest；　with　a　too　evident　view；　under　the

ostentatious　excuse　of　extending　his　knowledge　of　national

character　or　mischievously　shocking　him。



〃When　you　are　strong　enough　to　stand　Captain　Gashweiler's　opinions

of　the　Established　Church　and　Chinamen；〃　said　Miss　Macy；　after　one

of　these　revelations；　〃I'll　get　Jim　to　bring　him　here；　for　really　he

swears　so　outrageously　that　even　in　the　broadest　interests　of

international　understanding　and　good…will　neither　Mrs。　Bradley　nor

myself　could　be　present。〃



On　another　occasion　she　provokingly　lingered　before　his　window　for

a　moment　with　a　rifle　slung　jauntily　over　her　shoulder。　　〃If　you

hear　a　shot　or　two　don't　excite　yourself；　and　believe　we're　having

a　lynching　case　in　the　woods。　　It　will　be　only　me。　　There's　some

creatureconfess；　you　expected　me　to　say　'critter'hanging　round

the　barn。　　It　may　be　a　bear。　　Good…by。〃　　She　missed　the　creature；

which　happened　to　be　really　a　bear；much　to　Mainwaring's　illogical

satisfaction。　　〃I　wonder　why；〃　he　reflected；　with　vague　uneasiness；

〃she　doesn't　leave　all　that　sort　of　thing　to　girls　like　that　tow…

headed　girl　at　the　blacksmith's。〃



It　chanced；　however；　that　this　blacksmith's　tow…headed　daughter；

who；　it　may　be　incidentally　remarked；　had　the　additional

eccentricities　of　large　black　eyes　and　large　white　teeth；　came　to

the　fore　in　quite　another　fashion。　　Shortly　after　this；　Mainwaring

being　able　to　leave　his　room　and　join　the　family　board；　Mrs。

Bradley　found　it　necessary　to　enlarge　her　domestic　service；　and

arranged　with　her　nearest　neighbor；　the　blacksmith；　to　allow　his

daughter　to　come　to　The　Lookout　for　a　few　days　to　〃do　the　chores〃

and　assist　in　the　housekeeping；　as　she　had　on　previous　occasions。

The　day　of　her　advent　Bradley　entered　Mainwaring's　room；　and；

closing　the　door　mysteriously；　fixed　his　blue　eyes；　kindling　with

mischief；　on　the　young　Englishman。



〃You　are　aware；　my　dear　boy；〃　he　began　with　affected　gravity；　〃that

you　are　now　living　in　a　land　of　liberty；　where　mere　artificial

distinctions　are　not　known；　and　where　Freedom　from　her　mountain

heights　generally　levels　all　social　positions。　　I　think　you　have

graciously　admitted　that　fact。〃



〃I　know　I've　been　taking　a　tremendous　lot　of　freedom　with　you　and

yours；　old　man；　and　it's　a　deuced　shame；〃　interrupted　Mainwaring；

with　a　faint　smile。



〃And　that　nowhere；〃　continued　Bradley；　with　immovable　features；

〃does　equality　exist　as　perfectly　as　above　yonder　unfathomable

abyss；　where　you　have　also；　doubtless；　observed　the　American　eagle

proudly　soars　and　screams　defiance。〃



〃Then　that　was　the　fellow　that　kept　me　awake　this　morning；　and　made

me　wonder　if　I　was　strong　enough　to　hold　a　gun　again。〃



〃That　wouldn't　have　settled　the　matter；〃　continued　Bradley；

imperturbably。　　〃The　case　is　simply　this：　Miss　Minty　Sharpe；　that

blacksmith's　daughter；　has　once　or　twice　consented；　for　a　slight

emolument；　to　assist　in　our　domestic　service　for　a　day　or　two；　and

she　comes　back　again　to…day。　　Now；　under　the　aegis　of　that　noble

bird　whom　your　national　instincts　tempt　you　to　destroy；　she　has　on

all　previous　occasions　taken　her　meals　with　us；　at　the　same　table；

on　terms　of　perfect　equality。　　She　will　naturally　expect　to　do　the

same　now。　　Mrs。　Bradley　thought　it　proper；　therefore；　to　warn　you；

that；　in　case　your　health　was　not　quite　equal　to　this　democratic

simplicity；　you　could　still　dine　in　your　room。〃



〃It　would　be　great　funif　Miss　Sharpe　won't　object　to　my

presence。〃



〃But　it　must　not　be　'great　fun；'〃　returned　Bradley；　more　seriously；

〃for　Miss　Minty's　perception　of　humor　is　probably　as　keen　as　yours；

and　she　would　be　quick　to　notice　it。　　And；　so　far　from　having　any

objection　to　you；　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　we　owe　her　consent　to

come　to　her　desire　of　making　your　acquaintance。〃



〃She　will　find　my　conduct　most　exemplary；〃　said　Mainwaring；

earnestly。



〃Let　us　hope　so；〃　concluded　Bradley；　with　unabated　gravity。　　〃And；

now　that　you　have　consented；　let　me　add　from　my　own　experience　that

Miss　Minty's　lemon…pies　alone　are　worthy　of　any　concession。



The　dinner…hour　came。　　Mainwaring；　a　little　pale　and　interesting；

leaning　on　the　arm　of　Bradley；　crossed　the　hall；　and　for　the　first

time　entered　the　dining…room　of　the　house　where　he　had　lodged　for

three　weeks。　　It　was　a　bright；　cheerful　apartment；　giving　upon　the

laurels　of　the　rocky　hillside；　and　permeated；　like　the　rest　of　the

house；　with　the　wholesome　spice　of　the　valleyan　odor　that；　in　its

pure　desiccating　property；　seemed　to　obliterate　all　flavor　of　alien

human　habitation；　and　even　to　dominate　and　etherealize　the

appetizing　smell　of　the　viands　before　them。　　The　bare；　shining；

planed；　boarded　walls　appeared　to　resent　any　decoration　that　might

have　savored　of　dust；　decay；　or　moisture。　　The　four　large　windows

and　long；　open　door；　set　in　scanty　strips　of　the　plainest　spotless

muslin；　framed　in　themselves　pictures　of　woods　and　rock　and　sky　of

limitless　depth；　color；　and　distance；　that　made　all　other　adornment

impertinent。　　Nature；　invading　the　room　at　every　opening；　had

banished　Art　from　those　neutral　walls。



〃It's　like　a　picnic；　with　comfort；〃　said　Mainwaring；　glancing　round

him　with　boyish　appreciation。　　Miss　Minty　was　not　yet　there；　the

Chinaman　was　alone　in　attendance。　　Mainwaring　could　not　help

whispering；　half　mischievously；　to　Louise；　〃You　draw　the　line　at

Chinamen；　I　suppose？〃



〃WE　don't；　but　HE　does；〃　answered　the　young　girl。　　〃He　considers　us

his　social　inferiors。　　Buthush！〃



Minty　Sharpe　had　just　entered　the　room；　and　was　advancing　with

smiling　confidence　towards　the　table。　　Mainwaring　was　a　little

startled；　he　had　seen　Minty　in　a　holland　sun…bonnet　and　turned　up

skirt　crossing　the　veranda；　only　a　moment　before；　in　the　brief

instant　between　the　dishing…up　of　dinner　and　its　actual　announcement

she　had　managed　to　change　her　dress；　put　on　a　clean　collar；　cuffs；

and　a　large　jet　brooch；　and　apply　some　odorous　unguent　to　her

rebellious　hair。　　Her　face；　guiltless　of　powder　or　cold　cream；　was

still　shining　with　the　healthy　perspiration　of　her　last　labors　as

she　promptly　took　the　vacant　chair　beside　Mainwaring。



〃Don't　mind　me；　folks；〃　she　said　cheerfully；　resting　her　plump

elbow　on　the　table；　and　addressing　the　company　generally；　but

gazing　with　frank　curiosity　into　the　face　of　the　young　man　at　her

side。　　〃It　was　a　keen　jump；　I　tell　yer；　to　get　out　of　my　old　duds

inter　these；　and　look　decent　inside　o'　five　minutes。　　But　I　reckon

I　ain't　kept　yer　waitin'　longleast　of　all　this　yer　sick　stranger。

But　you're　looking　pearter　than　you　did。　　Y