a phyllis of the sierras-第6节

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

But　you're　looking　pearter　than　you　did。　　You're　wonderin'　like　ez

not　where　I　ever　saw　ye　before？〃　she　continued；　laughing。　　〃Well；

I'll　tell　you。　　Last　week！　I'd　kem　over　yer　on　a　chance　of　seein'

Jenny　Bradley；　and　while　I　was　meanderin'　down　the　veranda　I　saw

you　lyin'　back　in　your　chair　by　the　window　drowned　in　sleep；　like　a

baby。　　Lordy！　　I　mout　hev　won　a　pair　o'　gloves；　but　I　reckoned　you

were　Loo's　game；　and　not　mine。〃



The　slightly　constrained　laugh　which　went　round　the　table　after

Miss　Minty's　speech　was　due　quite　as　much　to　the　faint　flush　that

had　accented　Mainwaring's　own　smile　as　to　the　embarrassing　remark

itself。　　Mrs。　Bradley　and　Miss　Macy　exchanged　rapid　glances。

Bradley；　who　alone　retained　his　composure；　with　a　slight　flicker　of

amusement　in　the　corner　of　his　eye　and　nostril；　said　quickly：　〃You

see；　Mainwaring；　how　nature　stands　ready　to　help　your　convalescence

at　every　turn。　　If　Miss　Minty　had　only　followed　up　her　healing

opportunity；　your　cure　would　have　been　complete。〃



〃Ye　mout　hev　left　some　o'　that　pretty　talk　for　HIM　to　say；〃　said

Minty；　taking　up　her　knife　and　fork　with　a　slight　shrug；　〃and　you

needn't　call　me　MISS　Minty　either；　jest　because　there's　kempeny

present。〃



〃I　hope　you　won't　look　upon　me　as　company；　Minty；　or　I　shall　be

obliged　to　call　you　'Miss'　too；〃　said　Mainwaring；　unexpectedly

regaining　his　usual　frankness。



Bradley's　face　brightened；　Miss　Minty　raised　her　black　eyes　from

her　plate　with　still　broader　appreciation。



〃There's　nothin'　mean　about　that；〃　she　said；　showing　her　white

teeth。　　〃Well；　what's　YOUR　first　name？〃



〃Not　as　pretty　as　yours；　I'm　afraid。　　It's　Frank。〃



〃No　it　ain't；　it's　Francis！　　You　reckon　to　be　Sir　Francis　some

day；〃　she　said　gravely。　　〃You　can't　play　any　Frank　off　on　me。　　You

wouldn't　do　it　on　HER；〃　she　added；　indicating　Louise　with　her

elbow。



A　momentous　silence　followed。　　The　particular　form　that　Minty's

vulgarity　had　taken　had　not　been　anticipated　by　the　two　other

women。　　They　had；　not　unreasonably；　expected　some　original　audacity

or　gaucherie　from　the　blacksmith's　daughter；　which　might　astonish

yet　amuse　their　guest；　and　condone　for　the　situation　forced　upon

them。　　But　they　were　not　prepared　for　a　playfulness　that　involved

themselves　in　a　ridiculous　indiscretion。　　Mrs。　Bradley's　eyes

sought　her　husband's　meaningly；　Louise's　pretty　mouth　hardened。

Luckily　the　cheerful　cause　of　it　suddenly　jumped　up　from　the　table；

and　saying　that　the　stranger　was　starving；　insisted　upon　bringing　a

dish　from　the　other　side　and　helping　him　herself　plentifully。

Mainwaring　rose　gallantly　to　take　the　dish　from　her　hand；　a　slight

scuffle　ensued　which　ended　in　the　young　man　being　forced　down　in

his　chair　by　the　pressure　of　Minty's　strong　plump　hand　on　his

shoulder。　　〃There；〃　she　said；　〃ye　kin　mind　your　dinner　now；　and　I

reckon　we'll　give　the　others　a　chance　to　chip　into　the　conversation；〃

and　at　once　applied　herself　to　the　plate　before　her。



The　conversation　presently　became　general；　with　the　exception　that

Minty；　more　or　less　engrossed　by　professional　anxiety　in　the

quality　of　the　dinner　and　occasional　hurried　visits　to　the　kitchen；

briefly　answered　the　few　polite　remarks　which　Mainwaring　felt

called　upon　to　address　to　her。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　conscious；

malgre　her　rallying　allusions　to　Miss　Macy；　that　he　felt　none　of

the　vague　yet　half　pleasant　anxiety　with　which　Louise　was　beginning

to　inspire　him。　　He　felt　at　ease　in　Minty's　presence；　and　believed；

rightly　or　wrongly；　that　she　understood　him　as　well　as　he

understood　her。　　And　there　were　certainly　points　in　common　between

his　two　hostesses　and　their　humbler　though　proud　dependent。　　The

social　evolution　of　Mrs。　Bradley　and　Louise　Macy　from　some　previous

Minty　was　neither　remote　nor　complete；　the　self…sufficient

independence；　ease；　and　quiet　self…assertion　were　alike　in　each。

The　superior　position　was　still　too　recent　and　accidental　for

either　to　resent　or　criticise　qualities　that　were　common　to　both。

At　least；　this　was　what　he　thought　when　not　abandoning　himself　to

the　gratification　of　a　convalescent　appetite；　to　the　presence　of

two　pretty　women；　the　sympathy　of　a　genial　friend；　the　healthy

intoxication　of　the　white　sunlight　that　glanced　upon　the　pine

walls；　the　views　that　mirrored　themselves　in　the　open　windows；　and

the　pure　atmosphere　in　which　The　Lookout　seemed　to　swim。　　Wandering

breezes　of　balm　and　spice　lightly　stirred　the　flowers　on　the　table；

and　seemed　to　fan　his　hair　and　forehead　with　softly　healing　breath。

Looking　up　in　an　interval　of　silence；　he　caught　Bradley's　gray　eyes

fixed　upon　him　with　a　subdued　light　of　amusement　and　affection；　as

of　an　elder　brother　regarding　a　schoolboy's　boisterous　appetite　at

some　feast。　　Mainwaring　laid　down　his　knife　and　fork　with　a

laughing　color；　touched　equally　by　Bradley's　fraternal　kindliness

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