a sappho of green springs- 第30部分

measurement　for　a　suitable　apartment　for　it。　　〃Go　on。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Leyton；　a　little　impatiently；　〃that's　the　belief

everybody　has；　and　you've　not　contradicted　it。　　And　on　that　we've

taken　the　responsibility　of　not　interfering　with　Somers's

attentions。〃



〃Well？〃　said　Rushbrook；　interrogatively。



〃Well；〃　replied　Leyton；　emphatically；　〃you　see　I　must　ask　you

positively　if　you　HAVE　done　anything；　or　are　you　going　to　do

anything　for　him？〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Rushbrook；　with　exasperating　coolness；　〃what　do　you

call　this　marriage？〃



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Leyton。



〃Look　here；　Leyton；〃　said　Rushbrook；　suddenly　and　abruptly　facing

him；　〃Jack　Somers　has　brains；　knowledge　of　society；　tact；

accomplishments；　and　good　looks：　that's　HIS　capital　as　much　as　mine

is　money。　　I　employ　him：　that's　his　advertisement；　recommendation；

and　credit。　　Now；　on　the　strength　of　this；　as　you　say；　Miss　Nevil

is　willing　to　invest　in　him；　I　don't　see　what　more　can　be　done。〃



〃But　if　her　uncle　don't　think　it　enough？〃



〃She's　independent；　and　has　money　for　both。〃



〃But　if　she　thinks　she's　been　deceived；　and　changes　her　mind？〃



〃Leyton；　you　don't　know　Miss　Nevil。　　Whatever　that　girl　undertakes

she's　weighed　fully；　and　goes　through　with。　　If　she's　trusted　him

enough　to　marry　him；　money　won't　stop　her；　if　she　thinks　she's　been

deceived；　YOU'LL　never　know　it。〃



The　enthusiasm　and　conviction　were　so　unlike　Rushbrook's　usual

cynical　toleration　of　the　sex　that　Leyton　stared　at　him。



〃That's　odd；〃　he　returned。　　〃That's　what　she　says　of　you。〃



〃Of　ME；　you　mean　Somers？〃



〃No；　of　YOU。　　Come；　Rushbrook；　don't　pretend　you　don't　know　that

Miss　Nevil　is　a　great　partisan　of　yours；　swears　by　you；　says　you're

misunderstood　by　people；　and；　what's　infernally　odd　in　a　woman　who

don't　belong　to　the　class　you　fancy；　don't　talk　of　your　habits。

That's　why　she　wants　to　consult　you　about　Somers；　I　suppose；　and

that's　why；　knowing　you　might　influence　her；　I　came　here　first　to

warn　you。〃



〃And　I've　told　you　that　whatever　I　might　say　or　do　wouldn't

influence　her。　　So　we'll　drop　the　subject。〃



〃Not　yet；　for　you're　bound　to　see　Miss　Nevil　sooner　or　later。　　Now；

if　she　knows　that　you've　done　nothing　for　this　man；　your　friend　and

her　lover；　won't　she　be　justified　in　thinking　that　you　would　have　a

reason　for　it？〃



〃Yes。　　I　should　give　it。〃



〃What　reason？〃



〃That　I　knew　she'd　be　more　contented　to　have　him　speculate　with　HER

money　than　mine。〃



〃Then　you　think　that　he　isn't　a　business　man？〃



〃I　think　that　she　thinks　so；　or　she　wouldn't　marry　him；　it's　part

of　the　attraction。　　But　come；　James　has　been　for　five　minutes

discreetly　waiting　outside　the　door　to　tell　us　dinner　is　ready；　and

the　coast　clear　of　all　other　company。　　But　look　here；〃　he　said；

suddenly　stopping；　with　his　arm　in　Leyton's；　〃you're　through　your

talk；　I　suppose；　perhaps　you'd　rather　we'd　dine　with　the　Signora

and　the　others　than　alone？〃



For　an　instant　Leyton　thrilled　with　the　fascination　of　what　he

firmly　believed　was　a　guilty　temptation。　　Rushbrook；　perceiving　his

hesitation；　added：



〃By　the　way；　Somers　is　of　the　party；　and　one　or　two　others　you

know。〃



Mr。　Leyton　opened　his　eyes　widely　at　this；　either　the　temptation

had　passed；　or　the　idea　of　being　seen　in　doubtful　company　by　a

younger　man　was　distasteful；　for　he　hurriedly　disclaimed　any

preference。　　〃But；〃　he　added　with　half…significant　politeness；

〃perhaps　I'm　keeping　YOU　from　them？〃



〃It　makes　not　the　slightest　difference　to　me；〃　calmly　returned

Rushbrook；　with　such　evident　truthfulness　that　Leyton　was　both

convinced　and　chagrined。



Preceded　by　the　grave　and　ubiquitous　James；　they　crossed　the　large

hall；　and　entered　through　a　smaller　passage　a　charming　apartment

hung　with　blue　damask；　which　might　have　been　a　boudoir；　study；　or

small　reception…room；　yet　had　the　air　of　never　having　been　anything

continuously。　　It　would　seem　that　Rushbrook's　habit　of　〃camping

out〃　in　different　parts　of　his　mansion　obtained　here　as　at　Los

Osos；　and　with　the　exception　of　a　small　closet　which　contained　his

Spartan　bed；　the　rooms　were　used　separately　or　in　suites；　as

occasion　or　his　friends　required。　　It　is　recorded　that　an　Eastern

guest；　newly　arrived　with　letters　to　Rushbrook；　after　a　tedious

journey；　expressed　himself　pleased　with　this　same　blue　room；　in

which　he　had　sumptuously　dined　with　his　host；　and　subsequently　fell

asleep　in　his　chair。　　Without　disturbing　his　guest；　Rushbrook　had

the　table　removed；　a　bed；　washstand；　and　bureau　brought　in；　the

sleeping　man　delicately　laid　upon　the　former；　and　left　to　awaken　to

an　Arabian　night's　realization　of　his　wish。





CHAPTER　V





James　had　barely　disposed　of　his　master　and　Mr。　Leyton；　and　left

them　to　the　ministrations　of　two　of　his　underlings；　before　he　was

confronted　with　one　of　those　difficult　problems　that　it　was　part　of

his　functions　to　solve。　　The　porter　informed　him　that　a　young　lady

had　just　driven　up　in　a　carriage　ostensibly　to　see　Mr。　Rushbrook；

and　James；　descending　to　the　outer　vestibule；　found　himself　face　to

face　with　Miss　Grace　Nevil。　　Happily；　that　young　lady；　with　her

usual　tact；　spared　him　some　embarrassment。



〃Oh！　James；〃　she　said　sweetly；　〃do　you　think　that　I　could　see　Mr。

Rushbrook　for　a　few　moments　IF　I　WAITED　FOR　THE　OPPORTUNITY？　　You

understand；　I　don't　wish　to　disturb　him　or　his　company　by　being

regularly　announced。〃



The　young　girl's　practical　intelligence　appeared　to　increase　the

usual　respect　which　James　had　always　shown　her。　　〃I　understand；

miss。〃　　He　thought　for　a　moment；　and　said：　〃Would　you　mind；　then；

following　me　where　you　could　wait　quietly　and　alone？〃　　As　she

quickly　assented；　he　preceded　her　up　the　staircase；　past　the　study

and　drawing…room；　which　he　did　not　enter；　and　stopped　before　a

small　door　at　the　end　of　the　passage。　　Then；　handing　her　a　key

which　he　took　from　his　pocket；　he　said：　〃This　is　the　only　room　in

the　house　that　is　strictly　reserved　for　Mr。　Rushbrook；　and　even　he

rarely　uses　it。　　You　can　wait　here　without　anybody　knowing　it　until

I　can　communicate　with　him　and　bring　you　to　his　study　unobserved。

And；〃　he　hesitated；　〃if　you　wouldn't　mind　locking　the　door　when　you

are　in；　miss；　you　would　be　more　secure；　and　I　will　knock　when　I

come　for　you。〃



Grace　Nevil　smiled　at　the　man's　prudence；　and　entered　the　room。

But　to　her　great　surprise；　she　had　scarcely　shut　the　door　when　she

was　instantly　struck　with　a　singular　memory　which　the　apartment

recalled。　　It　was　exactly　like　the　room　she　had　altered　in

Rushbrook's　villa　at　Los　Osos！　　More　than　that；　on　close

examination　it　proved　to　be　the　very　same　furniture；　arranged　as

she　remembered　to　have　arranged　it；　even　to　the　flowers　and

grasses；　now；　alas！　faded　and　withered　on　the　walls。　　There　could

be　no　mistake。　　There　was　the　open　ebony　escritoire　with　the　satin

blotter　open；　and　its　leaves　still　bearing　the　marks　of　her　own

handwriting。　　So　complete　to　her　mind　was　the　idea　of　her　own

tenancy　in　this　bachelor's　mansion；　that　she　looked　around　with　a

half　indignant　alarm　for　the　photograph　or　portrait　of　herself　that

might　further　indicate　it。　　But　there　was　no　other　exposition。　　The

only　thing　that　had　been　added　was　a　gilt　legend　on　the　satin　case

of　the　blotter；〃Los　Osos；　August　20；　186…；〃　the　day　she　had

occupied　the　room。



She　was　pleased；　astonished；　but　more　than　all；　disturbed。　　The

only　man　who　might　claim　a　right　to　this　figurative　possession

of　her　tastes　and　habits　was　the　one　whom　she　had　quietly；

reflectively；　and　understandingly　half　accepted　as　her　lover；　and

on　whose　account　she　had　come　to　consult　Rushbrook。　　But　Somers　was

not　a　sentimentalist；　in　fact；　as　a　young　girl；　forced　by　her

independent　position　to　somewhat　critically　scrutinize　masculine

weaknesses；　this　had　always　been　a　point　in　his　favor；　yet　even　if

he　had　joined　with　his　friend　Rushbrook　to　perpetuate　the　memory　of

their　first　acquaintanceship；　his　taste　merely　would　not　have

selected　a　chambre　de　garcon　in　Mr。　Rushbrook's　home　for　its

exhibition。　　Her　conception　of　the　opposite　characters　of　the　two

men　was　singularly　distinct　and　real；　and　this　momentary　confusion

of　them　was　disagreeable　to　her　woman's　sense。　　But　at　this　moment

James　came　to　release　her　and　conduct　her　to　Rushbrook's　study；

where　he　would　join　her　at　once。　　Everything　had　been　arranged　as

she　had　wished。



Even　a　more　practical　man　than　Rushbrook　might　have　lingered　over

the　picture　of　the　tall；　graceful　figure　of　Miss　Nevil；　quietly

enthroned　in　a　large　armchair　by　the　fire；　her　scarlet；　satin…lined

cloak　thrown　over　its　back；　and　her　chin　resting　on　her　hand。　　But

the　millionaire　walked　directly　towards　her　with　his　usual

frankness　of　conscious　but　restrained　power；　and　she　felt；　as　she

always　did；　perfectly　at　her　ease　in　his　presence。　　Even　as　she

took　his　outstretched　hand；　its　straightforward　grasp　seemed　to

endow　her　with　its　own　confidence。



〃You'll　excuse　my　coming　here　so　abruptly；〃　she　smiled；　〃but　I

wanted　to　get　before　Mr。　Leyton；　who；　I　believe；　wishes　to　see　you

on　the　same　business　as　myself。〃



〃He　is　here　already；　and　dining　with　me；〃　said　Rushbrook。



〃Ah！　does　he　know　I　am　here？〃　asked　the　girl；　quietly。



〃No；　as　he　said　you　had　thought　of　coming　with　him　and　didn't；　I

presumed　you　didn't　care　to　have　him　know　you　had　come　alone。〃



〃Not　exactly　that；　Mr。　Rushbrook；〃　she　said；　fixing　her　beautiful

eyes　on　him　in　bright　and　trustful　confidence；　〃but　I　happen　to

have　a　fuller　knowledge　of　this　business　than　he　has；　and　yet；　as

it　is　not　altogether　my　own　secret；　I　was　not　permitted　to　divulge

it　to　him。　　Nor　would　I　tell　it　to　you；　only　I　cannot　bear　that　you

should　think　that　I　had　anything　to　do　with　this　wretched

inquisition　into　Mr。　Somers's　prospects。　　Knowing　as　well　as　you　do

how　perfectly　inde