a sappho of green springs- 第33部分

one　before　her。　　〃I　am　here　on　BUSINESS；　otherwise　I　should　not

have　dared　to　look　in　upon　you　at　all。〃



She　stopped；　drew　off　her　gloves　with　a　provoking　deliberation；

which　was　none　the　less　fascinating　that　it　implied　a　demure

consciousness　of　inducing　some　impatience　in　the　breast　of　her

companion；　stretched　them　out　carefully　by　the　fingers；　laid　them

down　neatly　on　the　table；　placed　her　elbows　on　her　knees；　slightly

clasped　her　hands　together；　and　bending　forward；　lifted　her　honest；

handsome　eyes　to　the　man　before　her。



〃Mr。　Rushbrook；　I　have　got　between　four　and　five　hundred　thousand

dollars　that　I　have　no　use　for；　I　can　control　securities　which　can

be　converted；　if　necessary；　into　a　hundred　thousand　more　in　ten

days。　　I　am　free　and　my　own　mistress。　　It　is　generally　considered

that　I　know　what　I　am　aboutyou　admitted　as　much　when　I　was　your

pupil。　　I　have　come　here　to　place　this　sum　in　your　hands；　at　your

free　disposal。　　You　know　why　and　for　what　purpose。〃



〃But　what　do　you　know　of　my　affairs？〃　asked　Rushbrook；　quickly。



〃Everything；　and　I　know　YOU；　which　is　better。　　Call　it　an

investment　if　you　likefor　I　know　you　will　succeedand　let　me

share　your　profits。　　Call　itif　you　pleaserestitution；　for　I　am

the　miserable　cause　of　your　rupture　with　that　man。　　Or　call　it

revenge　if　you　like；〃　she　said　with　a　faint　smile；　〃and　let　me

fight　at　your　side　against　our　common　enemy！　　Please；　Mr。

Rushbrook；　don't　deny　me　this。　　I　have　come　three　thousand　miles

for　it；　I　could　have　sent　it　to　youor　writtenbut　I　feared　you

would　not　understand　it。　　You　are　smilingyou　will　take　it？〃



〃I　cannot；〃　said　Rushbrook；　gravely。



〃Then　you　force　me　to　go　into　the　Stock　Market　myself；　and　fight

for　you；　and；　unaided　by　YOUR　genius；　perhaps　lose　it　without

benefiting　you。〃



Rushbrook　did　not　reply。



〃At　least；　then；　tell　me　why　you　'cannot。'〃



Rushbrook　rose；　and　looking　into　her　face；　said　quietly　with　his

old　directness：



〃Because　I　love　you；　Miss　Nevil。〃



A　sudden　instinct　to　rise　and　move　away；　a　greater　one　to　remain

and　hear　him　speak　again；　and　a　still　greater　one　to　keep　back　the

blood　that　she　felt　was　returning　all　too　quickly　to　her　cheek

after　the　first　shock；　kept　her　silent。　　But　she　dropped　her　eyes。



〃I　loved　you　ever　since　I　first　saw　you　at　Los　Osos；〃　he　went　on

quickly；　〃I　said　to　myself　even　then；　that　if　there　was　a　woman

that　would　fill　my　life；　and　make　me　what　she　wished　me　to　be；　it

was　you。　　I　even　fancied　that　day　that　you　understood　me　better

than　any　woman；　or　even　any　man；　that　I　had　ever　met　before。　　I

loved　you　through　all　that　miserable　business　with　that　man；　even

when　my　failure　to　make　you　happy　with　another　brought　me　no　nearer

to　you。　　I　have　loved　you　always。　　I　shall　love　you　always。　　I　love

you　more　for　this　foolish　kindness　that　brings　YOU　beneath　my　roof

once　more；　and　gives　me　a　chance　to　speak　my　heart　to　you；　if　only

once　and　for　the　last　time；　than　all　the　fortune　that　you　could　put

at　my　disposal。　　But　I　could　not　accept　what　you　would　offer　me

from　any　woman　who　was　not　my　wifeand　I　could　not　marry　any　woman

that　did　not　love　me。　　I　am　perhaps　past　the　age　when　I　could

inspire　a　young　girl's　affection；　but　I　have　not　reached　the　age

when　I　would　accept　anything　less。〃　　He　stopped　abruptly。　　Grace

did　not　look　up。　　There　was　a　tear　glistening　upon　her　long

eyelashes；　albeit　a　faint　smile　played　upon　her　lips。



〃Do　you　call　this　business；　Mr。　Rushbrook？〃　she　said　softly。



〃Business？〃



〃To　assume　a　proposal　declined　before　it　has　been　offered。〃



〃Gracemy　darlingtell　meis　it　possible？〃



It　was　too　late　for　her　to　rise　now；　as　his　hands　held　both　hers；

and　his　handsome　mouth　was　smiling　level　with　her　own。　　So　it

really　seemed　to　a　dispassionate　spectator　that　it　WAS　possible；

and　before　she　had　left　the　room；　it　even　appeared　to　be　the　most

probable　thing　in　the　world。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



The　union　of　Grace　Nevil　and　Robert　Rushbrook　was　recorded　by　local

history　as　the　crown　to　his　victory　over　the　Ring。　　But　only　he　and

his　wife　knew　that　it　was　the　cause。











End