on the frontier-第17章
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surprise the two men met more or less awkwardly and coldly; and her
tact as hostess was tried to the utmost to keep their evident
antagonism from being too apparent。 The effort to reconcile their
mutual discontent; and some other feeling she did not quite
understand; produced a nervous excitement which called the blood to
her cheek and gave a dangerous brilliancy to her eyes; two
circumstances not unnoticed nor unappreciated by her two guests。
But instead of reuniting them; the prettier Mrs。 Tucker became; the
more distant and reserved grew the men; until Don Jose rose before
the usual hour; and with more than usual ceremoniousness departed。
〃Then my business does not seem to be with HIM?〃 said Poindexter;
with quiet coolness; as Mrs。 Tucker turned her somewhat mystified
face towards him。 〃Or have you anything to say to me about him in
private?〃
〃I am sure I don't know what you both mean;〃 she returned with a
slight tremor of voice。 〃I had no idea you were not on good terms。
I thought you were! It's very awkward。〃 Without coquetry and
unconsciously she raised her blue eyes under her lids until the
clear pupils coyly and softly hid themselves in the corners of the
brown lashes; and added; 〃You have both been so kind to me。〃
〃Perhaps that is the reason;〃 said Poindexter; gravely。 But Mrs。
Tucker refused to accept the suggestion with equal gravity; and
began to laugh。 The laugh; which was at first frank; spontaneous;
and almost child…like; was becoming hysterical and nervous as she
went on; until it was suddenly checked by Poindexter。
〃I have had no difficulties with Don Jose Santierra;〃 he said;
somewhat coldly ignoring her hilarity; 〃but perhaps he is not
inclined to be as polite to the friend of the husband as he is to
the wife。〃
〃Mr。 Poindexter!〃 said Mrs。 Tucker quickly; her face becoming pale
again。
〃I beg your pardon!〃 said Poindexter; flushing; 〃but〃
〃You want to say;〃 she interrupted coolly; 〃that you are not
friends; I see。 Is that the reason why you have avoided this
house?〃 she continued gently。
〃I thought I could be of more service to you elsewhere;〃 he replied
evasively。 〃I have been lately following up a certain clue rather
closely。 I think I am on the track of a confidante ofofthat
woman。〃
A quick shadow passed over Mrs。 Tucker's face。 〃Indeed!〃 she said
coldly。 〃Then I am to believe that you prefer to spend your
leisure moments in looking after that creature to calling here?〃
Poindexter was stupefied。 Was this the woman who only four months
ago was almost vindictively eager to pursue her husband's paramour!
There could be but one answer to itDon Jose! Four months ago he
would have smiled compassionately at it from his cynical pre…
eminence。 Now he managed with difficulty to stifle the bitterness
of his reply。
〃If you do not wish the inquiry carried on;〃 he began; 〃of course〃
〃I? What does it matter to me?〃 she said coolly。 〃Do as you
please。〃
Nevertheless; half an hour later; as he was leaving; she said; with
a certain hesitating timidity; 〃Do not leave me so much alone here;
and let that woman go。〃
This was not the only unlooked…for sequel to her innocent desire to
propitiate her best friends。 Don Jose did not call again upon his
usual day; but in his place came Dona Clara; his younger sister。
When Mrs。 Tucker had politely asked after the absent Don Jose; Dona
Clara wound her swarthy arms around the fair American's waist and
replied; 〃But why did you send for the abogado Poindexter when my
brother called?〃
〃But Captain Poindexter calls as one of my friends;〃 said the
amazed Mrs。 Tucker。 〃He is a gentleman; and has been a soldier and
an officer;〃 she added with some warmth。
〃Ah; yes; a soldier of the law; what you call an oficial de
policia; a chief of gendarmes; my sister; but not a gentlemana
camarero to protect a lady。〃
Mrs。 Tucker would have uttered a hasty reply; but the perfect and
good…natured simplicity of Dona Clara withheld her。 Nevertheless;
she treated Don Jose with a certain reserve at their next meeting;
until it brought the simple…minded Castilian so dangerously near
the point of demanding an explanation which implied too much that
she was obliged to restore him temporarily to his old footing。
Meantime she had a brilliant idea。 She would write to Calhoun
Weaver; whom she had avoided since that memorable day。 She would
say she wished to consult him。 He would come to Los Cuervos; he
might suggest something to lighten this weary waiting; at least she
would show them all that she had still old friends。 Yet she did
not dream of returning to her Blue Grass home; her parents had died
since she left; she shrank from the thought of dragging her ruined
life before the hopeful youth of her girlhood's companions。
Mr。 Calhoun Weaver arrived promptly; ostentatiously; oracularly;
and cordially; but a little coarsely。 He haddid she remember?
expected this from the first。 Spencer had lost his head through
vanity; and had attempted too much。 It required foresight and
firmness; as he himselfwho had lately made successful
〃combinations〃 which she might perhaps have heard ofwell knew。
But Spencer had got the 〃big head。〃 〃As to that womana devilish
handsome woman too!well; everybody knew that Spencer always had a
weakness that way; and he would saybut if she didn't care to hear
any more about herwell; perhaps she was right。 That was the best
way to take it。〃 Sitting before her; prosperous; weak;
egotistical; incompetent; unavailable; and yet filled with a vague
kindliness of intent; Mrs。 Tucker loathed him。 A sickening
perception of her own weakness in sending for him; a new and aching
sense of her utter isolation and helplessness; seemed to paralyze
her。
〃Nat'rally you feel bad;〃 he continued; with the large air of a
profound student of human nature。 〃Nat'rally; nat'rally you're
kept in an uncomfortable state; not knowing jist how you stand。
There ain't but one thing to do。 Jist rise up; quiet like; and get
a divorce agin Spencer。 Hold on! There ain't a judge or jury in
California that wouldn't give it to you right off the nail; without
asking questions。 Why; you 'ld get it by default if you wanted to;
you 'ld just have to walk over the course! And then; Belle;〃 he
drew his chair still nearer her; 〃when you've settled down again
well!I don't mind renewing that offer I once made ye; before
Spencer ever came round yeI don't mind; Belle; I swear I don't!
Honest Injin! I'm in earnest; there's my hand!〃
Mrs。 Tucker's reply has not been recorded。 Enough that half an
hour later Mr。 Weaver appeared in the courtyard with traces of
tears on his foolish face; a broken falsetto voice; and other
evidence of mental and moral disturbance。 His cordiality and
oracular predisposition remained sufficiently to enable him to
suggest the magical words 〃Blue Grass〃 mysteriously to Concha; with
an indication of his hand to the erect figure of her pale mistress
in the doorway; who waved to him a silent but half…compassionate
farewell。
At about this time a slight change in her manner was noticed by the
few who saw her more frequently。 Her apparently invincible
girlishness of spirit had given way to a certain matronly
seriousness。 She applied herself to her household cares and the
improvement of the hacienda with a new sense of duty and a settled
earnestness; until by degrees she wrought into it not only her
instinctive delicacy and taste; but part of her own individuality。
Even the rude rancheros and tradesmen who were permitted to enter
the walls in the exercise of their calling began to speak
mysteriously of the beauty of this garden of the almarjal。 She
went out but seldom; and then accompanied by the one or the other
of her female servants; in long drives on unfrequented roads。 On
Sundays she sometimes drove to the half…ruined mission church of
Santa Inez; and hid herself; during mass; in the dim monastic
shadows of the choir。 Gradually the poorer people whom she met in
these journeys began to show an almost devotional reverence for
her; stopping in the roads with uncovered heads for her to pass; or
making way for her in the tienda or plaza of the wretched town with
dumb courtesy。 She began to feel a strange sense of widowhood;
that; while it at times brought tears to her eyes; was; not without
a certain tender solace。 In the sympathy and simpleness of this
impulse she went as far as to revive the mourning she had worn for
her parents; but with such a fatal accenting of her beauty; and
dangerous misinterpreting of her condition to eligible bachelors
strange to the country; that she was obliged to put it off again。
Her reserve and dignified manner caused others to mistake her
nationality for that of the Santierras; and in 〃Dona Bella〃 the
simple Mrs。 Tucker was for a while forgotten。 At times she even
forgot it herself。 Accustomed now almost entirely to the accents
of another language and the features of another race; she would sit
for hours in the corridor; whose massive bronzed inclosure even her
tasteful care could only make an embowered mausoleum of the Past;
or gaze abstractedly from the dark embrasures of her windows across
the stretching almarjal to the shining lagoon beyond that
terminated the estuary。 She had a strange fondness for this
tranquil mirror; which under sun or stars always retained the
passive reflex of the sky above; and seemed to rest her weary eyes。
She had objected to one of the plans projected by Poindexter to
redeem the land and deepen the water at the embarcadero; as it
would have drained the lagoon; and the lawyer had postponed the
improvement to gratify her fancy。 So she kept it through the long
summer unchanged save by the shadows of passing wings or the lazy
files of sleeping sea…fowl。
On one of these afternoons she noticed a slowly moving carriage
leave the high road and cross the almarjal skirting the edge of the
lagoon。 If it contained visitors for Los Cuervos they had
evidently taken a shorter cut without waiting to go on to the
regular road which intersected the highway at right angles a mile
farther on。 It was with some sense of annoyance and irritation
that she watched the trespass; and finally saw the vehicle approach
the house。 A few moments later the servant informed her that Mr。
Patterson would like to see her alone。 When she entered the
corridor; which in the dry season served as a reception hall; she
was surprised to see that Patterson was not alone。 Near him stood
a well…dressed handsome woman; gazing about her with good…humored
admiration of Mrs。 Tucker's taste and ingenuity。
〃It don't look much like it did two years ago;〃 said the stranger
cheerfully。 〃You've improved it wonderfully。〃
Stiffening slightly; Mrs。 Tucker turned inquiringly to Mr。