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第17章

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。

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