tales of trail and town-第13部分

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〃She！〃　　The　emphasis　which　his　sister　put　upon　the　personal　pronoun

was　unmistakable；　but　Peter　ignored　it；　and　so　apparently　did　she；

as　she　said　the　next　moment　in　a　different　voice；　〃She's　very

pretty；　don't　you　think？〃



〃Very；〃　said　Peter　coldly。



There　was　a　long　pause。　　Peter　slightly　fingered　one　of　the　sheets

of　his　delayed　report　on　his　desk。　　His　sister　looked　up。　　〃I'm

afraid　I'm　as　bad　as　Lady　Elfrida　in　keeping　you　from　your　Indians；

but　I　had　something　to　say　to　you。　　No　matter；　another　time　will　do

when　you're　not　so　busy。〃



〃Please　go　on　now；〃　said　Peter；　with　affected　unconcern；　yet　with　a

feeling　of　uneasiness　creeping　over　him。



〃It　was　only　this；〃　said　Jenny；　seating　herself　with　her　elbow　on

the　desk　and　her　chin　in　a　cup…like　hollow　of　her　hand；　〃did　you

ever　think　that　in　the　interests　of　these　poor　Indians；　you　know；

purely　for　the　sake　of　your　belief　in　them；　and　just　to　show　that

you　were　above　vulgar　prejudices；did　you　ever　think　you　could

marry　one　of　them？〃



Two　thoughts　flashed　quickly　on　Peter's　mind；first；　that　Lady

Elfrida　had　repeated　something　of　their　conversation　to　his　sister；

secondly；　that　some　one　had　told　her　of　Little　Daybreak。　　Each　was

equally　disturbing。　　But　he　recovered　himself　quickly　and　said；　〃I

might　if　I　thought　it　was　required。　　But　even　a　sacrifice　is　not

always　an　example。〃



〃Then　you　think　it　would　be　a　sacrifice？〃　she　said；　slowly　raising

her　dark　eyes　to　his。



〃If　I　did　something　against　received　opinion；　against　precedent；

and　for　aught　I　know　against　even　the　prejudices　of　those　I　wish　to

serve；　however　lofty　my　intention　was　and　however　great　the　benefit

to　them　in　the　end；　it　would　still　be　a　sacrifice　in　the　present。〃

He　saw　his　own　miserable　logic　and　affected　didactics；　but　he　went

on　lightly；　〃But　why　do　you　ask　such　a　question？　　You　haven't　any

one　in　your　mind　for　me；　have　you？〃



She　had　risen　thoughtfully　and　was　moving　towards　the　door。

Suddenly　she　turned　with　a　quick；　odd　vivacity：　〃Perhaps　I　had。

Oh；　Peter；　there　was　such　a　lovely　little　squaw　I　saw　the　last　time

I　was　at　Oak　Bottom！　　She　was　no　darker　than　I　am；　but　so

beautiful。　　Even　in　her　little　cotton　gown　and　blanket；　with　only　a

string　of　beads　around　her　throat；　she　was　as　pretty　as　any　one

here。　　And　I　dare　say　she　could　be　educated　and　appear　as　well　as

any　white　woman。　　I　should　so　like　to　have　you　see　her。　　I　would

have　tried　to　bring　her　to　the　fort；　but　the　braves　are　very

jealous　of　their　wives　or　daughters　seeing　white　men；　you　know；　and

I　was　afraid　of　the　colonel。〃



She　had　spoken　volubly　and　with　a　strange　excitement；　but　even　at

the　moment　her　face　changed　again；　and　as　she　left　the　office；　with

a　quick　laugh　and　parting　gesture；　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes。



Accustomed　to　her　moods　and　caprices；　Peter　thought　little　of　the

intrusion；　relieved　as　he　was　of　his　first　fears。　　She　had　come　to

him　from　loneliness　and　curiosity；　and；　perhaps；　he　thought　with　a

sad　smile；　from　a　little　sisterly　jealousy　of　the　young　girl　who

had　evinced　such　an　interest　in　him；　and　had　known　him　before。　　He

took　up　his　pen　and　continued　the　interrupted　paragraph　of　his

report。



〃I　am　satisfied　that　much　of　the　mischievous　and　extravagant

prejudice　against　the　half　breed　and　all　alliances　of　the　white　and

red　races　springs　from　the　ignorance　of　the　frontiersman　and　his

hasty　generalization　of　facts。　　There　is　no　doubt　that　an

intermixture　of　blood　brings　out　purely　superficial　contrasts　the

more　strongly；　and　that　against　the　civilizing　habits　and　even

costumes　of　the　half　breed；　certain　Indian　defects　appear　the　more

strongly　as　in　the　case　of　the　color　line　of　the　quadroon　and

octoroon；　but　it　must　not　be　forgotten　that　these　are　only　the

contrasts　of　specific　improvement；　and　the　inference　that　the

borrowed　defects　of　a　half　breed　exceed　the　original　defects　of　the

full…blooded　aborigine　is　utterly　illogical。〃　　He　stopped　suddenly

and　laid　down　his　pen　with　a　heightened　color；　the　bugle　had　blown；

the　guard　was　turning　out　to　receive　the　commandant　and　his

returning　party；　among　whom　was　Friddy。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



Through　the　illusions　of　depression　and　distance　the　〃sink〃　of

Butternut　Creek　seemed　only　an　incrustation　of　blackish　moss　on　the

dull　gray　plain。　　It　was　not　until　one　approached　within　half　a

mile　of　it　that　it　resolved　itself　into　a　copse　of　butternut…trees

sunken　below　the　distant　levels。　　Here　once；　in　geological　story；

the　waters　of　Butternut　Creek；　despairing　of　ever　crossing　the

leagues　of　arid　waste　before　them；　had　suddenly　disappeared　in　the

providential　interposition　of　an　area　of　looser　soil；　and　so　given

up　the　effort　and　the　ghost　forever；　their　grave　being　marked　by

the　butternut　copse；　chance…sown　by　bird　or　beast　in　the　saturated

ground。　　In　Indian　legend　the　〃sink〃　commemorated　the　equally

providential　escape　of　a　great　tribe　who；　surrounded　by　enemies；

appealed　to　the　Great　Spirit　for　protection；　and　was　promptly

conveyed　by　subterraneous　passages　to　the　banks　of　the　Great　River

a　hundred　miles　away。　　Its　outer　edges　were　already　invaded　by　the

dust　of　the　plain；　but　within　them　ran　cool　recesses；　a　few

openings；　and　the　ashes　of　some　long…forgotten　camp…fires。　　To…day

its　sombre　shadows　were　relieved　by　bright　colored　dresses；　the

jackets　of　the　drivers　of　a　large　sutler's　wagon；　whose　white

canvas　head　marked　the　entrance　of　the　copse；　and　all　the

paraphernalia　of　a　picnic。　　It　was　a　party　gotten　up　by　the　foreign

guests　to　the　ladies　of　the　fort；　prepared　and　arranged　by　the

active　Lady　Elfrida；　assisted　by　the　only　gentleman　of　the　party；

Peter　Atherly；　who；　from　his　acquaintance　with　the　locality；　was

allowed　to　accompany　them。　　The　other　gentlemen；　who　with　a　large

party　of　officers　and　soldiers　were　shooting　in　the　vicinity；　were

sufficiently　near　for　protection。　　They　would　rejoin　the　ladies

later。



〃It　does　not　seem　in　the　least　as　if　we　were　miles　away　from　any

town　or　habitation；〃　said　Lady　Runnybroke；　complacently　seating

herself　on　a　stump；　〃and　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　to　see　a　church

tower　through　those　trees。　　It's　very　like　the　hazel　copse　at

Longworth；　you　know。　　Not　at　all　what　I　expected。〃



〃For　the　matter　of　that　neither　are　the　Indians；〃　said　the　Hon。

Evelyn　Rayne。　　〃Did　you　ever　see　such　grotesque　creatures　in　their

cast…off　boots　and　trousers？　　They're　no　better　than　gypsies。　　I

wonder　what　Mr。　Atherly　can　find　in　them。〃



〃And　he　a　rich　man；　too；they　say　he's　got　a　mine　in　California

worth　a　million；to　take　up　a　craze　like　this；〃　added　the　lively

Mrs。　Captain　Joyce；　〃that's　what　gets　me！　　You　know；〃　she　went　on

confidentially；　〃that　cranks　and　reformers　are　always　poorit's

quite　natural；　but　I　don't　see　what　he；　a　rich　man；　expects　to　make

by　his　reforms；　I'm　sure。〃



〃He'll　get　over　it　in　time；〃　said　the　Hon。　Evelyn　Kayne；　〃they　all

do。　　At　least　he　expects　to　get　the　reforms　he　wants　in　a　year；　and

then　he's　coming　over　to　England　again。〃



〃Indeed；　how　very　nice；〃　responded　Lady　Runnybroke　quickly。　　〃Did

he　say　so？〃



〃No。　　But　Friddy　says　he　is。〃



The　two　officers'　wives　glanced　at　each　other。　　Lady　Runnybroke　put

up　her　eyeglass　in　default　of　ostrich　feathers；　and　said

didactically；　〃I'm　sure　Mr。　Atherly　is　very　much　in　earnest；　and

sincerely　devoted　to　his　work。　　And　in　a　man　of　his　wealth　and

position　here　it's　most　estimable。　　My　dear；〃　she　said；　getting　up

and　moving　towards　Mrs。　Lascelles；　〃we　were　just　saying　how　good

and　unselfish　your　brother　was　in　his　work　for　these　poor　people。〃



But　Jenny　Lascelles　must　have　been　in　one　of　those　abstracted　moods

which　so　troubled　her　husband；　for　she　seemed　to　be　staring

straight　before　her　into　the　recesses　of　the　wood。　　In　her　there

was　a　certain　resemblance　to　the　attitude　of　a　listening　animal。



〃I　wish　Mr。　Atherly　was　a　little　more　unselfish　to　US　poor　people；〃

said　the　Hon。　Evelyn　Kayne；　〃for　he　and　Friddy　have　been　nearly　an

hour　looking　for　a　place　to　spread　our　luncheon　baskets。　　I　wish

they'd　leave　the　future　of　the　brown　races　to　look　after　itself　and

look　a　little　more　after　us。　　I'm　famished。〃



〃I　fancy　they　find　it　difficult　to　select　a　clear　space　for　so

large　a　party　as　we　will　be　when　the　gentlemen　come　in；〃　returned

Lady　Runnybroke；　glancing　in　the　direction　of　Jenny's　abstracted

eyes。



〃I　suppose　you　must　feel　like　chicken　and　salad；　too；　Lady

Runnybroke；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Captain　Joyce。



〃I　don't　think　I　quite　know　HOW　chicken　and　salad　feel；　dear；〃　said

Lady　Runnybroke　with　a　puzzled　air；　〃but　if　that's　one　of　your

husband's　delightful　American　stories；　do　tell　us。　　I　never　CAN　get

Runnybroke　to　tell　me　any；　although　he　roars　over　them　all。　　And　I

dare　say　he　gets　them　all　wrong。　　But　look；　here　comes　our　luncheon。〃



Peter　and　Lady　Elfrida　were　a