按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
pull upon her bit。 To her consternation the mustang stopped short
almost instantly；planting his two fore feet rigidly in the dust
and even sliding forward with the impetus。 Had her seat been less
firm she might have been thrown； but she recovered herself；
although in doing so she still bore upon the bit； when to her
astonishment the mustang deliberately stiffened himself as if for a
shock； and then began to back slowly； quivering with excitement。
She did not know that her native…bred animal fondly believed that
he was participating in a rodeo； and that to his equine intelligence
his fair mistress had just lassoed something！ In vain she urged him
forward； he still waited for the shock！ When the cloud of dust in
which she had been enwrapped drifted away； she saw to her amazement
that she was alone。 The entire party had disappeared into one of
the canyons；but which one she could not tell！
When she succeeded at last in urging her mustang forward again she
determined to take the right…hand canyon and trust to being either
met or overtaken。 A more practical and less adventurous nature
would have waited at the point of divergence for the return of some
of the party； but Mrs。 Ashwood was； in truth； not sorry to be left
to herself and the novel scenery for a while； and she had no doubt
but she would eventually find her way to the hotel at San Mateo；
which could not be far away； in time for luncheon。
The road was still well defined； although it presently began to
wind between ascending ranks of pines and larches that marked the
terraces of hills； so high that she wondered she had not noticed
them from the plains。 An unmistakable suggestion of some haunting
primeval solitude； a sense of the hushed and mysterious proximity
of a nature she had never known before； the strange half…
intoxicating breath of unsunned foliage and untrodden grasses and
herbs； all combined to exalt her as she cantered forward。 Even her
horse seemed to have acquired an intelligent liberty； or rather to
have established a sympathy with her in his needs and her own
longings； instinctively she no longer pulled him with the curb； the
reins hung loosely on his self…arched and unfettered neck； secure
in this loneliness she found herself even talking to him with
barbaric freedom。 As she went on； the vague hush of all things
animate and inanimate around her seemed to thicken； until she
unconsciously halted before a dim and pillared wood； and a vast and
heathless opening on whose mute brown lips Nature seemed to have
laid the finger of silence。 She forgot the party she had left； she
forgot the luncheon she was going to； more important still she
forgot that she had already left the traveled track far behind her；
and； tremulous with anticipation； rode timidly into that arch of
shadow。
As her horse's hoofs fell noiselessly on the elastic moss…carpeted
aisle she forgot even more than that。 She forgot the artificial
stimulus and excitement of the life she had been leading so long；
she forgot the small meannesses and smaller worries of her well…to…
do experiences； she forgot herself；rather she regained a self she
had long forgotten。 For in the sweet seclusion of this half
darkened sanctuary the clinging fripperies of her past slipped from
her as a tawdry garment。 The petted； spoiled； and vapidly
precocious girlhood which had merged into a womanhood of aimless
triumphs and meaner ambitions； the worldly but miserable triumph of
a marriage that had left her delicacy abused and her heart sick and
unsatisfied； the wifehood without home； seclusion； or maternity；
the widowhood that at last brought relief； but with it the
consciousness of hopelessly wasted youth；all this seemed to drop
from her here as lightly as the winged needles or noiseless
withered spray from the dim gray vault above her head。 In the
sovereign balm of that woodland breath her better spirit was
restored； somewhere in these wholesome shades seemed to still lurk
what should have been her innocent and nymph…like youth； and to
come out once more and greet her。 Old songs she had forgotten； or
whose music had failed in the discords of her frivolous life； sang
themselves to her again in that sweet； grave silence； girlish
dreams that she had foolishly been ashamed of； or had put away with
her childish toys； stole back to her once more and became real in
this tender twilight； old fancies； old fragments of verse and
childish lore； grew palpable and moved faintly before her。 The
boyish prince who should have come was there； the babe that should
have been hers was there！she stopped suddenly with flaming eyes
and indignant color。 For it appeared that a MAN was there too； and
had just risen from the fallen tree where he had been sitting。
CHAPTER VIII。
She had so far forgotten herself in yielding to the spell of the
place； and in the revelation of her naked soul and inner nature；
that it was with something of the instinct of outraged modesty that
she seemed to shrink before this apparition of the outer world and
outer worldliness。 In an instant the nearer past returned； she
remembered where she was； how she had come there； from whom she had
come； and to whom she was returning。 She could see that she had
not only aimlessly wandered from the world but from the road； and
for that instant she hated this man who had reminded her of it；
even while she knew she must ask his assistance。 It relieved her
slightly to observe that he seemed as disturbed and impatient as
herself； and as he took a pencil from between his lips and returned
it to his pocket he scarcely looked at her。
But with her return to the world of convenances came its repression；
and with a gentlewoman's ease and modulated voice she leaned over
her mustang's neck and said： 〃I have strayed from my party and am
afraid I have lost my way。 We were going to the hotel at San Mateo。
Would you be kind enough to direct me there； or show me how I can
regain the road by which I came？〃
Her voice and manner were quite enough to arrest him where he stood
with a pleased surprise in his fresh and ingenuous face。 She
looked at him more closely。 He was； in spite of his long silken
mustache； so absurdly young； he might； in spite of that youth； be
so absurdly man…like！ What was he doing there？ Was he a farmer's
son； an artist； a surveyor； or a city clerk out for a holiday？ Was
there perhaps a youthful female of his species somewhere for whom
he was waiting and upon whose tryst she was now breaking？ Was he
terrible thought！the outlying picket of some family picnic？ His
dress； neat； simple； free from ostentatious ornament； betrayed
nothing。 She waited for his voice。
〃Oh； you have left San Mateo miles away to the right；〃 he said with
quick youthful sympathy； 〃at least five miles！ Where did you leave
your party？〃
His voice was winning； and even refined； she thought。 She answered
it quite spontaneously： 〃At a fork of two roads。 I see now I took
the wrong turning。〃
〃Yes； you took the road to Crystal Spring。 It's just down there in
the valley； not more than a mile。 You'd have been there now if you
hadn't turned off at the woods。〃
〃I couldn't help it； it was so beautiful。〃
〃Isn't it？〃
〃Perfect。〃
〃And such shadows； and such intensity of color。〃
〃Wonderful！and all along the ridge； looking down that defile！〃
〃Yes； and that point where it seems as if you had only to stretch
out your hand to pick a manzanita berry from the other side of the
canyon； half a mile across！〃
〃Yes； and that first glimpse of the valley through the Gothic
gateway of rocks！〃
〃And the color of those rocks；cinnamon and bronze with the light
green of the Yerba buena vine splashing over them。〃
〃Yes； but for color DID you notice that hillside of yellow poppies
pouring down into the valley like a golden Niagara？〃
〃Certainly；and the perfect clearness of everything。〃
〃And yet such complete silence and repose！〃
〃Oh； yes！〃
〃Ah； yes！〃
They were both gravely nodding and shaking their heads with
sparkling eyes and brightened color； looking not at each other but
at the far landscape vignetted through a lozenge…shaped wind
opening in the trees。 Suddenly Mrs。 Ashwood straightened herself
in the saddle； looked grave； lifted the reins and apparently the
ten years with them that had dropped from her。 But she said in her
easiest well…bred tones； and a half sigh； 〃Then I must take the
road back again to where it forks？〃
〃Oh； no！ you can go by Crystal Spring。 It's no further； and I'll
show you the way。 But you'd better stop and rest yourself and your
horse for a little while at the Springs Hotel。 It's a very nice
place。 Many people ride there from San Francisco to luncheon and
return。 I wonder that your party didn't prefer it； and if they are
looking for you；as they surely must be；〃 he said； a