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A Mountain Woman
fevered and sick of soul； from the city。
When we were alone； Jessica said to me： 〃That man has too much
vanity； and he thinks it is sensitiveness。 He is going to imagine that his
wife makes him suffer。 There's no one so brutally selfish as your sensitive
man。 He wants every one to live according to his ideas； or he immediately
begins suffering。 That friend of yours hasn't the courage of his
convictions。 He is going to be ashamed of the very qualities that made him
love his wife。〃
There was a hop that night at the hotel； quite an unusual affair as to
elegance； given in honor of a woman from New York； who wrote a novel a
month。
Mrs。 Brainard looked so happy that night when she came in the parlor；
after the music had begun； that I felt a moisture gather in my eyes just
because of the beauty of her joy； and the forced vivacity of the women
about me seemed suddenly coarse and insincere。 Some wonderful red
stones； brilliant as rubies； glittered in among the diaphanous black
driftings of her dress。 She asked me if the stones were not very pretty； and
said she gathered them in one of her mountain river…beds。
〃But the gown？〃 I said。 〃Surely； you do not gather gowns like that in
river…beds； or pick them off mountain…pines？〃
〃But you can get them in Denver。 Father always sent to Denver for my
finery。 He was very particular about how I looked。 You see； I was all he
had 〃 She broke off； her voice faltering。
〃Come over by the window；〃 I said； to change her thought。 〃I have
something to repeat to you。 It is a song of Sydney Lanier's。 I think he was
the greatest poet that ever lived in America； though not many agree with
me。 But he is my dear friend anyway； though he is dead； and I never saw
him； and I want you to hear some of his words。〃
I led her across to an open window。 The dancers were whirling by us。
The waltz was one of those melancholy ones which speak the spirit of the
dance more elo… quently than any merry melody can。 The sound of the sea
booming beyond in the darkness came to us； and long paths of light； now
red； now green； stretched toward the distant light…house。 These were the
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A Mountain Woman
lines I repeated：
〃What heartache ne'er a hill！ Inexorable； vapid； vague； and chill
The drear sand levels drain my spirit low。 With one poor word they tell me
all they know； Whereat their stupid tongues； to tease my pain； Do drawl it
o'er and o'er again。 They hurt my heart with griefs I cannot name；
Always the same the same。〃
But I got no further。 I felt myself moved with a sort of passion which
did not seem to come from within； but to be communicated to me from her。
A certain unfamiliar hap… piness pricked through with pain thrilled me； and
I heard her whispering；
〃Do not go on； do not go on！ I cannot stand it to…night！〃
〃Hush；〃 I whispered back； 〃come out for a moment！〃 We stole into the
dusk without； and stood there trembling。 I swayed with her emotion。
There was a long silence。 Then she said： 〃Father may be walking alone
now by the black cataract。 That is where he goes when he is sad。 I can see
how lonely he looks among those little twisted pines that grow from the
rock。 And he will be remembering all the evenings we walked there
together； and all the things we said。〃 I did not answer。 Her eyes were still
on the sea。
〃What was the name of the man who wrote that verse you just said to
me？〃
I told her。
〃And he is dead？ Did they bury him in the mountains？ No？ I wish I
could have put him where he could have heard those four voices calling
down the canyon。〃
〃Come back in the house；〃 I said； 〃you must come； indeed；〃 I said； as
she shrank from re…entering。
Jessica was dancing like a fairy with Le… roy。 They both saw us and
smiled as we came in； and a moment later they joined us。 I made my
excuses and left my friends to Jessica's care。 She was a sort of social tyrant
wherever she was； and I knew one word from her would insure the
popularity of our friends not that they needed the intervention of any
one。 Leroy had been a sort of drawing…room pet since before he stopped
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A Mountain Woman
wearing knickerbockers。
〃He is at his best in a drawing…room；〃 said Jessica； 〃because there he
deals with theory and not with action。 And he has such beautiful theories
that the women； who are all idealists； adore him。〃
The next morning I awoke with a con… viction that I had been idling
too long。 I went back to the city and brushed the dust from my desk。 Then
each morning； I； as Jessica put it； 〃formed public opinion〃 to the extent of
one column a day in the columns of a certain enterprising morning journal。
Brainard said I had treated him shabbily to leave upon the heels of his
coming。 But a man who works for his bread and butter must put a limit to
his holiday。 It is dif… ferent when you only work to add to your general
picturesqueness。 That is what I wrote Leroy； and it was the unkindest thing
I ever said to him； and why I did it I do not know to this day。 I was glad；
though； when he failed to answer the letter。 It gave me a more reasonable
excuse for feeling out of patience with him。
The days that followed were very dull。 It was hard to get back into the
way of working。 I was glad when Jessica came home to set up our little
establishment and to join in the autumn gayeties。 Brainard brought his
wife to the city soon after； and went to housekeeping in an odd sort of a
way。
〃I couldn't see anything in the place save curios；〃 Jessica reported；
after her first call on them。 〃I suppose there is a cooking… stove somewhere；
and maybe even a pantry with pots in it。 But all I saw was Alaska totems
and Navajo blankets。 They have as many skins around on the floor and
couches as would have satisfied an ancient Briton。 And everybody was
calling there。 You know Mr。 Brainard runs to curios in selecting his friends
as well as his furniture。 The parlors were full this afternoon of ab… normal
people； that is to say； with folks one reads about。 I was the only one there
who hadn't done something。 I guess it's be… cause I am too healthy。〃
〃How did Mrs。 Brainard like such a motley crew？〃
〃She was wonderful perfectly wonder… ful！ Those insulting creatures
were all studying her； and she knew it。 But her dignity was perfect； and
she looked as proud as a Sioux chief。 She listened to every one； and they
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A Mountain Woman
all thought her so bright。〃
〃Brainard must have been tremendously proud of her。〃
〃Oh； he was of her and his Chilcat portiè；res。〃
Jessica was there often； but well； I was busy。 At length； however； I
was forced to go。 Jessica refused to make any further excuses for me。 The
rooms were filled with small celebrities。
〃We are the only nonentities；〃 whispered Jessica； as she looked around；
〃it will make us quite distinguished。〃
We went to speak to our hostess。 She stood beside her husband；
looking taller than ever； and her face was white。 Her long red gown of
clinging silk was so pe… culiar as to give one the impression that she was
dressed in character。 It was easy to tell that it was one of Leroy's fancies。 I
hardly heard what she said； but I know she reproached me gently for not
having been to see them。 I had no further word with her till some one led
her to the piano； and she paused to say；
〃That poet you spoke of to me the one you said was a friend of
yours he is my friend now too； and I have learned to sing some of his
songs。 I am going to sing one now。〃 She seemed to have no timidity at all；
but stood quietly； with a half smile； while a young man with a Russian
name played a strange minor prelude。 Then she sang； her voice a
wonderful contralto； cold at times； and again lit up wi