a ward of the golden gate-第10节

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odd　excitement　which　he　could　trace　to　no　particular　cause。　　It　was
true　that　he　had　been　annoyed　at　not　finding　the　young　girl　at　the
convent；　and　at　having　to　justify　himself　to　the　Lady　Superior　for
what　he　conceived　to　be　an　act　of　gratuitous　kindness；　nor　was　he
blind　to　the　fact　that　his　persistence　in　following　her　was　more　an
act　of　aggression　against　the　enemies　of　Pendleton　than　of　concern
for　Yerba。　　She　was　certainly　pretty；　he　could　not　remember　her
mother　sufficiently　to　trace　any　likeness；　and　he　had　never　admired
the　mother's　pronounced　beauty。　　She　had　flashed　out　for　an　instant
into　what　seemed　originality　and　feeling。　　But　it　had　passed；　and
she　had　asked　no　further　questions　in　regard　to　the　colonel。

She　had　hurriedly　skimmed　through　the　letter；　which　seemed　to　be
composed　of　certain　figures　and　accounts。　　〃I　suppose　it's　all
right；〃　she　said；　〃at　least　you　can　say　so　if　he　asks　you。　　It's
only　an　explanation　why　he　has　transferred　my　money　from　the　bank
to　Rothschild's　agent　years　ago。　　I　don't　see　why　it　should
interest　me　NOW。〃

Paul　made　no　doubt　that　it　was　the　same　transfer　that　had
shipwrecked　the　colonel's　fortune　and　alienated　his　friends；　and
could　not　help　replying　somewhat　pointedly；　〃But　I　think　it　should；
Miss　Yerba。　　I　don't　know　what　the　colonel　explained　to　you
doubtless；　not　the　whole　truth；　for　he　is　not　a　man　to　praise
himself；　but；　the　fact　is；　the　bank　was　in　difficulties　at　the　time
of　that　transfer；　and；　to　make　it；　he　sacrificed　his　personal
fortune；　and；　I　think；　awakened　some　of　that　ill…feeling　you　have
just　noticed。〃　　He　checked　himself　too　late：　he　had　again　lost　not
only　his　tact　and　self…control；　but　had　nearly　betrayed　himself。
He　was　surprised　that　the　girl's　justifiable　ignorance　should　have
irritated　him。　　Yet　she　had　evidently　not　noticed；　or　misunderstood
it；　for　she　said；　with　a　certain　precision　that　was　almost
studied：

〃Yes；　I　suppose　it　would　have　been　a　terrible　thing　to　him　to　have
been　suspected　of　misappropriating　a　Trust　confided　to　him　by
parties　who　had　already　paid　him　the　high　compliment　of　confiding
to　his　care　a　secret　and　a　fortune。〃

Paul　glanced　at　her　quickly　with　astonishment。　　Was　this　ignorance；
or　suspicion？　　Her　manner；　however；　suddenly　changed；　with　the
charming　capriciousness　of　youth　and　conscious　beauty。　　〃He　speaks
of　you　in　this　letter；〃　she　said；　letting　her　dark　eyes　rest　on　him
provokingly。

〃That　accounts　for　your　lack　of　interest　then；〃　said　Paul　gayly；
relieved　to　turn　a　conversation　fraught　with　so　much　danger。

〃But　he　speaks　very　flatteringly；〃　she　went　on。　　〃He　seems　to　be
another　one　of　your　admirers。　　I'm　sure；　Mr。　Hathaway；　after　that
scene　in　the　hotel　parlor　yesterday；　YOU；　at　least；　cannot　complain
of　having　been　misrepresented　before　ME。　　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I
think　I　hated　you　a　little　for　it。〃

〃You　were　quite　right；〃　returned　Paul。　　〃I　must　have　been
insufferable！　　And　I　admit　that　I　was　slightly　piqued　against　YOU
for　the　idolatries　showered　upon　you　at　the　same　moment　by　your
friends。〃

Usually；　when　two　young　people　have　reached　the　point　of
confidingly　exchanging　their　first　impressions　of　each　other；　some
progress　has　been　made　in　first　acquaintance。　　But　it　did　not
strike　Paul　in　that　way；　and　Yerba's　next　remark　was　discouraging。

〃But　I'm　rather　disappointed；　for　all　that。　　Colonel　Pendleton
tells　me　you　know　nothing　of　my　family　or　of　the　secret。〃

Paul　was　this　time　quite　prepared；　and　withstood　the　girl's
scrutiny　calmly。　　〃Do　you　think；〃　he　asked　lightly；　〃that　even　HE
knows？〃

〃Of　course　he　does；〃　she　returned　quickly。　　〃Do　you　suppose　he
would　have　taken　all　that　trouble　you　have　just　talked　about　if　he
didn't　know　it？　　And　feared　the　consequences；　perhaps？〃　she　added；
with　a　slight　return　of　her　previous　expressive　manner。

Again　Paul　was　puzzled　and　irritated；　he　knew　not　why。　　But　he　only
said　pleasantly；　〃I　differ　from　you　there。　　I　am　afraid　that　such　a
thing　as　fear　never　entered　into　Colonel　Pendleton's　calculations
on　any　subject。　　I　think　he　would　act　the　same　towards　the　highest
and　the　lowest；　the　powerful　or　the　most　weak。〃　　As　she　glanced　at
him　quickly　and　mischievously；　he　added；　〃I　am　quite　willing　to
believe　that　his　knowledge　of　you　made　his　duty　pleasanter。〃

He　was　again　quite　sincere；　and　his　slight　sympathy　had　that
irresistible　quality　of　tone　and　look　which　made　him　so　dangerous。
For　he　was　struck　with　the　pretty；　soothed　self…complacency　that
had　shone　in　her　face　since　he　had　spoken　of　Pendleton's　equal
disinterestedness。　　It　seemed；　too；　as　if　what　he　had　taken　for
passion　or　petulance　in　her　manner　had　been　only　a　resistance　to
some　continual　aggression　of　condition。　　With　that　remainder　held
in　check；　a　certain　latent　nobility　was　apparent；　as　of　her　true
self。　　In　this　moment　of　pleased　abstraction　she　had　drawn　through
the　lattice…work　of　one　of　the　windows　a　spray　of　roses　clinging　to
the　vine；　and　with　her　graceful　head　a　little　on　one　side；　was
softly　caressing　her　cheek　with　it。　　She　certainly　was　very　pretty。
From　the　crown　of　her　dark　little　head　to　the　narrow　rosetted
slippers　that　had　been　idly　tapping　the　ground；　but　now　seemed　to
press　it　more　proudly；　with　arched　insteps　and　small　ankles；　she
was　pleasant　to　look　upon。

〃But　you　surely　have　something　else　to　think　about；　Miss　Yerba？〃
said　the　young　man；　with　conviction。　　〃In　a　few　months　you　will　be
of　age；　and　rid　of　those　dreadfully　stupid　guardians；　with　your〃

The　loosened　rose…spray　flew　from　her　hand　out　of　the　window　as　she
made　a　gesture；　half　real；　half　assumed；　of　imploring　supplication。
〃Oh；　please；　Mr。　Hathaway；　for　Heaven's　sake　don't　YOU　begin　too！
You　are　going　to　say　that；　with　my　wealth；　my　accomplishments；　my
beauty；　my　friends；　what　more　can　I　want？　　What　do　I　care　about　a
secret　that　can　neither　add　to　them　nor　take　them　away？　　Yes；　you
were！　　It's　the　regular　thing　to　sayeverybody　says　it。　　Why；　I
should　have　thought　'the　youngest　senator'　could　afford　to　have
been　more　original。〃

〃I　plead　guilty　to　ALL　the　weaknesses　of　humanity；〃　said　Paul；
warmly；　again　beginning　to　believe　that　he　had　been　most　unjust　to
her　independence。

〃Well；　I　forgive　you；　because　you　have　forgotten　to　say　that；　if　I
don't　like　the　name　of　Yerba　Buena；　I　could　SO　easily　change　that
too。〃

〃But　you　DO　like　it；〃　said　Paul；　touched　with　this　first　hearing　of
her　name　in　her　own　musical　accents；　〃or　would　like　it　if　you　heard
yourself　pronounce　it。〃　　It　suddenly　recurred　to　him；　with　a
strange　thrill　of　pleasure；　that　he　himself　had　given　it　to　her。
It　was　as　if　he　had　created　some　musical　instrument　to　which　she
had　just　given　voice。　　In　his　enthusiasm　he　had　thrown　himself　on
the　bench　beside　her　in　an　attitude　that；　I　fear；　was　not　as
dignified　as　became　his　elderly　office。

〃But　you　don't　think　that　is　my　NAME；〃　said　the　girl；　quickly。

〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　said　Paul；　hesitatingly。

〃You　don't　think　that　anybody　would　have　been　so　utterly　idiotic　as
to　call　me　after　a　ground…vinea　vegetable？〃　she　continued
petulantly。

〃Eh？〃　stammered　Paul。

〃A　name　that　could　be　so　easily　translated；〃　she　went　on；　half
scornfully；　〃and　when　translated；　was　no　possible　title　for
anybody？　　Think　of　itMiss　Good　Herb！　　It　is　too　ridiculous　for
anything。〃

Paul　was　not　usually　wanting　in　self…possession　in　an　emergency；　or
in　skill　to　meet　attack。　　But　he　was　so　convinced　of　the　truth　of
the　girl's　accusation；　and　now　recalled　so　vividly　his　own
consternation　on　hearing　the　result　of　his　youthful　and　romantic
sponsorship　for　the　first　time　from　Pendleton；　that　he　was　struck
with　confusion。

〃But　what　do　you　suppose　it　was　intended　for？〃　he　said　at　last；
vaguely。　　〃It　was　certainly　'Yerba　Buena'　in　the　Trust。　　At　least；
I　suppose　so；〃　he　corrected　himself　hurriedly。

〃It　is　only　a　supposition；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃for　you　know　it
cannot　be　proved。　　The　Trust　was　never　recorded；　and　the　only　copy
could　not　be　found　among　Mr。　Hammersley's　papers。　　It　is　only　part
of　the　name；　of　which　the　first　is　lost。〃

〃Part　of　the　name？〃　repeated　Paul；　uneasily。

〃Part　of　it。　　It　is　a　corruption　of　de　la　Yerba　Buena；of　the
Yerba　Buena；and　refers　to　the　island　of　Yerba　Buena　in　the　bay；
and　not　to　the　plant。　　That　island　was　part　of　the　property　of　my
familythe　Arguellosyou　will　find　it　so　recorded　in　the　Spanish
grants。　　My　name　is　Arguello　de　la　Yerba　Buena。〃

It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　timid　yet　triumphant；　the　half…
appealing　yet　complacent；　conviction　of　the　girl's　utterance。　　A
moment　before；　Paul　would　have　believed　it　impossible　for　him　to
have　kept　his　gravity　and　his　respect　for　his　companion　under　this
egregious　illusion。　　But　he　kept　both。　　For　a　sudden　conviction
that　she　suspected　the　truth；　and　had　taken　this　audacious　and
original　plan　of　crushing　it；　overpowered　all　other　sense。　　The
Arguellos；　it　flashed　upon　him；　were　an　old　Spanish　family；　former
owners　of　Yerba　Buena　Island；　who　had　in　the　last　years　become
extinct。　　There　had　been　a　story　that　one　of　them　had　eloped　with
an　American　ship　captain's　wife　at　Monterey。　　The　legendary　history
of　early　Spanish　Ca