a ward of the golden gate-第14节

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certain　it　is　the　same：　it　was　unique；　like　this。　　Odd；　isn't　it？〃

Everybody　said　it　WAS　odd；　and　looked　upon　the　occurrence　with　that
unreasoning　satisfaction　with　which　average　humanity　receives　the
most　trivial　and　unmeaning　coincidences。　　It　was　left　to　Don　Caesar
to　give　it　a　gallant　application。

〃I　have　not…a　the　pleasure　of　knowing…a　the　Miss　Minnie；　but　the
jewelry；　when　she　arrives；　to　the　throat…a　of　Miss　Yerba；　she　has
not　lost　the　valuethe　beautythe　charm。〃

〃No；〃　said　Woods；　cheerily。　　〃The　fact　is；　Baker；　you　were　too
slow。　　Miss　Yerba's　folks　gobbled　up　the　necklace　while　you　were
thinking。　　You　were　a　new…comer。　　Old　'forty…niners'　did　not
hesitate　over　a　thing　they　wanted。〃

〃You　never　knew　who　was　your　successful　rival；　eh？〃　said　Dona　Anna；
turning　to　Judge　Baker　with　a　curious　glance　at　Paul's　pale　face　in
passing。

〃No；〃　said　Baker；　〃but〃he　stopped　with　a　hesitating　laugh　and
some　little　confusion。　　〃No；　I've　mixed　it　up　with　something　else。
It's　so　long　ago。　　I　never　knew；　or　if　I　did　I've　forgotten。　　But
the　necklace　I　remember。〃　　He　handed　it　back　to　Yerba　with　a　bow；
and　the　incident　ended。

Paul　had　not　looked　at　Yerba　during　this　conversation；　an
unreasoning　instinct　that　he　might　confuse　her；　an　equally
unreasoning　dread　that　he　might　see　her　confused　by　others；
possessing　him。　　And　when　he　did　glance　at　her　calm；　untroubled
face；　that　seemed　only　a　little　surprised　at　his　own　singular
coldness；　he　was　by　no　means　relieved。　　He　was　only　convinced　of
one　thing。　　In　the　last　five　minutes　he　had　settled　upon　the
irrevocable　determination　that　his　present　relations　with　the　girl
could　exist　no　longer。　　He　must　either　tell　her　everything；　or　see
her　no　more。　　There　was　no　middle　course。　　She　was　on　the　brink　of
an　exposure　at　any　moment；　either　through　her　ignorance　or　her
unhappy　pretension。　　In　his　intolerable　position；　he　was　equally
unable　to　contemplate　her　peril；　accept　her　defense；　or　himself
defend　her。

As　if；　with　some　feminine　instinct；　she　had　attributed　his　silence
to　some　jealousy　of　Don　Caesar's　attentions；　she　more　than　once
turned　from　the　Spaniard　to　Paul　with　an　assuring　smile。　　In　his
anxiety；　he　half　accepted　the　rather　humiliating　suggestion；　and
managed　to　say　to　her；　in　a　lower　tone：

〃On　this　last　visit　of　your　American　guardian；　one　would　think；　you
need　not　already　anticipate　your　Spanish　relations。〃

He　was　thrilled　with　the　mischievous　yet　faintly　tender　pleasure
that　sparkled　in　her　eyes　as　she　said；

〃You　forget　it　is　my　American　guardian's　FIRST　visit；　as　well　as
his　last。〃

〃And　as　your　guardian；〃　he　went　on；　with　half…veiled　seriousness；
〃I　protest　against　your　allowing　your　treasures；　the　property　of
the　Trust；〃　he　gazed　directly　into　her　beautiful　eyes；　〃being
handled　and　commented　upon　by　everybody。〃

When　the　ladies　had　left　the　table；　he　was；　for　a　moment；　relieved。
But　only　for　a　moment。　　Judge　Baker　drew　his　chair　beside　Paul's；
and；　taking　his　cigar　from　his　lips；　said；　with　a　perfunctory
laugh：

〃I　say；　Hathaway；　I　pulled　up　just　in　time　to　save　myself　from
making　an　awful　speech；　just　now；　to　your　ward。〃

Paul　looked　at　him　with　cold　curiosity。

〃Yes。　　Gad！　　Do　you　know　WHO　was　my　rival　in　that　necklace
transaction？〃

〃No；〃　said　Paul；　with　frigid　carelessness。

〃Why；　Kate　Howard！　　Fact；　sir。　　She　bought　it　right　under　my　nose
and　overbid　me；　too。〃

Paul　did　not　lose　his　self…possession。　　Thanks　to　the　fact　that
Yerba　was　not　present；　and　that　Don　Caesar；　who　had　overheard　the
speech；　moved　forward　with　a　suggestive　and　unpleasant　smile；　his
agitation　congealed　into　a　coldly　placid　fury。

〃And　I　suppose；〃　he　returned；　with　perfect　calmness；　〃that；　after
the　usual　habit　of　this　class　of　women；　the　necklace　very　soon
found　its　way　back；　through　the　pawnbroker；　to　the　jeweler　again。
It's　a　common　fate。〃

〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said　Judge　Baker；　cheerfully。　　〃You're　quite
right。　　That's　undoubtedly　the　solution　of　it。　　But；〃　with　a　laugh；
〃I　had　a　narrow　escape　from　saying　somethingeh？〃

〃A　very　narrow　escape　from　an　apparently　gratuitous　insult；〃　said
Paul；　gravely；　but　fixing　his　eyes；　now　more　luminous　than　ever
with　anger；　not　on　the　speakers　but　on　the　face　of　Don　Caesar；　who
was　standing　at　his　side。　　〃you　were　about　to　say；〃

〃Ehohah！　this　Kate　Howard？　　So！　　I　have　heard　of　heryees！
And　Miss　Yerbaahshe　is　of　my　countryI　think。　　Yeswe　shall
claim　herof　a　truthyes。〃

〃Your　countrymen；　I　believe；　are　in　the　habit　of　making　claims　that
are　more　often　founded　on　profit　than　verity；〃　said　Paul；　with
smileless　and　insulting　deliberation。　　He　knew　perfectly　what　he
was　saying；　and　the　result　he　expected。　　Only　twenty…four　hours
before　he　had　smiled　at　Pendleton's　idea　of　averting　scandal　and
discovery　by　fighting；　yet　he　was　endeavoring　to　pick　a　quarrel
with　a　man；　merely　on　suspicion；　for　the　same　purpose；　and　he　saw
nothing　strange　in　it。　　A　vague　idea；　too；　that　this　would
irrevocably　confirm　him　in　opposition　to　Yerba's　illusions　probably
determined　him。

But　Don　Caesar；　albeit　smiling　lividly；　did　not　seem　inclined　to
pick　up　the　gauntlet；　and　Woods　interfered　hastily。　　〃Don　Caesar
means　that　your　ward　has　some　idea　herself　that　she　is　of　Spanish
originat　least；　Milly　says　so。　　But　of　course；　as　one　of　the
oldest　trustees；　YOU　know　the　facts。〃

In　another　moment　Paul　would　have　committed　himself。　　〃I　think
we'll　leave　Miss　Yerba　out　of　the　question；〃　he　said；　coldly。　　〃My
remark　was　a　general　one；　although；　of　course；　I　am　responsible　for
any　personal　application　of　it。〃

〃Spoken　like　a　politician；　Hathaway；〃　said　Judge　Baker；　with　an
effusive　enthusiasm；　which　he　hoped　would　atone　for　the　alarming
results　of　his　infelicitous　speech。　　〃That's　right；　gentlemen！　　You
can't　get　the　facts　from　him　before　he　is　ready　to　give　them。　　Keep
your　secret；　Mr。　Hathaway；　the　court　is　with　you。〃

Nevertheless；　as　they　passed　out　of　the　room　to　join　the　ladies；
the　Mayor　lingered　a　little　behind　with　Woods。　　〃It's　easy　to　see
the　influence　of　that　Pendleton　on　our　young　friend；〃　he　said；
significantly。　　〃Somebody　ought　to　tell　him　that　it's　played　out
down　hereas　Pendleton　is。　　It's　quite　enough　to　ruin　his　career。〃

Paul　was　too　observant　not　to　notice　this；　but　it　brought　him　no
sense　of　remorse；　and　his　youthful　belief　in　himself　and　his　power
kept　him　from　concern。　　He　felt　as　if　he　had　done　something；　if
only　to　show　Don　Caesar　that　the　girl's　weakness　or　ignorance　could
not　be　traded　upon　with　impunity。　　But　he　was　still　undecided　as　to
the　course　he　should　pursue。　　But　he　should　determine　that　to…
night。　　At　present　there　seemed　no　chance　of　talking　to　her　alone
she　was　unconcernedly　conversing　with　Milly　and　Mrs。　Woods；　and
already　the　visitors　who　had　been　invited　to　this　hurried　levee　in
his　honor　were　arriving。　　In　view　of　his　late　indiscretion；　he
nervously　exerted　his　fullest　powers；　and　in　a　very　few　minutes　was
surrounded　by　a　breathless　and　admiring　group　of　worshipers。　　A
ludicrous　resemblance　to　the　scene　in　the　Golden　Gate　Hotel　passed
through　his　mind；　he　involuntarily　turned　his　eyes　to　seek　Yerba　in
the　half…fear；　half…expectation　of　meeting　her　mischievous　smile。
Their　glances　met；　to　his　surprise　hers　was　smileless；　and
instantly　withdrawn；　but　not　until　he　had　been　thrilled　by　an
unconscious　prepossession　in　its　luminous　depths　that　he　scarcely
dared　to　dwell　upon。　　What　mattered　now　this　passage　with　Don
Caesar　or　the　plaudits　of　his　friends？　　SHE　was　proud　of　him！

Yet；　after　that　glance；　she　was　shy；　preoccupying　herself　with
Milly；　or　even　listening　sweetly　to　Judge　Baker's　somewhat
practical　and　unromantic　reminiscences　of　the　deprivations　and　the
hardships　of　California　early　days；　as　if　to　condone　his　past
infelicity。　　She　was　pleasantly　unaffected　with　Don　Caesar；
although　she　managed　to　draw　Dona　Anna　into　the　conversation；　she
was　unconventional；　Paul　fancied；　to　all　but　himself。　　Once　or
twice；　when　he　had　artfully　drawn　her　towards　the　open　French
window　that　led　to　the　moonlit　garden　and　shadowed　veranda；　she　had
managed　to　link　Milly's　arm　in　her　own；　and　he　was　confident　that　a
suggestion　to　stroll　with　him　in　the　open　air　would　be　followed　by
her　invitation　to　Milly　to　accompany　them。　　Disappointed　and
mortified　as　he　was；　he　found　some　solace　in　her　manner；　which　he
still　believed　suggested　the　hope　that　she　might　be　made　accessible
to　his　persuasions。　　Persuasions　to　what？　　He　did　not　know。

The　last　guest　had　departed；　he　lingered　on　the　veranda　with　a
cigar；　begging　his　host　and　hostess　not　to　trouble　themselves　to
keep　him　company。　　Milly　and　Yerba　had　retired　to　the　former's
boudoir；　but；　as　they　had　not　yet　formally　bade　him　good　night；
there　was　a　chance　of　their　returning。　　He　still　stayed　on　in　this
hope　for　half　an　hour；　and　then；　accepting　Yerba's　continued
absence　as　a　tacit　refusal　of　his　request；　he　turned　abruptly　away。
But　as　he　glanced　around　the　garden　before　reentering　the　house；　he
was　struck　by　a　singular　circumstancea　white　patch；　like　a
forgotten　shawl；　which　he　had　observed　on　the　distant　ceanothus
hedge；　and　which　had　at　first　thrilled　him　with　e