a ward of the golden gate-第15节

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！


forgotten　shawl；　which　he　had　observed　on　the　distant　ceanothus
hedge；　and　which　had　at　first　thrilled　him　with　expectation；　had
certainly　CHANGED　ITS　POSITION。　　Before；　it　seemed　to　be　near　the
summer…house；　now　it　was；　undoubtedly；　farther　away。　　Could　they；
or　SHE　alone；　have　slipped　from　the　house　and　be　awaiting　him
there？　　With　a　muttered　exclamation　at　his　stupidity　he　stepped
hastily　from　the　veranda　and　walked　towards　it。　　But　he　had
scarcely　proceeded　a　dozen　yards　before　it　disappeared。　　He　reached
the　summer…houseit　was　empty；　he　followed　the　line　of　hedgeno
one　was　there。　　It　could　not　have　been　her；　or　she　would　have
waited；　unless　he　were　the　victim　of　a　practical　joke。　　He　turned
impatiently　back　to　the　house；　reentered　the　drawing…room　by　the
French　window；　and　was　crossing　the　half…lit　apartment；　when　he
heard　a　slight　rustle　in　the　shadow　of　the　window。　　He　looked
around　quickly；　and　saw　that　it　was　Yerba；　in　a　white；　loose　gown；
for　which　she　had　already　exchanged　her　black　evening　dress；
leaning　back　composedly　on　the　sofa；　her　hands　clasped　behind　her
shapely　head。

〃I　am　waiting　for　Milly；〃　she　said；　with　a　faint　smile　on　her　lips。
He　fancied；　in　the　moonlight　that　streamed　upon　her；　that　her
beautiful　face　was　pale。　　〃She　has　gone　to　the　other　wing　to　see
one　of　the　servants　who　is　ill。　　We　thought　you　were　on　the　veranda
smoking　and　I　should　have　company；　until　I　saw　you　start　off；　and
rush　up　and　down　the　hedge　like　mad。〃

Paul　felt　that　he　was　losing　his　self…possession；　and　becoming
nervous　in　her　presence。　　〃I　thought　it　was　YOU；〃　he　stammered。

〃Me！　　Out　in　the　garden　at　this　hour；　alone；　and　in　the　broad
moonlight？　　What　are　you　thinking　of；　Mr。　Hathaway？　　Do　you　know
anything　of　convent　rules；　or　is　that　your　idea　of　your　ward's
education？〃

He　fancied　that；　though　she　smiled　faintly；　her　voice　was　as
tremulous　as　his　own。

〃I　want　to　speak　with　you；〃　he　said；　with　awkward　directness。　　〃I
even　thought　of　asking　you　to　stroll　with　me　in　the　garden。〃

〃Why　not　talk　here？〃　she　returned；　changing　her　position；　pointing
to　the　other　end　of　the　sofa；　and　drawing　the　whole　overflow　of　her
skirt　to　one　side。　　〃It　is　not　so　very　late；　and　Milly　will　return
in　a　few　moments。〃

Her　face　was　in　shadow　now；　but　there　was　a　glow…worm　light　in　her
beautiful　eyes　that　seemed　faintly　to　illuminate　her　whole　face。
He　sank　down　on　the　sofa　at　her　side；　no　longer　the　brilliant　and
ambitious　politician；　but；　it　seemed　to　him；　as　hopelessly　a
dreaming；　inexperienced　boy　as　when　he　had　given　her　the　name　that
now　was　all　he　could　think　of；　and　the　only　word　that　rose　to　his
feverish　lips。

〃Yerba！〃

〃I　like　to　hear　you　say　it；〃　she　said　quickly；　as　if　to　gloss　over
his　first　omission　of　her　formal　prefix；　and　leaning　a　little
forward；　with　her　eyes　on　his。　　〃One　would　think　you　had　created
it。　　You　almost　make　me　regret　to　lose　it。〃

He　stopped。　　He　felt　that　the　last　sentence　had　saved　him。　　〃It　is
of　that　I　want　to　speak；〃　he　broke　out　suddenly　and　almost　rudely。
〃Are　you　satisfied　that　it　means　nothing；　and　can　mean　nothing；　to
you？　　Does　it　awaken　no　memory　in　your　mindrecall　nothing　you
care　to　know？　　Think！　　I　beg　you；　I　implore　you　to　be　frank　with
me！〃

She　looked　at　him　with　surprise。

〃I　have　told　you　already　that　my　present　name　must　be　some　absurd
blunder；　or　some　intentional　concealment。　　But　why　do　you　want　to
know　NOW？〃　she　continued；　adding　her　faint　smile　to　the　emphasis。

〃To　help　you！〃　he　said；　eagerly。　　〃For　that　alone！　　To　do　all　I　can
to　assist　you；　if　you　really　believe；　and　want　to　believe；　that　you
have　another。　　To　ask　you　to　confide　in　me；　to　tell　me　all　you　have
been　told；　all　that　you　know；　think　you　know；　or　WANT　to　know　about
your　relationship　to　the　Arguellosor　toany　one。　　And　then　to
devote　myself　entirely　to　proving　what　you　shall　say　is　your
desire。　　You　see；　I　am　frank　with　you；　Yerba。　　I　only　ask　you　to　be
as　frank　with　me；　to　let　me　know　your　doubts；　that　I　may　counsel
you；　your　fears；　that　I　may　give　you　courage。〃

〃Is　that　all　you　came　here　to　tell　me？〃　she　asked　quietly。

〃No；　Yerba；〃　he　said；　eagerly；　taking　her　unresisting　but
indifferent　hand；　〃not　all；　but　all　that　I　must　say；　all　that　I
have　the　right　to　say；　all　that　you；　Yerba；　would　permit　me　to　tell
you　NOW。　　But　let　me　hope　that　the　day　is　not　far　distant　when　I
can　tell　you　ALL；　when　you　will　understand　that　this　silence　has
been　the　hardest　sacrifice　of　the　man　who　now　speaks　to　you。〃

〃And　yet　not　unworthy　of　a　rising　politician；〃　she　added；　quickly
withdrawing　her　hand。　　〃I　agree；〃　she　went　on；　looking　towards　the
door；　yet　without　appearing　to　avoid　his　eager　eyes；　〃and　when　I
have　settled　upon　'a　local　habitation　and　a　name'　we　shall　renew
this　interesting　conversation。　　Until　then；　as　my　fourth　official
guardian　used　to　sayhe　was　a　lawyer；　Mr。　Hathaway；　like　yourself
when　he　was　winding　up　his　conjectures　on　the　subjectall　that
has　passed　is　to　be　considered　'without　prejudice。'〃

〃But　Yerba〃began　Paul；　bitterly。

She　slightly　raised　her　hand　as　if　to　check　him　with　a　warning
gesture。　　〃Yes；　dear；〃　she　said　suddenly；　lifting　her　musical
voice；　with　a　mischievous　side…glance　at　Paul；　as　if　to　indicate
her　conception　of　the　irony　of　a　possible　application；　〃this　way。
Here　we　are　waiting　for　you。〃　　Her　listening　ear　had　detected
Milly's　step　in　the　passage；　and　in　another　moment　that　cheerful
young　woman　discreetly　stopped　on　the　threshold　of　the　room；　with
every　expression　of　apologetic　indiscretion　in　her　face。

〃We　have　finished　our　talk；　and　Mr。　Hathaway　has　been　so　concerned
about　my　having　no　real　name　that　he　has　been　promising　me
everything；　but　his　own；　for　a　suitable　one。　　Haven't　you；　Mr。
Hathaway？〃　　She　rose　slowly　and；　going　over　to　Milly；　put　her　arm
around　her　waist　and　stood　for　one　instant　gazing　at　him　between
the　curtains　of　the　doorway。　　〃Good　night。　　My　very　proper　chaperon
is　dreadfully　shocked　at　this　midnight　interview；　and　is　taking　me
away。　　Only　think　of　it；　Milly；　he　actually　proposed　to　me　to　walk
in　the　garden　with　him！　　Good　night；　or；　as　my　ancestorsdon't
forget；　MY　ANCESTORSused　to　say：　'Buena　nochehasta　manana！'〃
She　lingered　over　the　Spanish　syllables　with　an　imitation　of　Dona
Anna's　lisp；　and　with　another　smile；　but　more　faint　and　more
ghostlike　than　before；　vanished　with　her　companion。

At　eight　o'clock　the　next　morning　Paul　was　standing　beside　his
portmanteau　on　the　veranda。

〃But　this　is　a　sudden　resolution　of　yours；　Hathaway；〃　said　Mr。
Woods。　　〃Can　you　not　possibly　wait　for　the　next　train？　　The　girls
will　be　down　then；　and　you　can　breakfast　comfortably。〃

〃I　have　much　to　domore　than　I　imaginedin　San　Francisco　before　I
return；〃　said　Paul；　quickly。　　〃You　must　make　my　excuses　to　them　and
to　your　wife。〃

〃I　hope；〃　said　Woods；　with　an　uneasy　laugh；　〃you　have　had　no　more
words　with　Don　Caesar；　or　he　with　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Paul；　with　a　reassuring　smile；　〃nothing　more；　I　assure
you。〃

〃For　you　know　you're　a　devilish　quick　fellow；　Hathaway；〃　continued
Woods；　〃quite　as　quick　as　your　friend　Pendleton。　　And；　by　the　way；
Baker　is　awfully　cut　up　about　that　absurd　speech　of　his；　you　know。
Came　to　me　last　night　and　wondered　if　anybody　could　think　it　was
intentional。　　I　told　him　it　was　dd　stupid；　that　was　all。　　I　guess
his　wife　had　been　at　him。　　Ha！　ha！　　You　see；　he　remembers　the　old
times；　when　everybody　talked　of　these　things；　and　that　woman　Howard
was　quite　a　character。　　I'm　told　she　went　off　to　the　States　years
ago。〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　Paul；　carelessly。　　After　a　pause；　as　the　carriage
drove　up　to　the　door；　he　turned　to　his　host。　　〃By　the　way；　Woods；
have　you　a　ghost　here？〃

〃The　house　is　old　enough　for　one。　　But　no。　　Why？〃

〃I'll　swear　I　saw　a　figure　moving　yonder；　in　the　shrubbery；　late
last　evening；　and　when　I　came　up　to　it；　it　most　unaccountably
disappeared。〃

〃One　of　Don　Caesar's　servants；　I　dare　say。　　There　is　one　of　them；
an　Indian；　prowling　about　here；　I've　been　told；　at　all　hours。　　I'll
put　a　stop　to　it。　　Well；　you　must　go　then？　　Dreadfully　sorry　you
couldn't　stop　longer！　　Good…by！〃


CHAPTER　IV。


It　was　two　months　later　that　Mr。　Tony　Shear；　of　Marysville；　but
lately　confidential　clerk　to　the　Hon。　Paul　Hathaway；　entered　his
employer's　chambers　in　Sacramento；　and　handed　the　latter　a　letter。

〃I　only　got　back　from　San　Francisco　this　morning；　but　Mr。　Slate
said　I　was　to　give　you　that；　and　if　it　satisfied　you；　and　was　what
you　wanted；　you　would　send　it　back　to　him。〃

Paul　took　the　envelope　and　opened　it。　　It　contained　a　printer's
proof…slip；　which　he　hurriedly　glanced　over。　　It　read　as　follows：

〃Those　of　our　readers　who　are　familiar　with　the　early　history　of
San　Francisco　will　be　interested　to　know　that　an　eccentric　and
irregular　trusteeship；　vested　for　the　last　eight　years　in　the　Mayor
of　San　Francisco　and　two　of　our　oldest　citizens；　was　terminated
yesterday　by　the　majority　of　a　beautiful　and　accomplished　young
lady；　a　pupil　of　the　convent　of　Santa　Clara。　　Very　few；　except　the
original　trustees；　were　cognizant　of　the　fact　that　the
administration　of　the　trustees　has　been　a　recognized　function　of
the　success