a ward of the golden gate-第17节

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eager　and　watchful　than　his　own。

He　laid　the　reports　aside；　and　took　up　the　proof…slip　again。　　Was
there　any　man　living　but　himself　and　Pendleton　who　would　connect
these　two　statements？　　That　her　relations　with　this　Arguello　were
brief　and　not　generally　known　was　evident　from　Pendleton's
ignorance　of　the　fact。　　But　he　must　see　him　again；　and　at　once。
Perhaps　he　might　have　acquired　some　information　from　Yerba；　the
young　girl　might　have　given　to　his　age　that　confidence　she　had
withheld　from　the　younger　man；　indeed；　he　remembered　with　a　flush
it　was　partly　in　that　hope　he　had　induced　the　colonel　to　go　to
Santa　Clara。　　He　put　the　proof…slip　in　his　pocket　and　stepped　to
the　door　of　the　next　room。

〃You　need　not　write　that　letter　to　Slate；　Tony。　　I　will　see　him
myself。　　I　am　going　to　San　Francisco　to…night。〃

〃And　do　you　want　anything　copied　from　the　reports；　sir？〃

Paul　quickly　swept　them　from　the　table　into　his　drawer；　and　locked
it。　　〃Not　now；　thank　you。　　I'll　finish　my　notes　later。〃

The　next　morning　Paul　was　in　San　Francisco；　and　had　again　crossed
the　portals　of　the　Golden　Gate　Hotel。　　He　had　been　already　told
that　the　doom　of　that　palatial　edifice　was　sealed　by　the　laying　of
the　cornerstone　of　a　new　erection　in　the　next　square　that　should
utterly　eclipse　it；　he　even　fancied　that　it　had　already　lost　its
freshness；　and　its　meretricious　glitter　had　been　tarnished。　　But
when　he　had　ordered　his　breakfast　he　made　his　way　to　the　public
parlor；　happily　deserted　at　that　early　hour。　　It　was　here　that　he
had　first　seen　her。　　She　was　standing　there；　by　that　mirror；　when
their　eyes　first　met　in　a　sudden　instinctive　sympathy。　　She　herself
had　remembered　and　confessed　it。　　He　recalled　the　pleased　yet
conscious；　girlish　superiority　with　which　she　had　received　the
adulation　of　her　friends；　his　memory　of　her　was　broad　enough　now
even　to　identify　Milly；　as　it　repeopled　the　vacant　and　silent　room。

An　hour　later　he　was　making　his　way　to　Colonel　Pendleton's
lodgings；　and　half　expecting　to　find　the　St。　Charles　Hotel　itself
transformed　by　the　eager　spirit　of　improvement。　　But　it　was　still
there　in　all　its　barbaric　and　provincial　incongruity。　　Public
opinion　had　evidently　recognized　that　nothing　save　the　absolute
razing　of　its　warped　and　flimsy　walls　could　effect　a　change；　and
waited　for　it　to　collapse　suddenly　like　the　house　of　cards　it
resembled。　　Paul　wondered　for　a　moment　if　it　were　not　ominous　of
its　lodgers'　hopeless　inability　to　accept　changed　conditions；　and
it　was　with　a　feeling　of　doubt　that　he　even　now　ascended　the
creaking　staircase。　　But　it　was　instantly　dissipated　on　the
threshold　of　the　colonel's　sitting…room　by　the　appearance　of　George
and　his　reception　of　his　master's　guest。

The　grizzled　negro　was　arrayed　in　a　surprisingly　new　suit　of　blue
cloth　with　a　portentous　white　waistcoat　and　an　enormous　crumpled
white　cravat；　that　gave　him　the　appearance　of　suffering　from　a
glandular　swelling。　　His　manner　had；　it　seemed　to　Paul；　advanced　in
exaggeration　with　his　clothes。　　Dusting　a　chair　and　offering　it　to
the　visitor；　he　remained　gracefully　posed　with　his　hand　on　the　back
of　another。

〃Yo'　finds　us　heah　yet；　Marse　Hathaway；〃　he　began；　elegantly　toying
with　an　enormous　silver　watch…chain；　〃fo'　de　Kernel　he　don'　bin
find　contagious　apartments　dat　at　all　approximate；　and　he　don'
build；　for　his　mind's　not　dat　settled　dat　he　ain't　goin'　to
trabbel。　　De　place　is　low　down；　sah；　and　de　fo'ks　is　low　down；　and
dah's　a　heap　o'　white　trash　dat　has　congested　under　de　roof　ob　de
hotel　since　we　came。　　But　we　uses　it　temper'ly；　sah；　fo'　de
present；　and　in　a　dissolutory　fashion。〃

It　struck　Paul　that　the　contiguity　of　a　certain　barber's　shop　and
its　dangerous　reminiscences　had　something　to　do　with　George's　lofty
depreciation　of　his　surroundings；　and　he　could　not　help　saying：

〃Then　you　don't　find　it　necessary　to　have　it　convenient　to　the
barber's　shop　any　more？　　I　am　glad　of　that；　George。〃

The　shot　told。　　The　unfortunate　George；　after　an　endeavor　to
collect　himself　by　altering　his　pose　two　or　three　times　in　rapid
succession；　finally　collapsed；　and；　with　an　air　of　mingled　pain　and
dignity；　but　without　losing　his　ceremonious　politeness　or　unique
vocabulary；　said：

〃Yo'　got　me　dah；　sah！　　Yo'　got　me　dah！　　De　infirmities　o'　human
natcheh；　sah；　is　de　common　p'operty　ob　man；　and　a　gemplum　like
yo'self；　sah；　a　legislato'　and　a　pow'ful　speakah；　is　de　lass　one　to
hol'　it　agin　de　individal　pusson。　　I　confess；　sah；　de　circumstances
was　propiskuous；　de　fees　fahly　good；　and　de　risks　inferior。　　De
gemplum　who　kept　de　shop　was　an　artess　hisself；　and　had　been　niggah
to　Kernel　Henderson　of　Tennessee；　and　do　gemplum　I　relieved　was　a
Mr。　Johnson。　　But　de　Kernel；　he　wouldn't　see　it　in　dat　light；　sah；
and　if　yo'　don'　mind；　sah〃

〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea　of　telling　the　colonel　or　anybody；
George；〃　said　Paul；　smiling；　〃and　I　am　glad　to　find　on　your　own
account　that　you　are　able　to　put　aside　any　work　beyond　your　duty
here。〃

〃Thank　yo'；　sah。　　If　yo'　'll　let　me　introduce　yo'　to　de
refreshment；　yo'　'll　find　it　all　right　now。　　De　Glencoe　is　dah。　　De
Kernel　will　be　here　soon；　but　he　would　be　pow'ful　mo'tified；　sah；
if　yo'　didn't　hab　something　afo'　he　come。〃　　He　opened　a　well…filled
sideboard　as　he　spoke。　　It　was　the　first　evidence　Paul　had　seen　of
the　colonel's　restored　fortunes。　　He　would　willingly　have　contented
himself　with　this　mere　outward　manifestation；　but　in　his　desire　to
soothe　the　ruffled　dignity　of　the　old　man　he　consented　to　partake
of　a　small　glass　of　spirits。　　George　at　once　became　radiant　and
communicative。　　〃De　Kernel　bin　gone　to　Santa　Clara　to　see　de　young
lady　dat's　finished　her　edercation　dahde　Kernel's　only　ward；　sah。
She's　one　o'　dose　million…heiresses　and　highly　connected；　sah；　wid
de　old　Mexican　Gobbermen；　I　understand。　　And　I　reckon　dey's　bin　big
goin's　on　doun　dar；　foh　de　Mayer　kem　hisself　fo'　de　Kernel。　　Looks
like　des　might　bin　a　proceshon；　sah。　　Yo'　don'　know　of　a　young　lady
bin　hab　a　title；　sah？　　I　won't　be　shuah；　his　Honah　de　Mayer　or　de
Kernel　didn't　say　someting　about　a　'Donna'〃

〃Very　likely；〃　said　Paul；　turning　away　with　a　faint　smile。　　So　it
was　already　in　the　air！　　Setting　aside　the　old　negro's
characteristic　exaggeration；　there　had　already　been　some
conversation　between　the　colonel　and　the　Mayor；　which　George　had
vaguely　overheard。　　He　might　be　too　late；　the　alternative　might　be
no　longer　in　his　hands。　　But　his　discomposure　was　heightened　a
moment　later　by　the　actual　apparition　of　the　returning　Pendleton。

He　was　dressed　in　a　tightly　buttoned　blue　frock…coat；　which　fairly
accented　his　tall；　thin　military　figure；　although　the　top　lappel
was　thrown　far　enough　back　to　show　a　fine　ruffled　cambric　shirt　and
checked　gingham　necktie；　and　was　itself　adorned　with　a　white
rosebud　in　the　button…hole。　　Fawn…colored　trousers　strapped　over
narrow　patent…leather　boots；　and　a　tall　white　hat；　whose　broad
mourning…band　was　a　perpetual　memory　of　his　mother；　who　had　died　in
his　boyhood；　completed　his　festal　transformation。　　Yet　his　erect
carriage；　high　aquiline　nose；　and　long　gray　drooping　moustache　lent
a　distinguishing　grace　to　this　survival　of　a　bygone　fashion；　and
over…rode　any　irreverent　comment。　　Even　his　slight　limp　seemed　to
give　a　peculiar　character　to　his　massive　gold…headed　stick；　and
made　it　a　part　of　his　formal　elegance。

Handing　George　his　stick　and　a　military　cape　he　carried　easily　over
his　left　arm；　he　greeted　Paul　warmly；　yet　with　a　return　of　his　old
dominant　manner。

〃Glad　to　see　you；　Hathaway；　and　glad　to　see　the　boy　has　served　you
better　than　the　last　time。　　If　I　had　known　you　were　coming；　I　would
have　tried　to　get　back　in　time　to　have　breakfast　with　you。　　But
your　friends　at　'Rosario'I　think　they　call　it；　in　my　time　it　was
owned　by　Colonel　Briones；　and　HE　called　it　'The　Devil's　Little
Canyon'detained　me　with　some　dd　civilities。　　Let's　seehis
name　is　Woods；　isn't　it？　　Used　to　sell　rum　to　runaway　sailors　on
Long　Wharf；　and　take　stores　in　exchange？　　Or　was　it　Baker？Judge
Baker？　　I　forget　which。　　Well；　sir；　they　wished　to　be　remembered。〃

It　struck　Paul；　perhaps　unreasonably；　that　the　colonel's
indifference　and　digression　were　both　a　little　assumed；　and　he
asked　abruptly；

〃And　you　fulfilled　your　mission？〃

〃I　made　the　formal　transfer；　with　the　Mayor；　of　the　property　to
Miss　Arguello。〃

〃To　Miss　Arguello？〃

〃To　the　Dona　Maria　Concepcion　de　Arguello　de　la　Yerba　Buenato
speak　precisely；〃　said　the　colonel；　slowly。　　〃George；　you　can　take
that　hat　to　that　blank　hatterwhat's　his　blanked　name？　　I　read　it
only　yesterday　in　a　list　of　the　prominent　citizens　hereand　tell
him；　with　my　compliments；　that　I　want　a　GENTLEMAN'S　mourning　band
around　my　hat；　and　not　a　child's　shoelace。　　It　may　be　HIS　idea　of
the　value　of　his　own　parentsif　he　ever　had　anybut　I　don't　care
for　him　to　appraise　mine。　　Go！〃

As　the　door　closed　upon　George；　Paul　turned　to　the　colonel

〃Then　am　I　to　understand　that　you　have　agreed　to　her　story？〃

The　colonel　rose；　picked　up　the　decanter；　poured　out　a　glass　of
whiskey；　and　holding　it　in　his　hand；　said：

〃My　dear　Hathaway；　let　us　understand　each　other。　　As　a　gentleman；　I
have　m