a ward of the golden gate-第19节

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perhaps；　as　to　the　best　way　I　could　serve　her；　and　that；　but　for
what　she　has　told　YOU；　I　should　certainly　have　carried　away　no
remembrance　of　any　misunderstanding　of　HERS。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　cheerful　philosophy；　〃I　will
carry　your　message　with　pleasure。　　You　understand　how　it　is；　Mr。
Hathaway。　　There　is　no　accounting　for　these　instinctswe　can　only
accept　them　as　they　are。　　But　I　believe　that　your　intentions；　sir；
were　strictly　according　to　what　you　conceived　to　be　your　duty。　　You
won't　take　something　before　you　go？　　Well；　thengood…by。〃

Two　weeks　later　Paul　found　among　his　morning　letters　an　envelope
addressed　in　Colonel　Pendleton's　boyish　scrawling　hand。　　He　opened
it　with　an　eagerness　that　no　studied　self…control　nor　rigid
preoccupation　of　his　duties　had　yet　been　able　to　subdue；　and
glanced　hurriedly　at　its　contents：


DEAR　SIR；As　I　am　on　the　point　of　sailing　to　Europe　to…morrow　to
escort　Miss　Arguello　and　Miss　Woods　on　an　extended　visit　to　England
and　the　Continent；　I　am　desirous　of　informing　you　that　I　have　thus
far　been　unable　to　find　any　foundation　for　the　suggestions　thrown
out　by　you　in　our　last　interview。　　Miss　Arguello's　Spanish
acquaintances　have　been　very　select；　and　limited　to　a　few　school
friends　and　Don　Caesar　and　Dona　Anna　Briones；　tried　friends；　who
are　also　fellow…passengers　with　us　to　Europe。　　Miss　Arguello
suggests　that　some　political　difference　between　you　and　Don　Caesar；
which　occurred　during　your　visit　to　Rosario　three　months　ago；　may
have；　perhaps；　given　rise　to　your　supposition。　　She　joins　me　in
best　wishes　for　your　public　career；　which　even　in　the　distraction
of　foreign　travel　and　the　obligations　of　her　position　she　will
follow　from　time　to　time　with　the　greatest　interest。

Very　respectfully　yours；

HARRY　PENDLETON。



CHAPTER　V。


It　was　on　the　3d　of　August；　1863；　that　Paul　Hathaway　resigned
himself　and　his　luggage　to　the　care　of　the　gold…laced；　ostensible
porter　of　the　Strudle　Bad　Hof；　not　without　some　uncertainty；　in　a
land　of　uniforms；　whether　he　would　be　eventually　conducted　to　the
barracks；　the　police　office；　or　the　Conservatoire。　　He　was　relieved
when　the　omnibus　drove　into　the　courtyard　of　the　Bad　Hof；　and　the
gold…chained　chamberlain；　flanked　by　two　green　tubs　of　oleanders；
received　him　with　a　gravity　calculated　to　check　any　preconceived
idea　he　might　have　that　traveling　was　a　trifling　affair；　or　that　an
arrival　at　the　Bad　Hof　was　not　of　serious　moment。　　His　letters　had
not　yet　arrived；　for　he　had；　in　a　fit　of　restlessness；　shortened
his　route；　and　he　strolled　listlessly　into　the　reading…room。　　Two
or　three　English　guests　were　evidently　occupied　in　eminently
respectable　reading　and　writing；　two　were　sitting　by　the　window
engaged　in　subdued　but　profitable　conversation；　and　two　Americans
from　Boston　were　contentedly　imitating　them　on　the　other　side　of
the　room。　　A　decent　restraint；　as　of　people　who　were　not　for　a
moment　to　be　led　into　any　foreign　idea　of　social　gayety　at　a
watering…place；　was　visible　everywhere。　　A　spectacled　Prussian
officer　in　full　uniform　passed　along　the　hall；　halted　for　a　moment
at　the　doorway　as　if　contemplating　an　armed　invasion；　thought
better　of　it；　and　took　his　uniform　away　into　the　sunlight　of　the
open　square；　where　it　was　joined　by　other　uniforms；　and　became　by
contrast　a　miracle　of　unbraced　levity。　　Paul　stood　the　Polar
silence　for　a　few　moments；　until　one　of　the　readers　arose　and；
taking　his　booka　Murrayin　his　hand；　walked　slowly　across　the
room　to　a　companion；　mutely　pointed　to　a　passage　in　the　book；
remained　silent　until　the　other　had　dumbly　perused　it；　and　then
walked　back　again　to　his　seat；　having　achieved　the　incident　without
a　word。　　At　which　Paul；　convinced　of　his　own　incongruity；　softly
withdrew　with　his　hat　in　his　hand；　and　his　eyes　fixed　devotionally
upon　it。

It　was　good　after　that　to　get　into　the　slanting　sunlight　and
checkered　linden　shadows　of　the　Allee；　to　see　even　a　tightly
jacketed　cavalryman　naturally　walking　with　Clarchen　and　her　two
round…faced　and　drab…haired　young　charges；　to　watch　the　returning
invalid　procession；　very　real　and　very　human；　each　individual
intensely　involved　in　the　atmosphere　of　his　own　symptoms；　and　very
good　after　that　to　turn　into　the　Thiergarten；　where　the　animals；
were；　however；　chiefly　of　his　own　species；　and　shamelessly　and
openly　amusing　themselves。　　It　was　pleasant　to　contrast　it　with　his
first　visit　to　the　place　three　months　before；　and　correct　his　crude
impressions。　　And　it　was　still　more　pleasant　suddenly　to　recognize；
under　the　round　flat　cap　of　a　general　officer；　a　former　traveler
who　was　fond　of　talking　with　him　about　America　with　an　intelligence
and　understanding　of　it　that　Paul　had　often　missed　among　his　own
traveled　countrymen。　　It　was　pleasant　to　hear　his　unaffected　and
simple　greeting；　to　renew　their　old　acquaintance；　and　to　saunter
back　to　the　hotel　together　through　the　long　twilight。

They　were　only　a　few　squares　from　the　hotel；　when　Paul's　attention
was　attracted　by　the　curiosity　and　delight　of　two　or　three　children
before　him；　who　appeared　to　be　following　a　quaint…looking　figure
that　was　evidently　not　unfamiliar　to　them。　　It　appeared　to　be　a
servant　in　a　striking　livery　of　green　with　yellow　facings　and
crested　silver　buttons；　but　still　more　remarkable　for　the
indescribable　mingling　of　jaunty　ease　and　conscious　dignity　with
which　he　carried　off　his　finery。　　There　was　something　so　singular
and　yet　so　vaguely　reminiscent　in　his　peculiar　walk　and　the
exaggerated　swing　of　his　light　bamboo　cane　that　Paul　could　not　only
understand　the　childish　wonder　of　the　passers…by；　who　turned　to
look　after　him；　but　was　stirred　with　a　deeper　curiosity。　　He
quickened　his　pace；　but　was　unable　to　distinguish　anything　of　the
face　or　features　of　the　stranger；　except　that　his　hair　under　his
cocked　hat　appeared　to　be　tightly　curled　and　powdered。　　Paul's
companion；　who　was　amused　at　what　seemed　to　be　the　American's
national　curiosity；　had　seen　the　figure　before。　　〃A　servant　in　the
suite　of　some　Eastern　Altesse　visiting　the　baths。　　You　will　see
stranger　things；　my　friend；　in　the　Strudle　Bad。　　Par　example；　your
own　countrymen；　too；　the　one　who　has　enriched　himself　by　that　pork
of　Chicago；　or　that　soap；　or　this　candle；　in　a　carriage　with　the
crest　of　the　title　he　has　bought　in　Italy　with　his　dollars；　and　his
beautiful　daughters；　who　are　seeking　more　titles　with　possible
matrimonial　contingencies。〃

After　an　early　dinner；　Paul　found　his　way　to　the　little　theatre。
He　had　already　been　struck　by　a　highly　colored　poster　near　the
Bahnhof；　purporting　that　a　distinguished　German　company　would　give
a　representation　of　〃Uncle　Tom's　Cabin；〃　and　certain　peculiarities
in　the　pictorial　advertisement　of　the　tableaux　gave　promise　of　some
entertainment。　　He　found　the　theatre　fairly　full；　there　was　the
usual　contingent　of　abonnirte　officers；　a　fair　sprinkling　of
English　and　German　travelers；　but　apparently　none　of　his　own
countrymen。　　He　had　no　time　to　examine　the　house　more　closely；　for
the　play；　commencing　with　simple　punctuality；　not　only　far　exceeded
the　promise　of　the　posters；　but　of　any　previous　performance　of　the
play　he　had　witnessed。　　Transported　at　once　to　a　gorgeous　tropical
regionthe　slave　States　of　Americaresplendent　with　the　fruits
and　palms　of　Mauritius；　and　peopled　exclusively　with　Paul　and
Virginia's　companions　in　striped　cotton；　Hathaway　managed　to　keep　a
composed　face；　until　the　arrival　of　the　good　Southern　planter　St。
Clair　as　one　of　the　earlier　portraits　of　Goethe；　in　top　boots；
light　kerseymere　breeches；　redingote　and　loose　Byron　collar；
compelled　him　to　shrink　into　the　upper　corner　of　the　box　with　his
handkerchief　to　his　face。　　Luckily；　the　action　passed　as　the
natural　effect　upon　a　highly　sympathetic　nature　of　religious
interviews　between　a　round…faced　flaxen…haired　〃Kleine　Eva〃　and
〃Onkeel　Tome；〃　occasionally　assisted　by　a　Dissenting　clergyman　in
Geneva　bands；　of　excessive　brutality　with　a　cattle　whip　by　a
Zamiel…like　Legree；　of　the　sufferings　of　a　runaway　negro
Zimmermadchen　with　a　child　three　shades　lighter　than　herself；　and
of　a　painted　canvas　〃man…hunt；〃　where　apparently　four　well　known
German　composers　on　horseback；　with　flowing　hair；　top　boots；　and　a
Cor　de　chasse；　were　pursuing；　with　the　aid　of　a　pack　of　fox　hounds；
〃the　much　too　deeply　abused　and　yet　spiritually　elevated　Onkeel
Tome。〃　　Paul　did　not　wait　for　the　final　apotheosis　of　〃der　Kleine
Eva；〃　but；　in　the　silence　of　a　hushed　audience；　made　his　way　into
the　corridor　and　down　the　staircase。　　He　was　passing　an　open　door
marked　〃Direction；〃　when　his　attention　was　sharply　attracted　by　a
small　gathering　around　it　and　the　sounds　of　indignant　declamation。
It　was　the　voice　of　a　countrymanmore　than　that；　it　was　a　familiar
voice；　that　he　had　not　heard　for　three　yearsthe　voice　of　Colonel
Harry　Pendleton！

〃Tell　him；〃　said　Pendleton；　in　scathing　tones；　to　some　invisible
interpreter；〃tell；　him；　sir；　that　a　more　infamous　caricature　of
the　blankest　caricature　that　ever　maligned　a　free　people；　sir；　I
never　before　had　the　honor　of　witnessing。　　Tell　him　that　I；　sirI；
Harry　Pendleton；　of　Kentucky；　a　Southerner；　siran