a ward of the golden gate-第21节

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〃Well；　yes；　sir；　I　presume　so；〃　said　the　colonel　slowly；　〃but　I've
sometimes　thought；　Mr。　Hathaway；　that　it　would　have　been　better　if
she'd　have　had　a　woman's　carethe　protection　you　understand；　of　an
elderly　woman　of　society。　　That　seems　to　be　the　style　here；　you
knowa　chaperon；　they　call　it。　　Now；　Milly　Woods；　you　see；　is
about　the　same　age；　and　the　Dona　Anna；　of　course；　is　older；　but
blank　it！she's　as　big　a　flirt　as　the　restI　mean；〃　he　added；
correcting　himself　sharply；　〃she　lacks　balance；　sir；　andwhat
shall　I　call　it？self…abnegation。〃

〃Then　Dona　Anna　is　still　of　your　party？〃　asked　Paul。

〃She　is；　sir；　and　her　brother；　Don　Caesar。　　I　have　thought　it
advisable；　on　Yerba's　account；　to　keep　up　as　much　as　possible　the
suggestion　of　her　Spanish　relationshipalthough　by　reason　of　their
absurd　ignorance　of　geography　and　political　divisions　out　here；
there　is　a　prevailing　impression　that　she　is　a　South　American。　　A
fact；　sir。　　I　have　myself　been　mistaken　for　the　Dictator　of　one　of
these　infernal　Republics；　and　I　have　been　pointed　out　as　ruling
over　a　million　or　two　of　niggers　like　George！〃

There　was　no　trace　of　any　conception　of　humor　in　the　colonel's
face；　although　he　uttered　a　short　laugh；　as　if　in　polite　acceptance
of　the　possibility　that　Paul　might　have　one。　　Far　from　that；　his
companion；　looking　at　the　striking　profile　and　erect　figure　at　his
sideat　the　long　white　moustache　which　drooped　from　his　dark
cheeks；　and　remembering　his　own　sensations　at　first　seeing　George
thought　the　popular　belief　not　so　wonderful。　　He　was　even　forced　to
admit　that　the　perfect　unconsciousness　on　the　part　of　master　and
man　of　any　incongruity　or　peculiarity　in　themselves　assisted　the
public　misconception。　　And　it　was；　I　fear；　with　a　feeling　of　wicked
delight　that；　on　entering　the　hotel；　he　hailed　the　evident
consternation　of　those　correct　fellow…countrymen　from　whom　he　had
lately　fled；　at　what　they　apparently　regarded　as　a　national
scandal。　　He　overheard　their　hurried　assurance　to　their　English
friends　that　his　companions　were　NOT　from　Boston；　and　enjoyed　their
mortification　that　this　explanation　did　not　seem　to　detract　from
the　interest　and　relief　with　which　the　Britons　surveyed　them；　or
the　open　admiration　of　the　Germans。

Although　Pendleton　somewhat　unbent　during　supper；　he　did　not　allude
to　the　secret　of　Yerba's　parentage；　nor　of　any　tardy　confidence　of
hers。　　To　all　appearance　the　situation　remained　as　it　was　three
years　ago。　　He　spoke　of　her　great　popularity　as　an　heiress　and　a
beautiful　woman；　and　the　marked　attentions　she　received。　　He
doubted　not　that　she　had　rejected　very　distinguished　offers；　but
she　kept　that　to　herself。　　She　was　perfectly　competent　to　do　so。
She　was　no　giddy　girl；　to　be　flattered　or　deceived；　on　the
contrary；　he　had　never　known　a　cooler　or　more　sensible　woman。　　She
knew　her　own　worth。　　When　she　met　the　man　who　satisfied　her
ambition　and　understanding；　she　would　marry；　and　not　before。　　He
did　not　know　what　that　ambition　was；　it　was　something　exalted；　of
course。　　He　could　only　say；　of　his　own　knowledge；　that　last　year；
when　they　were　on　the　Italian　lakes；　there　was　a　certain　prince
Mr。　Hathaway　would　understand　why　he　did　not　mention　nameswho　was
not　only　attentive　to　her；　but　attentive　to　HIM；　sir；　by　Jove！　and
most　significant　in　his　inquiries。　　It　was　the　only　occasion　when
he；　the　colonel；　had　ever　spoken　to　her　on　such　subjects；　and；
knowing　that　she　was　not　indifferent　to　the　fellow；　who　was　not　bad
of　his　kind；　he　had　asked　her　why　she　had　not　encouraged　his　suit。
She　had　said；　with　a　laugh；　that　he　couldn't　marry　her　unless　he
gave　up　his　claim　of　succession　to　a　certain　reigning　house；　and
she　wouldn't　accept　him　WITHOUT　IT。　　Those　were　her　words；　sir；　and
he　could　only　say　that　the　prince　left　a　few　days　afterwards；　and
they　had　never　seen　him　since。　　As　to　the　princelings　and　counts
and　barons；　she　knew　to　a　day　the　date　of　their　patents　of
nobility；　and　what　privileges　they　were　entitled　to；　she　could　tell
to　a　dot　the　value　of　their　estates；　the　amount　of　their　debts；
and；　by　Jove！　sir；　the　amount　of　mortgages　she　was　expected　to　pay
off　before　she　married　them。　　She　knew　the　amount　of　income　she　had
to　bring　to　the　Prussian　Army；　from　the　general　to　the　lieutenant。
She　understood　her　own　value　and　her　rights。　　There　was　a　young
English　lordling　she　met　on　the　Rhine；　whose　boyish　ways　and
simplicity　seemed　to　please　her。　　They　were　great　friends；　but　he
wanted　himthe　colonelto　induce　her　to　accept　an　invitation　for
both　to　visit　his　mother's　home　in　England；　that　his　people　might
see　her。　　But　she　declined；　sir！　　She　declined　to　pass　in　review
before　his　mother。　　She　said　it　was　for　HIM　to　pass　in　review
before　HER　mother。

〃Did　she　say　that？〃　interrupted　Paul；　fixing　his　bright　eyes　upon
the　colonel。

〃If　she　had　one；　if　she　had　one；〃　corrected　the　colonel；　hastily。
〃Of　course　it　was　only　an　illustration。　　That　she　is　an　orphan　is
generally　known；　sir。〃

There　was　a　dead　silence　for　a　few　moments。　　The　colonel　leaned
back　in　his　chair　and　pulled　his　moustache。　　Paul　turned　away　his
eyes；　and　seemed　absorbed　in　reflection。　　After　a　moment　the
colonel　coughed；　pushed　aside　his　glass；　and；　leaning　across　the
table；　said；　〃I　have　a　favor　to　ask　of　you；　Mr。　Hathaway。〃

There　was　such　a　singular　change　in　the　tone　of　his　voice；　an
unexpected　relaxation　of　some　artificial　tension；a　relaxation
which　struck　Paul　so　pathetically　as　being　as　much　physical　as
mental；　as　if　he　had　suddenly　been　overtaken　in　some　exertion　by
the　weakness　of　age；that　he　looked　up　quickly。　　Certainly；
although　still　erect　and　lightly　grasping　his　moustache；　the
colonel　looked　older。

〃By　all　means；　my　dear　colonel；〃　said　Paul　warmly。

〃During　the　time　you　remain　here　you　can　hardly　help　meeting　Miss
Arguello；　perhaps　frequently。　　It　would　be　strange　if　you　did　not；
it　would　appear　to　everybody　still　stranger。　　Give　me　your　word　as
a　gentleman　that　you　will　not　make　the　least　allusion　to　her　of　the
pastnor　reopen　the　subject。〃

Paul　looked　fixedly　at　the　colonel。　　〃I　certainly　had　no　intention
of　doing　so；〃　he　said　after　a　pause；　〃for　I　thought　it　was　already
settled　by　you　beyond　disturbance　or　discussion。　　But　do　I
understand　you；　that　SHE　has　shown　any　uneasiness　regarding　it？
From　what　you　have　just　told　me　of　her　plans　and　ambition；　I　can
scarcely　imagine　that　she　has　any　suspicion　of　the　real　facts。〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　said　the　colonel　hurriedly。　　〃But　I　have　your
promise。〃

〃I　promise　you；〃　said　Paul；　after　a　pause；　〃that　I　shall　neither
introduce　nor　refer　to　the　subject　myself；　and　that　if　SHE　should
question　me　again　regarding　it；　which　is　hardly　possible；　I　will
reveal　nothing　without　your　consent。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Pendleton；　without；　however；　exhibiting　much
relief　in　his　face。　　〃She　will　return　here　to…morrow。〃

〃I　thought　you　said　she　was　absent　for　some　days；〃　said　Paul。

〃Yes；　but　she　is　coming　back　to　say　good…by　to　Dona　Anna；　who
arrives　here　with　her　brother　the　same　day；　on　their　way　to　Paris。〃

It　flashed　through　Paul's　mind　that　the　last　time　he　had　seen　her
was　in　the　company　of　the　Briones。　　It　was　not　a　pleasant
coincidence。　　Yet　he　was　not　aware　that　it　had　affected　him；　until
he　saw　the　colonel　watching　him。

〃I　believe　you　don't　fancy　the　brother；〃　said　Pendleton。

For　an　instant　Paul　was　strongly　tempted　to　avow　his　old　vague
suspicions　of　Don　Caesar；　but　the　utter　hopelessness　of　reopening
the　whole　subject　again；　and　his　recollection　of　the　passage　in
Pendleton's　letter　that　purported　to　be　Yerba's　own　theory　of　his
dislike；　checked　him　in　time。　　He　only　said；　〃I　don't　remember
whether　I　had　any　cause　for　disliking　Don　Caesar；　I　can　tell　better
when　I　see　him　again；〃　and　changed　the　subject。　　A　few　moments
later　the　colonel　summoned　George　from　some　lower　region　of　the
hotel；　and　rose　to　take　his　leave。　　〃Miss　Arguello；　with　her　maid
and　courier；　will　occupy　her　old　suite　of　rooms　here；〃　he　remarked；
with　a　return　of　his　old　imperiousness。　　〃George　has　given　the
orders　for　her。　　I　shall　not　change　my　present　lodgings；　but　of
course　will　call　every　day。　　Goodnight！〃


CHAPTER　VI。


The　next　morning　Paul　could　not　help　noticing　an　increased　and　even
exaggerated　respect　paid　him　by　the　hotel　attendants。　　He　was　asked
if　his　EXCELLENCY　would　he　served　with　breakfast　in　a　private　room；
and　his　condescension　in　selecting　the　public　coffee…room　struck
the　obsequious　chamberlain；　but　did　not　prevent　him　from　preceding
Paul　backwards　to　the　table；　and　summoning　a　waiter　to　attend
specially　upon　〃milor。〃　　Surmising　that　George　and　the　colonel
might　be　in　some　way　connected　with　this　extravagance；　he　postponed
an　investigation　till　he　should　have　seen　them　again。　　And；
although　he　hardly　dared　to　confess　it　to　himself；　the　unexpected
prospect　of　meeting　Yerba　again　fully　preoccupied　his　thoughts。　　He
had　believed　that　he　would　eventually　see　her　in　Europe；　in　some
vague　and　indefinite　way　and　hour：　it　had　been　in　his　mind　when　he
started　from　California。　　That　it　would　be　so　soon；　and　in　such　a
simple　and　natural　manner；　he　had　never　conceived。

〃He　had　returne