a ward of the golden gate-第26节

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supreme　effort　of　strength；　dragged　him　along　the　wall；　falling
with　him　into　the　open　window　of　his　own　room。　　As　he　did　so；　to
his　inexpressible　relief　he　heard　the　sash　closed　and　the　bolt
drawn　of　the　salon　window；　and　regained　his　feet；　collected；　quiet；
and　triumphant。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　said；　coolly　dusting　his　clothes；　〃to　have　been
obliged　to　change　the　scene　of　this　discussion　so　roughly；　but　you
will　observe　that　you　can　speak　more　freely　HERE；　and　that　any
altercation　WE　may　have　in　this　room　will　be　less　likely　to　attract
comment。〃

〃Assassin！〃　said　Don　Caesar　chokingly；　as　he　struggled　to　his　feet。

〃Thank　you。　　Relieve　your　feelings　as　much　as　you　like　here；　in
fact；　if　you　would　speak　a　little　louder　you　would　oblige　me。　　The
guests　are　beginning　to　be　awake；〃　continued　Paul；　with　a　wicked
smile；　indicating　the　noise　of　an　opening　door　and　footsteps　in　the
passage；　〃and　are　now　able　to　locate　without　difficulty　the　scene
of　the　disturbance。〃

Briones　apparently　understood　his　meaning　and　the　success　of　his
stratagem。　　〃You　think　you　have　saved　HER　from　disgrace；〃　he　said；
with　a　livid　smile；　in　a　lower　tone　and　a　desperate　attempt　to
imitate　Paul's　coolness。　　〃For　the　presentahyees！　perhaps　in
this　hotel　and　this　evening。　　But　you　have　not　stop　my　mouth　for
ato…morrowand　the　whole　world；　Mr。　Hathaway。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Paul；　looking　at　him　critically；　〃I　don't　know　about
that。　　Of　course；　there's　the　equal　chance　that　you　may　kill　me
but　that's　a　question　for　to…morrow；　too。〃

The　Mexican　cast　a　quick　glance　at　the　door　and　window。　　Paul；　as
if　carelessly；　changed　the　key　of　the　former　from　one　pocket　to　the
other；　and　stepped　before　the　window。

〃So　this　is　a　plot　to　murder　me！　　Have　a　care！　　You　are　not　in　your
own　brigand　California！〃

〃If　you　think　so；　alarm　the　house。　　They　will　find　us　quarreling；
and　you　will　only　precipitate　matters　by　receiving　the　insult　that
will　make　you　fightbefore　them。〃

〃I　am　r…ready；　sir；　when　and　where　you　will；〃　said　Briones；　with　a
swaggering　air　but　a　shifting；　furtive　eye。　　〃Openathe　door。〃

〃Pardon　me。　　We　will　leave　this　room　TOGETHER　in　an　hour　for　the
station。　　We　will　board　the　night　express　that　will　take　us　in
three　hours　beyond　the　frontier；　where　we　can　each　find　a　friend。〃

〃But　my　affairs　heremy　sisterI　must　see　her。〃

〃You　shall　write　a　note　to　her　at　that　table；　saying　that　important
businessa　dispatchhas　called　you　away；　and　we　will　leave　it
with　the　porter　to　be　delivered　IN　THE　MORNING。　　OrI　do　not
restrict　youyou　can　say　what　you　like；　provided　she　don't　get　it
until　we　have　left。〃

〃And　you　make　of　me　a　prisoner；　sir？〃

〃No；　a　visitor；　Don　Caesara　visitor　whose　conversation　is　so
interesting　that　I　am　forced　to　detain　him　to　hear　more。　　You　can
pass　the　time　pleasantly　by　finishing　the　story　I　was　obliged　to
interrupt　a　moment　ago。　　Do　you　know　this　mother　of　Miss　Yerba；　of
whom　you　spoke？〃

〃That's　mmy　affair。〃

〃That　means　you　don't　know　her。　　If　you　did；　you'd　have　had　her
within　call。　　And；　as　she　is　the　only　person　who　is　able　to　say
that　Miss　Yerba　is　NOT　an　Arguello；　you　have　been　very　remiss。〃

〃Ah；　bah！　I　am　not　one　of　youralawyers。〃

〃No；　or　you　would　know　that；　with　no　better　evidence　than　you　have；
you　might　be　sued　for　slander。〃

〃Ah！　　Why　does　not　Miss　Yerba　sue；　then？〃

〃Because　she　probably　expects　that　somebody　will　shoot　you。〃

〃As　YOU　for　instance？〃

〃Perhaps。〃

〃And　if　you　do　NOTeh？you　have　not　stop　my　mouth；　but　your　own。
And　if　you　DO；　you　help　her　to　marry　the　Baron；　your　rival。　　You
are　not　wise；　friend　Hathaway。〃

〃May　I　remind　you　that　you　have　not　yet　written　to　your　sister；　and
you　may　prefer　to　do　it　carefully　and　deliberately？〃

Don　Caesar　arose　with　a　vindictive　glance　at　Paul；　and　pulled　a
chair　before　the　table；　as　the　latter　placed　pen；　ink；　and　paper
before　him。　　〃Take　your　time；〃　he　added；　folding　his　arms　and
walking　towards　the　window。　　〃Say　what　you　like；　and　don't　let　my
presence　restrain　you。〃

The　Mexican　began　to　write　furiously；　then　spasmodically；　then
slowly　and　reluctantly。　　〃I　war…r…n　you；　I　shall　expose　all；〃　he
said　suddenly。

〃As　you　please。〃

〃And　shall　say　that　if　I　disappear；　you　are　my　murdereryou
understandmy　MURDERER！〃

〃Don't　consult　me　on　a　question　of　epithets；　but　go　on。〃

Don　Caesar　recommenced　his　writing　with　a　malign　smile。　　There　was
a　sudden　sharp　rap　at　the　door。

Don　Caesar　leaped　to　his　feet；　grasped　his　papers；　and　rushed　to
the　door；　but　Paul　was　before　him。　　〃Who　is　there？〃　he　demanded。

〃Pendleton。〃

At　the　sound　of　the　colonel's　voice　Don　Caesar　fell　back。　　Paul
opened　the　door；　admitted　the　tall　figure　of　the　colonel；　and　was
about　to　turn　the　key　again。　　But　Pendleton　lifted　his　hand　in　grim
deprecation。

〃That　will　do；　Mr。　Hathaway。　　I　know　all。　　But　I　wish　to　speak　with
Briones　elsewhere；　alone。〃

〃Excuse　me；　Colonel　Pendleton；〃　said　Paul　firmly；　〃but　I　have　the
prior　claim。　　Words　have　passed　between　this　gentleman　and　myself
which　we　are　now　on　our　way　to　the　station　and　the　frontier　to
settle。　　If　you　are　willing　to　accompany　us；　I　shall　give　you　every
opportunity　to　converse　with　him　alone；　and　arrange　whatever
business　you　may　have　with　him；　provided　it　does　not　interfere　with
mine。〃

〃My　business；〃　said　Pendleton；　〃is　of　a　personal　nature；　that　will
not　interfere　with　any　claim　of　yours　that　Mr。　Briones　may　choose
to　admit；　but　is　of　a　private　quality　that　must　be　transacted
between　us　now。〃　　His　face　was　pale；　and　his　voice；　although　steady
and　self…controlled；　had　that　same　strange　suggestion　of　sudden　age
in　it　which　Paul　had　before　noticed。　　Whether　Don　Caesar　detected
it；　or　whether　he　had　some　other　instinctive　appreciation　of
greater　security；　Paul　could　not　tell。　　He　seemed　to　recover　his
swagger　again；　as　he　said；

〃I　shall　hear　what　Colonel　Pendleton　has　to　say　first。　　But　I　shall
hold　myself　in　readiness　to　meet　you　afterwardsyou　shall　not
fear；　sir！〃

Paul　remained　looking　from　the　one　to　the　other　without　speaking。
It　was　Don　Caesar　who　returned　his　glance　boldly　and　defiantly；
Colonel　Pendleton　who；　with　thin　white　fingers　pulling　his
moustache；　evaded　it。　　Then　Paul　unlocked　the　door；　and　said
slowly；　〃In　five　minutes　I　leave　this　house　for　the　station。　　I
shall　wait　there　until　the　train　arrives。　　If　this　gentleman　does
not　join　me；　I　shall　be　better　able　to　understand　all　this　and　take
measures　accordingly。〃

〃And　I　tell　to　you；　Meester　Hathaway；　sir；〃　said　Don　Caesar；
striking　an　attitude　in　the　doorway；　〃you　shall　do　as　I　please
Caramba！and　shall　beg〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　siror；　by　the　Eternal！〃burst　out　Pendleton
suddenly；　bringing　down　his　thin　hand　on　the　Mexican's　shoulder。
He　stopped　as　suddenly。　　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　childish。　　Go；　sir！〃
to　Don　Caesar；　pointing　with　a　gaunt　white　finger　into　the　darkened
hall。　　〃I　will　follow　you。　　Mr。　Hathaway；　as　an　older　man；　and　one
who　has　seen　a　good　deal　of　foolish　altercation；　I　regret；　sir；
deeply　regret；　to　be　a　witness　to　this　belligerent　quality　in　a
law…maker　and　a　public　man；　and　I　must　deprecate；　sirdeprecate；
your　demand　on　that　gentleman　for　what；　in　the　folly　of　youth；　you
are　pleased　to　call　personal　satisfaction。〃

As　he　moved　with　dignity　out　of　the　room；　Paul　remained　blankly
staring　after　him。　　Was　it　all　a　dream？or　was　this　Colonel
Pendleton　the　duelist？　　Had　the　old　man　gone　crazy；　or　was　he
merely　acting　to　veil　some　wild　purpose？　　His　sudden　arrival　showed
that　Yerba　must　have　sent　for　him　and　told　him　of　Don　Caesar's
threats；　would　he　be　wild　enough　to　attempt　to　strangle　the　man　in
some　remote　room　or　in　the　darkness　of　the　passage？　　He　stepped
softly　into　the　hall：　he　could　still　hear　the　double　tread　of　the
two　men：　they　had　reached　the　staircasethey　were　DESCENDING！　　He
heard　the　drowsy　accents　of　the　night　porter　and　the　swinging　of
the　doorthey　were　in　the　street！

Wherever　they　were　going；　or　for　what　purpose；　HE　must　be　at　the
station；　as　he　had　warned　them　he　would　be。　　He　hastily　threw　a　few
things　into　his　valise；　and　prepared　to　follow　them。　　When　he　went
downstairs　he　informed　the　porter　that　owing　to　an　urgent　call　of
business　he　should　try　to　catch　the　through　express　at　three
o'clock；　but　they　must　retain　his　room　and　luggage　until　they　heard
from　him。　　He　remembered　Don　Caesar's　letter。　　Had　either　of　the
gentlemen；　his　friends　who　had　just　gone　out；　left　a　letter　or
message？　　No；　Excellency；　the　gentlemen　were　talking　earnestlyhe
believed；　in　the　South　American　languageand　had　not　spoken　to
him。

Perhaps　it　was　this　that　reminded　Paul；　as　he　crossed　the　square
again；　that　he　had　made　no　preparation　for　any　possible　fatal　issue
to　himself　in　this　adventure。　　SHE　would　know　it；　however；　and　why
he　had　undertaken　it。　　He　tried　to　think　that　perhaps　some　interest
in　himself　had　prompted　her　to　send　the　colonel　to　him。　　Yet；
mingled　with　this　was　an　odd　sense　of　a　certain　ridiculousness　in
his　position：　there　was　the　absurdity　of　his　prospective　antagonist
being　even　now　in　confidential　consultation　with　his　own　friend　and
ally；　whose　functions　he　had　usurped；　and　in　whose　interests　he　was
a