a ward of the golden gate-第27节

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ally；　whose　functions　he　had　usurped；　and　in　whose　interests　he　was
about　to　risk　his　life。　　And　as　he　walked　away　through　the　silent
streets；　the　conviction　more　than　once　was　forced　upon　him　that　he
was　going　to　an　appointment　that　would　not　be　kept。

He　reached　the　station　some　ten　minutes　before　the　train　was　due。
Two　or　three　half…drowsy；　wrapped…up　passengers　were　already　on　the
platform；　but　neither　Don　Caesar　nor　Colonel　Pendleton　was　among
them。　　He　explored　the　waiting…rooms　and　even　the　half…lit　buffet；
but　with　no　better　success。　　Telling　the　Bahnhof　Inspector　that　his
passage　was　only　contingent　upon　the　arrival　of　one　or　two
companions；　and　describing　them　minutely　to　prevent　mistakes；　he
began　gloomily　to　pace　before　the　ticket…office。　　Five　minutes
passedthe　number　of　passengers　did　not　increase；　ten　minutes；　a
distant　shriekthe　hoarse　inquiry　of　the　inspectorhad　the　Herr's
companions　yet　gekommt？　the　sudden　glare　of　a　Cyclopean　eye　in　the
darkness；　the　ongliding　of　the　long…jointed　and　gleaming　spotted
serpent；　the　traina　hurried　glance　around　the　platform；　one　or
two　guttural　orders；　the　slamming　of　doors；　the　remounting　of　black
uniformed　figures　like　caryatides　along　the　marchepieds；　a　puff　of
vapor；　and　the　train　had　come　and　gone　without　them。

Yet　he　would　give　his　adversary　fifteen　minutes　more　to　allow　for
accident　or　delay；　or　the　possible　arrival　of　the　colonel　with　an
explanation；　and　recommenced　his　gloomy　pacing；　as　the　Bahnhof　sank
back　into　half…lit　repose。　　At　the　end　of　five　minutes　there　was
another　shriek。　　Paul　turned　quickly　to　the　inspector。　　Ah；　then；
there　was　another　train？　　No；　it　was　only　the　up　express　for　Basle；
going　the　other　way　and　stopping　at　the　Nord　Station；　half　a　mile
away。　　It　would　not　stop　here；　but　the　Herr　would　see　it　pass　in　a
few　moments　at　full　speed。

It　came　presently；　with　a　prolonged　despairing　shriek；　out　of　the
darkness；　a　flash；　a　rush　and　roar　at　his　side；　a　plunge　into　the
darkness　again　with　the　same　despairing　cry；　a　flutter　of　something
white　from　one　of　the　windows；　like　a　loosened　curtain；　that　at
last　seemed　to　detach　itself；　and；　after　a　wild　attempt　to　follow；
suddenly　soared　aloft；　whirled　over　and　over；　dropped；　and　drifted
slowly；　slantwise；　to　the　ground。

The　inspector　had　seen　it；　ran　down　the　line；　and　picked　it　up。
Then　he　returned　with　it　to　Paul　with　a　look　of　sympathizing
concern。　　It　was　a　lady's　handkerchief；　evidently　some　signal　waved
to　the　well…born　Herr；　who　was　the　only　passenger　on　the　platform。
So；　possibly；　it　might　be　from　his　friends；　who　by　some　stupid
mischance　had　gone　to　the　wrong　station；　andGott　im　Himmel！it
was　hideously　stupid；　yet　possible；　got　on　the　wrong　train！

The　Herr；　a　little　pale；　but　composed；　thought　it　WAS　possible。
No；　he　would　not　telegraph　to　the　next　stationnot　yethe　would
inquire。

He　walked　quickly　away；　reaching　the　hotel　breathlessly；　yet　in　a
space　that　seemed　all　too　brief　for　his　disconnected　thought。
There　were　signs　of　animation　in　the　hall；　and　an　empty　carriage
was　just　reentering　the　courtyard。　　The　hall…porter　met　him　with
demonstrative　concern　and　apology。　　Ah！　if　he　had　only　understood
his　Excellency　better；　he　could　have　saved　him　all　this　trouble。
Evidently　his　Excellency　was　going　with　the　Arguello　party；　who　had
ordered　a　carriage；　doubtless；　for　the　same　important　journey；　an
hour　before；　yet　had　left　only　a　few　moments　after　his　Excellency；
and　his　Excellency；　it　would　appear；　had　gone　to　the　wrong　station。

Paul　pushed　hurriedly　past　the　man　and　ascended　to　his　room。　　Both
windows　were　open；　and　in　the　faint　moonlight　he　could　see　that
something　white　was　pinned　to　his　pillow。　　With　nervous　fingers　he
relit　his　candles；　and　found　it　was　a　note　in　Yerba's　handwriting。
As　he　opened　it；　a　tiny　spray　of　the　vine　that　had　grown　on　the
crumbling　wall　fell　at　his　feet。　　He　picked　it　up；　pressed　it　to
his　lips；　and　read；　with　dim　eyes；　as　follows：


〃You　know　now　why　I　spoke　to　you　as　I　did　to…day；　and　why　the　other
half　of　this　precious　spray　is　the　only　memory　I　care　to　carry　with
me　out　of　this　crumbling　ruin　of　all　my　hopes。　　You　were　right；
Paul：　my　taking　you　there　WAS　AN　OMENnot　to　you；　who　can　never　be
anything　but　proud；　beloved；　and　truebut　to　ME　of　all　the　shame
and　misery。　　Thank　you　for　all　you　have　donefor　all　you　would　do；
my　friend；　and　don't　think　me　ungrateful；　only　because　I　am
unworthy　of　it。　　Try　to　forgive　me；　but　don't　forget　me；　even　if
you　must　hate　me。　　Perhaps；　if　you　knew　allyou　might　still　love　a
little　the　poor　girl　to　whom　you　have　already　given　the　only　name
she　can　ever　take　from　youYERBA　BUENA！



CHAPTER　VII。


It　was　already　autumn；　and　in　the　city　of　New　York　an　early　Sunday
morning　breeze　was　sweeping　up　the　leaves　that　had　fallen　from　the
regularly　planted　ailantus　trees　before　the　brown…stone　frontage　of
a　row　of　monotonously　alike　five…storied　houses　on　one　of　the
principal　avenues。　　The　Pastor　of　the　Third　Presbyterian　Church；
that　uplifted　its　double　towers　on　the　corner；　stopped　before　one
of　these　dwellings；　ran　up　the　dozen　broad　steps；　and　rang　the
bell。　　He　was　presently　admittted　to　the　sombre　richness　of　a　hall
and　drawing…room　with　high…backed　furniture　of　dark　carved　woods；
like　cathedral　stalls；　and；　hat　in　hand；　somewhat　impatiently
awaited　the　arrival　of　his　hostess　and　parishioner。　　The　door
opened　to　a　tall；　white…haired　woman　in　lustreless　black　silk。　　She
was　regular　and　resolute　in　features；　of　fine　but　unbending
presence；　and；　though　somewhat　past　middle　age；　showed　no　signs　of
either　the　weakness　or　mellowness　of　years。

〃I　am　sorry　to　disturb　your　Sabbath　morning　meditations；　Sister
Argalls；　nor　would　I　if　it　were　not　in　the　line　of　Christian　duty；
but　Sister　Robbins　is　unable　today　to　make　her　usual　Sabbath
hospital　visit；　and　I　thought　if　you　were　excused　from　the　Foreign
Missionary　class　and　Bible　instruction　at　three　you　might　undertake
her　functions。　　I　know；　my　dear　old　friend；〃　he　continued；　with
bland　deprecation　of　her　hard…set　eyes；　〃how　distasteful　this
promiscuous　mingling　with　the　rough　and　ungodly　has　always　been　to
you；　and　how　reluctant　you　are　to　be　placed　in　the　position　of
being　liable　to　hear　coarse；　vulgar；　or　irreverent　speech。　　I
think；　too；　in　our　long　and　pleasant　pastoral　relations；　you　have
always　found　me　mindful　of　it。　　I　admit　I　have　sometimes　regretted
that　your　late　husband　had　not　more　generally　familiarized　you　with
the　ways　of　the　world。　　But　so　it　iswe　all　have　our　weaknesses。
If　not　one　thing；　another。　　And　as　Envy　and　Uncharitableness
sometimes　find　their　way　in　even　Christian　hearts；　I　should　like
you　to　undertake　this　office　for　the　sake　of　example。　　There　are
some；　dear　Sister　Argalls；　who　think　that　the　rich　widow　who　is
most　liberal　in　the　endowment　of　the　goods　that　Providence　has
intrusted　to　her　hands　claims　therefore　to　be　exempt　from　labor　in
the　Christian　vineyard。　　Let　us　teach　them　how　unjust　they　are。〃

〃I　am　willing；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　dry；　determined　air。　　〃I
suppose　these　patients　are　not　professedly　bad　characters？〃

〃By　no　means。　　A　few；　perhaps；　but　the　majority　are　unfortunates
dependent　either　upon　public　charity　or　some　small　provision　made
by　their　friends。〃

〃Very　well。〃

〃And　you　understand　that　though　they　have　the　privilege　of
rejecting　your　Christian　ministrations；　dear　Sister　Argalls；　you
are　free　to　judge　when　you　may　be　patient　or　importunate　with
them？〃

〃I　understand。〃

The　Pastor　was　not　an　unkindly　man；　and；　as　he　glanced　at　the
uncompromising　look　in　Mrs。　Argalls's　eyes；　felt　for　a　moment　some
inconsistency　between　his　humane　instincts　and　his　Christian　duty。
〃Some　of　them　may　require；　and　be　benefited　by；　a　stern　monitress；
and　Sister　Robbins；　I　fear；　was　weak；〃　he　said　consolingly　to
himself；　as　he　descended　the　steps　again。

At　three　o'clock　Mrs。　Argalls；　with　a　reticule　and　a　few　tracts；
was　at　the　door　of　St。　John's　Hospital。　　As　she　displayed　her
testimonials　and　announced　that　she　had　taken　Mrs。　Robbins's　place；
the　officials　received　her　respectfully；　and　gave　some　instructions
to　the　attendants；　which；　however；　did　not　stop　some　individual
comments。

〃I　say；　Jim；　it　doesn't　seem　the　square　thing　to　let　that　grim　old
girl　loose　among　them　poor　convalescents。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know：　they　say　she's　rich　and　gives　a　lot　o'　money
away；　but　if　she　tackles　that　swearing　old　Kentuckian　in　No。　3；
she'll　have　her　hands　full。〃

However；　the　criticism　was　scarcely　fair；　for　Mrs。　Argalls；
although　moving　rigidly　along　from　bed　to　bed　of　the　ward；　equipped
with　a　certain　formula　of　phrases；　nevertheless　dropped　from　time
to　time　some　practical　common…sense　questions　that　showed　an　almost
masculine　intuition　of　the　patients'　needs　and　requirements。　　Nor
did　she　betray　any　of　that　over…sensitive　shrinking　from　coarseness
which　the　good　Pastor　had　feared；　albeit　she　was　quick　to　correct
its　exhibition。　　The　languid　men　listened　to　her　with　half…
aggressive；　half…amused　interest；　and　some　of　the　satisfaction　of
taking　a　bitter　but　wholesome　tonic。　　It　was　not　until　she　reached
the　bed　at　the　farth