a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第15节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
have done it just as well an hour ago。
He opened the window again。 The scent of the jessamine came in as
before； but mingled with the cooler breath of the roses。 There was nothing
intoxicating or unreal in it now； rather it seemed a gentle aromatic
stimulantof thought。 Long shadows of unseen poplars beyond barred the
garden lanes and alleys with bands of black and yellow。 A slanting pencil
of sunshine through the trees was for a moment focussed on a bed of
waxen callas before a hedge of ceanothus； and struck into dazzling relief
the cold white chalices of the flowers and the vivid shining green of their
background。 Presently it slid beyond to a tiny fountain； before invisible；
and wrought a blinding miracle out of its flashing and leaping spray。 Yet
even as he gazed the fountain seemed to vanish slowly； the sunbeam
slipped on； and beyond it moved the shimmer of white and yellow dresses。
It was Yerba and Milly returning to the house。 Well； he would not interrupt
his reflections by idly watching them； he would； probably； see a great deal
of Yerba that evening； and by that time he would have come to some
conclusion in regard to her。
But he had not taken into consideration her voice； which； always
musical in its Southern intonation and quite audible in the quiet garden；
struck him now as being full of joyous sweetness。 Well； she was certainly
very happyor very thoughtless。 She was actually romping with Milly；
50
… Page 51…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
and was now evidently being chased down the rose…alley by that volatile
young woman。 Then these swift Camillas apparently neared the house；
there was the rapid rustle of skirts； the skurrying of little feet on the
veranda； a stumble； a mouse…like shriek from Milly； and HER voice；
exhausted； dying； happy； broken with half…hushed laughter； rose to him on
the breath of the jessamine and rose。
Surely she WAS a child； and； if a child； how he had misjudged her！
What if all that he had believed was mature deliberation was only the
innocent imaginings of a romantic girl； all that he had taken seriously only
a school…girl's foolish dream！ Instead of combating it； instead of reasoning
with her； instead of trying to interest her in other things； he had even
helped on her illusions。 He had treated her as if the taint of her mother's
worldliness and knowledge of evil was in her pure young flesh。 He had
recognized her as the daughter of an adventuress； and not as his ward；
appealing to his chivalry through her very ignoranceit might be her very
childish vanity。 He had brought to a question of tender and pathetic
interest only his selfish opinion of the world and the weaknesses of
mankind。 The blood came to his cheekswith all his experienced self…
control； he had not lost the youthful trick of blushingand he turned away
from the window as if it had breathed a reproach。
But ought he have even contented himself with destroying her
illusionsought he not have gone farther and told her the whole truth？
Ought he not first have won her confidencehe remembered bitterly； now；
how she had intimated that she had no one to confide inand； after
revealing her mother's history； have still pledged himself to keep the secret
from all others； and assisted her in her plan？ It would not have altered the
state of affairs； except so far as she was concerned； they could have
combined together； his ready wit would have helped him； and his
sympathy would have sustained her； but
How and in what way could he have told her？ Leaving out the delicate
and difficult periphrase by which her mother's shame would have to be
explained to an innocent school…girlwhat right could he have assumed to
tell it？ As the guardian who had never counseled or protected her？ As an
acquaintance of hardly an hour ago？ Who would have such a right？ A
51
… Page 52…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
loveron whose lips it would only seem a tacit appeal to her gratitude or
her fears； and whom no sensitive girl could accept thereafter？ No。 A
husband？ Yes！ He remembered； with a sudden start； what Pendleton had
said to him。 Good Heavens！ Had Pendleton that idea in his mind？ And yet…
…it seemed the only solution。
A knock at his door was followed by the appearance of Mr。 Woods。 Mr。
Hathaway's portmanteau had come； and Mrs。 Woods had sent a message；
saying that in view of the limited time that Mr。 Hathaway would have with
his ward； Mrs。 Woods would forego her right to keep him at her side at
dinner； and yield her place to Yerba。 Paul thanked him with a grave inward
smile。 What if he made his dramatic disclosure to her confidentially over
the soup and fish？ Yet； in his constantly recurring conviction of the girl's
independence； he made no doubt she would have met his brutality with
unflinching pride and self…possession。 He began to dress slowly； at times
almost forgetting himself in a new kind of pleasant apathy； which he
attributed to the odor of the flowers； and the softer hush of twilight that
had come on with the dying away of the trade winds； and the restful spice
of the bay…trees near his window。 He presently found himself not so much
thinking of Yerba as of SEEING her。 A picture of her in the summer…house
caressing her cheek with the roses seemed to stand out from the shadows
of the blank wall opposite him。 When he passed into the dressing…room
beyond； it was not his own face he saw in the glass； but hers。 It was with a
start； as if he had heard HER voice； that he found upon his dressing…table a
small vase containing a flower for his coat； with the penciled words on a
card in a school…girl's hand； 〃From Yerba； with thanks for staying。〃 It must
have been placed there by a servant while he was musing at the window。
Half a dozen people were already in the drawing…room when Paul
descended。 It appeared that Mr。 Woods had invited certain of his
neighborsamong them a Judge Baker and his wife； and Don Caesar
Briones； of the adjacent Rancho of Los Pajaros； and his sister； the Dona
Anna。 Milly and Yerba had not yet appeared。 Don Caesar； a young man of
a toreador build； roundly bland in face and murky in eye； seemed to notice
their absence； and kept his glances towards the door； while Paul engaged
in conversation with Dona Annaif that word could convey an impression
52
… Page 53…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
of a conventionality which that good…humored young lady converted into
an animated flirtation at the second sentence with a single glance and two
shakes of her fan。 And then Milly fluttered ina vision of school…girl
freshness and white tulle； and a moment laterwith a pause of
expectationa tall； graceful figure； that at first Paul scarcely recognized。
It is a popular conceit of our sex that we are superior to any effect of
feminine adornment； and that a pretty girl is equally pretty in the simplest
frock。 Yet there was not a man in the room who did not believe that Yerba
in her present attire was not only far prettier than before； but that she
indicated a new and more delicate form of beauty。 It was not the mere
revelation of contour and color of an ordinary decollete dress； it was a
perfect presentment of pure symmetry and carriage。 In this black
grenadine dress； trimmed with jet； not only was the delicate satin sheen of
her skin made clearer by contrast； but she looked every inch her full height；
with an ideal exaltation of breeding and culture。 She wore no jewelry
except a small necklace of pearlsso small it might have been a child's
that fitted her slender throat so tightly that it could scarcely be told from
the flesh that it clasped。 Paul did not know that it was the gift of the
mother to the chil
