a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第36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！
wonder。
〃And〃more timidly； as a faint aurora kindled in her checks〃that you
don't carethatthatI am coming to you WITH A NAME； to give you in…
…exchange？〃
He started。
〃Yerba； you are not mocking me？ You will be my wife？〃
She smiled； yet moving softly backwards with the grave stateliness of
a vanishing yet beckoning goddess； until she reached the sumach… bush
from which she had emerged。 He followed。 Another backward step； and it
yielded to let her through； but even as it did so she caught him in her arms；
and for a single moment it closed upon them both； and hid them in its
glory。 A still lingering song…bird； possibly convinced that he had mistaken
the season； and that spring had really come； flew out with a little cry to
carry the message south； but even then Paul and Yerba emerged with such
innocent； childlike gravity； and； side by side； walked so composedly
towards the house； that he thought better of it。
122
… Page 123…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
CHAPTER IX。
It was only the THIRD time they had ever metdid Paul consider that
when he thought her cold？ Did he know now why she had not understood
him at Rosario？ Did he understand now how calculating and selfish he had
seemed to her that night？ Could he look her in the face nowno； he must
be quietthey were so near the house； and everybody could see them！
and say that he had ever believed her capable of making up that story of
the Arguellos？ Could he not have guessed that she had some memory of
that name in her childish recollections； how or where she knew not？ Was it
strange that a daughter should have an instinct of her father？ Was it kind to
her to know all this himself and yet reveal nothing？ Because her mother
and father had quarreled； and her mother had run away with somebody
and left her a ward to strangerswas that to be concealed from her； and
she left without a name？ This； and much more； tenderly reproachful；
bewildering and sweetly illogical； yet inexpressibly dear to Paul； as they
walked on in the gloaming。
More to the purpose； however； the fact that Briones； as far as she knew；
did not know her mother； and never before the night at Strudle Bad had
ever spoken of her。 Still more to the purpose； that he had disappeared after
an interview with the colonel that night； and that she believed always that
the colonel had bought him off。 It was not with HER money。 She had
sometimes thought that the colonel and he were in confidence； and that
was why she had lately distrusted Pendleton。 But she had refused to take
the name of Arguello again after that scene； and had called herself only by
the name he had given herwould he forgive her for ever speaking of it as
she had？Yerba Buena。 But on shipboard； at Milly's suggestion； and to
keep away from Briones； her name had appeared on the passenger list as
Miss Good； and they had come； not to New York； but Boston。
It was possible that the colonel had extracted the information he sent
her FROM Briones。 They had parted from Pendleton in London； as he was
grumpy and queer； and； as Milly thought； becoming very miserly and
avaricious as he grew older； for he was always quarreling over the hotel
bills。 But he had Mrs。 Woods's New York address at Under Cliff； and； of
123
… Page 124…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
course； guessed where she was。 There was no address on his letter： he had
said he would write again。
Thus much until they reached the steps of the veranda； and Milly；
flying down； was ostentatiously overwhelmed with the unexpected
appearance of Mr。 Paul Hathaway and Yerba； whom she had been
watching from the window for the last ten minutes。 Then the appearance
of Mr。 Woods； Californian and reminiscent； and Mrs。 Woods； metropolitan；
languid； and forgetful； and the sudden and formal retirement of the girls。
An arch and indefinable mystery in the air whenever Paul and Yerba
appeared togetherof which even the servants were discreetly conscious。
At dinner Mr。 Woods again became retrospective and Californian； and
dwelt upon the changes he had noticed。 It appeared the old pioneers had in
few cases attained a comfortable fortune for their old age。 〃I know；〃 he
added； 〃that your friend Colonel Pendleton has dropped a good deal of
money over in Europe。 Somebody told me that he actually was reduced to
take a steerage passage home。 It looks as if he might gambleit's an old
Californian complaint。〃 As Paul； who had become suddenly grave again；
did not speak； Mrs。 Woods reminded them that she had always doubted the
colonel's moral principles。 Old as he was； he had never got over that
freedom of life and social opinion which he had imbibed in early days。 For
her part； she was very glad he had not returned from Europe with the girls；
though； of course； the presence of Don Caesar and his sister during their
European sojourn was a corrective。 As Paul's face grew darker during this
languid criticism； Yerba； who had been watching it with a new and
absorbing sympathy； seized the first moment when they left the table to
interrogate him with heartbreaking eyes。
〃You don't think； Paul； that the colonel is really poor？〃
〃God only knows；〃 said Paul。 〃I tremble to think how that scoundrel
may have bled him。〃
〃And all for me！ Paul； dear； you know you were saying in the woods
that you would never； never touch my money。 What〃exultingly〃if we
gave it to him？〃
What answer Paul made did not transpire； for it seemed to have been
indicated by an interval of profound silence。
124
… Page 125…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
But the next morning； as he and Mr。 Woods were closeted in the
library； Yerba broke in upon them with a pathetic face and a telegram in
her hand。 〃Oh； PaulMr。 HathawayIT'S TRUE！〃
Paul seized the telegram quickly： it had no signature； only the line：
〃Colonel Pendleton is dangerously ill at St。 John's Hospital。〃
〃I must go at once；〃 said Paul； rising。
〃Oh； Paul〃imploringly…〃let me go with you！ I should never forgive
myself ifAND IT'S ADDRESSED TO ME； and what would he think if I
didn't come？〃
Paul hesitated。 〃Mrs。 Woods will let Milly go with us and she can stay
at the hotel。 Say yes；〃 she continued； seeking his eyes eagerly。
He consented； and in half an hour they were in the train for New York。
Leaving Milly at the hotel； ostensibly in deference to the Woods's
prejudices； but really to save the presence of a third party at this meeting；
Paul drove with Yerba rapidly to the hospital。 They were admitted to an
anteroom。 The house surgeon received them respectfully； but doubtingly。
The patient was a little better this morning； but very weak。 There was a
lady now with hima member of a religious and charitable guild； who had
taken the greatest interest in himindeed； she had wished to take him to
her own homebut he had declined at first； and now he was too weak to
be removed。
〃But I received this telegram： it must have been sent at his request；〃
protested Yerba。
The house surgeon looked at the beautiful face。 He was mortal。 He
would see if the patient was able to stand another interview； possibly the
regular visitor might withdraw。
When he had gone； an attendant volunteered the information that the
old gentleman was perhaps a little excited at times。 He was a wonderful
man； he had seen a great deal； he talked much of California and the early
days； he was very interesting。 Ah； it would be all right now if the doctor
found him well enough； for the lady was already goingthat was she；
coming through the hall。
She came slowly towards themerect； gray； grima still handsome
apparition。 Paul started。 To his horror； Yerba ran impulsively forward； and
125
… Page 126…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
said eagerly： 〃Is he better？ Can he see us now？〃
The woman halted an instant； seemed to gather the prayer…book and
reticule she was carrying
