a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第10章
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further questions in regard to the colonel。
She had hurriedly skimmed through the letter； which seemed to be
composed of certain figures and accounts。 〃I suppose it's all right；〃 she
said； 〃at least you can say so if he asks you。 It's only an explanation why
he has transferred my money from the bank to Rothschild's agent years
ago。 I don't see why it should interest me NOW。〃
Paul made no doubt that it was the same transfer that had shipwrecked
the colonel's fortune and alienated his friends； and could not help replying
somewhat pointedly； 〃But I think it should； Miss Yerba。 I don't know what
the colonel explained to you doubtless； not the whole truth； for he is not
a man to praise himself； but； the fact is； the bank was in difficulties at the
time of that transfer； and； to make it； he sacrificed his personal fortune；
and； I think； awakened some of that ill…feeling you have just noticed。〃 He
checked himself too late： he had again lost not only his tact and self…
control； but had nearly betrayed himself。 He was surprised that the girl's
justifiable ignorance should have irritated him。 Yet she had evidently not
noticed； or misunderstood it； for she said； with a certain precision that was
almost studied：
〃Yes； I suppose it would have been a terrible thing to him to have been
suspected of misappropriating a Trust confided to him by parties who had
already paid him the high compliment of confiding to his care a secret and
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a fortune。〃
Paul glanced at her quickly with astonishment。 Was this ignorance； or
suspicion？ Her manner； however； suddenly changed； with the charming
capriciousness of youth and conscious beauty。 〃He speaks of you in this
letter；〃 she said； letting her dark eyes rest on him provokingly。
〃That accounts for your lack of interest then；〃 said Paul gayly； relieved
to turn a conversation fraught with so much danger。
〃But he speaks very flatteringly；〃 she went on。 〃He seems to be
another one of your admirers。 I'm sure； Mr。 Hathaway； after that scene in
the hotel parlor yesterday； YOU； at least； cannot complain of having been
misrepresented before ME。 To tell you the truth； I think I hated you a little
for it。〃
〃You were quite right；〃 returned Paul。 〃I must have been insufferable！
And I admit that I was slightly piqued against YOU for the idolatries
showered upon you at the same moment by your friends。〃
Usually； when two young people have reached the point of confidingly
exchanging their first impressions of each other； some progress has been
made in first acquaintance。 But it did not strike Paul in that way； and
Yerba's next remark was discouraging。
〃But I'm rather disappointed； for all that。 Colonel Pendleton tells me
you know nothing of my family or of the secret。〃
Paul was this time quite prepared； and withstood the girl's scrutiny
calmly。 〃Do you think；〃 he asked lightly； 〃that even HE knows？〃
〃Of course he does；〃 she returned quickly。 〃Do you suppose he would
have taken all that trouble you have just talked about if he didn't know it？
And feared the consequences； perhaps？〃 she added； with a slight return of
her previous expressive manner。
Again Paul was puzzled and irritated； he knew not why。 But he only
said pleasantly； 〃I differ from you there。 I am afraid that such a thing as
fear never entered into Colonel Pendleton's calculations on any subject。 I
think he would act the same towards the highest and the lowest； the
powerful or the most weak。〃 As she glanced at him quickly and
mischievously； he added； 〃I am quite willing to believe that his knowledge
of you made his duty pleasanter。〃
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He was again quite sincere； and his slight sympathy had that
irresistible quality of tone and look which made him so dangerous。 For he
was struck with the pretty； soothed self…complacency that had shone in her
face since he had spoken of Pendleton's equal disinterestedness。 It seemed；
too； as if what he had taken for passion or petulance in her manner had
been only a resistance to some continual aggression of condition。 With that
remainder held in check； a certain latent nobility was apparent； as of her
true self。 In this moment of pleased abstraction she had drawn through the
lattice…work of one of the windows a spray of roses clinging to the vine；
and with her graceful head a little on one side； was softly caressing her
cheek with it。 She certainly was very pretty。 From the crown of her dark
little head to the narrow rosetted slippers that had been idly tapping the
ground； but now seemed to press it more proudly； with arched insteps and
small ankles； she was pleasant to look upon。
〃But you surely have something else to think about； Miss Yerba？〃 said
the young man； with conviction。 〃In a few months you will be of age； and
rid of those dreadfully stupid guardians； with your〃
The loosened rose…spray flew from her hand out of the window as she
made a gesture； half real； half assumed； of imploring supplication。 〃Oh；
please； Mr。 Hathaway； for Heaven's sake don't YOU begin too！ You are
going to say that； with my wealth； my accomplishments； my beauty； my
friends； what more can I want？ What do I care about a secret that can
neither add to them nor take them away？ Yes； you were！ It's the regular
thing to sayeverybody says it。 Why； I should have thought 'the youngest
senator' could afford to have been more original。〃
〃I plead guilty to ALL the weaknesses of humanity；〃 said Paul； warmly；
again beginning to believe that he had been most unjust to her
independence。
〃Well； I forgive you； because you have forgotten to say that； if I don't
like the name of Yerba Buena； I could SO easily change that too。〃
〃But you DO like it；〃 said Paul； touched with this first hearing of her
name in her own musical accents； 〃or would like it if you heard yourself
pronounce it。〃 It suddenly recurred to him； with a strange thrill of pleasure；
that he himself had given it to her。 It was as if he had created some
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musical instrument to which she had just given voice。 In his enthusiasm he
had thrown himself on the bench beside her in an attitude that； I fear； was
not as dignified as became his elderly office。
〃But you don't think that is my NAME；〃 said the girl； quickly。
〃I beg your pardon？〃 said Paul； hesitatingly。
〃You don't think that anybody would have been so utterly idiotic as to
call me after a ground…vinea vegetable？〃 she continued petulantly。
〃Eh？〃 stammered Paul。
〃A name that could be so easily translated；〃 she went on； half
scornfully； 〃and when translated； was no possible title for anybody？ Think
of itMiss Good Herb！ It is too ridiculous for anything。〃
Paul was not usually wanting in self…possession in an emergency； or in
skill to meet attack。 But he was so convinced of the truth of the girl's
accusation； and now recalled so vividly his own consternation on hearing
the result of his youthful and romantic sponsorship for the first time from
Pendleton； that he was struck with confusion。
〃But what do you suppose it was intended for？〃 he said at last； vaguely。
〃It was certainly 'Yerba Buena' in the Trust。 At least； I suppose so；〃 he
corrected himself hurriedly。
〃It is only a supposition；〃 she said quietly； 〃for you know it cannot be
proved。 The Trust was never recorded； and the only copy could not be
found among Mr。 Hammersley's papers。 It is only part of the name； of
which the first is lost。〃
〃Part of the name？〃 repeated Paul； uneasily。
〃Part of it。 It is a corruption of de la Yerba Buena；of the Yerba
Buena；and refers to the island of Yerba Buena in the bay； and not to the
plant。 That island was part of the property of my familythe Arguellos
you will find it so recorded in the Spanish grants。 My name is Arguello de
la Yerba Buena。〃
It is impossible to describe the timid yet triumphant； the half…
appealing yet complacent； conviction of the girl's utterance。 A moment
before； Paul would have believed it impossible for him to have kept his
gravity and his respect for his companion under this egregious illusion。
But he kept both。 For a sudden conviction that she suspected the truth； and
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had taken this audacious and original plan of crushing it； overpowered all
other sense。 The Arguellos； it flashed upon him； were an old Spanish
family； former owners of Yerba Buena Island； who had in the last years
become extinct。 There had been a story that one of them had eloped with
an American ship captain's wife at Monterey。 The legendary history of
early Spanish California was filled with more remarkable incidents；
corroborated with little difficulty from Spanish authorities； who； it was
alleged； lent themselves readily to any fabrication or forgery。 There was no
racial pride： on the contrary； they had shown an eager alacrity to ally
themselves with their conquerors。 The friends of the Arguellos would be
proud to recognize and remember in the American heiress the descendant
of their countrymen。 All this passed rapidly through his mind after the first
moment of surprise； all this must have been the deliberate reasoning of
this girl of seventeen； whose dark eyes were bent upon him。 Whether she
was seeking corroboration or complicity he could not tell。
〃Have you found this out yourself？〃 he asked； after a pause。
〃Yes。 One of my friends at the convent was Josita Castro； she knew all
the history of the Arguellos。 She is perfectly satisfied。〃
