a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第15章
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！
fancied； in the moonlight that streamed upon her； that her beautiful face
was pale。 〃She has gone to the other wing to see one of the servants who is
ill。 We thought you were on the veranda smoking and I should have
company； until I saw you start off； and rush up and down the hedge like
mad。〃
Paul felt that he was losing his self…possession； and becoming nervous
in her presence。 〃I thought it was YOU；〃 he stammered。
〃Me！ Out in the garden at this hour； alone； and in the broad moonlight？
What are you thinking of； Mr。 Hathaway？ Do you know anything of
convent rules； or is that your idea of your ward's education？〃
He fancied that； though she smiled faintly； her voice was as tremulous
as his own。
60
… Page 61…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
〃I want to speak with you；〃 he said； with awkward directness。 〃I even
thought of asking you to stroll with me in the garden。〃
〃Why not talk here？〃 she returned； changing her position； pointing to
the other end of the sofa； and drawing the whole overflow of her skirt to
one side。 〃It is not so very late； and Milly will return in a few moments。〃
Her face was in shadow now； but there was a glow…worm light in her
beautiful eyes that seemed faintly to illuminate her whole face。 He sank
down on the sofa at her side； no longer the brilliant and ambitious
politician； but； it seemed to him； as hopelessly a dreaming； inexperienced
boy as when he had given her the name that now was all he could think of；
and the only word that rose to his feverish lips。
〃Yerba！〃
〃I like to hear you say it；〃 she said quickly； as if to gloss over his first
omission of her formal prefix； and leaning a little forward； with her eyes
on his。 〃One would think you had created it。 You almost make me regret to
lose it。〃
He stopped。 He felt that the last sentence had saved him。 〃It is of that I
want to speak；〃 he broke out suddenly and almost rudely。 〃Are you
satisfied that it means nothing； and can mean nothing； to you？ Does it
awaken no memory in your mindrecall nothing you care to know？ Think！
I beg you； I implore you to be frank with me！〃
She looked at him with surprise。
〃I have told you already that my present name must be some absurd
blunder； or some intentional concealment。 But why do you want to know
NOW？〃 she continued； adding her faint smile to the emphasis。
〃To help you！〃 he said； eagerly。 〃For that alone！ To do all I can to
assist you； if you really believe； and want to believe； that you have another。
To ask you to confide in me； to tell me all you have been told； all that you
know； think you know； or WANT to know about your relationship to the
Arguellosor toany one。 And then to devote myself entirely to proving
what you shall say is your desire。 You see； I am frank with you； Yerba。 I
only ask you to be as frank with me； to let me know your doubts； that I
may counsel you； your fears； that I may give you courage。〃
〃Is that all you came here to tell me？〃 she asked quietly。
61
… Page 62…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
〃No； Yerba；〃 he said； eagerly； taking her unresisting but indifferent
hand； 〃not all； but all that I must say； all that I have the right to say； all that
you； Yerba； would permit me to tell you NOW。 But let me hope that the
day is not far distant when I can tell you ALL； when you will understand
that this silence has been the hardest sacrifice of the man who now speaks
to you。〃
〃And yet not unworthy of a rising politician；〃 she added； quickly
withdrawing her hand。 〃I agree；〃 she went on； looking towards the door；
yet without appearing to avoid his eager eyes； 〃and when I have settled
upon 'a local habitation and a name' we shall renew this interesting
conversation。 Until then； as my fourth official guardian used to sayhe
was a lawyer； Mr。 Hathaway； like yourself when he was winding up his
conjectures on the subjectall that has passed is to be considered 'without
prejudice。'〃
〃But Yerba〃began Paul； bitterly。
She slightly raised her hand as if to check him with a warning gesture。
〃Yes； dear；〃 she said suddenly； lifting her musical voice； with a
mischievous side…glance at Paul； as if to indicate her conception of the
irony of a possible application； 〃this way。 Here we are waiting for you。〃
Her listening ear had detected Milly's step in the passage； and in another
moment that cheerful young woman discreetly stopped on the threshold of
the room； with every expression of apologetic indiscretion in her face。
〃We have finished our talk； and Mr。 Hathaway has been so concerned
about my having no real name that he has been promising me everything；
but his own； for a suitable one。 Haven't you； Mr。 Hathaway？〃 She rose
slowly and； going over to Milly； put her arm around her waist and stood
for one instant gazing at him between the curtains of the doorway。 〃Good
night。 My very proper chaperon is dreadfully shocked at this midnight
interview； and is taking me away。 Only think of it； Milly； he actually
proposed to me to walk in the garden with him！ Good night； or； as my
ancestorsdon't forget； MY ANCESTORSused to say： 'Buena noche
hasta manana！'〃 She lingered over the Spanish syllables with an imitation
of Dona Anna's lisp； and with another smile； but more faint and more
ghostlike than before； vanished with her companion。
62
… Page 63…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
At eight o'clock the next morning Paul was standing beside his
portmanteau on the veranda。
〃But this is a sudden resolution of yours； Hathaway；〃 said Mr。 Woods。
〃Can you not possibly wait for the next train？ The girls will be down then；
and you can breakfast comfortably。〃
〃I have much to domore than I imaginedin San Francisco before I
return；〃 said Paul； quickly。 〃You must make my excuses to them and to
your wife。〃
〃I hope；〃 said Woods； with an uneasy laugh； 〃you have had no more
words with Don Caesar； or he with you？〃
〃No；〃 said Paul； with a reassuring smile； 〃nothing more； I assure you。〃
〃For you know you're a devilish quick fellow； Hathaway；〃 continued
Woods； 〃quite as quick as your friend Pendleton。 And； by the way； Baker
is awfully cut up about that absurd speech of his； you know。 Came to me
last night and wondered if anybody could think it was intentional。 I told
him it was dd stupid； that was all。 I guess his wife had been at him。 Ha！
ha！ You see； he remembers the old times； when everybody talked of these
things； and that woman Howard was quite a character。 I'm told she went
off to the States years ago。〃
〃Possibly；〃 said Paul； carelessly。 After a pause； as the carriage drove
up to the door； he turned to his host。 〃By the way； Woods； have you a
ghost here？〃
〃The house is old enough for one。 But no。 Why？〃
〃I'll swear I saw a figure moving yonder； in the shrubbery； late last
evening； and when I came up to it； it most unaccountably disappeared。〃
〃One of Don Caesar's servants； I dare say。 There is one of them； an
Indian； prowling about here； I've been told； at all hours。 I'll put a stop to it。
Well； you must go then？ Dreadfully sorry you couldn't stop longer！ Good…
by！〃
63
… Page 64…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
CHAPTER IV。
It was two months later that Mr。 Tony Shear； of Marysville； but lately
confidential clerk to the Hon。 Paul Hathaway； entered his employer's
chambers in Sacramento； and handed the latter a letter。
〃I only got back from San Francisco this morning； but Mr。 Slate said I
was to give you that； and if it satisfied you； and was what you wanted； you
would send it back to him。〃
Paul took the envelope and opened it。 It contained a printer's proof…slip；
which he hurriedly glanced over。 It read as follows：
〃Those of our readers who are familiar with the early history of San
Francisco will be interested to know that an eccentric and irregular
trusteeship； vested for the last eight years in the Mayor of San Francisco
and two of our oldest citizens； was terminated yesterday by the majority of
a beautiful and accomplished young lady； a pupil of the convent of Santa
Clara。 Very few； except the original trustees； were cognizant of the fact
that the administration of the trustees has been a recognized function of
the successive Mayors of San Francisco during this period； and the
mystery surrounding it has been only lately divulged。 It offers a touching
and romantic instance of a survival of the old patriarchal duties of the
former Alcaldes and the simplicity of pioneer days。 It seems that； in the
unsettled conditions of the Mexican land… titles that followed the American
occupation； the consumptive widow of a scion of one of the oldest
Californian families intrusted her property and the custody of her infant
daughter virtually to the city of San Francisco； as represented by the
trustees specified； until the girl should become of age。 Within a year； the
invalid mother died。 With what loyalty； sagacity； and prudence these
gentlemen fulfilled their trust may be gathered from the fact that the
property left in their charge has not only been secured and protected； but
increased a hundredfold in value； and that the young lady； who yesterday
attained her majority； is not only one of the richest landed heiresses on the
Pacific Slope； but one of the most accomplished and thoroughly educated
of her sex。 It is now no secret that this favored child of Chrysopolis is the
Dona Maria Concepcion de Arguello de la Yerba Buena； so called from
64
… Page 65…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
