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第17章

a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第17章

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a   new   erection   in   the   next   square   that   should   utterly   eclipse   it;   he   even 

fancied that it had already lost its freshness; and its meretricious glitter had 

been tarnished。 But when he had ordered his breakfast he made his way to 



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the public parlor; happily deserted at that early hour。 It was here that he 

had first seen her。 She was standing there; by that mirror; when their eyes 

first   met   in   a   sudden   instinctive   sympathy。   She   herself   had   remembered 

and confessed it。 He recalled the pleased yet conscious; girlish superiority 

with which she had received the adulation of her friends; his memory of 

her   was   broad   enough   now   even   to   identify   Milly;   as   it   repeopled   the 

vacant and silent room。 

     An hour later he was making his way to Colonel Pendleton's lodgings; 

and half expecting to find the St。 Charles Hotel itself transformed by the 

eager spirit of   improvement。 But it   was still   there in all   its barbaric   and 

provincial      incongruity。     Public     opinion    had    evidently     recognized      that 

nothing   save   the   absolute   razing   of   its   warped   and   flimsy   walls   could 

effect a change; and waited for it to collapse suddenly like the house of 

cards it resembled。 Paul wondered for a moment if it were not ominous of 

its   lodgers'   hopeless   inability   to   accept   changed   conditions;   and   it   was 

with a feeling of doubt that he even now ascended the creaking staircase。 

But   it   was   instantly   dissipated   on   the   threshold   of   the   colonel's   sitting… 

room by the appearance of George and his reception of his master's guest。 

     The grizzled negro was arrayed in a surprisingly new suit of blue cloth 

with a portentous white waistcoat and an enormous crumpled white cravat; 

that gave him the appearance of suffering from a glandular swelling。 His 

manner had; it seemed to Paul; advanced in exaggeration with his clothes。 

Dusting a chair and offering it to the visitor; he remained gracefully posed 

with his hand on the back of another。 

     〃Yo' finds us heah yet; Marse Hathaway;〃 he began; elegantly toying 

with   an   enormous   silver   watch…chain;   〃fo'   de   Kernel   he   don'   bin   find 

contagious   apartments   dat   at   all   approximate;   and   he   don'   build;   for   his 

mind's not dat settled dat he ain't goin' to trabbel。 De place is low down; 

sah;   and   de   fo'ks   is   low   down;   and   dah's   a   heap   o'   white   trash   dat   has 

congested       under   de   roof   ob   de   hotel   since   we   came。    But    we   uses   it 

temper'ly; sah; fo' de present; and in a dissolutory fashion。〃 

     It   struck   Paul   that   the   contiguity   of   a   certain   barber's   shop   and   its 

dangerous        reminiscences       had    something      to   do    with   George's      lofty 

depreciation of his surroundings; and he could not help saying: 



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     〃Then you don't find it necessary to have it convenient to the barber's 

shop any more? I am glad of that; George。〃 

     The   shot   told。   The   unfortunate   George;   after   an   endeavor   to   collect 

himself by altering his pose two or three times in rapid succession; finally 

collapsed; and; with an air of mingled pain and dignity; but without losing 

his ceremonious politeness or unique vocabulary; said: 

     〃Yo' got me dah; sah! Yo' got me dah! De infirmities o' human natcheh; 

sah; is   de   common   p'operty  ob   man;   and   a   gemplum  like   yo'self;   sah;   a 

legislato' and a pow'ful speakah; is de lass one to hol' it agin de individal 

pusson。   I   confess;   sah;   de   circumstances   was   propiskuous;   de   fees   fahly 

good; and de risks inferior。 De gemplum who kept de shop was an artess 

hisself;  and   had   been   niggah   to   Kernel   Henderson   of Tennessee;  and   do 

gemplum I relieved was a Mr。 Johnson。 But de Kernel; he wouldn't see it 

in dat light; sah; and if yo' don' mind; sah〃 

     〃I haven't the slightest idea of telling the colonel or anybody; George;〃 

said Paul; smiling; 〃and I am glad to find on your own account that you 

are able to put aside any work beyond your duty here。〃 

     〃Thank yo'; sah。 If yo' 'll let me introduce yo' to de refreshment; yo' 'll 

find it all right now。 De Glencoe is dah。 De Kernel will be here soon; but 

he   would   be   pow'ful   mo'tified;   sah;   if   yo'   didn't   hab   something   afo'   he 

come。〃   He   opened   a   well…filled   sideboard   as   he   spoke。   It   was   the   first 

evidence      Paul   had   seen    of  the   colonel's   restored    fortunes。    He   would 

willingly   have   contented   himself   with   this   mere   outward   manifestation; 

but in his desire to soothe the ruffled dignity of the old man he consented 

to partake of a small glass of spirits。 George at once became radiant and 

communicative。 〃De Kernel bin gone to Santa Clara to see de young lady 

dat's finished her edercation dahde Kernel's only ward; sah。 She's one o' 

dose   million…heiresses   and   highly   connected;   sah;   wid   de   old   Mexican 

Gobbermen; I understand。 And I reckon dey's bin big goin's on doun dar; 

foh   de   Mayer   kem   hisself   fo'   de   Kernel。   Looks   like   des   might   bin      a 

proceshon; sah。 Yo' don' know of a young lady bin hab a title; sah? I won't 

be shuah; his Honah de Mayer or de Kernel didn't say someting about a 

'Donna'〃 

     〃Very   likely;〃   said   Paul;   turning   away   with   a   faint   smile。   So   it   was 



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already in the air! Setting aside the old negro's characteristic exaggeration; 

there   had   already   been   some   conversation   between   the   colonel   and   the 

Mayor;  which   George   had   vaguely  overheard。   He   might   be   too   late;   the 

alternative   might   be   no   longer   in   his   hands。   But   his   discomposure   was 

heightened      a  moment      later   by   the  actual   apparition     of  the  returning 

Pendleton。 

     He   was   dressed   in   a   tightly   buttoned   blue   frock…coat;   which   fairly 

accented his tall; thin military figure; although the top lappel was thrown 

far enough back to show a fine ruffled cambric shirt and checked gingham 

necktie;  and   was   itself   adorned   with   a  white  rosebud   in   the  button…hole。 

Fawn…colored   trousers   strapped   over   narrow   patent…leather   boots;   and   a 

tall white hat; whose broad mourning…band was a perpetual memory of his 

mother; who had died in his boyhood; completed his festal transformation。 

Yet    his   erect   carriage;   high    aquiline    nose;   and    long   gray    drooping 

moustache lent a distinguishing grace to this survival of a bygone fashion; 

and   over…rode   any   irreverent   comment。   Even   his   slight   limp   seemed   to 

give a peculiar character to his massive gold…headed stick; and made it a 

part of his formal elegance。 

     Handing George his stick and a military cape he carried easily over his 

left   arm;   he   greeted   Paul   warmly;   yet   with   a   return   of   his   old   dominant 

manner。 

     〃Glad to see you; Hathaway; and glad to see the boy has served you 

better than the last time。 If I had known you were coming; I would have 

tried to get back in time to have breakfast with you。 But your friends at 

'Rosario'I think they call it; in my time it was owned by Colonel Briones; 

and HE called it 'The Devil's Little Canyon'detained me with some dd 

civilities。   Let's   seehis   name    is  Woods;     isn't  it?  Used   to  sell  rum   to 

runaway sailors on Long Wharf; and take stores in exchange? Or was it 

Baker?Judge        Baker?     I  forget   which。    Well;    sir;  they   wished    to   be 

remembered。〃 

     It struck Paul; perhaps unreasonably; that the colonel's indifference and 

digression were both a little assumed; and he asked abruptly; 

     〃And you fulfilled your mission?〃 

     〃I made the formal transfer; with the Mayor; of the property to Miss 



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Arguello。〃 

     〃To Miss Arguello?〃 

     〃To   the   Dona   Maria   Concepcion   de Arguello   de   la Yerba   Buenato 

speak precisely;〃 said the colonel; slowly。 〃George; you can take that hat to 

that blank hatterwhat's his blanked name? I read it only  yesterday in   a 

list   of   the   prominent   citizens   hereand   tell   him;   with   my   compliments; 

that I want a GENTLEMAN'S mourning band around my hat; and not a 

child's shoelace。 It may be HIS idea of the value of his own parentsif he 

ever had anybut I don't care for him to appraise mine。 Go!〃 

     As the door closed upon George; Paul turned to the colonel 

     〃Then   am   I   to   understand   that   you   have   agreed   to   her   story?〃   The 

colonel rose; picked up the decanter; poured out a glass of whiskey; and 

holding it in his hand; said: 

     〃My dear Hathaway;   let us   understand each   other。 As   a gentleman;   I 

have made a point through life never to question the age; name; or family 

of any lady of my acquaintance。 Miss Yerba Buena came of age yesterday; 

and;    as   she   is  no   longer   my    ward;    she   is  certainly    entitled   to  the 

consideration I have just mentioned。 If she; therefore; chooses to tack to 

her name the whole Spanish directory; I don't see why I shouldn't accept 

it。〃 

     Characteristic as this speech appeared to be of the colonel's ordinary 

manner;      it  struck  Paul   as   being   only   an   imitation    of  his  usual   frank 

independence; and made him uneasily conscious of some vague desertion 

on    Pendleton's     part。  He   fixed    his  bright   eyes   on   his  host;   who    was 

ostentatiously sipping his liquor; and said: 

     〃Am   I   to   understand   that   you   have   heard   nothing   more   from   Miss 

Yerba; either for or against her story? That you still do not know whether 

she has deceived herself; has been deceived by others; or is deceiving us?〃 

     〃After what I have just told you; Mr。 Hathaway;〃 said the colonel; with 

an increased exaggeration of manner which Paul thought must be apparent 

even to himself; 〃I should have but one way of dealing with questions of 

that kind from anybody but yourself。〃 

     This   culminating   extravagancetaken   in   connection   with   Pendleton's 

passing doubtsactually forced a laugh from Paul in 

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