a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第18章
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passing doubtsactually forced a laugh from Paul in spite of his bitterness。
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Colonel Pendleton's face flushed quickly。 Like most positive one…
idea'd men； he was restricted from any possible humorous combination；
and only felt a mysterious sense of being detected in some weakness。 He
put down his glass。
〃Mr。 Hathaway；〃 he began； with a slight vibration in his usual
dominant accents； 〃you have lately put me under a sense of personal
obligation for a favor which I felt I could accept without derogation from a
younger man； because it seemed to be one not only of youthful generosity
but of justice； and was not unworthy the exalted ambition of a young man
like yourself or the simple deserts of an old man such as I am。 I accepted it；
sir； the more readily； because it was entirely unsolicited by me； and
seemed to be the spontaneous offering of your own heart。 If I have
presumed upon it to express myself freely on other matters in a way that
only excites your ridicule； I can but offer you an apology； sir。 If I have
accepted a favor I can neither renounce nor return； I must take the
consequences to myself； and even beg YOU； sir； to put up with them。〃
Remorseful as Paul felt； there was a singular resemblance between the
previous reproachful pose of George and this present attitude of his master；
as if the mere propinquity of personal sacrifice had made them alike； that
struck him with a mingled pathos and ludicrousness。 But he said warmly；
〃It is I who must apologize； my dear colonel。 I am not laughing at your
conclusions； but at this singular coincidence with a discovery I have
made。〃
〃As how； sir？〃
〃I find in the report of the Chief of the Police for the year 1850 that
Kate Howard was under the protection of a man named Arguello。〃
The colonel's exaggeration instantly left him。 He stared blankly at Paul。
〃And you call this a laughing matter； sir？〃 he said sternly； but in his more
natural manner。
〃Perhaps not； but I don't think； if you will allow me to say so； my dear
colonel； that YOU have been treating the whole affair very seriously。 I left
you two months ago utterly opposed to views which you are now treating
as of no importance。 And yet you wish me to believe that nothing has
happened； and that you have no further information than you had then。
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That this is so； and that you are really no nearer the FACTS； I am willing
to believe from your ignorance of what I have just told you； and your
concern at it。 But that you have not been influenced in your JUDGMENT
of what you do know； I cannot believe？〃 He drew nearer Pendleton； and
laid his hand upon his arm。 〃I beg you to be frank with me； for the sake of
the person whose interests I see you have at heart。 In what way will the
discovery I have just made affect them？ You are not so far prejudiced as to
be blind to the fact that it may be dangerous because it seems
corroborative。〃
Pendleton coughed； rose； took his stick； and limped up and down the
room； finally dropping into an armchair by the window； with his cane
between his knees； and the drooping gray silken threads of his long
moustache curled nervously between his fingers。
〃Mr。 Hathaway； I WILL be frank with you。 I know nothing of this
blank affairblank it all！but what I've told you。 Your discovery may be a
coincidence； nothing more。 But I HAVE been influenced； sir；influenced
by one of the most perfect goddess… likeyes； sir； one of the most simple
girlish creatures that God ever sent upon earth。 A woman that I should be
proud to claim as my daughter； a woman that would always be the
superior of any man who dare aspire to be her husband！ A young lady as
peerless in her beauty as she is in her accomplishments； and whose equal
don't walk this planet！ I know； sir； YOU don't follow me； I know； Mr。
Hathaway； your Puritan prejudices； your Church proclivities； your worldly
sense of propriety； and； above all； sir； the blanked hypocritical Pharisaic
doctrines of your partyI mean no offense to YOU； sir； personallyblind
you to that girl's perfections。 She； poor child； herself has seen it and felt it；
but never； in her blameless innocence and purity； suspecting the cause；
'There is；' she said to me last night； confidentially； 'something strangely
antagonistic and repellent in our natures； some undefined and nameless
barrier between our ever understanding each other。' You comprehend； Mr。
Hathaway； she does full justice to your intentions and your unquestioned
abilities。 'I am not blind；' she said； 'to Mr。 Hathaway's gifts； and it is very
possible the fault lies with me。' Her very words； sir。〃
〃Then you believe she is perfectly ignorant of her real mother？〃 asked
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Paul； with a steady voice； but a whitening face。
〃As an unborn child；〃 said the colonel； emphatically。 〃The snow on the
Sierras is not more spotlessly pure of any trace or contamination of the
mud of the mining ditches； than she of her mother and her past。 The
knowledge of it； the mere breath of suspicion of it； in her presence would
be a profanation； sir！ Look at her eyeopen as the sky and as clear； look at
her face and figureas clean； sir； as a Blue…Grass thoroughbred！ Look at
the way she carries herself； whether in those white frillings of her simple
school…gown； or that black evening dress that makes her look like a
princess！ And； blank me； if she isn't one！ There's no poor stock thereno
white trashno mixed blood； sir。 Blank it all； sir； if it comes to THATthe
Arguellosif there's a hound of them livingmight go down on their knees
to have their name borne by such a creature！ By the Eternal； sir； if one of
them dared to cross her path with a word that wasn't abjectyes； sir；
ABJECT； I'd wipe his dust off the earth and send it back to his ancestors
before he knew where he was； or my name isn't Harry Pendleton！〃
Hopeless and inconsistent as all this was； it was a wonderful sight to
see the colonel； his dark stern face illuminated with a zealot's enthusiasm；
his eyes on fire； the ends of his gray moustache curling around his set jaw；
his head thrown back； his legs astride； and his gold…headed stick held in
the hollow of his elbow； like a lance at rest！ Paul saw it； and knew that this
Quixotic transformation was part of HER triumph； and yet had a miserable
consciousness that the charms of this Dulcinea del Toboso had scarcely
been exaggerated。 He turned his eyes away； and said quietly；
〃Then you don't think this coincidence will ever awaken any suspicion
in regard to her real mother？〃
〃Not in the least； sirnot in the least；〃 said the colonel； yet； perhaps；
with more doggedness than conviction of accent。 〃Nobody but yourself
would ever notice that police report； and the connection of that woman's
name with his was not notorious； or I should have known it。〃
〃And you believe；〃 continued Paul hopelessly； 〃that Miss Yerba's
selection of the name was purely accidental？〃
〃Purelya school…girl's fancy。 Fancy； did I say？ No； sir； by Jove； an
inspiration！〃
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〃And；〃 continued Paul； almost mechanically； 〃you do not think it may
be some insidious suggestion of an enemy who knew of this transient
relation that no one suspected？〃
To his final amazement Pendleton's brow cleared！ 〃An enemy？ Gad！
you may be right。 I'll look into it； and； if that is the case； which I scarcely
dare hope for； Mr。 Hathaway； you can safely leave him to ME。〃
He looked so supremely confident in his fatuous heroism that Paul
could say no more。 He rose and； with a faint smile upon his pale face； held
out his hand。 〃I think that is all I have to say。 When you see Miss Yerba
again；as you will； no doubt；you may tell her that I am conscious of no
misunderstanding on my part； except； perhaps； as to the best way I could
serve her； and that； but for what she has told YOU； I should certainly have
carried away no remembrance of any misunderstanding of HERS。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said the colonel； with cheerful philosophy； 〃I will carry
your message with pleasure。 You understand how it is； Mr。 Hathaway。
There is no accounting for these instinctswe can only accept them as
they are。 But I believe that your intentions； sir； were strictly according to
what you conceived to be your duty。 You won't take something before you
go？ Well； thengood…by。〃
Two weeks later Paul found among his morning letters an envelope
addressed in Colonel Pendleton's boyish scrawling hand。 He opened it
with an eagerness that no studied self…control nor rigid preoccupation of
his duties had yet been able to subdue； and glanced hurriedly at its
contents：
DEAR SIR；As I am on the point of sailing to Europe to…morrow to
escort Miss Arguello and Miss Woods on an extended visit to England and
the Continent； I am desirous of informing you that I have thus far been
unable to find any foundation for the suggestions thrown out by you in our
last interview。 Miss Arguello's Spanish acquaintances have been very
select； and limited to a few school friends and Don Caesar and Dona Anna
Briones； tried friends； who are also fellow…passengers with us to Europe。
Miss Arguello suggests that some political difference between you and
Don Caesar； which occurred during your visit to Rosario three months ago；
may have； perhaps； given rise to your supposition。 She joins me in best
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