a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第24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！
Nor was she content with this。 As Paul at first rode on silently； his
heart filled with unsatisfied yearning； she rallied him mischievously。 Was
it kind in him on this； their first day together； to sulk in this fashion？ Was
it a promise for their future excursions？ Did he intend to carry this
lugubrious visage through the Allee and up to the courtyard of the hotel to
proclaim his sentimental condition to the world？ At least； she trusted he
would not show it to Milly； who might remember that this was only the
SECOND TIME they had met each other。 There was something so sweetly
reasonable in this； and withal not without a certain hopefulness for the
future； to say nothing of the half…mischievous； half…reproachful smile that
accompanied it； that Paul exerted himself； and eventually recovered his
lost gayety。 When they at last drew up in the courtyard； with the flush of
youth and exercise in their faces； Paul felt he was the object of envy to the
loungers； and of fresh gossip to Strudle Bad。 It struck him less pleasantly
that two dark faces； which had been previously regarding him in the
gloom of the corridor and vanished as he approached； reappeared some
moments later in Yerba's salon as Don Caesar and Dona Anna； with a
benignly different expression。 Dona Anna especially greeted him with so
much of the ostentatious archness of a confident and forgiving woman to a
momentarily recreant lover； that he felt absurdly embarrassed in Yerba's
presence。 He was thinking how he could excuse himself； when he noticed
a beautiful basket of flowers on the table and a tiny note bearing a baron's
98
… Page 99…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
crest。 Yerba had put it aside withas it seemed to him at the momentan
almost too pronounced indifferenceand an indifference that was strongly
contrasted to Dona Anna's eagerly expressed enthusiasm over the offering；
and her ultimate supplications to Paul and her brother to admire its
beauties and the wonderful taste of the donor。
All this seemed so incongruous with Paul's feelings； and above all with
the recollection of his scene with Yerba； that he excused himself from
dining with the party； alleging an engagement with his old fellow…traveler
the German officer； whose acquaintance he had renewed。 Yerba did not
press him； he even fancied she looked relieved。 Colonel Pendleton was
coming； Paul was not loath； in his present frame of mind； to dispense with
his company。 A conviction that the colonel's counsel was not the best
guide for Yerba； and that in some vague way their interests were
antagonistic； had begun to force itself upon him。 He had no intention of
being disloyal to her old guardian； but he felt that Pendleton had not been
frank with him since his return from Rosario。 Had he ever been so with
HER？ He sometimes doubted his disclaimer。
He was lucky in finding the General disengaged； and together they
dined at a restaurant and spent the evening at the Kursaal。 Later； at the
Residenz Club； the General leaned over his beer…glass and smilingly
addressed his companion。
〃So I hear you； too； are a conquest of the beautiful South American。〃
For an instant Paul； recognizing only Dona Anna under that epithet；
looked puzzled。
〃Come； my friend；〃 said the General regarding him with some
amusement； 〃I am an older man than you； yet I hardly think I could have
ridden out with such a goddess without becoming her slave。〃
Paul felt his face flush in spite of himself。 〃Ah！ you mean Miss
Arguello；〃 he said hurriedly； his color increasing at his own mention of
that name as if he were imposing it upon his honest companion。 〃She is an
old acquaintance of minefrom my own State California。〃
〃Ah； so；〃 said the General； lifting his eyebrows in profound apology。
〃A thousand pardons。〃
〃Surely；〃 said Paul； with a desperate attempt to recover his equanimity；
99
… Page 100…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
〃YOU ought to know our geography better。〃
〃So； I am wrong。 But still the nameArguellosurely that is not
American？ Still； they say she has no accent； and does not look like a
Mexican。〃
For an instant Paul was superstitiously struck with the fatal infelicity
of Yerba's selection of a foreign name； that now seemed only to invite that
comment and criticism which she should have avoided。 Nor could he
explain it at length to the General without assisting and accenting the
deception； which he was always hoping in some vague way to bring to an
end。 He was sorry he had corrected the General； he was furious that he had
allowed himself to be confused。
Happily his companion had misinterpreted his annoyance； and with
impulsive German friendship threw himself into what he believed to be
Paul's feelings。 〃Donnerwetter！ Your beautiful countrywoman is made the
subject of curiosity just because that stupid baron is persistent in his
serious attentions。 That is quite enough； my good friend； to make
Klatschen here among those animals who do not understand the freedom
of an American girl； or that an heiress may have something else to do with
her money than to expend it on the Baron's mortgages。 But〃he stopped；
and his simple； honest face assumed an air of profound and sagacious
cunning〃I am glad to talk about it with you； who of course are perfectly
familiar with the affair。 I shall now be able to know what to say。 My word；
my friend； has some weight here； and I shall use it。 And now you shall tell
me WHO is our lovely friend； and WHO were her parents and her kindred
in her own home。 Her associates here； you possibly know； are an
impossible colonel and his never…before…approached valet； with some
South American Indian planters； and； I believe； a pork…butcher's daughter。
But of THEMit makes nothing。 Tell me of HER people。〃
With his kindly serious face within a few inches of Paul's； and
sympathizing curiosity beaming from his pince…nez； he obliged the
wretched and conscience…stricken Hathaway to respond with a detailed
account of Yerba's parentage as projected by herself and indorsed by
Colonel Pendleton。 He dwelt somewhat particularly on the romantic
character of the Trust； hoping to draw the General's attention away from
100
… Page 101…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
the question of relationship； but he was chagrined to find that the honest
warrior evidently confounded the Trust with some eleemosynary
institution and sympathetically glossed it over。 〃Of course；〃 he said； 〃the
Mexican Minister at Berlin would know all about the Arguello family： so
there would be no question there。〃
Paul was not sorry when the time came to take leave of his friend； but
once again in the clear moonlight and fresh； balmy air of the Allee； he
forgot the unpleasantness of the interview。 He found himself thinking only
of his ride with Yerba。 Well！ he had told her that he loved her。 She knew it
now； and although she had forbidden him to speak further； she had not
wholly rejected it。 It must be her morbid consciousness of the mystery of
her birth that withheld a return of her affections；some half…knowledge；
perhaps； that she would not divulge； yet that kept her unduly sensitive of
accepting his love。 He was satisfied there was no entanglement； her heart
was virgin。 He even dared to hope that she had ALWAYS cared for him。 It
was for HIM to remove all obstaclesto prevail upon her to leave this
place and return to America with him as her husband； the guardian of her
good name； and the custodian of her secret。 At times the strains of a
dreamy German waltz； played in the distance； brought back to him the
brief moment that his arm had encircled her waist by the crumbling wall；
and his pulses grew languid； only to leap firmer the next moment with
more desperate resolve。 He would win her； come what may！ He could
never have been in earnest before： he loathed and hated himself for his
previous passive acquiescence to her fate。 He had been a weak tool of the
colonel's from the first： he was even now handicapped by a preposterous
promise he had given him！ Yes； she was right to hesitateto question his
ability to make her happy！ He had found her here； surrounded by stupidity
and cupidityto give it no other nameso patent that she was the common
gossip； and had offered nothing but a boyish declaration！ As he strode into
the hotel that night it was well that he did not meet the unfortunate colonel
on the staircase！
It was very late； although there was still visible a light in Yerba's salon；
shining on her balcony； which extended before and included his own
window。 From time to time he could hear the murmur of voices。 It was too
101
… Page 102…
A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
late to avail himself of the invitation to join them； even if his frame of
mind had permitted it。 He was too nervous and excited to go to bed； and；
without lighting his candle； he opened the French window that gave upon
the balcony； drew a chair in the recess behind the curtain； and gazed upon
the night。 It was very quiet； the moon was high； the square was sleeping in
a trance of checkered shadows； like a gigantic chessboard； with black
foreshortened trees for pawns。 The click of a cavalry sabre； the sound of a
footfall on the pavement of the distant Konigsstrasse； were distinctly
audible； a far…off railway whistle was startling in its a
