a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第29章
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Mr。 Woods's station wagon was in waiting； but Paul； handing the
driver his valise； and ascertaining the general direction of the house； and
that it was not far distant； told him to go on and he would follow afoot。
The tremor of vague anticipation had already come upon him； something
that he knew not whether he feared or longed for； only that it was
inevitable； had begun to possess him。 He would soon recover himself in
the flaring glory of this woodland； and the invigoration of this hale
October air。
It was a beautiful and brilliant sunset； yet not so beautiful and brilliant
but that the whole opulent forest around him seemed to challenge and
repeat its richest as well as its most delicate dyes。 The reddening west；
seen through an opening of scarlet maples； was no longer red； the golden
glory of the sun； sinking over a promontory of gleaming yellow sumach
that jutted out into the noble river； was shorn of its intense radiance； at
times in the thickest woods he seemed surrounded by a yellow nimbus； at
times so luminous was the glow of these translucent leaves that the
position of the sun itself seemed changed； or the shadows cast in defiance
of its glory。 As he walked on； long reaches of the lordly placid stream at
his side were visible； as far as the terraces of the opposite shore； lifted on
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basaltic columns； themselves streaked and veined with gold and fire。 Paul
had seen nothing like this since his boyhood； for an instant the great
heroics of the Sierran landscape were forgotten in this magnificent
harlequinade。
A dim footpath crossed the road in the direction of the house； which
for the last few moments had been slowly etching itself as a soft vignette
in a tinted aureole of walnut and maple upon the steel blue of the river。 He
was hesitating whether to take this short cut or continue on by the road；
when he heard the rustling of quick footsteps among the fallen leaves of
the variegated thicket through which it stole。 He stopped short； the leafy
screen shivered and parted； and a tall graceful figure； like a draped and
hidden Columbine； burst through its painted foliage。 It was Yerba！
She ran quickly towards him； with parted lips； shining eyes； and a few
scarlet leaves clinging to the stuff of her worsted dress in a way that
recalled the pink petals of Rosario。
〃When I saw you were not in the wagon and knew you were walking I
slipped out to intercept you； as I had something to tell you before you saw
the others。 I thought you wouldn't mind。〃 She stopped； and suddenly
hesitated。
What was this new strange shyness that seemed to droop her eyelids；
her proud head； and even the slim hand that had been so impulsively and
frankly outstretched towards him？ And hePaulwhat was he doing？
Where was this passionate outburst that had filled his heart for nights and
days？ Where this eager tumultuous questioning that his feverish lips had
rehearsed hour by hour？ Where this desperate courage that would sweep
the whole world away if it stood between them？ Where； indeed？ He was
standing only a few feet from hercold； silent； and tremulous！
She drew back a step； lifted her head with a quick toss that seemed to
condense the moisture in her shining eyes； and sent what might have been
a glittering dew…drop flying into the loosed tendrils of her hair。 Calm and
erect again； she put her little hand to her jacket pocket。
〃I only wanted you to read a letter I got yesterday；〃 she said； taking out
an envelope。
The spell was broken。 Paul caught eagerly at the hand that held the
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letter； and would have drawn her to him； but she put him aside gravely but
sweetly。
〃Read that letter！〃
〃Tell me of YOURSELF first！〃 he broke out passionately。 〃Why you
fled from me； and why I now find you here； by the merest chance； without
a word of summons from yourself； Yerba？ Tell me who is with you？ Are
you free and your own mistressfree to act for yourself and me？ Speak；
darlingdon't be cruel！ Since that night I have longed for you； sought for
you； and suffered for you every day and hour。 Tell me if I find you the
same Yerba who wrote〃
〃Read that letter！〃
〃I care for none but the one you left me。 I have read and reread it；
Yerbacarried it always with me。 See！ I have it here！〃 He was in the act of
withdrawing it from his breast…pocket； when she put up her hand piteously。
〃Please； Paul； pleaseread this letter first！〃
There was something in her new supplicating grace； still retaining the
faintest suggestion of her old girlish archness； that struck him。 He took the
letter and opened it。 It was from Colonel Pendleton。
Plainly； concisely； and formally； without giving the name of his
authority or suggesting his interview with Mrs。 Argalls； he had informed
Yerba that he had documentary testimony that she was the daughter of the
late Jose de Arguello； and legally entitled to bear his name。 A copy of the
instructions given to his wife； recognizing Yerba Buena； the ward of the
San Francisco Trust； as his child and hers； and leaving to the mother the
choice of making it known to her and others； was inclosed。
Paul turned an unchanged face upon Yerba； who was watching him
eagerly； uneasily； almost breathlessly。
〃And you think this concerns ME！〃 he said bitterly。 〃You think only of
this； when I speak of the precious letter that bade me hope； and brought
me to you？〃
〃Paul；〃 said the girl； with wondering eyes and hesitating lips； 〃do you
mean to say thatthatthis isnothing to you？〃
〃Yesbut forgive me； darling！〃 he broke out again； with a sudden
vague remorsefulness； as he once more sought her elusive hand。 〃I am a
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brutean egotist！ I forgot that it might be something to YOU。〃
〃Paul；〃 continued the girl； her voice quivering with a strange joy； 〃do
you say that youYOU yourself； care nothing for this？〃
〃Nothing；〃 he answered； gazing at her transfigured face with admiring
wonder。
〃And〃more timidly； as a faint aurora kindled in her checks〃that you
don't carethatthatI am coming to you WITH A NAME； to give you in…
…exchange？〃
He started。
〃Yerba； you are not mocking me？ You will be my wife？〃
She smiled； yet moving softly backwards with the grave stateliness of
a vanishing yet beckoning goddess； until she reached the sumach… bush
from which she had emerged。 He followed。 Another backward step； and it
yielded to let her through； but even as it did so she caught him in her arms；
and for a single moment it closed upon them both； and hid them in its
glory。 A still lingering song…bird； possibly convinced that he had mistaken
the season； and that spring had really come； flew out with a little cry to
carry the message south； but even then Paul and Yerba emerged with such
innocent； childlike gravity； and； side by side； walked so composedly
towards the house； that he thought better of it。
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CHAPTER IX。
It was only the THIRD time they had ever metdid Paul consider that
when he thought her cold？ Did he know now why she had not understood
him at Rosario？ Did he understand now how calculating and selfish he had
seemed to her that night？ Could he look her in the face nowno； he must
be quietthey were so near the house； and everybody could see them！
and say that he had ever believed her capable of making up that story of
the Arguellos？ Could he not have guessed that she had some memory of
that name in her childish recollections； how or where she knew not？ Was it
strange that a daughter should have an instinct of her father？ Was it kind to
her to know all this himself and yet reveal nothing？ Because her mother
and father had quarreled； and her mother had run away with somebody
and left her a ward to strangerswas that to be concealed from her； and
she left without a name？ This； and much more； tenderly reproachful；
bewildering and sweetly illogical； yet inexpressibly dear to Paul； as they
walked on in the gloaming。
More to the purpose； however； the fact that Briones； as far as she knew；
did not know her mother； and never before the night at Strudle Bad had
ever spoken of her。 Still more to the purpose； that he had disappeared after
an interview with the colonel that night； and that she believed always that
the colonel had bought him off。 It was not with HER money。 She had
sometimes thought that the colonel and he were in confidence； and that
was why she had lately distrusted Pendleton。 But she had refused to take
the name of Arguello again after that scene； and had called herself only by
the name he had given herwould he forgive her for ever speaking of it as
she had？Yerba Buena。 But on shipboard； at Milly's suggestion； and to
keep away from Briones； her name had appeared on the passenger list as
Miss Good； and they had come； not to New York； but Boston。
It was possible that the colonel had extracted the information he sent
her FROM Briones。 They had parted from Pendleton in London； as he was
grumpy and queer； and； as Milly thought； becoming very miserly and
avaricious as he grew older； for he was always quarreling over the hotel
bills。 But he had Mrs。 Woods's New York address at Under Cliff； and； of
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course； guessed where she was。 There was no address on his letter： he had
said he would write again。
Thus much until they reached the steps of the veranda； and Milly；
flying down； was ostentatiously overwhelmed with the unexpected
