a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第3章
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gripped them closely。 But she rose quickly when he paused； said 〃Yes；〃
sharply； and put the chair back against the wall。
〃Then I will send you copies of this tomorrow； and take an assignment
of the property。〃
〃I've got the check here for it now；〃 she said； drawing it from her
pocket and laying it upon the desk。 〃There； I reckon that's finished。 Good…
by！〃
The Mayor took up his hat； Colonel Pendleton did the same； both men
preceded her to the door； and held it open with grave politeness for her to
pass。
〃Where are you boys going？〃 she asked； glancing from the one to the
other。
〃To see you to your carriage； Mrs。 Howard；〃 said the Mayor； in a voice
that had become somewhat deeper。
〃Through the whole building？ Past all the people in the hall and on the
stairs？ Why； I passed Dan Stewart as I came in。〃
〃If you will allow us？〃 he said； turning half appealing to Colonel
Pendleton； who； without speaking； made a low bow of assent。
A slight flush rose to her facethe first and only change in the even
healthy color she had shown during the interview。
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〃I reckon I won't trouble you； boys； if it's all the same to you；〃 she said；
with her half…strident laugh。 〃YOU mightn't mind being seenbut I would…
… Good…by。〃
She held out a hand to each of the men； who remained for an instant
silently holding them。 Then she passed out of the door； slipping on her
close black veil as she did so with a half…funereal suggestion； and they saw
her tall； handsome figure fade into the shadows of the long corridor。
〃Paul；〃 said the Mayor； reentering the office and turning to his
secretary； 〃do you know who that woman is？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃She's one in a million！ And now forget that you have ever seen her。〃
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CHAPTER I。
The principal parlor of the New Golden Gate Hotel in San Francisco；
fairly reported by the local press as being 〃truly palatial〃 in its
appointments； and unrivaled in its upholstery； was； nevertheless； on
August 5； 1860； of that startling newness that checked any familiarity； and
evidently had produced some embarrassment on the limbs of four visitors
who had just been ushered into its glories。 After hesitating before one or
two gorgeous fawn…colored brocaded easy…chairs of appalling and spotless
virginity； one of them seated himself despairingly on a tete…a…tete sofa in
marked and painful isolation； while another sat uncomfortably upright on
a sofa。 The two others remained standing； vaguely gazing at the ceiling；
and exchanging ostentatiously admiring but hollow remarks about the
furniture in unnecessary whispers。 Yet they were apparently men of a
certain habit of importance and small authority； with more or less critical
attitude in their speech。
To them presently entered a young man of about five…and…twenty； with
remarkably bright and singularly sympathetic eyes。 Having swept the
group in a smiling glance； he singled out the lonely occupier of the tete…a…
tete； and moved pleasantly towards him。 The man rose instantly with an
eager gratified look。
〃Well； Paul； I didn't allow you'd remember me。 It's a matter of four
years since we met at Marysville。 And now you're bein' a great man
you've〃
No one could have known from the young man's smiling face that he
really had not recognized his visitor at first； and that his greeting was only
an exhibition of one of those happy instincts for which he was remarkable。
But； following the clew suggested by his visitor； he was able to say
promptly and gayly：
〃I don't know why I should forget Tony Shear or the Marysville boys；〃
turning with a half…confiding smile to the other visitors； who； after the
human fashion； were beginning to be resentfully impatient of this special
attention。
〃Well； no；for I've allus said that you took your first start from
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Marysville。 But I've brought a few friends of our party that I reckoned to
introduce to you。 Cap'n Stidger； Chairman of our Central Committee； Mr。
Henry J。 Hoskins； of the firm of Hoskins and Bloomer； and Joe Slate； of
the 'Union Press；' one of our most promising journalists。 Gentlemen；〃 he
continued； suddenly and without warning lifting his voice to an oratorical
plane in startling contrast to his previous unaffected utterance； 〃I needn't
say that this is the honorable Paul Hathaway； the youngest state senator in
the Legislature。 You know his record！〃 Then； recovering the ordinary
accents of humanity； he added； 〃We read of your departure last night from
Sacramento； and I thought we'd come early； afore the crowd。〃
〃Proud to know you； sir；〃 said Captain Stidger； suddenly lifting the
conversation to the platform again。 〃I have followed your career； sir。 I've
read your speech； Mr。 Hathaway； and； as I was telling our mutual friend；
Mr。 Shear； as we came along； I don't know any man that could state the
real party issues as squarely。 Your castigating exposition of so…called
Jeffersonian principles； and your relentless indictment of the resolutions of
'98； were were〃coughed the captain； dropping into conversation again
〃were the biggest thing out。 You have only to signify the day； sir； that you
will address us； and I can promise you the largest audience in San
Francisco。〃
〃I'm instructed by the proprietor of the 'Union Press；'〃 said Mr。 Slate；
feeling for his notebook and pencil； 〃to offer you its columns for any
explanations you may desire to make in the form of a personal letter or an
editorial in reply to the 'Advertiser's' strictures on your speech； or to take
any information you may have for the benefit of our readers and the
party。〃
〃If you are ever down my way； Mr。 Hathaway；〃 said Mr。 Hoskins；
placing a large business card in Hathaway's hand； 〃and will drop in as a
friend； I can show you about the largest business in the way of canned
provisions and domestic groceries in the State； and give you a look around
Battery Street generally。 Or if you'll name your day； I've got a pair of 2。35
Blue Grass horses that'll spin you out to the Cliff House to dinner and back。
I've had Governor Fiske； and Senator Doolan； and that big English
capitalist who was here last year； and theywell； sir；they were
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PLEASED！ Or if you'd like to see the townif this is your first visitI'm a
hand to show you。
Nothing could exceed Mr。 Hathaway's sympathetic acceptance of their
courtesies； nor was there the least affectation in it。 Thoroughly enjoying
his fellowmen； even in their foibles； they found him irresistibly attractive。
〃I lived here seven years ago；〃 he said； smiling； to the last speaker。
〃When the water came up to Montgomery Street；〃 interposed Mr。
Shear； in a hoarse but admiring aside。
〃When Mr。 Hammersley was mayor；〃 continued Hathaway。
〃Had an official positionprivate secretaryafore he was twenty；〃
explained Shear； in perfectly audible confidence。
〃Since then the city has made great strides； leaping full…grown； sir； in a
single night；〃 said Captain Stidger； hastily ascending the rostrum again
with a mixed metaphor； to the apparent concern of a party of handsomely
dressed young ladies who had recently entered the parlor。 〃Stretching from
South Park to Black Point； and running back to the Mission Dolores and
the Presidio； we are building up a metropolis； sir； worthy to be placed
beside the Golden Gate that opens to the broad Pacific and the shores of
far Cathay！ When the Pacific Railroad is built we shall be the natural
terminus of the Pathway of Nations！〃
Mr。 Hathaway's face betrayed no consciousness that he had heard
something like this eight years before； and that much of it had come true；
as he again sympathetically responded。 Neither was his attention attracted
by a singular similarity which the attitude of the group of ladies on the
other side of the parlor bore to that of his own party。 They were clustered
around one of their own number a striking…looking girlwho was
apparently receiving their mingled flatteries and caresses with a youthful
yet critical sympathy； which； singularly enough； was not unlike his own。 It
was evident also that an odd sort of rivalry seemed to spring up between
the two parties； and that； in proportion as Hathaway's admirers became
more marked and ostentatious in their attentions； the supporters of the
young girl were equally effusive and enthusiastic in their devotion。 As
usual in such cases； the real contest was between the partisans themselves；
each successive demonstration on either side was provocative or
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retaliatory； and when they were apparently rendering homage to their idols
they were really distracted by and listening to each other。 At last；
Hathaway's party being reinforced by fresh visitors； a tall brunette of the
opposition remarked in a professedly confidential but perfectly audible
tone：
〃Well； my dear； as I don't suppose you want to take part in a political
caucus； perhaps we'd better return to the Ladies' Boudoir； unless there's a
committee sitting there too。〃
〃I know how valuable your time must be； as you are all business men；〃
said Hathaway； turning to his party； in an equally audible tone； 〃but before
you go； gentlemen； you must let me offer
