a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第7章
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〃I cannot go there； as you see；〃 continued Pendleton； with a weary
gesture towards his crippled ankle； 〃and I should particularly like you to
see her before we make the joint disposition of her affairs with the Mayor；
two months hence。 I have some papers you can show her； and I have
already written a letter introducing you to the Lady Superior at the convent；
and to her。 You have never seen her？〃
〃No；〃 said Paul。 〃But of course you have？〃
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〃Not for three years。〃
Paul's eyes evidently expressed some wonder； for a moment after the
colonel added； 〃I believe； Hathaway； I am looked upon as a queer survival
of a rather lawless and improper past。 At least； I have thought it better not
socially to compromise her by my presence。 The Mayor goes thereat the
examinations and exercises； I believe； sir； they make a sort of reception for
himwith aabanquet lemonade and speeches。〃
〃I had intended to leave for Sacramento to…morrow night；〃 said Paul；
glancing curiously at the helpless man； 〃but I will go there if you wish。〃
〃Thank you。 It will be better。〃
There were a few words of further explanation of the papers； and
Pendleton placed the packet in his visitor's hands。 Paul rose。 Somehow； it
appeared to him that the room looked more faded and forgotten than when
he entered it； and the figure of the man before him more lonely； helpless；
and abandoned。 With one of his sympathetic impulses he said：
〃I don't like to leave you here alone。 Are you sure you can help
yourself without George？ Can I do anything before I go？〃
〃I am quite accustomed to it；〃 said Pendleton； quietly。 〃It happens once
or twice a year； and when I go outwellI miss more than I do here。〃
He took Paul's proffered hand mechanically； with a slight return of the
critical； doubting look he had cast upon him when he entered。 his voice；
too； had quite recovered its old dominance； as he said； with half…
patronizing conventionality； 〃You'll have to find your way out alone。 Let
me know how you have sped at Santa Clara； will you？ Good…by。〃
The staircase and passage seemed to have grown shabbier and meaner
as Paul； slowly and hesitatingly； descended to the street。 At the foot of the
stairs he paused irresolutely； and loitered with a vague idea of turning back
on some pretense； only that he might relieve himself of the sense of
desertion。 He had already determined upon making that inquiry into the
colonel's personal and pecuniary affairs which he had not dared to offer
personally； and had a half…formed plan of testing his own power and
popularity in a certain line of relief that at once satisfied his sympathies
and ambitions。 Nevertheless； after reaching the street； he lingered a
moment； when an odd idea of temporizing with his inclinations struck him。
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At the farther end of the hotelone of the parasites living on its decayed
fortuneswas a small barber's shop。 By having his hair trimmed and his
clothes brushed he could linger a little longer beneath the same roof with
the helpless solitary； and perhaps come to some conclusion。 He entered the
clean but scantily furnished shop； and threw himself into one of the
nearest chairs； hardly noting that there were no other customers； and that a
single assistant； stropping a razor behind a glass door； was the only
occupant。 But there was a familiar note of exaggerated politeness about
the voice of this man as he opened the door and came towards the back of
the chair with the formula：
〃Mo'nin'； sah！ Shall we hab de pleshure of shavin' or hah…cuttin' dis
mo'nin'？〃 Paul raised his eyes quickly to the mirror before him。 It reflected
the black face and grizzled hair of George。
More relieved at finding the old servant still near his master than
caring to comprehend the reason； Hathaway said pleasantly； 〃Well； George；
is this the way you look after your family？〃
The old man started； for an instant his full red lips seemed to become
dry and ashen； the whites of his eyes were suffused and staring； as he met
Paul's smiling face in the glass。 But almost as quickly he recovered
himself； and； with a polite but deprecating bow； said；〃For God sake； sah！
I admit de sarkumstances is agin me； but de simple fack is dat I'm
temper'ly occupyin' de place of an ole frien'； sah； who is called round de
cornah。〃
〃And I'm devilish glad of any fact； George； that gives me a chance of
having my hair cut by Colonel Pendleton's right…hand man。 So fire away！〃
The gratified smile which now suddenly overspread the whole of the
old man's face； and seemed to quickly stiffen the rugged and wrinkled
fingers that had at first trembled in drawing a pair of shears from a ragged
pocket； appeared to satisfy Paul's curiosity for the present。 But after a few
moments' silent snipping； during which he could detect in the mirror some
traces of agitation still twitching the negro's face； he said with an air of
conviction：
〃Look here； Georgewhy don't you regularly use your leisure
moments in this trade？ You'd make your fortune by your taste and skill at
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it。〃
For the next half minute the old man's frame shook with silent
childlike laughter behind Paul's chair。 〃Well； Marse Hathaway； yo's an ole
frien' o' my massa； and a gemman yo'self； sah； and a senetah； and I do'an
mind tellin' yo'dat's jess what I bin gone done！ It makes a little ready
money for de ole woman and de chilleren。 But de Kernel don' no'。 Ah； sah！
de Kernel kill me or hisself if he so much as 'spicioned me。 De Kernel is
high…toned； sah！bein' a gemman yo'self； yo' understand。 He wouldn't
heah ob his niggah worken' for two massasfor all he's willen' to lemme
go and help myse'f。 But； Lord bless yo'； sah； dat ain't in de category！ De
Kernel couldn't get along widout me。〃
〃You collect his rents； don't you？〃 said Paul； quietly。
〃Yes； sah。〃
〃Much？〃
〃Well； no； sah； not so much as fom'ly； sah！ Yo' see； de Kernel's prop'ty
lies in de ole parts ob de town； where de po' white folks lib； and dey ain't
reg'lar。 De Kernel dat sof' in his heart； he dare n' press 'em； some of 'em is
ole fo'ty…niners； like hisself； sah； and some is Spanish； sah； and dey is sof'
too； and ain't no more gumption dan chilleren； and tink it's ole time come
ag'in； and dey's in de ole places like afo' de Mexican wah！ and dey don'
bin payin' noffin'。 But we gets along； sah；we gets along；not in de prima
facie style； sah！ mebbe not in de modden way dut de Kernel don't like； but
we keeps ourse'f； sah； and has wine fo' our friends。 When yo' come again；
sah； yo' 'll find de Widder Glencoe on de sideboard。〃
〃Has the colonel many friends here？〃
〃Mos' de ole ones bin done gone； sah； and de Kernel don' cotton to de
new。 He don' mix much in sassiety till de bank settlements bin gone done。
Skuse me； sah！but you don' happen to know when dat is？ It would be a
pow'ful heap off de Kernel's mind if it was done。 Bein' a high and mighty
man in committees up dah in Sacramento； sah； I didn't know but what yo'
might know as it might come befo' yo'。〃
〃I'll see about it；〃 said Paul； with an odd； abstracted smile。
〃Shampoo dis mornen'； sah？〃
〃Nothing more in this line；〃 said Paul； rising from his chair； 〃but
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something more； perhaps； in the line of your other duties。 You're a good
barber for the public； George； and I don't take back what I said about your
future； but JUST NOW I think the colonel wants all your service。 He's not
at all well。 Take this；〃 he said； putting a twenty…dollar gold piece in the
astonished servant's hand； 〃and for the next three or four days drop the
shop； and under some pretext or another arrange to be with him。 That
money will cover what you lose here； and as soon as the colonel's all right
again you can come back to work。 But are you not afraid of being
recognized by some one？〃
〃No； sah； dat's just it。 On'y strangers dat don't know no better come
yere。〃
〃But suppose your master should drop in？ It's quite convenient to his
rooms。〃
〃Marse Harry in a barber…shop！〃 said the old man with a silent laugh。
〃Skuse me； sah；〃 he added； with an apologetic mixture of respect and
dignity； 〃but fo' twenty years no man hez touched de Kernel's chin but
myself。 When Marse Harry hez to go to a barber's shop； it won't make no
matter who's dar。〃
〃Let's hope he will not；〃 said Paul gayly； then； anxious to evade the
gratitude which； since his munificence； he had seen beaming in the old
negro's eye and evidently trying to find polysyllabic and elevated
expression on his lips； he said hurriedly； 〃I shall expect to find you with
the colonel when I call again in a day or two；〃 and smilingly departed。
At the end of two hours George's barber…employer returned to relieve
his assistant； and； on receiving from him an account and a certain
percentage of the afternoon's fees （minus the gift from Paul）； was
informed by George that he should pretermit his attendance for a few days。
〃Udder private and personal affairs；〃 explained the old negro； who made
no social distinction in his vocabulary； 〃peroccupyin' dis niggah's time。〃
The head barber； unwilling to lose a really good assistant； endeavored to
dissuade him by the offer of increased emolument； but George was firm。
As he entered the sitting…room the colonel detected his step； and called
him in。
〃Another time； George； never allow a guest of mine to send away wine。
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