a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第9章
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vine that grows on it。〃
〃YOU don't see the difference？〃 said Yerba； darkly。 〃Well； I do。 But
what are you looking at？〃
Her companion had caught her arm； and was gazing intently at the
house。
〃Yerba；〃 she said quickly； 〃there's the Mayor； and uncle； and a strange
gentleman coming down the walk。 They're looking for us。 And； as I live；
Yerb！ the strange gentleman is that young senator； Mr。 Hathaway！〃
〃Mr。 Hathaway？ Nonsense！〃
〃Look for yourself。〃
Yerba glanced at the three gentlemen； who； a hundred yards distant；
were slowly advancing in the direction of the ceanothus…hedge； behind
which the girls had instinctively strayed during their conversation。
〃What are you going to do？〃 said Milly； eagerly。 〃They're coming
straight this way。 Shall we stay here and let them pass； or make a run for
the house？〃
〃No；〃 said Yerba； to Milly's great surprise。 〃That would look as if we
cared。 Besides； I don't know that Mr。 Hathaway has come to see ME。 We'll
stroll out and meet them accidentally。〃
Milly was still more astonished。 However； she said； 〃Wait a moment；
dear！〃 and； with the instinctive deftness of her sex； in three small tugs and
a gentle hitch； shook Yerba's gown into perfect folds； passed her fingers
across her forehead and over her ears； securing； however； with a hairpin on
their passage three of the rose petals where they had fallen。 Then；
discharging their faces of any previous expression； these two charming
hypocrites sallied out innocently into the walk。 Nothing could be more
natural than their manner： if a criticism might be ventured upon； it was
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that their elbows were slightly drawn inwards and before them； leaving
their hands gracefully advanced in the line of their figures； an attitude
accepted throughout the civilized world of deportment as indicating
fastidious refinement not unmingled with permissible hauteur。
The three gentlemen lifted their hats at this ravishing apparition； and
halted。 The Mayor advanced with great politeness。
〃I feared you didn't hear me call you； Miss Yerba； so we ventured to
seek you。 As the two girls exchanged almost infantile glances of surprise；
he continued： 〃Mr。 Paul Hathaway has done us the honor of seeking you
here； as he did not find you at the convent。 You may have forgotten that
Mr。 Hathaway is the third one of your trustees。〃
〃And so inefficient and worthless that I fear he doesn't count；〃 said
Paul； 〃but；〃 raising his eyes to Yerba's； 〃I fancy that I have already had the
pleasure of seeing you； and； I fear； the mortification of having disturbed
you and your friends in the parlor of the Golden Gate Hotel yesterday。〃
The two girls looked at each other with the same childlike surprise。
Yerba broke the silence by suddenly turning to Milly。 〃Certainly； you
remember how greatly interested we were in the conversation of a party of
gentlemen who were there when we came in。 I am afraid our foolish
prattle must have disturbed YOU。 I know that we were struck with the
intelligent and eloquent devotion of your friends。〃
〃Oh； perfectly；〃 chimed in the loyal but somewhat infelix Milly； 〃and it
was so kind and thoughtful of Mr。 Hathaway to take them away as he did。〃
〃I felt the more embarrassed；〃 continued Hathaway； smiling； but still
critically examining Yerba for an indication of something characteristic；
beyond this palpable conventionality； 〃as I unfortunately must present my
credentials from a gentleman as much of a stranger as myselfColonel
Pendleton。〃
The trade…wind was evidently making itself felt even in this pastoral
retreat； for the two gentlemen appeared to shrink slightly within
themselves； and a chill seemed to have passed over the group。 The Mayor
coughed。 The avuncular Woods gazed abstractedly at a large cactus。 Even
Paul； prepared by previous experience； stopped short。
〃Colonel Pendleton！ Oh； do tell me all about him！〃 flashed out Yerba；
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suddenly； with clasped hands and eager girlish breath。
Paul cast a quick grateful glance at the girl。 Whether assumed or not；
her enthusiastic outburst was effective。 The Mayor looked uneasily at
Woods； and turned to Paul。
〃Ah； yes！ You and he are original co…trustees。 I believe Pendleton is in
reduced circumstances。 Never quite got over that bank trouble。〃
〃That is only a question of legislative investigation and relief；〃 said
Paul lightly； yet with purposely vague official mystery of manner。 Then；
turning quickly to Yerba； as if replying to the only real question at issue；
he continued pointedly； 〃I am sorry to say the colonel's health is so poor
that it keeps him quite a recluse。 I have a letter from him and a message
for you。〃 His bright eyes added plainly〃as soon as we can get rid of
those people。〃
〃Then you think that a bill〃began the Mayor； eagerly。
〃I think； my dear sir；〃 said Paul plaintively； 〃that I and my friends have
already tried the patience of these two young ladies quite enough
yesterday with politics and law…making。 I have to catch the six…o'clock
train to San Francisco this evening； and have already lost the time I hoped
to spend with Miss Yerba by missing her at the convent。 Let me stroll on
here； if you like； and if I venture to monopolize the attention of this young
lady for half an hour； you； my dear Mr。 Mayor； who have more frequent
access to her； I know； will not begrudge it to me。〃
He placed himself beside Yerba and Milly； and began an entertaining；
although； I fear； slightly exaggerated； account of his reception by the Lady
Superior； and her evident doubts of his identity with the trustee mentioned
in Pendleton's letter of introduction。 〃I confess she frightened me；〃 he
continued； 〃when she remarked that； according to my statement； I could
have been only eighteen years old when I became your guardian； and as
much in want of one as you were。 I think that only her belief that Mr。
Woods and the Mayor would detect me as an impostor provoked her at last
to tell me your whereabouts。〃
〃But why DID they ever make you a trustee； for goodness' sake？〃 said
Milly； naively。 〃Was there no one grown up at that time that they could
have called upon？〃
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〃Those were the EARLY days of California；〃 responded Paul； with
great gravity； although he was conscious that Yerba was regarding him
narrowly； 〃and I probably looked older and more intelligent than I really
was。 For； candidly；〃 with the consciousness of Yerba's eyes still upon him；
〃I remember very little about it。 I dare say I was selected； as you kindly
suggest； 'for goodness' sake。'〃
〃After all；〃 said the volatile Milly； who seemed inclined； as chaperone；
to direct the conversation； 〃there was something pretty and romantic about
it。 You two poor young things taking care of each other； for of course there
were no women here in those days。〃
〃Of course there WERE women here〃 interrupted Yerba； quickly； with
a half…meaning； half…interrogative glance at Paul that made him
instinctively uneasy。 〃You later comers〃to Milly〃always seem to think
that there was nothing here before you！〃 She paused； and then added； with
a naive mixture of reproach and coquetry that was as charming as it was
unexpected； 〃As to taking care of each other； Mr。 Hathaway very quickly
got rid of me； I believe。〃
〃But I left you in better hands； Miss Yerba； and let me thank you now；〃
he added in a lower tone； 〃for recognizing it as you did a moment ago。 I'm
glad that you instinctively liked Colonel Pendleton。 Had you known him
better； you would have seen how truthful that instinct was。 His chief fault
in the eyes of our worthy friends is that he reminds them of a great deal
they can't perpetuate and much they would like to forget。〃 He checked
himself abruptly。 〃But here is your letter；〃 he resumed； drawing Colonel
Pendleton's missive from his pocket； 〃perhaps you would like to read it
now； in case you have any message to return by me。 Miss Woods and I
will excuse you。〃
They had reached the end of the rose…alley； where a summer…house that
was in itself a rose…bower partly disclosed itself。 The other gentlemen had
lagged behind。 〃I will amuse MYSELF； and console your other guardian；
dear；〃 said the vivacious Milly； with a rapid exchange of glances with
Yerba； 〃until this horrid business is over。 Besides；〃 she added with
cheerful vagueness； 〃after so long a separation you must have a great deal
to say to each other。〃
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Paul smiled as she rustled away； and Yerba； entering the summer…
house； sat down and opened the letter。 The young man remained leaning
against the rustic archway； occasionally glancing at her and at the moving
figures in the gardens。 He was conscious of an odd excitement which he
could trace to no particular cause。 It was true that he had been annoyed at
not finding the young girl at the convent； and at having to justify himself
to the Lady Superior for what he conceived to be an act of gratuitous
kindness； nor was he blind to the fact that his persistence in following her
was more an act of aggression against the enemies of Pendleton than of
concern for Yerba。 She was certainly pretty； he could not remember her
mother sufficiently to trace any likeness； and he had never admired the
mother's pronounced beauty。 She had flashed out for an instant into what
seemed originality and feeling。 But it had passed； and she had asked no
further questions in regard to t
