a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第31部分
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slowly； 〃eight years ago。 He was still rich； but ruined in health by
dissipation。 I was tired of my way of life。 He proposed that I should marry
him to take care of him and legitimatize our child。 I was forced to tell him
what I had done with her； and that the Trust could not be disturbed until
she was of age and her own mistress。 He assented。 We married； but he died
within a year。 He died； leaving with me his acknowledgment of her as his
child； and the right to claim her if I chose。〃
〃And？〃interrupted the colonel with sparkling eyes。
〃I DON'T CHOOSE。
〃Hear me！〃 she continued firmly。 〃With his name and my own mistress；
and the girl； as I believed； properly provided for and ignorant of my
existence； I saw no necessity for reopening the past。 I resolved to lead a
new life as his widow。 I came north。 In the little New England town where
I first stopped； the country people contracted my name to Mrs。 Argalls。 I
let it stand so。 I came to New York and entered the service of the Lord and
the bonds of the Church； Henry Pendleton； as Mrs。 Argalls； and have
remained so ever since。〃
〃But you would not object to Yerba knowing that you lived； and
rightly bore her father's name？〃 said Pendleton eagerly。
The woman looked at him with compressed lips。 〃I should。 I have
buried all my past； and all its consequences。 Let me not seek to reopen it
or recall them。〃
〃But if you knew that she was as proud as yourself； and that this very
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uncertainty as to her name and parentage； although she has never known
the whole truth； kept her from taking the name and becoming the wife of a
man whom she loves？〃
〃Whom she loves！〃
〃Yes； one of her guardians…Hathawayto whom you intrusted her
when she was a child。〃
〃Paul Hathawaybut HE knew it。〃
〃Yes。 But SHE does not know he does。 He has kept the secret
faithfully； even when she refused him。〃
She was silent for a moment； and then said；
〃So be it。 I consent。〃
〃And you'll write to her？〃 said the colonel eagerly。
〃No。 But YOU may； and if you want them I will furnish you with such
proofs as you may require。〃
〃Thank you。〃 He held out his hand with such a happy yet childish
gratitude upon his worn face that her own trembled slightly as she took it。
〃Good…by！〃
〃I shall see you soon；〃 she said。
〃I shall be here；〃 he said grimly。
〃I think not；〃 she returned； with the first relaxation of her smileless
face； and moved away。
As she passed out she asked to see the house surgeon。 How soon did
he think the patient she had been conversing with could be removed from
the hospital with safety？ Did Mrs。 Argalls mean 〃far？〃 Mrs。 Argalls meant
as far as THATtendering her card and eminently respectable address。
Ah！perhaps in a week。 Not before？ Perhaps before； unless complications
ensued； the patient had been much run down physically； though； as Mrs。
Argalls had probably noticed； he was singularly strong in nervous will
force。 Mrs。 Argalls HAD noticed it； and considered it an extraordinary
case of conviction worthy of the closest watching and care。 When he was
able to be moved she would send her own carriage and her own physician
to superintend his transfer。 In the mean time he was to want for nothing。
Certainly； he had given very little trouble； and； in fact； wanted very little。
Just now he had only asked for paper； pens； and ink。
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CHAPTER VIII。
As Mrs。 Argalls's carriage rolled into Fifth Avenue； it for a moment
narrowly grazed another carriage； loaded with luggage； driving up to a
hotel。 The abstracted traveler within it was Paul Hathaway； who had
returned from Europe that morning。 Paul entered the hotel； and； going to
the register mechanically； turned its leaves for the previous arrivals； with
the same hopeless patience that had for the last six weeks accompanied
this habitual preliminary performance on his arrival at the principal
European hotels。 For he had lost all trace of Yerba； Pendleton； Milly； and
the Briones from the day of their departure。 The entire party seemed to
have separated at Basle； and； in that eight…hours' start they had of him； to
have disappeared to the four cardinal points。 He had lingered a few days in
London to transact some business； he would linger a few days longer in
New York before returning to San Francisco。
The daily papers already contained his name in the list of the steamer
passengers who arrived that morning。 It might meet HER eye； although he
had been haunted during the voyage by a terrible fancy that she was still in
Europe； and had either hidden herself in some obscure provincial town
with the half…crazy Pendleton； or had entered a convent； or even； in
reckless despair； had accepted the name and title of some penniless
nobleman。 It was this miserable doubt that had made his homeward
journey at times seem like a cruel desertion of her； while at other moments
the conviction that Milly's Californian relatives might give him some clew
to her whereabouts made him feverishly fearful of delaying an hour on his
way to San Francisco。 He did not believe that she had tolerated the
company of Briones a single moment after the scene at the Bad Hof； and
yet he had no confidence in the colonel's attitude towards the Mexican。
Hopeless of the future as her letter seemed； still its naive and tacit
confession of her feelings at the moment was all that sustained him。
Two days passed； and he still lingered aimlessly in New York。 In two
days more the Panama steamer would sailyet in his hesitation he had put
off securing his passage。 He visited the offices of the different European
steamer lines； and examined the recent passenger lists； but there was no
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record of any of the party。 What made his quest seem the more hopeless
was his belief that； after Briones' revelation； she had cast off the name of
Arguello and taken some other。 She might even be in New York under that
new name now。
On the morning of the third day； among his letters was one that bore
the postmark of a noted suburban settlement of wealthy villa… owners on
the Hudson River。 It was from Milly Woods； stating that her father had
read of his arrival in the papers； and begged he would dine and stay the
next night with them at 〃Under Cliff；〃 if he 〃still had any interest in the
fortunes of old friends。 Of course；〃 added the perennially incoherent Milly；
〃if it bores you we sha'n't expect you。〃 The quick color came to Paul's
careworn cheek。 He telegraphed assent； and at sunset that afternoon
stepped off the train at a little private woodland stationso abnormally
rustic and picturesque in its brown…bark walls covered with scarlet
Virginia creepers that it looked like a theatrical erection。
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
