a ward of the golden gate-第11部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


habits；　he　was　hardly　a　fit　associate　for　a　young　lady。　　Indeed；
Mr。　Woods　would　have　never　allowed　Milly　to　invite　Yerba　here　if
Colonel　Pendleton　was　to　have　been　her　escort。　　Of　course；　the　poor
girl　could　not　choose　her　own　guardian；　but　Mr。　Woods　said　HE　had　a
right　to　choose　who　should　be　his　niece's　company。　　Perhaps　Mr。
Woods　was　prejudiced；most　men　were；yet　surely　Mr。　Hathaway；
although　a　loyal　friend　of　Colonel　Pendleton's；　must　admit　that
when　it　was　an　open　scandal　that　the　colonel　had　fought　a　duel
about　a　notoriously　common　woman；　and　even　blasphemously　defended
her　before　a　party　of　gentlemen；　it　was　high　time；　as　Mr。　Woods
said；　that　he　should　be　remanded　to　their　company　exclusively。　　No；
Mrs。　Woods　could　not　admit　that　this　was　owing　to　the　injustice　of
her　own　sex！　　Men　are　really　the　ones　who　make　the　fuss　over　those
things；　just　as　they；　as　Mr。　Hathaway　well　knew；　made　the　laws！
No；　it　was　a　great　pity；　as　she　and　her　husband　had　just　agreed；
that　Mr。　Hathaway；　of　all　the　guardians；　could　not　have　been　always
the　help　and　counselorin　fact；　the　elder　brotherof　poor　Yerba！
Paul　was　conscious　that　he　winced　slightly；　consistently　and
conscientiously；　at　the　recollection　of　certain　passages　of　his
youth；　inconsistently　and　meanly；　at　this　suggestion　of　a　joint
relationship　with　Yerba's　mother。

〃I　think；　too；〃　continued　Mrs。　Woods；　〃she　has　worried　foolishly
about　this　ridiculous　mystery　of　her　parentageas　if　it　could　make
the　slightest　difference　to　a　girl　with　a　quarter　of　a　million；　or
as　if　that　didn't　show　quite　conclusively　that　she　WAS　somebody！〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Paul；　quickly；　with　a　relief　that　he　nevertheless
felt　was　ridiculous。

〃And；　of　course；　I　dare　say　it　will　all　come　out　when　she　is　of
age。　　I　suppose　you　know　if　any　of　the　family　are　still　living？〃

〃I　really　do　not。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Mrs。　Woods；　with　a　smile。　　〃I　forgot　it's
a　profound　secret　until　then。　　But　here　we　are　at　the　house；　I　see
the　girls　have　walked　over　to　our　neighbors'。　　Perhaps　you　would
like　to　have　a　few　moments　to　yourself　before　you　dress　for　dinner；
and　your　portmanteau；　which　has　been　sent　for；　comes　from　your
hotel。　　You　must　be　tired　of　seeing　so　many　people。〃

Paul　was　glad　to　accept　any　excuse　for　being　alone；　and；　thanking
his　hostess；　followed　a　servant　to　his　rooma　low…ceilinged　but
luxuriously　furnished　apartment　on　the　first　floor。　　Here　he　threw
himself　on　a　cushioned　lounge　that　filled　the　angle　of　the　deep
embrasurethe　thickness　of　the　old　adobe　wallsthat　formed　a　part
of　the　wooden…latticed　window。　　A　Cape　jessamine　climbing　beside　it
filled　the　room　with　its　subtle；　intoxicating　perfume。　　It　was　so
strong；　and　he　felt　himself　so　irresistibly　overpowered　and
impelled　towards　a　merely　idle　reverie；　that；　in　order　to　think
more　clearly　and　shut　out　some　strange　and　unreasoning　enthrallment
of　his　senses；　he　rose　and　sharply　closed　the　window。　　Then　he　sat
down　and　reflected。

What　was　he　doing　here？　and　what　was　the　meaning　of　all　this？　　He
had　come　simply　to　fulfill　a　duty　to　his　past；　and　please　a
helpless　and　misunderstood　old　acquaintance。　　He　had　performed　that
duty。　　But　he　had　incidentally　learned　a　certain　fact　that　might　be
important　to　this　friend；　and　clearly　his　duty　was　simply　to　go
back　and　report　it。　　He　would　gain　nothing　more　in　the　way　of
corroboration　of　it　by　staying　now；　if　further　corroboration　were
required。　　Colonel　Pendleton　had　already　been　uselessly　and
absurdly　perplexed　about　the　possible　discovery　of　the　girl's
parentage；　and　its　effect　upon　her　fortunes　and　herself。　　She　had
just　settled　that　of　her　own　accord；　and；　without　committing
herself　or　others；　had　suggested　a　really　sensible　plan　by　which
all　trouble　would　be　avoided　in　future。　　That　was　the　common…sense
way　of　looking　at　it。　　He　would　lay　the　plan　before　the　colonel；
have　him　judge　of　its　expediency　and　its　ethicsand　even　the
question　whether　she　already　knew　the　real　truth；　or　was　self…
deceived。　　That　done；　he　would　return　to　his　own　affairs　in
Sacramento。　　There　was　nothing　difficult　in　this；　or　that　need
worry　him；　only　he　could　have　done　it　just　as　well　an　hour　ago。

He　opened　the　window　again。　　The　scent　of　the　jessamine　came　in　as
before；　but　mingled　with　the　cooler　breath　of　the　roses。　　There　was
nothing　intoxicating　or　unreal　in　it　now；　rather　it　seemed　a　gentle
aromatic　stimulantof　thought。　　Long　shadows　of　unseen　poplars
beyond　barred　the　garden　lanes　and　alleys　with　bands　of　black　and
yellow。　　A　slanting　pencil　of　sunshine　through　the　trees　was　for　a
moment　focussed　on　a　bed　of　waxen　callas　before　a　hedge　of
ceanothus；　and　struck　into　dazzling　relief　the　cold　white　chalices
of　the　flowers　and　the　vivid　shining　green　of　their　background。
Presently　it　slid　beyond　to　a　tiny　fountain；　before　invisible；　and
wrought　a　blinding　miracle　out　of　its　flashing　and　leaping　spray。
Yet　even　as　he　gazed　the　fountain　seemed　to　vanish　slowly；　the
sunbeam　slipped　on；　and　beyond　it　moved　the　shimmer　of　white　and
yellow　dresses。　　It　was　Yerba　and　Milly　returning　to　the　house。
Well；　he　would　not　interrupt　his　reflections　by　idly　watching　them；
he　would；　probably；　see　a　great　deal　of　Yerba　that　evening；　and　by
that　time　he　would　have　come　to　some　conclusion　in　regard　to　her。

But　he　had　not　taken　into　consideration　her　voice；　which；　always
musical　in　its　Southern　intonation　and　quite　audible　in　the　quiet
garden；　struck　him　now　as　being　full　of　joyous　sweetness。　　Well；
she　was　certainly　very　happyor　very　thoughtless。　　She　was
actually　romping　with　Milly；　and　was　now　evidently　being　chased
down　the　rose…alley　by　that　volatile　young　woman。　　Then　these　swift
Camillas　apparently　neared　the　house；　there　was　the　rapid　rustle　of
skirts；　the　skurrying　of　little　feet　on　the　veranda；　a　stumble；　a
mouse…like　shriek　from　Milly；　and　HER　voice；　exhausted；　dying；
happy；　broken　with　half…hushed　laughter；　rose　to　him　on　the　breath
of　the　jessamine　and　rose。

Surely　she　WAS　a　child；　and；　if　a　child；　how　he　had　misjudged　her！
What　if　all　that　he　had　believed　was　mature　deliberation　was　only
the　innocent　imaginings　of　a　romantic　girl；　all　that　he　had　taken
seriously　only　a　school…girl's　foolish　dream！　　Instead　of　combating
it；　instead　of　reasoning　with　her；　instead　of　trying　to　interest
her　in　other　things；　he　had　even　helped　on　her　illusions。　　He　had
treated　her　as　if　the　taint　of　her　mother's　worldliness　and
knowledge　of　evil　was　in　her　pure　young　flesh。　　He　had　recognized
her　as　the　daughter　of　an　adventuress；　and　not　as　his　ward；
appealing　to　his　chivalry　through　her　very　ignoranceit　might　be
her　very　childish　vanity。　　He　had　brought　to　a　question　of　tender
and　pathetic　interest　only　his　selfish　opinion　of　the　world　and　the
weaknesses　of　mankind。　　The　blood　came　to　his　cheekswith　all　his
experienced　self…control；　he　had　not　lost　the　youthful　trick　of
blushingand　he　turned　away　from　the　window　as　if　it　had　breathed
a　reproach。

But　ought　he　have　even　contented　himself　with　destroying　her
illusionsought　he　not　have　gone　farther　and　told　her　the　whole
truth？　　Ought　he　not　first　have　won　her　confidencehe　remembered
bitterly；　now；　how　she　had　intimated　that　she　had　no　one　to　confide
inand；　after　revealing　her　mother's　history；　have　still　pledged
himself　to　keep　the　secret　from　all　others；　and　assisted　her　in　her
plan？　　It　would　not　have　altered　the　state　of　affairs；　except　so
far　as　she　was　concerned；　they　could　have　combined　together；　his
ready　wit　would　have　helped　him；　and　his　sympathy　would　have
sustained　her；　but

How　and　in　what　way　could　he　have　told　her？　　Leaving　out　the
delicate　and　difficult　periphrase　by　which　her　mother's　shame　would
have　to　be　explained　to　an　innocent　school…girlwhat　right　could
he　have　assumed　to　tell　it？　　As　the　guardian　who　had　never
counseled　or　protected　her？　　As　an　acquaintance　of　hardly　an　hour
ago？　　Who　would　have　such　a　right？　　A　loveron　whose　lips　it　would
only　seem　a　tacit　appeal　to　her　gratitude　or　her　fears；　and　whom　no
sensitive　girl　could　accept　thereafter？　　No。　　A　husband？　　Yes！　　He
remembered；　with　a　sudden　start；　what　Pendleton　had　said　to　him。
Good　Heavens！　　Had　Pendleton　that　idea　in　his　mind？　　And　yetit
seemed　the　only　solution。

A　knock　at　his　door　was　followed　by　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Woods。
Mr。　Hathaway's　portmanteau　had　come；　and　Mrs。　Woods　had　sent　a
message；　saying　that　in　view　of　the　limited　time　that　Mr。　Hathaway
would　have　with　his　ward；　Mrs。　Woods　would　forego　her　right　to　keep
him　at　her　side　at　dinner；　and　yield　her　place　to　Yerba。　　Paul
thanked　him　with　a　grave　inward　smile。　　What　if　he　made　his
dramatic　disclosure　to　her　confidentially　over　the　soup　and　fish？
Yet；　in　his　constantly　recurring　conviction　of　the　girl's
independence；　he　made　no　doubt　she　would　have　met　his　brutality
with　unflinching　pride　and　self…possession。　　He　began　to　dress
slowly；　at　times　almost　forgetting　himself　in　a　new　kind　of
pleasant　apathy；　which　he　attributed　to　the　odor　of　the　flowers；
and　the　softer　hush　of　twilight　that　had　come　on　with　the　dying
away　of　the　trade　winds；　and　the　restful　spice　of　the　bay…trees
near　his　window。　　He　presently　found　himself　not　so　much　thinking
of　Yerba　as　of　SEEING　her。　　A　picture　of　her　in　the　summer…house
caressing　her　cheek　with　the　roses　seemed　to　stand　out　from　the
shadows　of　the　blank　wall　opposite　him。　　When　he　passed　into　the
dressing…room　beyond；　it　was　not　his　own　face　he　saw　in　the　glass；
but　hers。　　It　was　with　a　start；　as　if　he　had　heard　HER　voice；　that
he　found　upon　his　dressing…table　a　small　vase　containing　a　flower
for　his　coat；　with　the　penciled　words　on　a　card　in　a　school…girl's
hand；　〃From　Yerba；　with　thanks　for　staying。〃　　It　must　have　been
placed　there　by　a　servant　while　he　was　musing　at　the　window。

Half　a　dozen　people　were　already　in　the　drawing…room　when　Paul
descended。　　It　appeared　that　Mr。　Woods　had　invited　certain　of　his
neighborsamong　them　a　Judge　Baker　and　his　wife；　and　Don　Caesar
Briones；　of　the　adjacent　Rancho　of　Los　Pajaros；　and　his　sister；　the
Dona　Anna。　　Milly　and　Yerba　had　not　yet　appeared。　　Don　Caesar；　a
young　man　of　a　toreador　build；　roundly　bland　in　face　and　murky　in
eye