a ward of the golden gate-第7部分

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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
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。　　If　he　don't　care　for　it；　put　it　on　the　sideboard。〃

〃Yes；　sah；　but　as　yo'　didn't　like　it　yo'self；　Marse　Harry；　and　de
wine　was　de　most　'xpensive　quality　ob　Glencoe〃

〃Dn　the　expense！〃　He　paused；　and　gazed　searchingly　at　his　old
retainer。

〃George；〃　he　said　suddenly；　yet　in　a　gentle　voice；　〃don't　lie　to
me；　or〃in　a　still　kinder　voice〃I'll　flog　the　black　skin　off
you！　　Listen　to　me。　　HAVE　you　got　any　money　left？〃

〃'Deed；　sah；　dere　IS；〃　said　the　negro　earnestly。　　〃I'll　jist　fetch
it　wid　de　accounts。〃

〃Hold　on！　　I've　been　thinking；　lying　here；　that　if　the　Widow　Molloy
can't　pay　because　she　sold　out；　and　that　tobacconist　is　ruined；　and
we've　had　to　pay　the　water　tax　for　old　Bill　Soames；　the　rent　last
week　don't　amount　to　much；　while　there's　the　month's　bill　for　the
restaurant　and　that　blank　druggist's　account　for　lotions　and
medicines　to　come　out　of　it。　　It　strikes　me　we're　pretty　near
touching　bottom。　　I've　everything　I　want　here；　but；　by　God；　sir；　if
I　find　YOU　skimping　yourself　or　lying　to　me　or　borrowing　money〃

〃Yes；　Marse　Harry；　but　the　Widder　Molloy　done　gone　and　paid　up　dis
afernoon。　　I'll　bring　de　books　and　money　to　prove　it；〃　and　he
hurriedly　reentered　the　sitting…room。

Then　with　trembling　hands　he　emptied　his　pockets　on　the　table；
including　Paul's　gift　and　the　fees　he　had　just　received；　and
opening　a　desk…drawer　took　from　it　a　striped　cotton　handkerchief；
such　as　negro　women　wear　on　their　heads；　containing　a　small
quantity　of　silver　tied　up　in　a　hard　knot；　and　a　boy's　purse。　　This
he　emptied　on　the　table　with　his　own　money。

They　were　the　only　rents　of　Colonel　Henry　Pendleton！　　They　were
contributed　by　〃George　Washington　Thomson；〃　his　wife；　otherwise
known　as　〃Aunt　Dinah；〃　washerwoman；　and　〃Scipio　Thomson；〃　their
son；　aged　fourteen；　bootblack。　　It　did　not　amount　to　much。　　But　in
that　happy　moisture　that　dimmed　the　old　man's　eyes；　God　knows　it
looked　large　enough。


CHAPTER　III。


Although　the　rays　of　an　unclouded　sun　were　hot　in　the　Santa　Clara
roads　and　byways；　and　the　dry；　bleached　dust　had　become　an
impalpable　powder；　the　perspiring　and　parched　pedestrian　who　rashly
sought　relief　in　the　shade　of　the　wayside　oak　was　speedily　chilled
to　the　bone　by　the　northwest　trade…winds　that　on　those　August
afternoons　swept　through　the　defiles　of　the　Coast　Range；　and　even
penetrated　the　pastoral　valley　of　San　Jose。　　The　anomaly　of　straw
hats　and　overcoats　with　the　occupants　of　buggies　and　station　wagons
was　thus　accounted　for；　and　even　in　the　sheltered　garden　of　〃El
Rosario〃　two　young　girls　in　light　summer　dresses　had　thrown　wraps
over　their　shoulders　as　they　lounged　down　a　broad　rose…alley　at
right　angles　with　the　deep；　long　veranda　of　the　casa。　　Yet；　in
spite　of　the　chill；　the　old　Spanish　house　and　gardens　presented　a
luxurious；　almost　tropical；　picture　from　the　roadside。　　Banks；
beds；　and　bowers　of　roses　lent　their　name　and　color　to　the　grounds；
tree…like　clusters　of　hanging　fuchsias；　mound…like　masses　of
variegated　verbena；　and　tangled　thickets　of　ceanothus　and　spreading
heliotrope　were　set　in　boundaries　of　venerable　olive；　fig；　and　pear
trees。　　The　old　house　itself；　a　picturesque　relief　to　the　glaring
newness　of　the　painted　villas　along　the　road；　had　been　tastefully
modified　to　suit　the　needs　and　habits　of　a　later　civilization；　the
galleries　of　the　inner　courtyard；　or　patio；　had　been　transferred　to
the　outside　walls　in　the　form　of　deep　verandas；　while　the　old　adobe
walls　themselves　were　hidden　beneath　flowing　Cape　jessamine　or
bestarred　passion　vines；　and　topped　by　roofs　of　cylindrical　red
tiles。

〃Miss　Yerba！〃　said　a　dry；　masculine　voice　from　the　veranda。

The　taller　young　girl　started；　and　drew　herself　suddenly　behind　a
large　Castilian　rose…tree；　dragging　her　companion　with　her；　and
putting　her　finger　imperatively　upon　a　pretty　but　somewhat
passionate　mouth。　　The　other　girl　checked　a　laugh；　and　remained
watching　her　friend's　wickedly　leveled　brows　in　amused　surprise。

The　call　was　repeated　from　the　veranda。　　After　a　moment's　pause
there　was　the　sound　of　retreating　footsteps；　and　all　was　quiet
again。

〃Why；　for　goodness'　sake；　didn't　you　answer；　Yerba？〃　asked　the
shorter　girl。

〃Oh；　I　hate　him！〃　responded　Yerba。　　〃He　only　wanted　to　bore　me　with
his　stupid；　formal；　sham…parental　talk。　　Because　he's　my　official
guardian　he　thinks　it　necessary　to　assume　this　manner　towards　me
when　we　meet；　and　treats　me　as　if　I　were　something　between　his
stepdaughter　and　an　almshouse　orphan　or　a　police　board。　　It's
perfectly　ridiculous；　for　it's　only　put　on　while　he　is　in　office；
and　he　knows　it；　and　I　know　it；　and　I'm　tired　of　making　believe。
Why；　my　dear；　they　change　every　election；　I've　had　seven　of　them；
all　more　or　less　of　this　kind；　since　I　can　remember。〃

〃But　I　thought　there　were　two　others；　dear；　that　were　not
official；〃　said　her　companion；　coaxingly。

Yerba　sighed。　　〃No；　there　was　another；　who　was　president　of　a　bank；
but　that　was　also　to　be　official　if　he　died。　　I　used　to　like　him；
he　seemed　to　be　the　only　gentleman　among　them；　but　it　appears　that
he　is　dreadfully　improper；　shoots　people　now　and　then　for　nothing
at　all；　and　burst　up　his　bankand；　of　course；　he's　impossible；
and；　as　there's　no　more　bank；　when　he　dies　there'll　be　no　more
trustee。〃

〃And　there's　the　third；　you　knowa　stranger；　who　never　appears？〃
suggested　the　younger　girl。

〃And　who　do　you　suppose　HE　turns　out　to　be？　　Do　you　remember　that
conceited　little　wretchthat　'Baby　Senator；'　I　think　they　called
himwho　was　in　the　parlor　of　the　Golden　Gate　the　other　morning
surrounded　by　his　idiotic　worshipers　and　toadies　and　ballot…box
stuffers？　　Well；　if　you　please；　THAT'S　Mr。　Paul　Hathawaythe
Honorable　Paul　Hathaway；　who　washed　his　hands　of　me；　my　dear；　at
the　beginning！〃

〃But　really；　Yerba；　I　thought　that　he　looked　and　acted〃

〃You　thought　of　nothing　at　all；　Milly；〃　returned　Yerba；　with
authority。　　〃I　tell　you　he's　a　mass　of　conceit。　　What　else　can　you
expect　of　a　Mantoadied　and　fawned　upon　to　that　extent？　　It　made
me　sick！　　I　could　have　just　shaken　them！〃

As　if　to　emphasize　her　statement；　she　grasped　one　of　the　long
willowy　branches　of　the　enormous　rose…bush　where　she　stood；　and
shook　it　lightly。　　The　action　detached　a　few　of　the　maturer
blossoms；　and　sent　down　a　shower　of　faded　pink　petals　on　her　dark
hair　and　yellow　dress。　　〃I　can't　bear　conceit；〃　she　added。

〃Oh；　Yerba；　just　stand　as　you　are！　　I　do　wish　the　girls　could　see
you。　　You　make　the　LOVELIEST　picture！〃

She　certainly　did　look　very　pretty　as　she　stood　therea　few　leaves
lodged　in　her　hair；　clinging　to　her　dress；　and　suggesting　by
reflection　the　color　that　her　delicate　satin　skin　would　have
resented　in　its　own　texture。　　But　she　turned　impatiently　away
perhaps　not　before　she　had　allowed　this　passing　vision　to　impress
the　min