a ward of the golden gate-第15章

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is　deceiving　us？〃

〃After　what　I　have　just　told　you；　Mr。　Hathaway；〃　said　the　colonel；
with　an　increased　exaggeration　of　manner　which　Paul　thought　must　be
apparent　even　to　himself；　〃I　should　have　but　one　way　of　dealing
with　questions　of　that　kind　from　anybody　but　yourself。〃

This　culminating　extravagancetaken　in　connection　with　Pendleton's
passing　doubtsactually　forced　a　laugh　from　Paul　in　spite　of　his
bitterness。

Colonel　Pendleton's　face　flushed　quickly。　　Like　most　positive　one…
idea'd　men；　he　was　restricted　from　any　possible　humorous
combination；　and　only　felt　a　mysterious　sense　of　being　detected　in
some　weakness。　　He　put　down　his　glass。

〃Mr。　Hathaway；〃　he　began；　with　a　slight　vibration　in　his　usual
dominant　accents；　〃you　have　lately　put　me　under　a　sense　of　personal
obligation　for　a　favor　which　I　felt　I　could　accept　without
derogation　from　a　younger　man；　because　it　seemed　to　be　one　not　only
of　youthful　generosity　but　of　justice；　and　was　not　unworthy　the
exalted　ambition　of　a　young　man　like　yourself　or　the　simple　deserts
of　an　old　man　such　as　I　am。　　I　accepted　it；　sir；　the　more　readily；
because　it　was　entirely　unsolicited　by　me；　and　seemed　to　be　the
spontaneous　offering　of　your　own　heart。　　If　I　have　presumed　upon　it
to　express　myself　freely　on　other　matters　in　a　way　that　only
excites　your　ridicule；　I　can　but　offer　you　an　apology；　sir。　　If　I
have　accepted　a　favor　I　can　neither　renounce　nor　return；　I　must
take　the　consequences　to　myself；　and　even　beg　YOU；　sir；　to　put　up
with　them。〃

Remorseful　as　Paul　felt；　there　was　a　singular　resemblance　between
the　previous　reproachful　pose　of　George　and　this　present　attitude
of　his　master；　as　if　the　mere　propinquity　of　personal　sacrifice　had
made　them　alike；　that　struck　him　with　a　mingled　pathos　and
ludicrousness。　　But　he　said　warmly；　〃It　is　I　who　must　apologize；　my
dear　colonel。　　I　am　not　laughing　at　your　conclusions；　but　at　this
singular　coincidence　with　a　discovery　I　have　made。〃

〃As　how；　sir？〃

〃I　find　in　the　report　of　the　Chief　of　the　Police　for　the　year　1850
that　Kate　Howard　was　under　the　protection　of　a　man　named　Arguello。〃

The　colonel's　exaggeration　instantly　left　him。　　He　stared　blankly
at　Paul。　　〃And　you　call　this　a　laughing　matter；　sir？〃　he　said
sternly；　but　in　his　more　natural　manner。

〃Perhaps　not；　but　I　don't　think；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　say　so；　my
dear　colonel；　that　YOU　have　been　treating　the　whole　affair　very
seriously。　　I　left　you　two　months　ago　utterly　opposed　to　views
which　you　are　now　treating　as　of　no　importance。　　And　yet　you　wish
me　to　believe　that　nothing　has　happened；　and　that　you　have　no
further　information　than　you　had　then。　　That　this　is　so；　and　that
you　are　really　no　nearer　the　FACTS；　I　am　willing　to　believe　from
your　ignorance　of　what　I　have　just　told　you；　and　your　concern　at
it。　　But　that　you　have　not　been　influenced　in　your　JUDGMENT　of　what
you　do　know；　I　cannot　believe？〃　　He　drew　nearer　Pendleton；　and　laid
his　hand　upon　his　arm。　　〃I　beg　you　to　be　frank　with　me；　for　the
sake　of　the　person　whose　interests　I　see　you　have　at　heart。　　In
what　way　will　the　discovery　I　have　just　made　affect　them？　　You　are
not　so　far　prejudiced　as　to　be　blind　to　the　fact　that　it　may　be
dangerous　because　it　seems　corroborative。〃

Pendleton　coughed；　rose；　took　his　stick；　and　limped　up　and　down　the
room；　finally　dropping　into　an　armchair　by　the　window；　with　his
cane　between　his　knees；　and　the　drooping　gray　silken　threads　of　his
long　moustache　curled　nervously　between　his　fingers。

〃Mr。　Hathaway；　I　WILL　be　frank　with　you。　　I　know　nothing　of　this
blank　affairblank　it　all！but　what　I've　told　you。　　Your
discovery　may　be　a　coincidence；　nothing　more。　　But　I　HAVE　been
influenced；　sir；influenced　by　one　of　the　most　perfect　goddess…
likeyes；　sir；　one　of　the　most　simple　girlish　creatures　that　God
ever　sent　upon　earth。　　A　woman　that　I　should　be　proud　to　claim　as
my　daughter；　a　woman　that　would　always　be　the　superior　of　any　man
who　dare　aspire　to　be　her　husband！　　A　young　lady　as　peerless　in　her
beauty　as　she　is　in　her　accomplishments；　and　whose　equal　don't　walk
this　planet！　　I　know；　sir；　YOU　don't　follow　me；　I　know；　Mr。
Hathaway；　your　Puritan　prejudices；　your　Church　proclivities；　your
worldly　sense　of　propriety；　and；　above　all；　sir；　the　blanked
hypocritical　Pharisaic　doctrines　of　your　partyI　mean　no　offense
to　YOU；　sir；　personallyblind　you　to　that　girl's　perfections。
She；　poor　child；　herself　has　seen　it　and　felt　it；　but　never；　in　her
blameless　innocence　and　purity；　suspecting　the　cause；　'There　is；'
she　said　to　me　last　night；　confidentially；　'something　strangely
antagonistic　and　repellent　in　our　natures；　some　undefined　and
nameless　barrier　between　our　ever　understanding　each　other。'　　You
comprehend；　Mr。　Hathaway；　she　does　full　justice　to　your　intentions
and　your　unquestioned　abilities。　　'I　am　not　blind；'　she　said；　'to
Mr。　Hathaway's　gifts；　and　it　is　very　possible　the　fault　lies　with
me。'　　Her　very　words；　sir。〃

〃Then　you　believe　she　is　perfectly　ignorant　of　her　real　mother？〃
asked　Paul；　with　a　steady　voice；　but　a　whitening　face。

〃As　an　unborn　child；〃　said　the　colonel；　emphatically。　　〃The　snow　on
the　Sierras　is　not　more　spotlessly　pure　of　any　trace　or
contamination　of　the　mud　of　the　mining　ditches；　than　she　of　her
mother　and　her　past。　　The　knowledge　of　it；　the　mere　breath　of
suspicion　of　it；　in　her　presence　would　be　a　profanation；　sir！　　Look
at　her　eyeopen　as　the　sky　and　as　clear；　look　at　her　face　and
figureas　clean；　sir；　as　a　Blue…Grass　thoroughbred！　　Look　at　the
way　she　carries　herself；　whether　in　those　white　frillings　of　her
simple　school…gown；　or　that　black　evening　dress　that　makes　her　look
like　a　princess！　　And；　blank　me；　if　she　isn't　one！　　There's　no　poor
stock　thereno　white　trashno　mixed　blood；　sir。　　Blank　it　all；
sir；　if　it　comes　to　THATthe　Arguellosif　there's　a　hound　of　them
livingmight　go　down　on　their　knees　to　have　their　name　borne　by
such　a　creature！　　By　the　Eternal；　sir；　if　one　of　them　dared　to
cross　her　path　with　a　word　that　wasn't　abjectyes；　sir；　ABJECT；
I'd　wipe　his　dust　off　the　earth　and　send　it　back　to　his　ancestors
before　he　knew　where　he　was；　or　my　name　isn't　Harry　Pendleton！〃

Hopeless　and　inconsistent　as　all　this　was；　it　was　a　wonderful　sight
to　see　the　colonel；　his　dark　stern　face　illuminated　with　a　zealot's
enthusiasm；　his　eyes　on　fire；　the　ends　of　his　gray　moustache
curling　around　his　set　jaw；　his　head　thrown　back；　his　legs　astride；
and　his　gold…headed　stick　held　in　the　hollow　of　his　elbow；　like　a
lance　at　rest！　　Paul　saw　it；　and　knew　that　this　Quixotic
transformation　was　part　of　HER　triumph；　and　yet　had　a　miserable
consciousness　that　the　charms　of　this　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　had
scarcely　been　exaggerated。　　He　turned　his　eyes　away；　and　said
quietly；

〃Then　you　don't　think　this　coincidence　will　ever　awaken　any
suspicion　in　regard　to　her　real　mother？〃

〃Not　in　the　least；　sirnot　in　the　least；〃　said　the　colonel；　yet；
perhaps；　with　more　doggedness　than　conviction　of　accent。　　〃Nobody
but　yourself　would　ever　notice　that　police　report；　and　the
connection　of　that　woman's　name　with　his　was　not　notorious；　or　I
should　have　known　it。〃

〃And　you　believe；〃　continued　Paul　hopelessly；　〃that　Miss　Yerba's
selection　of　the　name　was　purely　accidental？〃

〃Purelya　school…girl's　fancy。　　Fancy；　did　I　say？　　No；　sir；　by
Jove；　an　inspiration！〃

〃And；〃　continued　Paul；　almost　mechanically；　〃you　do　not　think　it
may　be　some　insidious　suggestion　of　an　enemy　who　knew　of　this
transient　relation　that　no　one　suspected？〃

To　his　final　amazement　Pendleton's　brow　cleared！　　〃An　enemy？　　Gad！
you　may　be　right。　　I'll　look　into　it；　and；　if　that　is　the　case；
which　I　scarcely　dare　hope　for；　Mr。　Hathaway；　you　can　safely　leave
him　to　ME。〃

He　looked　so　supremely　confident　in　his　fatuous　heroism　that　Paul
could　say　no　more。　　He　rose　and；　with　a　faint　smile　upon　his　pale
face；　held　out　his　hand。　　〃I　think　that　is　all　I　have　to　say。　　When
you　see　Miss　Yerba　again；as　you　will；　no　doubt；you　may　tell　her
that　I　am　conscious　of　no　misunderstanding　on　my　part；　except；
perhaps；　as　to　the　best　way　I　could　serve　her；　and　that；　but　for
what　she　has　told　YOU；　I　should　certainly　have　carried　away　no
remembrance　of　any　misunderstanding　of　HERS。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　cheerful　philosophy；　〃I　will
carry　your　message　with　pleasure。　　You　understand　how　it　is；　Mr。
Hathaway。　　There　is　no　accounting　for　these　instinctswe　can　only
accept　them　as　they　are。　　But　I　believe　that　your　intentions；　sir；
were　strictly　according　to　what　you　conceived　to　be　your　duty。　　You
won't　take　something　before　you　go？　　Well；　thengood…by。〃

Two　weeks　later　Paul　found　among　his　morning　letters　an　envelope
addressed　in　Colonel　Pendleton's　boyish　scrawling　hand。　　He　opened
it　with　an　eagerness　that　no　studied　self…control　nor　rigid
preoccupation　of　his　duties　had　yet　been　able　to　subdue；　and
glanced　hurriedly　at　its　contents：


DEAR　SIR；As　I　am　on　the　point　of　sailing　to　Europe　to…morrow　to
escort　Miss　Arguello　and　Miss　Woods　on　an　extended　visit　to　England
and　the　Continent；　I　am　desirous　of　informing　you　that　I　have　thus
far　been　unable　to　find　any　foundation　for　the　suggestions　thrown
out　by　you　in　our　last　interview。　　Miss　Arguello's　Spanish
acquaintances　have　been　very　select；　and　limited　to　a　few　school
friends　and　Don　Caesar　and　Dona　Anna　Briones；　tried　friends；　who
are　also　fellow…passengers　with　us　to　Europe。　　Miss　Arguello
suggests　that　some　political　difference　between　you　and　Don　Caesar；
which　occurred　during　your　visit　to　Rosario　three　months　ago；　may
have；　perhaps；　given　rise　to　your　supposition。　　She　joins　me　in
best　wishes　for　your　public　career；　which　even　in　the　distraction
of　foreign　travel　and　the　obligations　of　her　position　she　will
follow　from　time　to　time　with　the　greatest　interest。

Very　respectfully　yours；

HARRY　PENDLETON。



CHAPTER　V。


It　was　on　the　3d　of　August；　1863；　that　Paul　Hathaway　resigned
himself　and　his　luggage　to　the　care　of　the　gold…laced；　ostensible
porter　of　the　Strudle　Bad　Hof；　not　without　some　uncertainty；　in　a
land　of　uniforms；　whether　he　would　be　eventually　conducted　to　the
barracks；　the　police　office；　or　the　Conservatoire。　　He　was　relieved
when　the　omnibus　drove　into　the　courtyard　of　the　Bad　Hof；　and　the
gold…chained　chamberlain；　flanked　by　two　green　tubs　of　oleanders；
received　him　with　a　gravity　calculated　to　check　any　preconceived
idea　he　might　have　that　traveling　was　a　trifling　affair；　or　that　an
arrival　at　the　Bad　Hof　was　not　of　serious　moment。　　His　letters　had
not　yet　arrived；　for　he　had；　in　a　fit　of　restlessness；　shortened
his　route；　and　he　strolled　listlessly　into　the　reading…room。　　Two
or　three　English　guests　were　evidently　occupied　in　eminently
respectable　reading　and　writing；　two　were　sitting　by　the　window
engaged　in　subdued　but　profitable　conversation；　and　two　Americans
from　Boston　were　contentedly　imitating　them　on　the　other　side　of
the　room。　　A　decent　restraint；　as　of　people　who　were　not　for　a
moment　to　be　led　into　any　foreign　idea　of　social　gayety　at　a
watering…place；　was　visible　everywhere。　　A　spectacled　Prussian
officer　in　full　uniform　passed　along　the　hall；　halted　for　a　moment
at　the　doorway　as　if　con