a ward of the golden gate-第20章

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！


future　excursions？　　Did　he　intend　to　carry　this　lugubrious　visage
through　the　Allee　and　up　to　the　courtyard　of　the　hotel　to　proclaim
his　sentimental　condition　to　the　world？　　At　least；　she　trusted　he
would　not　show　it　to　Milly；　who　might　remember　that　this　was　only
the　SECOND　TIME　they　had　met　each　other。　　There　was　something　so
sweetly　reasonable　in　this；　and　withal　not　without　a　certain
hopefulness　for　the　future；　to　say　nothing　of　the　half…mischievous；
half…reproachful　smile　that　accompanied　it；　that　Paul　exerted
himself；　and　eventually　recovered　his　lost　gayety。　　When　they　at
last　drew　up　in　the　courtyard；　with　the　flush　of　youth　and　exercise
in　their　faces；　Paul　felt　he　was　the　object　of　envy　to　the
loungers；　and　of　fresh　gossip　to　Strudle　Bad。　　It　struck　him　less
pleasantly　that　two　dark　faces；　which　had　been　previously　regarding
him　in　the　gloom　of　the　corridor　and　vanished　as　he　approached；
reappeared　some　moments　later　in　Yerba's　salon　as　Don　Caesar　and
Dona　Anna；　with　a　benignly　different　expression。　　Dona　Anna
especially　greeted　him　with　so　much　of　the　ostentatious　archness　of
a　confident　and　forgiving　woman　to　a　momentarily　recreant　lover；
that　he　felt　absurdly　embarrassed　in　Yerba's　presence。　　He　was
thinking　how　he　could　excuse　himself；　when　he　noticed　a　beautiful
basket　of　flowers　on　the　table　and　a　tiny　note　bearing　a　baron's
crest。　　Yerba　had　put　it　aside　withas　it　seemed　to　him　at　the
momentan　almost　too　pronounced　indifferenceand　an　indifference
that　was　strongly　contrasted　to　Dona　Anna's　eagerly　expressed
enthusiasm　over　the　offering；　and　her　ultimate　supplications　to
Paul　and　her　brother　to　admire　its　beauties　and　the　wonderful　taste
of　the　donor。

All　this　seemed　so　incongruous　with　Paul's　feelings；　and　above　all
with　the　recollection　of　his　scene　with　Yerba；　that　he　excused
himself　from　dining　with　the　party；　alleging　an　engagement　with　his
old　fellow…traveler　the　German　officer；　whose　acquaintance　he　had
renewed。　　Yerba　did　not　press　him；　he　even　fancied　she　looked
relieved。　　Colonel　Pendleton　was　coming；　Paul　was　not　loath；　in　his
present　frame　of　mind；　to　dispense　with　his　company。　　A　conviction
that　the　colonel's　counsel　was　not　the　best　guide　for　Yerba；　and
that　in　some　vague　way　their　interests　were　antagonistic；　had　begun
to　force　itself　upon　him。　　He　had　no　intention　of　being　disloyal　to
her　old　guardian；　but　he　felt　that　Pendleton　had　not　been　frank
with　him　since　his　return　from　Rosario。　　Had　he　ever　been　so　with
HER？　　He　sometimes　doubted　his　disclaimer。

He　was　lucky　in　finding　the　General　disengaged；　and　together　they
dined　at　a　restaurant　and　spent　the　evening　at　the　Kursaal。　　Later；
at　the　Residenz　Club；　the　General　leaned　over　his　beer…glass　and
smilingly　addressed　his　companion。

〃So　I　hear　you；　too；　are　a　conquest　of　the　beautiful　South
American。〃

For　an　instant　Paul；　recognizing　only　Dona　Anna　under　that　epithet；
looked　puzzled。

〃Come；　my　friend；〃　said　the　General　regarding　him　with　some
amusement；　〃I　am　an　older　man　than　you；　yet　I　hardly　think　I　could
have　ridden　out　with　such　a　goddess　without　becoming　her　slave。〃

Paul　felt　his　face　flush　in　spite　of　himself。　　〃Ah！　you　mean　Miss
Arguello；〃　he　said　hurriedly；　his　color　increasing　at　his　own
mention　of　that　name　as　if　he　were　imposing　it　upon　his　honest
companion。　　〃She　is　an　old　acquaintance　of　minefrom　my　own　State
California。〃

〃Ah；　so；〃　said　the　General；　lifting　his　eyebrows　in　profound
apology。　　〃A　thousand　pardons。〃

〃Surely；〃　said　Paul；　with　a　desperate　attempt　to　recover　his
equanimity；　〃YOU　ought　to　know　our　geography　better。〃

〃So；　I　am　wrong。　　But　still　the　nameArguellosurely　that　is　not
American？　　Still；　they　say　she　has　no　accent；　and　does　not　look
like　a　Mexican。〃

For　an　instant　Paul　was　superstitiously　struck　with　the　fatal
infelicity　of　Yerba's　selection　of　a　foreign　name；　that　now　seemed
only　to　invite　that　comment　and　criticism　which　she　should　have
avoided。　　Nor　could　he　explain　it　at　length　to　the　General　without
assisting　and　accenting　the　deception；　which　he　was　always　hoping
in　some　vague　way　to　bring　to　an　end。　　He　was　sorry　he　had
corrected　the　General；　he　was　furious　that　he　had　allowed　himself
to　be　confused。

Happily　his　companion　had　misinterpreted　his　annoyance；　and　with
impulsive　German　friendship　threw　himself　into　what　he　believed　to
be　Paul's　feelings。　　〃Donnerwetter！　　Your　beautiful　countrywoman　is
made　the　subject　of　curiosity　just　because　that　stupid　baron　is
persistent　in　his　serious　attentions。　　That　is　quite　enough；　my
good　friend；　to　make　Klatschen　here　among　those　animals　who　do　not
understand　the　freedom　of　an　American　girl；　or　that　an　heiress　may
have　something　else　to　do　with　her　money　than　to　expend　it　on　the
Baron's　mortgages。　　But〃he　stopped；　and　his　simple；　honest　face
assumed　an　air　of　profound　and　sagacious　cunning〃I　am　glad　to
talk　about　it　with　you；　who　of　course　are　perfectly　familiar　with
the　affair。　　I　shall　now　be　able　to　know　what　to　say。　　My　word；　my
friend；　has　some　weight　here；　and　I　shall　use　it。　　And　now　you
shall　tell　me　WHO　is　our　lovely　friend；　and　WHO　were　her　parents
and　her　kindred　in　her　own　home。　　Her　associates　here；　you　possibly
know；　are　an　impossible　colonel　and　his　never…before…approached
valet；　with　some　South　American　Indian　planters；　and；　I　believe；　a
pork…butcher's　daughter。　　But　of　THEMit　makes　nothing。　　Tell　me
of　HER　people。〃

With　his　kindly　serious　face　within　a　few　inches　of　Paul's；　and
sympathizing　curiosity　beaming　from　his　pince…nez；　he　obliged　the
wretched　and　conscience…stricken　Hathaway　to　respond　with　a
detailed　account　of　Yerba's　parentage　as　projected　by　herself　and
indorsed　by　Colonel　Pendleton。　　He　dwelt　somewhat　particularly　on
the　romantic　character　of　the　Trust；　hoping　to　draw　the　General's
attention　away　from　the　question　of　relationship；　but　he　was
chagrined　to　find　that　the　honest　warrior　evidently　confounded　the
Trust　with　some　eleemosynary　institution　and　sympathetically
glossed　it　over。　　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　〃the　Mexican　Minister　at
Berlin　would　know　all　about　the　Arguello　family：　so　there　would　be
no　question　there。〃

Paul　was　not　sorry　when　the　time　came　to　take　leave　of　his　friend；
but　once　again　in　the　clear　moonlight　and　fresh；　balmy　air　of　the
Allee；　he　forgot　the　unpleasantness　of　the　interview。　　He　found
himself　thinking　only　of　his　ride　with　Yerba。　　Well！　he　had　told
her　that　he　loved　her。　　She　knew　it　now；　and　although　she　had
forbidden　him　to　speak　further；　she　had　not　wholly　rejected　it。　　It
must　be　her　morbid　consciousness　of　the　mystery　of　her　birth　that
withheld　a　return　of　her　affections；some　half…knowledge；　perhaps；
that　she　would　not　divulge；　yet　that　kept　her　unduly　sensitive　of
accepting　his　love。　　He　was　satisfied　there　was　no　entanglement；
her　heart　was　virgin。　　He　even　dared　to　hope　that　she　had　ALWAYS
cared　for　him。　　It　was　for　HIM　to　remove　all　obstaclesto　prevail
upon　her　to　leave　this　place　and　return　to　America　with　him　as　her
husband；　the　guardian　of　her　good　name；　and　the　custodian　of　her
secret。　　At　times　the　strains　of　a　dreamy　German　waltz；　played　in
the　distance；　brought　back　to　him　the　brief　moment　that　his　arm　had
encircled　her　waist　by　the　crumbling　wall；　and　his　pulses　grew
languid；　only　to　leap　firmer　the　next　moment　with　more　desperate
resolve。　　He　would　win　her；　come　what　may！　　He　could　never　have
been　in　earnest　before：　he　loathed　and　hated　himself　for　his
previous　passive　acquiescence　to　her　fate。　　He　had　been　a　weak　tool
of　the　colonel's　from　the　first：　he　was　even　now　handicapped　by　a
preposterous　promise　he　had　given　him！　　Yes；　she　was　right　to
hesitateto　question　his　ability　to　make　her　happy！　　He　had　found
her　here；　surrounded　by　stupidity　and　cupidityto　give　it　no　other
nameso　patent　that　she　was　the　common　gossip；　and　had　offered
nothing　but　a　boyish　declaration！　　As　he　strode　into　the　hotel　that
night　it　was　well　that　he　did　not　meet　the　unfortunate　colonel　on
the　staircase！

It　was　very　late；　although　there　was　still　visible　a　light　in
Yerba's　salon；　shining　on　her　balcony；　which　extended　before　and
included　his　own　window。　　From　time　to　time　he　could　hear　the
murmur　of　voices。　　It　was　too　late　to　avail　himself　of　the
invitation　to　join　them；　even　if　his　frame　of　mind　had　permitted
it。　　He　was　too　nervous　and　excited　to　go　to　bed；　and；　without
lighting　his　candle；　he　opened　the　French　window　that　gave　upon　the
balcony；　drew　a　chair　in　the　recess　behind　the　curtain；　and　gazed
upon　the　night。　　It　was　very　quiet；　the　moon　was　high；　the　square
was　sleeping　in　a　trance　of　checkered　shadows；　like　a　gigantic
chessboard；　with　black　foreshortened　trees　for　pawns。　　The　click　of
a　cavalry　sabre；　the　sound　of　a　footfall　on　the　pavement　of　the
distant　Konigsstrasse；　were　distinctly　audible；　a　far…off　railway
whistle　was　startling　in　its　abruptness。　　In　the　midst　of　this　calm
the　opening　of　the　door　of　the　salon；　with　the　sudden　uplifting　of
voices　in　the　hall；　told　Paul　that　Yerba's　guests　were　leaving。　　He
heard　Dona　Anna's　arch　accentsarch　even　to　Colonel　Pendleton's
monotonous　baritone！Milly's　high；　rapid　utterances；　the　suave
falsetto　of　Don　Caesar；　and　HER　voice；　he　thought　a　trifle
wearied；the　sound　of　retiring　footsteps；　and　all　was　still　again。

So　still　that　the　rhythmic　beat　of　the　distant　waltz　returned　to
him；　with　a　distinctiveness　that　he　could　idly　follow。　　He　thought
of　Rosario　and　the　rose…breath　of　the　open　windows　with　a　strange
longing；　and　remembered　the　half…stifled　sweetness　of　her　happy
voice　rising　with　it　from　the　veranda。　　Why　had　he　ever　let　it　pass
from　him　then　and　waft　its　fragrance　elsewhere？　　Why　　What　was
that？

The　slight　turning　of　a　latch！　　The　creaking　of　the　French　window
of　the　salon；　and　somebody　had　slipped　softly　half　out　on　the
balcony。　　His　heart　stopped　beating。　　From　his　position　in　the
recess　of　his　own　window；　with　his　back　to　the　partition　of　the
salon；　he　could　see　nothing。　　Yet　he　did　not　dare　to　move。　　For
with　the　quickened　senses　of　a　lover　he　felt　the　diffused　and
perfumed　aura　of　HER　presence；　of　HER　garments；　of　HER　flesh；　flow
in　upon　him　through　the　open　window；　and　possess　his　whole
breathless　being！　　It　was　SHE！　　Like　him；　perhaps；　longing　to　enjoy
the　perfect　nightlike　him；　perhaps；　thinking　of

〃So　you　ar…range　to　get　rid　of　meha！　lik　thees？　　To　tur…rn　me　off
from　your　heels　like　a　dog　who　have　follow　youbut　without　a　word
without　aathankswithout　a　'ope！　　Ah！we　have　ser…rved　you
me　and　my　sister；　we　are　the　or…range　drynow　we　can　go！　　Like　the
old　shoe；　we　are　to　be　flung　away！　　Good！　　But　I　am　here　againyou
see。　　I　shall　speak；　and　you　shall　hear…r。〃

Don　Caesar's　voicealone　with　her！　　Paul　gripped　his　chair　and　sat
upright。

〃Stop！　　Stay　where　you　are！　　How　dared　you　return　here？〃　　It　was
Yerba's　voice；　on　the　balcony；　low　and　distinct。

〃Shut　the　window！　　I　shall　speak　with　you　what　you　will　not　the
world　to　hear。〃

〃I　prefer　to　keep　where　I　am；　since　you　have　crept　into　this　room
like　a　thief！〃

〃A　thief！　　Good！〃　　He　broke　out　in　Spanish；　and；　as　if　no　longer
fearful　of　being　overheard；　had　evidently　drawn　nearer　to　the
window。　　〃A　thief。