a ward of the golden gate-第1章

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A　Ward　of　the　Golden　Gate

by　Bret　Harte





PROLOGUE。


In　San　Francisco　the　〃rainy　season〃　had　been　making　itself　a
reality　to　the　wondering　Eastern　immigrant。　　There　were　short　days
of　drifting　clouds　and　flying　sunshine；　and　long　succeeding　nights
of　incessant　downpour；　when　the　rain　rattled　on　the　thin　shingles
or　drummed　on　the　resounding　zinc　of　pioneer　roofs。　　The　shifting
sand…dunes　on　the　outskirts　were　beaten　motionless　and　sodden　by
the　onslaught　of　consecutive　storms；　the　southeast　trades　brought
the　saline　breath　of　the　outlying　Pacific　even　to　the　busy　haunts
of　Commercial　and　Kearney　streets；　the　low…lying　Mission　road　was　a
quagmire；　along　the　City　Front；　despite　of　piles　and　pier　and
wharf；　the　Pacific　tides　still　asserted　themselves　in　mud　and　ooze
as　far　as　Sansome　Street；　the　wooden　sidewalks　of　Clay　and
Montgomery　streets　were　mere　floating　bridges　or　buoyant　pontoons
superposed　on　elastic　bogs；　Battery　Street　was　the　Silurian　beach
of　that　early　period　on　which　tin　cans；　packing…boxes；　freight；
household　furniture；　and　even　the　runaway　crews　of　deserted　ships
had　been　cast　away。　　There　were　dangerous　and　unknown　depths　in
Montgomery　Street　and　on　the　Plaza；　and　the　wheels　of　a　passing
carriage　hopelessly　mired　had　to　be　lifted　by　the　volunteer　hands
of　a　half　dozen　high…booted　wayfarers；　whose　wearers　were
sufficiently　content　to　believe　that　a　woman；　a　child；　or　an
invalid　was　behind　its　closed　windows；　without　troubling　themselves
or　the　occupant　by　looking　through　the　glass。

It　was　a　carriage　that；　thus　released；　eventually　drew　up　before
the　superior　public　edifice　known　as　the　City　Hall。　　From　it　a
woman；　closely　veiled；　alighted；　and　quickly　entered　the　building。
A　few　passers…by　turned　to　look　at　her；　partly　from　the　rarity　of
the　female　figure　at　that　period；　and　partly　from　the　greater
rarity　of　its　being　well　formed　and　even　ladylike。

As　she　kept　her　way　along　the　corridor　and　ascended　an　iron
staircase；　she　was　passed　by　others　more　preoccupied　in　business　at
the　various　public　offices。　　One　of　these　visitors；　however；
stopped　as　if　struck　by　some　fancied　resemblance　in　her　appearance；
turned；　and　followed　her。　　But　when　she　halted　before　a　door　marked
〃Mayor's　Office；〃　he　paused　also；　and；　with　a　look　of　half　humorous
bewilderment　and　a　slight　glance　around　him　as　if　seeking　for　some
one　to　whom　to　impart　his　arch　fancy；　he　turned　away。　　The　woman
then　entered　a　large　anteroom　with　a　certain　quick　feminine　gesture
of　relief；　and；　finding　it　empty　of　other　callers；　summoned　the
porter；　and　asked　him　some　question　in　a　voice　so　suppressed　by　the
official　severity　of　the　apartment　as　to　be　hardly　audible。　　The
attendant　replied　by　entering　another　room　marked　〃Mayor's
Secretary；〃　and　reappeared　with　a　stripling　of　seventeen　or
eighteen；　whose　singularly　bright　eyes　were　all　that　was　youthful
in　his　composed　features。　　After　a　slight　scrutiny　of　the　woman
half　boyish；　half　officialhe　desired　her　to　be　seated；　with　a
certain　exaggerated　gravity　as　if　he　was　over…acting　a　grown…up
part；　and；　taking　a　card　from　her；　reentered　his　office。　　Here；
however；　he　did　NOT　stand　on　his　head　or　call　out　a　confederate
youth　from　a　closet；　as　the　woman　might　have　expected。　　To　the　left
was　a　green　baize　door；　outlined　with　brass…studded　rivets　like　a
cheerful　coffin…lid；　and　bearing　the　mortuary　inscription；
〃Private。〃　　This　he　pushed　open；　and　entered　the　Mayor's　private
office。

The　municipal　dignitary　of　San　Francisco；　although　an　erect；
soldier…like　man　of　strong　middle　age；　was　seated　with　his　official
chair　tilted　back　against　the　wall　and　kept　in　position　by　his　feet
on　the　rungs　of　another；　which　in　turn　acted　as　a　support　for　a
second　man；　who　was　seated　a　few　feet　from　him　in　an　easy…chair。
Both　were　lazily　smoking。

The　Mayor　took　the　card　from　his　secretary；　glanced　at　it；　said
〃Hullo！〃　and　handed　it　to　his　companion；　who　read　aloud　〃Kate
Howard；〃　and　gave　a　prolonged　whistle。

〃Where　is　she？〃　asked　the　Mayor。

〃In　the　anteroom；　sir。〃

〃Any　one　else　there？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Did　you　say　I　was　engaged？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　but　it　appears　she　asked　Sam　who　was　with　you；　and　when
he　told　her；　she　said；　All　right；　she　wanted　to　see　Colonel
Pendleton　too。〃

The　men　glanced　interrogatively　at　each　other；　but　Colonel
Pendleton；　abruptly　anticipating　the　Mayor's　functions；　said；　〃Have
her　in；〃　and　settled　himself　back　in　his　chair。

A　moment　later　the　door　opened；　and　the　stranger　appeared。　　As　she
closed　the　door　behind　her　she　removed　her　heavy　veil；　and
displayed　the　face　of　a　very　handsome　woman　of　past　thirty。　　It　is
only　necessary　to　add　that　it　was　a　face　known　to　the　two　men；　and
all　San　Francisco。

〃Well；　Kate；〃　said　the　Mayor；　motioning　to　a　chair；　but　without
rising　or　changing　his　attitude。　　〃Here　I　am；　and　here　is　Colonel
Pendleton；　and　these　are　office　hours。　　What　can　we　do　for　you？〃

If　he　had　received　her　with　magisterial　formality；　or　even
politely；　she　would　have　been　embarrassed；　in　spite　of　a　certain
boldness　of　her　dark　eyes　and　an　ever　present　consciousness　of　her
power。　　It　is　possible　that　his　own　ease　and　that　of　his　companion
was　part　of　their　instinctive　good　nature　and　perception。　　She
accepted　it　as　such；　took　the　chair　familiarly；　and　seated　herself
sideways　upon　it；　her　right　arm　half　encircling　its　back　and
hanging　over　it；　altogether　an　easy　and　not　ungraceful　pose。

〃Thank　you；　JackI　mean；　Mr。　Mayorand　you；　too；　Harry。　　I　came
on　business。　　I　want　you　two　men　to　act　as　guardians　for　my　little
daughter。〃

〃Your　what？〃　asked　the　two　men　simultaneously。

〃My　daughter；〃　she　repeated；　with　a　short　laugh；　which；　however；
ended　with　a　note　of　defiance。　　〃Of　course　you　don't　know。　　Well；〃
she　added　half　aggressively；　and　yet　with　the　air　of　hurrying　over
a　compromising　and　inexplicable　weakness；　〃the　long　and　short　of　it
is　I've　got　a　little　girl　down　at　the　Convent　of　Santa　Clara；　and
have　hadthere！　　I've　been　taking　care　of　herGOOD　care；　too；
boysfor　some　time。　　And　now　I　want　to　put　things　square　for　her
for　the　future。　　See？　　I　want　to　make　over　to　her　all　my　property
it's　nigh　on　to　seventy…five　thousand　dollars；　for　Bob　Snelling　put
me　up　to　getting　those　water　lots　a　year　agoand；　you　see；　I'll
have　to　have　regular　guardians；　trustees；　or　whatever　you　call　'em；
to　take　care　of　the　money　for　her。〃

〃Who's　her　father？〃　asked　the　Mayor。

〃What's　that　to　do　with　it？〃　she　said　impetuously。

〃Everythingbecause　he's　her　natural　guardian。〃

〃Suppose　he　isn't　known？　　Say　dead；　for　instance。〃

〃Dead　will　do；〃　said　the　Mayor　gravely。　　〃Yes；　dead　will　do；〃
repeated　Colonel　Pendleton。　　After　a　pause；　in　which　the　two　men
seemed　to　have　buried　this　vague　relative；　the　Mayor　looked　keenly
at　the　woman。

〃Kate；　have　you　and　Bob　Ridley　had　a　quarrel？〃

〃Bob　Ridley　knows　too　much　to　quarrel　with　me；〃　she　said　briefly。

〃Then　you　are　doing　this　for　no　motive　other　than　that　which　you
tell　me？〃

〃Certainly。　　That's　motive　enoughain't　it？〃

〃Yes。〃　　The　Mayor　took　his　feet　off　his　companion's　chair　and　sat
upright。　　Colonel　Pendleton　did　the　same；　also　removing　his　cigar
from　his　lips。　　〃I　suppose　you'll　think　this　thing　over？〃　he　added。

〃NoI　want　it　done　NOWright　herein　this　office。〃

〃But　you　know　it　will　be　irrevocable。〃

〃That's　what　I　want　itsomething　might　happen　afterwards。〃

〃But　you　are　leaving　nothing　for　yourself；　and　if　you　are　going　to
devote　everything　to　this　daughter　and　lead　a　different　life；
you'll〃

〃Who　said　I　was？〃

The　two　men　paused；　and　looked　at　her。　　〃Look　here；　boys；　you　don't
understand。　　From　the　day　that　paper　is　signed；　I've　nothing　to　do
with　the　child。　　She　passes　out　of　my　hands　into　yours；　to　be
schooled；　educated；　and　made　a　rich　girl　out　ofand　never　to　know
who　or　what　or　where　I　am。　　She　doesn't　know　now。　　I　haven't　given
her　and　myself　away　in　that　styleyou　bet！　　She　thinks　I'm　only　a
friend。　　She　hasn't　seen　me　more　than　once　or　twice；　and　not　to
know　me　again。　　Why；　I　was　down　there　the　other　day；　and　passed　her
walking　out　with　the　Sisters　and　the　other　scholars；　and　she　didn't
know　metho