a ward of the golden gate-第13章

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wanted　to　know　that　they　couldn't　teach　me；　so　many　times　I　wanted
advice　from　some　one　that　I　could　trust。　　Colonel　Pendleton　was
very　good　to　me　when　he　came；　he　always　treated　me　like　a　princess
even　when　I　wore　short　frocks。　　It　was　his　manner　that　first　made
me　think　he　knew　my　family；　but　I　never　felt　as　if　I　could　tell　him
anything；　and　I　don't　think；　with　all　his　chivalrous　respect；　he
ever　understood　me。　　As　to　the　othersthe　Mayorswell；　you　may
judge　from　Mr。　Henderson。　　It　is　a　wonder　that　I　did　not　run　away
or　do　something　desperate。　　Now；　are　you　not　a　LITTLE　sorry？〃

Her　voice；　which　had　as　many　capricious　changes　as　her　manner；　had
been　alternately　coquettish；　petulant；　and　serious；　had　now　become
playful　again。　　But；　like　the　rest　of　her　sex；　she　was　evidently
more　alert　to　her　surroundings　at　such　a　moment　than　her　companion；
for　before　he　could　make　any　reply；　she　said；　without　apparently
looking；　〃But　there　is　a　deputation　coming　for　you；　Mr。　Hathaway。
You　see；　the　case　is　hopeless。　　You　never　would　be　able　to　give　to
one　what　is　claimed　by　the　many。〃

Paul　glanced　down　the　rose…alley；　and　saw　that　the　deputation　in
question　was　composed　of　the　Mayor；　Mr。　Woods；　a　thin；　delicate…
looking　woman；evidently　Mrs。　Woods；and　Milly。　　The　latter
managed　to　reach　the　summer…house　first；　with　apparently　youthful
alacrity；　but　really　to　exchange；　in　a　single　glance；　some
mysterious　feminine　signal　with　Yerba。　　Then　she　said　with
breathless　infelicity：

〃Before　you　two　get　bored　with　each　other　now；　I　must　tell　you
there's　a　chance　of　you　having　more　time。　　Aunty　has　promised　to
send　off　a　note　excusing　you　to　the　Reverend　Mother；　if　she　can
persuade　Mr。　Hathaway　to　stay　over　to…night。　　But　here　they　are。
＇To　Yerba＇　　Aunty　is　most　anxious；　and　won't　hear　of　his　going。〃

Indeed；　it　seemed　as　if　Mrs。　Woods　was；　after　a　refined　fashion；
most　concerned　that　a　distinguished　visitor　like　Mr。　Hathaway
should　have　to　use　her　house　as　a　mere　accidental　meeting…place
with　his　ward；　without　deigning　to　accept　her　hospitality。　　She　was
reinforced　by　Mr。　Woods；　who　enunciated　the　same　idea　with　more
masculine　vigor；　and　by　the　Mayor；　who　expressed　his　conviction
that　a　slight　of　this　kind　to　Rosario　would　be　felt　in　the　Santa
Clara　valley。　　〃After　dinner；　my　dear　Hathaway；〃　concluded　Mr。
Woods；　〃a　few　of　our　neighbors　may　drop　in；　who　would　be　glad　to
shake　you　by　the　handno　formal　meeting；　my　boybut；　hang　it！
THEY　expect　it。〃

Paul　looked　around　for　Yerba。　　There　was　really　no　reason　why　he
shouldn't　accept；　although　an　hour　ago　the　idea　had　never　entered
his　mind。　　Yet；　if　he　did；　he　would　like　the　girl　to　know　that　it
was　for　HER　sake。　　Unfortunately；　far　from　exhibiting　any　concern
in　the　matter；　she　seemed　to　be　preoccupied　with　Milly；　and　only
the　charming　back　of　her　head　was　visible　behind　Mrs。　Woods。　　He
accepted；　however；　with　a　hesitation　that　took　some　of　the
graciousness　from　his　yielding；　and　a　sense　that　he　was　giving　a
strange　importance　to　a　trivial　circumstance。

The　necessity　of　attaching　himself　to　his　hostess；　and　making　a
more　extended　tour　of　the　grounds；　for　a　while　diverted　him　from　an
uneasy　consideration　of　his　past　interview。　　Mrs。　Woods　had　known
Yerba　through　the　school　friendship　of　Milly；　and；　as　far　as　the
religious　rules　of　the　convent　would　allow；　had　always　been
delighted　to　show　her　any　hospitality。　　She　was　a　beautiful　girl
did　not　Mr。　Hathaway　think　so？and　a　girl　of　great　character。　　It
was　a　pity；　of　course；　that　she　had　never　known　a　mother's　care；
and　that　the　present　routine　of　a　boarding…school　had　usurped　the
tender　influences　of　home。　　She　believed；　too；　that　the　singular
rotation　of　guardianship　had　left　the　girl　practically　without　a
counseling　friend　to　rely　upon；　except；　perhaps；　Colonel　Pendleton；
and　while　she；　Mrs。　Woods；　did　not　for　a　moment　doubt　that　the
colonel　might　be　a　good　friend　and　a　pleasant　companion　of　MEN；
really　he；　Mr。　Hathaway；　must　admit　that；　with　his　reputation　and
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　j