a ward of the golden gate-第16章

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laugh：

〃I　say；　Hathaway；　I　pulled　up　just　in　time　to　save　myself　from
making　an　awful　speech；　just　now；　to　your　ward。〃

Paul　looked　at　him　with　cold　curiosity。

〃Yes。　　Gad！　　Do　you　know　WHO　was　my　rival　in　that　necklace
transaction？〃

〃No；〃　said　Paul；　with　frigid　carelessness。

〃Why；　Kate　Howard！　　Fact；　sir。　　She　bought　it　right　under　my　nose
and　overbid　me；　too。〃

Paul　did　not　lose　his　self…possession。　　Thanks　to　the　fact　that
Yerba　was　not　present；　and　that　Don　Caesar；　who　had　overheard　the
speech；　moved　forward　with　a　suggestive　and　unpleasant　smile；　his
agitation　congealed　into　a　coldly　placid　fury。

〃And　I　suppose；〃　he　returned；　with　perfect　calmness；　〃that；　after
the　usual　habit　of　this　class　of　women；　the　necklace　very　soon
found　its　way　back；　through　the　pawnbroker；　to　the　jeweler　again。
It's　a　common　fate。〃

〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said　Judge　Baker；　cheerfully。　　〃You're　quite
right。　　That's　undoubtedly　the　solution　of　it。　　But；〃　with　a　laugh；
〃I　had　a　narrow　escape　from　saying　somethingeh？〃

〃A　very　narrow　escape　from　an　apparently　gratuitous　insult；〃　said
Paul；　gravely；　but　fixing　his　eyes；　now　more　luminous　than　ever
with　anger；　not　on　the　speakers　but　on　the　face　of　Don　Caesar；　who
was　standing　at　his　side。　　〃you　were　about　to　say；〃

〃Ehohah！　this　Kate　Howard？　　So！　　I　have　heard　of　heryees！
And　Miss　Yerbaahshe　is　of　my　countryI　think。　　Yeswe　shall
claim　herof　a　truthyes。〃

〃Your　countrymen；　I　believe；　are　in　the　habit　of　making　claims　that
are　more　often　founded　on　profit　than　verity；〃　said　Paul；　with
smileless　and　insulting　deliberation。　　He　knew　perfectly　what　he
was　saying；　and　the　result　he　expected。　　Only　twenty…four　hours
before　he　had　smiled　at　Pendleton's　idea　of　averting　scandal　and
discovery　by　fighting；　yet　he　was　endeavoring　to　pick　a　quarrel
with　a　man；　merely　on　suspicion；　for　the　same　purpose；　and　he　saw
nothing　strange　in　it。　　A　vague　idea；　too；　that　this　would
irrevocably　confirm　him　in　opposition　to　Yerba's　illusions　probably
determined　him。

But　Don　Caesar；　albeit　smiling　lividly；　did　not　seem　inclined　to
pick　up　the　gauntlet；　and　Woods　interfered　hastily。　　〃Don　Caesar
means　that　your　ward　has　some　idea　herself　that　she　is　of　Spanish
originat　least；　Milly　says　so。　　But　of　course；　as　one　of　the
oldest　trustees；　YOU　know　the　facts。〃

In　another　moment　Paul　would　have　committed　himself。　　〃I　think
we'll　leave　Miss　Yerba　out　of　the　question；〃　he　said；　coldly。　　〃My
remark　was　a　general　one；　although；　of　course；　I　am　responsible　for
any　personal　application　of　it。〃

〃Spoken　like　a　politician；　Hathaway；〃　said　Judge　Baker；　with　an
effusive　enthusiasm；　which　he　hoped　would　atone　for　the　alarming
results　of　his　infelicitous　speech。　　〃That's　right；　gentlemen！　　You
can't　get　the　facts　from　him　before　he　is　ready　to　give　them。　　Keep
your　secret；　Mr。　Hathaway；　the　court　is　with　you。〃

Nevertheless；　as　they　passed　out　of　the　room　to　join　the　ladies；
the　Mayor　lingered　a　little　behind　with　Woods。　　〃It's　easy　to　see
the　influence　of　that　Pendleton　on　our　young　friend；〃　he　said；
significantly。　　〃Somebody　ought　to　tell　him　that　it's　played　out
down　hereas　Pendleton　is。　　It's　quite　enough　to　ruin　his　career。〃

Paul　was　too　observant　not　to　notice　this；　but　it　brought　him　no
sense　of　remorse；　and　his　youthful　belief　in　himself　and　his　power
kept　him　from　concern。　　He　felt　as　if　he　had　done　something；　if
only　to　show　Don　Caesar　that　the　girl's　weakness　or　ignorance　could
not　be　traded　upon　with　impunity。　　But　he　was　still　undecided　as　to
the　course　he　should　pursue。　　But　he　should　determine　that　to…
night。　　At　present　there　seemed　no　chance　of　talking　to　her　alone
she　was　unconcernedly　conversing　with　Milly　and　Mrs。　Woods；　and
already　the　visitors　who　had　been　invited　to　this　hurried　levee　in
his　honor　were　arriving。　　In　view　of　his　late　indiscretion；　he
nervously　exerted　his　fullest　powers；　and　in　a　very　few　minutes　was
surrounded　by　a　breathless　and　admiring　group　of　worshipers。　　A
ludicrous　resemblance　to　the　scene　in　the　Golden　Gate　Hotel　passed
through　his　mind；　he　involuntarily　turned　his　eyes　to　seek　Yerba　in
the　half…fear；　half…expectation　of　meeting　her　mischievous　smile。
Their　glances　met；　to　his　surprise　hers　was　smileless；　and
instantly　withdrawn；　but　not　until　he　had　been　thrilled　by　an
unconscious　prepossession　in　its　luminous　depths　that　he　scarcely
dared　to　dwell　upon。　　What　mattered　now　this　passage　with　Don
Caesar　or　the　plaudits　of　his　friends？　　SHE　was　proud　of　him！

Yet；　after　that　glance；　she　was　shy；　preoccupying　herself　with
Milly；　or　even　listening　sweetly　to　Judge　Baker's　somewhat
practical　and　unromantic　reminiscences　of　the　deprivations　and　the
hardships　of　California　early　days；　as　if　to　condone　his　past
infelicity。　　She　was　pleasantly　unaffected　with　Don　Caesar；
although　she　managed　to　draw　Dona　Anna　into　the　conversation；　she
was　unconventional；　Paul　fancied；　to　all　but　himself。　　Once　or
twice；　when　he　had　artfully　drawn　her　towards　the　open　French
window　that　led　to　the　moonlit　garden　and　shadowed　veranda；　she　had
managed　to　link　Milly's　arm　in　her　own；　and　he　was　confident　that　a
suggestion　to　stroll　with　him　in　the　open　air　would　be　followed　by
her　invitation　to　Milly　to　accompany　them。　　Disappointed　and
mortified　as　he　was；　he　found　some　solace　in　her　manner；　which　he
still　believed　suggested　the　hope　that　she　might　be　made　accessible
to　his　persuasions。　　Persuasions　to　what？　　He　did　not　know。

The　last　guest　had　departed；　he　lingered　on　the　veranda　with　a
cigar；　begging　his　host　and　hostess　not　to　trouble　themselves　to
keep　him　company。　　Milly　and　Yerba　had　retired　to　the　former's
boudoir；　but；　as　they　had　not　yet　formally　bade　him　good　night；
there　was　a　chance　of　their　returning。　　He　still　stayed　on　in　this
hope　for　half　an　hour；　and　then；　accepting　Yerba's　continued
absence　as　a　tacit　refusal　of　his　request；　he　turned　abruptly　away。
But　as　he　glanced　around　the　garden　before　reentering　the　house；　he
was　struck　by　a　singular　circumstancea　white　patch；　like　a
forgotten　shawl；　which　he　had　observed　on　the　distant　ceanothus
hedge；　and　which　had　at　first　thrilled　him　with　expectation；　had
certainly　CHANGED　ITS　POSITION。　　Before；　it　seemed　to　be　near　the
summer…house；　now　it　was；　undoubtedly；　farther　away。　　Could　they；
or　SHE　alone；　have　slipped　from　the　house　and　be　awaiting　him
there？　　With　a　muttered　exclamation　at　his　stupidity　he　stepped
hastily　from　the　veranda　and　walked　towards　it。　　But　he　had
scarcely　proceeded　a　dozen　yards　before　it　disappeared。　　He　reached
the　summer…houseit　was　empty；　he　followed　the　line　of　hedgeno
one　was　there。　　It　could　not　have　been　her；　or　she　would　have
waited；　unless　he　were　the　victim　of　a　practical　joke。　　He　turned
impatiently　back　to　the　house；　reentered　the　drawing…room　by　the
French　window；　and　was　crossing　the　half…lit　apartment；　when　he
heard　a　slight　rustle　in　the　shadow　of　the　window。　　He　looked
around　quickly；　and　saw　that　it　was　Yerba；　in　a　white；　loose　gown；
for　which　she　had　already　exchanged　her　black　evening　dress；
leaning　back　composedly　on　the　sofa；　her　hands　clasped　behind　her
shapely　head。

〃I　am　waiting　for　Milly；〃　she　said；　with　a　faint　smile　on　her　lips。
He　fancied；　in　the　moonlight　that　streamed　upon　her；　that　her
beautiful　face　was　pale。　　〃She　has　gone　to　the　other　wing　to　see
one　of　the　servants　who　is　ill。　　We　thought　you　were　on　the　veranda
smoking　and　I　should　have　company；　until　I　saw　you　start　off；　and
rush　up　and　down　the　hedge　like　mad。〃

Paul　felt　that　he　was　losing　his　self…possession；　and　becoming
nervous　in　her　presence。　　〃I　thought　it　was　YOU；〃　he　stammered。

〃Me！　　Out　in　the　garden　at　this　hour；　alone；　and　in　the　broad
moonlight？　　What　are　you　thinking　of；　Mr。　Hathaway？　　Do　you　know
anything　of　convent　rules；　or　is　that　your　idea　of　your　ward's
education？〃

He　fancied　that；　though　she　smiled　faintly；　her　voice　was　as
tremulous　as　his　own。

〃I　want　to　speak　with　you；〃　he　said；　with　awkward　directness。　　〃I
even　thought　of　asking　you　to　stroll　with　me　in　the　garden。〃

〃Why　not　talk　here？〃　she　returned；　changing　her　position；　pointing
to　the　other　end　of　the　sofa；　and　draw