a ward of the golden gate-第20章

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Baker？　　I　forget　which。　　Well；　sir；　they　wished　to　be　remembered。〃

It　struck　Paul；　perhaps　unreasonably；　that　the　colonel's
indifference　and　digression　were　both　a　little　assumed；　and　he
asked　abruptly；

〃And　you　fulfilled　your　mission？〃

〃I　made　the　formal　transfer；　with　the　Mayor；　of　the　property　to
Miss　Arguello。〃

〃To　Miss　Arguello？〃

〃To　the　Dona　Maria　Concepcion　de　Arguello　de　la　Yerba　Buenato
speak　precisely；〃　said　the　colonel；　slowly。　　〃George；　you　can　take
that　hat　to　that　blank　hatterwhat's　his　blanked　name？　　I　read　it
only　yesterday　in　a　list　of　the　prominent　citizens　hereand　tell
him；　with　my　compliments；　that　I　want　a　GENTLEMAN'S　mourning　band
around　my　hat；　and　not　a　child's　shoelace。　　It　may　be　HIS　idea　of
the　value　of　his　own　parentsif　he　ever　had　anybut　I　don't　care
for　him　to　appraise　mine。　　Go！〃

As　the　door　closed　upon　George；　Paul　turned　to　the　colonel

〃Then　am　I　to　understand　that　you　have　agreed　to　her　story？〃

The　colonel　rose；　picked　up　the　decanter；　poured　out　a　glass　of
whiskey；　and　holding　it　in　his　hand；　said：

〃My　dear　Hathaway；　let　us　understand　each　other。　　As　a　gentleman；　I
have　made　a　point　through　life　never　to　question　the　age；　name；　or
family　of　any　lady　of　my　acquaintance。　　Miss　Yerba　Buena　came　of
age　yesterday；　and；　as　she　is　no　longer　my　ward；　she　is　certainly
entitled　to　the　consideration　I　have　just　mentioned。　　If　she；
therefore；　chooses　to　tack　to　her　name　the　whole　Spanish　directory；
I　don't　see　why　I　shouldn't　accept　it。〃

Characteristic　as　this　speech　appeared　to　be　of　the　colonel's
ordinary　manner；　it　struck　Paul　as　being　only　an　imitation　of　his
usual　frank　independence；　and　made　him　uneasily　conscious　of　some
vague　desertion　on　Pendleton's　part。　　He　fixed　his　bright　eyes　on
his　host；　who　was　ostentatiously　sipping　his　liquor；　and　said：

〃Am　I　to　understand　that　you　have　heard　nothing　more　from　Miss
Yerba；　either　for　or　against　her　story？　　That　you　still　do　not　know
whether　she　has　deceived　herself；　has　been　deceived　by　others；　or
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　i