a ward of the golden gate-第21章

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I'd　wipe　his　dust　off　the　earth　and　send　it　back　to　his　ancestors
before　he　knew　where　he　was；　or　my　name　isn't　Harry　Pendleton！〃

Hopeless　and　inconsistent　as　all　this　was；　it　was　a　wonderful　sight
to　see　the　colonel；　his　dark　stern　face　illuminated　with　a　zealot's
enthusiasm；　his　eyes　on　fire；　the　ends　of　his　gray　moustache
curling　around　his　set　jaw；　his　head　thrown　back；　his　legs　astride；
and　his　gold…headed　stick　held　in　the　hollow　of　his　elbow；　like　a
lance　at　rest！　　Paul　saw　it；　and　knew　that　this　Quixotic
transformation　was　part　of　HER　triumph；　and　yet　had　a　miserable
consciousness　that　the　charms　of　this　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　had
scarcely　been　exaggerated。　　He　turned　his　eyes　away；　and　said
quietly；

〃Then　you　don't　think　this　coincidence　will　ever　awaken　any
suspicion　in　regard　to　her　real　mother？〃

〃Not　in　the　least；　sirnot　in　the　least；〃　said　the　colonel；　yet；
perhaps；　with　more　doggedness　than　conviction　of　accent。　　〃Nobody
but　yourself　would　ever　notice　that　police　report；　and　the
connection　of　that　woman's　name　with　his　was　not　notorious；　or　I
should　have　known　it。〃

〃And　you　believe；〃　continued　Paul　hopelessly；　〃that　Miss　Yerba's
selection　of　the　name　was　purely　accidental？〃

〃Purelya　school…girl's　fancy。　　Fancy；　did　I　say？　　No；　sir；　by
Jove；　an　inspiration！〃

〃And；〃　continued　Paul；　almost　mechanically；　〃you　do　not　think　it
may　be　some　insidious　suggestion　of　an　enemy　who　knew　of　this
transient　relation　that　no　one　suspected？〃

To　his　final　amazement　Pendleton's　brow　cleared！　　〃An　enemy？　　Gad！
you　may　be　right。　　I'll　look　into　it；　and；　if　that　is　the　case；
which　I　scarcely　dare　hope　for；　Mr。　Hathaway；　you　can　safely　leave
him　to　ME。〃

He　looked　so　supremely　confident　in　his　fatuous　heroism　that　Paul
could　say　no　more。　　He　rose　and；　with　a　faint　smile　upon　his　pale
face；　held　out　his　hand。　　〃I　think　that　is　all　I　have　to　say。　　When
you　see　Miss　Yerba　again；as　you　will；　no　doubt；you　may　tell　her
that　I　am　conscious　of　no　misunderstanding　on　my　part；　except；
perhaps；　as　to　the　best　way　I　could　serve　her；　and　that；　but　for
what　she　has　told　YOU；　I　should　certainly　have　carried　away　no
remembrance　of　any　misunderstanding　of　HERS。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　cheerful　philosophy；　〃I　will
carry　your　message　with　pleasure。　　You　understand　how　it　is；　Mr。
Hathaway。　　There　is　no　accounting　for　these　instinctswe　can　only
accept　them　as　they　are。　　But　I　believe　that　your　intentions；　sir；
were　strictly　according　to　what　you　conceived　to　be　your　duty。　　You
won't　take　something　before　you　go？　　Well；　thengood…by。〃

Two　weeks　later　Paul　found　among　his　morning　letters　an　envelope
addressed　in　Colonel　Pendleton's　boyish　scrawling　hand。　　He　opened
it　with　an　eagerness　that　no　studied　self…control　nor　rigid
preoccupation　of　his　duties　had　yet　been　able　to　subdue；　and
glanced　hurriedly　at　its　contents：


DEAR　SIR；As　I　am　on　the　point　of　sailing　to　Europe　to…morrow　to
escort　Miss　Arguello　and　Miss　Woods　on　an　extended　visit　to　England
and　the　Continent；　I　am　desirous　of　informing　you　that　I　have　thus
far　been　unable　to　find　any　foundation　for　the　suggestions　thrown
out　by　you　in　our　last　interview。　　Miss　Arguello's　Spanish
acquaintances　have　been　very　select；　and　limited　to　a　few　school
friends　and　Don　Caesar　and　Dona　Anna　Briones；　tried　friends；　who
are　also　fellow…passengers　with　us　to　Europe。　　Miss　Arguello
suggests　that　some　political　difference　between　you　and　Don　Caesar；
which　occurred　during　your　visit　to　Rosario　three　months　ago；　may
have；　perhaps；　given　rise　to　your　supposition。　　She　joins　me　in
best　wishes　for　your　public　career；　which　even　in　the　distraction
of　foreign　travel　and　the　obligations　of　her　position　she　will
follow　from　time　to　time　with　the　greatest　interest。

Very　respectfully　yours；

HARRY　PENDLETON。



CHAPTER　V。


It　was　on　the　3d　of　August；　1863；　that　Paul　Hathaway　resigned
himself　and　his　luggage　to　the　care　of　the　gold…laced；　ostensible
porter　of　the　Strudle　Bad　Hof；　not　without　some　uncertainty；　in　a
land　of　uniforms；　whether　he　would　be　eventually　conducted　to　the
barracks；　the　police　office；　or　the　Conservatoire。　　He　was　relieved
when　the　omnibus　drove　into　the　courtyard　of　the　Bad　Hof；　and　the
gold…chained　chamberlain；　flanked　by　two　green　tubs　of　oleanders；
received　him　with　a　gravity　calculated　to　check　any　preconceived
idea　he　might　have　that　traveling　was　a　trifling　affair；　or　that　an
arrival　at　the　Bad　Hof　was　not　of　serious　moment。　　His　letters　had
not　yet　arrived；　for　he　had；　in　a　fit　of　restlessness；　shortened
his　route；　and　he　strolled　listlessly　into　the　reading…room。　　Two
or　three　English　guests　were　evidently　occupied　in　eminently
respectable　reading　and　writing；　two　were　sitting　by　the　window
engaged　in　subdued　but　profitable　conversation；　and　two　Americans
from　Boston　were　contentedly　imitating　them　on　the　other　side　of
the　room。　　A　decent　restraint；　as　of　people　who　were　not　for　a
moment　to　be　led　into　any　foreign　idea　of　social　gayety　at　a
watering…place；　was　visible　everywhere。　　A　spectacled　Prussian
officer　in　full　uniform　passed　along　the　hall；　halted　for　a　moment
at　the　doorway　as　if　contemplating　an　armed　invasion；　thought
better　of　it；　and　took　his　uniform　away　into　the　sunlight　of　the
open　square；　where　it　was　joined　by　other　uniforms；　and　became　by
contrast　a　miracle　of　unbraced　levity。　　Paul　stood　the　Polar
silence　for　a　few　moments；　until　one　of　the　readers　arose　and；
taking　his　booka　Murrayin　his　hand；　walked　slowly　across　the
room　to　a　companion；　mutely　pointed　to　a　passage　in　the　book；
remained　silent　until　the　other　had　dumbly　perused　it；　and　then
walked　back　again　to　his　seat；　having　achieved　the　incident　without
a　word。　　At　which　Paul；　convinced　of　his　own　incongruity；　softly
withdrew　with　his　hat　in　his　hand；　and　his　eyes　fixed　devotionally
upon　it。

It　was　good　after　that　to　get　into　the　slanting　sunlight　and
checkered　linden　shadows　of　the　Allee；　to　see　even　a　tightly
jacketed　cavalryman　naturally　walking　with　Clarchen　and　her　two
round…faced　and　drab…haired　young　charges；　to　watch　the　returning
invalid　procession；　very　real　and　very　human；　each　individual
intensely　involved　in　the　atmosphere　of　his　own　symptoms；　and　very
good　after　that　to　turn　into　the　Thiergarten；　where　the　animals；
were；　however；　chiefly　of　his　own　species；　and　shamelessly　and
openly　amusing　themselves。　　It　was　pleasant　to　contrast　it　with　his
first　visit　to　the　place　three　months　before；　and　correct　his　crude
impressions。　　And　it　was　still　more　pleasant　suddenly　to　recognize；
under　the　round　flat　cap　of　a　general　officer；　a　former　traveler
who　was　fond　of　talking　with　him　about　America　with　an　intelligence
and　understanding　of　it　that　Paul　had　often　missed　among　his　own
traveled　countrymen。　　It　was　pleasant　to　hear　his　unaffected　and
simple　greeting；　to　renew　their　old　acquaintance；　and　to　saunter
back　to　the　hotel　together　through　the　long　twilight。

They　were　only　a　few　squares　from　the　hotel；　when　Paul's　attention
was　attracted　by　the　curiosity　and　delight　of　two　or　three　children
before　him；　who　appeared　to　be　following　a　quaint…looking　figure
that　was　evidently　not　unfamiliar　to　them。　　It　appeared　to　be　a
servant　in　a　striking　livery　of　green　with　yellow　facings　and
crested　silver　buttons；　but　still　more　remarkable　for　the
indescribable　mingling　of　jaunty　ease　and　conscious　dignity　with
which　he　carried　off　his　finery。　　There　was　something　so　singular
and　yet　so　vaguely　reminiscent　in　his　peculiar　walk　and　the
exaggerated　swing　of　his　light　bamboo　cane　that　Paul　could　not　only
understand　the　childish　wonder　of　the　passers…by；　who　turned　to
look　after　him；　but　was　stirred　with　a　deeper　curiosity。　　He
quickened　his　pace；　but　was　unable　to　distinguish　anything　of　the
face　or　features　of　the　stranger；　except　that　his　hair　under　his
cocked　hat　appeared　to　be　tightly　curled　and　powdered。　　Paul's
companion；　who　was　amused　at　what　seemed　to　be　the　American's
national　curiosity；　had　seen　the　figure　before。　　〃A　servant　in　the
suite　of　some　Eastern　Altesse　visiting　the　baths。　　You　will　see
stranger　things；　my　friend；　in　the　Strudle　Bad。　　Par　example