a ward of the golden gate-第23章

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pedigree。〃

〃You　are　right；　sirquite　right：　they　are；〃　said　the　colonel；
proudly〃although〃with　a　certain　premeditated　deliberation〃I
have　been　credibly　informed　that　the　King　can；　in　certain　cases；　if
he　chooses；　supplyyes；　sirSUPPLY　a　favored　person　with
ancestorsyes；　sir；　with　ANCESTORS！〃

Paul　cast　a　quick　glance　at　his　companion。

〃Yes；　sirthat　is；　we　will　say；　in　the　case　of　a　lady　of　inferior
rankor　even　birth；　the　King　of　these　parts　can；　on　her　marriage
with　a　noblemanblank　it　all！ennoble　her　father　and　mother；　and
their　fathers　and　mothers；　though　they've　been　dead；　or　as　good　as
dead；　for　years。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that's　a　slight　exaggeration　of　the　rare　custom　of
granting　'noble　lands；'　or　estates　that　carry　hereditary　titles
with　them；〃　said　Paul；　more　emphatically；　perhaps；　than　the
occasion　demanded。

〃Fact；　sirGeorge　there　knows　it　all；〃　said　Pendleton。　　〃He　gets
it　from　the　other　servants。　　I　don't　speak　the　language；　sir；　but
HE　does。　　Picked　it　up　in　a　year。〃

〃I　must　compliment　him　on　his　fluency；　certainly；〃　said　Paul；
looking　at　George。

The　old　servant　smiled；　and　not　without　a　certain　condescension。
〃Yes；　sah；　I　don'　say　to　a　scholar　like　yo'self；　sah；　dat　I'se　got
de　grandmatical　presichion；　but　as　fah；　sahas　fah　as　de　IDIOTISMS
ob　de　language　goes。　　Sahit's　gen'lly　allowed　I'm　dar！　　As　to
what　Marse　Harry　says　ob　de　ignobling　ob　predecessors；　I've　had　it；
sah；　from　de　best　autority；　sahde　furst；　I　may　say；　sahde　real
prima　facie　mende　gemplum　ob　his　Serene　Highness；　in　de　korse　eb
ordinary　conversashun；　sah。〃

〃That'll　do；　George；〃　said　Pendleton；　with　paternal　brusqueness。
〃Run　on　ahead　and　tell　that　blank　chamberlain　that　Mr。　Hathaway　is
one　of　my　friendsand　have　supper　accordingly。〃　　As　the　negro
hastened　away　he　turned　to　Paul：　〃What　he　says　is　true：　he's　the
most　popular　man　or　boy　in　all　Strudle　Bada　devilish　sight　more
than　his　masterand　goes　anywhere　where　I　can't　go。　　Princes　and
princesses　stop　and　talk　to　him　in　the　street；　the　Grand　Duke　asked
permission　to　have　him　up　in　his　carriage　at　the　races　the　other
day；　and；　by　the　Eternal；　sir；　he　gives　the　style　to　all　the
flunkeys　in　town！〃

〃And　I　see；　he　dresses　the　character；〃　observed　Paul。

〃His　own　ideaentirely。　　And；　by　Jove！　he　proves　to　be　right。　　You
can't　do　anything　here　without　a　uniform。　　And　they　tell　me　he's
got　everything　correct；　down　to　the　crest　on　the　buttons。〃

They　walked　on　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　Pendleton　retaining　a
certain　rigidity　of　step　and　bearing　which　Paul　had　come　to
recognize　as　indicating　some　uneasiness　or　mental　disturbance　on
his　part。　　Hathaway　had　no　intention　of　precipitating　the
confidence　of　his　companion。　　Perhaps　experience　had　told　him　it
would　come　soon　enough。　　So　he　spoke　carelessly　of　himself。　　How
the　need　of　a　year's　relaxation　and　change　had　brought　him　abroad；
his　journeyings；　and；　finally；　how　he　had　been　advised　by　his
German　physician　to　spend　a　few　weeks　at　Strudle　Bad　preparatory　to
the　voyage　home。　　Yet　he　was　perfectly　aware　that　the　colonel　from
time　to　time　cast　a　furtive　glance　at　his　face。　　〃And　YOU；〃　he　said
in　conclusion〃when　do　you　intend　to　return　to　California？〃

The　colonel　hesitated　slightly。　　〃I　shall　remain　in　Europe　until
Miss　Arguello　is　settledI　mean；〃　he　added　hurriedly；　〃until　she
hasahem！completed　her　education　in　foreign　ways　and　customs。
You　see；　Hathaway；　I　have　constituted　myself；　after　a　certain
fashion；　I　may　saystill；　her　guardian。　　I　am　an　old　man；　with
neither　kith　nor　kin　myself；　sirI'm　a　little　too　old…fashioned
for　the　boys　over　there〃with　a　vague　gesture　towards　the　west；
which；　however；　told　Paul　how　near　it　still　was　to　him。　　〃But　then；
among　the　old　fogys　hereblank　it　all！it　isn't　noticed。　　So　I
look　after　her；　you　see；　or　rather　make　myself　responsible　for　her
generallyalthough；　of　course；　she　has　other　friends　and
associates；　you　understand；　more　of　her　own　age　and　tastes。〃

〃And　I've　no　doubt　she's　perfectly　satisfied；〃　said　Paul　in　a　tone
of　conviction。

〃Well；　yes；　sir；　I　presume　so；〃　said　the　colonel　slowly；　〃but　I've
sometimes　thought；　Mr。　Hathaway；　that　it　would　have　been　better　if
she'd　have　had　a　woman's　carethe　protection　you　understand；　of　an
elderly　woman　of　society。　　That　seems　to　be　the　style　here；　you
knowa　chaperon；　they　call　it。　　Now；　Milly　Woods；　you　see；　is
about　the　same　age；　and　the　Dona　Anna；　of　course；　is　older；　but
blank　it！she's　as　big　a　flirt　as　the　restI　mean；〃　he　added；
correcting　himself　sharply；　〃she　lacks　balance；　sir；　andwhat
shall　I　call　it？self…abnegation。〃

〃Then　Dona　Anna　is　still　of　your　party？〃　asked　Paul。

〃She　is；　sir；　and　her　brother；　Don　Caesar。　　I　have　thought　it
advisable；　on　Yerba's　account；　to　keep　up　as　much　as　possible　the
suggestion　of　her　Spanish　relationshipalthough　by　reason　of　their
absurd　ignorance　of　geography　and　political　divisions　out　here；
there　is　a　prevailing　impression　that　she　is　a　South　American。　　A
fact；　sir。　　I　have　myself　been　mistaken　for　the　Dictator　of　one　of
these　infernal　Republics；　and　I　have　been　pointed　out　as　ruling
over　a　million　or　two　of　niggers　like　George！〃

There　was　no　trace　of　any　conception　of　humor　in　the　colonel's
face；　although　he　uttered　a　short　laugh；　as　if　in　polite　acceptance
of　the　possibility　that　Paul　might　have　one。　　Far　from　that；　his
companion；　looking　at　the　striking　profile　and　erect　figure　at　his
sideat　the　long　white　moustache　which　drooped　from　his　dark
cheeks；　and　remembering　his　own　sensations　at　first　seeing　George
thought　the　popular　belief　not　so　wonderful。　　He　was　even　forced　to
admit　that　the　perfect　unconsciousness　on　the　part　of　master　and
man　of　any　incongruity　or　peculiarity　in　themselves　assisted　the
public　misconception。　　And　it　was；　I　fear；　with　a　feeling　of　wicked
delight　that；　on　entering　the　hotel；　he　hailed　the　evident
consternation　of　those　correct　fellow…countrymen　from　whom　he　had
lately　fled；　at　what　they　apparently　regarded　as　a　national
scandal。　　He　overheard　their　hurried　assurance　to　their　English
friends　that　his　companions　were　NOT　from　Boston；　and　enjoyed　their
mortification　that　this　explanation　did　not　seem　to　detract　from
the　interest　and　relief　with　which　the　Britons　surveyed　them；　or
the　open　admiration　of　the　Germans。

Although　Pendleton　somewhat　unbent　during　supper；　he　did　not　allude
to　the　secret　of　Yerba's　parentage；　nor　of　any　tardy　confidence　of
hers。　　To　all　appearance　the　situation　remained　as　it　was　three
years　ago。　　He　spoke　of　her　great　popularity　as　an　heiress　and　a
beautiful　woman；　and　the　marked　attentions　she　received。　　He
doubted　not　that　she　had　rejected　very　distinguished　offers；　but
she　kept　that　to　herself。　　She　was　perfectly　competent　to　do　so。
She　was　no　giddy　girl；　to　be　flattered　or　deceived；　on　the
contrary；　he　had　never　known　a　cooler　or　more　sensible　woman。　　She
knew　her　own　worth。　　When　she　met　the　man　who　satisfied　her
ambition　and　understanding；　she　would　marry；　and　not　before。　　He
did　not　know　what　that　ambition　was；　it　was　something　exalted；　of
course。　　He　could　only　say；　of　his　own　knowledge；　that　last　year；
when　they　were　on　the　Italian　lakes；　there　was　a　certain　prince
Mr。　Hathaway　would　understand　why　he　did　not　mention　nameswho　was
not　only　attentive　to　her；　but　attentive　to　HIM；　sir；　by　Jove！　and
most　significant　in　his　inquiries。　　It　was　the　only　occasion　when
he；　the　colonel；　had　ever　spoken　to　her　on　such　subjects；　and；
knowing　that　she　was　not　indifferent　to　the　fellow；　who　was　not　bad
of　his　kind；　he　had　asked　her　why　she　had　not　encouraged　his　suit。
She　had　said；　with　a　laugh；　that　he　couldn't　marry　her　unless　he
gave　up　his　claim　of　succession　to　a　certain　reigning　house；　and
she　wouldn't　accept　him　WITHOUT　IT。　　Those　were　her　words；　sir；　and
he　could　only　say　that　the　prince　left　a　few　days　afterwards；　and
they　had　never　seen　him　since。　　As　to　the　princelings　and　counts
and　barons；　she　knew　to　a　day　the　date　of　their　patents　of
nobility；　and　what　privileges　they　were　entitled　to；　she　could　tell
to　a　dot　the　value　of　their　estates；　the　amount　of　their　debts；
and；　by　Jove！　sir；　the　amount　of　mortgages　she　was　expected　to　pay
o