a ward of the golden gate-第24章

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and；　by　Jove！　sir；　the　amount　of　mortgages　she　was　expected　to　pay
off　before　she　married　them。　　She　knew　the　amount　of　income　she　had
to　bring　to　the　Prussian　Army；　from　the　general　to　the　lieutenant。
She　understood　her　own　value　and　her　rights。　　There　was　a　young
English　lordling　she　met　on　the　Rhine；　whose　boyish　ways　and
simplicity　seemed　to　please　her。　　They　were　great　friends；　but　he
wanted　himthe　colonelto　induce　her　to　accept　an　invitation　for
both　to　visit　his　mother's　home　in　England；　that　his　people　might
see　her。　　But　she　declined；　sir！　　She　declined　to　pass　in　review
before　his　mother。　　She　said　it　was　for　HIM　to　pass　in　review
before　HER　mother。

〃Did　she　say　that？〃　interrupted　Paul；　fixing　his　bright　eyes　upon
the　colonel。

〃If　she　had　one；　if　she　had　one；〃　corrected　the　colonel；　hastily。
〃Of　course　it　was　only　an　illustration。　　That　she　is　an　orphan　is
generally　known；　sir。〃

There　was　a　dead　silence　for　a　few　moments。　　The　colonel　leaned
back　in　his　chair　and　pulled　his　moustache。　　Paul　turned　away　his
eyes；　and　seemed　absorbed　in　reflection。　　After　a　moment　the
colonel　coughed；　pushed　aside　his　glass；　and；　leaning　across　the
table；　said；　〃I　have　a　favor　to　ask　of　you；　Mr。　Hathaway。〃

There　was　such　a　singular　change　in　the　tone　of　his　voice；　an
unexpected　relaxation　of　some　artificial　tension；a　relaxation
which　struck　Paul　so　pathetically　as　being　as　much　physical　as
mental；　as　if　he　had　suddenly　been　overtaken　in　some　exertion　by
the　weakness　of　age；that　he　looked　up　quickly。　　Certainly；
although　still　erect　and　lightly　grasping　his　moustache；　the
colonel　looked　older。

〃By　all　means；　my　dear　colonel；〃　said　Paul　warmly。

〃During　the　time　you　remain　here　you　can　hardly　help　meeting　Miss
Arguello；　perhaps　frequently。　　It　would　be　strange　if　you　did　not；
it　would　appear　to　everybody　still　stranger。　　Give　me　your　word　as
a　gentleman　that　you　will　not　make　the　least　allusion　to　her　of　the
pastnor　reopen　the　subject。〃

Paul　looked　fixedly　at　the　colonel。　　〃I　certainly　had　no　intention
of　doing　so；〃　he　said　after　a　pause；　〃for　I　thought　it　was　already
settled　by　you　beyond　disturbance　or　discussion。　　But　do　I
understand　you；　that　SHE　has　shown　any　uneasiness　regarding　it？
From　what　you　have　just　told　me　of　her　plans　and　ambition；　I　can
scarcely　imagine　that　she　has　any　suspicion　of　the　real　facts。〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　said　the　colonel　hurriedly。　　〃But　I　have　your
promise。〃

〃I　promise　you；〃　said　Paul；　after　a　pause；　〃that　I　shall　neither
introduce　nor　refer　to　the　subject　myself；　and　that　if　SHE　should
question　me　again　regarding　it；　which　is　hardly　possible；　I　will
reveal　nothing　without　your　consent。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Pendleton；　without；　however；　exhibiting　much
relief　in　his　face。　　〃She　will　return　here　to…morrow。〃

〃I　thought　you　said　she　was　absent　for　some　days；〃　said　Paul。

〃Yes；　but　she　is　coming　back　to　say　good…by　to　Dona　Anna；　who
arrives　here　with　her　brother　the　same　day；　on　their　way　to　Paris。〃

It　flashed　through　Paul's　mind　that　the　last　time　he　had　seen　her
was　in　the　company　of　the　Briones。　　It　was　not　a　pleasant
coincidence。　　Yet　he　was　not　aware　that　it　had　affected　him；　until
he　saw　the　colonel　watching　him。

〃I　believe　you　don't　fancy　the　brother；〃　said　Pendleton。

For　an　instant　Paul　was　strongly　tempted　to　avow　his　old　vague
suspicions　of　Don　Caesar；　but　the　utter　hopelessness　of　reopening
the　whole　subject　again；　and　his　recollection　of　the　passage　in
Pendleton's　letter　that　purported　to　be　Yerba's　own　theory　of　his
dislike；　checked　him　in　time。　　He　only　said；　〃I　don't　remember
whether　I　had　any　cause　for　disliking　Don　Caesar；　I　can　tell　better
when　I　see　him　again；〃　and　changed　the　subject。　　A　few　moments
later　the　colonel　summoned　George　from　some　lower　region　of　the
hotel；　and　rose　to　take　his　leave。　　〃Miss　Arguello；　with　her　maid
and　courier；　will　occupy　her　old　suite　of　rooms　here；〃　he　remarked；
with　a　return　of　his　old　imperiousness。　　〃George　has　given　the
orders　for　her。　　I　shall　not　change　my　present　lodgings；　but　of
course　will　call　every　day。　　Goodnight！〃


CHAPTER　VI。


The　next　morning　Paul　could　not　help　noticing　an　increased　and　even
exaggerated　respect　paid　him　by　the　hotel　attendants。　　He　was　asked
if　his　EXCELLENCY　would　he　served　with　breakfast　in　a　private　room；
and　his　condescension　in　selecting　the　public　coffee…room　struck
the　obsequious　chamberlain；　but　did　not　prevent　him　from　preceding
Paul　backwards　to　the　table；　and　summoning　a　waiter　to　attend
specially　upon　〃milor。〃　　Surmising　that　George　and　the　colonel
might　be　in　some　way　connected　with　this　extravagance；　he　postponed
an　investigation　till　he　should　have　seen　them　again。　　And；
although　he　hardly　dared　to　confess　it　to　himself；　the　unexpected
prospect　of　meeting　Yerba　again　fully　preoccupied　his　thoughts。　　He
had　believed　that　he　would　eventually　see　her　in　Europe；　in　some
vague　and　indefinite　way　and　hour：　it　had　been　in　his　mind　when　he
started　from　California。　　That　it　would　be　so　soon；　and　in　such　a
simple　and　natural　manner；　he　had　never　conceived。

〃He　had　returned　from　his　morning　walk　to　the　Brunnen；　and　was
sitting　idly　in　his　room；　when　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　It
opened　to　a　servant　bearing　a　salver　with　a　card。　　Paul　lifted　it
with　a　slight　tremor；　not　at　the　engraved　name　of　〃Maria　Concepcion
de　Arguellos　de　la　Yerba　Buena；〃　but　at　the　remembered　school…girl
hand　that　had　penciled　underneath　the　words；　〃wishes　the　favor　of
an　audience　with　his　Excellency　the　Lord　Lieutenant…Governor　of　the
Californias。〃

Paul　looked　inquiringly　at　the　servant。　　〃The　gnadige　Fraulein　was
in　her　own　salon。　　Would　EXCELLENCY　walk　that　way？　　It　was　but　a
step；　in　effect；　the　next　apartment。〃

Paul　followed　him　into　the　hall　with　wondering　steps。　　The　door　of
the　next　room　was　open；　and　disclosed　a　handsomely　furnished　salon。
A　tall　graceful　figure　rose　quickly　from　behind　a　writing…table；
and　advanced　with　outstretched　hands　and　a　frank　yet　mischievous
smile。　　It　was　Yerba。

Standing　there　in　a　grayish　hat；　mantle；　and　traveling　dress；　all
of　one　subdued　yet　alluring　tone；　she　looked　as　beautiful　as　when
he　had　last　seen　herand　yetunlike。　　For　a　brief　bitter　moment
his　instincts　revolted　at　this　familiar　yielding　up　in　his　fair
countrywomen　of　all　that　was　distinctively　original　in　them　to
alien　tastes　and　habits；　and　he　resented　the　plastic　yet
characterless　mobility　which　made　Yerba's　Parisian　dress　and
European　manner　fit　her　so　charmingly　and　yet　express　so　little。
For　a　brief　critical　moment　he　remembered　the　placid；　unchanging
simplicity　of　German；　and　the　inflexible　and　ingrained　reserve　of
English；　girlhood；　in　opposition　to　this　indistinctive　cosmopolitan
grace。　　But　only　for　a　moment。　　As　soon　as　she　spoke；　a　certain
flavor　of　individuality　seemed　to　return　to　her　speech。

〃Confess；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　a　courageous　thing　for　me　to　do。　　You
might　have　been　somebody　elsea　real　Excellencyor　heaven　knows
what！　　Or；　what　is　worse　in　your　new　magnificence；　you　might　have
forgotten　one　of　your　oldest；　most　humble；　but　faithful　subjects。〃
She　drew　back　and　made　him　a　mock　ceremonious　curtsy；　that　even　in
its　charming　exaggeration　suggested　to　Paul；　however；　that　she　had
already　made　it　somewhere　seriously。

〃But　what　does　it　all　mean？〃　he　asked；　smiling；　feeling　not　only
his　doubts　and　uneasiness　vanish；　but　even　the　years　of　separation
melt　away　in　her　presence。　　〃I　know　I　went　to　bed　last　night　a　very
humble　individual；　and　yet　I　seem　to　awaken　this　morning　a　very
exalted　personage。　　Am　I　really　Commander　of　the　Faithful；　or　am　I
dreaming？　　Might　I　trouble　you；　as　my　predecessor　Abou　Hassan　did
Sweetlips；　to　bite　my　little　finger？〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　have　not　seen　the　'Auzeiger？'〃　she
returned；　taking　a　small　German　printed　sheet　from　the　table　and
pointing　to　a　paragraph。　　Paul　took　the　paper。　　Certainly　there　was
the　plain　announcement　among　the　arrivals　of　〃His　Excellency　Paul
Hathaway；　Lord　Lieutenant…Governor　of　the　Californias。〃　　A　light
flashed　upon　him。

〃This　is　George's　work。　　He　and　Colonel　Pendleton　were　here　with　me
last　night。〃

〃Then