a ward of the golden gate-第26章

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road　beneath　them；　without　lifting　her　eyes。　　〃I　don't　mean　what　is
cultivated；for　I　suppose　it　takes　centuries　to　make　the　lawns
they　have　in　England；but　even　here　the　blades　of　grass　seem　to
press　closer　together；　as　if　they　were　crowded　or　overpopulated；
like　the　country；　and　this　forest；　which　has　been　always　wild　and
was　a　hunting　park；　has　a　blase　look；　as　if　it　was　already　tired　of
the　unchanging　traditions　and　monotony　around　it。　　I　think　over
there　Nature　affects　and　influences　us：　here；　I　fancy；　it　is　itself
affected　by　the　people。〃

〃I　think　a　good　deal　of　Nature　comes　over　from　America　for　that
purpose；〃　he　said　dryly。

〃And　I　think　you　are　breaking　your　promisebesides　being　a　goose！〃
she　retorted　smartly。　　Nevertheless；　for　some　occult　reason　they
both　seemed　relieved　by　this　exquisite　witticism；　and　trotted　on
amicably　together。　　When　Paul　lifted　his　eyes　to　hers　he　could　see
that　they　were　suffused　with　a　tender　mischief；　as　of　a　reproving
yet　secretly　admiring　sister；　and　her　strangely　delicate　complexion
had　taken　on　itself　that　faint　Alpine　glow　that　was　more　of　an
illumination　than　a　color。　　〃There；〃　she　said　gayly；　pointing　with
her　whip　as　the　wood　opened　upon　a　glade　through　which　the　parted
trees　showed　a　long　blue　curvature　of　distant　hills；　〃you　see　that
white　thing　lying　like　a　snowdrift　on　the　hills？〃

〃Or　the　family　washing　on　a　hedge。〃

〃As　you　please。　　Well；　that　is　the　villa。〃

〃And　you　were　very　happy　there？〃　said　Paul；　watching　her　girlishly
animated　face。

〃Yes；　and　as　you　don't　ask　questions；　I'll　tell　you　why。　　There　is
one　of　the　sweetest　old　ladies　there　that　I　ever　metthe
perfection　of　old…time　courtliness　with　all　the　motherishness　of　a
German　woman。　　She　was　very　kind　to　me；　and；　as　she　had　no　daughter
of　her　own；　I　think　she　treated　me　as　if　I　was　one。　　At　least；　I
can　imagine　how　one　would　feel　to　her；　and　what　a　woman　like　that
could　make　of　any　girl。　　You　laugh；　Mr。　Hathaway；　you　don't
understandbut　you　don't　know　what　an　advantage　it　would　be　to　a
girl　to　have　a　mother　like　that；　and　know　that　she　could　fall　back
on　her　and　hold　her　own　against　anybody。　　She's　equipped　from　the
start；　instead　of　being　handicapped。　　It's　all　very　well　to　talk
about　the　value　of　money。　　It　can　give　you　everything　but　one
thingthe　power　to　do　without　it。〃

〃I　think　its　purchasing　value　would　include　even　the　gnadige　Frau；〃
said　Paul；　who　had　laughed　only　to　hide　the　uneasiness　that　Yerba's
approach　to　the　tabooed　subject　had　revived　in　him。　　She　shook　her
head；　then；　recovering　her　tone　of　gentle　banter；　said；　〃There
I've　made　a　confession。　　If　the　colonel　talks　to　you　again　about　my
conquests；　you　will　know　that　at　present　my　affections　are　centred
on　the　Baron's　mother。　　I　admit　it's　a　strong　point　in　hisin
ANYBODY'Sfavor；　who　can　show　an　unblemished　maternal　pedigree。
What　a　pity　it　is　you　are　an　orphan；　like　myself；　Mr。　Hathaway！
For　I　fancy　your　mother　must　have　been　a　very　perfect　woman。　　A
great　deal　of　her　tact　and　propriety　has　descended　to　you。　　Only　it
would　have　been　nicer　if　she　had　given　it　to　you；　like　pocket
money；　as　occasion　requiredwhich　you　might　have　shared　with　me
than　leaving　it　to　you　in　one　thumping　legacy。〃

It　was　impossible　to　tell　how　far　the　playfulness　of　her　brown　eyes
suggested　any　ulterior　meaning；　for　as　Paul　again　eagerly　drew
towards　her；　she　sent　her　horse　into　a　rapid　canter　before　him。
When　he　was　at　her　side　again；　she　said；　〃There　is　still　the　ruin
to　see　on　our　way　home。　　It　is　just　off　here　to　the　right。　　But　if
you　wish　to　go　over　it　we　will　have　to　dismount　at　the　foot　of　the
slope　and　walk　up。　　It　hasn't　any　story　or　legend　that　I　know　of；　I
looked　over　the　guide…book　to　cram　for　it　before　you　came；　but
there　was　nothing。　　So　you　can　invent　what　you　like。〃

They　dismounted　at　the　beginning　of　a　gentle　acclivity；　where　an
ancient　wagon…road；　now　grass…grown；　rose　smooth　as　a　glacis。
Tying　their　horses　to　two　moplike　bushes；　they　climbed　the　slope
hand　in　hand　like　children。　　There　were　a　few　winding　broken　steps；
part　of　a　fallen　archway；　a　few　feet　of　vaulted　corridor；　a　sudden
breachthe　sky　beyondand　that　was　all！　　Not　all；　for　before
them；　overlooked　at　first；　lay　a　chasm　covering　half　an　acre；　in
which　the　whole　of　the　original　edificetower　turrets；　walls；　and
battlementshad　been　apparently　cast；　inextricably　mixed　and
mingled　at　different　depths　and　angles；　with　here　and　there；　like
mushrooms　from　a　dust…heap；　a　score　of　trees　upspringing。

〃This　is　not　Timebut　gunpowder；〃　said　Paul；　leaning　over　a
parapet　of　the　wall　and　gazing　at　the　abyss；　with　a　slight　grimace。

〃It　don't　look　very　romantic；　certainly；〃　said　Yerba。　　〃I　only　saw
it　from　the　road　before。　　I'm　dreadfully　sorry；〃　she　added；　with
mock　penitence。　　〃I　suppose；　however；　SOMETHING　must　have　happened
here。〃

〃There　may　have　been　nobody　in　the　house　at　the　time；〃　said　Paul
gravely。　　〃The　family　may　have　been　at　the　baths。〃

They　stood　close　together；　their　elbows　resting　upon　the　broken
wall；　and　almost　touching。　　Beyond　the　abyss　and　darker　forest　they
could　see　the　more　vivid　green　and　regular　lines　of　the　plane…trees
of　Strudle　Bad；　the　glitter　of　a　spire；　or　the　flash　of　a　dome。
From　the　abyss　itself　arose　a　cool　odor　of　moist　green　leaves；　the
scent　of　some　unseen　blossoms；　and　around　the　baking　vines　on　the
hot　wall　the　hum　of　apparently　taskless　and　disappointed　bees。
There　was　nobody　in　sight　in　the　forest　road；　no　one　working　in　the
bordering　fields；　and　no　suggestion　of　the　present。　　There　might
have　been　three　or　four　centuries　between　them　and　Strudle　Bad。

〃The　legend　of　this　place；〃　said　Paul；　glancing　at　the　long　brown
lashes　and　oval　outline　of　the　cheek　so　near　his　own；　〃is　simple；
yet　affecting。　　A　cruel；　remorseless；　but　fascinating　Hexie　was
once　loved　by　a　simple　shepherd。　　He　had　never　dared　to　syllable
his　hopeless　affection；　or　claim　from　her　a　syllabledperhaps　I
should　say　a　one…syllabledreply。　　He　had　followed　her　from　remote
lands；　dumbly　worshiping　her；　building　in　his　foolish　brain　an　air…
castle　of　happiness；　which　by　reason　of　her　magic　power　she　could
always　see　plainly　in　his　eyes。　　And　one　day；　beguiling　him　in　the
depths　of　the　forest；　she　led　him　to　a　fair…seeming　castle；　and；
bidding　him　enter　its　portals；　offered　to　show　him　a　realization　of
his　dream。　　But；　lo！　even　as　he　entered　the　stately　corridor　it
seemed　to　crumble　away　before　him；　and　disclosed　a　hideous　abyss
beyond；　in　which　the　whole　of　that　goodly　palace　lay　in　heaped　and
tangled　ruinsthe　fitting　symbol　of　his　wrecked　and　shattered
hopes。〃

She　drew　back　a　little　way　from　him；　but　still　holding　on　to　the
top　of　the　broken　wall　with　one　slim　gauntleted　hand；　and　swung
herself　to　one　side；　while　she　surveyed　him　with　smiling；　parted
lips　and　conscious　eyelids。　　He　promptly　covered　her　hand　with　his
own；　but　she　did　not　seem　to　notice　it。

〃That　is　not　the　story；〃　she　said；　in　a　faint　voice　that　even　her
struggling　sauciness　could　not　make　steadier。　　〃The　true　story　is
called　'The　Legend　of　the　Goose…Girl　of　Strudle　Bad；　and　the
enterprising　Gosling。'　　There　was　once　a　goose…girl　of　the　plain　who
tried　honestly　to　drive　her　geese　to　market；　but　one　eccentric　and
willful　gosling　　Mr。　Hathaway！　　StoppleaseI　beg　you　let　me
go！〃

He　had　caught　her　in　his　armsthe　one　encircling　her　waist；　the
other　hand　still　grasping　hers。　　She　struggled；　half　laughing；
yielded　for　a　breathless　moment　as　his　lips　brushed　her　cheek；　and
threw　him　off。　　〃There！〃　she　said；　〃that　will　do：　the　story　was
not　illustrated。〃

〃But；　Yerba；〃　he　said；　with　passionate　eagerness；　〃hear　meit　is
all　God's　truth。I　love　you！〃

She　drew　back　farther；　shaking　the　dust　of　the　wall　from　the　folds
of　her　habit。　　Then；　with　a　lower　voice　and　a　paler　cheek；　as　if
his　lips　had　sent　her　blood　and　utterance　back　to　her　heart；　she
said；　〃Come；　let　us　go。〃

〃But　not　until　you've　heard　me；　Yerba。〃

〃Well；　thenI　believe　youthere！〃　she　said；　looking　at　him。

〃You　believe　me？〃　he　repeated　eagerly；　attempting　to　take　her　hand
again。

She　drew　back　still　farther。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃or　I　shouldn't　be
here