a ward of the golden gate-第28章

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husband；　the　guardian　of　her　good　name；　and　the　custodian　of　her
secret。　　At　times　the　strains　of　a　dreamy　German　waltz；　played　in
the　distance；　brought　back　to　him　the　brief　moment　that　his　arm　had
encircled　her　waist　by　the　crumbling　wall；　and　his　pulses　grew
languid；　only　to　leap　firmer　the　next　moment　with　more　desperate
resolve。　　He　would　win　her；　come　what　may！　　He　could　never　have
been　in　earnest　before：　he　loathed　and　hated　himself　for　his
previous　passive　acquiescence　to　her　fate。　　He　had　been　a　weak　tool
of　the　colonel's　from　the　first：　he　was　even　now　handicapped　by　a
preposterous　promise　he　had　given　him！　　Yes；　she　was　right　to
hesitateto　question　his　ability　to　make　her　happy！　　He　had　found
her　here；　surrounded　by　stupidity　and　cupidityto　give　it　no　other
nameso　patent　that　she　was　the　common　gossip；　and　had　offered
nothing　but　a　boyish　declaration！　　As　he　strode　into　the　hotel　that
night　it　was　well　that　he　did　not　meet　the　unfortunate　colonel　on
the　staircase！

It　was　very　late；　although　there　was　still　visible　a　light　in
Yerba's　salon；　shining　on　her　balcony；　which　extended　before　and
included　his　own　window。　　From　time　to　time　he　could　hear　the
murmur　of　voices。　　It　was　too　late　to　avail　himself　of　the
invitation　to　join　them；　even　if　his　frame　of　mind　had　permitted
it。　　He　was　too　nervous　and　excited　to　go　to　bed；　and；　without
lighting　his　candle；　he　opened　the　French　window　that　gave　upon　the
balcony；　drew　a　chair　in　the　recess　behind　the　curtain；　and　gazed
upon　the　night。　　It　was　very　quiet；　the　moon　was　high；　the　square
was　sleeping　in　a　trance　of　checkered　shadows；　like　a　gigantic
chessboard；　with　black　foreshortened　trees　for　pawns。　　The　click　of
a　cavalry　sabre；　the　sound　of　a　footfall　on　the　pavement　of　the
distant　Konigsstrasse；　were　distinctly　audible；　a　far…off　railway
whistle　was　startling　in　its　abruptness。　　In　the　midst　of　this　calm
the　opening　of　the　door　of　the　salon；　with　the　sudden　uplifting　of
voices　in　the　hall；　told　Paul　that　Yerba's　guests　were　leaving。　　He
heard　Dona　Anna's　arch　accentsarch　even　to　Colonel　Pendleton's
monotonous　baritone！Milly's　high；　rapid　utterances；　the　suave
falsetto　of　Don　Caesar；　and　HER　voice；　he　thought　a　trifle
wearied；the　sound　of　retiring　footsteps；　and　all　was　still　again。

So　still　that　the　rhythmic　beat　of　the　distant　waltz　returned　to
him；　with　a　distinctiveness　that　he　could　idly　follow。　　He　thought
of　Rosario　and　the　rose…breath　of　the　open　windows　with　a　strange
longing；　and　remembered　the　half…stifled　sweetness　of　her　happy
voice　rising　with　it　from　the　veranda。　　Why　had　he　ever　let　it　pass
from　him　then　and　waft　its　fragrance　elsewhere？　　Why　　What　was
that？

The　slight　turning　of　a　latch！　　The　creaking　of　the　French　window
of　the　salon；　and　somebody　had　slipped　softly　half　out　on　the
balcony。　　His　heart　stopped　beating。　　From　his　position　in　the
recess　of　his　own　window；　with　his　back　to　the　partition　of　the
salon；　he　could　see　nothing。　　Yet　he　did　not　dare　to　move。　　For
with　the　quickened　senses　of　a　lover　he　felt　the　diffused　and
perfumed　aura　of　HER　presence；　of　HER　garments；　of　HER　flesh；　flow
in　upon　him　through　the　open　window；　and　possess　his　whole
breathless　being！　　It　was　SHE！　　Like　him；　perhaps；　longing　to　enjoy
the　perfect　nightlike　him；　perhaps；　thinking　of

〃So　you　ar…range　to　get　rid　of　meha！　lik　thees？　　To　tur…rn　me　off
from　your　heels　like　a　dog　who　have　follow　youbut　without　a　word
without　aathankswithout　a　'ope！　　Ah！we　have　ser…rved　you
me　and　my　sister；　we　are　the　or…range　drynow　we　can　go！　　Like　the
old　shoe；　we　are　to　be　flung　away！　　Good！　　But　I　am　here　againyou
see。　　I　shall　speak；　and　you　shall　hear…r。〃

Don　Caesar's　voicealone　with　her！　　Paul　gripped　his　chair　and　sat
upright。

〃Stop！　　Stay　where　you　are！　　How　dared　you　return　here？〃　　It　was
Yerba's　voice；　on　the　balcony；　low　and　distinct。

〃Shut　the　window！　　I　shall　speak　with　you　what　you　will　not　the
world　to　hear。〃

〃I　prefer　to　keep　where　I　am；　since　you　have　crept　into　this　room
like　a　thief！〃

〃A　thief！　　Good！〃　　He　broke　out　in　Spanish；　and；　as　if　no　longer
fearful　of　being　overheard；　had　evidently　drawn　nearer　to　the
window。　　〃A　thief。　　Ha！　muy　buenobut　it　is　not　I；　you　understand
I；　Caesar　Briones；　who　am　the　thief！　　No！　　It　is　that　swaggering
espadachinthat　fanfarron　of　a　Colonel　Pendletonthat　pattern　of
an　official；　Mr。　Hathawaythat　most　beautiful　heiress　of　the
Californias；　Miss　ARGUELLOthat　are　thieves！　　Yesof　a　NAMEMiss
Arguelloof　a　NAME！　　The　name　of　Arguello！〃

Paul　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Ah；　so！　　You　startyou　turn　paleyou　flash　your　eyes；　senora；
but　you　think　you　have　deceived　me　all　these　years。　　You　think　I
did　not　see　your　game　at　Rosarioyes；　even　when　that　foolish
Castro　muchacha　first　put　that　idea　in　your　head。　　Who　furnished
you　the　facts　you　wanted？　　IMother　of　God！　SUCH　FACTS！I；　who
knew　the　Arguello　pedigreeI；　who　know　it　was　as　impossible　for
you　to　be　a　daughter　of　them　aswhat？　let　me　thinkasas　it　is
impossible　for　you　to　be　the　wife　of　that　baron　whom　you　would
deceive　with　the　rest！　　Ah；　yes；　it　was　a　high　flight　for　you；
MeesMeesDona　Fulanaa　noble　game　for　you　to　bring　down！〃

Why　did　she　not　speak？　　What　was　she　doing？　　If　she　had　but　uttered
a　single　word　of　protest；　of　angry　dismissal；　Paul　would　have　flown
to　her　side。　　It　could　not　be　the　paralysis　of　personal　fear：　the
balcony　was　wide；　she　could　easily　pass　to　the　end；　she　could　even
see　his　open　window。

〃Why　did　I　do　this？　　Because　I　loved　you；　senoraand　you　knew　it！
Ah！　you　can　turn　your　face　away　now；　you　can　pretend　to
misunderstand　me；　as　you　did　a　moment　ago；　you　can　part　from　me　now
like　a　mere　acquaintancebut　it　was　not　always　so！　　No；　it　was　YOU
who　brought　me　here；　your　eyes　that　smiled　into　mineand　drove
home　the　colonel's　request　that　I　and　my　sister　should　accompany
you。　　God！　I　was　weak　then！　　You　smile；　senora；　you　think　you　have
succeededyou　and　your　pompous　colonel　and　your　clever　governor！
You　think　you　have　compromised　me；　and　perjured　ME；　because　of
this。　　You　are　wrong！　　You　think　I　dare　not　speak　to　this　puppet　of
a　baron；　and　that　I　have　no　proofs。　　You　are　wrong！〃

〃And　even　if　you　can　produce　them；　what　care　I？〃　said　Yerba
unexpectedly；　yet　in　a　voice　so　free　from　excitement　and　passion
that　the　weariness　which　Paul　had　at　first　noticed　seemed　to　be　the
only　dominant　tone。　　〃Suppose　you　prove　that　I　am　not　an　Arguello。
Good！　you　have　yet　to　show　that　a　connection　with　any　of　your　race
would　be　anything　but　a　disgrace。〃

〃Ah！　you　defy　me；　little　one！　　Caramba！　　Listen；　then！　　You　do　not
know　all！　　When　you　thought　I　was　only　helping　you　to　fabricate
your　claim　to　the　Arguellos'　name；　I　was　finding　out　WHO　YOU　REALLY
WERE！　　Ah！　　It　was　not　so　difficult　as　you　fondly　hope；　senora。　　We
were　not　all　brutes　and　fools　in　the　early　days；　though　we　stood
aside　to　let　your　people　run　their　vulgar　course。　　It　was　your
hired　bullyyour　respected　guardianthis　dog　of　an　espadachin；
who　let　out　a　hint　of　the　secretwith　a　prick　of　his　bladeand　a
scandal。　　One　of　my　peon　women　was　a　servant　at　the　convent　when
you　were　a　child；　and　recognized　the　woman　who　put　you　there　and
came　to　see　you　as　a　friend。　　She　overheard　the　Mother　Superior　say
it　was　your　mother；　and　saw　a　necklace　that　was　left　for　you　to
wear。　　Ah！　you　begin　to　believe！　　When　I　had　put　this　and　that
together　I　found　that　Pepita　could　not　identify　you　with　the　child
that　she　had　seen。　　But　you；　senora；　you　YOURSELF　supplied　the
missing　proof！　　Yes！　you　supplied　it　with　the　NECKLACE　that　you
wore　that　evening　at　Rosario；　when　you　wished　to　do　honor　to　this
young　Hathawaythe　guardian　who　had　always　thrown　you　off！　　Ah！
you　now　suspect　why；　perhaps！　　It　was　your　mother's　necklace　that
you　wore；　and　you　said　so！　　That　night　I　sent　the　good　Pepita　to
identify　it；　to　watch　through　the　window　from　the　garden　when　you
were　wearing　it；　to　make　it　sure　as　the　Creed。　　I　sent　her　to　your
room　late　that　night　when　you　had　changed　your　dress；　that　she
might　examine　it　among　your　jewels。　　And　she　did　and　will　swear
look　you！SWEAR　that　it　is　the　one　given　you　as　a　child　by　the
woman　at　the　conven