a ward of the golden gate-第31章

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bland　deprecation　of　her　hard…set　eyes；　〃how　distasteful　this
promiscuous　mingling　with　the　rough　and　ungodly　has　always　been　to
you；　and　how　reluctant　you　are　to　be　placed　in　the　position　of
being　liable　to　hear　coarse；　vulgar；　or　irreverent　speech。　　I
think；　too；　in　our　long　and　pleasant　pastoral　relations；　you　have
always　found　me　mindful　of　it。　　I　admit　I　have　sometimes　regretted
that　your　late　husband　had　not　more　generally　familiarized　you　with
the　ways　of　the　world。　　But　so　it　iswe　all　have　our　weaknesses。
If　not　one　thing；　another。　　And　as　Envy　and　Uncharitableness
sometimes　find　their　way　in　even　Christian　hearts；　I　should　like
you　to　undertake　this　office　for　the　sake　of　example。　　There　are
some；　dear　Sister　Argalls；　who　think　that　the　rich　widow　who　is
most　liberal　in　the　endowment　of　the　goods　that　Providence　has
intrusted　to　her　hands　claims　therefore　to　be　exempt　from　labor　in
the　Christian　vineyard。　　Let　us　teach　them　how　unjust　they　are。〃

〃I　am　willing；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　dry；　determined　air。　　〃I
suppose　these　patients　are　not　professedly　bad　characters？〃

〃By　no　means。　　A　few；　perhaps；　but　the　majority　are　unfortunates
dependent　either　upon　public　charity　or　some　small　provision　made
by　their　friends。〃

〃Very　well。〃

〃And　you　understand　that　though　they　have　the　privilege　of
rejecting　your　Christian　ministrations；　dear　Sister　Argalls；　you
are　free　to　judge　when　you　may　be　patient　or　importunate　with
them？〃

〃I　understand。〃

The　Pastor　was　not　an　unkindly　man；　and；　as　he　glanced　at　the
uncompromising　look　in　Mrs。　Argalls's　eyes；　felt　for　a　moment　some
inconsistency　between　his　humane　instincts　and　his　Christian　duty。
〃Some　of　them　may　require；　and　be　benefited　by；　a　stern　monitress；
and　Sister　Robbins；　I　fear；　was　weak；〃　he　said　consolingly　to
himself；　as　he　descended　the　steps　again。

At　three　o'clock　Mrs。　Argalls；　with　a　reticule　and　a　few　tracts；
was　at　the　door　of　St。　John's　Hospital。　　As　she　displayed　her
testimonials　and　announced　that　she　had　taken　Mrs。　Robbins's　place；
the　officials　received　her　respectfully；　and　gave　some　instructions
to　the　attendants；　which；　however；　did　not　stop　some　individual
comments。

〃I　say；　Jim；　it　doesn't　seem　the　square　thing　to　let　that　grim　old
girl　loose　among　them　poor　convalescents。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know：　they　say　she's　rich　and　gives　a　lot　o'　money
away；　but　if　she　tackles　that　swearing　old　Kentuckian　in　No。　3；
she'll　have　her　hands　full。〃

However；　the　criticism　was　scarcely　fair；　for　Mrs。　Argalls；
although　moving　rigidly　along　from　bed　to　bed　of　the　ward；　equipped
with　a　certain　formula　of　phrases；　nevertheless　dropped　from　time
to　time　some　practical　common…sense　questions　that　showed　an　almost
masculine　intuition　of　the　patients'　needs　and　requirements。　　Nor
did　she　betray　any　of　that　over…sensitive　shrinking　from　coarseness
which　the　good　Pastor　had　feared；　albeit　she　was　quick　to　correct
its　exhibition。　　The　languid　men　listened　to　her　with　half…
aggressive；　half…amused　interest；　and　some　of　the　satisfaction　of
taking　a　bitter　but　wholesome　tonic。　　It　was　not　until　she　reached
the　bed　at　the　farther　end　of　the　ward　that　she　seemed　to　meet　with
any　check。

It　was　occupied　by　a　haggard　man；　with　a　long　white　moustache　and
features　that　seemed　wasted　by　inward　struggle　and　fever。　　At　the
first　sound　of　her　voice　he　turned　quickly　towards　her；　lifted
himself　on　his　elbow；　and　gazed　fixedly　in　her　face。

〃Kate　Howardby　the　Eternal！〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。

Despite　her　rigid　self…possession　the　woman　started；　glanced
hurriedly　around；　and　drew　nearer　to　him。

〃Pendleton！〃　she　said；　in　an　equally　suppressed　voice；　〃What；　in
God's　name；　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃Dying；　I　reckonsooner　or　later；〃　he　said　grimly；　〃that's　what
they　do　here。〃

〃Butwhat；〃　she　went　on　hurriedly；　still　glancing　over　her
shoulder　as　if　she　suspected　some　trick〃what　has　brought　you　to
this？〃

〃YOU！〃　said　the　colonel；　dropping　back　exhaustedly　on　his　pillow。
〃You　and　your　daughter。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　she　said　quickly；　yet　regarding　him　with
stern　rigidity。　　〃You　know　perfectly　well　I　have　NO　daughter。　　You
know　perfectly　well　that　I've　kept　the　word　I　gave　you　ten　years
ago；　and　that　I　have　been　dead　to　her　as　she　has　been　to　me。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃that　within　the　last　three　months　I
have　paid　away　my　last　cent　to　keep　the　mouth　of　an　infernal
scoundrel　shut　who　KNOWS　that　you　are　her　mother；　and　threatens　to
expose　her　to　her　friends。　　I　know　that　I'm　dying　here　of　an　old
wound　that　I　got　when　I　shut　the　mouth　of　another　hound　who　was
ready　to　bark　at　her　two　years　after　you　disappeared。　　I　know　that
between　you　and　her　I've　let　my　old　nigger　die　of　a　broken　heart；
because　I　couldn't　keep　him　to　suffer　with　me；　and　I　know　that　I'm
here　a　pauper　on　the　State。　　I　know　that；　Kate；　and　when　I　say　it　I
don't　regret　it。　　I've　kept　my　word　to　YOU；　and；　by　the　Eternal；
your　daughter's　worth　it！　　For　if　there　ever　was　a　fair　and
peerless　creatureit's　your　child！〃

〃And　shea　rich　womanunless　she　squandered　the　fortune　I　gave
herlets　you　lie　here！〃　said　the　woman　grimly。

〃She　don't　know　it。〃

〃She　SHOULD　know　it！　　Have　you　quarreled？〃　　She　was　looking　at　him
keenly。

〃She　distrusts　me；　because　she　half　suspects　the　secret；　and　I
hadn't　the　heart　to　tell　her　all。〃

〃All？　　What　does　she　know？　　What　does　this　man　know？　　What　has　been
told　her？〃　she　said　rapidly。

〃She　only　knows　that　the　name　she　has　taken　she　has　no　right　to。〃

〃Right　to？　　Why；　it　was　written　on　the　TrustYerba　Buena。〃

〃No；　not　that。　　She　thought　it　was　a　mistake。　　She　took　the　name　of
Arguello。〃

〃What？〃　said　Mrs。　Argalls；　suddenly　grasping　the　invalid's　wrist
with　both　hands。　　〃What　name？〃　her　eyes　were　startled　from　their
rigid　coldness；　her　lips　were　colorless。

〃Arguello！　　It　was　some　foolish　schoolgirl　fancy　which　that　hound
helped　to　foster　in　her。　　Whywhat's　the　matter；　Kate？〃

The　woman　dropped　the　helpless　man's　wrist；　then；　with　an　effort；
recovered　herself　sufficiently　to　rise；　and；　with　an　air　of
increased　decorum；　as　if　the　spiritual　character　of　their　interview
excluded　worldly　intrusion；　adjusted　the　screen　around　his　bed；　so
as　partly　to　hide　her　own　face　and　Pendleton's。　　Then；　dropping
into　the　chair　beside　him；　she　said；　in　her　old　voice；　from　which
the　burden　of　ten　long　years　seemed　to　have　been　lifted；

〃Harry；　what's　that　you're　playing　on　me？〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Pendleton　amazedly。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　don't　know　it；　and　didn't　tell　her
yourself？〃　she　said　curtly。

〃What？　　Tell　her　what？〃　he　repeated　impatiently。

〃That　Arguello　WAS　her　father！〃

〃Her　father？〃　　He　tried　to　struggle　to　his　elbow　again；　but　she
laid　her　hand　masterfully　upon　his　shoulder　and　forced　him　back。
〃Her　father！〃　he　repeated　hurriedly。　　〃Jose　Arguello！　　Great　God！
are　you　sure？〃

Quietly　and　yet　mechanically　gathering　the　scattered　tracts　from
the　coverlet；　and　putting　them　back；　one　by　one　in　her　reticule；
she　closed　it　and　her　lips　with　a　snap　as　she　uttered〃Yes。〃

Pendleton　remained　staring　at　her　silently；　〃Yes；〃　he　muttered；　〃it
may　have　been　some　instinct　of　the　child's；　or　some　diabolical
fancy　of　Briones'。　　But；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃true　or　not；　she　has
no　right　to　his　name。〃

〃And　I　say　she　HAS。〃

She　had　risen　to　her　feet；　with　her　arms　folded　across　her　breast；
in　an　attitude　of　such　Puritan　composure　that　the　distant
spectators　might　have　thought　she　was　delivering　an　exordium　to　the
prostrate　man。

〃I　met　Jose　Arguello；　for　the　second　time；　in　New　Orleans；〃　she
said　slowly；　〃eight　years　ago。　　He　was　still　rich；　but　ruined　in
health　by　dissipation。　　I　was　tired　of　my　way　of　life。　　He　proposed
that　I　should　marry　him　to　take　care　of　him　and　legitimatize　our
child。　　I　was　forced　to　tell　him　what　I　had　done　with　her；　and　that
the　Trust　could　not　be　disturbed　until　she　was　of　age　and　her　own
mistress。　　He　assented。　　We　married；　but　he　died　within　a　year。　　He
died；　leaving　with　me　his　acknowledgment　of　her　as　his　child；　and
the　right　to　claim　her　if　I　chose。〃

〃And？〃interrupted　the　colonel　with　sparkling　eyes。

〃I　DON'T　C