a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第25章
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'There is；' she said to me last night； confidentially； 'something strangely
antagonistic and repellent in our natures； some undefined and nameless
barrier between our ever understanding each other。' You comprehend； Mr。
Hathaway； she does full justice to your intentions and your unquestioned
abilities。 'I am not blind；' she said； 'to Mr。 Hathaway's gifts； and it is very
possible the fault lies with me。' Her very words； sir。〃
〃Then you believe she is perfectly ignorant of her real mother？〃 asked
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Paul； with a steady voice； but a whitening face。
〃As an unborn child；〃 said the colonel； emphatically。 〃The snow on the
Sierras is not more spotlessly pure of any trace or contamination of the
mud of the mining ditches； than she of her mother and her past。 The
knowledge of it； the mere breath of suspicion of it； in her presence would
be a profanation； sir！ Look at her eyeopen as the sky and as clear； look at
her face and figureas clean； sir； as a Blue…Grass thoroughbred！ Look at
the way she carries herself； whether in those white frillings of her simple
school…gown； or that black evening dress that makes her look like a
princess！ And； blank me； if she isn't one！ There's no poor stock thereno
white trashno mixed blood； sir。 Blank it all； sir； if it comes to THATthe
Arguellosif there's a hound of them livingmight go down on their knees
to have their name borne by such a creature！ By the Eternal； sir； if one of
them dared to cross her path with a word that wasn't abjectyes； sir；
ABJECT； I'd wipe his dust off the earth and send it back to his ancestors
before he knew where he was； or my name isn't Harry Pendleton！〃
Hopeless and inconsistent as all this was； it was a wonderful sight to
see the colonel； his dark stern face illuminated with a zealot's enthusiasm；
his eyes on fire； the ends of his gray moustache curling around his set jaw；
his head thrown back； his legs astride； and his gold…headed stick held in
the hollow of his elbow； like a lance at rest！ Paul saw it； and knew that this
Quixotic transformation was part of HER triumph； and yet had a miserable
consciousness that the charms of this Dulcinea del Toboso had scarcely
been exaggerated。 He turned his eyes away； and said quietly；
〃Then you don't think this coincidence will ever awaken any suspicion
in regard to her real mother？〃
〃Not in the least； sirnot in the least；〃 said the colonel； yet； perhaps；
with more doggedness than conviction of accent。 〃Nobody but yourself
would ever notice that police report； and the connection of that woman's
name with his was not notorious； or I should have known it。〃
〃And you believe；〃 continued Paul hopelessly； 〃that Miss Yerba's
selection of the name was purely accidental？〃
〃Purelya school…girl's fancy。 Fancy； did I say？ No； sir； by Jove； an
inspiration！〃
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〃And；〃 continued Paul； almost mechanically； 〃you do not think it may
be some insidious suggestion of an enemy who knew of this transient
relation that no one suspected？〃
To his final amazement Pendleton's brow cleared！ 〃An enemy？ Gad！
you may be right。 I'll look into it； and； if that is the case； which I scarcely
dare hope for； Mr。 Hathaway； you can safely leave him to ME。〃
He looked so supremely confident in his fatuous heroism that Paul
could say no more。 He rose and； with a faint smile upon his pale face； held
out his hand。 〃I think that is all I have to say。 When you see Miss Yerba
again；as you will； no doubt；you may tell her that I am conscious of no
misunderstanding on my part； except； perhaps； as to the best way I could
serve her； and that； but for what she has told YOU； I should certainly have
carried away no remembrance of any misunderstanding of HERS。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said the colonel； with cheerful philosophy； 〃I will carry
your message with pleasure。 You understand how it is； Mr。 Hathaway。
There is no accounting for these instinctswe can only accept them as
they are。 But I believe that your intentions； sir； were strictly according to
what you conceived to be your duty。 You won't take something before you
go？ Well； thengood…by。〃
Two weeks later Paul found among his morning letters an envelope
addressed in Colonel Pendleton's boyish scrawling hand。 He opened it
with an eagerness that no studied self…control nor rigid preoccupation of
his duties had yet been able to subdue； and glanced hurriedly at its
contents：
DEAR SIR；As I am on the point of sailing to Europe to…morrow to
escort Miss Arguello and Miss Woods on an extended visit to England and
the Continent； I am desirous of informing you that I have thus far been
unable to find any foundation for the suggestions thrown out by you in our
last interview。 Miss Arguello's Spanish acquaintances have been very
select； and limited to a few school friends and Don Caesar and Dona Anna
Briones； tried friends； who are also fellow…passengers with us to Europe。
Miss Arguello suggests that some political difference between you and
Don Caesar； which occurred during your visit to Rosario three months ago；
may have； perhaps； given rise to your supposition。 She joins me in best
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wishes for your public career； which even in the distraction of foreign
travel and the obligations of her position she will follow from time to time
with the greatest interest。
Very respectfully yours；
HARRY PENDLETON。
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A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
CHAPTER V。
It was on the 3d of August； 1863； that Paul Hathaway resigned
himself and his luggage to the care of the gold…laced； ostensible porter of
the Strudle Bad Hof； not without some uncertainty； in a land of uniforms；
whether he would be eventually conducted to the barracks； the police
office； or the Conservatoire。 He was relieved when the omnibus drove into
the courtyard of the Bad Hof； and the gold…chained chamberlain； flanked
by two green tubs of oleanders； received him with a gravity calculated to
check any preconceived idea he might have that traveling was a trifling
affair； or that an arrival at the Bad Hof was not of serious moment。 His
letters had not yet arrived； for he had； in a fit of restlessness； shortened his
route； and he strolled listlessly into the reading…room。 Two or three
English guests were evidently occupied in eminently respectable reading
and writing； two were sitting by the window engaged in subdued but
profitable conversation； and two Americans from Boston were contentedly
imitating them on the other side of the room。 A decent restraint； as of
people who were not for a moment to be led into any foreign idea of social
gayety at a watering…place； was visible everywhere。 A spectacled Prussian
officer in full uniform passed along the hall； halted for a moment at the
doorway as if contemplating an
