a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第13节
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you will find it so recorded in the Spanish grants。 My name is Arguello de
la Yerba Buena。〃
It is impossible to describe the timid yet triumphant； the half…
appealing yet complacent； conviction of the girl's utterance。 A moment
before； Paul would have believed it impossible for him to have kept his
gravity and his respect for his companion under this egregious illusion。
But he kept both。 For a sudden conviction that she suspected the truth； and
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had taken this audacious and original plan of crushing it； overpowered all
other sense。 The Arguellos； it flashed upon him； were an old Spanish
family； former owners of Yerba Buena Island； who had in the last years
become extinct。 There had been a story that one of them had eloped with
an American ship captain's wife at Monterey。 The legendary history of
early Spanish California was filled with more remarkable incidents；
corroborated with little difficulty from Spanish authorities； who； it was
alleged； lent themselves readily to any fabrication or forgery。 There was no
racial pride： on the contrary； they had shown an eager alacrity to ally
themselves with their conquerors。 The friends of the Arguellos would be
proud to recognize and remember in the American heiress the descendant
of their countrymen。 All this passed rapidly through his mind after the first
moment of surprise； all this must have been the deliberate reasoning of
this girl of seventeen； whose dark eyes were bent upon him。 Whether she
was seeking corroboration or complicity he could not tell。
〃Have you found this out yourself？〃 he asked； after a pause。
〃Yes。 One of my friends at the convent was Josita Castro； she knew all
the history of the Arguellos。 She is perfectly satisfied。〃
For an instant Paul wondered if it was a joint conception of the two
schoolgirls。 But； on reflection； he was persuaded that Yerba would commit
herself to no accompliceof her own sex。 She might have dominated the
girl； and would make her a firm partisan； while the girl would be
convinced of it herself； and believe herself a free agent。 He had had such
experience with men himself。
〃But why have you not spoken of it beforeand to Colonel
Pendleton？〃
〃He did not choose to tell ME；〃 said Yerba； with feminine dexterity。 〃I
have preferred to keep it myself a secret till I am of age。〃
〃When Colonel Pendleton and some of the other trustees have no right
to say anything；〃 thought Paul quickly。 She had evidently trusted him。 Yet；
fascinated as he had been by her audacity； he did not know whether to be
pleased； or the reverse。 He would have preferred to be placed on an equal
footing with Josita Castro。 She anticipated his thoughts by saying； with
half…raised eyelids：
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〃What do YOU think of it？〃
〃It seems to be so natural and obvious an explanation of the mystery
that I only wonder it was not thought of before；〃 said Paul； with that
perfect sincerity that made his sympathy so effective。
〃You see；〃still under her pretty eyelids； and the tender promise of a
smile parting her little mouth；〃I'm believing that you tell the truth when
you say you don't know anything about it。〃
It was a desperate moment with Paul； but his sympathetic instincts；
and possibly his luck； triumphed。 His momentary hesitation easily
simulated the caution of a conscientious man； his knit eyebrows and bright
eyes； lowered in an effort of memory； did the rest。 〃I remember it all so
indistinctly；〃 he said； with literal truthfulness； 〃there was a veiled lady
present； tall and dark； to whom Mayor Hammersley and the colonel
showed a singular； and； it struck me； as an almost superstitious； respect。 I
remember now； distinctly； I was impressed with the reverential way they
both accompanied her to the door at the end of the interview。〃 He raised
his eyes slightly； the young girl's red lips were parted； that illumination of
the skin； which was her nearest approach to color； had quite transfigured
her face。 He felt； suddenly； that she believed it； yet he had no sense of
remorse。 He half believed it himself； at least； he remembered the nobility
of the mother's self…renunciation and its effect upon the two men。 Why
should not the daughter preserve this truthful picture of her mother's
momentary exaltation？ Which was the most truthfulthat； or the
degrading facts？ 〃You speak of a secret；〃 he added。 〃I can remember little
more than that the Mayor asked me to forget from that moment the whole
occurrence。 I did not know at the time how completely I should fulfill his
request。 You must remember； Miss Yerba； as your Lady Superior has； that
I was absurdly young at the time。 I don't know but that I may have thought；
in my youthful inexperience； that this sort of thing was of common
occurrence。 And then； I had my own future to makeand youth is brutally
selfish。 I was quite friendless and unknown when I left San Francisco for
the mines； at the time you entered the convent as Yerba Buena。〃
She smiled； and made a slight impulsive gesture； as if she would have
drawn nearer to him； but checked herself； still smiling； and without
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embarrassment。 It may have been a movement of youthful camaraderie；
and that occasional maternal rather than sisterly instinct which sometimes
influences a young girl's masculine friendship； and elevates the favored
friend to the plane of the doll she has outgrown。 As he turned towards her；
however； she rose； shook out her yellow dress； and said with pretty
petulance：
〃Then you must go so soonand this your first and last visit as my
guardian？〃
〃No one could regret that more than I；〃 looking at her with undefined
meaning。
〃Yes；〃 she said； with a tantalizing coquetry that might have suggested
an underlying seriousness。 〃I think you HAVE lost a good deal。 Perhaps；
so have I。 We might have been good friends in all these years。 But that is
past。〃
〃Why？ Surely； I hope； my shortcomings with Miss Yerba Buena will
not be remembered by Miss Arguello？〃 sail Paul； earnestly。
〃Ah！ SHE may be a very different person。〃
〃I hope not；〃 said the young man； warmly。 〃But HOW different？〃
〃Well； she may not put herself in the way of receiving such point…
blank compliments as that；〃 said the young girl； demurely。
〃Not from her guardian？〃
〃She will have no guardian then。〃 She said this gravely； but almost at
the same moment turned and sat down again； throwing her linked hands
over her knee； and looked at him mischievously。 〃You see what you have
lost； sir。〃
〃I see；〃 said Paul； but with all the gravity that she had dropped。
〃No； but you don't see all。 I had no brotherno friend。 You might have
been both。 You might have made me what you liked。 You might have
educated me far better than these teachers； or； at least given me some pride
in my studies。 There were so many things I wanted to know that they
couldn't teach me； so many times I wanted advice from some one that I
could trust。 Colonel Pendleton was very good to me when he came； he
always treated me like a princess even when I wore short frocks。 It was his
manner that first made me think he knew my family； but I never felt as if I
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could tell him anything； and I don't think； with all his chivalrous respect；
he ever understood me。 As to the othersthe Mayorswell； you may judge
from Mr。 Henderson。 It is a wonder that I did not run away or do
something desperate。 Now； are you not a LITTLE sorry？〃
Her voice； which had as many capricious changes as her manner； had
been alternately coquettish； petulant； and serious； had now become playful
