a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第20节
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Pendleton was strong in the belief that she had not only utterly abandoned
the girl to the care of her guardians； but that she would never rescind her
resolution to disclaim her relationship； that she had gone into self…exile for
that purpose； and that if she HAD changed her mind； he would be the first
to know of it。 On this day they had parted。 Meantime； Paul had not
forgotten another resolution he had formed on his first visit to the colonel；
and had actually succeeded in getting legislative relief for the Golden Gate
Bank； and restoring to the colonel some of his private property that had
been in the hands of a receiver。
This had been the background of Paul's meditation； which only threw
into stronger relief the face and figure that moved before him as
persistently as it had once before in the twilight of his room at Rosario。
There were times when her moonlit face； with its faint； strange smile；
stood out before him as it had stood out of the shadows of the half…
darkened drawing…room that night； as he had seen ithe believed for the
last timeframed for an instant in the parted curtains of the doorway；
when she bade him 〃Goodnight。〃 For he had never visited her since； and；
on the attainment of her majority； had delegated his passing functions to
Pendleton； whom he had induced to accompany the Mayor to Santa Clara
for the final and formal ceremony。 For the present she need not know how
much she had been indebted to him for the accomplishment of her wishes。
With a sigh he at last recalled himself to his duty； and； drawing the pile
of reports which Shear had handed him； he began to examine them。 These；
again； bore reference to his silent； unobtrusive inquiries。 In his function as
Chairman of Committee he had taken advantage of a kind of advanced
moral legislation then in vogue； and particularly in reference to a certain
social reform； to examine statistics； authorities； and witnesses； and in this
indirect but exhaustive manner had satisfied himself that the woman 〃Kate
Howard；〃 alias 〃Beverly；〃 alias 〃Durfree；〃 had long passed beyond the ken
of local police supervision； and that in the record there was no trace or
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indication of her child。 He was going over those infelix records of early
transgressions with the eye of trained experience； making notes from time
to time for his official use； and yet always watchful of his secret quest；
when suddenly he stopped with a quickened pulse。 In the record of an
affray at a gambling…house； one of the parties had sought refuge in the
rooms of 〃Kate Howard；〃 who was represented before the magistrate by
HER PROTECTOR； JUAN DE ARGUELLO。 The date given was
contemporary with the beginning of the Trust； but that proved nothing。 But
the name had it any significance； or was it a grim coincidence； that spoke
even more terribly and hopelessly of the woman's promiscuous frailty？ He
again attacked the entire report； but there was no other record of her name。
Even that would have passed any eye less eager and watchful than his
own。
He laid the reports aside； and took up the proof…slip again。 Was there
any man living but himself and Pendleton who would connect these two
statements？ That her relations with this Arguello were brief and not
generally known was evident from Pendleton's ignorance of the fact。 But
he must see him again； and at once。 Perhaps he might have acquired some
information from Yerba； the young girl might have given to his age that
confidence she had withheld from the younger man； indeed； he
remembered with a flush it was partly in that hope he had induced the
colonel to go to Santa Clara。 He put the proof…slip in his pocket and
stepped to the door of the next room。
〃You need not write that letter to Slate； Tony。 I will see him myself。 I
am going to San Francisco to…night。〃
〃And do you want anything copied from the reports； sir？〃
Paul quickly swept them from the table into his drawer； and locked it。
〃Not now； thank you。 I'll finish my notes later。〃
The next morning Paul was in San Francisco； and had again crossed
the portals of the Golden Gate Hotel。 He had been already told that the
doom of that palatial edifice was sealed by the laying of the cornerstone of
a new erection in the next square that should utterly eclipse it； he even
fancied that it had already lost its freshness； and its meretricious glitter had
been tarnished。 But when he had ordered his breakfast he made his way to
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the public parlor； happily deserted at that early hour。 It was here that he
had first seen her。 She was standing there； by that mirror； when their eyes
first met in a sudden instinctive sympathy。 She herself had remembered
and confessed it。 He recalled the pleased yet conscious； girlish superiority
with which she had received the adulation of her friends； his memory of
her was broad enough now even to identify Milly； as it repeopled the
vacant and silent room。
An hour later he was making his way to Colonel Pendleton's lodgings；
and half expecting to find the St。 Charles Hotel itself transformed by the
eager spirit of improvement。 But it was still there in all its barbaric and
provincial incongruity。 Public opinion had evidently recognized that
nothing save the absolute razing of its warped and flimsy walls could
effect a change； and waited for it to collapse suddenly like the house of
cards it resembled。 Paul wondered for a moment if it were not ominous of
its lodgers' hopeless inability to accept changed conditions； and it was
with a feeling of doubt that he even now ascended the creaking staircase。
But it was instantly dissipated on the threshold of the colonel's sitting…
room by the appearance of George and his reception of his master's guest。
The grizzled negro was arrayed in a surprisingly new suit of blue cloth
with a portentous white waistcoat and an enormous crumpled white cravat；
that gave him the appearance of suffering from a glandular swelling。 His
manner had； it seemed to Paul； advanced in exaggeration with his clothes。
Dusting a chair and offering it to the visitor； he remained gracefully posed
with his hand on the back of another。
〃Yo' finds us heah yet； Marse Hathaway；〃 he began； elegantly toying
with an enormous silver watch…chain； 〃fo' de Kernel he don' bin find
contagious apartments dat at all approximate； and he don' build； for his
mind's not dat settled dat he ain't goin' to trabbel。 De place is low down；
sah； and de fo'ks is low down； and dah's a heap o' white trash dat has
congested under de roof ob de hotel since we came。 But we uses it
temper'ly； sah； fo' de present； and in a dissolutory fashion。〃
It struck Paul that the contiguity of a certain barber's shop and its
dangerous reminiscences had something to do with George's lofty
depreciation of his surroundings； and he could not help saying：
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〃Then you don't find it necessary to have it convenient to the barber's
shop any more？ I am glad of that； George。〃
The shot told。 The unfortunate George； after an endeavor to collect
himself by altering his pose two or three times in rapid succession； finally
collapsed； and； with an air of mingled pain and dignity； but without losing
his ceremonious politeness or unique vocabulary； said：
〃Yo' got me dah； sah！ Yo' got me dah！ De infirmities o' human natcheh；
sah； is de common p'operty ob man； and a gemplum like yo'self； sah； a
legislato' and a pow'ful speakah； is de lass one to hol' it agin de individal
pusson。 I confess； sah； de circumstances was propiskuous； de fees fahly
good； and de risks inferior。 De gemplum who kept de shop was an artess
hisself； and had been niggah
