按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
abruptly。 〃But here is your letter；〃 he resumed； drawing Colonel
Pendleton's missive from his pocket； 〃perhaps you would like to
read it now； in case you have any message to return by me。 Miss
Woods and I will excuse you。〃
They had reached the end of the rose…alley； where a summer…house
that was in itself a rose…bower partly disclosed itself。 The other
gentlemen had lagged behind。 〃I will amuse MYSELF； and console
your other guardian； dear；〃 said the vivacious Milly； with a rapid
exchange of glances with Yerba； 〃until this horrid business is
over。 Besides；〃 she added with cheerful vagueness； 〃after so long
a separation you must have a great deal to say to each other。〃
Paul smiled as she rustled away； and Yerba； entering the summer…
house； sat down and opened the letter。 The young man remained
leaning against the rustic archway； occasionally glancing at her
and at the moving figures in the gardens。 He was conscious of an
odd excitement which he could trace to no particular cause。 It was
true that he had been annoyed at not finding the young girl at the
convent； and at having to justify himself to the Lady Superior for
what he conceived to be an act of gratuitous kindness； nor was he
blind to the fact that his persistence in following her was more an
act of aggression against the enemies of Pendleton than of concern
for Yerba。 She was certainly pretty； he could not remember her
mother sufficiently to trace any likeness； and he had never admired
the mother's pronounced beauty。 She had flashed out for an instant
into what seemed originality and feeling。 But it had passed； and
she had asked no further questions in regard to the colonel。
She had hurriedly skimmed through the letter； which seemed to be
composed of certain figures and accounts。 〃I suppose it's all
right；〃 she said； 〃at least you can say so if he asks you。 It's
only an explanation why he has transferred my money from the bank
to Rothschild's agent years ago。 I don't see why it should
interest me NOW。〃
Paul made no doubt that it was the same transfer that had
shipwrecked the colonel's fortune and alienated his friends； and
could not help replying somewhat pointedly； 〃But I think it should；
Miss Yerba。 I don't know what the colonel explained to you
doubtless； not the whole truth； for he is not a man to praise
himself； but； the fact is； the bank was in difficulties at the time
of that transfer； and； to make it； he sacrificed his personal
fortune； and； I think； awakened some of that ill…feeling you have
just noticed。〃 He checked himself too late： he had again lost not
only his tact and self…control； but had nearly betrayed himself。
He was surprised that the girl's justifiable ignorance should have
irritated him。 Yet she had evidently not noticed； or misunderstood
it； for she said； with a certain precision that was almost
studied：
〃Yes； I suppose it would have been a terrible thing to him to have
been suspected of misappropriating a Trust confided to him by
parties who had already paid him the high compliment of confiding
to his care a secret and a fortune。〃
Paul glanced at her quickly with astonishment。 Was this ignorance；
or suspicion？ Her manner； however； suddenly changed； with the
charming capriciousness of youth and conscious beauty。 〃He speaks
of you in this letter；〃 she said； letting her dark eyes rest on him
provokingly。
〃That accounts for your lack of interest then；〃 said Paul gayly；
relieved to turn a conversation fraught with so much danger。
〃But he speaks very flatteringly；〃 she went on。 〃He seems to be
another one of your admirers。 I'm sure； Mr。 Hathaway； after that
scene in the hotel parlor yesterday； YOU； at least； cannot complain
of having been misrepresented before ME。 To tell you the truth； I
think I hated you a little for it。〃
〃You were quite right；〃 returned Paul。 〃I must have been
insufferable！ And I admit that I was slightly piqued against YOU
for the idolatries showered upon you at the same moment by your
friends。〃
Usually； when two young people have reached the point of
confidingly exchanging their first impressions of each other； some
progress has been made in first acquaintance。 But it did not
strike Paul in that way； and Yerba's next remark was discouraging。
〃But I'm rather disappointed； for all that。 Colonel Pendleton
tells me you know nothing of my family or of the secret。〃
Paul was this time quite prepared； and withstood the girl's
scrutiny calmly。 〃Do you think；〃 he asked lightly； 〃that even HE
knows？〃
〃Of course he does；〃 she returned quickly。 〃Do you suppose he
would have taken all that trouble you have just talked about if he
didn't know it？ And feared the consequences； perhaps？〃 she added；
with a slight return of her previous expressive manner。
Again Paul was puzzled and irritated； he knew not why。 But he only
said pleasantly； 〃I differ from you there。 I am afraid that such a
thing as fear never entered into Colonel Pendleton's calculations
on any subject。 I think he would act the same towards the highest
and the lowest； the powerful or the most weak。〃 As she glanced at
him quickly and mischievously； he added； 〃I am quite willing to
believe that his knowledge of you made his duty pleasanter。〃
He was again quite sincere； and his slight sympathy had that
irresistible quality of tone and look which made him so dangerous。
For he was struck with the pretty； soothed self…complacency that
had shone in her face since he had spoken of Pendleton's equal
disinterestedness。 It seemed； too； as if what he had taken for
passion or petulance in her manner had been only a resistance to
some continual aggression of condition。 With that remainder held
in check； a certain latent nobility was apparent； as of her true
self。 In this moment of pleased abstraction she had drawn through
the lattice…work of one of the windows a spray of roses clinging to
the vine； and with her graceful head a little on one side； was
softly caressing her cheek with it。 She certainly was very pretty。
From the crown of her dark little head to the narrow rosetted
slippers that had been idly tapping the ground； but now seemed to
press it more proudly； with arched insteps and small ankles； she
was pleasant to look upon。
〃But you surely have something else to think about； Miss Yerba？〃
said the young man； with conviction。 〃In a few months you will be
of age； and rid of those dreadfully stupid guardians； with your〃
The loosened rose…spray flew from her hand out of the window as she
made a gesture； half real； half assumed； of imploring supplication。
〃Oh； please； Mr。 Hathaway； for Heaven's sake don't YOU begin too！
You are going to say that； with my wealth； my accomplishments； my
beauty； my friends； what more can I want？ What do I care about a
secret that can neither add to them nor take them away？ Yes； you
were！ It's the regular thing to sayeverybody says it。 Why； I
should have thought 'the youngest senator' could afford to have
been more original。〃
〃I plead guilty to ALL the weaknesses of humanity；〃 said Paul；
warmly； again beginning to believe that he had been most unjust to
her independence。
〃Well； I forgive you； because you have forgotten to say that； if I
don't like the name of Yerba Buena； I could SO easily change that
too。〃
〃But you DO like it；〃 said Paul； touched with this first hearing of
her name in her own musical accents； 〃or would like it if you heard
yourself pronounce it。〃 It suddenly recurred to him； with a
strange thrill of pleasure； that he himself had given it to her。
It was as if he had created some musical instrument to which she
had just given voice。 In his enthusiasm he had thrown himself on
the bench beside her in an attitude that； I fear； was not as
dignified as became his elderly office。
〃But you don't think that is my NAME；〃 said the girl； quickly。
〃I beg your pardon？〃 said Paul； hesitatingly。
〃You don't think that anybody would have been so utterly idiotic as
to call me after a ground…vinea vegetable？〃 she continued
petulantly。
〃Eh？〃 stammered Paul。
〃A name that could be so easily translated；〃 she went on； half
scornfully； 〃and when translated； wa