第 23 节
作者:暖暖      更新:2022-11-23 12:12      字数:9321
  may  have;  perhaps;  given   rise to   your supposition。  She   joins   me   in   best
  76
  … Page 77…
  A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
  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。
  77
  … Page 78…
  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 armed invasion; thought better of it; and
  took his uniform away into the sunlight of the open square; where it was
  joined by other uniforms; and became by contrast a miracle of unbraced
  levity。   Paul   stood   the   Polar   silence   for   a   few   moments;  until   one   of   the
  readers arose and; taking his booka Murrayin his hand; walked slowly
  across the room to a companion; mutely pointed to a passage in the book;
  remained   silent   until   the   other   had   dumbly   perused   it;   and   then   walked
  back   again   to   his   seat;   having   achieved   the   incident   without   a   word。 At
  which   Paul;   convinced   of   his   own   incongruity;   softly  withdrew   with   his
  hat in his hand; and his eyes fixed devotionally upon it。
  It was good after that to get into the slanting sunlight and checkered
  linden   shadows   of   the Allee;   to   see   even   a   tightly   jacketed   cavalryman
  naturally walking with Clarchen and her two round…faced and drab…haired
  young   charges;   to   watch   the   returning   invalid   procession;   very   real   and
  78
  … Page 79…
  A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
  very human; each individual intensely involved in the atmosphere of his
  own   symptoms;   and   very   good   after   that   to   turn   into   the   Thiergarten;
  where      the  animals;     were;   however;      chiefly   of   his  own     species;   and
  shamelessly and openly amusing themselves。 It was pleasant to contrast it
  with his first visit to the place three months before; and correct his crude
  impressions。 And it was still more pleasant suddenly to recognize; under
  the round flat cap of a general officer; a former traveler who was fond of
  talking with him about America with an intelligence and understanding of
  it that Paul had often missed among his own traveled countrymen。 It was
  pleasant   to   hear   his   unaffected   and   simple   greeting;   to   renew   their   old
  acquaintance; and to saunter back   to the  hotel together through   the  long
  twilight。
  They  were   only   a   few   squares   from   the   hotel;   when   Paul's   attention
  was attracted by the curiosity and delight of two or three children before
  him;    who    appeared     to   be  following     a  quaint…looking      figure   that   was
  evidently not unfamiliar to them。 It appeared to be a servant in a striking
  livery   of   green   with   yellow   facings   and   crested   silver   buttons;   but   still
  more     remarkable      for   the   indescribable     mingling      of  jaunty    ease   and
  conscious      dignity    with    which     he   carried   off   his   finery。   There    was
  something so singular and yet so vaguely reminiscent in his peculiar walk
  and the exaggerated swing of his light bamboo cane that Paul could not
  only understand the childish wonder of the passers…by; who turned to look
  after him; but was stirred with a deeper curiosity。 He quickened his pace;
  but   was   unable     to  distinguish    anything     of   the  face   or  features   of  the
  stranger; except that his hair under his cocked hat appeared to be tightly
  curled and powdered。 Paul's companion; who was amused at what seemed
  to   be   the   American's   national   curiosity;   had   seen   the   figure   before。   〃A
  servant in the suite of some Eastern Altesse visiting the baths。 You will see
  stranger   things;   my   friend;   in   the   Strudle   Bad。   Par   example;   your   own
  countrymen;        too;  the   one   who    has   enriched    himself     by  that   pork   of
  Chicago; or that soap; or this candle; in a carriage with the crest of the title
  he has bought in Italy with his dollars; and his beautiful daughters; who
  are seeking more titles with possible matrimonial contingencies。〃
  After an early dinner; Paul found his way to the little theatre。 He had
  79
  … Page 80…
  A WARD OF THE GOLDEN GATE
  already     been    struck    by   a  highly    colored     poster   near    the  Bahnhof;
  purporting       that   a   distinguished      German       company       would     give    a
  representation   of   〃Uncle   Tom's   Cabin;〃   and   certain   peculiarities   in   the
  pictorial     advertisement       of    the    tableaux     gave     promise      of   some
  entertainment。       He   found    the   theatre   fairly   full;  there   was    the  usual
  contingent of abonnirte officers; a fair sprinkling of English and German
  travelers; but apparently none of his own countrymen。 He had no time to
  examine   the   house   more   closely;   for   the   play;   commencing   with   simple
  punctuality; not only far exceeded the promise of the posters; but of any
  previous performance of the play he had witnessed。 Transported at once to
  a gorgeous tropical regionthe slave States of Americaresplendent with
  the fruits and palms of Mauritius; and peopled exclusively with Paul and
  Virginia's   companions   in   striped   cotton;   Hathaway   managed   to   keep   a
  composed face; until the arrival of the good Southern planter St。 Clair as
  one    of  the   earlier  portraits   of  Goethe;     in  top  boots;   light   kerseymere
  breeches; redingote and loose Byron collar; compelled him to shrink into
  the upper corner of the box with his handkerchief to his face。 Luckily; the
  action   passed   as   the   natural   effect   upon   a   highly   sympathetic   nature   of
  religious   interviews   between   a   round…faced   flaxen…haired   〃Kleine   Eva〃
  and   〃Onkeel   Tome;〃   occasionally  assisted   by   a   Dissenting   clergyman   in
  Geneva bands; of excessive brutality with a cattle whip by a Zamiel…like
  Legree; of the sufferings of a runaway negro Zimmermadchen with a child
  three   shades   lighter   than   herself;   and   of   a   painted   canvas   〃man…hunt;〃
  where apparently four well known German composers on horseback; with
  flowing hair; top boots; and a Cor de chasse; were pursuing; with the aid
  of a pack of fox hounds; 〃the much too deeply abused and yet spiritually
  elevated Onkeel Tome。〃 Paul did not wait for the final apotheosis of 〃der
  Kleine Eva;〃 but; in the silence of a hushed audience; made his way into
  the corridor and down the staircase。 He was passing an open door marked
  〃Direction;〃 when his attention was sharply attracted by a small gathering
  around it and the sounds of indignant declamation。 It was the voice of a
  countrymanmore than that; it was a familiar voice; that he had not heard
  for three yearsthe voice of Colonel Harry Pendleton!
  〃Tell    him;〃    said   Pendleton;     in  scathing    tones;   to   some    invisible