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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 to Kernel Henderson of Tennessee； and do
gemplum I relieved was a Mr。 Johnson。 But de Kernel； he wouldn't see it
in dat light； sah； and if yo' don' mind； sah〃
〃I haven't the slightest idea of telling the colonel or anybody； George；〃
said Paul； smiling； 〃and I am glad to find on your own account that you
are able to put aside any work beyond your duty here。〃
〃Thank yo'； sah。 If yo' 'll let me introduce yo' to de refreshment； yo' 'll
find it all right now。 De Glencoe is dah。 De Kernel will be here soon； but
he would be pow'ful mo'tified； sah； if yo' didn't hab something afo' he
come。〃 He opened a well…filled sideboard as he spoke。 It was the first
evidence Paul had seen of the colonel's restored fortunes。 He would
willingly have contented himself with this mere outward manifestation；
but in his desire to soothe the ruffled dignity of the old man he consented
to partake of a small glass of spirits。 George at once became radiant and
communicative。 〃De Kernel bin gone to Santa Clara to see de young lady
dat's finished her edercation dahde Kernel's only ward； sah。 She's one o'
dose million…heiresses and highly connected； sah； wid de old Mexican
Gobbermen； I understand。 And I reckon dey's bin big goin's on doun dar；
foh de Mayer kem hisself fo' de Kernel。 Looks like des might bin a
proceshon； sah。 Yo' don' know of a young lady bin hab a title； sah？ I won't
be shuah； his Honah de Mayer or de Kernel didn't say someting about a
'Donna'〃
〃Very likely；〃 said Paul； turning away with a faint smile。 So it was
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already in the air！ Setting aside the old negro's characteristic exagg