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a ward of the golden gate(金门一区)-第23部分

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may  have;  perhaps;  given   rise to   your supposition。  She   joins   me   in   best 



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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。 



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                                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 



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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 



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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 

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