the crusade of the excelsior-第12章

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〃Why　not？〃　he　glanced　meaningly　at　two　of　his　companions；　who　had

approached　the　side；　〃perhaps　others　would。　　Who　is　sending　the

booty　ashore；　eh？〃



〃Come　out　of　that　boat；〃　said　the　Senor；　leaning　over　the　bulwarks

with　folded　arms；　and　his　eyes　firmly　fixed　on　the　man。



The　man　did　not　move。　　But　the　Senor's　hand　suddenly　flew　to　the

back　of　his　neck；　smote　violently　downwards；　and　sent　eighteen

inches　of　glittering　steel　hurtling　through　the　air。　　The　bowie…

knife　entered　the　upturned　throat　of　the　man　and　buried　itself

halfway　to　the　hilt。　　Without　a　gasp　or　groan　he　staggered　forward；

caught　wildly　at　the　side　of　the　ship；　and　disappeared　between　the

boat　and　the　vessel。



〃My　lads；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　turning　with　a　gentle　smile　towards

the　faces　that　in　the　light　of　the　swinging　lantern　formed　a

ghastly　circle　around　him；　〃when　I　boarded　this　ship　that　had

brought　aid　and　succor　to　our　oppressors　at　Callao；　I　determined　to

take　possession　of　it　peacefully；　without　imperiling　the　peace　and

property　of　the　innocent　passengers　who　were　intrusted　to　its　care；

and　without　endangering　your　own　lives　or　freedom。　　But　I　made　no

allowance　for　TRAITORS。　　The　blood　that　has　been　shed　to…night　has

not　been　spilt　in　obedience　to　my　orders；　nor　to　the　cause　that　we

serve；　it　was　from　DEFIANCE　of　it；　and　the　real　and　only　culprit

has　just　atoned　for　it。〃



He　stopped；　and　then　stepped　back　from　the　gangway；　as　if　to　leave

it　open　to　the　men。



〃What　I　have　done；〃　he　continued　calmly；　〃I　do　not　ask　you　to

consider　either　as　an　example　or　a　warning。　　You　are　free　to　do

what　HE　would　have　done；〃　he　repeated；　with　a　wave　of　his　hand

towards　the　open　gangway　and　the　empty　boat。　　〃You　are　free　to

break　your　contract　and　leave　the　ship；　and　I　give　you　my　word　that

I　will　not　lift　a　hand　to　prevent　it。　　But　if　you　stay　with　me；〃　he

said；　suddenly　turning　upon　them　a　face　as　livid　as　their　own；　〃I

swear　by　the　living　God；　that；　if　between　this　and　the

accomplishment　of　my　design；　you　as　much　as　shirk　or　question　any

order　given　by　me；　you　shall　die　the　death　of　that　dog　who　went

before　you。　　Choose　as　you　pleasebut　quickly。〃



The　mate　was　the　first　to　move。　　Without　a　word；　he　crossed　over　to

the　Senor's　side。　　The　men　hesitated　a　moment　longer；　until　one；

with　a　strange　foreign　cry；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　before　the

Senor；　ejaculating；　〃Pardon！　pardon！〃　　The　others　followed；　some

impulsively　catching　at　the　hand　that　had　just　slain　their　comrade；

and　covering　it　with　kisses！



〃Pardon；　Patronowe　are　yours。〃



〃You　are　the　State's；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　coldly；　with　every

vestige　of　his　former　urbanity　gone　from　his　colorless　face。

〃Enough！　　Go　back　to　your　duty。〃　　He　watched　them　slink　away；　and

then　turned　to　the　mate。　　〃Get　the　last　boat…load　ready；　and　report

to　me。〃



From　that　moment　another　power　seemed　to　dominate　the　ship。　　The

men　no　longer　moved　listlessly；　or　slunk　along　the　deck　with

perfunctory　limbs；　a　feverish　haste　and　eagerness　possessed　them；

the　boat　was　quickly　loaded；　and　the　mysterious　debarkation

completed　in　rapidity　and　silence。　　This　done；　the　fog　once　more

appeared　to　rise　from　the　water　and　softly　encompass　the　ship；

until　she　seemed　to　be　obliterated　from　its　face。　　In　this　vague

obscurity；　from　time　to　time；　the　faint　rattling　of　chains　was

heard；　the　soft　creaking　of　blocks；　and　later　on；　the　regular　rise

and　fall　of　oars。　　And　then　the　darkness　fell　heavier；　the　sounds

became　more　and　more　indistinct　and　were　utterly　lost。



Ashore；　however；　the　lanterns　still　glittered　brightly　in　the

courtyard　of　the　Presidio；　the　noise　of　laughter　and　revel　still

came　from　the　supper…room；　and；　later；　the　tinkling　of　guitars　and

rhythmical　clapping　hands　showed　that　the　festivities　were　being

wound　up　by　a　characteristic　fandango。　　Captain　Bunker　succumbed

early　to　his　potations　of　fiery　aguardiente；　and　was　put　to　bed　in

the　room　of　the　Commander；　to　whom　he　had　sworn　eternal　friendship

and　alliance。　　It　was　long　past　midnight　before　the　other　guests

were　disposed　of　in　the　various　quarters　of　the　Presidio；　but　to

the　ladies　were　reserved　the　more　ostentatious　hospitalities　of　the

Alcalde　himself；　the　walls　of　whose　ambitious　hacienda　raised

themselves　across　the　plaza　and　overlooked　the　gardens　of　the

Mission。



It　was　from　one　of　the　deep；　quaintly　barred　windows　of　the

hacienda　that　Miss　Keene　gazed　thoughtfully　on　the　night；　unable　to

compose　herself　to　sleep。　　An　antique　guest…chamber　had　been

assigned　to　her　in　deference　to　her　wish　to　be　alone；　for　which　she

had　declined　the　couch　and　vivacious　prattle　of　her　new　friend；

Dona　Isabel。　　The　events　of　the　day　had　impressed　her　more　deeply

than　they　had　her　companions；　partly　from　her　peculiar　inexperience

of　the　world；　and　partly　from　her　singular　sensitiveness　to

external　causes。　　The　whole　quaint　story　of　the　forgotten　and

isolated　settlement；　which　had　seemed　to　the　other　passengers　as　a

trivial　and　half　humorous　incident；　affected　her　imagination

profoundly。　　When　she　could　escape　the　attentions　of　her

entertainers；　or　the　frivolities　of　her　companions；　she　tried　to

touch　the　far…off　past　on　the　wings　of　her　fancy；　she　tried　to

imagine　the　life　of　those　people；　forgetting　the　world　and

forgotten　by　it；　she　endeavored　to　picture　the　fifty　years　of

solitude　amidst　these　decaying　ruins；　over　which　even　ambition　had

crumbled　and　fallen。　　It　seemed　to　her　the　true　conventual

seclusion　from　the　world　without　the　loss　of　kinship　or　home

influences；　she　contrasted　it　with　her　boarding…school　life　in　the

fashionable　seminary；　she　wondered　what　she　would　have　become　had

she　been　brought　up　here；　she　thought　of　the　happy　ignorance　of

Dona　Isabel；　andshuddered；　and　yet　she　felt　herself　examining　the

odd　furniture　of　the　room　with　an　equally　childlike　and　admiring

curiosity。　　And　these　people　looked　upon　HER　as　a　superior　being！



From　the　deep　embrasure　of　the　window　she　could　see　the　tops　of　the

pear　and　olive　trees；　in　the　misty　light　of　an　invisible　moon　that

suffused　the　old　Mission　garden　with　an　ineffable　and　angelic

radiance。　　To　her　religious　fancy　it　seemed　to　be　a　spiritual

effusion　of　the　church　itself；　enveloping　the　two　gray　dome…shaped

towers　with　an　atmosphere　and　repose　of　its　own；　until　it　became

the　incarnate　mystery　and　passion　where　it　stood。



She　was　suddenly　startled　by　a　moving　shadow　beside　the　wall；

almost　immediately　below　herthe　figure　of　a　man！　　He　was　stealing

cautiously　towards　the　church；　as　if　to　gain　the　concealment　of　the

shrubbery　that　grew　beside　it；　and；　furtively　glancing　from　side　to

side；　looked　towards　her　window。　　She　unconsciously　drew　back；

forgetting　at　the　moment　that　her　light　was　extinguished；　and　that

it　was　impossible　for　the　stranger　to　see　her。　　But　she　had　seen

HIM；　and　in　that　instant　recognized　Mr。　Hurlstone！



Then　he　HAD　come　ashore；　and　secretly；　for　the　other　passengers

believed　him　still　on　the　ship！　　But　what　was　he　doing　there？and

why　had　he　not　appeared　with　the　others　at　the　entertainment？　　She

could　understand　his　avoidance　of　them　from　what　she　knew　of　his

reserved　and　unsocial　habits；　but　when　he　could　so　naturally　have

remained　on　shipboard；　she　could　not；　at　first；　conceive　why　he

should　wish　to　prowl　around　the　town　at　the　risk　of　detection。　　The

idea　suddenly　occurred　to　her　that　he　had　had　another　attack　of　his

infirmity　and　was　walking　in　his　sleep；　and　for　an　instant　she

thought　of　alarming　the　house；　that　some　one　might　go　to　his

assistance。　　But　his　furtive　movements　had　not　the　serene

impassibility　of　the　somnambulist。　　Another　thought　withheld　her；

he　had　looked　up　at　her　window！　　Did　he　know　she　was　there？　　A

faint　stirring　of　shame　and　pleasure　sent　a　slight　color　to　her

cheek。　　But　he　had　gained　the　corner　of　the　shrubbery　and　was　lost

in　the　shadow。　　She　turned　from　the　window。　　A　gentle　sense　of

vague　and　half　maternal　pity　suffused　her　soft　eyes　as　she　at　last

sought　her　couch　and　fell　into　a　deep　slumber。



Towards　daybreak　a　wind　arose　over　the　sleeping　town　and　far

outlying　waters。　　It　breathed　through　the　leaves　of　the　Mission

garden；　brushed　away　the　clinging　mists　from　the　angles　of　the

towers；　and　restored　the　sharp　outlines　of　the　ruined

fortifications。　　It　swept　across　the　unruffled　sea　to　where　the

Excelsior；　cradled　in　the　softly　heaving　bay；　had　peacefully　swung

at　anchor　on　the　previous　night；　and　lifted　the　snowy　curtain　of

the　fog　to　seaward　as　far　as　the　fringe　of　surf；　a　league　away。



But　the　cradle　of　the　deep　was　emptythe　ship　was　gone！





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　GENTLE　CASTAWAYS。





Miss　Keene　was　awakened　from　a　heavy　sleep　by　a　hurried　shake　of

her　shoulder　and　an　indefinite　feeling　of　alarm。　　Opening　her　eyes；

she　was　momentarily　dazed　by　the　broad　light　of　day；　and　the

spectacle　of　Mrs。　Brimmer；　pale　and　agitated；　in　a　half…Spanish

dishabille；　standing　at　her　bedside。



〃Get　up　and　dress　yourself；　my　dear；　at　once；〃　she　said　hurriedly；

but　at　the　same　time　attentively　examining　Miss　Keene's　clothes；

that　were　lying　on　the　chair：　〃and　thank　Heaven　you　came　here　in　an

afternoon　dress；　and　not　in　an　evening　costume　like　mine！　　For

something　awful　has　happened；　and　Heaven　only　knows　whether　we'll

ever　see　a　stitch　of　our　clothes　again。〃



〃WHAT　has　happened？〃　asked　Miss　Keene　impatiently；　sitting　up　in

bed；　more　alarmed　at　the　unusual　circumstance　of　Mrs。　Brimmer's

unfinished　toilet　than　at　her　incomplete　speech。



〃What；　indeed！　　Nobody　knows；　but　it's　something　awfula　mutiny；

or　shipwreck；　or　piracy。　　But　there's　your　friend；　the　Commander；

calling　out　the　troops；　and　such　a　set　of　Christy　Minstrels　you

never　saw　before！　　There's　the　Alcalde　summoning　the　Council；

there's　Mr。　Banks　raving；　and　running　round　for　a　steamboatas　if

these　people　ever　heard　of　such　a　thing！and　Captain　Bunker；　what

with　rage　and　drink；　gone　off　in　a　fit　of　delirium　tremens；　and

locked　up　in　his　room！　　And　the　Excelsior　gonethe　Lord　knows

where！〃



〃Gone！〃　repeated　Miss　Keene；　hurrying　on　her　clothes。　　〃Impossible！

What　does　Father　Esteban　tell　you？　　What　does　Dona　Isabel　say？〃



〃That's　the　most　horrible　part　of　it！　　Do　you　know　those　wretched

idiots　believe　it's　some　political　revolution　among　ourselves；　like

their　own　miserable　government。　　I　believe　that　baby　Isabel　thinks

that　King　George　and　Washington　have　something　to　do　with　it；　at

any　rate；　they're　anxious　to　know　to　what　side　you　belong！　　So；　for

goodness'　sake！　if　you　have　to　humor　them；　say　we're　all　on　the

same　sideI　mean；　don't　you　and　Mrs。　Markham　go　against　Miss　Chubb

and　me。〃



Scarcely　knowing　whether　to　laugh　or　cry　at　Mrs。　Brimmer's

incoherent　statement；　Miss　Keene　hastily　finished　dressing　as　the

door　flew　open　to　admit　the　impulsive　Dona　Isabel　and　her　sister