the crusade of the excelsior-第17章

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！



anything　else　in　these　somewhat　commonplace　details　of　vulgar　and

low　intrigue　than　what　he　had　told　the　priest？　　Were　all　these

Americano　husbands　as　sensitive　and　as　gloomily　self…sacrificing

and　expiating？　　It　did　not　appear　so　from　the　manners　and　customs

of　the　others；from　those　easy　matrons　whose　complacent　husbands

had　abandoned　them　to　the　long　companionship　of　youthful　cavaliers

on　adventurous　voyages；　from　those　audacious　virgins；　who　had　the

freedom　of　married　women。　　Surely；　this　was　not　a　pious　and

sensitive　race；　passionately　devoted　to　their　domestic　affections！

The　young　stranger　must　be　either　deceiving　himor　an　exception　to

his　countrymen！



And　if　he　was　that　exceptionwhat　then？　　An　idea　which　had　sprung

up　in　Father　Esteban's　fancy　that　morning　now　took　possession　of　it

with　the　tenacity　of　a　growth　on　fertile　virgin　soil。　　The　good

Father　had　been　devoted　to　the　conversion　of　the　heathen　with　the

fervor　of　a　one…ideaed　man。　　But　his　successes　had　been　among　the

Indiansa　guileless；　harmless　race；　who　too　often　confounded　the

practical　benefits　of　civilization　with　the　abstract　benefits　of

the　Church；　and　their　instruction　had　been　simple　and　coercive。

There　had　been　no　necessity　for　argument　or　controversy；　the　worthy

priest's　skill　in　polemical　warfare　and　disputation　had　never　been

brought　into　play；　the　Comandante　and　Alcalde　were　as　punctiliously

orthodox　as　himself；　and　the　small　traders　and　artisans　were

hopelessly　docile　and　submissive。　　The　march　of　science；　which　had

been　stopped　by　the　local　fogs　of　Todos　Santos　some　fifty　years；

had　not　disturbed　the　simple　Aesculapius　of　the　province　with

heterodox　theories：　he　still　purged　and　bled　like　Sangrado；　and　met

the　priest　at　the　deathbed　of　his　victims　with　a　pious　satisfaction

that　had　no　trace　of　skeptical　contention。　　In　fact；　the　gentle

Mission　of　Todos　Santos　had　hitherto　presented　no　field　for　the

good　Father's　exalted　ambition；　nor　the　display　of　his　powers　as　a

zealot。　　And　here　was　a　splendid　opportunity。



The　conversion　of　this　dark；　impulsive；　hysterical　stranger　would

be　a　gain　to　the　fold；　and　a　triumph　worthy　of　his　steel。　　More

than　that；　if　he　had　judged　correctly　of　this　young　man's　mind　and

temperament；　they　seemed　to　contain　those　elements　of　courage　and

sacrificial　devotion　that　indicated　the　missionary　priesthood。

With　such　a　subaltern；　what　might　not　he；　Father　Esteban；

accomplish！　　Looking　further　into　the　future；　what　a　glorious

successor　might　be　left　to　his　unfinished　work　on　Todos　Santos！



Buried　in　these　reflections；　Padre　Esteban　sauntered　leisurely　up

the　garden；　that　gradually　ascended　the　slight　elevation　on　which

the　greater　part　of　the　pueblo　was　built。　　Through　a　low　gateway　in

the　wall　he　passed　on　to　the　crest　of　the　one　straggling　street　of

Todos　Santos。　　On　either　side　of　him　were　ranged　the　low　one…

storied；　deep…windowed　adobe　fondas　and　artisans'　dwellings；　with

low…pitched　roofs　of　dull　red　pipe…like　tiles。　　Absorbed　in　his

fanciful　dreams；　he　did　not　at　first　notice　that　those　dwellings

appeared　deserted；　and　that　even　the　Posada　opposite　him；　whose

courtyard　was　usually　filled　with　lounging　muleteers；　was　empty　and

abandoned。　　Looking　down　the　street　towards　the　plaza；　he　became

presently　aware　of　some　undefined　stirring　in　the　peaceful　hamlet。

There　was　an　unusual　throng　in　the　square；　and　afar　on　that　placid

surface　of　the　bay　from　which　the　fog　had　lifted；　the　two　or　three

fishing…boats　of　Todos　Santos　were　vaguely　pulling。　　But　the

strange　ship　was　gone。



A　feeling　of　intense　relief　and　satisfaction　followed。　　Father

Esteban　pulled　out　his　snuff…box　and　took　a　long　and　complacent

pinch。　　But　his　relief　was　quickly　changed　to　consternation　as　an

armed　cavalcade　rapidly　wheeled　out　of　the　plaza　and　cantered

towards　him；　with　the　unmistakable　spectacle　of　the　male　passengers

of　the　Excelsior　riding　two　and　two；　and　guarded　by　double　files　of

dragoons　on　each　side。



At　a　sign　from　the　priest　the　subaltern　reined　in　his　mustang；

halted　the　convoy；　and　saluted　respectfully；　to　the　astonishment　of

the　prisoners。　　The　clerical　authority　of　Todos　Santos　evidently

dominated　the　military。　　Renewed　hope　sprang　up　in　the　hearts　of

the　Excelsior　party。



〃What　have　we　here？〃　asked　Padre　Esteban。



〃A　revolution；　your　Reverence；　among　the　Americanos；　with　robbery

of　the　Presidio　saluting…gun；　a　grave　affair。　　Your　Reverence　has

been　sent　for　by　the　Comandante。　　I　am　taking　these　men　to　San

Antonio　to　await　the　decision　of　the　Council。〃



〃And　the　ship？〃



〃Gone；　your　Reverence。　　One　of　the　parties　has　captured　it。〃



〃And　these？〃



〃Are　the　Legitimists；　your　Reverence：　at　least　they　have　confessed

to　have　warred　with　Mexico；　and　invaded　Californiathe　brigands。〃



The　priest　remained　lost　for　a　moment　in　blank　and　bitter

amazement。　　Banks　took　advantage　of　the　pause　to　edge　his　way　to

the　front。



〃Ask　him；　some　of　you；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Brace　and　Crosby；　〃when

this　dd　farce　will　be　over；　and　where　we　can　find　the　head　man

the　boss　idiot　of　this　foolery。〃



〃Let　him　put　it　milder；〃　whispered　Winslow。　　〃You　got　us　into

trouble　enough　with　your　tongue　already。〃



Crosby　hesitated　a　moment。



〃Quand　finira　ce　drole　representation？etetqui　est　ce　qui　est

l'entrepreneur？〃　he　said　dubiously。



The　priest　stared。　　These　Americans　were　surely　cooler　and　less

excitable　than　his　strange　guest。　　A　thought　struck　him。



〃How　many　are　still　in　the　ship？〃　he　asked　gently。



〃Nobody　but　Perkins　and　that　piratical　crew　of　niggers。〃



〃And　that　infernal　Hurlstone；〃　added　Winslow。



The　priest　pricked　up　his　ears。



〃Hurlstone？〃　he　repeated。



〃Yesa　passenger　like　ourselves；　as　we　supposed。　　But　we　are

satisfied　now　he　was　in　the　conspiracy　from　the　beginning；〃

translated　Crosby　painfully。



〃Look　at　his　strange　disappearancea　regular　put…up　job；〃　broke　in

Brace；　in　English；　without　reference　to　the　Padre's　not

comprehending　him；　〃so　that　he　and　Perkins　could　shut　themselves　up

together　without　suspicion。〃



〃Never　mind　Hurlstone　now；　he's　GONE；　and　we're　HERE；〃　said　Banks

angrily。　　〃Ask　the　parson；　as　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian；　what

sort　of　a　hole　we've　got　into；　anyhow。　　How　far　is　the　next

settlement？〃



Crosby　put　the　question。　　The　subaltern　lit　a　cigarette。



〃There　is　no　next　settlement。　　The　pueblo　ends　at　San　Antonio。〃



〃And　what's　beyond　that？〃



〃The　ocean。〃



〃And　what's　south？〃



〃The　desertone　cannot　pass　it。〃



〃And　north？〃



〃The　desert。〃



〃And　east？〃



〃The　desert　too。〃



〃Then　how　do　you　get　away　from　here？〃



〃We　do　not　get　away。〃



〃And　how　do　you　communicate　with　Mexicowith　your　Government？〃



〃When　a　ship　comes。〃



〃And　when　does　a　ship　come？〃



〃Quien　sabe？〃



The　officer　threw　away　his　cigarette。



〃I　say；　you'll　tell　the　Commander　that　all　this　is　illegal；　and

that　I'm　going　to　complain　to　our　Government；〃　continued　Banks

hurriedly。



〃I　go　to　speak　to　the　Comandante；〃　responded　the　priest　gravely。



〃And　tell　him　that　if　he　touches　a　hair　of　the　ladies'　heads　we'll

have　his　own　scalp；〃　interrupted　Brace　impetuously。



Even　Crosby's　diplomatic　modification　of　this　speech　did　not　appear

entirely　successful。



〃The　Mexican　soldier　wars　not　with　women；〃　said　the　priest　coldly。

〃Adieu；　messieurs！〃



The　cavalcade　moved　on。　　The　Excelsior　passengers　at　once　resumed

their　chorus　of　complaint；　tirade；　and　aggressive　suggestion；

heedless　of　the　soldiers　who　rode　stolidly　on　each　side。



〃To　think　we　haven't　got　a　single　revolver　among　us；〃　said　Brace

despairingly。



〃We　might　each　grab　a　carbine　from　these　nigger　fellows；〃　said

Crosby；　eying　them　contemplatively。



〃And　if　they　didn't　burst；　and　we　weren't　shot　by　the　next　patrol；

and　if　we'd　calculated　to　be　mean　enough　to　run　away　from　the

womenwhere　would　we　escape　to？〃　asked　Banks　curtly。　　〃Hold　on　at

least　until　we　get　an　ultimatum　from　that　commodious　ass　at　the

Presidio！　　Then　we'll　anticipate　the　fool…killer；　if　you　like。　　My

opinion　is；　they　aren't　in　any　great　hurry　to　try　ANYTHING　on　us

just　yet。〃



〃And　I　say；　lie　low　and　keep　dark　until　they　show　their　hand；〃

added　Winslow；　who　had　no　relish　for　an　indiscriminate　scrimmage；

and　had　his　own　ideas　of　placating　their　captors。



Nevertheless；　by　degrees　they　fell　into　a　silence；　partly　the

effect　of　the　strangely　enervating　air。　　The　fog　had　completely

risen　from　the　landscape；　and　hung　high　in　mid…air；　through　which

an　intense　sun；　shorn　of　its　fierceness；　diffused　a　lambent　warmth；

and　a　yellowish；　unctuous　light；　as　if　it　had　passed　through　amber。

The　bay　gleamed　clearly　and　distinctly；　not　a　shadow　flecked　its

surface　to　the　gray　impenetrable　rampart　of　fog　that　stretched　like

a　granite　wall　before　its　entrance。　　On　one　side　of　the　narrow　road

billows　of　monstrous　grain　undulated　to　the　crest　of　the　low　hills；

that　looked　like　larger　undulations　of　the　soil；　furrowed　by　bosky

canadas　or　shining　arroyos。　　Banks　was　startled　into　a　burst　of

professional　admiration。



〃There's　enough　grain　there　to　feed　a　thousand　Todos　Santos；　and

raised；　too；　with　tools　like　that；〃　he　continued；　pointing　to　a

primitive　plow　that　lay　on　the　wayside；　formed　by　a　single　forked

root。　　A　passing　ox…cart；　whose　creaking　wheels　were　made　of　a

solid　circle　of　wood；　apparently　sawn　from　an　ordinary　log；　again

plunged　him　into　cogitation。　　Here　and　there　little　areas　of　the

rudest　cultivation　broke　into　a　luxuriousness　of　orange；　lime；　and

fig　trees。　　The　joyous　earth　at　the　slightest　provocation　seemed　to

smile　and　dimple　with　fruit　and　flowers。　　Everywhere　the　rare

beatitudes　of　Todos　Santos　revealed　and　repeated　its　simple　story。

The　fructifying　influence　of　earth　and　sky；　the　intervention　of　a

vaporous　veil　between　a　fiery　sun　and　fiery　soil；　the　combination

of　heat　and　moisture；　purified　of　feverish　exhalations；　and　made

sweet　and　wholesome　by　the　saline　breath　of　the　mighty　sea；　had

been　the　beneficent　legacy　of　their　isolation；　the　munificent

compensation　of　their　oblivion。



A　gradual　and　gentle　ascent　at　the　end　of　two　hours　brought　the

cavalcade　to　a　halt　upon　a　rugged　upland　with　semi…tropical

shrubbery；　and　here　and　there　larger　trees　from　the　tierra　templada

in　the　evergreens　or　madrono。　　A　few　low　huts　and　corrals；　and　a

rambling　hacienda；　were　scattered　along　the　crest；　and　in　the　midst

arose　a　little　votive　chapel；　flanked　by　pear…trees。　　Near　the

roadside　were　the　crumbling　edges　of　some　long…forgotten　excavation。

Crosby　gazed　at　it　curiously。　　Touching　the　arm　of　the　officer；　he

pointed　to　it。



〃Una　mina　de　plata；〃　said　the　officer　sententiously。



〃A　mine　of　some　kindsilver；　I　bet！〃　said　Crosby；　turning　to　the

others。　　〃Is　it　goodbuenoyou　know？〃　he　con