the crusade of the excelsior-第19章

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not　remember　to　have　met　the　lady　before。　　The　fact　is；　she　does

not　move　in　our　circlein　the　upper　classes。〃



The　Alcalde　exchanged　a　glance　with　the　Padre。



〃Ah！　you　have　classes？　and　she　is　of　a　distinct　class；　perhaps？〃



〃Decidedly；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer　promptly。



〃Pardon　me；〃　said　Padre　Esteban；　with　gentle　persuasiveness；　〃but

you　are　speaking　of　your　fellow…passengers。　　Know　you　not；　then；　of

one　Hurlstone；　who　is　believed　to　be　still　in　the　ship　Excelsior；

and　perhaps　of　the　party　who　seized　it？〃



〃Mr。　Hurlstone？it　is　possible；　but　I　know　really　nothing　of　him；〃

said　Mrs。　Brimmer　carelessly。　　〃I　don't　think　Clarissa　did；　either

did　you；　dear？　　Even　in　our　enforced　companionship　we　had　to　use

some　reserve；　and　we　may　have　drawn　the　line　at　him！　　He　was　a

friend　of　Miss　Keene's；　indeed；　she　was　the　only　one　who　seemed　to

know　him。〃



〃And　she　is　now　here？〃　asked　the　Padre　eagerly。



〃No。　　She　is　with　her　friend　the　Senora　Markham；　at　the　Presidio。

The　Comandante　has　given　her　the　disposition　of　his　house；〃　said

Don　Ramon；　with　a　glance　of　grave　archness　at　Mrs。　Brimmer；　〃it　is

not　known　which　is　the　most　favored；　the　eloquent　orator　or　the

beautiful　and　daring　leader！〃



〃Mrs。　Markham　is　a　married　woman；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer　severely；

〃and；　of　course；　she　can　do　as　she　pleases；　but　it　is　far　different

with　Miss　Keene。　　I　should　scarcely　consider　it　proper　to　expose

Miss　Chubb　to　the　hospitality　of　a　single　man；　without　other　women；

and　I　cannot　understand　how　she　could　leave　the　companionship　and

protection　of　your　lovely　sisters。〃



The　priest　here　rose；　and；　with　formal　politeness；　excused　himself；

urging　the　peremptory　summons　of　the　Council。



〃I　scarcely　expected；　indeed；　to　have　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　my

colleague　here；〃　he　added　with　quiet　suavity；　turning　to　the

Alcalde。



〃I　have　already　expressed　my　views　to　the　Comandante；〃　said　the

official；　with　some　embarrassment；　〃and　my　attendance　will　hardly

be　required。〃



The　occasional　misleading　phosphorescence　of　Mrs。　Brimmer's　quiet

eyes；　early　alluded　to　in　these　pages；　did　not　escape　Father

Esteban's　quick　perception　at　that　moment；　however；　he　preferred　to

leave　his　companion　to　follow　its　aberrations　rather　than　to　permit

that　fair　ignis　fatuus　to　light　him　on　his　way　by　it。



〃But　my　visit　to　you；　Father　Esteban；〃　she　began　sweetly；　〃is　only

postponed。〃



〃Until　I　have　the　pleasure　of　anticipating　it　here；〃　said　the

priest；　with　paternal　politeness　bending　before　the　two　ladies；

〃but　for　the　present；　au　revoir！〃



〃It　would　be　an　easy　victory　to　win　this　discreetly　emotional

Americana　to　the　Church；〃　said　Father　Esteban　to　himself；　as　he

crossed　the　plaza；　〃but；　if　I　mistake　not；　she　would　not　cease　to

be　a　disturbing　element　even　there。　　However；　she　is　not　such　as

would　give　this　Hurlstone　any　trouble。　　It　seems　I　must　look

elsewhere　for　the　brains　of　this　party；　and　to　find　a　solution　of

this　young　man's　mystery；　and；　if　I　judge　correctly；　it　is　with

this　beautiful　young　agitator　of　revolutions　and　her　oratorical

duenna　I　must　deal。〃



He　entered　the　low　gateway　of　the　Presidio　unchallenged；　and　even

traversed　the　courtyard　without　meeting　a　soul。　　The　guard　and

sentries　had　evidently　withdrawn　to　their　habitual　peaceful

vocations；　and　the　former　mediaeval　repose　of　the　venerable

building　had　returned。　　There　was　no　one　in　the　guard…room；　but　as

the　priest　turned　back　to　the　corridor；　his　quick　ear　was　suddenly

startled　by　the　unhallowed　and　inconsistent　sounds　of　a　guitar。　　A

monotonous　voice　alsothe　Comandante's　evidentlywas　raised　in　a

thin；　high　recitative。



The　Padre　passed　hastily　through　the　guard…room；　and　opened　the

door　of　the　passage　leading　to　the　garden　slope。　　Here　an

extraordinary　group　presented　itself　to　his　astonished　eyes。　　In

the　shadow　of　a　palm…tree；　Mrs。　Markham；　seated　on　her　Saratoga

trunk　as　on　a　throne；　was　gazing　blandly　down　upon　the　earnest

features　of　the　Commander；　who；　at　her　feet；　guitar　in　hand；　was

evidently　repeating　some　musical　composition。　　His　subaltern　sat

near　him；　divided　in　admiration　of　his　chief　and　the　guest。　　Miss

Keene；　at　a　little　distance；　aided　by　the　secretary；　was　holding　an

animated　conversation　with　a　short；　stout；　Sancho　Panza…looking

man；　whom　the　Padre　recognized　as　the　doctor　of　Todos　Santos。



At　the　apparition　of　the　reverend　Father；　the　Commander　started；

the　subaltern　stared；　and　even　the　secretary　and　the　doctor　looked

discomposed。



〃I　am　decidedly　de　trop　this　morning；〃　soliloquized　the

ecclesiastic；　but　Miss　Keene　cut　short　his　reflection　by　running　to

him　frankly；　with　outstretched　hand。



〃I　am　so　glad　that　you　have　come；〃　she　said；　with　a　youthful；

unrestrained　earnestness　that　was　as　convincing　as　it　was

fascinating；　〃for　you　will　help　me　to　persuade　this　gentleman　that

poor　Captain　Bunker　is　suffering　more　from　excitement　of　mind　than

body；　and　that　bleeding　him　is　more　than　folly。〃



〃The　man's　veins　are　in　a　burning　fever　and　delirium　from

aguardiente；〃　said　the　little　doctor　excitedly；　〃and　the　fire　must

first　be　put　out　by　the　lancet。〃



〃He　is　only　crazy　with　remorse　for　having　lost　his　ship　through　his

own　carelessness　and　the　treachery　of　others；〃　said　Miss　Keene

doughtily。



〃He　is　a　maniac　and　will　kill　himself；　unless　his　fever　is

subdued；〃　persisted　the　doctor。



〃And　you　would　surely　kill　him　by　your　way　of　subduing　it；〃　said

the　young　girl　boldly。　　〃Better　for　him；　a　disgraced　man　of　honor；

to　die　by　his　own　hand；　than　to　be　bled　like　a　calf　into　a　feeble

and　helpless　dissolution。　　I　would；　if　I　were　in　his　placeif　I

had　to　do　it　by　tearing　off　the　bandages。〃



She　made　a　swift；　half　unconscious　gesture　of　her　little　hand；　and

stopped；　her　beautiful　eyes　sparkling；　her　thin　pink　nostrils

dilated；　her　red　lips　parted；　her　round　throat　lifted　in　the　air；

and　one　small　foot　advanced　before　her。　　The　men　glanced　hurriedly

at　each　other；　and　then　fixed　their　eyes　upon　her　with　a　rapt　yet

frightened　admiration。　　To　their　simple　minds　it　was　Anarchy　and

Revolution　personified；　beautiful；　and　victorious。



〃Ah！〃　said　the　secretary　to　Padre　Esteban；　in　Spanish；　〃it　is　true！

she　knows　not　fear！　　She　was　in　the　room　alone　with　the　madman；　he

would　let　none　approach　but　her！　　She　took　a　knife　from　himelse

the　medico　had　suffered！〃



〃He　recognized　her；　you　see！　　Ah！　they　know　her　power；〃　said　the

Comandante；　joining　the　group。



〃You　will　help　me；　Father　Esteban？〃　said　the　young　girl；　letting

the　fire　of　her　dark　eyes　soften　to　a　look　of　almost　childish

appeal〃you　will　help　me　to　intercede　for　him？　　It　is　the

restraint　only　that　is　killing　himthat　is　goading　him　to　madness！

Think　of　him；　Fatherthink　of　him：　ruined　and　disgraced；　dying　to

retrieve　himself　by　any　reckless　action；　any　desperate　chance　of

recovery；　and　yet　locked　up　where　he　can　do　nothingattempt

nothingnot　even　lift　a　hand　to　pursue　the　man　who　has　helped　to

bring　him　to　this！〃



〃But　he　CAN　do　nothing！　　The　ship　is　gone！〃　remonstrated　the

Comandante。



〃Yes；　the　ship　is　gone；　but　the　ocean　is　still　there；〃　said　Miss

Keene。



〃But　he　has　no　boat。〃



〃He　will　find　or　make　one。〃



〃And　the　fog　conceals　the　channel。〃



〃He　can　go　where　THEY　have　gone；　or　meet　their　fate。　　You　do　not

know　my　countrymen；　Senor　Comandante；〃　she　said　proudly。



〃Ah；　yespardon！　　They　are　at　San　Antoniothe　baker；　the　buffoon；

the　two　young　men　who　dig。　　They　are　already　baking　and　digging　and

joking。　　We　have　it　from　my　officer；　who　has　just　returned。〃



Miss　Keene　bit　her　pretty　lips。



〃They　think　it　is　a　mistake；　they　cannot　believe　that　any　intentional

indignity　is　offered　them；〃　she　said　quietly。　　〃Perhaps　it　is　well

they　do　not。〃



〃They　desired　me　to　express　their　condolences　to　the　Senora；〃　said

the　Padre；　with　exasperating　gentleness；　〃and　were　relieved　to　be

assured　by　me　of　your　perfect　security　in　the　hands　of　these

gentlemen。〃



Miss　Keene　raised　her　clear　eyes　to　the　ecclesiastic。　　That

accomplished　diplomat　of　Todos　Santos　absolutely　felt　confused

under　the　cool　scrutiny　of　this　girl's　unbiased　and　unsophisticated

intelligence。



〃Then　you　HAVE　seen　them；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　know　their　innocence；

and　the　utter　absurdity　of　this　surveillance？〃



〃I　have　not　seen　them　ALL；〃　said　the　priest　softly。　　〃There　is

still　anothera　Senor　Hurlstonewho　is　missing？　　Is　he　not？〃



It　was　not　in　the　possibility　of　Eleanor　Keene's　truthful　blood　to

do　other　than　respond　with　a　slight　color　to　this　question。　　She

had　already　concealed　from　every　one　the　fact　of　having　seen　the

missing　man　in　the　Mission　garden　the　evening　before。　　It　did　not；

however；　prevent　her　the　next　moment　from　calmly　meeting　the　glance

of　the　priest　as　she　answered　gravely；



〃I　believe　so。　　But　I　cannot　see　what　that　has　to　do　with　the

detention　of　the　others。〃



〃Much；　perhaps。　　It　has　been　said　that　you　alone；　my　child；　were　in

the　confidence　of　this　man。〃



〃Who　dared　say　that？〃　exclaimed　Miss　Keene　in　English；　forgetting

herself　in　her　indignation。



〃If　it's　anything　meanit's　Mrs。　Brimmer；　I'll　bet　a　cooky；〃　said

Mrs。　Markham；　whose　linguistic　deficiencies　had　debarred　her　from

the　previous　conversation。



〃You　have　only；〃　continued　the　priest；　without　noticing　the

interruption；　〃to　tell　us　what　you　know　of　this　Hurlstone's　plans；

of　his　complicity　with　Senor　Perkins；　or；〃　he　added　significantly；

〃his　opposition　to　themto　insure　that　perfect　justice　shall　be

done　to　all。〃



Relieved　that　the　question　involved　no　disclosure　of　her　only

secret　regarding　Hurlstone；　Miss　Keene　was　about　to　repeat　the

truth　that　she　had　no　confidential　knowledge　of　him；　or　of　his

absurd　alleged　connection　with　Senor　Perkins；　when；　with　an

instinct　of　tact；　she　hesitated。　　Might　she　not　serve　them　all

even　Hurlstone　himselfby　saying　nothing；　and　leaving　the　burden

of　proof　to　their　idiotic　accusers？　　Was　she　altogether　sure　that

Hurlstone　was　entirely　ignorant　of　Senor　Perkins'　plans；　or　might

he　not　have　refused；　at　the　last　moment；　to　join　in　the　conspiracy；

and　so　left　the　ship？



〃I　will　not　press　you　for　your　answer　now；〃　said　the　priest　gently。

〃But　you　will　not；　I　know；　keep　back　anything　that　may　throw　a

light　on　this　sad　affair；　and　perhaps　help　to　reinstate　your　friend

Mr。　Hurlstone　in　his　REAL　position。〃



〃If　you　ask　me　if　I　believe　that　Mr。　Hurlstone　had　anything　to　do

with　this　conspiracy；　I　should　say；　unhesitatingly；　that　I　do　NOT。

And　more；　I　believe　that　he　would　have　jumped　overboard　rather　than

assent　to　so　infamous　an　act；〃　said　the　young　girl　boldly。



〃Then　you　think　he　had　no　other　motive　for　leaving　the　ship？〃　said

the　priest　slowly。



〃Decidedly　not。〃　　She　stopped；　a　curious　anxious　look　in　the

Padre's　persistent　eyes　b