the crusade of the excelsior-第20章

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the　priest　slowly。



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

Padre's　persistent　eyes　both　annoyed　and　frightened　her。　　〃What

other　motive　could　he　have？〃　she　said　coldly。



Father　Esteban's　face　lightened。



〃I　only　ask　because　I　think　you　would　have　known　it。　　Thank　you　for

the　assurance　all　the　same；　and　in　return　I　promise　you　I　will　use

my　best　endeavors　with　the　Comandante　for　your　friend　the　Captain

Bunker。　　Adieu；　my　daughter。　　Adieu；　Madame　Markham；〃　he　said；　as；

taking　the　arm　of　Don　Miguel；　he　turned　with　him　and　the　doctor

towards　the　guard…room。　　The　secretary　lingered　behind　for　a

moment。



〃Fear　nothing；〃　he　said；　in　whispered　English　to　Miss　Keene。　　〃I；

Ruy　Sanchez；　shall　make　you　free　of　Capitano　Bunker's　cell；〃　and

passed　on。



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　when　the　two　women　were　alone　again。　　〃I

don't　pretend　to　fathom　the　befogged　brains　of　Todos　Santos；　but　as

far　as　I　can　understand　their　grown…up　child's　play；　they　are

making　believe　this　unfortunate　Mr。　Hurlstone；　who　may　be　dead　for

all　we　know；　is　in　revolt　against　the　United　States　Government；

which　is　supposed　to　be　represented　by　Senor　Perkins　and　the

Excelsiorthink　of　that！〃



〃But　Perkins　signed　himself　of　the　Quinquinambo　navy！〃　said　Miss

Keene　wonderingly。



〃That　is　firmly　believed　by　those　idiots　to　be　one　of　OUR　States。

Remember　they　know　nothing　of　what　has　happened　anywhere　in　the

last　fifty　years。　　I　dare　say　they　never　heard　of　filibusters　like

Perkins；　and　they　couldn't　comprehend　him　if　they　had。　　I've　given

up　trying　to　enlighten　them；　and　I　think　they're　grateful　for　it。

It　makes　their　poor　dear　heads　ache。〃



〃And　it　is　turning　mine！　　But；　for　Heaven's　sake；　tell　me　what　part

I　am　supposed　to　act　in　this　farce！〃　said　Miss　Keene。



〃You　are　the　friend　and　colleague　of　Hurlstone；　don't　you　see？〃

said　Mrs。　Markham。　　〃You　are　two　beautiful　young　patriotsdon't

blush；　my　dear！endeared　to　each　other　and　a　common　cause；　and

ready　to　die　for　your　country　in　opposition　to　Perkins；　and　the

faint…heartedness　of　such　neutrals　as　Mrs。　Brimmer；　Miss　Chubb；　the

poor　Captain；　and　all　the　men　whom　they　have　packed　off　to　San

Antonio。〃



〃Impossible！〃　said　Miss　Keene；　yet　with　an　uneasy　feeling　that　it

not　only　was　possible；　but　that　she　herself　had　contributed

something　to　the　delusion。　　〃But　how　do　they　account　for　my

friendship　with　YOUyou；　who　are　supposed　to　be　a　correspondent

an　accomplice　of　Perkins？〃



〃No；　no；〃　returned　Mrs。　Markham；　with　a　half　serious　smile；　〃I　am

not　allowed　that　honor。　　I　am　presumed　to　be　only　the　disconsolate

Dulcinea　of　Perkins；　abandoned　by　HIM；　pitied　by　you；　and　converted

to　the　true　faithat　least；　that　is　what　I　make　out　from　the

broken　English　of　that　little　secretary　of　the　Commander。〃



Miss　Keene　winced。



〃That's　all　my　fault；　dear；〃　she　said；　suddenly　entwining　her　arms

round　Mrs。　Markham；　and　hiding　her　half　embarrassed　smile　on　the

shoulder　of　her　strong…minded　friend；　〃they　suggested　it　to　me；　and

I　half　assented；　to　save　you。　　Please　forgive　me。〃



〃Don't　think　I　am　blaming　you；　my　dear　Eleanor；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham。

〃For　Heaven's　sake　assent　to　the　wildest　and　most　extravagant

hypothesis　they　can　offer；　if　it　will　leave　us　free　to　arrange　our

own　plans　for　getting　away。　　I　begin　to　think　we　were　not　a　very

harmonious　party　on　the　Excelsior；　and　most　of　our　troubles　here

are　owing　to　that。　　We　forget　we　have　fallen　among　a　lot　of

original　saints；　as　guileless　and　as　unsophisticated　as　our　first

parents；　who　know　nothing　of　our　customs　and　antecedents。　　They

have　accepted　us　on　what　they　believe　to　be　our　own　showing。　　From

first　to　last　we've　underrated　them；　forgetting　they　are　in　the

majority。　　We　can't　expect　to　correct　the　ignorance　of　fifty　years

in　twenty…four　hours；　and　I；　for　one；　sha'n't　attempt　it。　　I'd　much

rather　trust　to　the　character　those　people　would　conceive　of　me

from　their　own　consciousness　than　to　one　Mrs。　Brimmer　or　Mr。

Winslow　would　give　of　me。　　From　this　moment　I've　taken　a　firm

resolve　to　leave　my　reputation　and　the　reputation　of　my　friends

entirely　in　their　hands。　　If　you　are　wise　you　will　do　the　same。

They　are　inclined　to　worship　youdon't　hinder　them。　　My　belief　is；

if　we　only　take　things　quietly；　we　might　find　worse　places　to　be

stranded　on　than　Todos　Santos。　　If　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　those　men　of

ours；　who；　I　dare　say；　have　acted　as　silly　as　the　Mexicans

themselves；　will　only　be　quiet；　we　can　have　our　own　way　here　yet。〃



〃And　poor　Captain　Bunker？〃　said　Miss　Keene。



〃It　seems　hard　to　say　it；　but；　in　my　opinion；　he　is　better　under

lock　and　key；　for　everybody's　good；　at　present。　　He'd　be　a

firebrand　in　the　town　if　he　got　away。　　Meantime；　let　us　go　to　our

room。　　It　is　about　the　time　when　everybody　is　taking　a　siesta；　and

for　two　hours；　thank　Heaven！　we're　certain　nothing　more　can

happen。〃



〃I'll　join　you　in　a　moment；〃　said　Miss　Keene。



Her　quick　ear　had　caught　the　sound　of　voices　approaching。　　As　Mrs。

Markham　disappeared　in　the　passage；　the　Commander　and　his　party

reappeared　from　the　guard…room；　taking　leave　of　Padre　Esteban。　　The

secretary；　as　he　passed　Miss　Keene；　managed　to　add　to　his　formal

salutation　the　whispered　words；〃When　the　Angelus　rings　I　will

await　you　before　the　grating　of　his　prison。〃



Padre　Esteban　was　too　preoccupied　to　observe　this　incident。　　As

soon　as　he　quitted　the　Presidio；　he　hastened　to　the　Mission　with　a

disquieting　fear　that　his　strange　guest　might　have　vanished。　　But；

crossing　the　silent　refectory；　and　opening　the　door　of　the　little

apartment；　he　was　relieved　to　find　him　stretched　on　the　pallet　in　a

profound　slumber。　　The　peacefulness　of　the　venerable　walls　had　laid

a　gentle　finger　on　his　weary　eyelids。



The　Padre　glanced　round　the　little　cell；　and　back　again　at　the

handsome　suffering　face　that　seemed　to　have　found　surcease　and　rest

in　the　narrow　walls；　with　a　stirring　of　regret。　　But　the　next

moment　he　awakened　the　sleeper；　and　in　the　briefest；　almost　frigid；

sentences；　related　the　events　of　the　morning。



The　young　man　rose　to　his　feet　with　a　bitter　laugh。



〃You　see；〃　he　said；　〃God　is　against　me！　　And　yet　a　few　hours　ago　I

dared　to　think　that　He　had　guided　me　to　a　haven　of　rest　and

forgetfulness！



〃Have　you　told　the　truth　to　him　and　to　me？〃　said　the　priest

sternly；　〃or　have　youa　mere　political　refugeetaken　advantage　of

an　old　man's　weakness　to　forge　a　foolish　lie　of　sentimental

passion？〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Hurlstone；　turning　upon　him　almost

fiercely。



The　priest　rose；　and　drawing　a　folded　paper　from　his　bosom；　opened

it　before　the　eyes　of　his　indignant　guest。



〃Remember　what　you　told　me　last　night　in　the　sacred　confidences　of

yonder　holy　church；　and　hear　what　you　really　are　from　the　lips　of

the　Council　of　Todos　Santos。〃



Smoothing　out　the　paper；　he　read　slowly　as　follows：





〃Whereas；　it　being　presented　to　an　Emergency　Council；　held　at　the

Presidio　of　Todos　Santos；　that　the　foreign　barque　Excelsior　had

mutinied；　discharged　her　captain　and　passengers；　and　escaped　from

the　waters　of　the　bay；　it　was；　on　examination；　found　and　decreed

that　the　said　barque　was　a　vessel　primarily　owned　by　a　foreign

Power；　then　and　there　confessed　and　admitted　to　be　at　war　with

Mexico　and　equipped　to　invade　one　of　her　northern　provinces。　　But

that　the　God　of　Liberty　and　Justice　awakening　in　the　breasts　of

certain　patriotsto　wit；　the　heroic　Senor　Diego　Hurlstone　and　the

invincible　Dona　Leonorthe　courage　and　discretion　to　resist　the

tyranny　and　injustice　of　their　oppressors；　caused　them　to　mutiny

and　abandon　the　vessel　rather　than　become　accomplices；　in　the

company　of　certain　neutral　and　non…combatant　traders　and　artisans；

severally　known　as　Brace；　Banks；　Winslow；　and　Crosby；　and　certain

aristocrats；　known　as　Senoras　Brimmer　and　Chubb。　　In　consideration

thereof；　it　is　decreed　by　the　Council　of　Todos　Santos　that　asylum；

refuge；　hospitality；　protection；　amity；　and　alliance　be　offered　and

extended　to　the　patriots；　Senor　Diego　Hurlstone；　Dona　Leonor；　and　a

certain　Duenna　Susana　Markham；　particularly　attached　to　Dona

Leonor's　person；　and　that　war；　reprisal；　banishment；　and　death　be

declared　against　Senor　Perkins；　his　unknown　aiders　and　abettors。

And　that　for　the　purposes　of　probation；　and　in　the　interests　of

clemency；　provisional　parole　shall　be　extended　to　the　alleged

neutralsBrace；　Banks；　Crosby；　and　Winslowwithin　the　limits　and

boundaries　of　the　lazaretto　of　San　Antonio；　until　their　neutrality

shall　be　established；　and　pending　the　further　pleasure　of　the

Council。　　And　it　is　further　decreed　and　declared　that　one　Capitano

Bunker；　formerly　of　the　Excelsior；　but　now　a　maniac　and　lunatic

being　irresponsible　and　visited　of　God；　shall　be　exempted　from　the

ordinances　of　this　decree　until　his　reason　shall　be　restored；　and

during　that　interval　subjected　to　the　ordinary　remedial　and

beneficent　restraint　of　civilization　and　humanity。　　By　order　of　the

Council；



〃The　signatures　and　rubrics　of



〃DON　MIGUEL　BRIONES；



　　　Comandante。



〃PADRE　ESTEBAN；



　　　of　the　Order　of　San　Francisco　d'Assisis。



〃DON　RAMON　RAMIREZ；



　　　Alcalde　of　the　Pueblo　of　Todos　Santos。〃





CHAPTER　XI。



THE　CAPTAIN　FOLLOWS　HIS　SHIP。





When　Padre　Esteban　had　finished　reading　the　document　he　laid　it

down　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　young　man。　　Hurlstone　met　his　look

with　a　glance　of　impatient　disdain。



〃What　have　you　to　say　to　this？〃　asked　the　ecclesiastic；　a　little

impressed　by　his　manner。



〃That　as　far　as　it　concerns　myself　it　is　a　farrago　of　absurdity。

If　I　were　the　person　described　there；　why　should　I　have　sought　you

with　what　you　call　a　lie　of　'sentimental　passion；'　when　I　could

have　claimed　protection　openly　with　my　SISTER　PATRIOT；〃　he　added；

with　a　bitter　laugh。



〃Because　you　did　not　know　THEN　the　sympathy　of　the　people　nor　the

decision　of　the　Council；〃　said　the　priest。



〃But　I　know　it　NOW；　and　I　refuse　to　accept　it。〃



〃You　refusetoto　accept　it？〃　echoed　the　priest。



〃I　do。〃　　He　walked　towards　the　door。　　〃Before　I　go；　let　me　thank

you　for　the　few　hours'　rest　and　security　that　you　have　given　to　one

who　may　be　a　cursed　man；　yet　is　no　impostor。　　But　I　do　not　blame

you　for　doubting　one　who　talks　like　a　desperate　man；　yet　lacks　the

courage　of　desperation。　　Good…by！〃



〃Where　are　you　going？〃



〃What　matters？　　There　is　a　safer　protection　and　security　to　be

found　than　even　that　offered　by　the　Council　of　Todos　Santos。〃



His　eyes　were　averted；　but　not　before　the　priest　had　seen　them

glaze　again　with　the　same　gloomy　absorption　that　had　horrified　him

in　the　church　the　evening　before。　　Father　Esteban　stepped　forward

and　placed　his　soft　hand　on　Hurlstone's　shoulder。



〃Look　at　me。　　Don't　turn　your　face　aside；　but　hear　me；　for　I

believe　your　story。〃



Witho