the crusade of the excelsior-第21章

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

believe　your　story。〃



Without　raising　his　eyes；　the　young　man　lifted　Father　Esteban's

hand　from　his　shoulder；　pressed　it　lightly；　and　put　it　quietly

aside。



〃I　thank　you；〃　he　said；　〃for　keeping　at　least　that　unstained　memory

of　me。　　But　it　matters　little　now。　　Good…by！〃



He　had　his　hand　upon　the　door；　but　the　priest　again　withheld　him。



〃When　I　tell　you　I　believe　your　story；　it　is　only　to　tell　you　more。

I　believe　that　God　has　directed　your　wayward；　wandering　feet　here

to　His　house；　that　you　may　lay　down　the　burden　of　your　weak　and

suffering　manhood　before　His　altar；　and　become　once　more　a　child　of

His。　　I　stand　here　to　offer　you；　not　a　refuge　of　a　day　or　a　night；

but　for　all　time；　not　a　hiding…place　from　man　or　woman；　but　from

yourself；　my　sonyourself；　your　weak　and　mortal　self；　more　fatal

to　you　than　all。　　I　stand　here　to　open　for　you　not　only　the　door　of

this　humble　cell；　but　that　of　His　yonder　blessed　mansion。　　You

shall　share　my　life　with　me；　you　shall　be　one　of　my　disciples；　you

shall　help　me　strive　for　other　souls　as　I　have　striven　for　yours；

the　protection　of　the　Church；　which　is　all…powerful；　shall　be

around　you　if　you　wish　to　be　known；　you　shall　hide　yourself　in　its

mysteries　if　you　wish　to　be　forgotten。　　You　shall　be　my　child；　my

companion；　my　friend；　all　that　my　age　can　give　you　shall　be　yours

while　I　live；　and　it　shall　be　your　place　one　day　to　take　up　my

unfinished　work　when　it　falls　from　these　palsied　hands　forever。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；〃　said　the　young　man　coldly。　　〃I　came　to　you　for

human　aid；　and　thank　you　for　what　you　have　granted　me：　I　have　not

been　presumptuous　enough　to　ask　more；　nor　to　believe　myself　a

fitting　subject　for　conversion。　　I　am　weak；　but　not　weak　enough　to

take　advantage　of　the　mistaken　kindness　of　either　the　temporal

Council　of　Todos　Santos　or　its　spiritual　head。〃　　He　opened　the　door

leading　into　the　garden。　　〃Forget　and　forgive　me；　Father　Esteban；

and　let　me　say　farewell。〃



〃Stop！〃　said　the　ecclesiastic；　raising　himself　to　his　full　height

and　stepping　before　Hurlstone。　　〃Then　if　you　will　not　hear　me　in

the　name　of　your　Father　who　lives；　in　the　name　of　your　father　who

is　dead　I　command　you　to　stay！　　I　stand　here　to…day　in　the　place　of

that　man　I　never　knewto　hold　back　his　son　from　madness　and　crime。

Think　of　me　as　of　him　whom　you　loved；　and　grant　to　an　old　man　who

might　have　had　a　son　as　old　as　you　the　right　of　throwing　a　father's

protecting　arm　around　you。〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence。



〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　said　Hurlstone；　suddenly　lifting　his

now　moist　and　glistening　eyes　upon　the　old　man。



〃Give　me　your　word　of　honor　that　for　twenty…four　hours　you　will

remain　as　you　arepledging　yourself　to　nothingonly　promising　to

commit　no　act；　take　no　step；　without　consulting　me。　　You　will　not

be　sought　here；　nor　yet　need　you　keep　yourself　a　prisoner　in　these

gloomy　wallsexcept　that；　by　exposing　yourself　to　the　people　now；

you　might　be　compromised　to　some　course　that　you　are　not　ready　to

take。〃



〃I　promise；〃　said　Hurlstone。



He　turned　and　held　out　both　his　hands；　but　Father　Esteban

anticipated　him　with　a　paternal　gesture　of　uplifted　and　opened

arms；　and　for　an　instant　the　young　man's　forehead　was　bowed　on　the

priest's　shoulder。



Father　Esteban　gently　raised　the　young　man's　head。



〃You　will　take　a　pasear　in　the　garden　until　the　Angelus　rings；　my

son；　while　the　air　is　sweet　and　wholesome；　and　think　this　over。

Remember　that　you　may　accept　the　hospitality　of　the　Council　without

sin　of　deception。　　You　were　not　in　sympathy　with　either　the　captors

of　the　Excelsior　or　their　defeated　party；　for　you　would　have　flown

from　both。　　You；　of　all　your　party　now　in　Todos　Santos；　are　most　in

sympathy　with　us。　　You　have　no　cause　to　love　your　own　people；　you

have　abandoned　them　for　us。　　Go；　my　son；　and　meditate　upon　my

words。　　I　will　fetch　you　from　yonder　slope　in　time　for　the　evening

refection。〃



Hurlstone　bowed　his　head　and　turned　his　irresolute　feet　towards　the

upper　extremity　of　the　garden；　indicated　by　the　priest；　which

seemed　to　offer　more　seclusion　and　security　than　the　avenue　of

pear…trees。　　He　was　dazed　and　benumbed。　　The　old　dogged　impulses　of

self…destructionrevived　by　the　priest's　reproaches；　but　checked

by　the　vision　of　his　dead　and　forgotten　father；　which　the　priest's

words　had　called　upgave　way；　in　turn；　to　his　former　despair。

With　it　came　a　craving　for　peace　and　rest　so　insidious　that　in　some

vague　fear　of　yielding　to　it　he　quickened　his　pace；　as　if　to

increase　his　distance　from　the　church　and　its　apostle。　　He　was

almost　out　of　breath　when　he　reached　the　summit；　and　turned　to　look

back　upon　the　Mission　buildings　and　the　straggling　street　of　the

pueblo；　which　now　for　the　first　time　he　saw　skirted　the　wall　of　the

garden　in　its　descent　towards　the　sea。　　He　had　not　known　the　full

extent　of　Todos　Santos　before；　when　he　swam　ashore　he　had　landed

under　a　crumbling　outwork　of　the　fort；　he　gazed　now　with　curious

interest　over　the　hamlet　that　might　have　been　his　home。　　He　looked

over　the　red…tiled　roofs；　and　further　on　to　the　shining　bay；　shut

in　by　the　impenetrable　rampart　of　fog。　　He　might　have　found　rest

and　oblivion　here　but　for　the　intrusion　of　those　fellow…passengers

to　share　his　exile　and　make　it　intolerable。　　How　he　hated　and

loathed　them　all！　　Yet　the　next　moment　he　found　himself

scrutinizing　the　street　and　plaza　below　him　for　a　glimpse　of　his

countrywomen；　whom　he　knew　were　still　in　the　town　or　vainly

endeavoring　to　locate　their　habitation　among　the　red…tiled　roofs。

And　that　frank；　clear…eyed　girlMiss　Keene！she　who　had　seemed　to

vaguely　pity　himshe　was　somewhere　here　tooselected　by　the　irony

of　fate　to　be　his　confederate！　　He　could　not　help　thinking　of　her

beauty　and　kindness　now；　with　a　vague　curiosity　that　was　half　an

uneasiness。　　It　had　not　struck　him　before；　but　if　he　were　to　accept

the　ridiculous　attitude　forced　upon　him　by　Todos　Santos；　its

absurdity；　as　well　as　its　responsibility；　would　become　less　odious

by　sharing　it　with　another。　　Perhaps　it　might　be　to　HER　advantage

and　if　so；　would　he　be　justified　in　exposing　its　absurdity？　　He

would　have　to　see　her　firstand　if　he　did；　how　would　he　explain

his　real　position？　　A　returning　wave　of　bitterness　threw　him　back

into　his　old　despair。



The　twilight　had　slowly　gathered　over　the　view　as　he　gazedor；

rather　a　luminous　concentration　above　the　pueblo　and　bay　had　left

the　outer　circle　of　fog　denser　and　darker。　　Emboldened　by　the

apparent　desertion　of　the　Embarcadero；　he　began　to　retrace　his

steps　down　the　slope；　keeping　close　to　the　wall　so　as　to　avoid

passing　before　the　church　again；　or　a　closer　contact　with　the

gardener　among　the　vines。　　In　this　way　he　reached　the　path　he　had

skirted　the　night　before；　and　stopped　almost　under　the　shadow　of

the　Alcalde's　house。　　It　was　here　he　had　rested　and　hidden；here

he　had　tasted　the　first　sweets　of　isolation　and　oblivion　in　the

dreamy　garden；here　he　had　looked　forward　to　peace　with　the

passing　of　the　ship；and　now？　　The　sound　of　voices　and　laughter

suddenly　grated　upon　his　ear。　　He　had　heard　those　voices　before。

Their　distinctness　startled　him　until　he　became　aware　that　he　was

standing　before　a　broken；　half…rotting　door　that　permitted　a

glimpse　of　the　courtyard　of　the　neighboring　house。　　He　glided

quickly　past　it　without　pausing；　but　in　that　glimpse　beheld　Mrs。

Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　half　reclining　in　the　corridorin　the

attitude　he　had　often　seen　them　on　the　deck　of　the　shiptalking

and　laughing　with　a　group　of　Mexican　gallants。　　A　feeling　of

inconceivable　loathing　and　aversion　took　possession　of　him。　　Was　it

to　THIS　he　was　returning　after　his　despairing　search　for　oblivion？

Their　empty；　idle　laughter　seemed　to　ring　mockingly　in　his　ears　as

he　hurried　on；　scarce　knowing　whither；　until　he　paused　before　the

broken　cactus　hedge　and　crumbling　wall　that　faced　the　Embarcadero。

A　glance　over　the　hedge　showed　him　that　the　strip　of　beach　was

deserted。　　He　looked　up　the　narrow　street；　it　was　empty。　　A　few

rapid　strides　across　it　gained　him　the　shadow　of　the　sea…wall　of

the　Presidio；　unchecked　and　unhindered。　　The　ebbing　tide　had　left　a

foot　or　two　of　narrow　shingle　between　the　sea　and　the　wall。　　He

crept　along　this　until；　a　hundred　yards　distant；　the　sea…wall

reentered　inland　around　a　bastion　at　the　entrance　of　a　moat　half

filled　at　high　tide　by　the　waters　of　the　bay；　but　now　a　ditch　of

shallow　pools；　sand；　and　debris。　　He　leaned　against　the　bastion；

and　looked　over　the　softly　darkening　water。



How　quiet　it　looked；　and；　under　that　vaporous　veil；　how　profound

and　inscrutable！　　How　easy　to　slip　into　its　all…embracing　arms；　and

sink　into　its　yielding　bosom；　leaving　behind　no　stain；　trace；　or

record！　　A　surer　oblivion　than　the　Church；　which　could　not　absolve

memory；　grant　forgetfulness；　nor　even　hide　the　ghastly　footprints

of　its　occupants。　　Here　was　obliteration。　　But　was　he　sure　of　that？

He　thought　of　the　body　of　the　murdered　Peruvian；　laid　out　at　the

feet　of　the　Council　by　this　same　fickle　and　uncertain　sea；　he

thought　of　his　own　distorted　face　subjected　to　the　cold　curiosity

of　these　aliens　or　the　contemptuous　pity　of　his　countrymen。　　But

that　could　be　avoided。　　It　was　easy　for　hima　good　swimmerto

reach　a　point　far　enough　out　in　the　channel　for　the　ebbing　tides　to

carry　him　past　that　barrier　of　fog　into　the　open　and　obliterating

ocean。　　And　then；　at　least；　it　might　seem　as　if　he　had　attempted　to

ESCAPEindeed；　if　he　cared；　he　might　be　able　to　keep　afloat　until

he　was　picked　up　by　some　passing　vessel；　bound　to　a　distant　land！

The　self…delusion　pleased　him；　and　seemed　to　add　the　clinching

argument　to　his　resolution。　　It　was　not　suicide；　it　was　escape

certainly　no　more　than　escapehe　intended！　　And　this　miserable

sophism　of　self…apology；　the　last　flashes　of　expiring　conscience；

helped　to　light　up　his　pale；　determined　face　with　satisfaction。　　He

began　coolly　to　divest　himself　of　his　coat。



What　was　that？the　sound　of　some　dislodged　stones　splashing　in　one

of　the　pools　further　up！　　He　glanced　hurriedly　round　the　wall　of

the　bastion。　　A　figure　crouching　against　the　side　of　the　ditch；　as

if　concealing　itself　from　observation　on　the　glacis　above；　was

slowly　approaching　the　sea。　　Suddenly；　when　within　a　hundred　yards

of　Hurlstone；　it　turned；　crossed　the　ditch；　rapidly　mounted　its

crumbling　sides；　and　disappeared　over　the　crest。　　But　in　that

hurried　glimpse　he　had　recognized　Captain　Bunker！



The　sudden　and　mysterious　apparition　of　this　man　produced　on

Hurlstone　an　effect　that　the　most　violent　opposition　could　not　have

created。　　Without　a　thought　of　the　terrible　purpose　it　had

interrupted；　and　obeying　some　stronger　instinct　that　had　seized

him；　he　dashed　down　into　the　ditch　and　up　to　the　crest　again　after

Captain　Bunker。　　But　he　had　c