the crusade of the excelsior-第25章

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Santosa　breath　so　subtle　and　odorous　that　it　penetrated　the　veil

of　fog　beyond　the　bay；　and　for　a　moment　lingered　on　the　deck　of　a

passing　steamer　like　an　arresting　memory。　　But　only　for　an　instant；

the　Ometepe；　bound　from　San　Francisco　to　San　Juan　del　Norte；　with

its　four　seekers　of　the　Excelsior；　rolled　and　plunged　on　its　way

unconsciously。



Within　the　bay　and　over　the　restful　pueblo　still　dwelt　the　golden

haze　of　its　perpetual　summer；　the　two　towers　of　the　old　Mission

church　seemed　to　dissolve　softly　into　the　mellow　upper　twilight；

and　the　undulating　valleys　rolled　their　green　waves　up　to　the

wooded　heights　of　San　Antonio；　that　still　smiled　down　upon　the

arid；　pallid　desert。　　But　although　Nature　had　not　changed　in　the

months　that　had　passed　since　the　advent　of　the　Excelsior；　there

appeared　some　strange　mutations　in　the　town　and　its　inhabitants。

On　the　beach　below　the　Presidio　was　the　unfinished　skeleton　of　a

small　sea…going　vessel　on　rude　stocks；　on　the　plaza　rose　the　framed

walls　and　roofless　rafters　of　a　wooden　building；　near　the

Embarcadero　was　the　tall　adobe　chimney　of　some　inchoate　manufactory

whose　walls　had　half　risen　from　their　foundations；　but　all　of　these

objects　had　evidently　succumbed　to　the　drowsy　influence　of　the

climate；　and　already　had　taken　the　appearances　of　later　and　less

picturesque　ruins　of　the　past。　　There　were　singular　innovations　in

the　costumes：　one　or　two　umbrellas；　used　as　sunshades；　were　seen

upon　the　square；　a　few　small　chip　hats　had　taken　the　place　of　the

stiff　sombreros；　with　an　occasional　tall　white　beaver；　while　linen

coat　and　nankeen　trousers　had；　at　times；　usurped　the　short　velvet

jacket　and　loose　calzas　of　the　national　costume。



At　San　Antonio　the　change　was　still　more　perceptible。　　Beside　the

yawning　pit　of　the　abandoned　silver　mine　a　straggling　building

arose；　filled　with　rude　machinery；　bearing　the　legend；　painted　in

glowing　letters；　〃Excelsior　Silver　Mining　Co。；　J。　Crosby；

Superintendent；〃　and　in　the　midst　of　certain　excavations　assailing

the　integrity　of　the　cliff　itself　was　another　small　building；

scarcely　larger　than　a　sentry…box；　with　the　inscription；　〃Office：

Eleanor　Quicksilver　Smelting　Works。〃



Basking　in　that　yellow　morning　sunlight；　with　his　back　against　his

office；　Mr。　Brace　was　seated　on　the　ground；　rolling　a　cigarette。　　A

few　feet　from　him　Crosby；　extended　on　his　back　on　the　ground；　was

lazily　puffing　rings　of　smoke　into　the　still　air。　　Both　of　these

young　gentlemen　were　dressed　in　exaggerated　Mexican　costumes；　the

silver　buttons　fringing　the　edge　of　Crosby's　calza；　open　from　the

knee　down　to　show　a　glimpse　of　the　snowy　under…trouser；　were　richer

and　heavier　than　those　usually　worn；　while　Brace；　in　addition　to

the　crimson　silk　sash　round　his　waist；　wore　a　crimson　handkerchief

around　his　head；　under　his　sombrero。



〃Pepe's　falling　off　in　his　tobacco；〃　said　Brace。　　〃I　think　I'll

have　to　try　some　other　Fonda。〃



〃How's　Banks　getting　on　with　his　crop？〃　asked　Crosby。　　〃You　know　he

was　going　to　revolutionize　the　business；　and　cut　out　Cuba　on　that

hillside。〃



〃Oh；　the　usual　luck！　　He　couldn't　get　proper　cultivators；　and　the

Injins　wouldn't　work　regular。　　I　must　try　and　get　hold　of　some　of

the　Comandante's　stock；　but　I'm　out　of　favor　with　the　old　man　since

Winslow　and　I　wrecked　that　fishing…boat　on　the　rocks　off　yonder。

He　always　believed　we　were　trying　to　run　off；　like　Captain　Bunker。

That's　why　he　stopped　our　shipbuilding；　I　really　believe。〃



〃All　the　same；　we　might　have　had　it　built　and　ready　now　but　for　our

laziness。　　We　might　have　worked　on　it　nights　without　their　knowing

it；　and　slipped　off　some　morning　in　the　fog。〃



〃And　we　wouldn't　have　got　one　of　the　women　to　go　with　us！　　If　we

are　getting　shiftless　hereand　I　don't　say　we're　notthese　women

have　just　planted　themselves　and　have　taken　root。　　But　that　ain't

all：　there's　the　influence　of　that　infernal　sneak　Hurlstone！　　He's

set　the　Comandante　against　us；　you　know；　he；　and　the　priest；　the

Comandante；　and　Nelly　Keene　make　up　the　real　Council　of　Todos

Santos。　　Between　them　they've　shoved　out　the　poor　little　Alcalde；

who's　ready　to　give　up　everything　to　dance　attendance　on　Mrs。

Brimmer。　　They　run　the　whole　concern；　and　they　give　out　that　it's

owing　to　them　that　we're　given　parole　of　the　town；　and　the

privilege　of　spending　our　money　and　working　these　mines。　　Who'd

have　thought　that　sneak　Hurlstone　would　have　played　his　cards　so

well？　　It　makes　me　regularly　sick　to　hear　him　called　'Don　Diego。'〃



〃Yet　you're　mightily　tickled　when　that　black…eyed　sister　of　the

Alcalde　calls　you　'Don　Carlos；'〃　said　Crosby；　yawning。



〃Dona　Isabel；〃　said　Brace；　with　some　empressement；　〃is　a　lady　of

position；　and　these　are　only　her　national　courtesies。〃



〃She　just　worships　Miss　Keene；　and　I　reckon　she　knows　by　this　time

all　about　your　old　attentions　to　her　friend；〃　said　Crosby；　with

lazy　mischief。



〃My　attentions　to　Miss　Keene　were　simply　those　of　an　ordinary

acquaintance；　and　were　never　as　strongly　marked　as　yours　to　Mrs。

Brimmer。〃



〃Who　has　deserted　ME　as　Miss　Keene　did　YOU；〃　rejoined　Crosby。



Brace's　quick　color　had　risen　again；　and　he　would　have　made　some

sharp　retort；　but　the　jingling　of　spurs　caught　his　ear。　　They　both

turned　quickly；　and　saw　Banks　approaching。　　He　was　dressed　as　a

vaquero；　but　with　his　companions'　like　exaggeration　of　detail；　yet；

while　his　spurs　were　enormous；　and　his　sombrero　unusually

expansive；　he　still　clung　to　his　high　shirt…collars　and　accurately

tied　check　cravat。



〃Well？〃　he　said；　approaching　them。



〃Well？〃　said　Crosby。



〃Well？〃　repeated　Brace。



After　this　national　salutation；　the　three　Americans　regarded　each

other　silently。



〃Knocked　off　cultivating　to…day？〃　queried　Crosby；　lighting　a　fresh

cigarette。



〃The　peons　have；〃　said　Banks；　〃it's　another　saint's　day。　　That's

the　fourth　in　two　weeks。　　Leaves　about　two　clear　working　days　in

each　week；　counting　for　the　days　off；　when　they're　getting　over　the

effects　of　the　others。　　I　tell　you　what；　sir；　the　Catholic　religion

is　not　suited　to　a　working　civilization；　or　else　the　calendar　ought

to　be　overhauled　and　a　lot　of　these　saints　put　on　the　retired　list。

It's　hard　enough　to　have　all　the　Apostles　on　your　pay…roll；　so　to

speak；　but　to　have　a　lot　of　fellows　run　in　on　you　as　saints；　and

some　of　them　not　even　men　or　women；　but　IDEAS；　is　piling　up　the

agony！　　I　don't　wonder　they　call　the　place　'All　Saints。'　　The　only

thing　to　do；〃　continued　Banks　severely；　〃is　to　open　communication

with　the　desert；　and　run　in　some　of　the　heathen　tribes　outside。

I've　made　a　proposition　to　the　Council　offering　to　take　five

hundred　of　them　in　the　raw；　unregenerate　state；　and　turn　'em　over

after　a　year　to　the　Church。　　If　I　could　get　Hurlstone　to　do　some

log…rolling　with　that　Padre；　his　friend；　I　might　get　the　bill

through。　　But　I'm　always　put　off　till　to…morrow。　　Everything　here

is　'Hasta　manana；　hasta　manana；'　always。　　I　believe　when　the　last

trump　is　sounded；　they'll　say；　'Hasta　manana。'　　What　are　YOU

doing？〃　he　said；　after　a　pause。



〃Waiting　for　your　ship；〃　answered　Crosby　sarcastically。



〃Well；　you　can　laugh；　gentlemenbut　you　won't　have　to　wait　long。

According　to　my　calculations　that　Mexican　ship　is　about　due　now。

And　I　ain't　basing　my　figures　on　anything　the　Mexican　Government　is

going　to　do；　or　any　commercial　speculation。　　I'm　reckoning　on　the

Catholic　Church。〃



The　two　men　languidly　looked　towards　him。　　Banks　continued

gravely；



〃I　made　the　proper　inquiries；　and　I　find　that　the　stock　of

rosaries；　scapularies；　blessed　candles；　and　other　ecclesiastical

goods；　is　running　low。　　I　find　that　just　at　the　nick　of　time　a

fresh　supply　always　comes　from　the　Bishop　of　Guadalajara；　with

instructions　from　the　Church。　　Now；　gentlemen；　my　opinion　is　that

the　Church；　and　the　Church　only；　knows　the　secret　of　the　passage

through　the　foggy　channel；　and　keeps　it　to　itself。　　I　look　at　this

commercially；　as　a　question　of　demand　and　supply。　　Well；　sir；　the

only　real　trader　here　at　Todos　Santos　is　the　Church。〃



〃Then　you　don't　take　in　account　the　interests　of　Brimmer；　Markham；

and　Keene；〃　said　Brace。　　〃Do　you　suppose　they're　doing　nothing？〃



〃I　don't　say　they're　not；　but　you're　confounding　interests　with

INSTINCTS。　　They　haven't　got　the　instinct　to　find　this　place；　and

all　that　they've　done　and　are　doing　is　blind　calculation。　　Just

look　at　the　facts。　　As　the　filibuster　who　captured　the　Excelsior　of

course　changed　her　name；　her　rig…out；　and　her　flag；　and　even　got　up

a　false　register　for　her；　she's　as　good　as　lost；　as　far　as　the

world　knows；　until　she　lands　at　Quinquinambo。　　Then　supposing　she's

found　out；　and　the　whole　story　is　knownalthough　everything's

against　such　a　propositionthe　news　has　got　to　go　back　to　San

Francisco　before　the　real　search　will　be　begun。　　As　to　any　clue

that　might　come　from　Captain　Bunker；　that's　still　more　remote。

Allowing　he　crossed　the　bar　and　got　out　of　the　channel；　he　wasn't

at　the　right　time　for　meeting　a　passing　steamer；　and　the　only

coasters　are　Mexican。　　If　he　didn't　die　of　delirium　tremens　or

exposure；　and　was　really　picked　up　in　his　senses　by　some　other

means；　he　would　have　been　back　with　succor　before　this；　if　only　to

get　our　evidence　to　prove　the　loss　of　the　vessel。　　No；　sir　sooner

or　later；　of　course；　the　San　Francisco　crowd　are　bound　to　find　us

here。　　And　if　it　wasn't　for　my　crops　and　our　mine；　I　wouldn't　be　in

a　hurry　for　them；　but　our　FIRST　hold　is　the　Church。〃



He　stopped。　　Crosby　was　asleep。　　Brace　arose　lazily；　lounged　into

his　office；　and　closed　his　desk。



〃Going　to　shut　for　the　day？〃　said　Banks；　yawning。



〃I　reckon；〃　said　Brace　dubiously；　〃I　don't　know　but　I'd　take　a

little　pasear　into　the　town　if　I　had　my　horse　ready。〃



〃Take　mine；　and　I'll　trapse　over　on　foot　to　the　Ranche　with　Crosby

after　a　spell。　　You'll　find　him　under　that　big　madrono；　if　he　has

not　already　wound　himself　up　with　his　lariat　by　walking　round　it。

Those　Mexican　horses　can't　go　straight　even　when　they　grazethey

must　feed　in　a　circle。　　He's　a　little　fresh；　so　look　out　for　him！〃



〃All　the　better。　　I'd　like　to　get　into　town　just　after　the　siesta。〃



〃Siesta！〃　echoed　Banks；　lying　comfortably　down　in　the　shade　just

vacated　by　Brace；　〃that's　another　of　their　shiftless　practices。

Two　hours　out　of　every　daythat's　a　day　out　of　the　weekspent　in

a　hammock；　and　during　business　hours　too！　　It's　disgraceful；　sir；

simply　disgraceful。〃



He　turned　over　and　closed　his　eyes；　as　if　to　reflect　on　its

enormity。



Brace　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　the　mare；　although　some　trouble

in　mounting　her。　　But；　like　his　companions；　having　quickly　adopted

the　habits　of　the　country；　he　had　become　a　skillful　and　experienced

horseman；　and　the　mustang；　after　a　few　springless　jumps；　which

failed　to　unseat　him；　submitted　to　his　rider。　　The　young