the crusade of the excelsior-第26章

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

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

galloped　rapidly　towards　Todos　Santos；　but　when　within　a　few　miles

of　the　pueblo　he　slackened　his　pace。　　From　the　smiles　and　greetings

of　wayfarersamong　whom　were　some　pretty　Indian　girls　and

mestizasit　was　evident　that　the　handsome　young　foreigner；　who　had

paid　them　the　compliment　of　extravagantly　adopting　their　national

costume；　was　neither　an　unfamiliar　nor　an　unpleasing　spectacle。

When　he　reached　the　posada　at　the　top　of　the　hilly　street；　he　even

carried　his　simulation　of　the　local　customs　to　the　point　of

charging　the　veranda　at　full　speed；　and　pulling　up　suddenly　at　the

threshold；　after　the　usual　fashion　of　vaqueros。　　The　impetuous

apparition　brought　a　short　stout　man　to　the　door；　who；　welcoming

him　with　effusive　politeness；　conducted　him　to　an　inner　room　that

gave　upon　a　green　grass　courtyard。　　Seated　before　a　rude　table；

sipping　aguardiente；　was　his　countryman　Winslow　and　two　traders　of

the　pueblo。　　They　were　evidently　of　the　number　already　indicated

who　had　adopted　the　American　fashions。　　Senor　Ruiz　wore　a　linen

〃duster〃　in　place　of　his　embroidered　jacket；　and　Senor　Martinez　had

an　American　beard；　or　〃goatee；〃　in　imitation　of　Mr。　Banks。　　The　air

was　yellow　with　the　fumes　of　tobacco；　through　which　the　shrewd　eyes

of　Winslow　gleamed　murkily。



〃This；〃　he　said　to　his　countryman；　in　fluent　if　not　elegant

Spanish；　indicating　the　gentleman　who　had　imitated　Banks；　〃is　a　man

of　ideas；　and　a　power　in　Todos　Santos。　　He　would　control　all　the

votes　in　his　district　if　there　were　anything　like　popular　suffrage

here；　and　he　understands　the　American　policy。〃



Senor　Martinez　here　hastened　to　inform　Mr。　Brace　that　he　had　long

cherished　a　secret　and　enthusiastic　admiration　for　that　grand　and

magnanimous　nation　of　which　his　friend　was　such　a　noble

representative；　that；　indeed；　he　might　say　it　was　an　inherited

taste；　for　had　not　his　grandfather　once　talked　with　the　American

whaling　Capitano　Coffino　and　partaken　of　a　subtle　spirit　known　as

〃er…r…rum〃　on　his　ship　at　Acapulco？



〃There's　nothing　mean　about　Martinez；〃　said　Winslow　to　Brace

confidentially；　in　English。　　〃He's　up　to　anything；　and　ready　from

the　word　'Go。'　　Don't　you　think　he's　a　little　like　Banks；　you　know

a　sort　of　Mexican　edition。　　And　there　is　Ruiz；　he's　a　cattle

dealer；　he'd　be　a　good　friend　of　Banks　if　Banks　wasn't　so

infernally　self…opinionated。　　But　Ruiz　ain't　a　fool；　either。　　He's

picked　up　a　little　Englishgood　American；　I　meanfrom　me　already。〃



Senor　Ruiz　here　smiled　affably；　to　show　his　comprehension；　and

added　slowly；　with　great　gravity；



〃It　is　of　twenty…four　year　I　have　first　time　the　Amencano　of　your

beautiful　country　known。　　He　have　buy　the　hides　and　horns　of　the

cattlefor　his　shiphere。〃



〃Here？〃　echoed　Brace。　　〃I　thought　no　American　shipno　ship　at　all

had　been　in　here　for　fifty　years。〃



Ruiz　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　cast　a　glance　at　his　friend

Martinez；　lowered　his　voice　and　lifted　his　eyelashes　at　the　same

moment；　and；　jerking　his　yellow；　tobacco…stained　thumb　over　his

arm；　said；



〃Ahof　a　verityon　the　beachtwo　leagues　away。〃



〃Do　you　hear　that？〃　said　Winslow；　turning　complacently　to　Brace　and

rising　to　his　feet。　　〃Don't　you　see　now　what　hogwash　the　Commander；

Alcalde；　and　the　priest　have　been　cramming　down　our　throats　about

this　place　being　sealed　up　for　fifty　years。　　What　he　says　is　all

Gospel　truth。　　That's　what　I　wanted　you　fellows　to　hear；　and　you

might　have　heard　before；　only　you　were　afraid　of　compromising

yourselves　by　talking　with　the　people。　　You　get　it　into　your　heads

and　the　Comandante　helped　you　to　get　it　therethat　Todos　Santos

was　a　sort　of　Sleepy　Hollow；　and　that　no　one　knew　anything　of　the

political　changes　for　the　last　fifty　years。　　Well；　what's　the　fact？

Ask　Ruiz　there；　and　Martinez；　and　they'll　both　tell　you　they　know

that　Mexico　got　her　independence　in　1826；　and　that　the　Council　keep

it　dark　that　they　may　perpetuate　themselves。　　They　know；〃　he

continued；　lowering　his　voice；　〃that　the　Commander's　commission

from　the　old　Viceroy　isn't　worth　the　paper　it　is　stamped　upon。〃



〃But　what　about　the　Church？〃　asked　Brace　hesitatingly；　remembering

Banks'　theory。



〃The　Churchcaramba！　the　priests　were　ever　with　the　Escossas；　the

aristocrats；　and　against　the　Yorkenos；　the　men　of　the　Republicthe

people；〃　interrupted　Martinez　vehemently；　〃they　will　not　accept；

they　will　not　proclaim　the　Republic　to　the　people。　　They　shut　their

eyes；　so。　　They　fold　their　hands；　so。　　They　say；　'Sicut　era

principio　et　nunc　et　semper　in　secula　seculorum！'　　Look　you；　Senor；

I　am　not　of　the　Churchno；　caramba！　　I　snap　my　fingers　at　the

priests。　　Ah！　what　they　give　one　is　food　for　the　bull's　horns；

believe　meI　have　read　'Tompano；'　the　American　'Tompano。'〃



〃Who's　he？〃　asked　Brace。



〃He　means　Tom　Paine！　　'The　Age　of　Reason'you　know；〃　said　Winslow；

gazing　with　a　mixture　of　delight　and　patronizing　pride　at　the

Radicals　of　Todos　Santos。　　〃Oh！　he's　no　foolis　Martinez；　nor　Ruiz

either！　　And　while　you've　been　flirting　with　Dona　Isabel；　and　Banks

has　been　trying　to　log…roll　the　Padre；　and　Crosby　going　in　for

siestas；　I'VE　found　them　out。　　And　there　are　a　few　morearen't

there；　Ruiz？〃



Ruiz　darted　a　mysterious　glance　at　Brace；　and　apparently　not

trusting　himself　to　speak；　checked　off　his　ten　fingers　dramatically

in　the　air　thrice。



〃As　many　of　a　surety！　　God　and　liberty！〃



〃But；　if　this　is　so；　why　haven't　they　DONE　something？〃



Senor　Martinez　glanced　at　Senor　Ruiz。



〃Hasta　manana！〃　he　said　slowly。



〃Oh；　this　is　a　case　of　'Hasta　manana！'〃　said　Brace；　somewhat

relieved。



〃They　can　wait；〃　returned　Winslow　hurriedly。　　〃It's　too　big　a　thing

to　rush　into　without　looking　round。　　You　know　what　it　means？

Either　Todos　Santos　is　in　rebellion　against　the　present　Government

of　Mexico；　or　she　is　independent　of　any。　　Her　present　Government；

in　any　event；　don't　represent　either　the　Republic　of　Mexico　or　the

people　of　Todos　Santosdon't　you　see？　　And　in　that　case　WE'VE　got

as　good　a　right　here　as　any　one。〃



〃He　speaks　the　truth；〃　said　Ruiz；　grasping　a　hand　of　Brace　and

Winslow　each；　〃in　this　we　areas　brothers。〃



〃God　and　liberty！〃　ejaculated　Martinez；　in　turn　seizing　the　other

disengaged　hands　of　the　Americans；　and　completing　the　mystic

circle。



〃God　and　liberty！〃　echoed　a　thin　chorus　from　their　host　and　a　few

loungers　who　had　entered　unperceived。



Brace　felt　uneasy。　　He　was　not　wanting　in　the　courage　or　daring　of

youth；　but　it　struck　him　that　his　attitude　was　by　no　means

consistent　with　his　attentions　to　Dona　Isabel。　　He　managed　to　get

Winslow　aside。



〃This　is　all　very　well　as　a　'free　lunch'　conspiracy；　but　you're

forgetting　your　parole；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。



〃We　gave　our　parole　to　the　present　Government。　　When　it　no　longer

exists；　there　will　be　no　paroledon't　you　see？〃



〃Then　these　fellows　prefer　waiting〃



〃Until　we　can　get　OUTSIDE　help；　you　understand。　　The　first　American

ship　that　comes　in　hereeh？〃



Brace　felt　relieved。　　After　all；　his　position　in　regard　to　the

Alcalde's　sister　would　not　be　compromised；　he　might　even　be　able　to

extend　some　protection　over　her；　and　it　would　be　a　magnanimous

revenge　if　he　could　even　offer　it　to　Miss　Keene。



〃I　see　you　don't　swear　anybody　to　secrecy；〃　he　said；　with　a　laugh；

〃shall　I　speak　to　Crosby；　or　will　you？〃



〃Not　yet；　he'll　only　see　something　to　laugh　at。　　And　Banks　and

Martinez　would　quarrel　at　once；　and　go　back　on　each　other。　　No；　my

idea　is　to　let　some　outsider　do　for　Todos　Santos　what　Perkins　did

for　Quinquinambo。　　Do　you　take？〃



His　long；　thin；　dyspeptic　face　lit　up　with　a　certain　small

political　cunning　and　shrewdness　that　struck　Brace　with　a　half…

respect。



〃I　say；　Winslow；　you'd　have　made　a　first…class　caucus　leader　in　San

Francisco。〃



Winslow　smiled　complacently。　　〃There's　something　better　to　play　on

here　than　ward　politics；〃　he　replied。　　〃There's　a　material　here

thatlike　the　mine　and　the　soilain't　half　developed。　　I　reckon　I

can　show　Banks　something　that　beats　lobbying　and　log…rolling　for

contracts。　　I've　let　you　into　this　thing　to　show　you　a　sample　of　my

prospecting。　　Keep　it　to　yourself　if　you　want　it　to　pay。　　Dat's　me；

George！　　Good…by！　　I'll　be　out　to　the　office　to…morrow！〃



He　turned　back　towards　his　brother　politicians　with　an　expression

of　satisfied　conceit　that　Brace　for　a　moment　envied。　　The　latter

even　lingered　on　the　veranda；　as　if　he　would　have　asked　Winslow

another　question；　but；　looking　at　his　watch；　he　suddenly

recollected　himself；　and；　mounting　his　horse；　cantered　down　towards

the　plaza。



The　hour　of　siesta　was　not　yet　over；　and　the　streets　were　still

desertedprobably　the　reason　why　the　politicians　of　Todos　Santos

had　chosen　that　hour　for　their　half　secret　meeting。　　At　the　corner

of　the　plaza　he　dismounted　and　led　his　horse　to　the　public

hitching…postgnawn　and　nibbled　by　the　teeth　of　generations　of

mustangsand　turned　into　the　narrow　lane　flanked　by　the　walls　of

the　Alcalde's　garden。　　Halfway　down　he　stopped　before　a　slight

breach　in　the　upper　part　of　the　adobe　barrier；　and　looked

cautiously　around。　　The　long；　shadowed　vista　of　the　lane　was

unobstructed　by　any　moving　figure　as　far　as　the　yellow　light　of　the

empty　square　beyond。　　With　a　quick　leap　he　gained　the　top　of　the

wall　and　disappeared　on　the　other　aide。





CHAPTER　III。



INTERNATIONAL　COURTESIES。





The　garden　over　whose　wall　Brace　had　mysteriously　vanished　was

apparently　as　deserted　as　the　lane　and　plaza　without。　　But　its

solitude　was　one　of　graceful　shadow　and　restful　loveliness。　　A

tropical　luxuriance；　that　had　perpetuated　itself　year　after　year；

until　it　was　half　suffocated　in　its　own　overgrowth　and　strangled

with　its　own　beauty；　spread　over　a　variegated　expanse　of　starry

flowers；　shimmering　leaves；　and　slender　inextricable　branches；

pierced　here　and　there　by　towering　rigid　cactus　spikes　or　the

curved　plumes　of　palms。　　The　repose　of　ages　lay　in　its　hushed

groves；　its　drooping　vines；　its　lifeless　creepers；　the　dry　dust　of

its　decaying　leaves　and　branches　mingled　with　the　living　perfumes

like　the　spiced　embalmings　of　a　forgotten　past。



Nevertheless；　this　tranquillity；　after　a　few　moments；　was

singularly　disturbed。　　There　was　no　breeze　stirring；　and　yet　the

long　fronds　of　a　large　fan　palm；　that　stood　near　the　breach　in　the

wall；　began　to　move　gently　from　right　to　left；　like　the　arms　of

some　graceful　semaphore；　and　then　as　suddenly　stopped。　　Almost　at

the　same　moment　a　white　curtain；　listlessly　hanging　from　a　canopied

balcony　of　the　Alcalde's　house；　began　to　exhibit　a　like　rhythmical

and　regular　agitation。　　Then　everything　was　motionless　again；　an

interval　of　perfect　peace　settled　upon　the　garden。　　It　was　broken

by　the