the crusade of the excelsior-第3章

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surreptitiously　opening　a　port…hole　in　her　state…room　for　a　whiff

of　fresh　air　while　dressing；　had　been　shocked　by　the　intrusion　of

the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　was　obliged　to　summon　assistance　and　change

her　dress。　　Jack　Crosby；　who　had　attired　himself　for　tropical

shore…going　in　white　ducks　and　patent　leathers；　shivered　in　the

keen　northwest　Trades；　and　bewailed　the　cheap　cigars　he　had

expected　to　buy　at　Mazatlan。　　The　entrance　of　Miss　Keene；　who

seemed　to　bring　with　her　the　freshness　and　purity　of　the　dazzling

outer　air；　stirred　the　younger　men　into　some　gallant　attention；

embarrassed；　however；　by　a　sense　of　self…reproach。



Senor　Perkins　alone　retained　his　normal　serenity。　　Already　seated

at　the　table　between　the　two　fair…headed　children　of　Mrs。　Brimmer；

he　was　benevolently　performing　parental　duties　in　her　absence；　and

gently　supervising　and　preparing　their　victuals　even　while　he

carried　on　an　ethnological　and　political　discussion　with　Mrs。

Markham。



〃Ah；　my　dear　lady；〃　continued　the　Senor；　as　he　spread　a　hot　biscuit

with　butter　and　currant　jelly　for　the　youngest　Miss　Brimmer；　〃I　am

afraid　that；　with　the　fastidiousness　of　your　sex；　you　allow　your

refined　instincts　against　a　race　who　only　mix　with　ours　in　a　menial

capacity　to　prejudice　your　views　of　their　ability　for　enlightened

self…government。　　That　may　be　true　of　the　aborigines　of　the　Old

Worldlike　our　friends　the　Lascars　among　the　crew〃



〃They're　so　snaky；　dark；　and　deceitful…looking；〃　interrupted　Mrs。

Markham。



〃I　might　differ　from　you　there；　and　say　that　the　higher　blonde

types　like　the　Anglo…Saxonto　say　nothing　of　the　wily　Greekswere

the　deceitful　races：　it　might　be　difficult　for　any　of　us　to　say

what　a　sly　and　deceitful　man　should　be　like〃



〃Oor　not　detheitfuloor　a　dood　man；〃　interpolated　the　youngest

Miss　Brimmer；　fondly　regarding　the　biscuit。



〃Thank　you；　Missie；〃　beamed　the　Senor；　〃but　to　return：　our　Lascar

friends；　Mrs。　Markham；　belong　to　an　earlier　Asiatic　type　of

civilization　already　decayed　or　relapsed　to　barbarism；　while　the

aborigines　of　the　New　World　now　existing　have　never　known　itor；

like　the　Aztecs；　have　perished　with　it。　　The　modern　North　American

aborigine　has　not　yet　got　beyond　the　tribal　condition；　mingled　with

Caucasian　blood　as　he　is　in　Mexico　and　Central　America；　he　is

perfectly　capable　of　self…government。〃



〃Then　why　has　he　never　obtained　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Markham。



〃He　has　always　been　oppressed　and　kept　down　by　colonists　of　the

Latin　races；　he　has　been　little　better　than　a　slave　to　his

oppressor　for　the　last　two　centuries；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　with　a

slight　darkening　of　his　soft　eyes。



〃Injins　is　pizen；〃　whispered　Mr。　Winslow　to　Miss　Keene。



〃Who　would　be　free；　you　know；　the　poet　says；　ought　themselves　to

light　out　from　the　shoulder；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；〃　suggested

Crosby；　with　cheerful　vagueness。



〃True；　but　a　little　assistance　and　encouragement　from　mankind

generally　would　help　them；〃　continued　the　Senor。　　〃Ah！　my　dear　Mrs。

Markham；　if　they　could　even　count　on　the　intelligent　sympathy　of

women　like　yourself；　their　independence　would　be　assured。　　And

think　what　a　proud　privilege　to　have　contributed　to　such　a　result；

to　have　assisted　at　the　birth　of　the　ideal　American　Republic；　for

such　it　would　bea　Republic　of　one　blood；　one　faith；　one　history。〃



〃What　on　earth；　or　sea；　ever　set　the　old　man　off　again？〃　inquired

Crosby；　in　an　aggrieved　whisper。　　〃It's　two　weeks　since　he's　given

us　any　Central　American　independent　flapdoodlelong　enough　for

those　nigger　injins　to　have　had　half　a　dozen　revolutions。　　You　know

that　the　vessels　that　put　into　San　Juan　have　saluted　one　flag　in

the　morning；　and　have　been　fired　at　under　another　in　the

afternoon。〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Miss　Keene。　　〃He's　so　kind！　　Look　at　him　now；　taking

off　the　pinafores　of　those　children　and　tidying　them。　　He　is　kinder

to　them　than　their　nurse；　and　more　judicious　than　their　mother。

And　half　his　talk　with　Mrs。　Markham　now　is　only　to　please　her；

because　she　thinks　she　knows　politics。　　He's　always　trying　to　do

good　to　somebody。〃



〃That's　so；〃　exclaimed　Brace；　eager　to　share　Miss　Keene's

sentiments；　〃and　he's　so　good　to　those　outlandish　niggers　in　the

crew。　　I　don't　see　how　the　captain　could　get　on　with　the　crew

without　him；　he's　the　only　one　who　can　talk　their　gibberish　and

keep　them　quiet。　　I've　seen　him　myself　quietly　drop　down　among　them

when　they　were　wrangling。　　In　my　opinion；〃　continued　the　young

fellow；　lowering　his　voice　somewhat　ostentatiously；　〃you'll　find

out　when　we　get　to　port　that　he's　stopped　the　beginning　of　many　a

mutiny　among　them。〃



〃I　reckon　they'd　make　short　work　of　a　man　like　him；〃　said　Winslow；

whose　superciliousness　was　by　no　means　lessened　by　the　community　of

sentiment　between　Miss　Keene　and　Brace。　　〃I　reckon；　his　political

reforms；　and　his　poetical　high…falutin'　wouldn't　go　as　far　in　the

forecastle　among　live　men　as　it　does　in　the　cabin　with　a　lot　of

women。　　You'll　more　likely　find　that　he's　been　some　sort　of　steward

on　a　steamer；　and　he's　working　his　passage　with　us。　　That's　where

he　gets　that　smooth；　equally…attentive…to…anybody　sort　of　style。

The　way　he　skirmished　around　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Mrs。　Markham　with　a

basin　the　other　day　when　it　was　so　rough　convinced　ME。　　It　was　a

little　too　professional　to　suit　my　style。〃



〃I　suppose　that　was　the　reason　why　you　went　below　so　suddenly；〃

rejoined　Brace；　whose　too　sensitive　blood　was　beginning　to　burn　in

his　cheeks　and　eyes。



〃It's　a　shame　to　stay　below　this　morning；〃　said　Miss　Keene；

instinctively　recognizing　the　cause　of　the　discord　and　its　remedy。

〃I'm　going　on　deck　againif　I　can　manage　to　get　there。〃



The　three　gentlemen　sprang　to　accompany　her；　and；　in　their　efforts

to　keep　their　physical　balance　and　hers　equally；　the　social

equilibrium　was　restored。



By　noon；　however；　the　heavy　cross…sea　had　abated；　and　the　Excelsior

bore　west。　　When　she　once　more　rose　and　fell　regularly　on　the　long

rhythmical　swell　of　the　Pacific；　most　of　the　passengers　regained

the　deck。　　Even　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　ventured　from　their

staterooms；　and　were　conveyed　to　and　installed　in　some　state　on　a

temporary　divan　of　cushions　and　shawls　on　the　lee　side。　　For　even

in　this　small　republic　of　equal　cabin　passengers　the　undemocratic

and　distinction…loving　sex　had　managed　to　create　a　sham

exclusiveness。　　Mrs。　Brimmer；　as　the　daughter　of　a　rich　Bostonian；

the　sister　of　a　prominent　lawyer；　and　the　wife　of　a　successful　San

Francisco　merchant；　who　was　popularly　supposed　to　be　part…owner　of

the　Excelsior；　was　recognized；　and　alternately　caressed　and　hated

as　their　superior。　　A　majority　of　the　male　passengers；　owning　no

actual　or　prospective　matrimonial　subjection　to　those　charming

toad…eaters；　I　am　afraid　continued　to　enjoy　a　mild　and　debasing

equality　among　themselves；　mitigated　only　by　the　concessions　of

occasional　gallantry。　　To　them；　Mrs。　Brimmer　was　a　rather　pretty；

refined；　well…dressed　woman；　whose　languid　pallor；　aristocratic

spareness；　and　utter　fastidiousness　did　not；　however；　preclude　a

certain　nervous　intensity　which　occasionally　lit　up　her　weary　eyes

with　a　dangerous　phosphorescence；　under　their　brown　fringes。

Equally　acceptable　was　Miss　Chubb；　her　friend　and　traveling

companion；　a　tall；　well…bred　girl；　with　faint　salmon…pink　hair　and

complexion；　that　darkened　to　a　fiery　brown　in　her　shortsighted

eyes。



Between　these　ladies　and　Mrs。　Markham　and　Miss　Keene　existed　an

enthusiastic　tolerance；　which；　however；　could　never　be　mistaken　for

a　generous　rivalry。　　Of　the　greater　popularity　of　Miss　Keene　as　the

recognized　belle　of　the　Excelsior　there　could　be　no　question；　nor

was　there　any　from　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　her　friend。　　The　intellectual

preeminence　of　Mrs。　Markham　was　equally；　and　no　less　ostentatiously；

granted。　　〃Mrs。　Markham　is　so　clever；　I　delight　to　hear　you　converse

together；〃　Mrs。　Brimmer　would　say　to　Senor　Perkins；　〃though　I'm　sure

I　hardly　dare　talk　to　her　myself。　　She　might　easily　go　into　the

lecture…fieldperhaps　she　expects　to　do　so　in　California。　　My　dear

Clarissa〃to　Miss　Chubb〃don't　she　remind　you　a　little　of　Aunt

Jane　Winthrop's　governess；　whom　we　came　so　near　taking　to　Paris　with

us；　but　couldn't　on　account　of　her　defective　French？〃



When　〃The　Excelsior　Banner　and　South　Sea　Bubble〃　was　published　in

lat。　15　N。　and　long。　105　W。；　to　which　Mrs。　Markham　contributed　the

editorials　and　essays；　and　Senor　Perkins　three　columns　of

sentimental　poetry；　Mrs。　Brimmer　did　not　withhold　her　praise　of　the

fair　editor。　　When　the　Excelsior　〃Recrossed　the　Line；〃　with　a

suitable　tableau　vivant　and　pageant；　and　Miss　Keene　as　California；

in　white　and　blue；　welcomed　from　the　hands　of　Neptune　（Senor

Perkins）　and　Amphitrite　（Mrs。　Markham）　her　fair　sister；

Massachusetts　（Mrs。　Brimmer）；　and　New　York　（Miss　Chubb）；　Mrs。

Brimmer　was　most　enthusiastic　of　the　beauty　of　Miss　Keene。



On　the　present　morning　Mr。　Banks　found　his　disappointment　at　not

going　into　Mazatlan　languidly　shared　by　Mrs。　Brimmer。　　That　lady

even　made　a　place　for　him　on　the　cushions　beside　her；　as　she

pensively　expressed　her　belief　that　her　husband　would　be　still　more

disappointed。



〃Mr。　Brimmer；　you　know；　has　correspondents　at　Mazatlan；　and　no

doubt　he　has　made　particular　arrangements　for　our　reception　and

entertainment　while　there。　　I　should　not　wonder　if　he　was　very

indignant。　　And　if；　as　I　fear；　the　officials　of　the　place；　knowing

Mr。　Brimmer's　positionand　my　own　connectionshave　prepared　to

show　us　social　courtesies；　it　may　be　a　graver　affair。　　I　shouldn't

be　surprised　if　our　Government　were　obliged　to　take　notice　of　it。

There　is　a　Captain…General　of　portisn't　there？　　I　think　my

husband　spoke　of　him。〃



〃Oh；　he's　probably　been　shot　long　ago；〃　broke　in　Mr。　Crosby

cheerfully。　　〃They　put　in　a　new　man　every　revolution。　　If　the　wrong

party's　got　in；　they've　likely　shipped　your　husband's　correspondent

too；　and　might　be　waiting　to　get　a　reception　for　you　with　nigger

soldiers　and　ball　cartridges。　　Shouldn't　wonder　if　the　skipper　got

wind　of　something　of　the　kind；　and　that's　why　he　didn't　put　in。　　If

your　husband　hadn't　been　so　well　known；　you　see；　we　might　have

slipped　in　all　right。〃



Mrs。　Brimmer　received　this　speech　with　the　languid　obliviousness　of

perception　she　usually　meted　out　to　this　chartered　jester。



〃Do　you　really　think　so；　Mr。　Crosby？　　And　would　you　have　been

afraid　to　leave　your　cabinor　are　you　joking？　　You　know　I　never

know　when　you　are。　　It　is　very　dreadful；　either　way。〃



But　here　Miss　Chubb；　with　ready　tact；　interrupted　any　possible

retort　from　Mr。　Crosby。



〃Look；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　some　of　the　other　passengers；　who；　at

a　little　distance；　had　grouped　about　the　first　mate　in　animated

discussion。　　〃I　wonder　what　those　gentlemen　are　so　interested

about。　　Do　go　and　see。〃



Before　he　could　reply；　Mr。　Winslo