the crusade of the excelsior-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



been　summoned　in　haste　to　the　Council。　　He　returned　with　an　eager

face　to　Hurlstone；　who　had　been　anxiously　awaiting　him。　　When　the

Padre　had　imparted　the　full　particulars　of　the　event　to　his

companion；　he　added　gravely；



〃You　see；　my　son；　how　Providence；　which　has　protected　you　since　you

first　claimed　the　Church's　sanctuary；　has　again　interfered　to　spare

me　the　sacrifice　of　using　the　power　of　the　Church　in　purely　mundane

passions。　　I　weekly　accept　the　rebuke　of　His　better…ordained　ways；

and　you；　Diego；　may　comfort　yourself　that　this　girl　is　restored

directly　to　her　brother's　care；　without　any　deviousness　of　plan　or

human　responsibility。　　You　do　not　speak；　my　son！〃　continued　the

priest　anxiously；　〃can　it　be　possible　that；　in　the　face　of　this

gracious　approval　of　Providence　to　your　resolution；　you　are

regretting　it？〃



The　young　man　replied；　with　a　half　reproachful　gesture：



〃Do　you；　then；　think　me　still　so　weak？　　No；　Father　Esteban；　I　have

steeled　myself　against　my　selfishness　for　her　sake。　　I　could　have

resigned　her　to　the　escape　you　had　planned；　believing　her　happier

for　it；　and　ignorant　of　the　real　condition　of　the　man　she　had

learnt　totopity。　　But；〃　he　added；　turning　suddenly　and　almost

rudely　upon　the　priest；　〃do　you　know　the　meaning　of　this　irruption

of　the　outer　world　to　ME？　　Do　you　reflect　that　these　men　probably

know　my　miserable　story？that；　as　one　of　the　passengers　of　the

Excelsior；　they　will　be　obliged　to　seek　me　and　to　restore　me；〃　he

added；　with　a　bitter　laugh；　〃to　MY　home；　MY　kindredto　the　world　I

loathe？〃



〃But　you　need　not　follow　them。　　Remain　here。〃



〃Here！with　the　door　thrown　open　to　any　talebearer　OR　PERHAPS　TO

MY　WIFE　HERSELF？　　Never！　　Hear　me；　Father；〃　he　went　on　hurriedly：

〃these　men　have　come　from　San　Franciscohave　been　to　Mazatlan。

Can　you　believe　that　it　is　possible　that　they　have　never　heard　of

this　woman's　search　for　me？　　No！　　The　quest　of　hate　is　as　strong　as

the　quest　of　love；　and　more　merciless　to　the　hunted。〃



〃But　if　that　were　so；　foolish　boy；　she　would　have　accompanied

them。〃



〃You　are　wrong！　　It　would　have　been　enough　for　her　to　have　sent　my

exposure　by　themto　have　driven　me　from　this　refuge。〃



〃This　is　but　futile　fancy；　Diego；〃　said　Father　Esteban；　with　a

simulated　assurance　he　was　far　from　feeling。　　〃Nothing　has　yet　been

saidnothing　may　be　said。　　Wait；　my　child。〃



〃Wait！〃　he　echoed　bitterly。　　〃Ay；　wait　until　the　poor　girl　shall

hearperhaps　from　her　brother's　lipsthe　story　of　my　marriage　as

bandied　about　by　others；　wait　for　her　to　know　that　the　man　who

would　have　made　her　love　him　was　another's；　and　unworthy　of　her

respect？　　No！　it　is　I　who　must　leave　this　place；　and　at　once。〃



〃YOU？〃　echoed　the　Padre。　　〃How？〃



〃By　the　same　means　you　would　have　used　for　her　departure。　　I　must

take　her　place　in　that　ship　you　are　expecting。　　You　will　give　ME

letters　to　your　friends。　　Perhaps；　when　this　is　over；　I　may　return

if　I　still　live。〃



Padre　Esteban　became　thoughtful。



〃You　will　not　refuse　me？〃　said　the　young　man；　taking　the　Padre's

hand。　　〃It　is　for　the　best；　believe　me。　　I　will　remain　secret　here

until　then。　　You　will　invent　some　excuseillness；　or　what　you

liketo　keep　them　from　penetrating　here。　　Above　all；　to　spare　me

from　the　misery　of　ever　reading　my　secret　in　her　face。〃



Father　Esteban　remained　still　absorbed　in　thought。



〃You　will　take　a　letter　from　me　to　the　Archbishop；　and　put　yourself

under　his　care？〃　he　asked　at　last；　after　a　long　pause。　　〃You　will

promise　me　that？〃



〃I　do！〃



〃Then　we　shall　see　what　can　be　done。　　They　talk；　those　Americanos；〃

continued　the　priest；　〃of　making　their　way　up　the　coast　to　Punta

St。　Jago；　where　the　ship　they　have　already　sent　for　to　take　them

away　can　approach　the　shore；　and　the　Comandante　has　orders　to

furnish　them　escort　and　transport　to　that　point。　　It　is　a　foolish

indiscretion　of　the　Government；　and　I　warrant　without　the　sanction

of　the　Church。　　Already　there　is　curiosity；　discontent；　and　wild

talk　among　the　people。　　Ah！　thou　sayest　truly；　my　son；〃　said　the

old　man；　gloomily；　〃the　doors　of　Todos　Santos　are　open。　　The

Comandante　will　speed　these　heretics　quickly　on　their　way；　but　the

doors　by　which　they　came　and　whence　they　go　will　never　close　again。

But　God's　will　be　done！　　And　if　the　open　doors　bring　thee　back；　my

son；　I　shall　not　question　His　will！〃



It　would　seem；　however；　as　if　Hurlstone's　fears　had　been　groundless。

For　in　the　excitement　of　the　succeeding　days；　and　the　mingling　of

the　party　from　San　Antonio　with　the　new…comers；　the　recluse　had　been

forgotten。　　So　habitual；　had　been　his　isolation　from　the　others；

that；　except　for　the　words　of　praise　and　gratitude　hesitatingly

dropped　by　Miss　Keene　to　her　brother；　his　name　was　not　mentioned；

and　it　might　have　been　possible　for　the　relieving　party　to　have　left

him　behindunnoticed。　　Mr。　Brimmer；　for　domestic　reasons；　was　quite

willing　to　allow　the　episode　of　Miss　Montgomery's　connection　with

their　expedition　to　drop　for　the　present。　　Her　name　was　only

recalled　once　by　Miss　Keene。　　When　Dick　had　professed　a　sudden　and

violent　admiration　for　the　coquettish　Dona　Isabel；　Eleanor　had

looked　up　in　her　brother's　face　with　a　half　troubled　air。



〃Who　was　this　queer　Montgomery　woman；　Dick？〃　she　said。



Dick　laugheda　frank；　reassuring；　heart…free　laugh。



〃Perfectly　stunning；　Nell。　　Such　a　figure　in　tights！　　You　ought　to

have　seen　her　dancemy！〃



〃Hush！　　I　dare　say　she　was　horrid！〃



〃Not　at　all！　　She　wasn't　such　a　bad　fellow；　if　you　left　out　her

poetry　and　gush；　which　I　didn't　go　in　for　much；though　the　other

fellows〃he　stopped；　from　a　sudden　sense　of　loyalty　to　Brimmer　and

Markham。　　〃No；　you　see；　Nell；　she　was　regularly　ridiculously　struck

after　that　man　Perkins；whom　she'd　never　seen；a　kind　of

schoolgirl　worship　for　a　pirate。　　You　know　how　you　women　go　in　for

those　fellows　with　a　mystery　about　'em。〃



〃No；　I　don't！〃　said　Miss　Keene　sharply；　with　a　slight　rise　of

color；　〃and　I　don't　see　what　that's　got　to　do　with　you　and　her。〃



〃Everything！　　She　was　in　correspondence　with　Perkins；　and　knows

about　the　Excelsior　affair；　and　wants　to　help　him　get　out　of　it

with　clean　hands；　don't　you　see！　　That's　why　she　made　up　to　us。

There；　Nell；　she　ain't　your　style；　of　course；　but　you　owe　a　heap　to

her　for　giving　us　points　as　to　where　you　were。　　But　that's　all　over

now；　she　left　us　at　Mazatlan；　and　went　on　to　Nicaragua　to　meet

Perkins　somewhere　therefor　the　fellow　has　always　got　some　Central

American　revolution　on　hand；　it　appears。　　Until　they　garrote　or

shoot　him　some　day；　he'll　go　on　in　the　liberating　business　forever。〃



〃Then　there　wasn't　any　Mr。　Montgomery；　of　course？〃　said　Eleanor。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Montgomery；〃　said　Dick；　hesitating。　　〃Well；　you　see；　Nell；

I　think　that；　knowing　how　correct　and　all　that　sort　of　thing

Brimmer　is；　she　sort　of　invented　the　husband　to　make　her　interest

look　more　proper。〃



〃It's　shameful！〃　said　Miss　Keene　indignantly。



〃Come；　Nell；　one　would　think　you　had　a　personal　dislike　to　her。

Let　her　go；　she　won't　trouble　younor；　I　reckon；　ANYBODY；　much

longer。〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　Dick？〃



〃I　mean　she　has　regularly　exhausted　and　burnt　herself　out　with　her

hysterics　and　excitements；　and　the　drugs　she's　taken　to　subdue

themto　say　nothing　of　the　Panama　fever　she　got　last　spring。　　If

she　don't　go　regularly　crazy　at　last　she'll　have　another　attack　of

fever；　hanging　round　the　isthmus　waiting　for　Perkins。〃



Meanwhile；　undisturbed　by　excitement　or　intrusion　of　the　outer

world；　the　days　had　passed　quietly　at　the　Mission。　　But　one

evening；　at　twilight；　a　swift…footed；　lightly…clad　Indian　glided

into　the　sacristy　as　if　he　had　slipped　from　the　outlying　fog；　and

almost　immediately　as　quietly　glided　away　again　and　disappeared。

The　next　moment　Father　Esteban's　gaunt　and　agitated　face　appeared

at　Hurlstone's　door。



〃My　son；　God　has　been　merciful；　and　cut　short　your　probation。　　The

signal　of　the　ship　has　just　been　made。　　Her　boat　will　be　waiting　on

the　beach　two　leagues　from　here　an　hour　hence。　　Are　you　ready？　and

are　you　still　resolved？〃



〃I　am；〃　said　Hurlstone；　rising。　　〃I　have　been　prepared　since　you

first　assented。〃



The　old　man's　lips　quivered　slightly；　and　the　great　brown　hand　laid

upon　the　table　trembled　for　an　instant；　with　a　strong　effort　he

recovered　himself；　and　said　hurriedly；



〃Concho's　mule　is　saddled　and　ready　for　you　at　the　foot　of　the

garden。　　You　will　follow　the　beach　a　league　beyond　the　Indians'

cross。　　In　the　boat　will　await　you　the　trusty　messenger　of　the

Church。　　You　will　say　to　him；　'Guadalajara；'　and　give　him　these

letters。　　One　is　to　the　captain。　　You　will　require　no　other

introduction。〃　　He　laid　the　papers　on　the　table；　and；　turning　to

Hurlstone；　lifted　his　tremulous　hands　in　the　air。　　〃And　now；　my

son；　may　the　grace　of　God〃



He　faltered　and　stopped；　his　uplifted　arms　falling　helplessly　on

Hurlstone's　shoulders。　　For　an　instant　the　young　man　supported　him

in　his　arms；　then　placed　him　gently　in　the　chair　he　had　just

quitted；　and　for　the　first　time　in　their　intimacy　dropped　upon　his

knee　before　him。　　The　old　man；　with　a　faint　smile；　placed　his　hand

upon　his　companion's　head。　　A　breathless　pause　followed；　Father

Esteban's　lips　moved　silently。　　Suddenly　the　young　man　rose；

pressed　his　lips　hurriedly　to　the　Father's　hand；　and　passed　out

into　the　night。



The　moon　was　already　suffusing　the　dropping　veil　of　fog　above　him

with　that　nebulous；　mysterious　radiance　he　had　noticed　the　first

night　he　had　approached　the　Mission。　　When　he　reached　the　cross　he

dismounted；　and　gathering　a　few　of　the　sweet…scented　blossoms　that

crept　around　its　base；　placed　them　in　his　breast。　　Then；

remounting；　he　continued　his　way　until　he　came　to　the　spot

designated　by　Concho　as　a　fitting　place　to　leave　his　tethered　mule。

This　done；　he　proceeded　on　foot　about　a　mile　further　along　the

hard；　wet　sand；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　narrow　strip　of　water　and

shore　before　him　that　was　yet　uninvaded　by　the　fog　on　either　side。



The　misty；　nebulous　light；　the　strange　silence；　broken　only　by　the

occasional　low　hurried　whisper　of　some　spent　wave　that　sent　its

film　of　spume　across　his　path；　or　filled　his　footprints　behind　him；

possessed　him　with　vague　presentiments　and　imaginings。　　At　times　he

fancied　he　heard　voices　at　his　side；　at　times　indistinct　figures

loomed　through　the　mist　before　him。　　At　last　what　seemed　to　be　his

own　shadow　faintly　impinged　upon　the　mist　at　one　side　impressed　him

so　strongly　that　he　stopped；　the　apparition　stopped　too。

Continuing　a　few　hundred　paces　further；　he　stopped　again；　but　this

time　the　ghostly　figure　passed　on；　and　convinced　him　that　it　was　no

shadow；　but　some　one　actually　following　him。　　With　an　angry

challenge　he　advanced　towards　it。　　It　quickly　retreated　inland；　and

was　lost。　　Irritated　and　suspicious　he　turn