the crusade of the excelsior-第35章

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

was　lost。　　Irritated　and　suspicious　he　turned　back　towards　the

water；　and　was　amazed　to　see　before　him；　not　twenty　yards　away；　the

object　of　his　questa　boat；　with　two　men　in　it；　kept　in　position

by　the　occasional　lazy　dip　of　an　oar。　　In　the　pursuit　of　his

mysterious　shadow　he　had　evidently　overlooked　it。　　As　his　own

figure　emerged　from　the　fog；　the　boat　pulled　towards　him。　　The

priest's　password　was　upon　his　lips；　when　he　perceived　that　the　TWO

men　were　common　foreign　sailors；　the　messenger　of　the　Church　was

evidently　not　there。　　Could　it　have　been　he　who　had　haunted　him？

He　paused　irresolutely。　　〃Is　there　none　other　coming？〃　he　asked。

The　two　men　looked　at　each　other。　　One　said；　〃Quien　sabe！〃　and

shrugged　his　shoulders。　　Hurlstone　without　further　hesitation

leaped　aboard。



The　same　dull　wall　of　vaporat　times　thickening　to　an　almost

impenetrable　barrier；　and　again　half　suffocating　him　in　its　soft

embracewhich　he　had　breasted　on　the　night　he　swam　ashore；　carried

back　his　thoughts　to　that　time；　now　so　remote　and　unreal。　　And

when；　after　a　few　moments'　silent　rowing；　the　boat　approached　a

black　hulk　that　seemed　to　have　started　forward　out　of　the　gloom　to

meet　them；　his　vague　recollection　began　to　take　a　more　definite

form。　　As　he　climbed　up　the　companion…ladder　and　boarded　the

vessel；　an　inexplicable　memory　came　over　him。　　A　petty　officer　on

the　gangway　advanced　silently　and　ushered　him；　half　dazed　and

bewildered；　into　the　cabin。　　He　glanced　hurriedly　around：　the　door

of　a　state…room　opened；　and　disclosed　the　indomitable　and　affable

Senor　Perkins！　　A　slight　expression　of　surprise；　however；　crossed

the　features　of　the　Liberator　of　Quinquinambo　as　he　advanced　with

outstretched　hand。



〃This　is　really　a　surprise；　my　dear　fellow！　　I　had　no　idea　that　YOU

were　in　this　affair。　　But　I　am　delighted　to　welcome　you　once　more

to　the　Excelsior！〃





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　RETURN　OF　THE　EXCELSIOR。





Amazed　and　disconcerted；　Hurlstone；　nevertheless；　retained　his

presence　of　mind。



〃There　must　be　some　mistake；〃　he　said　coolly；　〃I　am　certainly　not

the　person　you　seem　to　be　expecting。〃



〃Were　you　not　sent　here　by　Winslow？〃　demanded　Perkins。



〃No。　　The　person　you　are　looking　for　is　probably　one　I　saw　on　the

shore。　　He　no　doubt　became　alarmed　at　my　approach；　and　has　allowed

me　quite　unwittingly　to　take　his　place　in　the　boat。〃



Perkins　examined　Hurlstone　keenly　for　a　moment；　stepped　to　the

door；　gave　a　brief　order；　and　returned。



〃Then；　if　you　did　not　intend　the　honor　of　this　visit　for　me；〃　he

resumed；　with　a　smile；　〃may　I　ask；　my　dear　fellow；　whom　you

expected　to　meet；　and　on　what　ship？　　There　are　not　so　many　at　Todos

Santos；　if　my　memory　serves　me　right；　as　to　create　confusion。〃



〃I　must　decline　to　answer　that　question；〃　said　Hurlstone　curtly。



The　Senor　smiled；　with　an　accession　of　his　old　gentleness。



〃My　dear　young　friend；〃　he　said；　〃have　you　forgotten　that　on　a　far

more　important　occasion　to　YOU；　I　showed　no　desire　to　pry　into　your

secret？〃　　Hurlstone　made　a　movement　of　deprecation。　　〃Nor　have　I

any　such　desire　now。　　But　for　the　sake　of　our　coming　to　an

understanding　as　friends；　let　me　answer　the　question　for　you。　　You

are　here；　my　dear　fellow；　as　a　messenger　from　the　Mission　of　Todos

Santos　to　the　Ecclesiastical　Commission　from　Guadalajara；　whose

ship　touches　here　every　three　years。　　It　is　now　due。　　You　have

mistaken　this　vessel　for　theirs。〃



Hurlstone　remained　silent。



〃It　is　no　secret；〃　continued　Senor　Perkins　blandly；　〃nor　shall　I

pretend　to　conceal　MY　purpose　here；　which　is　on　the　invitation　of

certain　distressed　patriots　of　Todos　Santos；　to　assist　them　in

their　deliverance　from　the　effete　tyranny　of　the　Church　and　its

Government。　　I　have　been　fortunate　enough　to　anticipate　the　arrival

of　your　vessel；　as　you　were　fortunate　enough　to　anticipate　the

arrival　of　my　messenger。　　I　am　doubly　fortunate；　as　it　gives　me　the

pleasure　of　your　company　this　evening；　and　necessitates　no　further

trouble　than　the　return　of　the　boat　for　the　other　gentlemanwhich

has　already　gone。　　Doubtless　you　may　know　him。〃



〃I　must　warn　you　again；　Senor　Perkins；〃　said　Hurlstone　sternly；

〃that　I　have　no　connection　with　any　political　party；　nor　have　I　any

sympathy　with　your　purpose　against　the　constituted　authorities。〃



〃I　am　willing　to　believe　that　you　have　no　political　affinities　at

all；　my　dear　Mr。　Hurlstone；〃　returned　Perkins；　with　unruffled

composure；　〃and；　consequently；　we　will　not　argue　as　to　what　is　the

constituted　authority　of　Todos　Santos。　　Perhaps　to…morrow　it　may　be

on　board　THIS　SHIP；　and　I　may　still　have　the　pleasure　of　making　you

at　home　here！〃



〃Until　then；〃　said　Hurlstone　dryly；　〃at　least　you　will　allow　me　to

repair　my　error　by　returning　to　the　shore。〃



〃For　the　moment　I　hardly　think　it　would　be　wise；〃　replied　Perkins

gently。　　〃Allowing　that　you　escaped　the　vigilance　of　my　friends　on

the　shore；　whose　suspicions　you　have　aroused；　and　who　might　do　you

some　injury；　you　would　feel　it　your　duty　to　inform　those　who　sent

you　of　the　presence　of　my　ship；　and　thus　precipitate　a　collision

between　my　friends　and　yours；　which　would　be　promotive　of　ill…

feeling；　and　perhaps　bloodshed。　　You　know　my　peaceful　disposition；

Mr。　Hurlstone；　you　can　hardly　expect　me　to　countenance　an　act　of

folly　that　would　be　in　violation　of　it。〃



〃In　other　words；　having　decoyed　me　here　on　board　your　ship；　you

intend　to　detain　me；〃　said　Hurlstone　insultingly。



〃'Decoy；'〃　said　Perkins；　in　gentle　deprecation；　〃'decoy'　is　hardly

the　word　I　expected　from　a　gentleman　who　has　been　so　unfortunate　as

to　take；　unsolicited　and　of　his　own　free　will；　another　person's

place　in　a　boat。　　But；〃　he　continued；　assuming　an　easy

argumentative　attitude；　〃let　us　look　at　it　from　your　view…point。

Let　us　imagine　that　YOUR　ship　had　anticipated　mine；　and　that　MY

messenger　had　unwittingly　gone　on　board　of　HER。　　What　do　you　think

they　would　have　done　to　him？〃



〃They　would　have　hung　him　at　the　yard…arm；　as　he　deserved；〃　said

Hurlstone　unflinchingly。



〃You　are　wrong；〃　said　Perkins　gently。　　〃They　would　have　given　him

the　alternative　of　betraying　his　trust；　and　confessing　everything

which　he　would　probably　have　accepted。　　Pardon　me！this　is　no

insinuation　against　you；〃　he　interrupted；〃but　I　regret　to　say

that　my　experience　with　the　effete　Latin　races　of　this　continent

has　not　inspired　me　with　confidence　in　their　loyalty　to　trust。　　Let

me　give　you　an　instance；〃　he　continued；　smiling：　〃the　ship　you　are

expecting　is　supposed　to　be　an　inviolable　secret　of　the　Church；　but

it　is　known　to　meto　my　friends　ashoreand　even　to　you；　my　poor

friend；　a　heretic！　　More　than　that；　I　am　told　that　the　Comandante；

the　Padre；　and　Alcalde　are　actually　arranging　to　deport　some　of　the

American　women　by　this　vessel；　which　has　been　hitherto　sacred　to

the　emissaries　of　the　Church　alone。　　But　you　probably　know　thisit

is　doubtless　part　of　your　errand。　　I　only　mention　it　to　convince

you　that　I　have　certainly　no　need　either　to　know　your　secrets；　to

hang　you　from　the　yard…arm　if　you　refused　to　give　them　up；　or　to

hold　you　as　hostage　for　my　messenger；　who；　as　I　have　shown　you；　can

take　care　of　himself。　　I　shall　not　ask　you　for　that　secret　despatch

you　undoubtedly　carry　next　your　heart；　because　I　don't　want　it。

You　are　at　liberty　to　keep　it　until　you　can　deliver　it；　or　drop　it

out　of　that　port…hole　into　the　seaas　you　choose。　　But　I　hear　the

boat　returning；〃　continued　Perkins；　rising　gently　from　his　seat　as

the　sound　of　oars　came　faintly　alongside；　〃and　no　doubt　with

Winslow's　messenger。　　I　am　sorry　you　won't　let　me　bring　you

together。　　I　dare　say　he　knows　all　about　you；　and　it　really　need

not　alter　your　opinions。〃



〃One　moment；〃　said　Hurlstone；　stunned；　yet　incredulous　of　Perkins's

revelations。　　〃You　said　that　both　the　Comandante　and　Alcalde　had

arranged　to　send　away　certain　ladiesare　you　not　mistaken？〃



〃I　think　not；〃　said　Perkins　quietly；　looking　over　a　pile　of　papers

on　the　table　before　him。　　〃Yes；　here　it　is；〃　he　continued；　reading

from　a　memorandum：　〃'Don　Ramon　Ramirez　arranged　with　Pepe　for　the

secret　carrying　off　of　Dona　Barbara　Brimmer。'　　Why；　that　was　six

weeks　ago；　and　here　we　have　the　Comandante　suborning　one　Marcia；　a

dragoon；　to　abduct　Mrs。　Markhamby　Jove；　my　old　friend！and　Dona

Leonorour　beauty；　was　she　not？　　Yes；　here　it　is：　in　black　and

white。　　Read　it；　if　you　like；and　pardon　me　for　one　moment；　while

I　receive　this　unlucky　messenger。〃



Left　to　himself；　Hurlstone　barely　glanced　at　the　memorandum；　which

seemed　to　be　the　rough　minutes　of　some　society。　　He　believed

Perkins；　but　was　it　possible　that　the　Padre　could　be　ignorant　of

the　designs　of　his　fellow…councilors？　　And　if　he　were　notif　he

had　long　before　been　in　complicity　with　them　for　the　removal　of

Eleanor；　might　he　not　also　have　duped　him；　Hurlstone；　and　sent　him

on　this　mission　as　a　mere　blind；　andmore　infamouslyperhaps　even

thus　decoyed　him　on　board　the　wrong　ship？　　Noit　was　impossible！

His　honest　blood　quickly　flew　to　his　cheek　at　that　momentary

disloyal　suspicion。



Nevertheless；　the　Senor's　bland　revelations　filled　him　with　vague

uneasiness。　　SHE　was　safe　with　her　brother　now；　but　what　if　he　and

the　other　Americans　were　engaged　in　this　ridiculous　conspiracy；

this　pot…house　rebellion　that　Father　Esteban　had　spoken　of；　and

which　he　had　always　treated　with　such　contempt？　　It　seemed　strange

that　Perkins　had　said　nothing　of　the　arrival　of　the　relieving　party

from　the　Gulf；　and　its　probable　effect　on　the　malcontents。　　Did　he

know　it？　or　was　the　news　now　being　brought　by　this　messenger　whom

he；　Hurlstone；　had　supplanted？　　If　so；　when　and　how　had　Perkins

received　the　intelligence　that　brought　him　to　Todos　Santos？　　The

young　man　could　scarcely　repress　a　bitter　smile　as　he　remembered

the　accepted　idea　of　Todos　Santos'　inviolabilitythat　inaccessible

port　that　had　within　six　weeks　secretly　summoned　Perkins　to　its

assistance！　　And　it　was　there　he　believed　himself　secure！　　What

security　had　he　at　all？　　Might　not　this　strange；　unimpassioned；

omniscient　man　already　know　HIS　secret　as　he　had　known　the　others'？



The　interview　of　Perkins　with　the　messenger　in　the　next　cabin　was　a

long　one；　and　apparently　a　stormy　one　on　the　part　of　the　newcomer。

Hurlstone　could　hear　his　excited　foreign　voice；　shrill　with　the

small　vehemence　of　a　shallow　character；　but　there　was　no　change　in

the　slow；　measured　tones　of　the　Senor。　　He　listlessly　began　to　turn

over　the　papers　on　the　table。　　Presently　he　paused。　　He　had　taken

up　a　sheet　of　paper　on　which　Senor　Perkins　had　evidently　been

essaying　some　composition　in　verse。　　It　seemed　to　have　been　of　a

lugubrious　character。　　The　titular　line　at　the　top　of　the　page；

〃Dirge；〃　had　been　crossed　out　for　the　substituted　〃In　Memoriam。〃

He　re