the crusade of the excelsior-第7章

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with　the　single　exception　of　Senor　Perkins；　who；　in　chivalrous

compliment　to　the　elements；　still　bared　his　unfettered　throat　and

forehead　to　the　breeze。　　The　aspect　of　the　coast；　as　seen　from　the

Excelsior's　deck；　seemed　to　bear　out　Mr。　Banks'　sweeping　indictment

of　the　day　before。　　A　few　low；　dome…like　hills；　yellow　and　treeless

as　sand　dunes；　scarcely　raised　themselves　above　the　horizon。　　The

air；　too；　appeared　to　have　taken　upon　itself　a　dry　asperity；　the

sun　shone　with　a　hard；　practical　brilliancy。　　Miss　Keene　raised　her

eyes　to　Senor　Perkins　with　a　pretty　impatience　that　she　sometimes

indulged　in；　as　one　of　the　privileges　of　accepted　beauty　and　petted

youth。



〃I　don't　think　much　of　your　peninsula；〃　she　said　poutingly。　　〃It

looks　dreadfully　flat　and　uninteresting。　　It　was　a　great　deal　nicer

on　the　other　coast；　or　even　at　sea。〃



〃Perhaps　you　are　judging　hastily；　my　dear　young　friend；〃　said　Senor

Perkins；　with　habitual　tolerance。　　〃I　have　heard　that　behind　those

hills；　and　hidden　from　sight　in　some　of　the　canyons；　are　perfect

little　Edens　of　beauty　and　fruitfulness。　　They　are　like　some　ardent

natures　that　cover　their　approaches　with　the　ashes　of　their　burnt…

up　fires；　but　only　do　it　the　better　to　keep　intact　their　glowing；

vivifying；　central　heat。〃



〃How　very　poetical；　Mr。　Perkins！〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　with　blunt

admiration。　　〃You　ought　to　put　that　into　verse。〃



〃I　have；〃　returned　Senor　Perkins　modestly。　　〃They　are　some

reflections　onI　hardly　dare　call　them　an　apostrophe　tothe

crater　of　Colima。　　If　you　will　permit　me　to　read　them　to　you　this

evening；　I　shall　be　charmed。　　I　hope　also　to　take　that　opportunity

of　showing　you　the　verses　of　a　gifted　woman；　not　yet　known　to　fame；

Mrs。　Euphemia　M'Corkle；　of　Peoria；　Illinois。〃



Mrs。　Markham　coughed　slightly。　　The　gifted　M'Corkle　was　already

known　to　her　through　certain　lines　quoted　by　the　Senor；　and　the

entire　cabin　had　one　evening　fled　before　a　larger　and　more

ambitious　manuscript　of　the　fair　Illinoisian。　　Miss　Keene；　who

dreaded　the　reappearance　of　this　poetical　phantom　that　seemed　to

haunt　the　Senor's　fancy；　could　not；　however；　forget　that　she　had

been　touched　on　that　occasion　by　a　kindly　moisture　of　eye　and

tremulousness　of　voice　in　the　reader；　and；　in　spite　of　the　hopeless

bathos　of　the　composition；　she　had　forgiven　him。　　Though　she　did

not　always　understand　Senor　Perkins；　she　liked　him　too　well　to

allow　him　to　become　ridiculous　to　others；　and　at　the　present　moment

she　promptly　interposed　with　a　charming　assumption　of　coquetry。



〃You　forget　that　you　promised　to　let　ME　read　the　manuscript　first；

and　in　private；　and　that　you　engaged　to　give　me　my　revenge　at　chess

this　evening。　　But　do　as　you　like。　　You　are　all　fast　becoming

faithless。　　I　suppose　it　is　because　our　holiday　is　drawing　to　a

close；　and　we　shall　soon　forget　we　ever　had　any；　or　be　ashamed　we

ever　played　so　long。　　Everybody　seems　to　be　getting　nervous　and

fidgety　and　preparing　for　civilization　again。　　Mr。　Banks；　for　the

last　few　days；　has　dressed　himself　regularly　as　if　he　were　going

down　town　to　his　office；　and　writes　letters　in　the　corner　of　the

saloon　as　if　it　were　a　counting…house。　　Mr。　Crosby　and　Mr。　Winslow

do　nothing　but　talk　of　their　prospects；　and　I　believe　they　are

drawing　up　articles　of　partnership　together。　　Here　is　Mr。　Brace

frightening　me　by　telling　me　that　my　brother　will　lock　me　up；　to

keep　the　rich　miners　from　laying　their　bags　of　gold　dust　at　my

feet；　and　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　assure　me　that　I　haven't　a

decent　gown　to　go　ashore　in。〃



〃You　forget　Mr。　Hurlstone；〃　said　Brace；　with　ill…concealed

bitterness；　〃he　seems　to　have　time　enough　on　his　hands；　and　I　dare

say　would　sympathize　with　you。　　You　women　like　idle　men。〃



〃If　we　do；　it's　because　only　the　idle　men　have　the　time　to　amuse

us；〃　retorted　Miss　Keene。　　〃But；〃　she　added；　with　a　laugh；　〃I

suppose　I'm　getting　nervous　and　fidgety　myself；　for　I　find　myself

every　now　and　then　watching　the　officers　and　men；　and　listening　to

the　orders　as　if　something　were　going　to　happen　again。　　I　never

felt　so　before；　I　never　used　to　have　the　least　concern　in　what　you

call　'the　working　of　the　ship；'　and　now〃her　voice；　which　had　been

half　playful；　half　pettish；　suddenly　became　grave；〃and　nowlook

at　the　mate　and　those　men　forward。　　There　certainly　is　something

going　on；　or　is　going　to　happen。　　What　ARE　they　looking　at？〃



The　mate　had　clambered　halfway　up　the　main　ratlines；　and　was

looking　earnestly　to　windward。　　Two　or　three　of　the　crew　on　the

forecastle　were　gazing　in　the　same　direction。　　The　group　of　cabin…

passengers　on　the　quarterdeck；　following　their　eyes；　saw　what

appeared　to　be　another　low　shore　on　the　opposite　bow。



〃Why；　there's　another　coast　there！〃　said　Mrs。　Markham。



〃It's　a　fog…bank；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　gravely。　　He　quickly　crossed

the　deck；　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　officer；　and　returned。

Miss　Keene；　who　had　felt　a　sense　of　relief；　nevertheless　questioned

his　face　as　he　again　stood　beside　her。　　But　he　had　recovered　his

beaming　cheerfulness。　　〃It's　nothing　to　alarm　you；〃　he　said；

answering　her　glance；　〃but　it　may　mean　delay　if　we　can't　get　out　of

it。　　You　don't　mind　that；　I　know。〃



〃No；〃　replied　the　young　girl；　smiling。　　〃Besides；　it　would　be　a　new

experience。　　We've　had　winds　and　calmswe　only　want　fog　now　to

complete　our　adventures。　　Unless　it's　going　to　make　everybody

cross；〃　she　continued；　with　a　mischievous　glance　at　Brace。



〃You'll　find　it　won't　improve　the　temper　of　the　officers；〃　said

Crosby；　who　had　joined　the　group。　　〃There's　nothing　sailors　hate

more　than　a　fog。　　They　can　go　to　sleep　in　a　hurricane　between　the

rolls　of　a　ship；　but　a　fog　keeps　them　awake。　　It's　the　one　thing

they　can't　shirk。　　There's　the　skipper　tumbled　up；　too！　　The　old

man　looks　wrathy；　don't　he？　　But　it's　no　use　now；　we're　going　slap

into　it；　and　the　wind's　failing！〃



It　was　true。　　In　the　last　few　moments　all　that　vast　glistening

surface　of　metallic　blue　which　stretched　so　far　to　windward

appeared　to　be　slowly　eaten　away　as　if　by　some　dull；　corroding

acid；　the　distant　horizon　line　of　sea　and　sky　was　still　distinct

and　sharply　cut；　but　the　whole　water　between　them　had　grown　gray；

as　if　some　invisible　shadow　had　passed　in　mid…air　across　it。　　The

actual　fog　bank　had　suddenly　lost　its　resemblance　to　the　shore；　had

lifted　as　a　curtain；　and　now　seemed　suspended　over　the　ship。

Gradually　it　descended；　the　top…gallant　and　top…sails　were　lost　in

this　mysterious　vapor；　yet　the　horizon　line　still　glimmered

faintly。　　Then　another　mist　seemed　to　rise　from　the　sea　and　meet

it；　in　another　instant　the　deck　whereon　they　stood　shrank　to　the

appearance　of　a　raft　adrift　in　a　faint　gray　sea。　　With　the　complete

obliteration　of　all　circumambient　space；　the　wind　fell。　　Their

isolation　was　complete。



It　was　notable　that　the　first　and　most　peculiar　effect　of　this

misty　environment　was　the　absolute　silence。　　The　empty；　invisible

sails　above　did　not　flap；　the　sheets　and　halyards　hung　limp；　even

the　faint　creaking　of　an　unseen　block　overhead　was　so　startling　as

to　draw　every　eye　upwards。　　Muffled　orders　from　viewless　figures

forward　were　obeyed　by　phantoms　that　moved　noiselessly　through　the

gray　sea　that　seemed　to　have　invaded　the　deck。　　Even　the　passengers

spoke　in　whispers；　or　held　their　breath；　in　passive　groups；　as　if

fearing　to　break　a　silence　so　replete　with　awe　and　anticipation。

It　was　next　noticed　that　the　vessel　was　subjected　to　some　vague

motion；　the　resistance　of　the　water　had　ceased；　the　waves　no　longer

hissed　under　her　bows；　or　nestled　and　lapped　under　her　counter；　a

dreamy；　irregular；　and　listless　rocking　had　taken　the　place　of　the

regular　undulations；　at　times；　a　faint　and　half　delicious　vertigo

seemed　to　overcome　their　senses；　the　ship　was　drifting。



Captain　Bunker　stood　near　the　bitts；　where　his　brief　orders　were

transmitted　to　the　man　at　the　almost　useless　wheel。　　At　his　side

Senor　Perkins　beamed　with　unshaken　serenity；　and　hopefully　replied

to　the　captain's　half　surly；　half　anxious　queries。



〃By　the　chart　we　should　be　well　east　of　Los　Lobos　island；　d'ye

see？〃　he　said　impatiently。　　〃You　don't　happen　to　remember　the

direction　of　the　current　off　shore　when　you　were　running　up　here？〃



〃It's　five　years　ago；〃　said　the　Senor　modestly；　〃but　I　remember　we

kept　well　to　the　west　to　weather　Cape　St。　Eugenio。　　My　impression

is　that　there　was　a　strong　northwesterly　current　setting　north　of

Ballenos　Bay。〃



〃And　we're　in　it　now；〃　said　Captain　Bunker　shortly。　　〃How　near　St。

Roque　does　it　set？〃



〃Within　a　mile　or　two。　　I　should　keep　away　more　to　the　west；〃　said

Senor　Perkins；　〃and　clear〃



〃I　ain't　asking　you　to　run　the　ship；〃　interrupted　Captain　Bunker

sharply。　　〃How's　her　head　now；　Mr。　Brooks？〃



The　seamen　standing　near　cast　a　rapid　glance　at　Senor　Perkins；　but

not　a　muscle　of　his　bland　face　moved　or　betrayed　a　consciousness　of

the　insult。　　Whatever　might　have　been　the　feeling　towards　him；　at

that　moment　the　sailorsafter　their　fashionadmired　their

captain；　strong；　masterful；　and　imperious。　　The　danger　that　had

cleared　his　eye；　throat；　and　brain；　and　left　him　once　more　the

daring　and　skillful　navigator　they　knew；　wiped　out　of　their　shallow

minds　the　vicious　habit　that　had　sunk　him　below　their　level。



It　had　now　become　perceptible　to　even　the　inexperienced　eyes　of　the

passengers　that　the　Excelsior　was　obeying　some　new　and　profound

impulse。　　The　vague　drifting　had　ceased；　and　in　its　place　had　come

a　mysterious　but　regular　movement；　in　which　the　surrounding　mist

seemed　to　participate；　until　fog　and　vessel　moved　together　towards

some　unseen　but　well…defined　bourne。　　In　vain　had　the　boats　of　the

Excelsior；　manned　by　her　crew；　endeavored　with　a　towing…line　to

check　or　direct　the　inexplicable　movement；　in　vain　had　Captain

Bunker　struggled；　with　all　the　skilled　weapons　of　seamanship；

against　his　invincible　foe；　wrapped　in　the　impenetrable　fog；　the

ship　moved　ghost…like　to　what　seemed　to　be　her　doom。



The　anxiety　of　the　officers　had　not　as　yet　communicated　itself　to

the　passengers；　those　who　had　been　most　nervous　in　the　ordinary

onset　of　wind　and　wave　looked　upon　the　fog　as　a　phenomenon　whose

only　disturbance　might　be　delay。　　To　Miss　Keene　this　conveyed　no

annoyance；　rather　that　placid　envelopment　of　cloud　soothed　her

fancy；　she　submitted　herself　to　its　soft　embraces；　and　to　the

mysterious　onward　movement　of　the　ship；　as　if　it　were　part　of　a

youthful　dream。　　Once　she　thought　of　the　ship　of　Sindbad；　and　that

fatal　loadstone　mountain；　with　an　awe　that　was；　however；　half　a

pleasure。



〃You　are　not　frightened；　Miss　Keene？〃　said　a　voice　near　her。



She　started　slightly。　　It　was　the　voice　of　Mr。　Hurlstone。　　So　thick

was　the　fog　that　his　face　and　figure　appeared　to　come　dimly　out　of

it；　like　a　part　of　her　dreaming　fancy。　　Without　replying　to　his

qu