the crusade of the excelsior-第8章

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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

question；　she　said　quickly；



〃You　are　better　then；　Mr。　Hurlstone？　　Wewe　were　all　so　frightened

for　you。〃



An　angry　shadow　crossed　his　thin　face；　and　he　hesitated。　　After　a

pause　he　recovered　himself；　and　said；



〃I　was　saying　you　were　taking　all　this　very　quietly。　　I　don't　think

there's　much　danger　myself。　　And　if　we　should　go　ashore　here〃



〃Well？〃　suggested　Miss　Keene；　ignoring　this　first　intimation　of

danger　in　her　surprise　at　the　man's　manner。



〃Well；　we　should　all　be　separated　only　a　few　days　earlier；　that's

all！〃



More　frightened　at　the　strange　bitterness　of　his　voice　than　by　the

sense　of　physical　peril；　she　was　vaguely　moving　away　towards　the

dimly　outlined　figures　of　her　companions　when　she　was　arrested　by　a

voice　forward。　　There　was　a　slight　murmur　among　the　passengers。



〃What　did　he　say？〃　asked　Miss　Keene；　〃What　are　'Breakers　ahead'？〃



Hurlstone　did　not　reply。



〃Where　away？〃　asked　a　second　voice。



The　murmur　still　continuing；　Captain　Bunker's　hoarse　voice　pierced

the　gloom；〃Silence　fore　and　aft！〃



The　first　voice　repeated　faintly；



〃On　the　larboard　bow。〃



There　was　another　silence。　　Again　the　voice　repeated；　as　if

mechanically；



〃Breakers！〃



〃Where　away？〃



〃On　the　starboard　beam。〃



〃We　are　in　some　passage　or　channel；〃　said　Hurlstone　quietly。



The　young　girl　glanced　round　her　and　saw　for　the　first　time　that；

in　one　of　those　inexplicable　movements　she　had　not　understood；　the

other　passengers　had　been　withdrawn　into　a　limited　space　of　the

deck；　as　if　through　some　authoritative　orders；　while　she　and　her

companion　had　been　evidently　overlooked。　　A　couple　of　sailors；　who

had　suddenly　taken　their　positions　by　the　quarter…boats；　strengthened

the　accidental　separation。



〃Is　there　some　one　taking　care　of　you？〃　he　asked；　half　hesitatingly；

〃Mr。　BracePerkinsor〃



〃No；〃　she　replied　quickly。　　〃Why？〃



〃Well；　we　are　very　near　the　boat　in　an　emergency；　and　you　might

allow　me　to　stay　here　and　see　you　safe　in　it。〃



〃But　the　other　ladies？　　Mrs。　Markham；　and〃



〃They'll　take　their　turn　after　YOU；〃　he　said　grimly；　picking　up　a

wrap　from　the　railing　and　throwing　it　over　her　shoulders。



〃ButI　don't　understand！〃　she　stammered；　more　embarrassed　by　the

situation　than　by　any　impending　peril。



〃There　is　very　little　danger；　I　think；〃　he　added　impatiently。

〃There　is　scarcely　any　sea；　the　ship　has　very　little　way　on；　and

these　breakers　are　not　over　rocks。　　Listen。〃



She　tried　to　listen。　　At　first　she　heard　nothing　but　the　occasional

low　voice　of　command　near　the　wheel。　　Then　she　became　conscious　of

a　gentle；　soothing　murmur　through　the　fog　to　the　right。　　She　had

heard　such　a　murmuring　accompaniment　to　her　girlish　dreams　at

Newport　on　a　still　summer　night。　　There　was　nothing　to　frighten

her；　but　it　increased　her　embarrassment。



〃And　you？〃　she　said　awkwardly；　raising　her　soft　eyes。



〃Oh；　if　you　are　all　going　off　in　the　boats；　by　Jove；　I　think　I'll

stick　to　the　ship！〃　he　returned；　with　a　frankness　that　would　have

been　rude　but　for　its　utter　abstraction。



Miss　Keene　was　silent。　　The　ship　moved　gently　onward。　　The

monotonous　cry　of　the　leadsman　in　the　chains　was　the　only　sound

audible。　　The　soundings　were　indicating　shoaler　water；　although　the

murmuring　of　the　surf　had　been　left　far　astern。　　The　almost

imperceptible　darkening　of　the　mist　on　either　beam　seemed　to　show

that　the　Excelsior　was　entering　some　land…locked　passage。　　The

movement　of　the　vessel　slackened；　the　tide　was　beginning　to　ebb。

Suddenly　a　wave　of　far…off　clamor；　faint　but　sonorous；　broke　across

the　ship。　　There　was　an　interval　of　breathless　silence；　and　then　it

broke　again；　and　more　distinctly。　　It　was　the　sound　of　bells！



The　thrill　of　awe　which　passed　through　passengers　and　crew　at　this

spiritual　challenge　from　the　vast　and　intangible　void　around　them

had　scarcely　subsided　when　the　captain　turned　to　Senor　Perkins　with

a　look　of　surly　interrogation。　　The　Senor　brushed　his　hat　further

back　on　his　head；　wiped　his　brow；　and　became　thoughtful。



〃It's　too　far　south　for　Rosario；〃　he　said　deprecatingly；　〃and　the

only　other　mission　I　know　of　is　San　Carlos；　and　that's　far　inland。

But　that　is　the　Angelus；　and　those　are　mission　bells；　surely。〃



The　captain　turned　to　Mr。　Brooks。　　The　voice　of　invisible　command

again　passed　along　the　deck；　and；　with　a　splash　in　the　water　and

the　rattling　of　chains；　the　Excelsior　swung　slowly　round　on　her

anchor　on　the　bosom　of　what　seemed　a　placid　bay。



Miss　Keene；　who；　in　her　complete　absorption；　had　listened　to　the

phantom　bells　with　an　almost　superstitious　exaltation；　had

forgotten　the　presence　of　her　companion；　and　now　turned　towards

him。　　But　he　was　gone。　　The　imminent　danger　he　had　spoken　of；　half

slightingly；　he　evidently　considered　as　past。　　He　had　taken　the

opportunity　offered　by　the　slight　bustle　made　by　the　lowering　of

the　quarter…boat　and　the　departure　of　the　mate　on　a　voyage　of

discovery　to　mingle　with　the　crowd；　and　regain　his　state…room。

With　the　anchoring　of　the　vessel；　the　momentary　restraint　was

relaxed；　the　passengers　were　allowed　to　pervade　the　deck；　and　Mrs。

Markham　and　Mr。　Brace　simultaneously　rushed　to　Miss　Keene's　side。



〃We　were　awfully　alarmed　for　you；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；

〃until　we　saw　you　had　a　protector。　　Do　tell　mewhat　DID　he　say？

He　must　have　thought　the　danger　great　to　have　broken　the　Senor's

orders　and　come　upon　deck？　　What　did　he　talk　about？〃



With　a　vivid　recollection　in　her　mind　of　Mr。　Hurlstone's

contemptuous　ignoring　of　the　other　ladies；　Miss　Keene　became

slightly　embarrassed。　　Her　confusion　was　not　removed　by　the

consciousness　that　the　jealous　eyes　of　Brace　were　fixed　upon　her。



〃Perhaps　he　thought　it　was　night；　and　walked　upon　deck　in　his

sleep；〃　remarked　Brace　sarcastically。　　〃He's　probably　gone　back　to

bed。〃



〃He　offered　me　his　protection　very　politely；　and　begged　to　remain

to　put　me　in　the　boat　in　case　of　danger；〃　said　Miss　Keene；

recovering　herself；　and　directing　her　reply　to　Mrs。　Markham。　　〃I

think　that　others　have　made　me　the　same　kind　of　offerwho　were

wide　awake；〃　she　added　mischievously　to　Brace。



〃I　wouldn't　be　too　sure　that　they　were　not　foolishly　dreaming　too；〃

returned　Brace；　in　a　lower　voice。



〃I　should　think　we　all　were　asleep　or　dreaming　here；〃　said　Mrs。

Markham　briskly。　　〃Nobody　seems　to　know　where　we　are；　and　the　only

man　who　might　guess　itSenor　Perkinshas　gone　off　in　the　boat

with　the　mate。〃



〃We're　not　a　mile　from　shore　and　a　Catholic　church；〃　said　Crosby；

who　had　joined　them。　　〃I　just　left　Mrs。　Brimmer；　who　is　very　High

Church；　you　know；　quite　overcome　by　these　Angelus　bells。　　She's

been　entreating　the　captain　to　let　her　go　ashore　for　vespers。　　It

wouldn't　be　a　bad　idea；　if　we　could　only　see　what　sort　of　a　place

we've　got　to。　　It　wouldn't　do　to　go　feeling　round　the　settlement　in

the　darkwould　it？　　Hallo！　what's　that？　　Oh；　by　Jove；　that'll

finish　Mrs。　Brimmer；　sure！〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Miss　Keene　impulsively。



He　stopped。　　The　long…drawn　cadence　of　a　chant　in　thin　clear

soprano　voices　swept　through　the　fog　from　the　invisible　shore；　rose

high　above　the　ship；　and　then　fell；　dying　away　with　immeasurable

sweetness　and　melancholy。　　Even　when　it　had　passed；　a　lingering

melody　seemed　to　fill　the　deck。　　Two　or　three　of　the　foreign

sailors　crossed　themselves　devoutly；　the　other　passengers　withheld

their　speech；　and　looked　at　each　other。　　Afraid　to　break　the　charm

by　speech；　they　listened　again；　but　in　vain　an　infinite　repose

followed　that　seemed　to　pervade　everything。



It　was　broken；　at　last；　by　the　sound　of　oars　in　their　rowlocks；　the

boat　was　returning。　　But　it　was　noticed　that　the　fog　had　slightly

lifted　from　the　surface　of　the　water；　for　the　boat　was　distinctly

visible　two　cables'　length　from　the　ship　as　she　approached；　and　it

was　seen　that　besides　the　first　officer　and　Senor　Perkins　there

were　two　strangers　in　the　boat。　　Everybody　rushed　to　the　side　for　a

nearer　view　of　those　strange　inhabitants　of　the　unknown　shore；　but

the　boat's　crew　suddenly　ceased　rowing；　and　lay　on　their　oars　until

an　indistinct　hail　and　reply　passed　between　the　boat　and　ship。

There　was　a　bustle　forward；　an　unexpected　thunder　from　the

Excelsior's　eight…pounder　at　the　bow　port；　Captain　Bunker　and　the

second　mate　ranged　themselves　at　the　companionway；　and　the

passengers　for　the　first　time　became　aware　that　they　were

participating　at　the　reception　of　visitors　of　distinction；　as　two

strange　and　bizarre　figures　stepped　upon　the　deck。





CHAPTER　V。



TODOS　SANTOS。





It　was　evident　that　the　two　strangers　represented　some　exalted

military　and　ecclesiastical　authority。　　This　was　shown　in　their

dressa　long…forgotten；　half　mediaeval　costume；　that　to　the

imaginative　spectator　was　perfectly　in　keeping　with　their

mysterious　advent；　and　to　the　more　practical　as　startling　as　a

masquerade。　　The　foremost　figure　wore　a　broad…brimmed　hat　of　soft

felt；　with　tarnished　gold　lace；　and　a　dark　feather　tucked　in　its

recurved　flap；　a　short　cloak　of　fine　black　cloth　thrown　over　one

shoulder　left　a　buff　leathern　jacket　and　breeches；　ornamented　with

large　round　silver　buttons；　exposed　until　they　were　met　by　high

boots　of　untanned　yellow　buckskin　that　reached　halfway　up　the

thigh。　　A　broad　baldric　of　green　silk　hung　from　his　shoulder　across

his　breast；　and　supported　at　his　side　a　long　sword　with　an　enormous

basket　hilt；　through　which　somewhat　coquettishly　peeped　a　white

lace　handkerchief。　　Tall　and　erect；　in　spite　of　the　grizzled　hair

and　iron…gray　moustaches　and　wrinkled　face　of　a　man　of　sixty；　he

suddenly　halted　on　the　deck　with　a　military　precision　that　made　the

jingling　chains　and　bits　of　silver　on　his　enormous　spurs　ring

again。　　He　was　followed　by　an　ecclesiastic　of　apparently　his　own

age；　but　smoothly　shaven；　clad　in　a　black　silk　sotana　and　sash；　and

wearing　the　old…fashioned　oblong；　curl…brimmed　hat　sacred　to　〃Don

Basilo；〃　of　the　modern　opera。　　Behind　him　appeared　the　genial　face

of　Senor　Perkins；　shining　with　the　benignant　courtesy　of　a　master

of　ceremonies。



〃If　this　is　a　fair　sample　of　the　circus　ashore；　I'll　take　two

tickets；〃　whispered　Crosby；　who　had　recovered　his　audacity。



〃I　have　the　inexpressible　honor；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　to　Captain

Bunker；　with　a　gracious　wave　of　his　hand　towards　the　extraordinary

figures；　〃to　present　you　to　the　illustrious　Don　Miguel　Briones；

Comandante　of　the　Presidio　of　Todos　Santos；　at　present　hidden　in

the　fog；　and　the　very　reverend　and　pious　Padre　Esteban；　of　the

Mission　of　Todos　Santos；　likewise　invisible。　　When　I　state　to　you；〃

he　continued；　with　a　slight　lifting　of　his　voice；　so　as　to　include

the　curious　passengers　in　his　explanation；