the crusade of the excelsior- 第25部分

was　still　kept　alive　in　solitary　breasts　the　world　never　knew。　　By

the　significant　irony　of　Fate；　even　the　old…time　semaphore　that

should　have　signaled　her　was　abandoned　and　forgotten。



The　mention　of　her　namealbeit　in　a　quiet；　unconcerned　voicein

the　dress…circle　of　a　San　Francisco　theatre；　during　the　performance

of　a　popular　female　star；　was　therefore　so　peculiar　that　it　could

only　have　come　from　the　lips　of　some　one　personally　interested　in

the　lost　vessel。　　Yet　the　speaker　was　a　youngish；　feminine…looking

man　of　about　thirty；　notable　for　his　beardlessness；　in　the　crowded

circle　of　bearded　and　moustachioed　Californians；　and　had　been　one

of　the　most　absorbed　of　the　enthusiastic　audience。　　A　weak　smile　of

vacillating　satisfaction　and　uneasiness　played　on　his　face　during

the　plaudits　of　his　fellow…admirers；　as　if　he　were　alternately

gratified　and　annoyed。　　It　might　have　passed　for　a　discriminating

and　truthful　criticism　of　the　performance；　which　was　a　classical

burlesque；　wherein　the　star　displayed　an　unconventional　frankness

of　shapely　limbs　and　unrestrained　gestures　and　glances；　but　he

applauded　the　more　dubious　parts　equally　with　the　audience。　　He　was

evidently　familiar　with　the　performance；　for　a　look　of　eager

expectation　greeted　most　of　the　〃business。〃　　Either　he　had　not

come　for　the　entire　evening；　or　he　did　not　wish　to　appear　as　if　he

had；　as　he　sat　on　one　of　the　back　benches　near　the　passage；　and

frequently　changed　his　place。　　He　was　well；　even　foppishly；　dressed

for　the　period；　and　appeared　to　be　familiarly　known　to　the　loungers

in　the　passage　as　a　man　of　some　social　popularity。



He　had　just　been　recognized　by　a　man　of　apparently　equal　importance

and　distinction；　who　had　quietly　and　unconsciously　taken　a　seat　by

his　side；　and　the　recognition　appeared　equally　unexpected　and

awkward。　　The　new…comer　was　the　older　and　more　decorous…looking；

with　an　added　formality　of　manner　and　self…assertion　that　did　not；

however；　conceal　a　certain　habitual　shrewdness　of　eye　and　lip。　　He

wore　a　full　beard；　but　the　absence　of　a　moustache　left　the　upper

half　of　his　handsome　and　rather　satirical　mouth　uncovered。　　His

dress　was　less　pronounced　than　his　companion's；　but　of　a　type　of

older　and　more　established　gentility。



〃I　was　a　little　late　coming　from　the　office　to…night；〃　said　the

younger　man；　with　an　embarrassed　laugh；　〃and　I　thought　I'd　drop　in

here　on　my　way　home。　　Pretty　rough　outside；　ain't　it？〃



〃Yes；　it's　raining　and　blowing；　so　I　thought　I　wouldn't　go　up　to

the　plaza　for　a　cab；　but　wait　here　for　the　first　one　that　dropped　a

fare　at　the　door；　and　take　it　on　to　the　hotel。〃



〃Hold　on；　and　I'll　go　with　you；〃　said　the　young　man　carelessly。　　〃I

say；　Brimmer；〃　he　added；　after　a　pause；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of

larger　gayety；　〃there's　nothing　mean　about　Belle　Montgomery；　eh？

She's　a　whole　team　and　the　little　dog　under　the　wagon；　ain't　she？

Deuced　pretty　woman！no　make…up　there；　eh？〃



〃She　certainly　is　a　fine　woman；〃　said　Brimmer　gravely；　borrowing

his　companion's　lorgnette。　　〃By　the　way；　Markham；　do　you　usually

keep　an　opera…glass　in　your　office　in　case　of　an　emergency　like

this？〃



〃I　reckon　it　was　forgotten　in　my　overcoat　pocket；〃　said　Markham；

with　an　embarrassed　smile。



〃Left　over　from　the　last　time；〃　said　Brimmer；　rising　from　his　seat。

〃Well；　I'm　going　nowI　suppose　I'll　have　to　try　the　plaza。〃



〃Hold　on　a　moment。　　She's　coming　on　nowthere　she　is！〃　　He

stopped；　his　anxious　eyes　fixed　upon　the　stage。　　Brimmer　turned　at

the　same　moment　in　no　less　interested　absorption。　　A　quick　hush　ran

through　the　theatre；　the　men　bent　eagerly　forward　as　the　Queen　of

Olympus　swept　down　to　the　footlights；　and；　with　a　ravishing　smile；

seemed　to　envelop　the　whole　theatre　in　a　gracious　caress。



〃You　know；　'pon　my　word；　Brimmer；　she's　a　very　superior　woman；〃

gasped　Markham　excitedly；　when　the　goddess　had　temporarily

withdrawn。　　〃These　fellows　here；〃　he　said；　indicating　the　audience

contemptuously；　〃don't　know　her；think　she's　all　that　sort　of

thing；　you　know；and　come　here　just　to　LOOK　at　her。　　But　she's

very　accomplishedin　fact；　a　kind　of　literary　woman。　　Writes

devilish　good　poetryonly　took　up　the　stage　on　account　of　domestic

trouble：　drunken　husband　that　beat　herregular　affecting　story；

you　know。　　These　sap…headed　fools　don't；　of　course；　know　THAT。　　No；

sir；　she's　a　remarkable　woman！　　I　say；　Brimmer；　look　here！　　I〃he

hesitated；　and　then　went　on　more　boldly；　as　if　he　had　formed　a

sudden　resolution。　　〃What　have　you　got　to　do　to…night？〃



Brimmer；　who　had　been　lost　in　abstraction；　started　slightly；　and

said；



〃Ioh！　I've　got　an　appointment　with　Keene。　　You　know　he's　off　by

the　steamerday　after　to…morrow？〃



〃What！　　He's　not　going　off　on　that　wild…goose　chase；　after　all？

Why；　the　man's　got　Excelsior　on　the　brain！〃　　He　stopped　as　he

looked　at　Brimmer's　cold　face；　and　suddenly　colored。　　〃I　mean　his

planhis　idea's　all　nonsenseyou　know　that！〃



〃I　certainly　don't　agree　with　him；〃　began　Brimmer　gravely；　〃but〃



〃The　idea；〃　interrupted　Markham；　encouraged　by　Brimmer's　beginning；

〃of　his　knocking　around　the　Gulf　of　California；　and　getting　up　an

expedition　to　go　inland；　just　because　a　mail…steamer　saw　a　barque

like　the　Excelsior　off　Mazatlan　last　August。　　As　if　the　Excelsior

wouldn't　have　gone　into　Mazatlan　if　it　had　been　her！　　I　tell　you

what　it　is；　Brimmer：　it's　mighty　rough　on　you　and　me；　and　it　ain't

the　square　thing　at　allafter　all　we've　done；　and　the　money　we've

spent；　and　the　nights　we've　sat　up　over　the　Excelsiorto　have　this

young　fellow　Keene　always　putting　up　the　bluff　of　his　lost　sister

on　us！　　His　lost　sister；　indeed！　as　if　WE　hadn't　any　feelings。〃



The　two　men　looked　at　each　other；　and　each　felt　it　incumbent　to

look　down　and　sigh　deeplynot　hypocritically；　but　perfunctorily；

as　over　a　past　grief；　although　anger　had　been　the　dominant

expression　of　the　speaker。



〃I　was　about　to　remark；〃　said　Brimmer　practically；　〃that　the

insurance　on　the　Excelsior　having　been　paid；　her　loss　is　a　matter

of　commercial　record；　and　that；　in　a　business　point　of　view；　this

plan　of　Keene's　ain't　worth　looking　at。　　As　a　private　matter　of　our

own　feelingspurely　domesticthere's　no　question　but　that　we　must

sympathize　with　him；　although　he　refuses　to　let　us　join　in　the

expenses。〃



〃Oh；　as　to　that；〃　said　Markham　hurriedly；　〃I　told　him　to　draw　on　me

for　a　thousand　dollars　last　time　I　saw　him。　　No；　sir；　it　ain't

that。　　What　gets　me　is　this　darned　nagging　and　simpering　around；

and　opening　old　sores；　and　putting　on　sentimental　style；　and　doing

the　bereaved　business　generally。　　I　reckon　he'd　be　even　horrified

to　see　you　and　me　herethough　it　was　just　a　chance　with　both　of　us。〃



〃I　think　not；〃　said　Brimmer　dryly。　　〃He　knows　Miss　Montgomery

already。　　They're　going　by　the　same　steamer。〃



Markham　looked　up　quickly。



〃Impossible！　　She's　going　by　the　other　line　to　Panama；　that　is〃he

hesitated〃I　heard　it　from　the　agent。〃



〃She's　changed　her　mind；　so　Keene　says；〃　returned　Brimmer。　　〃She's

going　by　way　of　Nicaragua。　　He　stops　at　San　Juan　to　reconnoitre　the

coast　up　to　Mazatlan。　　Good…night。　　It's　no　use　waiting　here　for　a

cab　any　longer；　I'm　off。〃



〃Hold　on！〃　said　Markham；　struggling　out　of　a　sudden　uneasy

reflection。　　〃I　say；　Brimmer；〃　he　resumed；　with　an　enforced　smile；

which　he　tried　to　make　playful；　〃your　engagement　with　Keene　won't

keep　you　long。　　What　do　you　say　to　having　a　little　supper　with　Miss

Montgomery；　eh？perfectly　proper；　you　knowat　our　hotel？　　Just　a

few　friends；　eh？〃



Brimmer's　eyes　and　lips　slightly　contracted。



〃I　believe　I　am　already　invited；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃Keene　asked

me。　　In　fact；　that's　the　appointment。　　Strange　he　didn't　speak　of

you；〃　he　added　dryly。



〃I　suppose　it's　some　later　arrangement；〃　Markham　replied；　with

feigned　carelessness。　　〃Do　you　know　her？〃



〃Slightly。〃



〃You　didn't　say　so！〃



〃You　didn't　ask　me；〃　said　Brimmer。　　〃She　came　to　consult　me　about

South　American　affairs。　　It　seems　that　filibuster　General　Leonidas；

alias　Perkins；　whose　little　game　we　stopped　by　that　Peruvian

contract；　actually　landed　in　Quinquinambo　and　established　a

government。　　It　seems　she　knows　him；　has　a　great　admiration　for　him

as　a　Liberator；　as　she　calls　him。　　I　think　they　correspond！〃



〃She's　a　wonderful　woman；　by　jingo；　Brimmer！　　I'd　like　to　hear　whom

she　don't　know；〃　said　Markham；　beaming　with　a　patronizing　vanity。

〃There's　you；　and　there's　that　filibuster；　and　old　Governor　Pico；

that　she's　just　snatched　bald…headedI　mean；　you　know；　that　he

recognizes　her　worth；　don't　you　see？　　Not　like　this　cattle　you　see

here。〃



〃Are　you　coming　with　me？〃　said　Brimmer；　gravely　buttoning　up　his

coat；　as　if　encasing　himself　in　a　panoply　of　impervious

respectability。



〃I'll　join　you　at　the　hotel；〃　said　Markham　hurriedly。　　〃There's　a

man　over　there　in　the　parquet　that　I　want　to　say　a　word　to；　don't

wait　for　me。〃



With　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head　Mr。　Brimmer　passed　out　into

the　lobby；　erect；　self…possessed；　and　impeccable。　　One　or　two　of

his　commercial　colleagues　of　maturer　age；　who　were　loitering

leisurely　by　the　wall；　unwilling　to　compromise　themselves　by

actually　sitting　down；　took　heart　of　grace　at　this　correct

apparition。　　Brimmer　nodded　to　them　coolly；　as　if　on　'Change；　and

made　his　way　out　of　the　theatre。　　He　had　scarcely　taken　a　few　steps

before　a　furious　onset　of　wind　and　rain　drove　him　into　a　doorway

for　shelter。　　At　the　same　moment　a　slouching　figure；　with　a　turned…

up　coat…collar；　slipped　past　him　and　disappeared　in　a　passage　at

his　right。　　Partly　hidden　by　his　lowered　umbrella；　Mr。　Brimmer

himself　escaped　notice；　but　he　instantly　recognized　his　late

companion；　Markham。　　As　he　resumed　his　way　up　the　street　he　glanced

into　the　passage。　　Halfway　down；　a　light　flashed　upon　the　legend

〃Stage　Entrance。〃　　Quincy　Brimmer；　with　a　faint　smile；