the crusade of the excelsior- 第31部分

trust；　however；　that　the　ill　effects　you　allude　to　as　likely　to

occur　to　yourself　after　our　departure　may　be　exaggerated　by　your

sensitive　nature。　　It　would　be　an　obligation　added　to　the　many　that

we　owe　you；　which　Mr。　Brimmer　would　naturally　find　he　could　not

returnand　that；　I　can　safely　say；　he　would　not　hear　of　for　a

single　moment。〃



While　speaking；　she　had　unconsciously　laid　aside　her　fan；　lifted

her　mantilla　from　her　head　with　both　hands；　and；　drawing　it　around

her　shoulders　and　under　her　lifted　chin；　had　crossed　it　over　her

bosom　with　a　certain　prim；　automatic　gesture；　as　if　it　had　been　the

starched　kerchief　of　some　remote　Puritan　ancestress。　　With　her　arms

still　unconsciously　crossed；　she　stooped　rigidly；　picked　up　her　fan

with　three　fingers；　as　if　it　had　been　a　prayer…book；　and；　with　a

slight　inclination　of　her　bared　head；　with　its　accurately　parted

brown　hair；　passed　slowly　out　of　the　corridor。



Astounded；　bewildered；　yet　conscious　of　some　vague　wound；　Don　Ramon

remained　motionless；　staring　after　her　straight；　retreating　figure。

Unable　to　follow　closely　either　the　meaning　of　her　words　or　the

logic　of　her　reasoning；　he　nevertheless　comprehended　the　sudden

change　in　her　manner；　her　voice；　and　the　frigid　resurrection　of　a

nature　he　had　neither　known　nor　suspected。　　He　looked　blankly　at

the　collapsed　hammock；　as　if　he　expected　to　find　in　its　depths

those　sinuous　graces；　languid　fascinations；　and　the　soft；　half

sensuous　contour　cast　off　by　this　vanishing　figure　of　propriety。



In　the　eight　months　of　their　enforced　intimacy　and　platonic

seclusion　he　had　learned　to　love　this　naive；　insinuating　woman；

whose　frank　simplicity　seemed　equal　to　his　own；　without　thought　of

reserve；　secrecy；　or　deceit。　　He　had　gradually　been　led　to　think　of

the　absent　husband　with　what　he　believed　to　be　her　own　feelingsas

of　some　impalpable；　fleshless　ancestor　from　whose　remote　presence

she　derived　power；　wealth；　and　importance；　but　to　whom　she　owed

only　respect　and　certain　obligations　of　honor　equal　to　his　own。　　He

had　never　heard　her　speak　of　her　husband　with　love；　with　sympathy；

with　fellowship；　with　regret。　　She　had　barely　spoken　of　him　at　all；

and　then　rather　as　an　attractive　factor　in　her　own　fascinations

than　a　bar　to　a　free　indulgence　in　them。　　He　was　as　little　in　her

way　ashis　children。　　With　what　grace　she　had　adapted　herself　to

hisDon　Ramon'slifeshe　who　frankly　confessed　she　had　no

sympathy　with　her　husband's！　　With　what　languid　enthusiasm　she　had

taken　up　the　customs　of　HIS　country；　while　deploring　the　habits　of

her　own！　　With　what　goddess…like　indifference　she　had　borne　this

interval　of　waiting！　　And　yet　this　womanwho　had　seemed　the

embodiment　of　romancehad　received　the　announcement　of　his

sacrificethe　only　revelation　he　allowed　himself　to　make　of　his

hopeless　passionwith　the　frigidity　of　a　duenna！　　Had　he　wounded

her　in　some　other　unknown　way？　　Was　she　mortified　that　he　had　not

first　declared　his　passionhe　who　had　never　dared　to　speak　to　her

of　love　before？　　Perhaps　she　even　doubted　it！　　In　his　ignorance　of

the　world　he　had；　perhaps；　committed　some　grave　offense！　　He　should

not　have　let　her　go！　　He　should　have　questioned；　implored　her

thrown　himself　at　her　feet！　　Was　it　too　late　yet？



He　passed　hurriedly　into　the　formal　little　drawing…room；　whose

bizarre　coloring　was　still　darkened　by　the　closed　blinds　and

dropped　awnings　that　had　shut　out　the　heat　of　day。　　She　was　not

there。　　He　passed　the　open　door　of　her　room；　it　was　empty。　　At　the

end　of　the　passage　a　faint　light　stole　from　a　door　opening　into　the

garden　that　was　still　ajar。　　She　must　have　passed　out　that　way。　　He

opened　it；　and　stepped　out　into　the　garden。



The　sound　of　voices　beside　a　ruined　fountain　a　hundred　yards　away

indicated　the　vicinity　of　the　party；　but　a　single　glance　showed　him

that　she　was　not　among　them。　　So　much　the　betterhe　would　find　her

alone。　　Cautiously　slipping　beside　the　wall　of　the　house；　under　the

shadow　of　a　creeper；　he　gained　the　long　avenue　without　attracting

attention。　　She　was　not　there。　　Had　she　effectively　evaded　contact

with　the　others　by　leaving　the　garden　through　the　little　gate　in

the　wall　that　entered　the　Mission　enclosure？　　It　was　partly　open；

as　if　some　one　had　just　passed　through。　　He　followed；　took　a　few

steps；　and　stopped　abruptly。　　In　the　shadow　of　one　of　the　old　pear…

trees　a　man　and　woman　were　standing。　　An　impulse　of　wild　jealousy

seized　him；　he　was　about　to　leap　forward；　but　the　next　moment　the

measured　voice　of　the　Comandante；　addressing　Mrs。　Markham；　fell

upon　his　ear。　　He　drew　back　with　a　sudden　flush　upon　his　face。　　The

Comandante　of　Todos　Santos；　in　grave；　earnest　accents；　was　actually

offering　to　Mrs。　Markham　the　same　proposal　that　he；　Don　Ramon；　had

made　to　Mrs。　Brimmer　but　a　moment　ago！



〃No　one；〃　said　the　Comandante　sententiously；　〃will　know　it　but

myself。　　You　will　leave　the　ship　at　Acapulco；　you　will　rejoin　your

husband　in　good　time；　you　will　be　happy；　my　child；　you　will　forget

the　old　man　who　drags　out　the　few　years　of　loneliness　still　left　to

him　in　Todos　Santos。〃



Forgetting　himself；　Don　Ramon　leaned　breathlessly　forward　to　hear

Mrs。　Markham's　reply。　　Would　she　answer　the　Comandante　as　Dona

Barbara　had　answered　HIM？　　Her　words　rose　distinctly　in　the　evening

air。



〃You're　a　gentleman；　Don　Miguel　Briones；　and　the　least　respect　I

can　show　a　man　of　your　kind　is　not　to　pretend　that　I　don't

understand　the　sacrifice　you're　making。　　I　shall　always　remember　it

as　about　the　biggest　compliment　I　ever　received；　and　the　biggest

risk　that　any　manexcept　oneever　ran　for　me。　　But　as　the　man　who

ran　that　bigger　risk　isn't　here　to　speak　for　himself；　and　generally

trusts　his　wife；　Susan　Markham；　to　speak　for　himit's　all　the　same

as　if　HE　thanked　you。　　There's　my　hand；　Don　Miguel：　shake　it。

Wellif　you　prefer　itkiss　it　then。　　Theredon't　be　a　foolbut

let's　go　back　to　Miss　Keene。〃





CHAPTER　IV。



A　GLEAM　OF　SUNSHINE。





While　these　various　passions　had　been　kindled　by　her　compatriots　in

the　peaceful　ashes　of　Todos　Santos；　Eleanor　Keene　had　moved　among

them　indifferently　and；　at　times；　unconsciously。　　The　stranding　of

her　young　life　on　that　unknown　shore　had　not　drawn　her　towards　her

fellow…exiles；　and　the　circumstances　which　afterwards　separated　her

from　daily　contact　with　them　completed　the　social　estrangement。

She　found　herself　more　in　sympathy　with　the　natives；　to　whom　she

had　shown　no　familiarity；　than　with　her　own　people；　who　had　mixed

with　them　more　or　less　contemptuously。　　She　found　the　naivete　of

Dona　Isabel　more　amusing　than　the　doubtful　simplicity　of　that

married　ingenue　Mrs。　Brimmer；　although　she　still　met　the　young

girl's　advances　with　a　certain　reserve。　　She　found　herself　often

pained　by　the　practical　brusqueness　with　which　Mrs。　Markham　put

aside　the　Comandante's　delicate　attentions；　and　she　was　moved　with

a　strange　pity　for　his　childlike　trustfulness；　which　she　knew　was

hopeless。　　As　the　months　passed；　on　the　few　occasions　that　she

still　met　the　Excelsior's　passengers　she　was　surprised　to　find　how

they　had　faded　from　her　memory；　and　to　discover　in　them　the

existence　of　qualities　that　made　her　wonder　how　she　could　have　ever

been　familiar　with　them。　　She　reproached　herself　with　this

fickleness；　she　wondered　if　she　would　have　felt　thus　if　they　had

completed　their　voyage　to　San　Francisco　together；　and　she　recalled；

with　a　sad　smile；　the　enthusiastic　plans　they　had　formed　during　the

passage　to　perpetuate　their　fellowship　by　anniversaries　and

festivals。　　But　she；　at　last；　succumbed；　and　finally　accepted　their

open　alienation　as　preferable　to　the　growing　awkwardness　of　their

chance　encounters。



For　a　few　weeks　following　the　flight　of　Captain　Bunker　and　her

acceptance　of　the　hospitality　and　protection　of　the　Council；　she

became　despondent。　　The　courage　that　had　sustained　her；　and　the

energy　she　had　shown　in　the　first　days　of　their　abandonment；

suddenly　gave　way；　for　no　apparent　reason。　　She　bitterly　regretted

the　brother　whom　she　scarcely　remembered；　she　imagined　his　suspense

and　anguish　on　her　account；　and　suffered　for　both；　she　felt　the

dumb　pain　of　homesickness　for　a　home　she　had　never　known。　　Her

loneliness　became　intolerable。　　Her　condition　at　last　affected　Mrs。

Markham；　whose　own　idleness　had　been　beguiled　by　writing　to　her

husband　an　exhaustive　account　of　her　captivity；　which　had　finally

swelled　to　a　volume　on　Todos　Santos；　its　resources；　inhabitants；

and　customs。　　〃Good　heavens！〃　she　said；　〃you　must　do　something；

child；　to　occupy　your　mindif　it　is　only　a　flirtation　with　that

conceited　Secretary。〃　　But　this　terrible　alternative　was　happily

not　required。　　The　Comandante　had　still　retained　as　part　of　the　old

patriarchal　government　of　the　Mission　the　Presidio　school；　for　the

primary　instruction　of　the　children　of　the　soldiers；dependants　of

the　garrison。　　Miss　Keene；　fascinated　by　several　little　pairs　of

beady　black　eyes　that　had　looked　up　trustingly　to　hers　from　the

playground　on　the　glacis；　offered　to　teach　English　to　the

Comandante's　flock。　　The　offer　was　submitted　to　the　spiritual　head

of　Todos　Santos；　and　full　permission　given　by　Padre　Esteban　to　the

fair　heretic。　　Singing　was　added　to　the　Instruction；　and　in　a　few

months　the　fame　of　the　gracious　Dona　Leonor's　pupils　stirred　to

emulation　even　the　boy　choristers　of　the　Mission。



Her　relations　with　James　Hurlstone　during　this　interval　were　at

first　marked　by　a　strange　and　unreasoning　reserve。　　Whether　she

resented　the　singular　coalition　forced　upon　them　by　the　Council　and

felt　the　awkwardness　of　their　unintentional　imposture　when　they

met；　she　did　not　know；　but　she　generally　avoided　his　society。　　This

was　not　difficult；　as　he　himself　had　shown　no　desire　to　intrude　his

confidences　upon　her；　and　even　in　her　shyness　she　could　not　help

thinking　that　if　he　had　treated　the　situation　lightly　or

humorou