the crusade of the excelsior- 第4部分

together；〃　Mrs。　Brimmer　would　say　to　Senor　Perkins；　〃though　I'm　sure

I　hardly　dare　talk　to　her　myself。　　She　might　easily　go　into　the

lecture…fieldperhaps　she　expects　to　do　so　in　California。　　My　dear

Clarissa〃to　Miss　Chubb〃don't　she　remind　you　a　little　of　Aunt

Jane　Winthrop's　governess；　whom　we　came　so　near　taking　to　Paris　with

us；　but　couldn't　on　account　of　her　defective　French？〃



When　〃The　Excelsior　Banner　and　South　Sea　Bubble〃　was　published　in

lat。　15　N。　and　long。　105　W。；　to　which　Mrs。　Markham　contributed　the

editorials　and　essays；　and　Senor　Perkins　three　columns　of

sentimental　poetry；　Mrs。　Brimmer　did　not　withhold　her　praise　of　the

fair　editor。　　When　the　Excelsior　〃Recrossed　the　Line；〃　with　a

suitable　tableau　vivant　and　pageant；　and　Miss　Keene　as　California；

in　white　and　blue；　welcomed　from　the　hands　of　Neptune　（Senor

Perkins）　and　Amphitrite　（Mrs。　Markham）　her　fair　sister；

Massachusetts　（Mrs。　Brimmer）；　and　New　York　（Miss　Chubb）；　Mrs。

Brimmer　was　most　enthusiastic　of　the　beauty　of　Miss　Keene。



On　the　present　morning　Mr。　Banks　found　his　disappointment　at　not

going　into　Mazatlan　languidly　shared　by　Mrs。　Brimmer。　　That　lady

even　made　a　place　for　him　on　the　cushions　beside　her；　as　she

pensively　expressed　her　belief　that　her　husband　would　be　still　more

disappointed。



〃Mr。　Brimmer；　you　know；　has　correspondents　at　Mazatlan；　and　no

doubt　he　has　made　particular　arrangements　for　our　reception　and

entertainment　while　there。　　I　should　not　wonder　if　he　was　very

indignant。　　And　if；　as　I　fear；　the　officials　of　the　place；　knowing

Mr。　Brimmer's　positionand　my　own　connectionshave　prepared　to

show　us　social　courtesies；　it　may　be　a　graver　affair。　　I　shouldn't

be　surprised　if　our　Government　were　obliged　to　take　notice　of　it。

There　is　a　Captain…General　of　portisn't　there？　　I　think　my

husband　spoke　of　him。〃



〃Oh；　he's　probably　been　shot　long　ago；〃　broke　in　Mr。　Crosby

cheerfully。　　〃They　put　in　a　new　man　every　revolution。　　If　the　wrong

party's　got　in；　they've　likely　shipped　your　husband's　correspondent

too；　and　might　be　waiting　to　get　a　reception　for　you　with　nigger

soldiers　and　ball　cartridges。　　Shouldn't　wonder　if　the　skipper　got

wind　of　something　of　the　kind；　and　that's　why　he　didn't　put　in。　　If

your　husband　hadn't　been　so　well　known；　you　see；　we　might　have

slipped　in　all　right。〃



Mrs。　Brimmer　received　this　speech　with　the　languid　obliviousness　of

perception　she　usually　meted　out　to　this　chartered　jester。



〃Do　you　really　think　so；　Mr。　Crosby？　　And　would　you　have　been

afraid　to　leave　your　cabinor　are　you　joking？　　You　know　I　never

know　when　you　are。　　It　is　very　dreadful；　either　way。〃



But　here　Miss　Chubb；　with　ready　tact；　interrupted　any　possible

retort　from　Mr。　Crosby。



〃Look；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　some　of　the　other　passengers；　who；　at

a　little　distance；　had　grouped　about　the　first　mate　in　animated

discussion。　　〃I　wonder　what　those　gentlemen　are　so　interested

about。　　Do　go　and　see。〃



Before　he　could　reply；　Mr。　Winslow；　detaching　himself　from　the

group；　hurried　towards　them。



〃Here's　a　row：　Hurlstone　is　missing！　　Can't　be　found　anywhere！

They　think　he's　fallen　overboard！〃



The　two　frightened　exclamations　from　Miss　Chubb　and　Mrs。　Brimmer

diverted　attention　from　the　sudden　paleness　of　Miss　Keene；　who　had

impulsively　approached　them。



〃Impossible！〃　she　said　hurriedly。



〃I　fear　it　is　so；〃　said　Brace；　who　had　followed　Winslow；　〃although；〃

he　added　in　a　lower　tone；　with　an　angry　glance　at　the　latter；　〃that

brute　need　not　have　blustered　it　out　to　frighten　everybody。　　They're

searching　the　ship　again；　but　there　seems　no　hope。　　He　hasn't　been

seen　since　last　night。　　He　was　supposed　to　be　in　his　state…roombut

as　nobody　missed　himyou　know　how　odd　and　reserved　he　wasit　was

only　when　the　steward　couldn't　find　him；　and　began　to　inquire；　that

everybody　remembered　they　hadn't　seen　him　all　day。　　You　are

frightened；　Miss　Keene；　pray　sit　down。　　That　fellow　Winslow　ought　to

have　had　more　sense。〃



〃It　seems　so　horrible　that　nobody　knew　it；〃　said　the　young　girl；

shuddering；　〃that　we　sat　here　laughing　and　talking；　while　perhaps

he　was　　Good　heavens！　what's　that？〃



A　gruff　order　had　been　given：　in　the　bustle　that　ensued　the　ship

began　to　fall　off　to　leeward；　a　number　of　the　crew　had　sprung　to

the　davits　of　the　quarter　boat。



〃We're　going　about；　and　they're　lowering　a　boat；　that's　all；　but

it's　as　good　as　hopeless；〃　said　Brace。　　〃The　accident　must　have

happened　before　daylight；　or　it　would　have　been　seen　by　the　watch。

It　was　probably　long　before　we　came　on　deck；〃　he　added　gently；　〃so

comfort　yourself；　Miss　Keene；　you　could　have　seen　nothing。〃



〃It　seems　so　dreadful；〃　murmured　the　young　girl；　〃that　he　wasn't

even　missed。　　Why；〃　she　said；　suddenly　raising　her　soft　eyes　to

Brace；　〃YOU　must　have　noticed　his　absence；　why；　even　I〃　　She

stopped　with　a　slight　confusion；　that　was；　however；　luckily

diverted　by　the　irrepressible　Winslow。



〃The　skipper's　been　routed　out　at　last；　and　is　giving　orders。　　He

don't　look　as　if　his　hat　fitted　him　any　too　comfortably　this

morning；　does　he？〃　he　laughed；　as　a　stout；　grizzled　man；　with

congested　face　and　eyes；　and　a　peremptory　voice　husky　with

alcoholic　irritation；　suddenly　appeared　among　the　group　by　the

wheel。　　〃I　reckon　he's　cursing　his　luck　at　having　to　heave…to　and

lose　this　wind。〃



〃But　for　a　human　creature's　life！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Markham　in

horror。



〃That's　just　it。　　Laying…to　now　ain't　going　to　save　anybody's　life；

and　he　knows　it。　　He's　doin'　it　for　show；　just　for　a　clean　record

in　the　log；　and　to　satisfy　you　people　here；　who'd　kick　up　a　row　if

he　didn't。〃



〃Then　you　believe　he's　lost？〃　said　Miss　Keene；　with　glistening

eyes。



〃There　ain't　a　doubt　of　it；〃　returned　Winslow　shortly。



〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　a　gentle　voice。



They　turned　quickly　towards　the　benevolent　face　of　Senor　Perkins；

who　had　just　joined　them。



〃I　differ　from　my　young　friend；〃　continued　the　Senor　courteously；

〃because　the　accident　must　have　happened　at　about　daybreak；　when　we

were　close　inshore。　　It　would　not　be　impossible　for　a　good　swimmer

to　reach　the　land；　or　even；〃　continued　Senor　Perkins；　in　answer　to

the　ray　of　hope　that　gleamed　in　Miss　Keene's　soft　eyes；　〃for　him　to

have　been　picked　up　by　some　passing　vessel。　　The　smoke　of　a　large

steamer　was　sighted　between　us　and　the　land　at　about　that　time。〃



〃A　steamer！〃　ejaculated　Banks　eagerly；　〃that　was　one　of　the　new

line　with　the　mails。　　How　provoking！〃



He　was　thinking　of　his　lost　letters。　　Miss　Keene　turned；　heart…

sick；　away。　　Worse　than　the　ghastly　interruption　to　their　easy

idyllic　life　was　this　grim　revelation　of　selfishness。　　She　began　to

doubt　if　even　the　hysterical　excitement　of　her　sister　passengers

was　not　merely　a　pleasant　titillation　of　their　bored　and　inactive

nerves。



〃I　believe　the　Senor　is　right；　Miss　Keene；〃　said　Brace；　taking　her

aside；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　why。〃　　He　stopped；　looked　around　him；　and

went　on　in　a　lower　voice；　〃There　are　some　circumstances　about　the

affair　which　look　more　like　deliberation　than　an　accident。　　He　has

left　nothing　behind　him　of　any　value　or　that　gives　any　clue。　　If　it

was　a　suicide　he　would　have　left　some　letter　behind　for　somebody

people　always　do；　you　know；　at　such　timesand　he　would　have　chosen

the　open　sea。　　It　seems　more　probable　that　he　threw　himself

overboard　with　the　intention　of　reaching　the　shore。〃



〃But　why　should　he　want　to　leave　the　ship？〃　echoed　the　young　girl

simply。



〃Perhaps　he　found　out　that　we　were　NOT　going　to　Mazatlan；　and　this

was　his　only　chance；　it　must　have　happened　just　as　the　ship　went

about　and　stood　off　from　shore　again。〃



〃But　I　don't　understand；〃　continued　Miss　Keene；　with　a　pretty

knitting　of　her　brows；　〃why　he　should　be　so　dreadfully　anxious　to

get　ashore　now。〃



The　young　fellow　looked　at　her　with　the　superior　smile　of　youthful

sagacity。



〃Suppose　he　had　particular　reasons　for　not　going　to　San　Francisco；

where　our　laws　could　reach　him！　　Suppose　he　had　committed　some

offense！　Suppose　he　was　afraid　of　being　questioned　or　recognized！〃



The　young　girl　rose　indignantly。



〃This　is　really　too　shameful！　　Who　dare　talk　like　that？〃



Brace　colored　quickly。



〃Who？　　Why；　everybody；〃　he　stammered；　for　a　moment　abandoning　his

attitude　of　individual　acumen；　〃it's　the　talk　of　the　ship。〃



〃Is　it？　　And　before　they　know　whether　he's　alive　or　deadperhaps

even　while　he　is　still　struggling　with　deathall　they　can　do　is　to

take　his　character　away！〃　she　repeated；　with　flashing　eyes。



〃And　I'm　even　worse　than　they　are；〃　he　returned；　his　temper　rising

with　his　color。　　〃I　ought　to　have　known　I　was　talking　to　one　of　HIS

friends；　instead　of　one　whom　I　thought　was　MINE。　　I　beg　your

pardon。〃



He　turned　away　as　Miss　Keene；　apparently　not　heeding　his　pique；

crossed　the　deck；　and　entered　into　conversation　with　Mrs。　Markham。



It　is　to　be　feared　that　she　found　little　consolation　among　the

other　passengers；　or　even　those　of　her　own　sex；　whom　this　profound

event　had　united　in　a　certain　freemasonry　of　sympathy　and　interest

to　the　exclusion　of　their　former　cliques。　　She　soon　learned；　as

the　return　of　the　boats　to　the　ship　and　the　ship　to　her　course

might　have　clearly　told　her；　that　there　was　no　chance　of　recovering

the　missing　passenger。　　She　learned　that　the　theory　advanced　by

Brace　was　the　one　generally　held　by　them；　but　with　an　added　romance

of　detail；　that　excited　at　once　their　commiseration　and　admiration。

Mrs。　Brimmer　remembered　to　have　heard　him；　the　second　or　third

night　out　from　Callao；　groaning　in　his　state…room；　but　having

mistakenly　referred　the　emotion　to　ordinary　seasickness；　she　had　no

doubt　lost　an　opportunity　for　confidential　disclosure。　　〃I　am

sure；〃　she　added；　〃that　had　somebody　as　resolute　and　practical　as

you；　dear　Mrs。　Markham；　approached　him　the　next　day；