the crusade of the excelsior- 第41部分

safe　under　the　Mission　walls；　ventured　at　her　suggestion　to　ask

after　the　American　recluse；　Father　Esteban　replied　dryly　that；

being　a　Christian　gentleman；　Hurlstone　was　the　only　one　who　had　the

boldness　to　seek　out　the　American　filibuster　Perkins；　on　his　own

ship；　and　remonstrate　with　him　for　his　unholy　crusade。　　For　the　old

priest　had　already　become　aware　of　Hurlstone's　blunder；　and　he

hated　Eleanor　as　the　primary　cause　of　the　trouble。　　But　for　her；

Diego　would　be　still　with　him　in　this　emergency。



〃Never　mind；　Nell；〃　said　Dick；　noticing　the　disappointed　eyes　of

his　sister　as　they　parted；　〃you'll　all　be　safe　here　until　we

return。　　Between　you　and　me；　Banks；　Brimmer；　and　I　think　that　Brace

and　Winslow　have　gone　too　far　in　this　matter；　and　we're　going　to

stop　it；　unless　the　whole　thing　is　over　now；　as　they　say。〃



〃Don't　believe　that；〃　said　Crosby。　　〃It's　like　their　infernal

earthquakes；　there's　always　a　second　shock；　and　a　tidal　wave　to

follow。　　I　pity　Brace；　Winslow；　and　Perkins　if　they　get　caught　in

it。〃



There　seemed　to　be　some　reason　for　his　skepticism；　for　later　the

calm　of　the　Mission　Garden　was　broken　upon　by　the　monotonous　tread

of　banded　men　on　the　shell…strewn　walks；　and　the　door　of　the

refectory　opened　to　the　figure　of　Senor　Perkins。　　A　green　silk　sash

across　his　breast；　a　gold…laced　belt；　supporting　a　light　dress…

sword　and　a　pair　of　pistols；　buckled　around　the　jaunty　waist　of　his

ordinary　black　frock…coat；　were　his　scant　martial　suggestions。　　But

his　hat；　albeit　exchanged　for　a　soft　felt　one；　still　reposed　on　the

back　of　his　benevolent　head；　and　seemed　to　accent　more　than　ever

the　contrast　between　his　peaceful　shoulders　and　the　military

smartness　of　his　lower　figure。　　He　bowed　with　easy　politeness　to

the　assembled　fugitives；　but　before　he　could　address　them；　Father

Esteban　had　risen　to　his　feet；



〃I　thought　that　this　house；　at　least；　was　free　from　the　desecrating

footsteps　of　lawlessness　and　impiety；〃　said　the　priest　sternly。

〃How　dare　YOU　enter　here？〃



〃Nothing　but　the　desire　to　lend　my　assistance　to　the　claims　of

beauty；　innocence；　helplessness；　andif　you　will　allow　me　to　add；〃

with　a　low　bow　to　the　priest〃sanctity；　caused　this　intrusion。

For　I　regret　to　say　that；　through　the　ill…advised　counsels　of　some

of　my　fellow…patriots；　the　Indian　tribes　attached　to　this　Mission

are　in　revolt；　and　threaten　even　this　sacred　building。〃



〃It　is　false！〃　said　Father　Esteban　indignantly。　　〃Even　under　the

accursed　manipulation　of　your　emissaries；　the　miserable　heathen

would　not　dare　to　raise　a　parricidal　hand　against　the　Church　that

fostered　him！〃



Senor　Perkins　smiled　gently；　but　sadly。



〃Your　belief；　reverend　sir；　does　you　infinite　credit。　　But；　to　save

time；　let　me　give　way　to　a　gentleman　who；　I　believe；　possesses　your

confidence。　　He　will　confirm　my　statement。〃



He　drew　aside；　and　allowed　Hurlstone；　who　had　been　standing

unperceived　behind；　to　step　forward。　　The　Padre　uttered　an

exclamation　of　pleasure。　　Miss　Keene　colored　quickly。　　Hurlstone

cast　a　long　and　lingering　glance　at　her；　which　seemed　to　the

embarrassed　girl　full　of　a　new；　strange　meaning；　and　then　advanced

quickly　with　outstretched　hands　towards　Father　Esteban。



〃He　speaks　truly；〃　he　said；　hurriedly；　〃and　in　the　interests　of

humanity　alone。　　The　Indians　have　been　tampered　with　treacherously；

against　his　knowledge　and　consent。　　He　only　seeks　now　to　prevent

the　consequences　of　this　folly　by　placing　you　and　these　ladies　out

of　reach　of　harm　aboard　of　the　Excelsior。〃



〃A　very　proper　and　excellent　idea；〃　broke　in　Mrs。　Brimmer；　with

genteel　precision。　　〃You　see　these　people　evidently　recognize　the

fact　of　Mr。　Brimmer's　previous　ownership　of　the　Excelsior；　and　the

respect　that　is　due　to　him。　　I；　for　one；　shall　accept　the　offer；

and　insist　upon　Miss　Chubb　accompanying　me。〃



〃I　shall　be　charmed　to　extend　the　hospitality　of　the　Excelsior　to

you　on　any　pretext；〃　said　the　Senor　gallantly；　〃and；　indeed；　should

insist　upon　personally　accompanying　you　and　my　dear　friends　Mrs。

Markham　and　Miss　Keene；　but；　alas！　I　am　required　elsewhere。　　I

leave；〃　he　continued；　turning　towards　Hurlstone；　who　was　already

absorbed　in　a　whispered　consultation　with　Padre　Esteban〃I　leave　a

sufficient　escort　with　you　to　protect　your　party　to　the　boats　which

have　brought　us　here。　　You　will　take　them　to　the　Excelsior；　and

join　me　with　the　ship　off　Todos　Santos　in　the　morning。　　Adieu；　my

friends！　　Good…night；　and　farewell！〃



The　priest　made　a　vehement　movement　of　protestation；　but　he　was

checked　by　Hurlstone；　as；　with　a　low　bow；　Senor　Perkins　passed　out

into　the　darkness。　　The　next　moment　his　voice　was　heard　raised　in

command；　and　the　measured　tramp　of　his　men　gradually　receded　and

was　lost　in　the　distance。



〃Does　he　think；〃　said　the　priest　indignantly；　〃that　I；　Padre

Esteban；　would　desert　my　sacred　trust；　and　leave　His　Holy　Temple　a

prey　to　sacrilegious　trespass？　　Never；　while　I　live；　Diego！　　Call

him　back　and　tell　him　so！〃



〃Rather　listen　to　me；　Father　Esteban；〃　said　the　young　man

earnestly。　　〃I　have　a　plan　by　which　this　may　be　avoided。　　From　my

knowledge　of　these　Indians；　I　am　convinced　that　they　have　been

basely　tricked　and　cajoled　by　some　one。　　I　believe　that　they　are

still　amenable　to　reason　and　argument；　and　I　am　so　certain　that　I

am　ready　to　go　down　among　them　and　make　the　attempt。　　The　old　Chief

and　part　of　his　band　are　still　encamped　on　the　shore；　we　could　hear

them　as　we　passed　in　the　boats。　　I　will　go　and　meet　them。　　If　I

succeed　in　bringing　them　to　reason　I　will　return；　if　I　find　them

intractable；　I　will　at　least　divert　their　attention　from　the

Mission　long　enough　for　you　to　embark　these　ladies　with　their

escort；　which　you　will　do　at　the　end　of　two　hours　if　I　do　not

return。〃



〃In　two　hours？〃　broke　in　Mrs。　Brimmer；　in　sharp　protest。　　〃I

positively　object。　　I　certainly　understood　that　Senor　Perkins'

invitation；　which；　under　the　circumstances；　I　shall　consider　equal

to　a　command　from　Mr。　Brimmer；　was　to　be　accepted　at　once　and

without　delay；　and　I　certainly　shall　not　leave　Miss　Chubb　exposed

to　imminent　danger　for　two　hours　to　meet　the　caprice　of　an　entire

stranger　to　Mr。　Brimmer。〃



〃I　am　willing　to　stay　with　Father　Esteban；　if　he　will　let　me；〃　said

Eleanor　Keene　quietly；　〃for　I　have　faith　in　Mr。　Hurlstone's

influence　and　courage；　and　believe　he　will　be　successful。〃



The　young　man　thanked　her　with　another　demonstrative　look　that

brought　the　warm　blood　to　her　cheek。



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham　promptly；　〃I　suppose　if　Nell　stays　I　must

see　the　thing　through　and　stay　with　hereven　if　I　haven't　orders

from　Jimmy。〃



〃There　is　no　necessity　that　either　Mr。　or　Mrs。　Brimmer　should　be

disobeyed　in　their　wishes；〃　said　Hurlstone　grimly。　　〃Luckily　there

are　two　boats；　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　can　take　one　of　them

with　half　the　escort；　and　proceed　at　once　to　the　Excelsior。　　I　will

ride　with　them　as　far　as　the　boat。　　And　now；〃　he　continued；　turning

to　the　old　priest；　with　sparkling　eyes；　〃I　have　only　to　ask　your

blessing；　and　the　good　wishes　of　these　ladies；　to　go　forth　on　my

mission　of　peace。　　If　I　am　successful；〃　he　added；　with　a　light

laugh；　〃confess　that　a　layman　and　a　heretic　may　do　some　service　for

the　Church。〃　　As　the　old　man　laid　his　half　detaining；　half

benedictory　hands　upon　his　shoulders；　the　young　man　seized　the

opportunity　to　whisper　in　his　ear；　〃Remember　your　promise　to　tell

her　ALL　I　have　told　you；〃　and；　with　an　other　glance　at　Miss　Keene；

he　marshalled　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　before　him；　and　hurried

them　to　the　boat。



Miss　Keene　looked　after　him　with　a　vague　felicity　in　the　change

that　seemed　to　have　come　on　him；　a　change　that　she　could　as　little

account　for　as　her　own　happiness。　　Was　it　the　excitement　of　danger

that　had　overcome　his　reserve；　and　set　free　his　compressed　will　and

energy？　　She　longed　for　her　brother　to　see　him　thusalert；　strong；

and　chivalrous。　　In　her　girlish　faith；　she　had　no　fear　for　his

safety；　he　would　conquer；　he　would　succeed；　he　would　come　back　to

them　victorious！　　Looking　up　from　her　happy　abstraction；　at　the

side　of　Mrs。　Markham；　who　had　calmly　gone　to　sleep　in　an　arm…chair；

she　saw　Father　Esteban's　eyes　fixed　upon　her。　　With　a　warning

gesture　of　the　hand　towards　Mrs。　Markham；　he　rose；　and；　going　to

the　door　of　the　sacristy；　beckoned　to　her。　　The　young　girl

noiselessly　crossed　the　room　and　followed　him　into　the　sanctuary。



Half　an　hour　later；　and　while　Mrs。　Markham　was　still　asleep；　Father

Esteban　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　sacristy　ostentatiously　taking

snuff；　and　using　a　large　red　handkerchief　to　wipe　his　more　than

usually　humid　eyes。　　Eleanor　Keene；　with　her　chin　resting　on　her

hand；　remained　sitting　as　he　had　left　her；　with　her　abstracted　eyes

fixed　vacantly　on　the　lamp　before　the　statue　of　the　Virgin　and　the

half…lit　gloom　of　the　nave。



Padre　Esteban　had　told　her　ALL！　　She　now　knew　Hurlstone's　history

even　as　he　had　hesitatingly　imparted　it　to　the　old　priest　in　this

very　churchperhaps　upon　the　very　seat　where　she　sat。　　She　knew

the　peace　that　he　had　sought　for　and　found　within　these　walls；

broken　only　by　his　passion　for　her！　　She　knew　his　struggles　against

the　hopelessness　of　this　new…born　love；　even　the　desperate　remedy

that　had　been　adopted　against　herself；　and　the　later　voluntary

exile　of　her　lover。　　She　knew　the　providential　culmination　of　his

trouble　in　the　news　brought　unconsciously　by　Perkins；　which；　but　a

few　hours　ago；　he　had　verified　by　the　letters；　records；　and　even

the　certificate　of　death　that　had　thus　strangely　been　placed　in　his

hands！　　She　knew　all　this　so　clearly　now；　that；　with　the　instinct

of　a　sympathetic　nature；　she　even　fancied　she　had　heard　it　before。

She　knew　that　all　the　obstacles　to　an　exchange　of　their　affection

had　been　removed；　that　her　lover　only　waited　his　opportunity　to

hear　from　her　own　lips　the　answer