the crusade of the excelsior- 第7部分

the　handle　of　her　state…room　door　was　softly　turned。　　Mrs。　Markham

also　remembered　distinctly　that　only　a　week　before；　being　unable　to

sleep；　she　had　ventured　out　into　the　saloon　in　a　dressing…gown　to

get　her　diary；　which　she　had　left　with　a　portfolio　on　a　chair；　that

she　had　a　sudden　consciousness　of　another　presence　in　the　saloon；

although　she　could　distinguish　nothing　by　the　dim　light　of　the

swinging　lantern；　and　that；　after　quickly　returning　to　her　room；　she

was　quite　positive　she　heard　a　door　close。　　But　the　most　surprising

reminiscence　developed　by　the　late　incident　was　from　Mrs。　Brimmer's

nurse；　Susan。　　As　it；　apparently；　demonstrated　the　fact　that　Mr。

Hurlstone　not　only　walked　but　TALKED　in　his　sleep；　it　possessed　a

more　mysterious　significance。　　It　seemed　that　Susan　was　awakened　one

night　by　the　sound　of　voices；　and；　opening　her　door　softly；　saw　a

figure　which　she　at　first　supposed　to　be　the　Senor　Perkins；　but

which　she　now　was　satisfied　was　poor　Mr。　Hurlstone。　　As　there　was　no

one　else　to　be　seen；　the　voices　must　have　proceeded　from　that　single

figure；　and　being　in　a　strange　and　unknown　tongue；　were

inexpressibly　weird　and　awful。　　When　pressed　to　remember　what　was

said；　she　could　only　distinguish　one　worda　woman's　nameVirgil

Vigilno：　Virginescia！



〃It　must　have　been　one　of　those　creatures　at　Callao；　whose　pictures

you　can　buy　for　ten　cents；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer。



〃If　it　is　one　of　them；　Susan　must　have　made　a　mistake　in　the　first

two　syllables　of　the　name；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham　grimly。



〃But　surely；　Miss　Keene；〃　said　Miss　Chubb；　turning　to　that　young

lady；　who　had　taken　only　the　part　of　a　passive　listener　to　this

colloquy；　and　was　gazing　over　the　railing　at　the　sinking　sun；

〃surely　YOU　can　tell　us　something　about　this　poor　young　man。　　If　I

don't　mistake；　you　are　the　only　person　he　ever　honored　with　his

conversation。〃



〃And　only　once；　I　think；〃　said　the　young　girl；　slightly　coloring。

〃He　happened　to　be　sitting　next　to　me　on　deck；　and　I　believe　he

spoke　only　out　of　politeness。　　At　least；　he　seemed　very　quiet　and

reserved；　and　talked　on　general　topics；　and　I　thought　very

intelligently。　　Ishould　have　thoughtI　mean；〃　she　continued

hesitatingly〃I　thought　he　was　an　educated　gentleman。〃



〃That　isn't　at　all　inconsistent　with　photographs　or　sleep…walking；〃

said　Mrs。　Brimmer；　with　one　of　her　vague　simplicities。　　〃Uncle

Quincey　brought　home　a　whole　sheaf　of　those　women　whom　he　said　he'd

met；　and　one　of　my　cousins；　who　was　educated　at　Heidelberg；　used　to

walk　in　his　sleep；　as　it　were；　all　over　Europe。〃



〃Did　you　notice　anything　queer　in　his　eyes；　Miss　Keene？〃　asked　Miss

Chubb　vivaciously。



Miss　Keene　had　noticed　that　his　eyes　were　his　best　feature；　albeit

somewhat　abstracted　and　melancholy；　but；　for　some　vague　reason　she

could　not　explain　herself；　she　answered　hurriedly　that　she　had　seen

nothing　very　particular　in　them。



〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham　positively；　〃when　he's　able　to　be　out

again；　I　shall　consider　it　my　duty　to　look　him　up；　and　try　to　keep

him　sufficiently　awake　in　the　daytime　to　ensure　his　resting　better

at　night。〃



〃No　one　can　do　it；　dear　Mrs。　Markham；　better　than　you；　and　no　one

would　think　of　misunderstanding　your　motives；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer

sweetly。　　〃But　it's　getting　late；　and　the　air　seems　to　be　ever　so

much　colder。　　Captain　Bunker　says　it's　because　we　are　really

nearing　the　Californian　coast。　　It　seems　so　odd！　　Mr。　Brimmer　wrote

to　me　that　it　was　so　hot　in　Sacramento　that　you　could　do　something

with　eggs　in　the　sunI　forget　what。〃



〃Hatch　them？〃　suggested　Miss　Chubb。



〃I　think　so；〃　returned　Mrs。　Brimmer；　rising。　　〃Let　us　go　below。〃



The　three　ladies　rustled　away；　but　Miss　Keene；　throwing　a　wrap

around　her　shoulders；　lingered　by　the　railing。　　With　one　little

hand　supporting　her　round　chin；　she　leaned　over　the　darkly　heaving

water。　　She　was　thinking　of　her　brief　and　only　interview　with　that

lonely　man　whose　name　was　now　in　everybody's　mouth；　but　who；　until

to…day；　had　been　passed　over　by　them　with　an　unconcern　equal　to　his

own。　　And　yet　to　her　refined　and　delicately　feminine　taste　there

appeared　no　reason　why　he　should　not　have　mingled　with　his　fellows；

and　have　accepted　the　homage　from　them　that　SHE　was　instinctively

ready　to　give。　　He　seemed　to　her　like　a　gentlemanand　something

more。　　In　her　limited　but　joyous　knowledge　of　the　worlda

knowledge　gathered　in　the　happy　school…life　of　an　orphan　who　but

faintly　remembered　and　never　missed　a　parent's　careshe　knew

nothing　of　the　mysterious　dominance　of　passion；　suffering；　or

experience　in　fashioning　the　outward　expression　of　men；　and　saw

only　that　Mr。　Hurlstone　was　unlike　any　other。　　That　unlikeness　was

fascinating。　　He　had　said　very　little　to　her　in　that　very　brief

period。　　He　had　not　talked　to　her　with　the　general　gallantry　which

she　already　knew　her　prettiness　elicited。　　Without　knowing　why；　she

felt　there　was　a　subtle　flattery　in　his　tacit　recognition　of　that

other　self　of　which　she；　as　yet；　knew　so　little。　　She　could　not

remember　what　they　had　talked　aboutnor　why。　　Nor　was　she　offended

that　he　had　never　spoken　to　her　since；　nor　gone　beyond　a　grave

lifting　of　his　hat　to　her　when　he　passed。





CHAPTER　IV。



IN　THE　FOG。





By　noon　of　the　following　day　the　coast　of　the　Peninsula　of

California　had　been　sighted　to　leeward。　　The　lower　temperature　of

the　northwest　Trades　had　driven　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　into

their　state…rooms　to　consult　their　wardrobes　in　view　of　an

impending　change　from　the　light　muslins　and　easy　languid　toilets　of

the　Tropics。　　That　momentous　question　for　the　moment　held　all　other

topics　in　abeyance；　and　even　Mrs。　Markham　and　Miss　Keene；　though

they　still　kept　the　deck；　in　shawls　and　wraps；　sighed　over　this

feminine　evidence　of　the　gentle　passing　of　their　summer　holiday。

The　gentlemen　had　already　mounted　their　pea…jackets　and　overcoats；

with　the　single　exception　of　Senor　Perkins；　who；　in　chivalrous

compliment　to　the　elements；　still　bared　his　unfettered　throat　and

forehead　to　the　breeze。　　The　aspect　of　the　coast；　as　seen　from　the

Excelsior's　deck；　seemed　to　bear　out　Mr。　Banks'　sweeping　indictment

of　the　day　before。　　A　few　low；　dome…like　hills；　yellow　and　treeless

as　sand　dunes；　scarcely　raised　themselves　above　the　horizon。　　The

air；　too；　appeared　to　have　taken　upon　itself　a　dry　asperity；　the

sun　shone　with　a　hard；　practical　brilliancy。　　Miss　Keene　raised　her

eyes　to　Senor　Perkins　with　a　pretty　impatience　that　she　sometimes

indulged　in；　as　one　of　the　privileges　of　accepted　beauty　and　petted

youth。



〃I　don't　think　much　of　your　peninsula；〃　she　said　poutingly。　　〃It

looks　dreadfully　flat　and　uninteresting。　　It　was　a　great　deal　nicer

on　the　other　coast；　or　even　at　sea。〃



〃Perhaps　you　are　judging　hastily；　my　dear　young　friend；〃　said　Senor

Perkins；　with　habitual　tolerance。　　〃I　have　heard　that　behind　those

hills；　and　hidden　from　sight　in　some　of　the　canyons；　are　perfect

little　Edens　of　beauty　and　fruitfulness。　　They　are　like　some　ardent

natures　that　cover　their　approaches　with　the　ashes　of　their　burnt…

up　fires；　but　only　do　it　the　better　to　keep　intact　their　glowing；

vivifying；　central　heat。〃



〃How　very　poetical；　Mr。　Perkins！〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　with　blunt

admiration。　　〃You　ought　to　put　that　into　verse。〃



〃I　have；〃　returned　Senor　Perkins　modestly。　　〃They　are　some

reflections　onI　hardly　dare　call　them　an　apostrophe　tothe

crater　of　Colima。　　If　you　will　permit　me　to　read　them　to　you　this

evening；　I　shall　be　charmed。　　I　hope　also　to　take　that　opportunity

of　showing　you　the　verses　of　a　gifted　woman；　not　yet　known　to　fame；

Mrs。　Euphemia　M'Corkle；　of　Peoria；　Illinois。〃



Mrs。　Markham　coughed　slightly。　　The　gifted　M'Corkle　was　already

known　to　her　through　certain　lines　quoted　by　the　Senor；　and　the

entire　cabin　had　one　evening　fled　before　a　larger　and　more

ambitious　manuscript　of　the　fair　Illinoisian。　　Miss　Keene；　who

dreaded　the　reappearance　of　this　poetical　phantom　that　seemed　to

haunt　the　Senor's　fancy；　could　not；　however；　forget　that　she　had

been　touched　on　that　occasion　by　a　kindly　moisture　of　eye　and

tremulousness　of　voice　in　the　reader；　and；　in　spite　of　the　hopeless

bathos　of　the　composition；　she　had　forgiven　him。　　Though　she　did

not　always　understand　Senor　Perkins；　she　liked　him　too　well　to

allow　him　to　become　ridiculous　to　others；　and　at　the　present　moment

she　promptly　interposed　with　a　charming　assumption　of　coquetry。



〃You　forget　that　you　promised　to　let　ME　read　the　manuscript　first；

and　in　private；　and　that　you　engaged　to　give　me　my　revenge　at　chess

this　evening。　　But　do　as　you　like。　　You　are　all　fast　becoming

faithless。　　I　suppose　it　is　because　our　holiday　is　drawing　to　a

close；　and　we　shall　soon　forget　we　ever　had　any；　or　be　ashamed　we

ever　played　so　long。　　Everybody　seems　to　be　getting　nervous　and

fidgety　and　preparing　for　civilization　again。　　Mr。　Banks；　for　the

last　few　days；　has　dressed　himself　regularly　as　if　he　were　going

down　town　to　his　office；　and　writes　letters　in　the　corner　of　the

saloon　as　if　it　were　a　counting…house。　　Mr。　Crosby　and　Mr。　Winslow

do　nothing　but　talk　of　their　prospects；　and　I　believe　they　are

drawing　up　articles　of　partnership　together。　　Here　is　Mr。　Brace

frightening　me　by　telling　me　that　my　brother　will　lock　me　up；　to

keep　the　rich　miners　from　laying　their　bags　of　gold　dust　at　my

feet；　and　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　assure　me　that　I　haven't　a

decent　gown　to　go　ashore　in。〃



〃You　forget　Mr。　Hurlstone；〃　said　Brace；　with　ill…concealed

bitterness；　〃he　seems　to　have　time　enough　on　his　hands；　and　I　dare

say　would　sympathize　with　you。　　You　women　like　idle　men。〃



〃If　we　do；　it's　because　only　the　idle　men　have　the　time　to　amuse

us；〃　retorted　Miss　Keene。　　〃But；〃　she　added；　with　a　laugh；　〃I

suppose　I'm　getting　nervous　and　fidgety　myself；　for　I　find　myself

every　now　and　then　watching　the　officers　and　men；　and　listening　to