padre ignacio-第5节

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not　twenty…four　hours　yet；　and　know　so　much　of　me。　For　there　has　come　no

one　else　at　all〃the　Padre　paused　a　moment　and　mastered　the

unsteadiness　that　he　had　felt　approaching　in　his　voice〃there　has　been

no　one　else　to　whom　I　have　talked　so　freely。　In　my　early　days　I　had　no

thought　of　being　a　priest。　By　parents　destined　me　for　a　diplomatic

career。　There　was　plenty　of　money　andand　all　the　rest　of　it；　for　by

inheritance　came　to　me　the　acquaintance　of　many　people　whose　names　you

would　be　likely　to　have　heard　of。　Cities；　people　of　fashion；　artiststhe

whole　of　it　was　my　element　and　my　choice；　and　by…and…by　I　married；　not

only　where　it　was　desirable；　but　where　I　loved。　Then　for　the　first　time

Death　laid　his　staff　upon　my　enchantment；　and　I　understood　many　things

that　had　been　only　words　to　me　hitherto。　To　have　been　a　husband　for　a

year；　and　a　father　for　a　moment；　and　in　that　moment　to　lose　allthis

unblinded　me。　Looking　back；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　never　done　anything

except　for　myself　all　my　days。　I　left　the　world。　In　due　time　I　became　a

priest　and　lived　in　my　own　country。　But　my　worldly　experience　and　my

secular　education　had　given　to　my　opinions　a　turn　too　liberal　for　the

place　where　my　work　was　laid。　I　was　soon　advised　concerning　this　by　those

in　authority　over　me。　And　since　they　could　not　change　me　and　I　could　them；

yet　wished　to　work　and　to　teach；　the　New　World　was　suggested；　and　I

volunteered　to　give　the　rest　of　my　life　to　missions。　It　was　soon　found

that　some　one　was　needed　here；　and　for　this　little　place　I　sailed；　and　to

these　humble　people　I　have　dedicated　my　service。　They　are　pastoral

creatures　of　the　soil。　Their　vineyard　and　cattle　days　are　apt　to　be　like

the　sun　and　storm　around　themstrong　alike　in　their　evil　and　in　their

good。　All　their　years　they　live　as　childrenchildren　with　men's　passions

given　to　them　like　deadly　weapons；　unable　to　measure　the　harm　their

impulses　may　bring。　Hence；　even　in　their　crimes；　their　hearts　will

generally　open　soon　to　the　one　great　key　of　love；　while　civilization

makes　locks　which　that　key　cannot　always　fit　at　the　first　turn。　And

coming　to　know　this；〃　said　Padre　Ignacio；　fixing　his　eyes　steadily　upon

Gaston；　〃you　will　understand　how　great　a　privilege　it　is　to　help　such

people；　and　how　the　sense　of　something　accomplishedunder　Godshould

bring　Contentment　with　Renunciation。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Gaston　Villere。　Then；　thinking　of　himself；　〃I　can　understand

it　in　a　man　like　you。〃



〃Do　not　speak　of　me　at　all！〃　exclaimed　the　Padre；　almost　passionately。

〃But　pray　Heaven　that　you　may　find　the　thing　yourself　some　day

Contentment　with　Renunciationand　never　let　it　go。〃



〃Amen！〃　said　Gaston；　strangely　moved。



〃That　is　the　whole　of　my　story；〃　the　priest　continued；　with　no　more　of

the　recent　stress　in　his　voice。　〃And　now　I　have　talked　to　you　about

myself　quite　enough。　But　you　must　have　my　confession。〃　He　had　now　resumed

entirely　his　half…playful　tone。　〃I　was　just　a　little　mistaken；　you　see

too　self…reliant；　perhapswhen　I　supposed；　in　my　first　missionary　ardor；

that　I　could　get　on　without　any　remembrance　of　the　world　at　all。　I　found

that　I　could　not。　And　so　I　have　taught　the　old　operas　to　my　choirsuch

parts　of　them　as　are　within　our　compass　and　suitable　for　worship。　And

certain　of　my　friends　still　alive　at　home　are　good　enough　to　remember　this

taste　of　mine　and　to　send　me　each　year　some　of　the　new　music　that　I　should

never　hear　of　otherwise。　Then　we　study　these　things　also。　And　although

our　organ　is　a　miserable　affair；　Felipe　manages　very　cleverly　to　make　it

do。　And　while　the　voices　are　singing　these　operas；　especially　the　old

ones；　what　harm　is　there　if　sometimes　the　priest　is　thinking　of　something

else？　So　there's　my　confession！　And　now；　whether　Trovatore　is　come　or

not；　I　shall　not　allow　you　to　leave　us　until　you　have　taught　all　you　know

of　it　to　Felipe。〃



The　new　opera；　however；　had　duly　arrived。　And　as　he　turned　its　pages

Padre　Ignacio　was　quick　to　seize　at　once　upon　the　music　that　could　be

taken　into　his　church。　Some　of　it　was　ready　fitted。　By　that　afternoon

Felipe　and　his　choir　could　have　rendered　〃Ah！　se　l'　error　t'　ingombra〃

without　slip　or　falter。



Those　were　strange　rehearsals　of　Il　Trovatore　upon　this　California　shore。

For　the　Padre　looked　to　Gaston　to　say　when　they　went　too　fast　or　too

slow；　and　to　correct　their　emphasis。　And　since　it　was　hot；　the　little

Erard　piano　was　carried　each　day　out　into　the　mission　garden。　There；　in

the　cloisters　among　the　jessamine；　the　orange　blossoms；　the　oleanders；　in

the　presence　of　the　round　yellow　hills　and　the　blue　triangle　of　sea；　the

Miserere　was　slowly　learned。　The　Mexicans　and　Indians　gathered；　swarthy

and　black…haired；　around　the　tinkling　instrument　that　Felipe　played；　and

presiding　over　them　were　young　Gaston　and　the　pale　Padre；　walking　up　and

down　the　paths；　beating　time　or　singing　now　one　part　and　now　another。　And

so　it　was　that　the　wild　cattle　on　the　uplands　would　hear　Trovatore　hummed

by　a　passing　vaquero；　while　the　same　melody　was　filling　the　streets　of

the　far…off　world。



For　three　days　Gaston　Villere　remained　at　Santa　Ysabel　del　Mar；　and

though　not　a　word　of　restlessness　came　from　him；　his　host　could　read　San

Francisco　and　the　gold…mines　in　his　countenance。　No；　the　young　man　could

not　have　stayed　here　for　twenty　years！　And　the　Padre　forbore　urging　his

guest　to　extend　his　visit。



〃But　the　world　is　small；〃　the　guest　declared　at　parting。　〃Some　day　it

will　not　be　able　to　spare　you　any　longer。　And　then　we　are　sure　to　meet。

But　you　shall　hear　from　me　soon；　at　any　rate。〃



Again；　as　upon　the　first　evening；　the　two　exchanged　a　few　courtesies；

more　graceful　and　particular　than　we；　who　have　not　time；　and　fight　no

duels；　find　worth　a　man's　while　at　the　present　day。　For　duels　are　gone；

which　is　a　very　good　thing；　and　with　them　a　certain　careful　politeness；

which　is　a　pity；　but　that　is　the　way　in　the　eternal　profit　and　loss。　So

young　Gaston　rode　northward　out　of　the　mission；　back　to　the　world　and　his

fortune；　and　the　Padre　stood　watching　the　dust　after　the　rider　had　passed

from　sight。　Then　he　went　into　his　room　with　a　drawn　face。　But　appearances

at　least　had　been　kept　up　to　the　end；　the　youth　would　never　know　of　the

elder　man's　unrest。







V



Temptation　had　arrived　with　Gaston；　but　was　destined　to　make　a　longer

stay　at　Santa　Ysabel　del　Mar。　Yet　it　was　perhaps　a　week　before　the　priest

knew　this　guest　was　come　to　abide　with　him。　The　guest　could　be　discreet；

could　withdraw；　was　not　at　first　importunate。



Sail　away　on　the　barkentine？　A　wild　notion；　to　be　sure！　although　fit

enough　to　enter　the　brain　of　such　a　young　scape…grace。　The　Padre　shook

his　head　and　smiled　affectionately　when　he　thought　of　Gaston　Villere。　The

youth's　handsome；　reckless　countenance　would　shine　out；　smiling；　in　his

memory；　and　he　repeated　Auber's　old　remark；　〃Is　it　the　good　Lord；　or　is

it　merely　the　devil；　that　always　makes　me　have　a　weakness　for　rascals？〃



Sail　away　on　the　barkentine！　Imagine　taking　leave　of　the　people　hereof

Felipe！　In　what　words　should　he　tell　the　boy　to　go　on　industriously　with

his　music？　No；　this　was　not　imaginable！　The　mere　parting　alone　would　make

it　for　ever　impossible　to　think　of　such　a　thing。　〃And　then；〃　he　said　to

himself　each　new　morning；　when　he　looked　out　at　the　ocean；　〃I　have　given

to　them　my　life。　One　does　not　take　back　a　gift。〃



Pictures　of　his　departure　began　to　shine　and　melt　in　his　drifting　fancy。

He　saw　himself　explaining　to　Felipe　that　now　his　presence　was　wanted

elsewhere；　that　than　would　come　a　successor　to　take　care　of　Santa　Ysabel…

…a　younger　man；　more　useful；　and　able　to　visit　sick　people　at　a　distance。



〃For　I　am　old　now。　I　should　not　be　long　has　in　any　case。〃　He　stopped　and

pressed　his　hands　together；　he　had　caught　his　Temptation　in　the　very　act。

Now　he　sat　staring　at　his　Temptation's　face；　close　to　him；　while　then　in

the　triangle　two　ships　went　sailing　by。



One　morning　Felipe　told　him　that　the　barkentine　was　here　on　its　return

voyage　south。　〃Indeed。〃　said　the　Padre；　coldly。　〃The　things　are　ready

to　go；　I　think。〃　For　the　vessel　called　for　mail　and　certain　boxes　that

the　mission　sent　away。　Felipe　left　the　room　in　wonder　at　the　Padre's

manner。　But　the　priest　was　laughing　secretly　to　see　how　little　it　was　to

him　where　the　barkentine　was；　or　whether　it　should　be　coming　or　going。

But　in　the　afternoon；　at　his　piano；　he　found　himself　saying；　〃Other

ships　call　here；　at　any　rate。〃　And　then　for　the　first　time　he　prayed　to

be　delivered　from　his　thoughts。　Yet　presently　he　left　his　seat　and　looked

out　of　the　window　for　a　sight　of　the　barkentine；　but　it　was　gone。



The　season　of　the　wine…making　passed；　and　the　preserving　of　all　the

fruits　that　the　mission　fields　grew。　Lotions　and　medicines　was　distilled

from　garden　herbs。　Perfume　was　manufactured　from　the　petals　of　flowers

and　certain　spices；　and　presents　of　it　despatched　to　San　Fernando　an