on the frontier-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



draws　away　from　me；　and　sez；　'D…　it；'　sez　he；　'you　don't　mean

that　you'　。　。　。　　I　grabs　him　by　the　throat　and　makes　him　tell　me

all。　　And　then　it　appears　that　the　boat　and　the　baby　were　never

found　again；　and　every　man　of　that　crew；　cap'en　and　all；　believed　I

had　stolen　it。〃



He　paused。　　Father　Pedro　was　staring　at　the　prospect　with　an

uncompromising　rigidity　of　head　and　shoulder。



〃It's　a　bad　lookout　for　me；　ain't　it？〃　the　stranger　continued；　in

serious　reflection。



〃How　do　I　know；〃　said　the　priest　harshly；　without　turning　his　head；

〃that　you　did　not　make　away　with　this　child？〃



〃Beg　pardon。〃



〃That　you　did　not　complete　your　revenge　bybykilling　it；　as　your

comrade　suspected　you？　　Ah！　　Holy　Trinity；〃　continued　Father　Pedro；

throwing　out　his　hands　with　an　impatient　gesture；　as　if　to　take　the

place　of　unutterable　thought。



〃How　do　YOU　know？〃　echoed　the　stranger　coldly。



〃Yes。〃



The　stranger　linked　his　fingers　together　and　threw　them　over　his

knee；　drew　it　up　to　his　chest　caressingly；　and　said　quietly；

〃Because　you　DO　know。〃



The　Padre　rose　to　his　feet。



〃What　mean　you？〃　he　said；　sternly　fixing　his　eyes　upon　the　speaker。

Their　eyes　met。　　The　stranger's　were　gray　and　persistent；　with

hanging　corner　lids　that　might　have　concealed　even　more　purpose

than　they　showed。　　The　Padre's　were　hollow；　open；　and　the　whites

slightly　brown；　as　if　with　tobacco　stains。　　Yet　they　were　the　first

to　turn　away。



〃I　mean；〃　returned　the　stranger；　with　the　same　practical　gravity；

〃that　you　know　it　wouldn't　pay　me　to　come　here；　if　I'd　killed　the

baby；　unless　I　wanted　you　to　fix　things　right　with　me　up　there；〃

pointing　skywards；　〃and　get　absolution；　and　I've　told　you　THAT

wasn't　in　my　line。〃



〃Why　do　you　seek　me；　then？〃　demanded　the　Padre；　suspiciously。



〃Because　I　reckon　I　thought　a　man　might　be　allowed　to　confess

something　short　of　a　murder。　　If　you're　going　to　draw　the　line

below　that〃



〃This　is　but　sacrilegious　levity；〃　interrupted　Father　Pedro；

turning　as　if　to　go。　　But　the　stranger　did　not　make　any　movement　to

detain　him。



〃Have　you　implored　forgiveness　of　the　fatherthe　man　you　wronged

before　you　came　here？〃　asked　the　priest；　lingering。



〃Not　much。　　It　wouldn't　pay　if　he　was　living；　and　he　died　four

years　ago。〃



〃You　are　sure　of　that？〃



〃I　am。〃



〃There　are　other　relations；　perhaps？〃



〃None。〃



Father　Pedro　was　silent。　　When　he　spoke　again；　it　was　with　a

changed　voice。　　〃What　is　your　purpose；　then？〃　he　asked；　with　the

first　indication　of　priestly　sympathy　in　his　manner。　　〃You　cannot

ask　forgiveness　of　the　earthly　father　you　have　injured；　you　refuse

the　intercession　of　holy　Church　with　the　Heavenly　Father　you　have

disobeyed。　　Speak；　wretched　man！　　What　is　it　you　want？〃



〃I　want　to　find　the　child。〃



〃But　if　it　were　possible；　if　she　were　still　living；　are　you　fit　to

seek　her；　to　even　make　yourself　known　to　her；　to　appear　before

her？〃



〃Well；　if　I　made　it　profitable　to　her；　perhaps。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　echoed　the　priest；　scornfully。　　〃So　be　it。　　But　why　come

here？〃



〃To　ask　your　advice。　　To　know　how　to　begin　my　search。　　You　know

this　country。　　You　were　here　when　that　boat　drifted　ashore　beyond

that　mountain。〃



〃Ah；　indeed。　　I　have　much　to　do　with　it。　　It　is　an　affair　of　the

alcaldethe　authoritiesof　youryour　police。〃



〃Is　it？〃



The　Padre　again　met　the　stranger's　eyes。　　He　stopped；　with　the

snuff　box　he　had　somewhat　ostentatiously　drawn　from　his　pocket

still　open　in　his　hand。



〃Why　is　it　not；　Senor？〃　he　demanded。



〃If　she　lives；　she　is　a　young　lady　by　this　time；　and　might　not　want

the　details　of　her　life　known　to　any　one。〃



〃And　how　will　you　recognize　your　baby　in　this　young　lady？〃　asked

Father　Pedro；　with　a　rapid　gesture；　indicating　the　comparative

heights　of　a　baby　and　an　adult。



〃I　reckon　I'll　know　her；　and　her　clothes　too；　and　whoever　found　her

wouldn't　be　fool　enough　to　destroy　them。〃



〃After　fourteen　years！　　Good！　you　have　faith；　Senor〃



〃Cranch；〃　supplied　the　stranger；　consulting　his　watch。　　〃But　time's

up。　　Business　is　business。　　Good…by；　don't　let　me　keep　you。〃



He　extended　his　hand。



The　Padre　met　it　with　a　dry；　unsympathetic　palm；　as　sere　and　yellow

as　the　hills。　　When　their　hands　separated；　the　father　still

hesitated；　looking　at　Cranch。　　If　he　expected　further　speech　or

entreaty　from　him　he　was　mistaken；　for　the　American；　without

turning　his　head；　walked　in　the　same　serious；　practical　fashion

down　the　avenue　of　fig　trees；　and　disappeared　beyond　the　hedge　of

vines。　　The　outlines　of　the　mountain　beyond　were　already　lost　in

the　fog。　　Father　Pedro　turned　into　the　refectory。



〃Antonio。〃



A　strong　flavor　of　leather；　onions；　and　stable　preceded　the

entrance　of　a　short；　stout　vaquero　from　the　little　patio。



〃Saddle　Pinto　and　thine　own　mule　to　accompany　Francisco；　who　will

take　letters　from　me　to　the　Father　Superior　at　San　Jose　to…morrow

at　daybreak。〃



〃At　daybreak；　reverend　father？〃



〃At　daybreak。　　Hark　ye；　go　by　the　mountain　trails　and　avoid　the

highway。　　Stop　at　no　posada　nor　fonda；　but　if　the　child　is　weary；

rest　then　awhile　at　Don　Juan　Briones'　or　at　the　rancho　of　the

Blessed　Fisherman。　　Have　no　converse　with　stragglers；　least　of　all

those　gentile　Americanos。　　So　。　。　。〃



The　first　strokes　of　the　Angelus　came　from　the　nearer　tower。　　With

a　gesture　Father　Pedro　waved　Antonio　aside；　and　opened　the　door　of

the　sacristy。



〃Ad　Majorem　Dei　Gloria。〃





CHAPTER　II





The　hacienda　of　Don　Juan　Briones；　nestling　in　a　wooded　cleft　of　the

foot…hills；　was　hidden；　as　Father　Pedro　had　wisely　reflected；　from

the　straying　feet　of　travelers　along　the　dusty　highway　to　San　Jose。

As　Francisco；　emerging　from　the　canada；　put　spurs　to　his　mule　at

the　sight　of　the　whitewashed　walls；　Antonio　grunted。



〃Oh　aye；　little　priest！　thou　wast　tired　enough　a　moment　ago；　and

though　we　are　not　three　leagues　from　the　Blessed　Fisherman；　thou

couldst　scarce　sit　thy　saddle　longer。　　Mother　of　God！　and　all　to

see　that　little　mongrel；　Juanita。〃



〃But；　good　Antonio；　Juanita　was　my　play…fellow；　and　I　may　not　soon

again　chance　this　way。　　And　Juanita　is　not　a　mongrel；　no　more　than

I　am。〃



〃She　is　a　mestiza；　and　thou　art　a　child　of　the　Church；　though　this

following　of　gypsy　wenches　does　not　show　it。〃



〃But　Father　Pedro　does　not　object；〃　urged　the　boy。



〃The　reverend　father　has　forgotten　he　was　ever　young；〃　replied

Antonio；　sententiously；　〃or　he　wouldn't　set　fire　and　tow　together。〃



〃What　sayest　thou；　good　Antonio？〃　asked　Francisco　quickly；　opening

his　blue　eyes　in　frank　curiosity；　〃who　is　fire；　and　who　is　tow？〃



The　worthy　muleteer；　utterly　abashed　and　confounded　by　this　display

of　the　acolyte's　direct　simplicity；　contented　himself　by　shrugging

his　shoulders；　and　a　vague　〃Quien　sabe？〃



〃Come；〃　said　the　boy；　gayly；　〃confess　it　is　only　the　aguardiente　of

the　Blessed　Fisherman　thou　missest。　　Never　fear；　Juanita　will　find

thee　some。　　And　see！　here　she　comes。〃



There　was　a　flash　of　white　flounces　along　the　dark　brown　corridor；

the　twinkle　of　satin　slippers；　the　flying　out　of　long　black　braids；

and　with　a　cry　of　joy　a　young　girl　threw　herself　upon　Francisco　as

he　entered　the　patio；　and　nearly　dragged　him　from　his　mule。



〃Have　a　care；　little　sister；〃　laughed　the　acolyte；　looking　at

Antonio；　〃or　there　will　be　a　conflagration。　　Am　I　the　fire？〃　he

continued；　submitting　to　the　two　sounding　kisses　the　young　girl

placed　upon　either　cheek；　but　still　keeping　his　mischievous　glance

upon　the　muleteer。



〃Quien　sabe？〃　repeated　Antonio；　gruffly；　as　the　young　girl　blushed

under　his　significant　eyes。　　〃It　is　no　affair　of　mine；〃　he　added　to

himself；　as　he　led　Pinto　away。　　〃Perhaps　Father　Pedro　is　right；　and

this　young　twig　of　the　Church　is　as　dry　and　sapless　as　himself。

Let　the　mestiza　burn　if　she　likes。〃



〃Quick；　Pancho；〃　said　the　young　girl；　eagerly　leading　him　along　the

corridor。　　〃This　way。　　I　must　talk　with　thee　before　thou　seest　Don

Juan；　that　is　why　I　ran　to　intercept　thee；　and　not　as　that　fool

Antonio　would　signify；　to　shame　thee。　　Wast　thou　ashamed；　my

Pancho？〃



The　boy　threw　his　arm　familiarly　round　the　supple；　stayless　little

waist；　accented　only　by　the　belt　of　the　light　flounced　saya；　and

said；　〃But　why　this　haste　and　feverishness；　'Nita？　　And　now　I　look

at　thee；　thou　hast　been　crying。〃



They　had　emerged　from　a　door　in　the　corridor　into　the　bright

sunlight　of　a　walled　garden。　　The　girl　dropped　her　eyes；　cast　a

quick　glance　around　her；　and　said；



〃Not　here；　to　the　arroyo；〃　and　half　leading；　half　dragging　him；

made　her　way　through　a　copse　of　manzanita　and　alder　until　they

heard　the　faint　tinkling　of　water。　　〃Dost　thou　remember；〃　said　the

girl；　〃it　was　here；〃　pointing　to　an　embayed　pool　in　the　dark

current；　〃that　I　baptized　thee；　when　Father　Pedro　first　brought

thee　he