the argonauts of north liberty-第17节

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is　four　years　since　you've　seen　him；　and　surely　the　man　has　either
shaved　since；　or　else　he　took　a　ridiculous　vow　never　to　do　it；　and
then　he　would　be　more　fully　bearded。〃

But　Dona　Rosita　only　shook　her　pretty　head。　　〃Ah；　but　he　have　an
aira　something　I　know　not　what　you　callso。〃　　She　threw　her
shawl　over　her　left　shoulder；　and　as　far　as　a　pair　of　soft　blue
eyes　and　comfortably　pacific　features　would　admit；　endeavored　to
convey　an　idea　of　wicked　and　gloomy　abstraction。

〃You　child；〃　said　Joan；〃that's　nothing；　they　all　of　them　do　that。
Why；　there　was　a　stranger　at　the　Oriental　Hotel　whom　I　met　twice
when　I　was　therejust　as　mysterious；　romantic；　and　wicked…looking。
And　in　fact　they　hinted　terrible　things　about　him。　　Well！　so　much
so；　that　Mr。　Demorest　was　quite　foolish　about　my　being　barely　civil
to　himyou　understandand〃　　She　stopped　suddenly；　with　a
heightened　color　under　the　fire　of　Rosita's　laughing　eyes。

〃AhsoDona　Discretion！　　Tell　to　me　all。　　Did　our　hoosband　eat
him？〃

Joan's　features　suddenly　tightened　to　their　old　puritan　rigidity。
〃Mr。　Demorest　has　reasonsabundant　reasonsto　thoroughly
understand　and　trust　me；〃　she　replied　in　an　austere　voice。

Rosita　looked　at　her　a　moment　in　mystification　and　then　shrugged
her　shoulders。　　The　conversation　dropped。　　Nevertheless；　it　is
worthy　of　being　recorded　that　from　that　moment　the　usual　familiar
allusions；　playful　and　serious；　to　Rosita's　mysterious　visitor
began　to　diminish　in　frequency　and　finally　ceased。　　Even　the　news
brought　by　Demorest　of　some　vague　rumor　in　the　pueblo　that　an
intended　attack　on　the　stage…coach　had　been　frustrated　by　the
authorities；　and　that　the　vicinity　had　been　haunted　by　incognitos
of　both　parties；　failed　to　revive　the　discussion。

Meantime　the　slight　excitement　that　had　stirred　the　sluggish　life
of　the　pueblo　of　San　Buenaventura　had　subsided。　　The　posada　of
Senor　Mateo　had　lost　its　feverish　and　perplexing　dual　life；　the
alley　behind　it　no　longer　was　congested　by　lounging　cigarette
smokers；　the　compartment　looking　upon　the　silent　patio　was
unoccupied；　and　its　chairs　and　tables　were　empty。　　The　two　deputy
sheriffs；　of　whom　Senor　Mateo　presumably　knew　very　little；　had
fled；　and　the　mysterious　Senor　Johnson；　of　whom　hestill
presumablyknew　still　less；　had　also　disappeared。　　For　Senor
Mateo's　knowledge　of　what　transpired　in　and　about　his　posada；　and
of　the　character　and　purposes　of　those　who　frequented　it；　was
tinctured　by　grave　and　philosophical　doubts。　　This　courteous　and
dignified　scepticism　generally　took　the　formula　of　quien　sabe　to
all　frivolous　and　mundane　inquiry。　　He　would　affirm　with　strict
verity　that　his　omelettes　were　unapproachable；　his　beds　miraculous；
his　aguardiente　supreme；　his　house　was　even　as　your　own。　　Beyond
these　were　questions　with　which　the　simply　finite　and　always
discreet　human　intellect　declined　to　grapple。

The　disturbing　effect　of　Senor　Corwin　upon　a　mind　thus　gravely
constituted　may　be　easily　imagined。　　Besides　Ezekiel's　inordinate
capacity　for　useless　or　indiscreet　information；　it　was　undeniable
that　his　patent　medicines　had　effected　a　certain　peaceful
revolutionary　movement　in　San　Buenaventura。　　A　simple　and
superstitious　community　that　had　steadily　resisted　the　practical
domestic　and　agricultural　American　improvements；　succumbed　to　the
occult　healing　influences　of　the　Panacea　and　Jones's　Bitters。　　The
virtues　of　a　mysterious　balsam；　more　or　less　illuminated　with　a
colored　mythological　label；　deeply　impressed　them；　and　the
exhibition　of　a　circular；　whereon　a　celestial　visitant　was
represented　as　descending　with　a　gross　of　Rogers'　Pills　to　a
suffering　but　admiring　multitude；　touched　their　religious
sympathies　to　such　an　extent　that　the　good　Padre　Jose　was　obliged
to　warn　them　from　the　pulpit　of　the　diabolical　character　of　their
heresies　of　healingwith　the　natural　result　of　yet　more
dangerously　advertising　Ezekiel。　　There　were　those　too　who　spoke
under　their　breath　of　the　miraculous　efficacy　of　these　nostrums。
Had　not　Don　Victor　Arguello；　whose　respectable　digestion；　exhausted
by　continuous　pepper　and　garlic；　failed　him　suddenly；　received　an
unexpected　and　pleasurable　stimulus　from　the　New　England　rum；　which
was　the　basis　of　the　Jones　Bitters？　　Had　not　the　baker；　tremulous
from　excessive　aguardiente；　been　soothed　and　sustained　by　the
invisible　morphia；　judiciously　hidden　in　Blogg's　Nerve　Tonic？　　Nor
had　the　wily　Ezekiel　forgotten　the　weaker　sex　in　their　maiden　and
maternal　requirements。　　Unguents；　that　made　silken　their　black　but
somewhat　coarsely　fibrous　tresses；　opened　charming　possibilities　to
the　Senoritas；　while　soothing　syrups　lent　a　peaceful　repose　to　many
a　distracted　mother's　household。　　The　success　of　Ezekiel　was　so
marked　as　to　justify　his　return　at　the　end　of　three　weeks　with　a
fresh　assortment　and　an　undiminished　audacity。

It　was　on　his　second　visit　that　the　sceptical；　non…committal　policy
of　Senor　Mateo　was　sorely　tried。　　Arriving　at　the　posada　one　night；
Ezekiel　became　aware　that　his　host　was　engaged　in　some　mysterious
conference　with　a　visitor　who　had　entered　through　the　ordinary
public　room。　　The　view　which　the　acute　Ezekiel　managed　to　get　of
the　stranger；　however；　was　productive　of　no　further　discovery　than
that　he　bore　a　faint　and　disreputable　resemblance　to　Blandford；　and
was　handsome　after　a　conscious；　reckless　fashion；　with　an　air　of
mingled　bravado　and　conceit。　　But　an　hour　later；　as　Corwin　was
taking　the　cooler　air　of　the　veranda　before　retiring　to　one　of　the
miraculous　beds　of　the　posada；　he　was　amazed　at　seeing　what　was
apparently　Blandford　himself　emerge　on　horseback　from　the　alley；
and　after　a　quick　glance　towards　the　veranda；　canter　rapidly　up　the
street。　　Ezekiel's　first　impression　was　to　call　to　him；　but　the
sudden　recollection　that　he　parted　from　his　old　master　on
confidential　terms　only　three　days　before　in　San　Francisco；　and
that　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　be　in　the　pueblo；　stopped　him
with　his　fingers　meditatively　in　his　beard。　　Then　he　turned　in　to
the　posada；　and　hastily　summoned　Mateo。

The　gentleman　presented　himself　in　a　state　of　such　profound
scepticism　that　it　seemed　to　have　already　communicated　itself　to
his　shoulders；　and　gave　him　the　appearance　of　having　shrugged
himself　into　the　room。

〃Ha'ow　long　ago　did　Mr。　Johnson　get　here？〃　asked　Corwin；　lazily。

〃Ahpossiblythen　there　has　been　a　Mr。　Johnson？〃　　This　is　a
polite　doubt　of　his　own　perceptions　and　a　courteous　acceptance　of
his　questioner's。

〃Wa'al；　I　guess　so。　　Considerin'　I　jest　saw　him　with　my　own　eyes；〃
returned　Ezekiel。

〃Ah！〃　　Mateo　was　relieved。　　Might　he　congratulate　the　Senor　Corwin；
who　must　be　also　relieved；　and　shake　his　respected　hand。　　Bueno。
And　then　he　had　met　this　Senor　Johnson？　doubtless　a　friend？　　And　he
was　well？　and　all　were　happy？

〃Look　yer；　Mattayo！　　What　I　wanter　know　ez　THIS。　　When　did　that
man；　who　has　just　ridden　out　of　your　alley；　come　here？　　Sabe　that
it's　a　plain　question。〃

Ah　surely；　of　the　clearest　comprehension。　　Bueno。　　It　may　have　been
last　weekor　even　this　weekor　perhaps　yesterdayor　of　a
possibility　to…day。　　The　Senor　Corwin；　who　was　wise　and　omniscient；
would　comprehend　that　the　difficulty　lay　in　deciding　WHO　was　that
man。　　Perhaps　a　friend　of　the　Senor　Corwinperhaps　only　one　who
LOOKED　like　him。　　There　existedmight　Mateo　point　outa　doubt。

Ezekiel　regarded　Mateo　with　a　certain　grim　appreciation。　　〃Wa'al；
is　there　anybody　here　who　looks　like　Johnson？〃

Again　there　were　the　difficulty　of　ascertaining　perfectly　how　the
Senor　Johnson　looked。　　If　the　Senor　Johnson　was　Americano；
doubtless　there　were　other　Americanos　who　had　resembled　him。　　It
was　possible。　　The　Senor　Corwin　had　doubtless　observed　for　a　little
space　a　caballero　who　was　here；　as　it　were；　in　the　instant　of　the
appearance　of　Senor　Johnson？　　Possibly　there　was　a　resemblance；　and
yet

Corwin　had　certainly　noticed　this　resemblance；　but　it　did　not　suit
his　cautious　intellect　to　fall　in　with　any　prevailing　scepticism　of
his　host。　　Satisfied　in　his　mind　that　Mateo　was　concealing
something　from　him；　and　equally　satisfied　that　he　would　sooner　or
later　find　it　out；　he　grinned　diabolically　in　the　face　of　that
worthy　man；　and　sought　the　meditation　of　his　miraculous　couch。
When　he　had　departed；　the　sceptic　turned　to　his　wife：

〃This　animal　has　been　sniffing　at　the　trail。〃

〃Trulybut　Mother　of　Godwhere　is　the　discretion　of　our　friend。
If　he　will　continue　to　haunt　the　pueblo　like　a　lovesick　chicken；　he
will　get　his　neck　wrung　yet。〃

Following　out　an　ingenious　idea　of　his　own；　Ezekiel　called　the　next
day　on　the　Demorests；　and　in　some　occult　fashion　obtained　an
invitation　to　stay　under　their　hospitable　roof　during　his　sojourn
in　Buenaventura。　　Perfectly　aware　that　he　owed　this　courtesy　more
to　Joan　than　to　her　husband；　it　is　probable　that　his　grim　enjoyment
was　not　diminished　by　the　fact；　while　Joan；　for　reasons　of　her　own；
preferred　the　constraint　which　the　presence　of　another　visitor　put
upon　Demorest's　uxoriousness。　　Of　late；　too；　there　were　times　when
Dona　Rosita's　naive　intelligence；　which　was　not　unlike　the
embarrassing　perceptions　of　a　bright　and　half…spoiled　child；　was　in
her　way；　and