the crusade of the excelsior-第11节

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〃For　fifty　years　the　Presidio　and　the　Mission　of　Todos　Santos　have

had　but　this　communication　with　the　outer　world；〃　he　said　blandly。

〃Hidden　by　impenetrable　fogs　from　the　ocean　pathway　at　their　door；

cut　off　by　burning　and　sterile　deserts　from　the　surrounding

country；　they　have　preserved　a　trust　and　propagated　a　faith　in

enforced　but　not　unhappy　seclusion。　　The　wars　that　have　shaken

mankind；　the　dissensions　that　have　even　disturbed　the　serenity　of

their　own　nation　on　the　mainland；　have　never　reached　them　here。

Left　to　themselves；　they　have　created　a　blameless　Arcadia　and　an

ideal　community　within　an　extent　of　twenty　square　leagues。　　Why

should　we　disturb　their　innocent　complacency　and　tranquil　enjoyment

by　information　which　cannot　increase　and　might　impair　their　present

felicity？　　Why　should　we　dwell　upon　a　late　political　and

international　episode　which；　while　it　has　been　a　benefit　to　us；　has

been　a　humiliation　to　them　as　a　nation；　and　which　might　not　only

imperil　our　position　as　guests；　but　interrupt　our　practical

relations　to　the　wood　and　water；　with　which　the　country　abounds？〃



He　paused；　and　before　the　captain　could　speak；　turned　to　the　silent

Commander；　addressed　him　in　a　dozen　phrases　of　fluent　and　courteous

Spanish；　and　once　more　turned　to　Captain　Bunker。



〃I　have　told　him　you　are　touched　to　the　heart　with　his　courtesy；

which　you　recognize　as　coming　from　the　fit　representative　of　the

great　Mexican　nation。　　He　reciprocates　your　fraternal　emotion；　and

begs　you　to　consider　the　Presidio　and　all　that　it　contains；　at　your

disposition　and　the　disposition　of　your　friendsthe　passengers；

particularly　those　fair　ladies；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　turning　with

graceful　promptitude　towards　the　group　of　lady　passengers；　and

slightly　elevating　himself　on　the　tips　of　his　neat　boots；　〃whose

white　hands　he　kisses；　and　at　whose　feet　he　lays　the　devotion　of　a

Mexican　caballero　and　officer。〃



He　waved　his　hand　towards　the　Comandante；　who；　stepping　forward；

swept　the　deck　with　his　plumed　hat　before　each　of　the　ladies　in

solemn　succession。　　Recovering　himself；　he　bowed　more　stiffly　to

the　male　passengers；　picked　his　handkerchief　out　of　the　hilt　of　his

sword；　gracefully　wiped　his　lips；　pulled　the　end　of　his　long　gray

moustache；　and　became　again　rigid。



〃The　reverend　father；〃　continued　Senor　Perkins；　turning　towards　the

priest；　〃regrets　that　the　rules　of　his　order　prevent　his　extending

the　same　courtesy　to　these　ladies　at　the　Mission。　　But　he　hopes　to

meet　them　at　the　Presidio；　and　they　will　avail　themselves　of　his

aid　and　counsel　there　and　everywhere。〃



Father　Esteban；　following　the　speaker's　words　with　a　gracious　and

ready　smile；　at　once　moved　forward　among　the　passengers；　offering

an　antique　snuff…box　to　the　gentlemen；　or　passing　before　the　ladies

with　slightly　uplifted　benedictory　palms　and　a　caressing　paternal

gesture。　　Mrs。　Brimmer；　having　essayed　a　French　sentence；　was

delighted　and　half　frightened　to　receive　a　response　from　the

ecclesiastic；　and　speedily　monopolized　him　until　he　was　summoned　by

the　Commander　to　the　returning　boat。



〃A　most　accomplished　man；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer；　as　the

Excelsior's　cannon　again　thundered　after　the　retiring　oars；　〃like

all　of　his　order。　　He　says；　although　Don　Miguel　does　not　speak

French；　that　his　secretary　does；　and　we　shall　have　no　difficulty　in

making　ourselves　understood。〃



〃Then　you　really　intend　to　go　ashore？〃　said　Miss　Keene　timidly。



〃Decidedly；〃　returned　Mrs。　Brimmer　potentially。　　〃It　would　be　most

unpolite；　not　to　say　insulting；　if　we　did　not　accept　the

invitation。　　You　have　no　idea　of　the　strictness　of　Spanish

etiquette。　　Besides；　he　may　have　heard　of　Mr。　Brimmer。〃



〃As　his　last　information　was　only　up　to　1792；　he　might　have

forgotten　it；〃　said　Crosby　gravely。　　〃So　perhaps　it　would　be　safer

to　go　on　the　general　invitation。〃



〃As　Mr。　Brimmer's　ancestors　came　over　on　the　Mayflower；　long　before

1792；　it　doesn't　seem　so　very　impossible；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃

said　Mrs。　Brimmer；　with　her　usual　unanswerable　naivete；　〃provided

always　that　you　are　not　joking；　Mr。　Crosby。　　One　never　knows　when

you　are　serious。〃



〃Mrs。　Brimmer　is　quite　right；　we　must　all　go。　　This　is　no　mere

formality；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　who　had　returned　to　the　ladies。

〃Indeed；　I　have　myself　promised　the　Comandante　to　bring　YOU；〃　he

turned　towards　Miss　Keene；　〃if　you　will　permit　Mrs。　Markham　and

myself　to　act　as　your　escort。　　It　was　Don　Miguel's　express

request。〃



A　slight　flush　of　pride　suffused　the　cheek　of　the　young　girl；　but

the　next　moment　she　turned　diffidently　towards　Mrs。　Brimmer。



〃We　must　all　go　together；〃　she　said；　〃shall　we　not？〃



〃You　see　your　triumphs　have　begun　already；〃　said　Brace；　with　a

nervous　smile。　　〃You　need　no　longer　laugh　at　me　for　predicting　your

fate　in　San　Francisco。〃



Miss　Keene　cast　a　hurried　glance　around　her；　in　the　faint　hopeshe

scarcely　knew　whythat　Mr。　Hurlstone　had　overheard　the　Senor's

invitation；　nor　could　she　tell　why　she　was　disappointed　at　not

seeing　him。　　But　he　had　not　appeared　on　deck　during　the　presence　of

their　strange　visitors；　nor　was　he　in　the　boat　which　half　an　hour

later　conveyed　her　to　the　shore。　　He　must　have　either　gone　in　one

of　the　other　boats；　or　fulfilled　his　strange　threat　of　remaining　on

the　ship。



The　boats　pulled　away　together　towards　the　invisible　shore；　piloted

by　Captain　Bunker；　the　first　officer；　and　Senor　Perkins　in　the

foremost　boat。　　It　had　grown　warmer；　and　the　fog　that　stole　softly

over　them　touched　their　faces　with　the　tenderness　of　caressing

fingers。　　Miss　Keene；　wrapped　up　in　the　stern　sheets　of　the　boat；

gave　way　to　the　dreamy　influence　of　this　weird　procession　through

the　water；　retaining　only　perception　enough　to　be　conscious　of　the

singular　illusions　of　the　mist　that　alternately　thickened　and

lightened　before　their　bow。　　At　times　it　seemed　as　if　they　were

driving　full　upon　a　vast　pier　or　breakwater　of　cold　gray　granite；

that；　opening　to　let　the　foremost　boat　pass；　closed　again　before

them；　at　times　it　seemed　as　if　they　had　diverged　from　their　course；

and　were　once　more　upon　the　open　sea；　the　horizon　a　far…off　line　of

vanishing　color；　at　times；　faint　lights　seemed　to　pierce　the

gathering　darkness；　or　to　move　like　will…o'…wisps　across　the　smooth

surface；　when　suddenly　the　keel　grated　on　the　sand。　　A　narrow　but

perfectly　well　defined　strip　of　palpable　strand　appeared　before

them；　they　could　faintly　discern　the　moving　lower　limbs　of　figures

whose　bodies　were　still　hidden　in　the　mist；　then　they　were　lifted

from　the　boats；　the　first　few　steps　on　dry　land　carried　them　out　of

the　fog　that　seemed　to　rise　like　a　sloping　roof　from　the　water's

edge；　leaving　them　under　its　canopy　in　the　full　light　of　actual

torches　held　by　a　group　of　picturesquely　dressed　people　before　the

vista　of　a　faintly　lit；　narrow；　ascending　street。　　The　dim　twilight

of　the　closing　day　lingered　under　this　roof　of　fog；　which　seemed　to

hang　scarcely　a　hundred　feet　above　them；　and　showed　a　wall　or

rampart　of　brown　adobe　on　their　right　that　extended　nearly　to　the

water；　to　the　left；　at　the　distance　of　a　few　hundred　yards；　another

low　brown　wall　appeared；　above　it　rose　a　fringe　of　foliage；　and；

more　distant　and　indistinct；　two　white　towers；　that　were　lost　in

the　nebulous　gray。



One　of　the　figures　dressed　in　green　jackets；　who　seemed　to　be　in

authority；　now　advanced；　and；　after　a　moment's　parley　with　Senor

Perkins　while　the　Excelsior's　passengers　were　being　collected　from

the　different　boats；　courteously　led　the　way　along　the　wall　of　the

fortification。　　Presently　a　low　opening　or　gateway　appeared；

followed　by　the　challenge　of　a　green…jacketed　sentry；　and　the

sentence；　〃Dios　y　Libertad〃　　It　was　repeated　in　the　interior　of　a

dusky　courtyard；　surrounded　by　a　low　corridor；　where　a　dozen　green…

jacketed　men　of　aboriginal　type　and　complexion；　carrying　antique

flintlocks；　were　drawn　up　as　a　guard　of　honor。



〃The　Comandante；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　〃directs　me　to　extend　his

apologies　to　the　Senor　Capitano　Bunker　for　withholding　the　salute

which　is　due　alike　to　his　country；　himself；　and　his　fair　company；

but　fifty　years　of　uninterrupted　peace　and　fog　have　left　his　cannon

inadequate　to　polite　emergencies；　and　firmly　fixed　the　tampion　of

his　saluting　gun。　　But　he　places　the　Presidio　at　your　disposition；

you　will　be　pleased　to　make　its　acquaintance　while　it　is　still

light；　and　he　will　await　you　in　the　guard…room。〃



Left　to　themselves；　the　party　dispersed　like　dismissed　school…

children　through　the　courtyard　and　corridors；　and　in　the　enjoyment

of　their　release　from　a　month's　confinement　on　shipboard　stretched

their　cramped　limbs　over　the　ditches；　walls；　and　parapets；　to　the

edge　of　the　glacis。



Everywhere　a　ruin　that　was　picturesque；　a　decay　that　was　refined

and　gentle；　a　neglect　that　was　graceful；　met　the　eye；　the　sharp

exterior　and　reentering　an