the crusade of the excelsior-第12节

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

exterior　and　reentering　angles　were　softly　rounded　and　obliterated

by　overgrowths　of　semitropical　creepers；　the　abatis　was　filled　by　a

natural　brake　of　scrub…oak　and　manzanita；　the　clematis　flung　its

long　scaling　ladders　over　the　escarpment；　until　Nature；　slowly　but

securely　investing　the　doomed　fortress；　had　lifted　a　victorious

banner　of　palm　from　the　conquered　summit　of　the　citadel！　　Some

strange　convulsions　of　the　earth　had　completed　the　victory；　the

barbette　guns　of　carved　and　antique　bronze　commemorating　fruitless

and　long…forgotten　triumphs　were　dismounted；　one　turned　in　the

cheeks　of　its　carriage　had　a　trunnion　raised　piteously　in　the　air

like　an　amputated　stump；　another；　sinking　through　its　rotting

chassis；　had　buried　itself　to　its　chase　in　the　crumbling　adobe

wall。　　But　above　and　beyond　this　gentle　chaos　of　defense　stretched

the　real　ramparts　and　escarpments　of　Todos　Santosthe　impenetrable

and　unassailable　fog！　　Corroding　its　brass　and　iron　with　saline

breath；　rotting　its　wood　with　unending　shadow；　sapping　its　adobe

walls　with　perpetual　moisture；　and　nourishing　the　obliterating

vegetation　with　its　quickening　blood；　as　if　laughing　to　scorn　the

puny　embattlements　of　menit　still　bent　around　the　crumbling　ruins

the　tender　grace　of　an　invisible　but　all…encompassing　arm。



Senor　Perkins；　who　had　acted　as　cicerone　to　the　party；　pointed　out

these　various　mutations　with　no　change　from　his　usual　optimism。



〃Protected　by　their　peculiar　isolation　during　the　late　war；　there

was　no　necessity　for　any　real　fortification　of　the　place。

Nevertheless；　it　affords　some　occupation　and　position　for　our　kind

friend；　Don　Miguel；　and　so　serves　a　beneficial　purpose。　　This

little　gun；〃　he　continued；　stopping　to　attentively　examine　a　small

but　beautifully　carved　bronze　six…pounder；　which　showed　indications

of　better　care　than　the　others；　〃seems　to　be　the　saluting…gun　Don

Miguel　spoke　of。　　For　the　last　fifty　years　it　has　spoken　only　the

language　of　politeness　and　courtesy；　and　yet　through　want　of　care

the　tampion；　as　you　see；　has　become　swollen　and　choked　in　its

mouth。〃



〃How　true　in　a　larger　sense；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Markham；　〃the　habit　of

courtesy　alone　preserves　the　fluency　of　the　heart。〃



〃I　know　you　two　are　saying　something　very　clever；〃　said　Mrs。

Brimmer；　whose　small　French　slippers　and　silk　stockings　were

beginning　to　show　their　inadequacy　to　a　twilight　ramble　in　the　fog；

〃but　I　am　so　slow；　and　I　never　catch　the　point。　　Do　repeat　it

slowly。〃



〃The　Senor　was　only　showing　us　how　they　managed　to　shut　up　a　smooth

bore　in　this　country；〃　said　Crosby　gravely。　　〃I　wonder　when　we're

going　to　have　dinner。　　I　suppose　old　Don　Quixote　will　trot　out　some

of　his　Senoritas。　　I　want　to　see　those　choir　girls　that　sang　so

stunningly　a　while　ago。〃



〃I　suppose　you　mean　the　boysfor　they're　all　boys　in　the　Catholic

choirsbut　then；　perhaps　you　are　joking　again。　　Do　tell　me　if　you

are；　for　this　is　really　amusing。　　I　may　laughmayn't　I？〃　　As　the

discomfited　humorist　fell　again　to　the　rear　amidst　the　laughter　of

the　others；　Mrs。　Brimmer　continued　naively　to　Senor　Perkins；〃Of

course；　as　Don　Miguel　is　a　widower；　there　must　be　daughters　or

sisters…in…law　who　will　meet　us。　　Why；　the　priest；　you　knoweven

hemust　have　nieces。　　Really；　it's　a　serious　questionif　we　are

to　accept　his　hospitality　in　a　social　way。　　Why　don't　you　ask　HIM？〃

she　said；　pointing　to　the　green…jacketed　subaltern　who　was

accompanying　them。



Senor　Perkins　looked　half　embarrassed。



〃Repeat　your　question；　my　dear　lady；　and　I　will　translate　it。〃



〃Ask　him　if　there　are　any　women　at　the　Presidio。〃



Senor　Perkins　drew　the　subaltern　aside。　　Presently　he　turned　to

Mrs。　Brimmer。



〃He　says　there　are　four：　the　wife　of　the　baker；　the　wife　of　the

saddler；　the　daughter　of　the　trumpeter；　and　the　niece　of　the　cook。〃



〃Good　heavens！　we　can't　meet　THEM；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer。



Senor　Perkins　hesitated。



〃Perhaps　I　ought　to　have　told　you；〃　he　said　blandly；　〃that　the　old

Spanish　notions　of　etiquette　are　very　strict。　　The　wives　of　the

officials　and　higher　classes　do　not　meet　strangers　on　a　first

visit；　unless　they　are　well　known。〃



〃That　isn't　it；〃　said　Winslow；　joining　them　excitedly。　　〃I've　heard

the　whole　story。　　It's　a　good　joke。　　Banks　has　been　bragging　about

us　all；　and　saying　that　these　ladies　had　husbands　who　were　great

merchants；　and；　as　these　chaps　consider　that　all　trade　is　vulgar；

you　know；　they　believe　we　are　not　fit　to　associate　with　their

women；　don't　you　see？　　All；　except　oneMiss　Keene。　　She's

considered　all　right。　　She's　to　be　introduced　to　the　Commander's

women；　and　to　the　sister　of　the　Alcalde。〃



〃She　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Miss　Keene　indignantly。

〃If　these　ladies　are　not　to　be　received　with　me；　we'll　all　go　back

to　the　ship　together。〃



She　spoke　with　a　quick　and　perfectly　unexpected　resolution　and

independence；　so　foreign　to　her　usual　childlike　half　dependent

character；　that　her　hearers　were　astounded。　　Senor　Perkins　gazed　at

her　thoughtfully；　Brace；　Crosby；　and　Winslow　admiringly；　her　sister

passengers　with　doubt　and　apprehension。



〃There　must　he　some　mistake；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　gently。　　〃I　will

inquire。〃



He　was　absent　but　a　few　moments。　　When　he　returned；　his　face　was

beaming。



〃It's　a　ridiculous　misapprehension。　　Our　practical　friend　Banks；　in

his　zealous　attempts　to　impress　the　Comandante's　secretary；　who

knows　a　little　English；　with　the　importance　of　Mr。　Brimmer's

position　as　a　large　commission　merchant；　has；　I　fear；　conveyed　only

the　idea　that　he　was　a　kind　of　pawnbroker；　while　Mr。　Markham's

trade　in　hides　has　established　him　as　a　tanner；　and　Mr。　Banks'　own

flour　speculations；　of　which　he　is　justly　proud；　have　been

misinterpreted　by　him　as　the　work　of　a　successful　baker！〃



〃And　what　idea　did　he　convey　about　YOU？〃　asked　Crosby　audaciously；

〃it　might　be　interesting　to　us　to　know；　for　our　own　satisfaction。〃



〃I　fear　they　did　not　do　me　the　honor　to　inquire；〃　replied　Senor

Perkins；　with　imperturbable　good…humor；　〃there　are　some　persons；

you　know；　who　carry　all　their　worldly　possessions　palpably　about

with　them。　　I　am　one　of　them。　　Call　me　a　citizen　of　the　world；　with

a　strong　leniency　towards　young　and　struggling　nationalities；　a

traveler；　at　home　anywhere；　a　delighted　observer　of　all　things；　an

admirer　of　brave　men；　the　devoted　slave　of　charming　womenand　you

have；　in　one　word；　a　passenger　of　the　good　ship　Excelsior。〃



For　the　first　time；　Miss　Keene　noticed　a　slight　irony　in　Senor

Perkins'　superabundant　fluency；　and　that　he　did　not　conceal　his

preoccupation　over　the　silent　saluting　gun　he　was　still　admiring。

The　approach　of　Don　Miguel　and　Padre　Esteban　with　a　small　bevy　of

ladies；　however；　quickly　changed　her　thoughts；　and　detached　the

Senor　from　her　side。　　Her　first　swift　feminine　impression　of　the

fair　strangers　was　that　they　were　plain　and　dowdy；　an　impression

fully　shared　by　the　other　lady　passengers。　　But　her　second

observation；　that　they　were　more　gentle；　fascinating；　child…like；

and　feminine　than　her　own　countrywomen；　was　purely　her　own。　　Their

loose；　undulating　figures；　guiltless　of　stays；　their　extravagance

of　short；　white；　heavily　flounced　skirt；　which　looked　like　a

petticoat；　their　lightly　wrapped；　formless；　and　hooded　shoulders

and　heads；　lent　a　suggestion　of　dishabille　that　Mrs。　Brimmer　at

once　resented。



〃They　might；　at　least；　have　dressed　themselves；〃　she　whispered　to

Mrs。　Markham。



〃I　really　believe；〃　returned　Mrs。　Markham；　〃they've　got　no　bodices

on！〃



The　introductions　over；　a　polyglot　conversation　ensued　in　French　by

the　Padre　and　Mrs。　Brimmer；　and　in　broken　English　by　Miss　Chubb；

Miss　Keene；　and　the　other　passengers　with　the　Commander's

secretary；　varied　by　occasional　scraps　of　college　Latin　from　Mr。

Crosby；　the　whole　aided　by　occasional　appeals　to　Senor　Perkins。

The　darkness　increasing；　the　party　reentered　the　courtyard；　and；

passing　through　the　low…studded　guard…room；　entered　another

corridor；　which　looked　upon　a　second　court；　enclosed　on　three

sides；　the　fourth　opening　upon　a　broad　plaza；　evidently　the　public

resort　of　the　little　town。　　Encompassing　this　open　space；　a　few

red…tiled　roofs　could　be　faintly　seen　in　the　gathering　gloom。

Chocolate　and　thin　spiced　cakes　were　served　in　the　veranda；　pending

the　preparations　for　a　more　formal　banquet。　　Already　Miss　Keene　had

been　singled　out　from　her　companions　for　the　special　attentions　of

her　hosts；　male　and　female；　to　her　embarrassment　and　confusion。

Already　Dona　Isabel；　the　sister　of　the　Alcalde；　had　drawn　her

aside；　and；　with　caressing　frankness；　had　begun　to　question　her　in

broken　English；



〃But　Miss　Keene　is　no　name。　　The　Dona　Keene　is　of　nothing。〃



〃Well；　you　may　call　me　Eleanor；　if　you　like；〃　said　Miss　Keene；

smiling。



〃Dona　Leonorso；　that　is　good；〃　said