the crusade of the excelsior-第13节

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

smiling。



〃Dona　Leonorso；　that　is　good；〃　said　Dona　Isabel；　clapping　her

hands　like　a　child。　　〃But　how　are　you？〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Miss　Keene；　greatly　amused；　〃but　I　don't

understand。〃



〃Ah；　Caramba！　　What　are　you；　little　one？〃　　Seeing　that　her　guest

still　looked　puzzled；　she　continued；〃Ah！　　Mother　of　God！　　Why　are

your　friends　so　polite　to　you？　　Why　does　every　one　love　you　so？〃



〃Do　they？　　Well；〃　stammered　Miss　Keene；　with　one　of　her　rare；

dazzling　smiles；　and　her　cheeks　girlishly　rosy　with　naive

embarrassment；　〃I　suppose　they　think　I　am　pretty。〃



〃Pretty！　　Ah；　yes；　you　are！〃　said　Dona　Isabel；　gazing　at　her

curiously。　　〃But　it　is　not　all　that。〃



〃What　is　it；　then？〃　asked　Miss　Keene　demurely。



〃You　are　aaDama　de　Grandeza！〃





CHAPTER　VI。



〃HAIL　AND　FAREWELL。〃





Supper　was　served　in　the　inner　room　opening　from　the　corridor　lit

by　a　few　swinging　lanterns　of　polished　horn　and　a　dozen　wax　candles

of　sacerdotal　size　and　suggestion。　　The　apartment；　though　spacious；

was　low　and　crypt…like；　and　was　not　relieved　by　the　two　deep　oven…

like　hearths　that　warmed　it　without　the　play　of　firelight。　　But

when　the　company　had　assembled　it　was　evident　that　the　velvet

jackets；　gold　lace；　silver　buttons；　and　red　sashes　of　the

entertainers　not　only　lost　their　tawdry　and　theatrical　appearance

in　the　half　decorous　and　thoughtful　gloom；　but　actually　seemed　more

in　harmony　with　it　than　the　modern　dresses　of　the　guests。　　It　was

the　Excelsior　party　who　looked　strange　and　bizarre　in　these

surroundings；　to　the　sensitive　fancy　of　Miss　Keene；　Mrs。　Brimmer's

Parisian　toilet　had　an　air　of　provincial　assumption；　her　own　pretty

Zouave　jacket　and　black　silk　skirt　horrified　her　with　its　apparent

ostentatious　eccentricity；　and　Mrs。　Markham　and　Miss　Chubb　seemed

dowdy　and　overdressed　beside　the　satin　mantillas　and　black　lace　of

the　Senoritas。　　Nor　were　the　gentlemen　less　outres：　the　stiff

correctness　of　Mr。　Banks；　and　the　lighter　foppishness　of　Winslow

and　Crosby；　not　to　mention　Senor　Perkins'　more　pronounced

unconventionality；　appeared　as　burlesques　of　their　own　characters

in　a　play。　　The　crowning　contrast　was　reached　by　Captain　Bunker；

who；　in　accordance　with　the　habits　of　the　mercantile　marine　of　that

period　when　in　port；　wore　a　shore…going　suit　of　black　broadcloth；

with　a　tall　hat；　high　shirt　collar；　and　diamond　pin。　　Seated　next

to　the　Commander；　it　was　no　longer　Don　Miguel　who　looked　old…

fashioned；　it　was　Captain　Bunker　who　appeared　impossible。



Nevertheless；　as　the　meal　progressed；　lightened　by　a　sweet　native

wine　made　from　the　Mission　grape；　and　stimulated　by　champagnea

present　of　Captain　Bunker　from　the　cabin　lockers　of　the　Excelsior

this　contrast；　and　much　of　the　restraint　that　it　occasioned；　seemed

to　melt　away。　　The　passengers　became　talkative；　the　Commander　and

his　friends　unbent；　and　grew　sympathetic　and　inquiring。　　The

temptation　to　recite　the　news　of　the　last　half　century；　and　to

recount　the　wonderful　strides　of　civilization　in　that　time；　was　too

great　to　be　resisted　by　the　Excelsior　party。　　That　some　of　them

notwithstanding　the　caution　of　Senor　Perkinsapproached

dangerously　near　the　subject　of　the　late　war　between　the　United

States　and　Mexico；　of　which　Todos　Santos　was　supposed　to　be　still

ignorant；　or　that　Crosby　in　particular　seized　upon　this　opportunity

for　humorous　exaggeration；　may　be　readily　imagined。　　But　as　the

translation　of　the　humorist's　speech；　as　well　as　the　indiscretions

of　his　companions；　were　left　to　the　Senor；　in　Spanish；　and　to　Mrs。

Brimmer　and　Miss　Keene；　in　French；　any　imminent　danger　to　the

harmony　of　the　evening　was　averted。　　Don　Ramon　Ramirez；　the

Alcalde；　a　youngish　man　of　evident　distinction；　sat　next　to　Miss

Keene；　and　monopolized　her　conversation　with　a　certain　curiosity

that　was　both　grave　and　childish　in　its　frank　trustfulness。　　Some

of　his　questions　were　so　simple　and　incompatible　with　his　apparent

intelligence　that　she　unconsciously　lowered　her　voice　in　answering

them；　in　dread　of　the　ridicule　of　her　companions。　　She　could　not

resist　the　impression；　which　repeatedly　obtruded　upon　her

imagination；　that　the　entire　population　of　Todos　Santos　were　a

party　of　lost　children；　forgotten　by　their　parents；　and　grown　to

man　and　womanhood　in　utter　ignorance　of　the　world。



The　Commander　had；　half　informally；　drunk　the　health　of　Captain

Bunker；　without　rising　from　his　seat；　when；　to　Miss　Keene's　alarm；

Captain　Bunker　staggered　to　his　feet。　　He　had　been　drinking　freely；

as　usual；　but　he　was　bent　on　indulging　a　loquacity　which　his

discipline　on　shipboard　had　hitherto　precluded；　and　which　had；

perhaps；　strengthened　his　solitary　habit。　　His　speech　was　voluble

and　incoherent；　complimentary　and　tactless；　kindly　and　aggressive；

courteous　and　dogmatic。　　It　was　left　to　Senor　Perkins　to　translate

it　to　the　eye　and　ear　of　his　host　without　incongruity　or　offense。

This　he　did　so　admirably　as　to　elicit　not　only　the　applause　of　the

foreigners　who　did　not　understand　English；　but　of　his　own

countrymen　who　did　not　understand　Spanish。



〃I　feel；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　in　graceful　peroration；　〃that　I　have

done　poor　justice　to　the　eloquence　of　this　gallant　sailor。　　My

unhappy　translation　cannot　offer　you　that　voice；　at　times　trembling

with　generous　emotion；　and　again　inaudible　from　excessive　modesty

in　the　presence　of　this　illustrious　assemblythose　limbs　that

waver　and　bend　under　the　undulations　of　the　chivalrous　sentiment

which　carries　him　away　as　if　he　were　still　on　that　powerful　element

he　daily　battles　with　and　conquers。〃



But　when　coffee　and　sweets　were　reached；　the　crowning　triumph　of

Senor　Perkins'　oratory　was　achieved。　　After　an　impassioned　burst　of

enthusiasm　towards　his　hosts　in　their　own　tongue；　he　turned　towards

his　own　party　with　bland　felicity。



〃And　how　is　it　with　us；　dear　friends？　　We　find　ourselves　not　in　the

port　we　were　seeking；　not　in　the　goal　of　our　ambition；　the　haven　of

our　hopes；　but　on　the　shores　of　the　decaying　past。　　'Ever　drifting'

on　one　of　those





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Shifting

　　　　　Currents　of　the　restless　main；'





if　our　fascinating　friend　Mrs。　Brimmer　will　permit　us　to　use　the

words　of　her　accomplished　fellow…townsman；　H。　W。　Longfellow；　of

Bostonwe　find　ourselves　borne　not　to　the　busy　hum　and　clatter　of

modern　progress；　but　to　the　soft　cadences　of　a　dying　crusade；　and

the　hush　of　ecclesiastical　repose。　　In　place　of　the　busy　marts　of

commerce　and　the　towering　chimneys　of　labor；　we　have　the　ruined

embattlements　of　a　warlike　age；　and　the　crumbling　church　of　an

ancient　Mission。　　Towards　the　close　of　an　eventful　voyage；　during

which　we　have　been　guided　by　the　skillful　hand　and　watchful　eye　of

that　gallant　navigator　Captain　Bunker；　we　have　turned　aside　from

our　onward　course　of　progress　to　look　back　for　a　moment　upon　the

faded　footprints　of　those　who　have　so　long　preceded　us；　who　have


lived　according　to　their　lights；　and　whose　record　is　now　before　us。

As　I　have　just　stated；　our　journey　is　near　its　end；　and　we　may；　in

some　sense；　look　upon　this　occasion；　with　its　sumptuous

entertainment；　and　its　goodly　company　of　gallant　men　and　fair

women；　as　a　parting　banquet。　　Our　voyage　has　been　a　successful　one。

I　do　not　now　especially　speak　of　the　daring　speculations　of　the

distinguished　husband　of　a　beautiful　lady　whose　delightful　society

is　known　to　us　allneed　I　say　I　refer　to　Quincy　Brimmer；　Esq。；　of

Boston〃　（loud　applause）〃whose　successful　fulfillment　of　a

contract　with　the　Peruvian　Government；　and　the　landing　of　munitions

of　war　at　Callao；　has　checked　the　uprising　of　the　Quinquinambo

insurgents？　　I　do　not　refer　especially　to　our　keen…sighted　business

friend　Mr。　Banks〃　（applause）；　〃who；　by　buying　up　all　the　flour　in

Callao；　and　shipping　it　to　California；　has　virtually　starved　into

submission　the　revolutionary　party　of　AriquipaI　do　not　refer　to

these　admirable　illustrations　of　the　relations　of　commerce　and

politics；　for　this；　my　friendsthis　is　history；　and　beyond　my

feeble　praise。　　Let　me　rather　speak　of　the　social　and　literary

triumphs　of　our　little　community；　of　our　floating　Arcadiamay　I

say　Olympus？　　Where　shall　we　find　another　Minerva　like　Mrs。

Markham；　another　Thalia　like　Miss　Chubb；　another　Juno　like　Mrs。

Brimmer；　worthy　of　the　Jove…like　Quincy　Brimmer；　another　Queen　of

Love　and　Beauty　likelike〃continued　the　gallant　Senor；　with　an

effective　oratorical　pause；　and　a　profound　obeisance　to　Miss　Keene；

〃like　one　whose　mantling　maiden　blushes　forbid　me　to　name？〃

（Prolonged　applause。）　　〃Where　shall　we　find　more　worthy　mortals　to

worship　them　than　our　young　friends；　the　handsome　Brace；　the

energetic　Winslow；　the　humorous　Crosby？　　When　we　look　back　upon　our

concerts　and　plays；　our　minstrel　entertainments；　with　the

incomparable　performances　of　our　friend　Crosby　as　Brother　Bones；

our　recit