the crusade of the excelsior-第14节

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incomparable　performances　of　our　friend　Crosby　as　Brother　Bones；

our　recitations；　to　which　the　genius　of　Mrs。　M'Corkle；　of　Peoria；

Illinois；　has　lent　her　charm　and　her　manuscript〃　（a　burlesque　start

of　terror　from　Crosby）；　〃I　am　forcibly　impelled　to　quote　the

impassioned　words　from　that　gifted　woman；





　　　　　'When　idly　Life's　barque　on　the　billows　of　Time；

　　　　　　　　Drifts　hither　and　yon　by　eternity's　sea；

　　　　　　On　the　swift　feet　of　verse　and　the　pinions　of　rhyme

　　　　　　　　My　thoughts；　Ulricardo；　fly　ever　to　thee！'〃





〃Who's　Ulricardo？〃　interrupted　Crosby；　with　assumed　eagerness；

followed　by　a　〃hush！〃　from　the　ladies。



〃Perhaps　I　should　have　anticipated　our　friend's　humorous　question；〃

said　Senor　Perkins；　with　unassailable　good…humor。　　〃Ulricardo；

though　not　my　own　name；　is　a　poetical　substitute　for　it；　and　a　mere

figure　of　apostrophe。　　The　poem　is　personal　to　myself；〃　he

continued；　with　a　slight　increase　of　color　in　his　smooth　cheek

which　did　not　escape　the　attention　of　the　ladies；〃purely　as　an

exigency　of　verse；　and　that　the　inspired　authoress　might　more

easily　express　herself　to　a　friend。　　My　acquaintance　with　Mrs。

M'Corkle　has　been　only　epistolary。　　Pardon　this　digression；　my

friends；　but　an　allusion　to　the　muse　of　poetry　did　not　seem　to　me

to　be　inconsistent　with　our　gathering　here。　　Let　me　briefly

conclude　by　saying　that　the　occasion　is　a　happy　and　memorable　one；

I　think　I　echo　the　sentiment　of　all　present　when　I　add　that　it　is

one　which　will　not　be　easily　forgotten　by　either　the　grateful

guests；　whose　feelings　I　have　tried　to　express；　or　the　chivalrous

hosts；　whose　kindness　I　have　already　so　feebly　translated。〃



In　the　applause　that　followed；　and　the　clicking　of　glasses；　Senor

Perkins　slipped　away。　　He　mingled　a　moment　with　some　of　the　other

guests　who　had　already　withdrawn　to　the　corridor；　lit　a　cigar；　and

then　passed　through　a　narrow　doorway　on　to　the　ramparts。　　Here　he

strolled　to　some　distance；　as　if　in　deep　thought；　until　he　reached

a　spot　where　the　crumbling　wall　and　its　fallen　debris　afforded　an

easy　descent　into　the　ditch。　　Following　the　ditch；　he　turned　an

angle；　and　came　upon　the　beach；　and　the　low　sound　of　oars　in　the

invisible　offing。　　A　whistle　brought　the　boat　to　his　feet；　and

without　a　word　he　stepped　into　the　stern　sheets。　　A　few　strokes　of

the　oars　showed　him　that　the　fog　had　lifted　slightly　from　the

water；　and　a　green　light　hanging　from　the　side　of　the　Excelsior

could　be　plainly　seen。　　Ten　minutes'　more　steady　pulling　placed　him

on　her　deck；　where　the　second　officer　stood　with　a　number　of　the

sailors　listlessly　grouped　around　him。



〃The　landing　has　been　completed？〃　said　Senor　Perkins　interrogatively。



〃All　except　one　boat…load　more；　which　waits　to　take　your　final

instructions；〃　said　the　mate。　　〃The　men　have　growled　a　little　about

it；〃　he　added；　in　a　lower　tone。　　〃They　don't　want　to　lose　anything；

it　seems；〃　he　continued；　with　a　half　sarcastic　laugh。



Senor　Perkins　smiled　peculiarly。



〃I　am　sorry　to　disappoint　them。　　Who's　that　in　the　boat？〃　he　asked

suddenly。



The　mate　followed　the　Senor's　glance。



〃It　is　Yoto。　　He　says　he　is　going　ashore；　and　you　will　not　forbid

him。〃



Senor　Perkins　approached　the　ship's　side。



〃Come　here；〃　he　said　to　the　man。



The　Peruvian　sailor　rose；　but　did　not　make　the　slightest　movement

to　obey　the　command。



〃You　say　you　are　going　ashore？〃　said　Perkins　blandly。



〃Yes；　Patrono。〃



〃What　for？〃



〃To　follow　himthe　thief；　the　assassinwho　struck　me　here；〃　he

pointed　to　his　head。　　〃He　has　escaped　again　with　his　booty。〃



〃You　are　very　foolish；　my　Yoto；　he　is　no　thief；　and　has　no　booty。

They　will　put　YOU　in　prison；　not　him。〃



〃YOU　say　so；〃　said　the　man　surlily。　　〃Perhaps　they　will　hear　me

for　other　things；〃　he　added　significantly。



〃And　for　this　you　would　abandon　the　cause？〃



The　man　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃Why　not？〃　he　glanced　meaningly　at　two　of　his　companions；　who　had

approached　the　side；　〃perhaps　others　would。　　Who　is　sending　the

booty　ashore；　eh？〃



〃Come　out　of　that　boat；〃　said　the　Senor；　leaning　over　the　bulwarks

with　folded　arms；　and　his　eyes　firmly　fixed　on　the　man。



The　man　did　not　move。　　But　the　Senor's　hand　suddenly　flew　to　the

back　of　his　neck；　smote　violently　downwards；　and　sent　eighteen

inches　of　glittering　steel　hurtling　through　the　air。　　The　bowie…

knife　entered　the　upturned　throat　of　the　man　and　buried　itself

halfway　to　the　hilt。　　Without　a　gasp　or　groan　he　staggered　forward；

caught　wildly　at　the　side　of　the　ship；　and　disappeared　between　the

boat　and　the　vessel。



〃My　lads；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　turning　with　a　gentle　smile　towards

the　faces　that　in　the　light　of　the　swinging　lantern　formed　a

ghastly　circle　around　him；　〃when　I　boarded　this　ship　that　had

brought　aid　and　succor　to　our　oppressors　at　Callao；　I　determined　to

take　possession　of　it　peacefully；　without　imperiling　the　peace　and

property　of　the　innocent　passengers　who　were　intrusted　to　its　care；

and　without　endangering　your　own　lives　or　freedom。　　But　I　made　no

allowance　for　TRAITORS。　　The　blood　that　has　been　shed　to…night　has

not　been　spilt　in　obedience　to　my　orders；　nor　to　the　cause　that　we

serve；　it　was　from　DEFIANCE　of　it；　and　the　real　and　only　culprit

has　just　atoned　for　it。〃



He　stopped；　and　then　stepped　back　from　the　gangway；　as　if　to　leave

it　open　to　the　men。



〃What　I　have　done；〃　he　continued　calmly；　〃I　do　not　ask　you　to

consider　either　as　an　example　or　a　warning。　　You　are　free　to　do

what　HE　would　have　done；〃　he　repeated；　with　a　wave　of　his　hand

towards　the　open　gangway　and　the　empty　boat。　　〃You　are　free　to

break　your　contract　and　leave　the　ship；　and　I　give　you　my　word　that

I　will　not　lift　a　hand　to　prevent　it。　　But　if　you　stay　with　me；〃　he

said；　suddenly　turning　upon　them　a　face　as　livid　as　their　own；　〃I

swear　by　the　living　God；　that；　if　between　this　and　the

accomplishment　of　my　design；　you　as　much　as　shirk　or　question　any

order　given　by　me；　you　shall　die　the　death　of　that　dog　who　went

before　you。　　Choose　as　you　pleasebut　quickly。〃



The　mate　was　the　first　to　move。　　Without　a　word；　he　crossed　over　to

the　Senor's　side。　　The　men　hesitated　a　moment　longer；　until　one；

with　a　strange　foreign　cry；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　before　the

Senor；　ejaculating；　〃Pardon！　pardon！〃　　The　others　followed；　some

impulsively　catching　at　the　hand　that　had　just　slain　their　comrade；

and　covering　it　with　kisses！



〃Pardon；　Patronowe　are　yours。〃



〃You　are　the　State's；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　coldly；　with　every

vestige　of　his　former　urbanity　gone　from　his　colorless　face。

〃Enough！　　Go　back　to　your　duty。〃　　He　watched　them　slink　away；　and

then　turned　to　the　mate。　　〃Get　the　last　boat…load　ready；　and　report

to　me。〃



From　that　moment　another　power　seemed　to　dominate　the　ship。　　The

men　no　longer　moved　listlessly；　or　slunk　along　the　deck　with

perfunctory　limbs；　a　feverish　haste　and　eagerness　possessed　them；

the　boat　was　quickly　loaded；　and　the　mysterious　debarkation

completed　in　rapidity　and　silence。　　This　done；　the　fog　once　more

appeared　to　rise　from　the　water　and　softly　encompass　the　ship；

until　she　seemed　to　be　obliterated　from　its　face。　　In　this　vague

obscurity；　from　time　to　time；　the　faint　rattling　of　chains　was

heard；　the　soft　creaking　of　blocks；　and　later　on；　the　regular　rise

and　fall　of　oars。　　And　then　the　darkness　fell　heavier；　the　sounds

became　more　and　more　indistinct　and　were　utterly　lost。



Ashore；　however；　the　lanterns　still　glittered　brightly　in　the

courtyard　of　the　Presidio；　the　noise　of　laughter　and　revel　still

came　from　the　supper…room；　and；　later；　the　tinkling　of　guitars　and

rhythmical　clapping　hands　showed　that　the　festivities　were　being

wound　up　by　a　characteristic　fandango。　　Captain　Bunker　succumbed

early　to　his　potations　of　fiery　aguardiente；　and　was　put　to　bed　in

the　room　of　the　Commander；　to　whom　he　had　sworn　eternal　friendship

and　alliance。　　It　was　long　past　midnight　before　the　other　guests

were　disposed　of　in　the　various　quarters　of　the　Presidio；　but　to

the　ladies　were　reserved　the　more　ostentatious　hospitalities　of　the

Alcalde　himself；　the　walls　of　whose　ambitious　hacienda　raised

themselves　across　the　plaza　and　overlooked　the　gardens　of　the

Mission。



It　was　from　one　of　the　deep；　quaintly　barred　windows　of　the

hacienda　that　Miss　Keene　gazed　thoughtfully　on　the　night；　unable　to

compose　herself　to　sleep。　　An　antique　guest…chamber　had　been

assigned　to　her　in　deference　to　her　wish　to　be　alone；　for　which　she

had　declined　the　couch　and　vivacious　prattle　of　her　new　friend；

Dona　Isabel。　　The　events　of　the　day　had　impressed　her　more　deeply

than　they　had　her　companions；　partly　from　her　peculiar　inexperience

of　the　world；　and　partly　from　her　singular　sensitiveness　to

external　causes。　　The　whole　quaint　story　of　the　forgotten　and

isolated　settlement；　which　had　seemed　to　the　other　passengers　as　a

trivial　and