the crusade of the excelsior-第15节

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

trivial　and　half　humorous　incident；　affected　her　imagination

profoundly。　　When　she　could　escape　the　attentions　of　her

entertainers；　or　the　frivolities　of　her　companions；　she　tried　to

touch　the　far…off　past　on　the　wings　of　her　fancy；　she　tried　to

imagine　the　life　of　those　people；　forgetting　the　world　and

forgotten　by　it；　she　endeavored　to　picture　the　fifty　years　of

solitude　amidst　these　decaying　ruins；　over　which　even　ambition　had

crumbled　and　fallen。　　It　seemed　to　her　the　true　conventual

seclusion　from　the　world　without　the　loss　of　kinship　or　home

influences；　she　contrasted　it　with　her　boarding…school　life　in　the

fashionable　seminary；　she　wondered　what　she　would　have　become　had

she　been　brought　up　here；　she　thought　of　the　happy　ignorance　of

Dona　Isabel；　andshuddered；　and　yet　she　felt　herself　examining　the

odd　furniture　of　the　room　with　an　equally　childlike　and　admiring

curiosity。　　And　these　people　looked　upon　HER　as　a　superior　being！



From　the　deep　embrasure　of　the　window　she　could　see　the　tops　of　the

pear　and　olive　trees；　in　the　misty　light　of　an　invisible　moon　that

suffused　the　old　Mission　garden　with　an　ineffable　and　angelic

radiance。　　To　her　religious　fancy　it　seemed　to　be　a　spiritual

effusion　of　the　church　itself；　enveloping　the　two　gray　dome…shaped

towers　with　an　atmosphere　and　repose　of　its　own；　until　it　became

the　incarnate　mystery　and　passion　where　it　stood。



She　was　suddenly　startled　by　a　moving　shadow　beside　the　wall；

almost　immediately　below　herthe　figure　of　a　man！　　He　was　stealing

cautiously　towards　the　church；　as　if　to　gain　the　concealment　of　the

shrubbery　that　grew　beside　it；　and；　furtively　glancing　from　side　to

side；　looked　towards　her　window。　　She　unconsciously　drew　back；

forgetting　at　the　moment　that　her　light　was　extinguished；　and　that

it　was　impossible　for　the　stranger　to　see　her。　　But　she　had　seen

HIM；　and　in　that　instant　recognized　Mr。　Hurlstone！



Then　he　HAD　come　ashore；　and　secretly；　for　the　other　passengers

believed　him　still　on　the　ship！　　But　what　was　he　doing　there？and

why　had　he　not　appeared　with　the　others　at　the　entertainment？　　She

could　understand　his　avoidance　of　them　from　what　she　knew　of　his

reserved　and　unsocial　habits；　but　when　he　could　so　naturally　have

remained　on　shipboard；　she　could　not；　at　first；　conceive　why　he

should　wish　to　prowl　around　the　town　at　the　risk　of　detection。　　The

idea　suddenly　occurred　to　her　that　he　had　had　another　attack　of　his

infirmity　and　was　walking　in　his　sleep；　and　for　an　instant　she

thought　of　alarming　the　house；　that　some　one　might　go　to　his

assistance。　　But　his　furtive　movements　had　not　the　serene

impassibility　of　the　somnambulist。　　Another　thought　withheld　her；

he　had　looked　up　at　her　window！　　Did　he　know　she　was　there？　　A

faint　stirring　of　shame　and　pleasure　sent　a　slight　color　to　her

cheek。　　But　he　had　gained　the　corner　of　the　shrubbery　and　was　lost

in　the　shadow。　　She　turned　from　the　window。　　A　gentle　sense　of

vague　and　half　maternal　pity　suffused　her　soft　eyes　as　she　at　last

sought　her　couch　and　fell　into　a　deep　slumber。



Towards　daybreak　a　wind　arose　over　the　sleeping　town　and　far

outlying　waters。　　It　breathed　through　the　leaves　of　the　Mission

garden；　brushed　away　the　clinging　mists　from　the　angles　of　the

towers；　and　restored　the　sharp　outlines　of　the　ruined

fortifications。　　It　swept　across　the　unruffled　sea　to　where　the

Excelsior；　cradled　in　the　softly　heaving　bay；　had　peacefully　swung

at　anchor　on　the　previous　night；　and　lifted　the　snowy　curtain　of

the　fog　to　seaward　as　far　as　the　fringe　of　surf；　a　league　away。



But　the　cradle　of　the　deep　was　emptythe　ship　was　gone！





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　GENTLE　CASTAWAYS。





Miss　Keene　was　awakened　from　a　heavy　sleep　by　a　hurried　shake　of

her　shoulder　and　an　indefinite　feeling　of　alarm。　　Opening　her　eyes；

she　was　momentarily　dazed　by　the　broad　light　of　day；　and　the

spectacle　of　Mrs。　Brimmer；　pale　and　agitated；　in　a　half…Spanish

dishabille；　standing　at　her　bedside。



〃Get　up　and　dress　yourself；　my　dear；　at　once；〃　she　said　hurriedly；

but　at　the　same　time　attentively　examining　Miss　Keene's　clothes；

that　were　lying　on　the　chair：　〃and　thank　Heaven　you　came　here　in　an

afternoon　dress；　and　not　in　an　evening　costume　like　mine！　　For

something　awful　has　happened；　and　Heaven　only　knows　whether　we'll

ever　see　a　stitch　of　our　clothes　again。〃



〃WHAT　has　happened？〃　asked　Miss　Keene　impatiently；　sitting　up　in

bed；　more　alarmed　at　the　unusual　circumstance　of　Mrs。　Brimmer's

unfinished　toilet　than　at　her　incomplete　speech。



〃What；　indeed！　　Nobody　knows；　but　it's　something　awfula　mutiny；

or　shipwreck；　or　piracy。　　But　there's　your　friend；　the　Commander；

calling　out　the　troops；　and　such　a　set　of　Christy　Minstrels　you

never　saw　before！　　There's　the　Alcalde　summoning　the　Council；

there's　Mr。　Banks　raving；　and　running　round　for　a　steamboatas　if

these　people　ever　heard　of　such　a　thing！and　Captain　Bunker；　what

with　rage　and　drink；　gone　off　in　a　fit　of　delirium　tremens；　and

locked　up　in　his　room！　　And　the　Excelsior　gonethe　Lord　knows

where！〃



〃Gone！〃　repeated　Miss　Keene；　hurrying　on　her　clothes。　　〃Impossible！

What　does　Father　Esteban　tell　you？　　What　does　Dona　Isabel　say？〃



〃That's　the　most　horrible　part　of　it！　　Do　you　know　those　wretched

idiots　believe　it's　some　political　revolution　among　ourselves；　like

their　own　miserable　government。　　I　believe　that　baby　Isabel　thinks

that　King　George　and　Washington　have　something　to　do　with　it；　at

any　rate；　they're　anxious　to　know　to　what　side　you　belong！　　So；　for

goodness'　sake！　if　you　have　to　humor　them；　say　we're　all　on　the

same　sideI　mean；　don't　you　and　Mrs。　Markham　go　against　Miss　Chubb

and　me。〃



Scarcely　knowing　whether　to　laugh　or　cry　at　Mrs。　Brimmer's

incoherent　statement；　Miss　Keene　hastily　finished　dressing　as　the

door　flew　open　to　admit　the　impulsive　Dona　Isabel　and　her　sister

Juanita。　　The　two　Mexican　girls　threw　themselves　in　Miss　Keene's

arms；　and　then　suddenly　drew　back　with　a　movement　of　bashful　and

diffident　respect。



〃Do；　pray；　ask　them；　for　I　daren't；〃　whispered　Mrs。　Brimmer；　trying

to　clasp　a　mantilla　around　her；　〃how　this　thing　is　worn；　and　if

they　haven't　got　something　like　a　decent　bonnet　to　lend　me　for　a

day　or　two？〃



〃The　Senora　has　not　then　heard　that　her　goods；　and　all　the　goods　of

the　Senores　and　Senoras；　have　been　discovered　safely　put　ashore　at

the　Embarcadero？〃



〃No？〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer　eagerly。



〃Ah；　yes！〃　responded　Dona　Isabel。　　〃Since　the　Senora　is　not　of　the

revolutionary　party。〃



Mrs。　Brimmer　cast　a　supplicatory　look　at　Miss　Keene；　and　hastily

quitted　the　room。　　Miss　Keene　would　have　as　quickly　followed　her；

but　the　young　Ramirez　girls　threw　themselves　again　tragically　upon

her　breast；　and；　with　a　mysterious　gesture　of　silence；　whispered；



〃Fear　nothing；　Excellencia！　　We　are　yourswe　will　die　for　you；　no

matter　what　Don　Ramon；　or　the　Comandante；　or　the　Ayuntamiento；

shall　decide。　　Trust　us；　little　one！pardonExcellencia；　we

mean。〃



〃What　IS　the　matter？〃　said　Miss　Keene；　now　thoroughly　alarmed；　and

releasing　herself　from　the　twining　arms　about　her。　　〃For　Heaven's

sake　let　me　go！　　I　must　see　somebody！　　Where　iswhere　is　Mrs。

Markham？〃



〃The　Markham？　　Is　it　the　severe　one？as　thus；〃said　Dona　Isabel；

striking　an　attitude　of　infantine　portentousness。



〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Keene；　smiling　in　spite　of　her　alarm。



〃She　is　arrested。〃



〃Arrested！〃　said　Eleanor　Keene；　her　cheeks　aflame　with　indignation。

〃For　what？　　Who　dare　do　this　thing？〃



〃The　Comandante。　　She　has　a　missivea　despatch　from　the

insurrectionaries。〃



Without　another　word；　and　feeling　that　she　could　stand　the　suspense

no　longer；　Miss　Keene　forced　her　way　past　the　young　girls；

unheeding　their　cries　of　consternation　and　apology；　and　quickly

reached　the　patio。　　A　single　glance　showed　her　that　Mrs。　Brimmer

was　gone。　　With　eyes　and　cheeks　still　burning；　she　swept　past　the

astounded　peons；　through　the　gateway；　into　the　open　plaza。　　Only

one　idea　filled　her　mindto　see　the　Commander；　and　demand　the

release　of　her　friend。　　How　she　should　do　it；　with　what　arguments

she　should　enforce　her　demand；　never　occurred　to　her。　　She　did　not

even　think　of　asking　the　assistance　of　Mr。　Brace；　Mr。　Crosby；　or

any　of　her　fellow…passengers。　　The　consciousness　of　some　vague

crisis　that　she　alone　could　meet　possessed　her　completely。



The　plaza　was　swarming　with　a　strange　rabble　of　peons　and　soldiery；

of　dark；　lowering　faces；　odd…looking　weapons　and　costumes；　mules；

mustangs；　and　cattlea　heterogeneous　mass；　swayed　by　some　fierce

excitement。　　That　she　saw　none　of　the　Excelsior　party　among　them

did　not　surprise　her；　an　instinct　of　some　catastrophe　more　serious

than　Mrs。　Brimmer's　vague　imaginings　frightened　but　exalted　her。

With　head　erect；　leveled　brows；　and　bright；　determined　eyes　she