the crusade of the excelsior-第26节

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extent　of　Todos　Santos　before；　when　he　swam　ashore　he　had　landed

under　a　crumbling　outwork　of　the　fort；　he　gazed　now　with　curious

interest　over　the　hamlet　that　might　have　been　his　home。　　He　looked

over　the　red…tiled　roofs；　and　further　on　to　the　shining　bay；　shut

in　by　the　impenetrable　rampart　of　fog。　　He　might　have　found　rest

and　oblivion　here　but　for　the　intrusion　of　those　fellow…passengers

to　share　his　exile　and　make　it　intolerable。　　How　he　hated　and

loathed　them　all！　　Yet　the　next　moment　he　found　himself

scrutinizing　the　street　and　plaza　below　him　for　a　glimpse　of　his

countrywomen；　whom　he　knew　were　still　in　the　town　or　vainly

endeavoring　to　locate　their　habitation　among　the　red…tiled　roofs。

And　that　frank；　clear…eyed　girlMiss　Keene！she　who　had　seemed　to

vaguely　pity　himshe　was　somewhere　here　tooselected　by　the　irony

of　fate　to　be　his　confederate！　　He　could　not　help　thinking　of　her

beauty　and　kindness　now；　with　a　vague　curiosity　that　was　half　an

uneasiness。　　It　had　not　struck　him　before；　but　if　he　were　to　accept

the　ridiculous　attitude　forced　upon　him　by　Todos　Santos；　its

absurdity；　as　well　as　its　responsibility；　would　become　less　odious

by　sharing　it　with　another。　　Perhaps　it　might　be　to　HER　advantage

and　if　so；　would　he　be　justified　in　exposing　its　absurdity？　　He

would　have　to　see　her　firstand　if　he　did；　how　would　he　explain

his　real　position？　　A　returning　wave　of　bitterness　threw　him　back

into　his　old　despair。



The　twilight　had　slowly　gathered　over　the　view　as　he　gazedor；

rather　a　luminous　concentration　above　the　pueblo　and　bay　had　left

the　outer　circle　of　fog　denser　and　darker。　　Emboldened　by　the

apparent　desertion　of　the　Embarcadero；　he　began　to　retrace　his

steps　down　the　slope；　keeping　close　to　the　wall　so　as　to　avoid

passing　before　the　church　again；　or　a　closer　contact　with　the

gardener　among　the　vines。　　In　this　way　he　reached　the　path　he　had

skirted　the　night　before；　and　stopped　almost　under　the　shadow　of

the　Alcalde's　house。　　It　was　here　he　had　rested　and　hidden；here

he　had　tasted　the　first　sweets　of　isolation　and　oblivion　in　the

dreamy　garden；here　he　had　looked　forward　to　peace　with　the

passing　of　the　ship；and　now？　　The　sound　of　voices　and　laughter

suddenly　grated　upon　his　ear。　　He　had　heard　those　voices　before。

Their　distinctness　startled　him　until　he　became　aware　that　he　was

standing　before　a　broken；　half…rotting　door　that　permitted　a

glimpse　of　the　courtyard　of　the　neighboring　house。　　He　glided

quickly　past　it　without　pausing；　but　in　that　glimpse　beheld　Mrs。

Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　half　reclining　in　the　corridorin　the

attitude　he　had　often　seen　them　on　the　deck　of　the　shiptalking

and　laughing　with　a　group　of　Mexican　gallants。　　A　feeling　of

inconceivable　loathing　and　aversion　took　possession　of　him。　　Was　it

to　THIS　he　was　returning　after　his　despairing　search　for　oblivion？

Their　empty；　idle　laughter　seemed　to　ring　mockingly　in　his　ears　as

he　hurried　on；　scarce　knowing　whither；　until　he　paused　before　the

broken　cactus　hedge　and　crumbling　wall　that　faced　the　Embarcadero。

A　glance　over　the　hedge　showed　him　that　the　strip　of　beach　was

deserted。　　He　looked　up　the　narrow　street；　it　was　empty。　　A　few

rapid　strides　across　it　gained　him　the　shadow　of　the　sea…wall　of

the　Presidio；　unchecked　and　unhindered。　　The　ebbing　tide　had　left　a

foot　or　two　of　narrow　shingle　between　the　sea　and　the　wall。　　He

crept　along　this　until；　a　hundred　yards　distant；　the　sea…wall

reentered　inland　around　a　bastion　at　the　entrance　of　a　moat　half

filled　at　high　tide　by　the　waters　of　the　bay；　but　now　a　ditch　of

shallow　pools；　sand；　and　debris。　　He　leaned　against　the　bastion；

and　looked　over　the　softly　darkening　water。



How　quiet　it　looked；　and；　under　that　vaporous　veil；　how　profound

and　inscrutable！　　How　easy　to　slip　into　its　all…embracing　arms；　and

sink　into　its　yielding　bosom；　leaving　behind　no　stain；　trace；　or

record！　　A　surer　oblivion　than　the　Church；　which　could　not　absolve

memory；　grant　forgetfulness；　nor　even　hide　the　ghastly　footprints

of　its　occupants。　　Here　was　obliteration。　　But　was　he　sure　of　that？

He　thought　of　the　body　of　the　murdered　Peruvian；　laid　out　at　the

feet　of　the　Council　by　this　same　fickle　and　uncertain　sea；　he

thought　of　his　own　distorted　face　subjected　to　the　cold　curiosity

of　these　aliens　or　the　contemptuous　pity　of　his　countrymen。　　But

that　could　be　avoided。　　It　was　easy　for　hima　good　swimmerto

reach　a　point　far　enough　out　in　the　channel　for　the　ebbing　tides　to

carry　him　past　that　barrier　of　fog　into　the　open　and　obliterating

ocean。　　And　then；　at　least；　it　might　seem　as　if　he　had　attempted　to

ESCAPEindeed；　if　he　cared；　he　might　be　able　to　keep　afloat　until

he　was　picked　up　by　some　passing　vessel；　bound　to　a　distant　land！

The　self…delusion　pleased　him；　and　seemed　to　add　the　clinching

argument　to　his　resolution。　　It　was　not　suicide；　it　was　escape

certainly　no　more　than　escapehe　intended！　　And　this　miserable

sophism　of　self…apology；　the　last　flashes　of　expiring　conscience；

helped　to　light　up　his　pale；　determined　face　with　satisfaction。　　He

began　coolly　to　divest　himself　of　his　coat。



What　was　that？the　sound　of　some　dislodged　stones　splashing　in　one

of　the　pools　further　up！　　He　glanced　hurriedly　round　the　wall　of

the　bastion。　　A　figure　crouching　against　the　side　of　the　ditch；　as

if　concealing　itself　from　observation　on　the　glacis　above；　was

slowly　approaching　the　sea。　　Suddenly；　when　within　a　hundred　yards

of　Hurlstone；　it　turned；　crossed　the　ditch；　rapidly　mounted　its

crumbling　sides；　and　disappeared　over　the　crest。　　But　in　that

hurried　glimpse　he　had　recognized　Captain　Bunker！



The　sudden　and　mysterious　apparition　of　this　man　produced　on

Hurlstone　an　effect　that　the　most　violent　opposition　could　not　have

created。　　Without　a　thought　of　the　terrible　purpose　it　had

interrupted；　and　obeying　some　stronger　instinct　that　had　seized

him；　he　dashed　down　into　the　ditch　and　up　to　the　crest　again　after

Captain　Bunker。　　But　he　had　completely　disappeared。　　A　little

lagoon；　making　in　from　the　bay；　on　which　a　small　fishing…boat　was

riding；　and　a　solitary　fisherman　mending　his　nets　on　the　muddy

shore　a　few　feet　from　it；　were　all　that　was　to　be　seen。



He　was　turning　back；　when　he　saw　the　object　of　his　search　creeping

from　some　reeds；　on　all　fours；　with　a　stealthy；　panther…like

movement　towards　the　unconscious　fisherman。　　Before　Hurlstone　could

utter　a　cry；　Bunker　had　sprung　upon　the　unfortunate　man；　thrown　him

to　the　earth；　rapidly　rolled　him　over　and　over；　enwrapping　him　hand

and　foot　in　his　own　net；　and　involving　him　hopelessly　in　its

meshes。　　Tossing　the　helpless　victimwho　was　apparently　too

stupefied　to　call　outto　one　side；　he　was　rushing　towards　the　boat

when；　with　a　single　bound；　Hurlstone　reached　his　side　and　laid　his

hand　upon　his　shoulder。



〃Captain　Bunker；　for　God's　sake！　what　are　you　doing？〃



Captain　Bunker　turned　slowly　and　without　apparent　concern　towards

his　captor。　　Hurlstone　fell　back　before　the　vacant；　lack…lustre

eyes　that　were　fixed　upon　him。



〃Captain　Bunker's　my　name；〃　said　the　madman；　in　a　whisper。　　〃Lemuel

Bunker；　of　Nantucket！　　Hush！　don't　waken　him；〃　pointing　to　the

prostrate　fisherman；　〃I've　put　him　to　sleep。　　I'm　Captain　Bunker

old　drunken　Bunkerwho　stole　one　ship　from　her　owners；　and

disgraced　himself；　and　now　is　going　to　steal　anotherha；　ha！　　Let

me　go。〃



〃Captain　Bunker；〃　said　Hurlstone；　recovering　himself　in　time　to

prevent　the　maniac　from　dashing　into　the　water。　　〃Look　at　me。

Don't　you　know　me？〃



〃Yes；　yes；　you're　one　of　old　Bunker's　dogs　kicked　overboard　by

Perkins。　　I'm　one　of　Perkins'　dogs　gone　mad；　and　locked　up　by

Perkins！　　Ha；　ha！　　But　I　got　out！　　Hush！　　SHE　let　me　out。　　SHE

thought　I　was　going　to　see　the　boys　at　San　Antonio。　　But　I'm　going

off　to　see　the　old　barque　out　there　in　the　fog。　　I'm　going　to　chuck

Perkins　overboard　and　the　two　mates。　　Let　me　go。〃



He　struggled　violently。　　Hurlstone；　fearful　of　quitting　his　hold　to

release　the　fisherman；　whom　Captain　Bunker　no　longer　noticed；　and

not　daring　to　increase　the　Captain's　fury　by　openly　calling　to　him；

beckoned　the　pinioned　man　to　make　an　effort。　　But；　paralyzed　by

fear；　the　wretched　captive　remained　immovable；　staring　at　the

struggling　men。　　With　the　strength　of　desperation　Hurlstone　at　last

forced　the　Captain　down　upon　his　knees。



〃Listen；　Captain！　　We'll　go　togetheryou　understand。　　I'll　help

youbut　we　must　get　a　larger　boat　firstyou　know。〃



〃But　they　won't　give　it；〃　said　Captain　Bunker　mysteriously。

〃Didn't　you　hear　the　Councilthe　ownersthe　underwriters　say：　'He

lost　his　ship；　he's　ruined　and　disgraced；　for　rum；　all　for　rum！'

And　we　want　rum；　you　know；　and　it's　all　over　there；　in　the

Excelsior's　locker！〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Hurlstone　soothingly；　〃but　there's　more　in　the

bigger　boat。　　Come　with　me。　　We'll　let　the　man　loose；　and　we'll

make　him　show　us　his　bigger　boat。〃



It　was　an　unfortunate　sugge