the crusade of the excelsior-第32节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　Mexico　got　her　independence　in　1826；　and　that　the　Council　keep

it　dark　that　they　may　perpetuate　themselves。　　They　know；〃　he

continued；　lowering　his　voice；　〃that　the　Commander's　commission

from　the　old　Viceroy　isn't　worth　the　paper　it　is　stamped　upon。〃



〃But　what　about　the　Church？〃　asked　Brace　hesitatingly；　remembering

Banks'　theory。



〃The　Churchcaramba！　the　priests　were　ever　with　the　Escossas；　the

aristocrats；　and　against　the　Yorkenos；　the　men　of　the　Republicthe

people；〃　interrupted　Martinez　vehemently；　〃they　will　not　accept；

they　will　not　proclaim　the　Republic　to　the　people。　　They　shut　their

eyes；　so。　　They　fold　their　hands；　so。　　They　say；　'Sicut　era

principio　et　nunc　et　semper　in　secula　seculorum！'　　Look　you；　Senor；

I　am　not　of　the　Churchno；　caramba！　　I　snap　my　fingers　at　the

priests。　　Ah！　what　they　give　one　is　food　for　the　bull's　horns；

believe　meI　have　read　'Tompano；'　the　American　'Tompano。'〃



〃Who's　he？〃　asked　Brace。



〃He　means　Tom　Paine！　　'The　Age　of　Reason'you　know；〃　said　Winslow；

gazing　with　a　mixture　of　delight　and　patronizing　pride　at　the

Radicals　of　Todos　Santos。　　〃Oh！　he's　no　foolis　Martinez；　nor　Ruiz

either！　　And　while　you've　been　flirting　with　Dona　Isabel；　and　Banks

has　been　trying　to　log…roll　the　Padre；　and　Crosby　going　in　for

siestas；　I'VE　found　them　out。　　And　there　are　a　few　morearen't

there；　Ruiz？〃



Ruiz　darted　a　mysterious　glance　at　Brace；　and　apparently　not

trusting　himself　to　speak；　checked　off　his　ten　fingers　dramatically

in　the　air　thrice。



〃As　many　of　a　surety！　　God　and　liberty！〃



〃But；　if　this　is　so；　why　haven't　they　DONE　something？〃



Senor　Martinez　glanced　at　Senor　Ruiz。



〃Hasta　manana！〃　he　said　slowly。



〃Oh；　this　is　a　case　of　'Hasta　manana！'〃　said　Brace；　somewhat

relieved。



〃They　can　wait；〃　returned　Winslow　hurriedly。　　〃It's　too　big　a　thing

to　rush　into　without　looking　round。　　You　know　what　it　means？

Either　Todos　Santos　is　in　rebellion　against　the　present　Government

of　Mexico；　or　she　is　independent　of　any。　　Her　present　Government；

in　any　event；　don't　represent　either　the　Republic　of　Mexico　or　the

people　of　Todos　Santosdon't　you　see？　　And　in　that　case　WE'VE　got

as　good　a　right　here　as　any　one。〃



〃He　speaks　the　truth；〃　said　Ruiz；　grasping　a　hand　of　Brace　and

Winslow　each；　〃in　this　we　areas　brothers。〃



〃God　and　liberty！〃　ejaculated　Martinez；　in　turn　seizing　the　other

disengaged　hands　of　the　Americans；　and　completing　the　mystic

circle。



〃God　and　liberty！〃　echoed　a　thin　chorus　from　their　host　and　a　few

loungers　who　had　entered　unperceived。



Brace　felt　uneasy。　　He　was　not　wanting　in　the　courage　or　daring　of

youth；　but　it　struck　him　that　his　attitude　was　by　no　means

consistent　with　his　attentions　to　Dona　Isabel。　　He　managed　to　get

Winslow　aside。



〃This　is　all　very　well　as　a　'free　lunch'　conspiracy；　but　you're

forgetting　your　parole；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。



〃We　gave　our　parole　to　the　present　Government。　　When　it　no　longer

exists；　there　will　be　no　paroledon't　you　see？〃



〃Then　these　fellows　prefer　waiting〃



〃Until　we　can　get　OUTSIDE　help；　you　understand。　　The　first　American

ship　that　comes　in　hereeh？〃



Brace　felt　relieved。　　After　all；　his　position　in　regard　to　the

Alcalde's　sister　would　not　be　compromised；　he　might　even　be　able　to

extend　some　protection　over　her；　and　it　would　be　a　magnanimous

revenge　if　he　could　even　offer　it　to　Miss　Keene。



〃I　see　you　don't　swear　anybody　to　secrecy；〃　he　said；　with　a　laugh；

〃shall　I　speak　to　Crosby；　or　will　you？〃



〃Not　yet；　he'll　only　see　something　to　laugh　at。　　And　Banks　and

Martinez　would　quarrel　at　once；　and　go　back　on　each　other。　　No；　my

idea　is　to　let　some　outsider　do　for　Todos　Santos　what　Perkins　did

for　Quinquinambo。　　Do　you　take？〃



His　long；　thin；　dyspeptic　face　lit　up　with　a　certain　small

political　cunning　and　shrewdness　that　struck　Brace　with　a　half…

respect。



〃I　say；　Winslow；　you'd　have　made　a　first…class　caucus　leader　in　San

Francisco。〃



Winslow　smiled　complacently。　　〃There's　something　better　to　play　on

here　than　ward　politics；〃　he　replied。　　〃There's　a　material　here

thatlike　the　mine　and　the　soilain't　half　developed。　　I　reckon　I

can　show　Banks　something　that　beats　lobbying　and　log…rolling　for

contracts。　　I've　let　you　into　this　thing　to　show　you　a　sample　of　my

prospecting。　　Keep　it　to　yourself　if　you　want　it　to　pay。　　Dat's　me；

George！　　Good…by！　　I'll　be　out　to　the　office　to…morrow！〃



He　turned　back　towards　his　brother　politicians　with　an　expression

of　satisfied　conceit　that　Brace　for　a　moment　envied。　　The　latter

even　lingered　on　the　veranda；　as　if　he　would　have　asked　Winslow

another　question；　but；　looking　at　his　watch；　he　suddenly

recollected　himself；　and；　mounting　his　horse；　cantered　down　towards

the　plaza。



The　hour　of　siesta　was　not　yet　over；　and　the　streets　were　still

desertedprobably　the　reason　why　the　politicians　of　Todos　Santos

had　chosen　that　hour　for　their　half　secret　meeting。　　At　the　corner

of　the　plaza　he　dismounted　and　led　his　horse　to　the　public

hitching…postgnawn　and　nibbled　by　the　teeth　of　generations　of

mustangsand　turned　into　the　narrow　lane　flanked　by　the　walls　of

the　Alcalde's　garden。　　Halfway　down　he　stopped　before　a　slight

breach　in　the　upper　part　of　the　adobe　barrier；　and　looked

cautiously　around。　　The　long；　shadowed　vista　of　the　lane　was

unobstructed　by　any　moving　figure　as　far　as　the　yellow　light　of　the

empty　square　beyond。　　With　a　quick　leap　he　gained　the　top　of　the

wall　and　disappeared　on　the　other　aide。





CHAPTER　III。



INTERNATIONAL　COURTESIES。





The　garden　over　whose　wall　Brace　had　mysteriously　vanished　was

apparently　as　deserted　as　the　lane　and　plaza　without。　　But　its

solitude　was　one　of　graceful　shadow　and　restful　loveliness。　　A

tropical　luxuriance；　that　had　perpetuated　itself　year　after　year；

until　it　was　half　suffocated　in　its　own　overgrowth　and　strangled

with　its　own　beauty；　spread　over　a　variegated　expanse　of　starry

flowers；　shimmering　leaves；　and　slender　inextricable　branches；

pierced　here　and　there　by　towering　rigid　cactus　spikes　or　the

curved　plumes　of　palms。　　The　repose　of　ages　lay　in　its　hushed

groves；　its　drooping　vines；　its　lifeless　creepers；　the　dry　dust　of

its　decaying　leaves　and　branches　mingled　with　the　living　perfumes

like　the　spiced　embalmings　of　a　forgotten　past。



Nevertheless；　this　tranquillity；　after　a　few　moments；　was

singularly　disturbed。　　There　was　no　breeze　stirring；　and　yet　the

long　fronds　of　a　large　fan　palm；　that　stood　near　the　breach　in　the

wall；　began　to　move　gently　from　right　to　left；　like　the　arms　of

some　graceful　semaphore；　and　then　as　suddenly　stopped。　　Almost　at

the　same　moment　a　white　curtain；　listlessly　hanging　from　a　canopied

balcony　of　the　Alcalde's　house；　began　to　exhibit　a　like　rhythmical

and　regular　agitation。　　Then　everything　was　motionless　again；　an

interval　of　perfect　peace　settled　upon　the　garden。　　It　was　broken

by　the　apparition　of　Brace　under　the　balcony；　and　the　black…veiled

and　flowered　head　of　Dona　Isabel　from　the　curtain　above。



〃Crazy　boy！〃



〃Senorita！〃



〃Hush！　　I　am　coming　down！〃



〃You？　　But　Dona　Ursula！〃



〃There　is　no　more　Dona　Ursula！〃



〃Wellyour　duenna；　whoever　she　is！〃



〃There　is　no　duenna！〃



〃What？〃



〃Hush　up　your　tongue；　idiot　boy！〃　（this　in　English。）



The　little　black　head　and　the　rose　on　top　of　it　disappeared。　　Brace

drew　himself　up　against　the　wall　and　waited。　　The　time　seemed

interminable。　　Impatiently　looking　up　and　down；　he　at　last　saw　Dona

Isabel　at　a　distance；　quietly　and　unconcernedly　moving　among　the

roses；　and　occasionally　stooping　as　if　to　pick　them。　　In　an　instant

he　was　at　her　side。



〃Let　me　help　you；〃　he　said。



She　opened　her　little　brownish　palm；



〃Look！〃　　In　her　hand　were　a　few　leaves　of　some　herb。　　〃It　is　for

you。〃



Brace　seized　and　kissed　the　hand。



〃Is　it　some　love…test？〃



〃It　is　for　what　you　call　a　julep…cocktail；〃　she　replied　gravely。

〃He　will　remain　in　a　glass　with　aguardiente；　you　shall　drink　him

with　a　straw。　　My　sister　has　said　that　ever　where　the　Americans　go

they　expect　him　to　arrive。〃



〃I　prefer　to　take　him　straight；〃　said　Brace；　laughing；　as　he

nibbled　a　limp　leaf　bruised　by　the　hand　of　the　young　girl。　　〃He's

pleasanter；　and；　on　the　whole；　more　wildly　intoxicating　this　way！

But　what　about　your　duenna？　and　how　comes　this　blessed　privilege　of

seeing　you　alone？〃



Dona　Isabel　lifted　her　black　eyes　suddenly　to　Brace。



〃You　do　not　comprehend；　then？　　Is　it　not；　then；　the　custom　of　the

Americans？　　Is　it　not；　then；　that　there　is　no　duenna　in　your

country？〃



〃There　are　certainly　no　duennas　in　my　country。　　But　who　has　changed

the　custom　here？〃



〃Is　it　not　true　that　in　your　country　any　married　woman　shall　duenna

the　young　senorita？〃　continued　Dona　Isabel；　without　replying；　〃that

any　caballero　and　senorita　shall　see　each　other　in　the