the crusade of the excelsior-第37节

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handsome　in　the　dark；　half　official　Mexican　dress　that　necessity

alone　had　obliged　him　to　assume；　and　much　more　distinguished…

looking　than　his　companions　in　their　extravagant　foppery；　he

thought　her　beauty　more　youthful　and　artless　than　he　had　imagined

it　to　be；　and　with　his　older　and　graver　experiences　felt　a　certain

protecting　superiority　that　was　pleasant　and　reassuring。



Nevertheless；　seated　so　near　each　other；　they　were　very　quiet。

Hurlstone　could　not　tell　whether　it　was　the　sea　or　the　flowers；　but

the　dress　of　the　young　girl　seemed　to　exhale　some　subtle　perfume　of

her　own　freshness　that　half　took　away　his　breath。　　She　had　scraped

up　a　handful　of　sand；　and　was　allowing　it　to　escape　through　her

slim　fingers　in　a　slender　rain　on　the　ground。　　He　was　watching　the

operation　with　what　he　began　to　fear　was　fatuous　imbecility。



〃Miss　Keene？I　beg　your　pardon〃



〃Mr。　Hurlstone？Excuse　me；　you　were　saying〃



They　had　both　spoken　at　the　same　moment；　and　smiled　forgivingly　at

each　other。　　Hurlstone　gallantly　insisted　upon　the　precedence　of

her　thoughtthe　scamp　had　doubted　the　coherency　of　his　own。



〃I　used　to　think；〃　she　began〃you　won't　be　angry；　will　you？〃



〃Decidedly　not。〃



〃I　used　to　think　you　had　an　idea　of　becoming　a　priest。〃



〃Why？〃



〃Becauseyou　are　sure　you　won't　be　angrybecause　I　thought　you

hated　women！〃



〃Father　Esteban　is　a　priest；〃　said　Hurlstone；　with　a　faint　smile；

〃and　you　know　he　thinks　kindly　of　your　sex。〃



〃Yes；　but　perhaps　HIS　life　was　never　spoiled　by　some　wicked　woman

likelike　yours。〃



For　an　instant　he　gazed　intently　into　her　eyes。



〃Who　told　you　that？〃



〃No　one。〃



She　was　evidently　speaking　the　absolute　truth。　　There　was　no　deceit

or　suppression　in　her　clear　gaze；　if　anything；　only　the　faintest

look　of　wonder　at　his　astonishment。　　And　hethis　jealously　guarded

secret；　the　curse　of　his　whole　wretched　life；　had　been　guessed　by

this　simple　girl；　without　comment；　without　reserve；　without　horror！

And　there　had　been　no　scene；　no　convulsion　of　Nature；　no　tragedy；

he　had　not　thrown　himself　into　yonder　sea；　she　had　not　fled　from

him　shrinking；　but　was　sitting　there　opposite　to　him　in　gentle

smiling　expectation；　the　golden　light　of　Todos　Santos　around　them；

a　bit　of　bright　ribbon　shining　in　her　dark　hair；　and　he；　miserable；

outcast；　and　recluse；　had　not　even　changed　his　position；　but　was

looking　up　without　tremulousness　or　excitement；　and　smiling；　too。



He　raised　himself　suddenly　on　his　knee。



〃And　what　if　it　were　all　true？〃　he　demanded。



〃I　should　be　very　sorry　for　you；　and　glad　it　were　all　over　now；〃

she　said　softly。



A　faint　pink　flush　covered　her　cheek　the　next　moment；　as　if　she　had

suddenly　become　aware　of　another　meaning　in　her　speech；　and　she

turned　her　head　hastily　towards　the　village。　　To　her　relief　she

discerned　that　a　number　of　Indian　children　had　approached　them　from

behind　and　had　halted　a　few　paces　from　the　cross。　　Their　hands　were

full　of　flowers　and　shells　as　they　stood　hesitatingly　watching　the

couple。



〃They　are　some　of　the　school…children；〃　said　Hurlstone；　in　answer

to　her　inquiring　look；　〃but　I　can't　understand　why　they　come　here

so　openly。〃



〃Oh；　don't　scold　them！〃　said　Eleanor；　forgetting　her　previous

orthodox　protest；　〃let　us　go　away；　and　pretend　we　don't　notice

them。〃



But　as　she　was　about　to　rise　to　her　feet　the　hesitation　of　the

little　creatures　ended　in　a　sudden　advance　of　the　whole　body；　and

before　she　comprehended　what　they　were　doing　they　had　pressed　the

whole　of　their　floral　tributes　in　her　lap。　　The　color　rose　again

quickly　to　her　laughing　face　as　she　looked　at　Hurlstone。



〃Do　you　usually　get　up　this　pretty　surprise　for　visitors？〃　she　said

hesitatingly。



〃I　assure　you　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it；〃　he　answered；　with

frank　amazement；　〃it's　quite　spontaneous。　　And　lookthey　are　even

decorating　ME。〃



It　was　true；　they　had　thrown　a　half　dozen　strings　of　shells　on

Hurlstone's　unresisting　shoulders；　and；　unheeding　the　few　words　he

laughingly　addressed　them　in　their　own　dialect；　they　ran　off　a　few

paces；　and　remained　standing；　as　if　gravely　contemplating　their

work。　　Suddenly；　with　a　little　outcry　of　terror；　they　turned；　fled

wildly　past　them；　and　disappeared　in　the　bushes。



Miss　Keene　and　Hurlstone　rose　at　the　same　moment；　but　the　young

girl；　taking　a　step　forward；　suddenly　staggered；　and　was　obliged　to

clasp　one　of　the　arms　of　the　cross　to　keep　herself　from　falling。

Hurlstone　sprang　to　her　side。



〃Are　you　ill？〃　he　asked　hurriedly。　　〃You　are　quite　white。　　What　is

the　matter？〃



A　smile　crossed　her　colorless　face。



〃I　am　certainly　very　giddy；　everything　seems　to　tremble。〃



〃Perhaps　it　is　the　flowers；〃　he　said　anxiously。　　〃Their　heavy

perfume　in　this　close　air　affects　you。　　Throw　them　away；　for

Heaven's　sake！〃



But　she　clutched　them　tighter　to　her　heart　as　she　leaned　for　a

moment；　pale　yet　smiling；　against　the　cross。



〃No；　no！〃　she　said　earnestly；　〃it　was　not　that。　　But　the　children

were　frightened；　and　their　alarm　terrified　me。　　There；　it　is　over

now。〃



She　let　him　help　her　to　her　seat　again　as　he　glanced　hurriedly

around　him。　　It　must　have　been　sympathy　with　her；　for　he　was

conscious　of　a　slight　vertigo　himself。　　The　air　was　very　close　and

still。　　Even　the　pleasant　murmur　of　the　waves　had　ceased。



〃How　very　low　the　tide　is！〃　said　Eleanor　Keene；　resting　her　elbow

on　her　knees　and　her　round　chin　upon　her　hand。　　〃I　wonder　if　that

could　have　frightened　those　dear　little　midgets？〃　　The　tide；　in

fact；　had　left　the　shore　quite　bare　and　muddy　for　nearly　a　quarter

of　a　mile　to　seaward。



Hurlstone　arose；　with　grave　eyes；　but　a　voice　that　was　unchanged。



〃Suppose　we　inquire？　　Lean　on　my　arm；　and　we'll　go　up　the　hill

towards　the　Mission　garden。　　Bring　your　flowers　with　you。〃



The　color　had　quite　returned　to　her　cheek　as　she　leant　on　his

proffered　arm。　　Yet　perhaps　she　was　really　weaker　than　she　knew；

for　he　felt　the　soft　pressure　of　her　hand　and　the　gentle

abandonment　of　her　figure　against　his　own　as　they　moved　on。　　But

for　some　preoccupying　thought；　he　might　have　yielded　more

completely　to　the　pleasure　of　that　innocent　contact　and　have　drawn

her　closer　towards　him；　yet　they　moved　steadily　on；　he　contenting

himself　from　time　to　time　with　a　hurried　glance　at　the　downcast

fringes　of　the　eyes　beside　him。　　Presently　he　stopped；　his

attention　disturbed　by　what　appeared　to　be　the　fluttering　of　a

black…winged；　red…crested　bird；　in　the　bushes　before　him。　　The　next

moment　he　discovered　it　to　be　the　rose…covered　head　of　Dona　Isabel；

who　was　running　towards　them。　　Eleanor　withdrew　her　arm　from

Hurlstone's。



〃Ah；　imbecile！〃　said　Dona　Isabel；　pouncing　upon　Eleanor　Keene　like

an　affectionate　panther。　　〃They　have　said　you　were　on　the　seashore；

and　I　fly　for　you　as　a　bird。　　Tell　to　me　quick；〃　she　whispered；

hastily　putting　her　own　little　brown　ear　against　Miss　Keene's

mouth；　〃immediatamente；　are　you　much　happy？〃



〃Where　is　Mr。　Brace？〃　said　Miss　Keene；　trying　to　effect　a

diversion；　as　she　laughed　and　struggled　to　get　free　from　her

tormentor。



〃He；　the　idiot　boy！　　Naturally；　when　he　is　for　use；　he　comes　not。

But　as　a　maniacever！　　I　would　that　I　have　him　no　more。　　You　will

to　me　presently　give　yourbrother！　　I　have　since　to…day　a

presentimiento　that　him　I　shall　love！　　Ah！〃



She　pressed　her　little　brown　fist；　still　tightly　clutching　her　fan；

against　her　low　bodice；　as　if　already　transfixed　with　a　secret　and

absorbing　passion。



〃Well；　you　shall　have　Dick　then；〃　said　Miss　Keene；　laughing；　〃but

was　it　for　THAT　you　were　seeking　me？〃



〃Mother　of　God！　you　know　not　then　what　has　happened？　　You　are　a

blinda　deafto　but　one　thing　all　the　time？　　Ah！〃　she　said

quickly；　unfolding　her　fan　and　modestly　diving　her　little　head

behind　it；　〃I　have　ashamed　for　you；　Miss　Keene。〃



〃But　WHAT　has　happened？〃　said　Hurlstone；　interposing　to　relieve　his

companion。　　〃We　fancied　something〃



〃Something！　he　says　something！ah；　that　something　was　a　temblor！

An　earthquake！　　The　earth　has　shaken　himself。　　Look！〃



She　pointed　with　her　fan　to　the　shore；　where　the　sea　had　suddenly

returned　in　a　turbulence　of　foam　and　billows　that　was　breaking　over

the　base　of　the　cross　they　had　just　quitted。



Miss　Keene　drew　a　quick　sigh。　　Dona　Isabel　had　ducked　again

modestly　behind　her　fan；　but　this　time　dragging　with　her　other　arm

Miss　Keene's　head　down　to　share　its　discreet　shadow　as　she

whispered；



〃Andinfatuated　one！you　two　never　noticed　it！〃





CHAPTER　V。



CLOUDS　AND　CHANGE。





The　earthquake　shock；　although　the　first　experienced　by　the

Americans；　had　been　a　yearly　phenomenon　to　the　people　of　Todos

Santos；　and　was　so　slight　as　to　leave　little　impression　upon　either

the　low　adobe　walls　of　the　pueblo　or　the　indolent　population。　　〃If

it's　a　provision　of　Nature　for　shaking　up　the