the crusade of the excelsior-第42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！



those　fellows　with　a　mystery　about　'em。〃



〃No；　I　don't！〃　said　Miss　Keene　sharply；　with　a　slight　rise　of

color；　〃and　I　don't　see　what　that's　got　to　do　with　you　and　her。〃



〃Everything！　　She　was　in　correspondence　with　Perkins；　and　knows

about　the　Excelsior　affair；　and　wants　to　help　him　get　out　of　it

with　clean　hands；　don't　you　see！　　That's　why　she　made　up　to　us。

There；　Nell；　she　ain't　your　style；　of　course；　but　you　owe　a　heap　to

her　for　giving　us　points　as　to　where　you　were。　　But　that's　all　over

now；　she　left　us　at　Mazatlan；　and　went　on　to　Nicaragua　to　meet

Perkins　somewhere　therefor　the　fellow　has　always　got　some　Central

American　revolution　on　hand；　it　appears。　　Until　they　garrote　or

shoot　him　some　day；　he'll　go　on　in　the　liberating　business　forever。〃



〃Then　there　wasn't　any　Mr。　Montgomery；　of　course？〃　said　Eleanor。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Montgomery；〃　said　Dick；　hesitating。　　〃Well；　you　see；　Nell；

I　think　that；　knowing　how　correct　and　all　that　sort　of　thing

Brimmer　is；　she　sort　of　invented　the　husband　to　make　her　interest

look　more　proper。〃



〃It's　shameful！〃　said　Miss　Keene　indignantly。



〃Come；　Nell；　one　would　think　you　had　a　personal　dislike　to　her。

Let　her　go；　she　won't　trouble　younor；　I　reckon；　ANYBODY；　much

longer。〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　Dick？〃



〃I　mean　she　has　regularly　exhausted　and　burnt　herself　out　with　her

hysterics　and　excitements；　and　the　drugs　she's　taken　to　subdue

themto　say　nothing　of　the　Panama　fever　she　got　last　spring。　　If

she　don't　go　regularly　crazy　at　last　she'll　have　another　attack　of

fever；　hanging　round　the　isthmus　waiting　for　Perkins。〃



Meanwhile；　undisturbed　by　excitement　or　intrusion　of　the　outer

world；　the　days　had　passed　quietly　at　the　Mission。　　But　one

evening；　at　twilight；　a　swift…footed；　lightly…clad　Indian　glided

into　the　sacristy　as　if　he　had　slipped　from　the　outlying　fog；　and

almost　immediately　as　quietly　glided　away　again　and　disappeared。

The　next　moment　Father　Esteban's　gaunt　and　agitated　face　appeared

at　Hurlstone's　door。



〃My　son；　God　has　been　merciful；　and　cut　short　your　probation。　　The

signal　of　the　ship　has　just　been　made。　　Her　boat　will　be　waiting　on

the　beach　two　leagues　from　here　an　hour　hence。　　Are　you　ready？　and

are　you　still　resolved？〃



〃I　am；〃　said　Hurlstone；　rising。　　〃I　have　been　prepared　since　you

first　assented。〃



The　old　man's　lips　quivered　slightly；　and　the　great　brown　hand　laid

upon　the　table　trembled　for　an　instant；　with　a　strong　effort　he

recovered　himself；　and　said　hurriedly；



〃Concho's　mule　is　saddled　and　ready　for　you　at　the　foot　of　the

garden。　　You　will　follow　the　beach　a　league　beyond　the　Indians'

cross。　　In　the　boat　will　await　you　the　trusty　messenger　of　the

Church。　　You　will　say　to　him；　'Guadalajara；'　and　give　him　these

letters。　　One　is　to　the　captain。　　You　will　require　no　other

introduction。〃　　He　laid　the　papers　on　the　table；　and；　turning　to

Hurlstone；　lifted　his　tremulous　hands　in　the　air。　　〃And　now；　my

son；　may　the　grace　of　God〃



He　faltered　and　stopped；　his　uplifted　arms　falling　helplessly　on

Hurlstone's　shoulders。　　For　an　instant　the　young　man　supported　him

in　his　arms；　then　placed　him　gently　in　the　chair　he　had　just

quitted；　and　for　the　first　time　in　their　intimacy　dropped　upon　his

knee　before　him。　　The　old　man；　with　a　faint　smile；　placed　his　hand

upon　his　companion's　head。　　A　breathless　pause　followed；　Father

Esteban's　lips　moved　silently。　　Suddenly　the　young　man　rose；

pressed　his　lips　hurriedly　to　the　Father's　hand；　and　passed　out

into　the　night。



The　moon　was　already　suffusing　the　dropping　veil　of　fog　above　him

with　that　nebulous；　mysterious　radiance　he　had　noticed　the　first

night　he　had　approached　the　Mission。　　When　he　reached　the　cross　he

dismounted；　and　gathering　a　few　of　the　sweet…scented　blossoms　that

crept　around　its　base；　placed　them　in　his　breast。　　Then；

remounting；　he　continued　his　way　until　he　came　to　the　spot

designated　by　Concho　as　a　fitting　place　to　leave　his　tethered　mule。

This　done；　he　proceeded　on　foot　about　a　mile　further　along　the

hard；　wet　sand；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　narrow　strip　of　water　and

shore　before　him　that　was　yet　uninvaded　by　the　fog　on　either　side。



The　misty；　nebulous　light；　the　strange　silence；　broken　only　by　the

occasional　low　hurried　whisper　of　some　spent　wave　that　sent　its

film　of　spume　across　his　path；　or　filled　his　footprints　behind　him；

possessed　him　with　vague　presentiments　and　imaginings。　　At　times　he

fancied　he　heard　voices　at　his　side；　at　times　indistinct　figures

loomed　through　the　mist　before　him。　　At　last　what　seemed　to　be　his

own　shadow　faintly　impinged　upon　the　mist　at　one　side　impressed　him

so　strongly　that　he　stopped；　the　apparition　stopped　too。

Continuing　a　few　hundred　paces　further；　he　stopped　again；　but　this

time　the　ghostly　figure　passed　on；　and　convinced　him　that　it　was　no

shadow；　but　some　one　actually　following　him。　　With　an　angry

challenge　he　advanced　towards　it。　　It　quickly　retreated　inland；　and

was　lost。　　Irritated　and　suspicious　he　turned　back　towards　the

water；　and　was　amazed　to　see　before　him；　not　twenty　yards　away；　the

object　of　his　questa　boat；　with　two　men　in　it；　kept　in　position

by　the　occasional　lazy　dip　of　an　oar。　　In　the　pursuit　of　his

mysterious　shadow　he　had　evidently　overlooked　it。　　As　his　own

figure　emerged　from　the　fog；　the　boat　pulled　towards　him。　　The

priest's　password　was　upon　his　lips；　when　he　perceived　that　the　TWO

men　were　common　foreign　sailors；　the　messenger　of　the　Church　was

evidently　not　there。　　Could　it　have　been　he　who　had　haunted　him？

He　paused　irresolutely。　　〃Is　there　none　other　coming？〃　he　asked。

The　two　men　looked　at　each　other。　　One　said；　〃Quien　sabe！〃　and

shrugged　his　shoulders。　　Hurlstone　without　further　hesitation

leaped　aboard。



The　same　dull　wall　of　vaporat　times　thickening　to　an　almost

impenetrable　barrier；　and　again　half　suffocating　him　in　its　soft

embracewhich　he　had　breasted　on　the　night　he　swam　ashore；　carried

back　his　thoughts　to　that　time；　now　so　remote　and　unreal。　　And

when；　after　a　few　moments'　silent　rowing；　the　boat　approached　a

black　hulk　that　seemed　to　have　started　forward　out　of　the　gloom　to

meet　them；　his　vague　recollection　began　to　take　a　more　definite

form。　　As　he　climbed　up　the　companion…ladder　and　boarded　the

vessel；　an　inexplicable　memory　came　over　him。　　A　petty　officer　on

the　gangway　advanced　silently　and　ushered　him；　half　dazed　and

bewildered；　into　the　cabin。　　He　glanced　hurriedly　around：　the　door

of　a　state…room　opened；　and　disclosed　the　indomitable　and　affable

Senor　Perkins！　　A　slight　expression　of　surprise；　however；　crossed

the　features　of　the　Liberator　of　Quinquinambo　as　he　advanced　with

outstretched　hand。



〃This　is　really　a　surprise；　my　dear　fellow！　　I　had　no　idea　that　YOU

were　in　this　affair。　　But　I　am　delighted　to　welcome　you　once　more

to　the　Excelsior！〃





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　RETURN　OF　THE　EXCELSIOR。





Amazed　and　disconcerted；　Hurlstone；　nevertheless；　retained　his

presence　of　mind。



〃There　must　be　some　mistake；〃　he　said　coolly；　〃I　am　certainly　not

the　person　you　seem　to　be　expecting。〃



〃Were　you　not　sent　here　by　Winslow？〃　demanded　Perkins。



〃No。　　The　person　you　are　looking　for　is　probably　one　I　saw　on　the

shore。　　He　no　doubt　became　alarmed　at　my　approach；　and　has　allowed

me　quite　unwittingly　to　take　his　place　in　the　boat。〃



Perkins　examined　Hurlstone　keenly　for　a　moment；　stepped　to　the

door；　gave　a　brief　order；　and　returned。



〃Then；　if　you　did　not　intend　the　honor　of　this　visit　for　me；〃　he

resumed；　with　a　smile；　〃may　I　ask；　my　dear　fellow；　whom　you

expected　to　meet；　and　on　what　ship？　　There　are　not　so　many　at　Todos

Santos；　if　my　memory　serves　me　right；　as　to　create　confusion。〃



〃I　must　decline　to　answer　that　question；〃　said　Hurlstone　curtly。



The　Senor　smiled；　with　an　accession　of　his　old　gentleness。



〃My　dear　young　friend；〃　he　said；　〃have　you　forgotten　that　on　a　far

more　important　occasion　to　YOU；　I　showed　no　desire　to　pry　into　your

secret？〃　　Hurlstone　made　a　movement　of　deprecation。　　〃Nor　have　I

any　such　desire　now。　　But　for　the　sake　of　our　coming　to　an

understanding　as　friends；　let　me　answer　the　question　for　you。　　You

are　here；　my　dear　fellow；　as　a　messenger　from　the　Mission　of　Todos

Santos　to　the　Ecclesiastical　Commission　from　Guadalajara；　whose

ship　touches　here　every　three　years。　　It　is　now　due。　　You　have

mistaken　this　vessel　for　theirs。〃



Hurlstone　remained　silent。



〃It　is　no　secret；〃　continued　Senor　Perkins　blandly；　〃nor　shall　I

pretend　to　conceal　MY　purpose　here；　which　is　on　the　invitation　of

certain　distressed　patriots　of　Todos　Santos；　to　assist　them　in

their　deliverance　from　the　effete　tyranny　of　the　Church　and　its

Government。　　I　have　been　fortunate　enough　to　anticipate　the　arrival

of　your　vessel；　as　you　were　fortunate　enough　to　anticipate　the

arrival　of　my　messenger。　　I　am　doubly　fortunate；　as　it　gives　me　the

pleasure　of