the crusade of the excelsior-第48节

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hesitate　to　express　to　Padre　Esteban　his　disgust　at　the　treachery

which　had　made　a　scapegoat　of　Senor　Perkins。　　But　to　his　surprise

the　cautious　priest　only　shrugged　his　shoulders　as　he　took　a

complacent　pinch　of　snuff。



〃Have　a　care；　Diego！　　You　are　of　necessity　grateful　to　this　man　for

the　news　he　has　broughtnay；　more；　for　possibly　being　the

instrument　elected　by　Providence　to　precipitate　the　denouement　of

that　miserable　woman's　lifebut　let　it　not　close　your　eyes　to　his

infamous　political　career。　　I　admit　that　he　was　opposed　to　the

revolt　of　the　heathen　against　us；　but　it　was　his　emissaries　and　his

doctrines　that　poisoned　with　heresy　the　fountains　from　which　they

drank。　　Enough！　　Be　grateful！　but　do　not　expect　ME　to　intercede　for

Baal　and　Ashtaroth！〃



〃Intercede！〃　echoed　Hurlstone；　alarmed　at　the　sudden　sacerdotal

hardness　that　had　overspread　the　old　priest's　face。　　〃Surely　the

Council　will　not　be　severe　with　the　man　who　was　betrayed　into　their

power　by　others　equally　guilty？〃



Padre　Esteban　avoided　Hurlstone's　eyes　as　he　answered　with　affected

coolness；〃Quien　sabe？　　There　will　be　expulsados；　no　doubt。　　The

Excelsior；　which　is　confiscated；　will　be　sent　to　Mexico　with　them。〃



〃I　must　see　Senor　Perkins；〃　said　Hurlstone　suddenly。



The　priest　hesitated。



〃When？〃　he　asked　cautiously。



〃At　once。〃



〃Good。〃　　He　wrote　a　hurried　line　on　a　piece　of　paper；　folded　it；

sealed　it；　and　gave　it　to　Hurlstone。　　〃You　will　hand　that　to　the

Comandante。　　He　will　give　you　access　to　the　prisoner。〃



In　less　than　half　an　hour　Hurlstone　presented　himself　before　the

Commander。　　The　events　of　the　last　twenty…four　hours　had　evidently

affected　Don　Miguel；　for　although　he　received　Hurlstone　courteously；

there　was　a　singular　reflection　of　the　priest's　harshness　in　his

face　as　he　glanced　over　the　missive。　　He　took　out　his　watch。



〃I　give　you　ten　minutes　with　the　prisoner；　Don　Diego。　　More；　I

cannot。〃



A　little　awed　by　the　manner　of　the　Commander；　Hurlstone　bowed　and

followed　him　across　the　courtyard。　　It　was　filled　with　soldiers；

and　near　the　gateway　a　double　file　of　dragoons；　with　loaded

carbines；　were　standing　at　ease。　　Two　sentries　were　ranged　on　each

side　of　an　open　door　which　gave　upon　the　courtyard。　　The　Commander

paused　before　it；　and　with　a　gesture　invited　him　to　enter。　　It　was

a　large　square　apartment；　lighted　only　by　the　open　door　and　a

grated　enclosure　above　it。　　Seated　in　his　shirtsleeves；　before　a

rude　table；　Senor　Perkins　was　quietly　writing。　　The　shadow　of

Hurlstone's　figure　falling　across　his　paper　caused　him　to　look　up。



Whatever　anxiety　Hurlstone　had　begun　to　feel；　it　was　quickly

dissipated　by　the　hearty；　affable；　and　even　happy　greeting　of　the

prisoner。



〃Ah！　what！　my　young　friend　Hurlstone！　　Again　an　unexpected

pleasure；〃　he　said；　extending　his　white　hands。　　〃And　again　you　find

me　wooing　the　Muse；　in；　I　fear；　hesitating　numbers。〃　　He　pointed　to

the　sheet　of　paper　before　him；　which　showed　some　attempts　at

versification。　　〃But　I　confess　to　a　singular　fascination　in　the

exercise　of　poetic　composition；　in　instants　of　leisure　like　thisa

fascination　which；　as　a　man　of　imagination　yourself；　you　can

appreciate。〃



〃And　I　am　sorry　to　find　you　here；　Senor　Perkins；〃　began　Hurlstone

frankly；　〃but　I　believe　it　will　not　be　for　long。〃



〃My　opinion；〃　said　the　Senor；　with　a　glance　of　gentle　contemplation

at　the　distant　Comandante；　〃as　far　as　I　may　express　it；　coincides

with　your　own。〃



〃I　have　come；〃　continued　Hurlstone　earnestly；　〃to　offer　you　my

services。　　I　am　ready；〃　he　raised　his　voice；　with　a　view　of　being

overheard；　〃to　bear　testimony　that　you　had　no　complicity　in　the

baser　part　of　the　late　conspiracy；the　revolt　of　the　savages；　and

that　you　did　your　best　to　counteract　the　evil；　although　in　doing　so

you　have　sacrificed　yourself。　　I　shall　claim　the　right　to　speak

from　my　own　knowledge　of　the　Indians　and　from　their　admission　to　me

that　they　were　led　away　by　the　vague　representations　of　Martinez；

Brace；　and　Winslow。〃



〃Pardonpardon　me；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　deprecatingly；　〃you　are

mistaken。　　My　general　instructions；　no　doubt；　justified　these　young

gentlemen　in　taking；　I　shall　not　say　extreme；　but　injudicious

measures。〃　　He　glanced　meaningly　in　the　direction　of　the　Commander；

as　if　to　warn　Hurlstone　from　continuing；　and　said　gently；　〃But　let

us　talk　of　something　else。　　I　thank　you　for　your　gracious

intentions；　but　you　remember　that　we　agreed　only　yesterday　that　you

knew　nothing　of　politics；　and　did　not　concern　yourself　with　them。

I　do　not　know　but　you　are　wise。　　Politics　and　the　science　of　self…

government；　although　dealing　with　general　principles；　are　apt　to　be

defined　by　the　individual　limitations　of　the　enthusiast。　　What　is

good　for　HIMSELF　he　too　often　deems　is　applicable　to　the　general

public；　instead　of　wisely　understanding　that　what　is　good　for　THEM

must　be　good　for　himself。　　But；〃　said　the　Senor　lightly；　〃we　are

again　transgressing。　　We　were　to　choose　another　topic。　　Let　it　be

yourself；　Mr。　Hurlstone。　　You　are　looking　well；　sir；　indeed；　I　may

say　I　never　saw　you　looking　so　well！　　Let　me　congratulate　you。

Health　is　the　right　of　youth。　　May　you　keep　both！〃



He　shook　Hurlstone's　hand　again　with　singular　fervor。



There　was　a　slight　bustle　and　commotion　at　the　door　of　the　guard…

room；　and　the　Commander's　attention　was　called　in　that　direction。

Hurlstone　profited　by　the　opportunity　to　say　in　a　hurried　whisper：



〃Tell　me　what　I　can　do　for　you；〃　and　he　hesitated　to　voice　his

renewed　uneasiness〃tell　me　ififif　your　case　isurgent！〃



Senor　Perkins　lifted　his　shoulders　and　smiled　with　grateful

benevolence。



〃You　have　already　promised　me　to　deliver　those　papers　and

manuscripts　of　my　deceased　friend；　and　to　endeavor　to　find　her

relations。　　I　do　not　think　it　is　urgent；　however。〃



〃I　do　not　mean　that；〃　said　Hurlstone　eagerly。　　〃I〃but　Perkins

stopped　him　with　a　sign　that　the　Commander　was　returning。



Don　Miguel　approached　them　with　disturbed　and　anxious　looks。



〃I　have　yielded　to　the　persuasions　of　two　ladies；　Dona　Leonor　and

the　Senora　Markham；　to　ask　you　to　see　them　for　a　moment；〃　he　said

to　Senor　Perkins。　　〃Shall　it　be　so？　　I　have　told　them　the　hour　is

nearly　spent。〃



〃You　have　told　themNOTHING　MORE？〃　asked　the　Senor；　in　a　whisper

unheard　by　Hurlstone。



〃No。〃



〃Let　them　come；　then。〃



The　Commander　made　a　gesture　to　the　sentries　at　the　guard…room；　who

drew　back　to　allow　Mrs。　Markham　and　Eleanor　to　pass。　　A　little

child；　one　of　Eleanor's　old　Presidio　pupils；　who；　recognizing　her；

had　followed　her　into　the　guard…room；　now　emerged　with　her；　and

momentarily　disconcerted　at　the　presence　of　the　Commander；　ran；

with　the　unerring　instinct　of　childhood；　to　the　Senor　for

protection。　　The　filibuster　smiled；　and　lifting　the　child　with　a

paternal　gesture　to　his　shoulder　by　one　hand；　he　extended　the　other

to　the　ladies。



〃The　Commander；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham　briskly；　〃says　it's　against　the

rules；　that　visiting　time　is　up；　and　you've　already　got　a　friend

with　you；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　but　I　told　him　that　I　was

bound　to　see　you；　if　only　to　say　that　if　there's　any　meanness　going

on；　Susannah　and　James　Markham　ain't　in　it！　　No！　　But　we're　going

to　see　you　put　right　and　square　in　the　matter；　and　if　we　can't　do

it　here；　we'll　do　it；　if　we　have　to　follow　you　to　Mexico！that's

all！〃



〃And　I；〃　said　Eleanor；　grasping　the　Senor's　hand；　and　half　blushing

as　she　glanced　at　Hurlstone；　〃see　that　I　have　already　a　friend　here

who　will　help　me　to　put　in　action　all　the　sympathy　I　feel。〃



Senor　Perkins　drew　himself　up；　and　cast　a　faint　look　of　pride

towards　the　Commander。



〃To　HEAR　such　assurances　from　beautiful　and　eloquent　lips　like

those　before　me；〃　he　said；　with　his　old　oratorical　wave　of　the

hand；　but　a　passing　shadow　across　his　mild　eyes；　〃is　more　than

sufficient。　　In　my　experience　of　life　I　have　been　favored；　at

various　emergencies；　by　the　sympathy　and　outspoken　counsel　of　your

noble　sex；　the　last　time　by　Mrs。　Euphemia　M'Corkle；　of　Peoria；

Illinois；　a　lady　of　whom　you　have　heard　me　speakalas！　now　lately

deceased。　　A　few　lines　at　present　lying　on　yonder　tablea　tribute

to　her　geniuswill　be　forwarded　to　you；　dear　Mrs。　Markham。　　But

let　us　change　the　theme。　　You　are　looking　welland　you；　too；　Miss

Keene。　　From　the　roses　that　bloom　on　your　cheeksnourished　by　the

humid　air　of　Todos　SantosI　am　gratified　in　thinking　you　have

forgiven　me　your　enforced　detention　here。〃



At　a　gesture　from　the　Commander　he　ceased；　stepped　back；　bowed

gravely；　and　the　ladies　recognized　that　their　brief　audience　had

terminated。　　As　they　passed　through　the　gateway；　looking　back　they

saw　Perkins　still　standing　with　the　child　on　his　shoulder　and

smiling　affably　upon　them。　　Then　the　two　massive　doors　of　the

gateway　swung　to　with　a　crash；　the　bolts　were　shot；　and　the

courtyard　was　impenetrable。