the crusade of the excelsior-第6节

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the　fore…hatch；　but　I　lost　sight　of　him。　　After　we　had　tumbled　up

to　go　on　the　other　tack；　I　heard　a　noise　in　the　fore…hold。　　I　went

down　and　found　HIM；〃　pointing　to　Hurlstone；　〃hiding　there。　　He　had

some　provisions　stowed　away　beside　him；　and　that　package。　　I

grabbed　him；　Patrono。　　He　broke　away　and　struck　me　here〃he

pointed　to　his　still　wet　bandage〃and　would　have　got　out　overboard

through　the　port；　but　the　second　mate　heard　the　row　and　came　down

just　in　time　to　stop　him。〃



〃When　was　this？〃　asked　Senor　Perkins。



〃Guardia　di　Diana。〃



〃You　were　chattering；　you　fellows。〃



〃Quien　sabe？〃　said　the　Peruvian；　lifting　his　shoulders。



〃How　does　he　explain　himself？〃



〃He　refuses　to　speak。〃



〃Take　off　his　irons；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　in　English。



〃But〃expostulated　the　first　mate；　with　a　warning　gesture。



〃I　saidtake　off　his　irons；〃　repeated　Senor　Perkins　in　a　dry　and

unfamiliar　voice。



The　two　mates　released　the　shackles。　　The　prisoner　raised　his　eyes

to　Senor　Perkins。　　He　was　a　slightly　built　man　of　about　thirty；

fair…haired　and　hollow…cheeked。　　His　short　upper　lip　was　lifted

over　his　teeth；　as　if　from　hurried　or　labored　breathing；　but　his

features　were　regular　and　determined；　and　his　large　blue　eyes　shone

with　a　strange　abstraction　of　courage　and　fatuity。



〃That　will　do；〃　continued　the　Senor；　in　the　same　tone。　　〃Now　leave

him　with　me。〃



The　two　mates　looked　at　each　other；　and　hesitated；　but　at　a　glance

from　Perkins；　turned；　and　ascended　the　ladder　again。　　The　Peruvian

alone　remained。



〃Go！〃　said　the　Senor　sharply。



The　man　cast　a　vindictive　look　at　the　prisoner　and　retreated

sullenly。



〃Did　HE　tell　you；〃　said　the　prisoner；　looking　after　the　sailor

grimly；　〃that　I　tried　to　bribe　him　to　let　me　go；　but　that　I

couldn't　reach　his　figure？　　He　wanted　too　much。　　He　thought　I　had

some　stolen　money　or　valuables　here；〃　he　added；　with　a　bitter

laugh；　pointing　to　the　package　that　lay　beside　him。



〃And　you　hadn't？〃　said　Perkins　shortly。



〃No。〃



〃I　believe　you。　　And　now；　my　young　friend；〃　said　Perkins；　with　a

singular　return　of　his　beaming　gentleness；　〃since　those　two

efficient　and　competent　officers　and　this　energetic　but

discourteous　seaman　are　gone；　would　you　mind　telling　me　WHAT　you

were　hiding　for？〃



The　prisoner　raised　his　eyes　on　his　questioner。　　For　the　last　three

weeks　he　had　lived　in　the　small　community　of　which　the　Senor　was　a

prominent　member；　but　he　scarcely　recognized　him　now。



〃What　if　I　refuse？〃　he　said。



The　Senor　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃Those　two　excellent　men　would　feel　it　their　duty　to　bring　the

Peruvian　to　the　captain；　and　I　should　be　called　to　interpret　to

him。〃



〃And　I　should　throw　myself　overboard　the　first　chance　I　got。　　I

would　have　done　so　ten　minutes　ago；　but　the　mate　stopped　me。〃



His　eye　glistened　with　the　same　fatuous　determination　he　had　shown

at　first。　　There　was　no　doubt　he　would　do　as　he　said。



〃I　believe　you　would；〃　said　the　Senor　benevolently；　〃but　I　see　no

present　necessity　for　that；　nor　for　any　trouble　whatever；　if　you

will　kindly　tell　me　WHAT　I　am　to　say。〃



The　young　man's　eyes　fell。



〃I　DID　try　to　conceal　myself　in　the　hold；〃　he　said　bluntly。　　〃I

intended　to　remain　there　hidden　while　the　ship　was　at　Mazatlan。　　I

did　not　know　until　now　that　the　vessel　had　changed　her　course。〃



〃And　how　did　you　believe　your　absence　would　be　accounted　for？〃

asked　the　Senor　blandly。



〃I　thought　it　would　be　supposed　that　I　had　fallen　overboard　before

we　entered　Mazatlan。〃



〃So　that　anybody　seeking　you　there　would　not　find　you；　and　you

would　be　believed　to　be　dead？〃



〃Yes。〃　　He　raised　his　eyes　quickly　to　Senor　Perkins　again。　　〃I　am

neither　a　thief　nor　a　murderer；〃　he　said　almost　savagely；　〃but　I　do

not　choose　to　be　recognized　by　any　one　who　knows　me　on　this　side　of

the　grave。〃



Senor　Perkins'　eyes　sought　his；　and　for　an　instant　seemed　to　burn

through　the　singular；　fatuous　mist　that　veiled　them。



〃My　friend；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　after　a　moment's　pause；　〃you　have

just　had　a　providential　escape。　　I　repeat　ita　most　providential

escape。　　Indeed；　if　I　were　inclined　to　prophesy；　I　would　say　you

were　a　man　reserved　for　some　special　good　fortune。〃



The　prisoner　stared　at　him　with　angry　amazement。



〃You　are　a　confirmed　somnambulist。　　Excuse　me；〃　continued　the

Senor；　with　a　soft；　deprecating　gesture；　〃you　are；　of　course；

unaware　of　itmost　victims　of　that　singular　complaint　are；　or　at

least　fail　to　recognize　the　extent　of　their　aberration。　　In　your

case　it　has　only　been　indicated　by　a　profound　melancholy　and

natural　shunning　of　society。　　In　a　paroxysm　of　your　disorder；　you

rise　in　the　night；　fully　dress　yourself；　and　glide　as　unconsciously

along　the　deck　in　pursuance　of　some　vague　fancy。　　You　pass　the

honest　but　energetic　sailor　who　has　just　left　us；　who　thinks　you

are　a　phantom；　and　fails　to　give　the　alarm；　you　are　precipitated　by

a　lurch　of　the　ship　through　an　open　hatchway：　the　shock　renders　you

insensible　until　you　are　discovered　and　restored。〃



〃And　who　will　believe　this　pretty　story？〃　said　the　young　man

scornfully。



〃The　honest　sailor　who　picked　you　up；　who　has　related　it　in　his　own

picturesque　tongue　to　ME；　who　will　in　turn　interpret　it　to　the

captain　and　the　other　passengers；〃　replied　Senor　Perkins　blandly。



〃And　what　of　the　two　mates　who　were　here？〃　said　the　prisoner

hesitatingly。



〃They　are　two　competent　officers；　who　are　quite　content　to　carry

out　the　orders　of　their　superiors；　and　who　understand　their　duty

too　well　to　interfere　with　the　reports　of　their　subordinates；　on

which　these　orders　are　based。　　Mr。　Brooks；　the　first　officer；

though　fairly　intelligent　and　a　good　reader　of　history；　is　only

imperfectly　acquainted　with　the　languages；　and　Mr。　M'Carthy's

knowledge　of　Spanish　is　confined　to　a　few　objurgations　which

generally　preclude　extended　conversation。〃



〃And　who　are　you；〃　said　Hurlstone；　more　calmly；　〃who　are　willing　to

do　this　for　a　stranger？〃



〃A　friendequally　of　yours；　the　captain's；　and　the　other

passengers'；〃　replied　Senor　Perkins　pleasantly。　　〃A　man　who

believes　you；　my　dear　sir；　and；　even　if　he　did　not；　sees　no　reason

to　interrupt　the　harmony　that　has　obtained　in　our　little　community

during　our　delightful　passage。　　Were　any　scandal　to　occur；　were　you

to　carry　out　your　idea　of　throwing　yourself　overboard；　it　would；　to

say　nothing　of　my　personal　regret；　produce　a　discord　for　which

there　is　no　necessity；　and　from　which　no　personal　good　can　be

derived。　　Here　at　least　your　secret　is　secure；　for　even　I　do　not

ask　what　it　is；　we　meet　here　on　an　equality；　based　on　our　own

conduct　and　courtesy　to　each　other；　limited　by　no　antecedent

prejudice；　and　restrained　by　no　thought　of　the　future。　　In　a　little

while　we　shall　be　separatedwhy　should　it　not　be　as　friends？　　Why

should　we　not　look　back　upon　our　little　world　of　this　ship　as　a

happy　one？〃



Hurlstone　gazed　at　the　speaker　with　a　troubled　air。　　It　was　once

more　the　quaint　benevolent　figure　whom　he　had　vaguely　noted　among

the　other　passengers；　and　as　vaguely　despised。　　He　hesitated　a

moment；　and　then；　half　timidly；　half　reservedly；　extended　his　hand。



〃I　thank　you；〃　he　said；　〃at　least　for　not　asking　my　secret。

Perhaps；　if　it　was　only〃



〃Your　ownyou　might　tell　it；〃　interrupted　the　Senor；　gayly。　　〃I

understand。　　I　see　you　recognize　my　principle。　　There　is　no

necessity　of　your　putting　yourself　to　that　pain；　or　another　to　that

risk。　　And　now；　my　young　friend；　time　presses。　　I　must　say　a　word

to　our　friends　above；　who　are　waiting；　and　I　shall　see　that　you　are

taken　privately　to　your　state…room　while　most　of　the　other

passengers　are　still　on　deck。　　If　you　would　permit　yourself　the

weakness　of　allowing　the　steward　to　carry　or　assist　you　it　would　be

better。　　Let　me　advise　you　that　the　excitement　of　the　last　three

hours　has　not　left　you　in　your　full　strength。　　You　must　really　give

ME　the　pleasure　of　spreading　the　glad　tidings　of　your　safety　among

the　passengers；　who　have　been　so　terribly　alarmed。〃



〃They　will　undoubtedly　be　relieved；〃　said　Hurlstone；　with　ironical

bitterness。



〃You　wrong　them；〃　returned　the　Senor；　with　gentle　reproach；

〃especially　the　ladies。〃



The　voice　of　the　first　mate　from　above　here　checked　his　further

speech；　and；　perhaps；　prevented　him；　as　he　quickly　reascended　the

upper　deck；　from　noticing　the　slight　embarrassment　of　his　prisoner。



The　Senor's　explanations　to　the　mate　were　evidently　explicit　and

brief。　　In　a　few　moments　he　reappeared　with　the　steward　and　his

assistant。



〃Lean　on　these　men；〃　he　said　to　Hurlstone　significantly；　〃and　do

not　overestimate　your　strength。　　Thank　Heaven；　no　bones　are　broken；

and　you　are　only　bruised　by　the　fall。　　With　a　little　rest；　I　think

we　can　get　along　without　laying　the　captain's　medicine…chest　under

contribution。　　Our　kind　friend　Mr。　Brooks　has