the crusade of the excelsior-第8节

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〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham　positively；　〃when　he's　able　to　be　out

again；　I　shall　consider　it　my　duty　to　look　him　up；　and　try　to　keep

him　sufficiently　awake　in　the　daytime　to　ensure　his　resting　better

at　night。〃



〃No　one　can　do　it；　dear　Mrs。　Markham；　better　than　you；　and　no　one

would　think　of　misunderstanding　your　motives；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer

sweetly。　　〃But　it's　getting　late；　and　the　air　seems　to　be　ever　so

much　colder。　　Captain　Bunker　says　it's　because　we　are　really

nearing　the　Californian　coast。　　It　seems　so　odd！　　Mr。　Brimmer　wrote

to　me　that　it　was　so　hot　in　Sacramento　that　you　could　do　something

with　eggs　in　the　sunI　forget　what。〃



〃Hatch　them？〃　suggested　Miss　Chubb。



〃I　think　so；〃　returned　Mrs。　Brimmer；　rising。　　〃Let　us　go　below。〃



The　three　ladies　rustled　away；　but　Miss　Keene；　throwing　a　wrap

around　her　shoulders；　lingered　by　the　railing。　　With　one　little

hand　supporting　her　round　chin；　she　leaned　over　the　darkly　heaving

water。　　She　was　thinking　of　her　brief　and　only　interview　with　that

lonely　man　whose　name　was　now　in　everybody's　mouth；　but　who；　until

to…day；　had　been　passed　over　by　them　with　an　unconcern　equal　to　his

own。　　And　yet　to　her　refined　and　delicately　feminine　taste　there

appeared　no　reason　why　he　should　not　have　mingled　with　his　fellows；

and　have　accepted　the　homage　from　them　that　SHE　was　instinctively

ready　to　give。　　He　seemed　to　her　like　a　gentlemanand　something

more。　　In　her　limited　but　joyous　knowledge　of　the　worlda

knowledge　gathered　in　the　happy　school…life　of　an　orphan　who　but

faintly　remembered　and　never　missed　a　parent's　careshe　knew

nothing　of　the　mysterious　dominance　of　passion；　suffering；　or

experience　in　fashioning　the　outward　expression　of　men；　and　saw

only　that　Mr。　Hurlstone　was　unlike　any　other。　　That　unlikeness　was

fascinating。　　He　had　said　very　little　to　her　in　that　very　brief

period。　　He　had　not　talked　to　her　with　the　general　gallantry　which

she　already　knew　her　prettiness　elicited。　　Without　knowing　why；　she

felt　there　was　a　subtle　flattery　in　his　tacit　recognition　of　that

other　self　of　which　she；　as　yet；　knew　so　little。　　She　could　not

remember　what　they　had　talked　aboutnor　why。　　Nor　was　she　offended

that　he　had　never　spoken　to　her　since；　nor　gone　beyond　a　grave

lifting　of　his　hat　to　her　when　he　passed。





CHAPTER　IV。



IN　THE　FOG。





By　noon　of　the　following　day　the　coast　of　the　Peninsula　of

California　had　been　sighted　to　leeward。　　The　lower　temperature　of

the　northwest　Trades　had　driven　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　into

their　state…rooms　to　consult　their　wardrobes　in　view　of　an

impending　change　from　the　light　muslins　and　easy　languid　toilets　of

the　Tropics。　　That　momentous　question　for　the　moment　held　all　other

topics　in　abeyance；　and　even　Mrs。　Markham　and　Miss　Keene；　though

they　still　kept　the　deck；　in　shawls　and　wraps；　sighed　over　this

feminine　evidence　of　the　gentle　passing　of　their　summer　holiday。

The　gentlemen　had　already　mounted　their　pea…jackets　and　overcoats；

with　the　single　exception　of　Senor　Perkins；　who；　in　chivalrous

compliment　to　the　elements；　still　bared　his　unfettered　throat　and

forehead　to　the　breeze。　　The　aspect　of　the　coast；　as　seen　from　the

Excelsior's　deck；　seemed　to　bear　out　Mr。　Banks'　sweeping　indictment

of　the　day　before。　　A　few　low；　dome…like　hills；　yellow　and　treeless

as　sand　dunes；　scarcely　raised　themselves　above　the　horizon。　　The

air；　too；　appeared　to　have　taken　upon　itself　a　dry　asperity；　the

sun　shone　with　a　hard；　practical　brilliancy。　　Miss　Keene　raised　her

eyes　to　Senor　Perkins　with　a　pretty　impatience　that　she　sometimes

indulged　in；　as　one　of　the　privileges　of　accepted　beauty　and　petted

youth。



〃I　don't　think　much　of　your　peninsula；〃　she　said　poutingly。　　〃It

looks　dreadfully　flat　and　uninteresting。　　It　was　a　great　deal　nicer

on　the　other　coast；　or　even　at　sea。〃



〃Perhaps　you　are　judging　hastily；　my　dear　young　friend；〃　said　Senor

Perkins；　with　habitual　tolerance。　　〃I　have　heard　that　behind　those

hills；　and　hidden　from　sight　in　some　of　the　canyons；　are　perfect

little　Edens　of　beauty　and　fruitfulness。　　They　are　like　some　ardent

natures　that　cover　their　approaches　with　the　ashes　of　their　burnt…

up　fires；　but　only　do　it　the　better　to　keep　intact　their　glowing；

vivifying；　central　heat。〃



〃How　very　poetical；　Mr。　Perkins！〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　with　blunt

admiration。　　〃You　ought　to　put　that　into　verse。〃



〃I　have；〃　returned　Senor　Perkins　modestly。　　〃They　are　some

reflections　onI　hardly　dare　call　them　an　apostrophe　tothe

crater　of　Colima。　　If　you　will　permit　me　to　read　them　to　you　this

evening；　I　shall　be　charmed。　　I　hope　also　to　take　that　opportunity

of　showing　you　the　verses　of　a　gifted　woman；　not　yet　known　to　fame；

Mrs。　Euphemia　M'Corkle；　of　Peoria；　Illinois。〃



Mrs。　Markham　coughed　slightly。　　The　gifted　M'Corkle　was　already

known　to　her　through　certain　lines　quoted　by　the　Senor；　and　the

entire　cabin　had　one　evening　fled　before　a　larger　and　more

ambitious　manuscript　of　the　fair　Illinoisian。　　Miss　Keene；　who

dreaded　the　reappearance　of　this　poetical　phantom　that　seemed　to

haunt　the　Senor's　fancy；　could　not；　however；　forget　that　she　had

been　touched　on　that　occasion　by　a　kindly　moisture　of　eye　and

tremulousness　of　voice　in　the　reader；　and；　in　spite　of　the　hopeless

bathos　of　the　composition；　she　had　forgiven　him。　　Though　she　did

not　always　understand　Senor　Perkins；　she　liked　him　too　well　to

allow　him　to　become　ridiculous　to　others；　and　at　the　present　moment

she　promptly　interposed　with　a　charming　assumption　of　coquetry。



〃You　forget　that　you　promised　to　let　ME　read　the　manuscript　first；

and　in　private；　and　that　you　engaged　to　give　me　my　revenge　at　chess

this　evening。　　But　do　as　you　like。　　You　are　all　fast　becoming

faithless。　　I　suppose　it　is　because　our　holiday　is　drawing　to　a

close；　and　we　shall　soon　forget　we　ever　had　any；　or　be　ashamed　we

ever　played　so　long。　　Everybody　seems　to　be　getting　nervous　and

fidgety　and　preparing　for　civilization　again。　　Mr。　Banks；　for　the

last　few　days；　has　dressed　himself　regularly　as　if　he　were　going

down　town　to　his　office；　and　writes　letters　in　the　corner　of　the

saloon　as　if　it　were　a　counting…house。　　Mr。　Crosby　and　Mr。　Winslow

do　nothing　but　talk　of　their　prospects；　and　I　believe　they　are

drawing　up　articles　of　partnership　together。　　Here　is　Mr。　Brace

frightening　me　by　telling　me　that　my　brother　will　lock　me　up；　to

keep　the　rich　miners　from　laying　their　bags　of　gold　dust　at　my

feet；　and　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　assure　me　that　I　haven't　a

decent　gown　to　go　ashore　in。〃



〃You　forget　Mr。　Hurlstone；〃　said　Brace；　with　ill…concealed

bitterness；　〃he　seems　to　have　time　enough　on　his　hands；　and　I　dare

say　would　sympathize　with　you。　　You　women　like　idle　men。〃



〃If　we　do；　it's　because　only　the　idle　men　have　the　time　to　amuse

us；〃　retorted　Miss　Keene。　　〃But；〃　she　added；　with　a　laugh；　〃I

suppose　I'm　getting　nervous　and　fidgety　myself；　for　I　find　myself

every　now　and　then　watching　the　officers　and　men；　and　listening　to

the　orders　as　if　something　were　going　to　happen　again。　　I　never

felt　so　before；　I　never　used　to　have　the　least　concern　in　what　you

call　'the　working　of　the　ship；'　and　now〃her　voice；　which　had　been

half　playful；　half　pettish；　suddenly　became　grave；〃and　nowlook

at　the　mate　and　those　men　forward。　　There　certainly　is　something

going　on；　or　is　going　to　happen。　　What　ARE　they　looking　at？〃



The　mate　had　clambered　halfway　up　the　main　ratlines；　and　was

looking　earnestly　to　windward。　　Two　or　three　of　the　crew　on　the

forecastle　were　gazing　in　the　same　direction。　　The　group　of　cabin…

passengers　on　the　quarterdeck；　following　their　eyes；　saw　what

appeared　to　be　another　low　shore　on　the　opposite　bow。



〃Why；　there's　another　coast　there！〃　said　Mrs。　Markham。



〃It's　a　fog…bank；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　gravely。　　He　quickly　crossed

the　deck；　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　officer；　and　returned。

Miss　Keene；　who　had　felt　a　sense　of　relief；　nevertheless　questioned

his　face　as　he　again　stood　beside　her。　　But　he　had　recovered　his

beaming　cheerfulness。　　〃It's　nothing　to　alarm　you；〃　he　said；

answering　her　glance；　〃but　it　may　mean　delay　if　we　can't　get　out　of

it。　　You　don't　mind　that；　I　know。〃



〃No；〃　replied　the　young　girl；　smiling。　　〃Besides；　it　would　be　a　new

experience。　　We've　had　winds　and　calmswe　only　want　fog　now　to

complete　our　adventures。　　Unless　it's　going　to　make　everybody

cross；〃　she　continued；　with　a　mischievous　glance　at　Brace。



〃You'll　find　it　won't　improve　the　temper　of　the　officers；〃　said

Crosby；　who　had　joined　the　group。　　〃There's　nothing　sailors　hate

more　than　a　fog。　　They　can　go　to　sleep　in　a　hurricane　between　the

rolls　of　a　ship；　but　a　fog　keeps　them　awake。　　It's　the　one　thing

they　can't　shirk。　　There's　the　skipper　tumbled　up；　too！　　The　old

man　looks　wrathy；　don't　he？　　But　it's　no　use　now；　we're　going　slap

into　it；　and　the　wind's　failing！〃



It　was　true。　　In　the　last　few