the crusade of the excelsior-第12章

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he　continued；　with　a　slight　lifting　of　his　voice；　so　as　to　include

the　curious　passengers　in　his　explanation；　〃that；　with　very　few

exceptions；　this　is　the　usual　condition　of　the　atmosphere　at　the

entrance　to　the　Mission　and　Presidio　of　Todos　Santos；　and　that　the

last　exception　took　place　thirty…five　years　ago；　when　a　ship

entered　the　harbor；　you　will　understand　why　these　distinguished

gentlemen　have　been　willing　to　waive　the　formality　of　your　waiting

upon　them　first；　and　have　taken　the　initiative。　　The　illustrious

Comandante　has　been　generous　to　exempt　you　from　the　usual　port

regulations；　and　to　permit　you　to　wood　and　to　water〃



〃What　port　regulation　is　he　talking　of？〃　asked　Captain　Bunker

testily。



〃The　Mexican　regulations　forbidding　any　foreign　vessel　to

communicate　with　the　shore；〃　returned　Senor　Perkins　deprecatingly。



〃Never　heard　of　'em。　　When　were　they　given？〃



The　Senor　turned　and　addressed　a　few　words　to　the　commander；　who

stood　apart　in　silent　dignity。



〃In　1792。〃



〃In　what？Is　he　mad？〃　said　Bunker。　　〃Does　he　know　what　year　this

is？〃



〃The　illustrious　commander　believes　it　to　be　the　year　of　grace

1854；〃　answered　Senor　Perkins　quietly。　　〃In　the　case　of　the　only

two　vessels　who　have　touched　here　since　1792　the　order　was　not

carried　out　because　they　were　Mexican　coasters。　　The　illustrious

Comandante　explains　that　the　order　he　speaks　of　as　on　record

distinctly　referred　to　the　ship　'Columbia；　which　belonged　to　the

General　Washington。'〃



〃General　Washington！〃　echoed　Bunker；　angrily　staring　at　the　Senor。

〃What's　this　stuff？　　Do　you　mean　to　say　they　don't　know　any　history

later　than　our　old　Revolutionary　War？　　Haven't　they　heard　of　the

United　States　among　them？　　Nor　Californiathat　we　took　from　them

during　the　late　war？〃



〃Nor　how　we　licked　'em　out　of　their　boots；　and　that's　saying　a　good

deal；〃　whispered　Crosby；　glancing　at　the　Comandante's　feet。



Senor　Perkins　raised　a　gentle；　deprecating　hand。



〃For　fifty　years　the　Presidio　and　the　Mission　of　Todos　Santos　have

had　but　this　communication　with　the　outer　world；〃　he　said　blandly。

〃Hidden　by　impenetrable　fogs　from　the　ocean　pathway　at　their　door；

cut　off　by　burning　and　sterile　deserts　from　the　surrounding

country；　they　have　preserved　a　trust　and　propagated　a　faith　in

enforced　but　not　unhappy　seclusion。　　The　wars　that　have　shaken

mankind；　the　dissensions　that　have　even　disturbed　the　serenity　of

their　own　nation　on　the　mainland；　have　never　reached　them　here。

Left　to　themselves；　they　have　created　a　blameless　Arcadia　and　an

ideal　community　within　an　extent　of　twenty　square　leagues。　　Why

should　we　disturb　their　innocent　complacency　and　tranquil　enjoyment

by　information　which　cannot　increase　and　might　impair　their　present

felicity？　　Why　should　we　dwell　upon　a　late　political　and

international　episode　which；　while　it　has　been　a　benefit　to　us；　has

been　a　humiliation　to　them　as　a　nation；　and　which　might　not　only

imperil　our　position　as　guests；　but　interrupt　our　practical

relations　to　the　wood　and　water；　with　which　the　country　abounds？〃



He　paused；　and　before　the　captain　could　speak；　turned　to　the　silent

Commander；　addressed　him　in　a　dozen　phrases　of　fluent　and　courteous

Spanish；　and　once　more　turned　to　Captain　Bunker。



〃I　have　told　him　you　are　touched　to　the　heart　with　his　courtesy；

which　you　recognize　as　coming　from　the　fit　representative　of　the

great　Mexican　nation。　　He　reciprocates　your　fraternal　emotion；　and

begs　you　to　consider　the　Presidio　and　all　that　it　contains；　at　your

disposition　and　the　disposition　of　your　friendsthe　passengers；

particularly　those　fair　ladies；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　turning　with

graceful　promptitude　towards　the　group　of　lady　passengers；　and

slightly　elevating　himself　on　the　tips　of　his　neat　boots；　〃whose

white　hands　he　kisses；　and　at　whose　feet　he　lays　the　devotion　of　a

Mexican　caballero　and　officer。〃



He　waved　his　hand　towards　the　Comandante；　who；　stepping　forward；

swept　the　deck　with　his　plumed　hat　before　each　of　the　ladies　in

solemn　succession。　　Recovering　himself；　he　bowed　more　stiffly　to

the　male　passengers；　picked　his　handkerchief　out　of　the　hilt　of　his

sword；　gracefully　wiped　his　lips；　pulled　the　end　of　his　long　gray

moustache；　and　became　again　rigid。



〃The　reverend　father；〃　continued　Senor　Perkins；　turning　towards　the

priest；　〃regrets　that　the　rules　of　his　order　prevent　his　extending

the　same　courtesy　to　these　ladies　at　the　Mission。　　But　he　hopes　to

meet　them　at　the　Presidio；　and　they　will　avail　themselves　of　his

aid　and　counsel　there　and　everywhere。〃



Father　Esteban；　following　the　speaker's　words　with　a　gracious　and

ready　smile；　at　once　moved　forward　among　the　passengers；　offering

an　antique　snuff…box　to　the　gentlemen；　or　passing　before　the　ladies

with　slightly　uplifted　benedictory　palms　and　a　caressing　paternal

gesture。　　Mrs。　Brimmer；　having　essayed　a　French　sentence；　was

delighted　and　half　frightened　to　receive　a　response　from　the

ecclesiastic；　and　speedily　monopolized　him　until　he　was　summoned　by

the　Commander　to　the　returning　boat。



〃A　most　accomplished　man；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer；　as　the

Excelsior's　cannon　again　thundered　after　the　retiring　oars；　〃like

all　of　his　order。　　He　says；　although　Don　Miguel　does　not　speak

French；　that　his　secretary　does；　and　we　shall　have　no　difficulty　in

making　ourselves　understood。〃



〃Then　you　really　intend　to　go　ashore？〃　said　Miss　Keene　timidly。



〃Decidedly；〃　returned　Mrs。　Brimmer　potentially。　　〃It　would　be　most

unpolite；　not　to　say　insulting；　if　we　did　not　accept　the

invitation。　　You　have　no　idea　of　the　strictness　of　Spanish

etiquette。　　Besides；　he　may　have　heard　of　Mr。　Brimmer。〃



〃As　his　last　information　was　only　up　to　1792；　he　might　have

forgotten　it；〃　said　Crosby　gravely。　　〃So　perhaps　it　would　be　safer

to　go　on　the　general　invitation。〃



〃As　Mr。　Brimmer's　ancestors　came　over　on　the　Mayflower；　long　before

1792；　it　doesn't　seem　so　very　impossible；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃

said　Mrs。　Brimmer；　with　her　usual　unanswerable　naivete；　〃provided

always　that　you　are　not　joking；　Mr。　Crosby。　　One　never　knows　when

you　are　serious。〃



〃Mrs。　Brimmer　is　quite　right；　we　must　all　go。　　This　is　no　mere

formality；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　who　had　returned　to　the　ladies。

〃Indeed；　I　have　myself　promised　the　Comandante　to　bring　YOU；〃　he

turned　towards　Miss　Keene；　〃if　you　will　permit　Mrs。　Markham　and

myself　to　act　as　your　escort。　　It　was　Don　Miguel's　express

request。〃



A　slight　flush　of　pride　suffused　the　cheek　of　the　young　girl；　but

the　next　moment　she　turned　diffidently　towards　Mrs。　Brimmer。



〃We　must　all　go　together；〃　she　said；　〃shall　we　not？〃



〃You　see　your　triumphs　have　begun　already；〃　said　Brace；　with　a

nervous　smile。　　〃You　need　no　longer　laugh　at　me　for　predicting　your

fate　in　San　Francisco。〃



Miss　Keene　cast　a　hurried　glance　around　her；　in　the　faint　hopeshe

scarcely　knew　whythat　Mr。　Hurlstone　had　overheard　the　Senor's

invitation；　nor　could　she　tell　why　she　was　disappointed　at　not

seeing　him。　　But　he　had　not　appeared　on　deck　during　the　presence　of

their　strange　visitors；　nor　was　he　in　the　boat　which　half　an　hour

later　conveyed　her　to　the　shore。　　He　must　have　either　gone　in　one

of　the　other　boats；　or　fulfilled　his　strange　threat　of　remaining　on

the　ship。



The　boats　pulled　away　together　towards　the　invisible　shore；　piloted

by　Captain　Bunker；　the　first　officer；　and　Senor　Perkins　in　the

foremost　boat。　　It　had　grown　warmer；　and　the　fog　that　stole　softly

over　them　touched　their　faces　with　the　tenderness　of　caressing

fingers。　　Miss　Keene；　wrapped　up　in　the　stern　sheets　of　the　boat；

gave　way　to　the　dreamy　influence　of　this　weird　procession　through

the　water；　retaining　only　perception　enough　to　be　conscious　of　the

singular　illusions　of　the　mist　that　alternately　thickened　and

lightened　before　their　bow。　　At　times　it　seemed　as　if　they　were

driving　full　upon　a　vast　pier　or　breakwater　of　cold