the crusade of the excelsior-第13章

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driving　full　upon　a　vast　pier　or　breakwater　of　cold　gray　granite；

that；　opening　to　let　the　foremost　boat　pass；　closed　again　before

them；　at　times　it　seemed　as　if　they　had　diverged　from　their　course；

and　were　once　more　upon　the　open　sea；　the　horizon　a　far…off　line　of

vanishing　color；　at　times；　faint　lights　seemed　to　pierce　the

gathering　darkness；　or　to　move　like　will…o'…wisps　across　the　smooth

surface；　when　suddenly　the　keel　grated　on　the　sand。　　A　narrow　but

perfectly　well　defined　strip　of　palpable　strand　appeared　before

them；　they　could　faintly　discern　the　moving　lower　limbs　of　figures

whose　bodies　were　still　hidden　in　the　mist；　then　they　were　lifted

from　the　boats；　the　first　few　steps　on　dry　land　carried　them　out　of

the　fog　that　seemed　to　rise　like　a　sloping　roof　from　the　water's

edge；　leaving　them　under　its　canopy　in　the　full　light　of　actual

torches　held　by　a　group　of　picturesquely　dressed　people　before　the

vista　of　a　faintly　lit；　narrow；　ascending　street。　　The　dim　twilight

of　the　closing　day　lingered　under　this　roof　of　fog；　which　seemed　to

hang　scarcely　a　hundred　feet　above　them；　and　showed　a　wall　or

rampart　of　brown　adobe　on　their　right　that　extended　nearly　to　the

water；　to　the　left；　at　the　distance　of　a　few　hundred　yards；　another

low　brown　wall　appeared；　above　it　rose　a　fringe　of　foliage；　and；

more　distant　and　indistinct；　two　white　towers；　that　were　lost　in

the　nebulous　gray。



One　of　the　figures　dressed　in　green　jackets；　who　seemed　to　be　in

authority；　now　advanced；　and；　after　a　moment's　parley　with　Senor

Perkins　while　the　Excelsior's　passengers　were　being　collected　from

the　different　boats；　courteously　led　the　way　along　the　wall　of　the

fortification。　　Presently　a　low　opening　or　gateway　appeared；

followed　by　the　challenge　of　a　green…jacketed　sentry；　and　the

sentence；　〃Dios　y　Libertad〃　　It　was　repeated　in　the　interior　of　a

dusky　courtyard；　surrounded　by　a　low　corridor；　where　a　dozen　green…

jacketed　men　of　aboriginal　type　and　complexion；　carrying　antique

flintlocks；　were　drawn　up　as　a　guard　of　honor。



〃The　Comandante；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　〃directs　me　to　extend　his

apologies　to　the　Senor　Capitano　Bunker　for　withholding　the　salute

which　is　due　alike　to　his　country；　himself；　and　his　fair　company；

but　fifty　years　of　uninterrupted　peace　and　fog　have　left　his　cannon

inadequate　to　polite　emergencies；　and　firmly　fixed　the　tampion　of

his　saluting　gun。　　But　he　places　the　Presidio　at　your　disposition；

you　will　be　pleased　to　make　its　acquaintance　while　it　is　still

light；　and　he　will　await　you　in　the　guard…room。〃



Left　to　themselves；　the　party　dispersed　like　dismissed　school…

children　through　the　courtyard　and　corridors；　and　in　the　enjoyment

of　their　release　from　a　month's　confinement　on　shipboard　stretched

their　cramped　limbs　over　the　ditches；　walls；　and　parapets；　to　the

edge　of　the　glacis。



Everywhere　a　ruin　that　was　picturesque；　a　decay　that　was　refined

and　gentle；　a　neglect　that　was　graceful；　met　the　eye；　the　sharp

exterior　and　reentering　angles　were　softly　rounded　and　obliterated

by　overgrowths　of　semitropical　creepers；　the　abatis　was　filled　by　a

natural　brake　of　scrub…oak　and　manzanita；　the　clematis　flung　its

long　scaling　ladders　over　the　escarpment；　until　Nature；　slowly　but

securely　investing　the　doomed　fortress；　had　lifted　a　victorious

banner　of　palm　from　the　conquered　summit　of　the　citadel！　　Some

strange　convulsions　of　the　earth　had　completed　the　victory；　the

barbette　guns　of　carved　and　antique　bronze　commemorating　fruitless

and　long…forgotten　triumphs　were　dismounted；　one　turned　in　the

cheeks　of　its　carriage　had　a　trunnion　raised　piteously　in　the　air

like　an　amputated　stump；　another；　sinking　through　its　rotting

chassis；　had　buried　itself　to　its　chase　in　the　crumbling　adobe

wall。　　But　above　and　beyond　this　gentle　chaos　of　defense　stretched

the　real　ramparts　and　escarpments　of　Todos　Santosthe　impenetrable

and　unassailable　fog！　　Corroding　its　brass　and　iron　with　saline

breath；　rotting　its　wood　with　unending　shadow；　sapping　its　adobe

walls　with　perpetual　moisture；　and　nourishing　the　obliterating

vegetation　with　its　quickening　blood；　as　if　laughing　to　scorn　the

puny　embattlements　of　menit　still　bent　around　the　crumbling　ruins

the　tender　grace　of　an　invisible　but　all…encompassing　arm。



Senor　Perkins；　who　had　acted　as　cicerone　to　the　party；　pointed　out

these　various　mutations　with　no　change　from　his　usual　optimism。



〃Protected　by　their　peculiar　isolation　during　the　late　war；　there

was　no　necessity　for　any　real　fortification　of　the　place。

Nevertheless；　it　affords　some　occupation　and　position　for　our　kind

friend；　Don　Miguel；　and　so　serves　a　beneficial　purpose。　　This

little　gun；〃　he　continued；　stopping　to　attentively　examine　a　small

but　beautifully　carved　bronze　six…pounder；　which　showed　indications

of　better　care　than　the　others；　〃seems　to　be　the　saluting…gun　Don

Miguel　spoke　of。　　For　the　last　fifty　years　it　has　spoken　only　the

language　of　politeness　and　courtesy；　and　yet　through　want　of　care

the　tampion；　as　you　see；　has　become　swollen　and　choked　in　its

mouth。〃



〃How　true　in　a　larger　sense；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Markham；　〃the　habit　of

courtesy　alone　preserves　the　fluency　of　the　heart。〃



〃I　know　you　two　are　saying　something　very　clever；〃　said　Mrs。

Brimmer；　whose　small　French　slippers　and　silk　stockings　were

beginning　to　show　their　inadequacy　to　a　twilight　ramble　in　the　fog；

〃but　I　am　so　slow；　and　I　never　catch　the　point。　　Do　repeat　it

slowly。〃



〃The　Senor　was　only　showing　us　how　they　managed　to　shut　up　a　smooth

bore　in　this　country；〃　said　Crosby　gravely。　　〃I　wonder　when　we're

going　to　have　dinner。　　I　suppose　old　Don　Quixote　will　trot　out　some

of　his　Senoritas。　　I　want　to　see　those　choir　girls　that　sang　so

stunningly　a　while　ago。〃



〃I　suppose　you　mean　the　boysfor　they're　all　boys　in　the　Catholic

choirsbut　then；　perhaps　you　are　joking　again。　　Do　tell　me　if　you

are；　for　this　is　really　amusing。　　I　may　laughmayn't　I？〃　　As　the

discomfited　humorist　fell　again　to　the　rear　amidst　the　laughter　of

the　others；　Mrs。　Brimmer　continued　naively　to　Senor　Perkins；〃Of

course；　as　Don　Miguel　is　a　widower；　there　must　be　daughters　or

sisters…in…law　who　will　meet　us。　　Why；　the　priest；　you　knoweven

hemust　have　nieces。　　Really；　it's　a　serious　questionif　we　are

to　accept　his　hospitality　in　a　social　way。　　Why　don't　you　ask　HIM？〃

she　said；　pointing　to　the　green…jacketed　subaltern　who　was

accompanying　them。



Senor　Perkins　looked　half　embarrassed。



〃Repeat　your　question；　my　dear　lady；　and　I　will　translate　it。〃



〃Ask　him　if　there　are　any　women　at　the　Presidio。〃



Senor　Perkins　drew　the　subaltern　aside。　　Presently　he　turned　to

Mrs。　Brimmer。



〃He　says　there　are　four：　the　wife　of　the　baker；　the　wife　of　the

saddler；　the　daughter　of　the　trumpeter；　and　the　niece　of　the　cook。〃



〃Good　heavens！　we　can't　meet　THEM；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer。



Senor　Perkins　hesitated。



〃Perhaps　I　ought　to　have　told　you；〃　he　said　blandly；　〃that　the　old

Spanish　notions　of　etiquette　are　very　strict。　　The　wives　of　the

officials　and　higher　classes　do　not　meet　strangers　on　a　first

visit；　unless　they　are　well　known。〃



〃That　isn't　it；〃　said　Winslow；　joining　them　excitedly。　　〃I've　heard

the　whole　story。　　It's　a　good　joke。　　Banks　has　been　bragging　about

us　all；　and　saying　that　these　ladies　had　husbands　who　were　great

merchants；　and；　as　these　chaps　consider　that　all　trade　is　vulgar；

you　know；　they　believe　we　are　not　fit　to　associate　with　their

women；　don't　you　see？　　All；　except　oneMiss　Keene。　　She's

considered　all　right。　　She's　to　be　introduced　to　the　Commander's

women；　and　to　the　sister　of　the　Alcalde。〃



〃She　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Miss　Keene　indignantly。

〃If　these　ladies　are　not　to　be　received　with　me；　we'll　all　go　back

to　the　ship　together。〃



She　spoke　with　a　quick　and　perfectly　unexpected　resolution　and

independence；　so　foreign　to　her　usual　childlike　half　dependent

chara