the crusade of the excelsior-第40章

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felt　for　this　singular　man；　and　which　had　been　only　held　in

abeyance　at　the　beginning　of　their　exile；　in　fact；　she　found

herself　thinking　of　him　more　during　the　interval　when　they　seldom

saw　each　other；　and　apparently　had　few　interests　in　common；　than

when　they　were　together　on　the　Excelsior。　　Gradually　she　slipped

into　three　successive　phases　of　feeling　towards　him；　each　of　them

marked　with　an　equal　degree　of　peril　to　her　peace　of　mind。　　She

began　with　a　profound　interest　in　the　mystery　of　his　secluded

habits；　his　strange　abstraction；　and　a　recognition　of　the　evident

superiority　of　a　nature　capable　of　such　deep　feelinguninfluenced

by　those　baser　distractions　which　occupied　Brace；　Crosby；　and

Winslow。　　This　phase　passed　into　a　settled　conviction　that　some

woman　was　at　the　root　of　his　trouble；　and　responsible　for　it。　　With

an　instinctive　distrust　of　her　own　sex；　she　was　satisfied　that　it

must　be　either　a　misplaced　or　unworthy　attachment；　and　that　the

unknown　woman　was　to　blame。　　This　second　phasewhich　hovered

between　compassion　and　resentmentsuddenly　changed　to　the　latter

the　third　phase　of　her　feelings。　　Miss　Keene　became　convinced　that

Mr。　Hurlstone　had　a　settled　aversion　to　HERSELF。　　Why　and

wherefore；　she　did　not　attempt　to　reason；　yet　she　was　satisfied

that　from　the　first　he　disliked　her。　　His　studious　reserve　on　the

Excelsior；　compared　with　the　attentions　of　the　others；　ought　then

to　have　convinced　her　of　the　fact；　and　there　was　no　doubt　now　that

his　present　discontent　could　be　traced　to　the　unfortunate

circumstances　that　brought　them　together。　　Having　given　herself　up

to　that　idea；　she　vacillated　between　a　strong　impulse　to　inform　him

that　she　knew　his　real　feelings　and　an　equally　strong　instinct　to

avoid　him　hereafter　entirely。　　The　result　was　a　feeble　compromise。

On　the　ground　that　Mr。　Hurlstone　could　〃scarcely　be　expected　to

admire　her　inferior　performances；〃　she　declined　to　invite　him　with

Father　Esteban　to　listen　to　her　pupils。　　Father　Esteban　took　a　huge

pinch　of　snuff；　examined　Miss　Keene　attentively；　and　smiled　a　sad

smile。　　The　next　day　he　begged　Hurlstone　to　take　a　volume　of　old

music　to　Miss　Keene　with　his　compliments。　　Hurlstone　did　so；　and

for　some　reason　exerted　himself　to　be　agreeable。　　As　he　made　no

allusion　to　her　rudeness；　she　presumed　he　did　not　know　of　it；　and

speedily　forgot　it　herself。　　When　he　suggested　a　return　visit　to

the　boy　choir；　with　whom　he　occasionally　practiced；　she　blushed　and

feared　she　had　scarcely　the　time。　　But　she　came　with　Mrs。　Markham；

some　consciousness；　and　a　visible　color！



And　then；　almost　without　her　knowing　how　or　why；　and　entirely

unexpected　and　unheralded；　came　a　day　so　strangely　and

unconsciously　happy；　so　innocently　sweet　and　joyous；　that　it　seemed

as　if　all　the　other　days　of　her　exile　had　only　gone　before　to

create　it；　and　as　if　itand　it　alonewere　a　sufficient　reason　for

her　being　there。　　A　day　full　of　gentle　intimations；　laughing

suggestions；　childlike　surprises　and　awakenings；　a　day　delicious

for　the　very　incompleteness　of　its　vague　happiness。　　And　this

remarkable　day　was　simply　marked　in　Mrs。　Markham's　diary　as

follows：〃Went　with　E。　to　Indian　village；　met　Padre　and　J。　H。

J。　H。　actually　left　shell　and　crawled　on　beach　with　E。　　E。　chatty。〃



The　day　itself　had　been　singularly　quiet　and　gracious；　even　for

that　rare　climate　of　balmy　days　and　recuperating　nights。　　At　times

the　slight　breath　of　the　sea　which　usually　stirred　the　morning　air

of　Todos　Santos　was　suspended；　and　a　hush　of　expectation　seemed　to

arrest　land　and　water。　　When　Miss　Keene　and　Mrs。　Markham　left　the

Presidio；　the　tide　was　low；　and　their　way　lay　along　the　beach　past

the　Mission　walls。　　A　walk　of　two　or　three　miles　brought　them　to

the　Indian　villageproperly　a　suburban　quarter　of　Todos　Santosa

collection　of　adobe　huts　and　rudely　cultivated　fields。　　Padre

Esteban　and　Mr。　Hurlstone　were　awaiting　them　in　the　palm…thatched

veranda　of　a　more　pretentious　cabin；　that　served　as　a　school…room。

〃This　is　Don　Diego's　design；〃　said　the　Padre；　beaming　with　a

certain　paternal　pride　on　Hurlstone；　〃built　by　himself　and　helped

by　the　heathen；　but　look　you：　my　gentleman　is　not　satisfied　with

it；　and　wishes　now　to　bring　his　flock　to　the　Mission　school；　and

have　them　mingle　with　the　pure…blooded　races　on　an　equality。　　That

is　the　revolutionary　idea　of　this　sans　culotte　reformer；〃　continued

the　good　Father；　shaking　his　yellow　finger　with　gentle　archness　at

the　young　man。　　〃Ah；　we　shall　yet　have　a　revolution　in　Todos　Santos

unless　you　ladies　take　him　in　hand。　　He　has　already　brought　the

half…breeds　over　to　his　side；　and　those　heathens　follow　him　like

dumb　cattle　anywhere。　　There；　take　him　away　and　scold　him；　Dona

Leonor；　while　I　speak　to　the　Senora　Markham　of　the　work　that　her

good　heart　and　skillful　fingers　may　do　for　my　poor　muchachos。〃



Eleanor　Keene　lifted　her　beautiful　eyes　to　Hurlstone　with　an

artless　tribute　in　their　depths　that　brought　the　blood　faintly　into

his　cheek。　　She　was　not　thinking　of　the　priest's　admonishing　words；

she　was　thinking　of　the　quiet；　unselfish　work　that　this　gloomy

misanthrope　had　been　doing　while　his　companions　had　been　engaged　in

lower　aims　and　listless　pleasures；　and　while　she　herself　had　been

aimlessly　fretting　and　diverting　herself。　　What　were　her　few　hours

of　applauded　instruction　with　the　pretty　Murillo…like　children　of

the　Fort　compared　to　his　silent　and　unrecognized　labor！　　Yet　even

at　this　moment　an　uneasy　doubt　crossed　her　mind。



〃I　suppose　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　interest　themselves　greatly

in　yourin　the　Padre's　charities？〃



The　first　playful　smile　she　had　seen　on　Hurlstone's　face　lightened

in　his　eyes　and　lips；　and　was　becoming。



〃I　am　afraid　my　barbarians　are　too　low　and　too　near　home　for　Mrs。

Brimmer's　missionary　zeal。　　She　and　Miss　Chubb　patronize　the

Mexican　school　with　cast…off　dresses；　old　bonnets　retrimmed；

flannel　petticoats；　some　old　novels　and　books　of　poetryof　which

the　Padre　makes　an　auto…da…feand　their　own　patronizing　presence

on　fete　days。　　Providence　has　given　them　the　vague　impression　that

leprosy　and　contagious　skin…disease　are　a　peculiarity　of　the

southern　aborigine；　and　they　have　left　me　severely　alone。〃



〃I　wish　you　would　prevail　upon　the　Padre　to　let　ME　help　you；〃　said

Miss　Keene；　looking　down。



〃But　you　already　have　the　Commander's　chickenswhich　you　are

bringing　up　as　swans；　by　the　way；〃　said　Hurlstone　mischievously。

〃You　wouldn't　surely　abandon　the　nest　again？〃



〃You　are　laughing　at　me；〃　said　Miss　Keene；　putting　on　a　slight　pout

to　hide　the　vague　pleasure　that　Hurlstone's　gayer　manner　was　giving

her。　　〃But；　really；　I've　been　thinking　that　the　Presidio　children

are　altogether　too　pretty　and　picturesque　for　me；　and　that　I　enjoy

them　too　much　to　do　them　any　good。　　It's　like　playing　with　them；

you　know！〃



Hurlstone　laughed；　but　suddenly　looking　down　upon　her　face　he　was

struck　with　its　youthfulness。　　She　had　always　impressed　him　before

through　her　reserve　and　independenceas　older；　and　more　matured

in　character。　　He　did　not　know　how　lately　she　was　finding　her　lost

youth　as　he　asked　her；　quite　abruptly；　if　she　ever　had　any　little

brothers　and　sisters。



The　answer　to　this　question　involved　the　simple　story　of　Miss

Keene's　life；　which　she　gave　with　naive　detail。　　She　told　him　of

her　early　childhood；　and　the　brother　who　was　only　an　indistinct

memory；　of　her　school　days；　and　her　friendships　up　to　the　moment　of

her　first　step　into　the　great　world　that　was　so　strangely　arrested

at　Todos　Santos。　　He　was　touched　with　the　almost　pathetic　blankness

of　this　virgin　page。　　Encouraged　by　his　attention；　and　perhaps

feeling　a　sympathy　she　had　lately　been　longing　for；　she　confessed

to　him　the　thousand　little　things　which　she　had　reserved　from　even

Mrs。　Markham　during　her　first　apathetic　weeks　at　Todos　Santos。



〃I'm　sure　I　should　have　been　much　happier　if　I　had　had　any　one　to

talk　to；〃