the crusade of the excelsior-第43章

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side。



When　Father　Esteban　returned　to　the　refectory　that　evening；

Hurlstone　was　absent。　　When　it　grew　later；　becoming　uneasy；　the

good　Father　sought　him　in　the　garden。　　At　the　end　of　the　avenue　of

pear…trees　there　was　a　break　in　the　sea…wall；　and　here；　with　his

face　to　the　sea；　Hurlstone　was　leaning　gloomily。　　Father　Esteban's

tread　was　noiseless；　and　he　had　laid　his　soft　hand　on　the　young

man's　shoulder　before　Hurlstone　was　aware　of　his　presence。　　He

started　slightly；　his　gloomy　eyes　fell　before　the　priest's。



〃My　son；〃　said　the　old　man　gravely；　〃this　must　go　on　no　longer。〃



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　Hurlstone　replied　coldly。



〃Do　not　try　to　deceive　yourself；　nor　me。　　Above　all；　do　not　try　to

deceive　HER。　　Either　you　are　or　are　not　in　love　with　this

countrywoman　of　yours。　　If　you　are　not；　my　respect　for　her　and　my

friendship　for　you　prompts　me　to　save　you　both　from　a　foolish

intimacy　that　may　ripen　into　a　misplaced　affection；　if　you　are

already　in　love　with　her〃



〃I　have　never　spoken　a　word　of　love　to　her！〃　interrupted　Hurlstone

quickly。　　〃I　have　even　tried　to　avoid　her　since〃



〃Since　you　found　that　you　loved　her！　　Ah；　foolish　boy！　and　you

think　that　because　the　lips　speak　not；　the　passions　of　the　heart

are　stilled！　　Do　you　think　your　silence　in　her　presence　is　not　a

protestation　that　she；　even　she；　child　as　she　is；　can　read；　with

the　cunning　of　her　sex？〃



〃Wellif　I　am　in　love　with　her；　what　then？〃　said　Hurlstone

doggedly。　　〃It　is　no　crime　to　love　a　pure　and　simple　girl。　　Am　I

not　free？　　You　yourself；　in　yonder　church；　told　me〃



〃Silence；　Diego；〃　said　the　priest　sternly。　　〃Silence；　before　you

utter　the　thought　that　shall　disgrace　you　to　speak　and　me　to　hear！〃



〃Forgive　me；　Father　Esteban；〃　said　the　young　man　hurriedly；

grasping　both　hands　of　the　priest。　　〃Forgive　meI　am　mad

distractedbut　I　swear　to　you　I　only　meant〃



〃Hush！〃　interrupted　the　priest　more　gently。　　〃So；　that　will　do。〃

He　stopped；　drew　out　his　snuff…box；　rapped　the　lid；　and　took　a

pinch　of　snuff　slowly。　　〃We　will　not　recur　to　that　point。　　Then　you

have　told　her　the　story　of　your　life？〃



〃No；　but　I　will；　She　shall　know　alleverythingbefore　I　utter　a

word　of　love　to　her；〃



〃Ah！　bueno！　muy　bueno！〃　said　the　Padre；　wiping　his　nose

ostentatiously。　　〃Ah！　let　me　see！　　Then；　when　we　have　shown　her

that　we　cannot　possibly　marry　her；　we　will　begin　to　make　love　to

her！　　Eh；　eh！　that　is　the　American　fashion。　　Ah；　pardon！〃　he

continued；　in　response　to　a　gesture　of　protestation　from　Hurlstone；

〃I　am　wrong。　　It　is　when　we　have　told　her　that　we　cannot　marry　her

as　a　Protestant；　that　we　will　make　love　as　a　Catholic。　　Is　that

it？〃



〃Hear　me；〃　said　Hurlstone　passionately。　　〃You　have　saved　me　from

madness　and；　perhaps；　death。　　Your　careyour　kindnessyour

teachings　have　given　me　life　again。　　Don't　blame　me；　Father

Esteban；　if；　in　casting　off　my　old　self；　you　have　given　me　hopes　of

a　new　and　fresher　lifeof〃



〃A　newer　and　fresher　love；　you　would　say；〃　said　the　Padre；　with　a

sad　smile。　　〃Be　it　so。　　You　will　at　least　do　justice　to　the　old

priest；　when　you　remember　that　he　never　pressed　you　to　take　vows

that　would　have　prevented　this　forever。〃



〃I　know　it；〃　said　Hurlstone；　taking　the　old　man's　hand。　　〃And　you

will　remember；　too；　that　I　was　happy　and　contented　before　this　came

upon　me。　　Tell　me　what　I　shall　do。　　Be　my　guidemy　friend；　Father

Esteban。　　Put　me　where　I　was　a　few　months　agobefore　I　learned　to

love　her。〃



〃Do　you　mean　it；　Diego？〃　said　the　old　man；　grasping　his　hand

tightly；　and　fixing　his　eyes　upon　him。



〃I　do。〃



〃Then　listen　to　me；　for　it　is　my　turn　to　speak。　　When；　eight　months

ago；　you　sought　the　shelter　of　that　blessed　roof；　it　was　for　refuge

from　a　woman　that　had　cursed　your　life。　　It　was　given　you。　　You

would　leave　it　now　to　commit　an　act　that　would　bring　another　woman；

as　mad　as　yourself；　clamoring　at　its　doors　for　protection　from　YOU。

For　what　you　are　proposing　to　this　innocent　girl　is　what　you

accepted　from　the　older　and　wickeder　woman。　　You　have　been　cursed

because　a　woman　divided　for　you　what　was　before　God　an　indivisible

right；　and　you；　Diego；　would　now　redivide　that　with　another；　whom

you　dare　to　say　you　LOVE！　　You　would　use　the　opportunity　of　her

helplessness　and　loneliness　here　to　convince　her；　you　would　tempt

her　with　sympathy；　for　she　is　unhappy；　with　companionship；　for　she

has　no　longer　the　world　to　choose　fromwith　everything　that　should

make　her　sacred　from　your　pursuit。〃



〃Enough；〃　said　Hurlstone　hoarsely；　〃say　no　more。　　Only　I　implore

you　tell　me　what　to　do　now　to　save　her。　　I　willif　you　tell　me　to

do　itleave　her　forever。〃



〃Why　should　YOU　go？〃　said　the　priest　quietly。　　〃HER　absence　will　be

sufficient。〃



〃HER　absence？〃　echoed　Hurlstone。



〃Hers　alone。　　The　conditions　that　brought　YOU　here　are　unchanged。

You　are　still　in　need　of　an　asylum　from　the　world　and　the　wife　you

have　repudiated。　　Why　should　you　abandon　it？　　For　the　girl；　there

is　no　cause　why　she　should　remainbeyond　yourself。　　She　has　a

brother　whom　she　loveswho　wants　herwho　has　the　right　to　claim

her　at　any　time。　　She　will　go　to　him。〃



〃But　how？〃



〃That　has　been　my　secret；　and　will　be　my　sacrifice　to　you；　Diego；

my　son。　　I　have　foreseen　all　this；　I　have　expected　it　from　the　day

that　girl　sent　you　her　woman's　message；　that　was　half　a　challenge；

from　her　schoolI　have　known　it　from　the　day　you　walked　together

on　the　sea…shore。　　I　was　blind　before　thatfor　I　am　weak　in　my

way；　too；　and　I　had　dreamed　of　other　things。　　God　has　willed　it

otherwise。〃　　He　paused；　and　returning　the　pressure　of　Hurlstone's

hand；　went　on。　　〃My　secret　and　my　sacrifice　for　you　is　this。　　For

the　last　two　hundred　years　the　Church　has　had　a　secret　and　trusty

messenger　from　the　See　at　Guadalajarain　a　ship　that　touches　here

for　a　few　hours　only　every　three　years。　　Her　arrival　and　departure

is　known　only　to　myself　and　my　brothers　of　the　Council。　　By　this

wisdom　and　the　provision　of　God；　the　integrity　of　the　Holy　Church

and　the　conversion　of　the　heathen　have　been　maintained　without

interruption　and　interference。　　You　know　now；　my　son；　why　your

comrades　were　placed　under　surveillance；　why　it　was　necessary　that

the　people　should　believe　in　a　political　conspiracy　among

yourselves；　rather　than　the　facts　as　they　existed；　which　might　have

bred　a　dangerous　curiosity　among　them。　　I　have　given　you　our

secret；　Diegothat　is　but　a　part　of　my　sacrifice。　　When　that　ship

arrives；　and　she　is　expected　daily；　I　will　secretly　place　Miss

Keene　and　her　friend　on　board；　with　explanatory　letters　to　the

Archbishop；　and　she　will　be　assisted　to　rejoin　her　brother。　　It

will　be　against　the　wishes　of　the　Council；　but　my　will；〃　continued

the　old　man；　with　a　gesture　of　imperiousness；　〃is　the　will　of　the

Church；　and　the　law　that　overrides　all。〃



He　had　stopped；　with　a　strange　fire　in　his　eyes。　　It　still

continued　to　burn　as　he　went　on　rapidly；



〃You　will　understand　the　sacrifice　I　am　making　in　telling　you　this；

when　you　know　that　I　could　have　done　all　that　I　propose　without

your　leave　or　hindrance。　　Yes；　Diego；　I　had　but　to　stretch　out　my

hand　thus；　and　that　foolish　fire…brand　of　a　heretic　muchacha　would

have　vanished　from　Todos　Santos　forever。　　I　could　have　left　you　in

your　fool's　paradise；　and　one　morning　you　would　have　found　her

gone。　　I　should　have　condoled　with　you；　and　consoled　you；　and　you

would　have　forgotten　her　as　you　did　the　other。　　I　should　not　have

hesitated；　it　is　the　right　of　the　Church　through　all　time　to　break

through　those　carnal　ties　without　heed　of　the　suffering　flesh；　and

I　ought　to　have　done　so。　　This；　and　this　alone；　would　have　been

worthy　of　Las　Casas　and　Junipero　Serra！　　But　I　am　weak　and　oldI

am　no　longer　fit　for　His　work。　　Far　better　that　the　ship　which

takes　her　away　should　bring　back　my　successor　and　one　more　worthy

Todos　Santos　than　I。〃



He　stopped；　his　eyes　dimmed；　he　buried　his