the crusade of the excelsior-第44章

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Todos　Santos　than　I。〃



He　stopped；　his　eyes　dimmed；　he　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。



〃You　have　done　right；　Father　Esteban；〃　said　Hurlstone；　gently

putting　his　arm　round　the　priest's　shoulders；　〃and　I　swear　to　you

your　secret　is　as　safe　as　if　you　had　never　revealed　it　to　me。

Perhaps；〃　he　added；　with　a　sigh；　〃I　should　have　been　happier　if　I

had　not　known　itif　she　had　passed　out　of　my　life　as　mysteriously

as　she　had　entered　it；　but　you　will　try　to　accept　my　sacrifice　as

some　return　for　yours。　　I　shall　see　her　no　more。〃



〃But　will　you　swear　it？〃　said　the　priest　eagerly。　　〃Will　you　swear

that　you　will　not　even　seek　her　to　say　farewell；　for　in　that　moment

the　wretched　girl　may　shake　your　resolution？〃



〃I　shall　not　see　her；〃　repeated　the　young　man　slowly。



〃But　if　she　asks　an　interview；〃　persisted　the　priest；　〃on　the

pretense　of　having　your　advice？〃



〃She　will　not；〃　returned　Hurlstone；　with　a　half　bitter　recollection

of　their　last　parting。　　〃You　do　not　know　her　pride。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　priest　musingly。　　〃But　I　have　YOUR　word；　Diego。

And　now　let　us　return　to　the　Mission；　for　there　is　much　to　prepare；

and　you　shall　assist　me。〃



Meantime；　Hurlstone　was　only　half　right　in　his　estimate　of　Miss

Keene's　feelings；　although　the　result　was　the　same。　　The　first

shock　to　her　delicacy　in　his　abrupt　speech　had　been　succeeded　by　a

renewal　of　her　uneasiness　concerning　his　past　life　or　history。

While　she　would；　in　her　unselfish　attachment　for　him；　have

undoubtingly　accepted　any　explanation　he　might　have　chosen　to　give

her；　his　continued　reserve　and　avoidance　of　her　left　full　scope　to

her　imaginings。　　Rejecting　any　hypothesis　of　his　history　except

that　of　some　unfortunate　love　episode；　she　began　to　think　that

perhaps　he　still　loved　this　nameless　woman。　　Had　anything　occurred

to　renew　his　affection？　　It　was　impossible；　in　their　isolated

condition；　that　he　would　hear　from　her。　　But　perhaps　the　priest

might　have　been　a　confidant　of　his　past；　and　had　recalled　the　old

affection　in　rivalry　of　her？　　Or　had　she　herself　been　unfortunate

through　any　idle　word　to　reopen　the　wound？　　Had　there　been　any

suggestion？she　checked　herself　suddenly　at　a　thought　that

benumbed　and　chilled　her！perhaps　that　happy　hour　at　the　cross

might　have　reminded　him　of　some　episode　with　another？　　That　was　the

real　significance　of　his　rude　speech。　　With　this　first　taste　of　the

poison　of　jealousy　upon　her　virgin　lips；　she　seized　the　cup　and

drank　it　eagerly。　　Ah；　wellhe　should　keep　his　blissful

recollections　of　the　past　undisturbed　by　her。　　Perhaps　he　might

even　seethough　SHE　had　no　pastthat　her　present　life　might　be　as

disturbing　to　him！　　She　recalled；　with　a　foolish　pleasure；　his

solitary　faint　sneer　at　the　devotion　of　the　Commander's　Secretary。

Why　shouldn't　she；　hereafter；　encourage　that　devotion　as　well　as

that　sneer　from　this　complacently　beloved　Mr。　Hurlstone？　　Why

should　he　be　so　assured　of　her　past？　　The　fair　and　gentle　reader

who　may　be　shocked　at　this　revelation　of　Eleanor　Keene's　character

will　remember　that　she　has　not　been　recorded　as　an　angel　in　these

pagesbut　as　a　very　human；　honest；　inexperienced　girl；　for　the

first　time　struggling　with　the　most　diplomatic；　Machiavellian；　and

hypocritical　of　all　the　passions。



In　pursuance　of　this　new　resolution；　she　determined　to　accept　an

invitation　from　Mrs。　Markham　to　accompany　her　and　the　Commander　to

a　reception　at　the　Alcalde's　housethe　happy　Secretary　being　of

the　party。　　Mrs。　Markham；　who　was　under　promise　to　the　Comandante

not　to　reveal　his　plan　for　the　escape　of　herself　and　Miss　Keene

until　the　arrival　of　the　expected　transport；　had　paid　little

attention　to　the　late　vagaries　of　her　friend；　and　had　contented

herself　by　once　saying；　with　a　marked　emphasis；　that　the　more　free

they　kept　themselves　from　any　entanglements　with　other　people；　the

more　prepared　they　would　be　for　A　CHANGE。



〃Perhaps　it's　just　as　well　not　to　be　too　free；　even　with　those

Jesuits　over　at　the　Mission。　　Your　brother；　you　know；　might　not

like　it。〃



〃THOSE　JESUITS！〃　repeated　Miss　Keene　indignantly。　　〃Father　Esteban；

to　begin　with；　is　a　Franciscan；　and　Mr。　Hurlstone　is　as　orthodox　as

you　or　I。〃



〃Don't　be　too　sure　of　that；　my　dear；〃　returned　Mrs。　Markham

sententiously。　　〃Heaven　only　knows　what　disguises　they　assume。

Why；　Hurlstone　and　the　priest　are　already　as　thick　as　two　peas；　and

you　can't　make　me　believe　they　didn't　know　of　each　other　before　we

came　here。　　He　was　the　first　one　ashore；　you　remember；　before　the

mutiny；　and　where　did　he　turn　up？at　the　Mission；　of　course！　　And

have　you　forgotten　that　sleepwalking　affairall　Jesuitical！　　Why；

poor　dear　Markham　used　to　say　we　were　surrounded　by　ramifications

of　that　societyeverywhere。　　The　very　waiter　at　your　hotel　table

might　belong　to　the　Order。〃



The　hour　of　the　siesta　was　just　past；　and　the　corridor　and　gardens

of　the　Alcalde's　house　were　grouped　with　friends　and　acquaintances

as　the　party　from　the　Presidio　entered。　　Mrs。　Brimmer；　who　had

apparently　effected　a　temporary　compromise　with　her　late　instincts

of　propriety；　was　still　doing　the　honors　of　the　Alcalde's　house；

and　had　once　more　assumed　the　Mexican　dishabille；　even　to　the

slight　exposure　of　her　small　feet；　stockingless；　in　white　satin

slippers。　　The　presence　of　the　Comandante　and　his　Secretary

guaranteed　the　two　ladies　of　their　party　a　reception　at　least

faultless　in　form　and　respect；　whatever　may　have　been　the　secret

feelings　of　the　hostess　and　her　friends。　　The　Alcalde　received　Mrs。

Markham　and　Miss　Keene　with　unruffled　courtesy；　and　conducted　them

to　the　place　of　honor　beside　him。



As　Eleanor　Keene；　slightly　flushed　and　beautiful　in　her　unwonted

nervous　excitement；　took　her　seat；　a　flutter　went　around　the

corridor；　and；　with　the　single　exception　of　Dona　Isabel；　an　almost

imperceptible　drawing　together　of　the　other　ladies；　in　offensive

alliance。　　Miss　Keene　had　never　abandoned　her　own　style　of　dress；

and　that　afternoon　her　delicate　and　closely…fitting　white　muslin；

gathered　in　at　the　waist　with　a　broad　blue　belt　of　ribbon；　seemed

to　accentuate　somewhat　unflatteringly　the　tropical　neglige　of　Mrs。

Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb。　　Brace；　who　was　in　attendance；　with　Crosby；

on　the　two　Ramirez　girls；　could　not　help　being　uneasily　conscious

of　this；　in　addition　to　the　awkwardness　of　meeting　Miss　Keene　after

the　transfer　of　his　affections　elsewhere。　　Nor　was　his　embarrassment

relieved　by　Crosby's　confidences　to　him；　in　a　half　audible　whisper；



〃I　say；　old　man；　after　all；　the　regular　straight…out　American　style

lays　over　all　their　foreign　flops　and　fandoodles。　　I　wonder　what

old　Brimmer　would　say　to　his　wife's　full…dress　nightgowneh？〃



But　at　this　moment　the　long…drawn；　slightly　stridulous　utterances

of　Mrs。　Brimmer　rose　through　the　other　greetings　like　a　lazy　east

wind。



〃I　shall　never　forgive　the　Commander　for　making　the　Presidio　so

attractive　to　you；　dear　Miss　Keene；　that　you　cannot　really　find

time　to　see　your　own　countrymen。　　Though；　of　course；　you're　not　to

blame　for　not　coming　to　see　two　frights　as　we　must　looknot　having

been　educated　to　be　able　to　do　up　our　dresses　in　that　faultless

styleand　perhaps　not　having　the　entire　control　over　an

establishment　like　you；　yet；　I　suppose　that；　even　if　the　Alcalde

did　give　us　carte　blanche　of　the　laundry　HERE；　we　couldn't　do　it；

unaided　even　by　Mrs。　Markham。　　Yes；　dear；　you　must　let　me

compliment　you　on　your　skill；　and　the　way　you　make　things　last。　　As

for　me　and　Miss　Chubb；　we've　only　found　our　things　fit　to　be　given

away　to　the　poor　of　the　Mission。　　But　I　suppose　even　that　charity

would　look　as　shabby　to　you　as　our　clothes；　in　comparison　with　the

really　good　missionary　work　you　and　Mr。　Hurlstoneor　is　it　Mr。

Brace？I　always　confound　your　admirers；　my　dearare　doing　now。

At　least；　so　says　that　good　Father　Esteban。〃



But　with　the　exception　of　the　Alcalde　and　Miss　Chubb；　Mrs。

Brimmer's　words　fell　on