the crusade of the excelsior-第52章

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energy？　　She　longed　for　her　brother　to　see　him　thusalert；　strong；

and　chivalrous。　　In　her　girlish　faith；　she　had　no　fear　for　his

safety；　he　would　conquer；　he　would　succeed；　he　would　come　back　to

them　victorious！　　Looking　up　from　her　happy　abstraction；　at　the

side　of　Mrs。　Markham；　who　had　calmly　gone　to　sleep　in　an　arm…chair；

she　saw　Father　Esteban's　eyes　fixed　upon　her。　　With　a　warning

gesture　of　the　hand　towards　Mrs。　Markham；　he　rose；　and；　going　to

the　door　of　the　sacristy；　beckoned　to　her。　　The　young　girl

noiselessly　crossed　the　room　and　followed　him　into　the　sanctuary。



Half　an　hour　later；　and　while　Mrs。　Markham　was　still　asleep；　Father

Esteban　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　sacristy　ostentatiously　taking

snuff；　and　using　a　large　red　handkerchief　to　wipe　his　more　than

usually　humid　eyes。　　Eleanor　Keene；　with　her　chin　resting　on　her

hand；　remained　sitting　as　he　had　left　her；　with　her　abstracted　eyes

fixed　vacantly　on　the　lamp　before　the　statue　of　the　Virgin　and　the

half…lit　gloom　of　the　nave。



Padre　Esteban　had　told　her　ALL！　　She　now　knew　Hurlstone's　history

even　as　he　had　hesitatingly　imparted　it　to　the　old　priest　in　this

very　churchperhaps　upon　the　very　seat　where　she　sat。　　She　knew

the　peace　that　he　had　sought　for　and　found　within　these　walls；

broken　only　by　his　passion　for　her！　　She　knew　his　struggles　against

the　hopelessness　of　this　new…born　love；　even　the　desperate　remedy

that　had　been　adopted　against　herself；　and　the　later　voluntary

exile　of　her　lover。　　She　knew　the　providential　culmination　of　his

trouble　in　the　news　brought　unconsciously　by　Perkins；　which；　but　a

few　hours　ago；　he　had　verified　by　the　letters；　records；　and　even

the　certificate　of　death　that　had　thus　strangely　been　placed　in　his

hands！　　She　knew　all　this　so　clearly　now；　that；　with　the　instinct

of　a　sympathetic　nature；　she　even　fancied　she　had　heard　it　before。

She　knew　that　all　the　obstacles　to　an　exchange　of　their　affection

had　been　removed；　that　her　lover　only　waited　his　opportunity　to

hear　from　her　own　lips　the　answer　that　was　even　now　struggling　at

her　heart。　　And　yet　she　hesitated　and　drew　back；　half　frightened　in

the　presence　of　her　great　happiness。　　How　she　longed；　and　yet

dreaded；　to　meet　him！　　What　if　anything　should　have　happened　to

him？what　if　he　should　be　the　victim　of　some　treachery？what　if

he　did　not　come？what　if？〃Good　heavens！　what　was　that？〃



She　was　near　the　door　of　the　sacristy；　gazing　into　the　dim　and

shadowy　church。　　Either　she　was　going　mad；　or　else　the　grotesque

Indian　hangings　of　the　walls　were　certainly　moving　towards　her。

She　rose　in　speechless　terror；　as　what　she　had　taken　for　an

uncouthly　swathed　and　draped　barbaric　pillar　suddenly　glided　to　the

window。　　Crouching　against　the　wall；　she　crept　breathlessly　towards

the　entrance　to　the　garden。　　Casting　a　hurried　glance　above　her；

she　saw　the　open　belfry　that　was　illuminated　by　the　misty　radiance

of　the　moon；　darkly　shadowed　by　hideously　gibbering　faces　that

peered　at　her　through　the　broken　tracery。　　With　a　cry　of　horror　she

threw　open　the　garden…door；　but　the　next　moment　was　swallowed　up　in

the　tumultuous　tide　of　wild　and　half　naked　Indians　who　surged

against　the　walls　of　the　church；　and　felt　herself　lifted　from　her

feet；　with　inarticulate　cries；　and　borne　along　the　garden。　　Even　in

her　mortal　terror；　she　could　recognize　that　the　cries　were　not

those　of　rage；　but　of　vacant　satisfaction；　that　although　she　was

lifted　on　lithe　shoulders；　the　grasp　of　her　limbs　was　gentle；　and

the　few　dark　faces　she　could　see　around　her　were　glistening　in

childlike　curiosity。　　Presently　she　felt　herself　placed　upon　the

back　of　a　mule；　that　seemed　to　be　swayed　hither　and　thither　in　the

shifting　mass；　and　the　next　moment　the　misty；　tossing　cortege　moved

forward　with　a　new　and　more　definite　purpose。　　She　called　aloud　for

Father　Esteban　and　Mrs。　Markham；　her　voice　appeared　to　flow　back

upon　her　from　the　luminous　wall　of　fog　that　closed　around　her。

Then　the　inarticulate；　irregular　outcries　took　upon　themselves　a

measured　rhythm；　the　movement　of　the　mass　formed　itself　upon　the

monotonous　chant；　the　intervals　grew　shorter；　the　mule　broke　into　a

trot；　and　then　the　whole　vast　multitude　fell　into　a　weird；

rhythmical；　jogging　quick　step　at　her　side。



Whatever　was　the　intent　of　this　invasion　of　the　Mission　and　her　own

strange　abduction；　she　was　relieved　by　noticing　that　they　were

going　in　the　same　direction　as　that　taken　by　Hurlstone　an　hour

before。　　Either　he　was　cognizant　of　their　movements；　and；　being

powerless　to　prevent　their　attack　on　the　church；　had　stipulated

they　were　to　bring　her　to　him　in　safety；　or　else　he　was　calculating

to　intercept　them　on　the　way。　　The　fog　prevented　her　from　forming

any　estimation　of　the　numbers　that　surrounded　her；　or　if　the　Padre

and　Mrs。　Markham　were　possibly　preceding　her　as　captives　in　the

vanguard。　　She　felt　the　breath　of　the　sea；　and　knew　they　were

traveling　along　the　shore；　the　monotonous　chant　and　jogging　motion

gradually　dulled　her　active　terror　to　an　apathetic　resignation；　in

which　occasionally　her　senses　seemed　to　swoon　and　swim　in　the

dreamy　radiance　through　which　they　passed；　at　times　it　seemed　a

dream　or　nightmare　with　which　she　was　hopelessly　struggling；　at

times　she　was　taking　part　in　an　unhallowed　pageant；　or　some　heathen

sacrificial　procession　of　which　she　was　the　destined　victim。



She　had　no　consciousness　of　how　long　the　hideous　journey　lasted。

Her　benumbed　senses　were　suddenly　awakened　by　a　shock；　the　chant

had　ceased；　the　moving　mass　in　which　she　was　imbedded　rolled

forward　once　more　as　if　by　its　own　elasticity；　and　then　receded

again　with　a　jar　that　almost　unseated　her。　　Then　the　inarticulate

murmur　was　overborne　by　a　voice。　　It　was　HIS！　　She　turned　blindly

towards　it；　but　before　she　could　utter　the　cry　that　rose　to　her

lips；　she　was　again　lifted　from　the　saddle；　carried　forward；　and

gently　placed　upon　what　seemed　to　be　a　moss…grown　bank。　　Opening

her　half　swimming　eyes　she　recognized　the　Indian　cross。　　The　crowd

seemed　to　recede　before　her。　　Her　eyes　closed　again　as　a　strong　arm

passed　around　her　waist。



〃Speak　to　me；　Miss　KeeneEleanormy　darling！〃　said　Hurlstone's

voice。　　〃O　my　God！　they　have　killed　her！〃



With　an　effort　she　moved　her　head　and　tried　to　smile。　　Their　eyes；

and　then　their　lips　met；　she　fainted。



When　she　struggled　to　her　senses　again；　she　was　lying　in　the　stern…

sheets　of　the　Excelsior's　boat；　supported　on　Mrs。　Markham's

shoulder。　　For　an　instant　the　floating　veil　of　fog　around　her；　and

the　rhythmical　movement　of　the　boat；　seemed　a　part　of　her

mysterious　ride；　and　she　raised　her　head　with　a　faint　cry　for

Hurlstone。



〃It's　all　right；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　soothingly；　〃he's

ashore　with　the　Padre；　and　everything　else　is　all　right　too。　　But

it's　rather　ridiculous　to　think　that　those　idiotic　Indians　believed

the　only　way　they　could　show　Mr。　Hurlstone　that　they　meant　us　no

harm　was　to　drag　us　all　up　to　THEIR　Mission；　as　they　call　that　half

heathen　cross　of　theirsfor　safety　againstwho　do　you　think；

dear？the　dreadful　AMERICANS！　　And　imagine　all　the　while　the　Padre

and　I　were　just　behind　you；　bringing　up　the　rear　of　the　procession

only　they　wouldn't　let　us　join　you　because　they　wanted　to　show　you

special　honor　as〃she　sank　her　voice　to　a　whisper　in　Eleanor's

ear〃as　the　future　Mrs。　Hurlstone！　　It　appears　they　must　have

noticed　something　about　you　two；　the　last　time　you　were　there；　my

dear。　　Andto　thinkYOU　never　told　me　anything　about　it！〃



When　they　reached　the　Excelsior；　they　found　that　Mrs。　Brimmer；

having　already　settled　herself　in　the　best　cabin；　was　inclined　to


extend　the　hospitalities　of　the　ship　with　the　air　of　a　hostess。

But　the　arrival　of　Hurlstone　at　midnight　with　some　delegated

authority　from　Senor　Perkins；　and　the　unexpected　getting　under　way

of　the　ship；　disturbed　her　complacency。



〃We　are　going　through　the　channel　into　the　bay　of　Todos　Santos；