the crusade of the excelsior-第15部分

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the　pirate　Perkins？〃　returned　the　secretary。



Miss　Keene　hesitated。　　Had　Mrs。　Markham　any　previous　knowledge　of

the　Senor's　real　character？



〃Why　don't　you　arrest　the　men？〃　she　said　scornfully。　　〃There　is　Mr。

Banks；　Mr。　Crosby；　Mr。　Winslow；　and　Mr。　Brace。〃　　She　uttered　the

last　name　more　contemptuously；　as　she　thought　of　that　young

gentleman's　protestations　and　her　present　unprotected　isolation。



〃They　are　already　arrested　and　removed　to　San　Antonio；　a　league

hence；〃　returned　the　secretary。　　〃It　is　fact　enough　that　they　have

confessed　that　their　Government　has　seized　the　Mexican　province　of

California；　and　that　they　were　on　their　way　to　take　possession　of

it。〃



Miss　Keene's　heart　sank。



〃But　you　knew　all　this　yesterday；〃　she　faltered；　〃and　our　war　with

Mexico　is　all　over　years　ago。〃



〃We　did　not　know　it　last　night　at　the　banquet；　Senora；　nor　would　we

have　known　it　but　for　this　treason　and　division　in　your　own　party。〃



A　sudden　light　flashed　upon　Miss　Keene's　mind。　　She　now

comprehended　the　advances　of　Dona　Isabel。　　Extravagant　and

monstrous　as　it　seemed；　these　people　evidently　believed　that　a

revolution　had　taken　place　in　the　United　States；　that　the　two

opposing　parties　had　been　represented　by　the　passengers　of　the

Excelsior；　and　that　one　party　had　succeeded；　headed　by　the

indomitable　Perkins。　　If　she　could　be　able　to　convince　them　of

their　blunder；　would　it　be　wise　to　do　so？　　She　thought　of　Mrs。

Brimmer's　supplication　to　be　ranged　〃on　her　side；〃　and　realized

with　feminine　quickness　that　the　situation　might　be　turned　to　her

countrymen's　advantage。　　But　which　side　had　Todos　Santos　favored？

It　was　left　to　her　woman's　wit　to　discover　this；　and　conceive　a

plan　to　rescue　her　helpless　companions。



Her　suspense　was　quickly　relieved。　　The　Commander　and　his　secretary

exchanged　a　few　words。



〃The　Comandante　will　grant　Dona　Leonora's　request；〃　said　the

secretary；　〃if　she　will　answer　a　question。〃



〃What　is　it？〃　responded　Miss　Keene；　with　inward　trepidation。



〃The　Senora　Markham　is　perhaps　beloved　by　the　Pirate　Perkins？〃



In　spite　of　her　danger；　in　spite　of　the　uncertain　fate　hanging　over

her　party；　Miss　Keene　could　with　difficulty　repress　a　half

hysterical　inclination　to　laugh。　　Even　then；　it　escaped　in　a　sudden

twinkle　of　her　eye；　which　both　the　Commander　and　his　subordinate

were　quick　to　notice；　as　she　replied　demurely；　〃Perhaps。〃



It　was　enough　for　the　Commander。　　A　gleam　of　antique　archness　and

venerable　raillery　lit　up　his　murky；　tobacco…colored　pupils；　a

spasm　of　gallantry　crossed　the　face　of　the　secretary。



〃Ahwhat　would　you？it　is　the　way　of　the　world；〃　said　the

Commander。　　〃We　comprehend。　　Come！〃



He　led　the　way　across　the　corridor；　and　suddenly　opened　a　small

barred　door。　　Whatever　preconceived　idea　Miss　Keene　may　have　had　of

her　unfortunate　country…woman　immured　in　a　noisome　cell；　and

guarded　by　a　stern　jailer；　was　quite　dissipated　by　the　soft　misty

sunshine　that　flowed　in　through　the　open　door。　　The　prison　of　Mrs。

Markham　was　a　part　of　the　old　glacis　which　had　been　allowed　to

lapse　into　a　wild　garden　that　stretched　to　the　edge　of　the　sea。

There　was　a　summer…house　built　onand　partly　froma　crumbling

bastion；　and　here；　under　the　shade　of　tropical　creepers；　the

melancholy　captive　was　comfortably　writing；　with　her　portable　desk

on　her　knee；　and　a　traveling…bag　at　her　feet。　　A　Saratoga　trunk　of

obtrusive　proportions　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　peaceful

vegetation；　like　a　newly　raised　altar　to　an　unknown　deity。　　The

only　suggestion　of　martial　surveillance　was　an　Indian　soldier；

whose　musket；　reposing　on　the　ground　near　Mrs。　Markham；　he　had

exchanged　for　the　rude　mattock　with　which　he　was　quietly　digging。



The　two　women；　with　a　cry　of　relief；　flew　into　each　other's　arms。

The　Commander　and　his　secretary　discreetly　retired　to　an　angle　of

the　wall。



〃I　find　everything　as　I　left　it；　my　dear；　even　to　my　slipper…bag；〃

said　Mrs。　Markham。　　〃They've　forgotten　nothing。〃



〃But　you　are　a　captive！〃　said　Eleanor。　　〃What　does　it　mean？〃



〃Nothing；　my　dear。　　I　gave　them　a　piece　of　my　mind；〃　said　Mrs。

Markham；　looking；　however；　as　if　that　mental　offering　had　by　no

means　exhausted　her　capital；　〃and　I　have　written　six　pages　to　the

Governor　at　Mazatlan；　and　a　full　account　to　Mr。　Markham。〃



〃And　they　won't　get　them　in　thirty　years！〃　said　Miss　Keene

impetuously。　　〃But　where　is　this　letter　from　Senor　Perkins。　　And；

for　Heaven's　sake；　tell　me　if　you　had　the　least　suspicion　before　of

anything　that　has　happened。〃



〃Not　in　the　least。　　The　man　is　mad；　my　dear；　and　I　really　believe

driven　so　by　that　absurd　Illinois　woman's　poetry。　　Did　you　ever　see

anything　so　ridiculousand　shameful；　tooas　the　'Ulricardo'

business？　　I　don't　wonder　he　colored　so。〃



Miss　Keene　winced　with　annoyance。　　Was　everybody　going　crazy；　or

was　there　anything　more　in　this　catastrophe　that　had　only　enfeebled

the　minds　of　her　countrywomen！　　For　here　was　the　severe；　strong…

minded　Mrs。　Markham　actually　preoccupied；　like　Mrs。　Brimmer；　with

utterly　irrelevant　particulars；　and　apparently　powerless　to　grasp

the　fact　that　they　were　abandoned　on　a　half　hostile　strand；　and　cut

off　by　half　a　century　from　the　rest　of　the　world。



〃As　to　the　letter；〃　said　Mrs。　Markham；　quietly；　〃there　it　is。

There's　nothing　in　it　that　might　not　have　been　written　by　a

friend。〃



Miss　Keene　took　the　letter。　　It　was　written　in　a　delicate；　almost

feminine　hand。　　She　could　not　help　noticing　that　in　one　or　two

instances　corrections　had　been　made　and　blots　carefully　removed

with　an　eraser。





〃Midnight；　on　the　Excelsior。



〃MY　FRIEND：　When　you　receive　this　I　shall　probably　be　once　more　on

the　bosom　of　that　mysterious　and　mighty　element　whose　majesty　has

impressed　us；　whose　poetry　we　have　loved；　and　whose　moral　lessons；

I　trust；　have　not　been　entirely　thrown　away　upon　us。　　I　go　to　the

deliverance　of　one　of　those　oppressed　nations　whose　history　I　have

often　recited　to　you；　and　in　whose　destiny　you　have　from　time　to

time　expressed　a　womanly　sympathy。　　While　it　is　probable；

therefore；　that　my　MOTIVES　may　not　be　misunderstood　by　you；　or　even

other　dear　friends　of　the　Excelsior；　it　is　by　no　means　impossible

that　the　celerity　and　unexpectedness　of　my　ACTION　may　not　be

perfectly　appreciated　by　the　careless　mind；　and　may　seem　to　require

some　explanation。　　Let　me　then　briefly　say　that　the　idea　of

debarking　your　goods　and　chattels；　and　parting　from　your　delightful

company　at　Todos　Santos；　only　occurred　to　me　on　our　unexpected

shall　I　say　PROVIDENTIAL？arrival　at　that　spot；　and　the　necessity

of　expedition　forbade　me　either　inviting　your　cooperation　or

soliciting　your　confidence。　　Human　intelligence　is　variously

constitutedor；　to　use　a　more　homely　phrase；　'many　men　have　many

minds'and　it　is　not　impossible　that　a　premature　disclosure　of　my

plans　might　have　jeopardized　that　harmony　which　you　know　it　has

been　my　desire　to　promote。　　It　was　my　original　intention　to　have

landed　you　at　Mazatlan；　a　place　really　inferior　in　climate　and

natural　attractions　to　Todo　Santos；　although；　perhaps；　more　easy　of

access　and　egress；　but　the　presence　of　an　American　steamer　in　the

offing　would　have　invested　my　enterprise　with　a　certain　publicity

foreign；　I　think；　to　all　our　tastes。　　Taking　advantage；　therefore；

of　my　knowledge　of　the　peninsular　coast；　and　the　pardonable

ignorance　of　Captain　Bunker；　I　endeavored；　through　my　faithful

subordinates；　to　reach　a　less　known　port；　and　a　coast　rarely

frequented　by　reason　of　its　prevailing　fog。　　Here　occurred　one　of

those　dispensations　of　an　overruling　power　which；　dear　friend；　we

have　so　often　discussed。　　We　fell　in　with　an　unknown　current；　and

were　guided　by　a　mysterious　hand　into　the　bay　of　Todos　Santos！



〃You　know　of　my　belief　in　the　infinite　wisdom　and　benignity　of

events；　you　have；　dear　friend；　with　certain　feminine　limitations；

shared　it　with　me。　　Could　there　have　been　a　more　perfect

illustration　of　it　than　the　power　that　led　us　here？　　On　a　shore；

historic　in　interest；　beautiful　in　climate；　hospitable　in　its

people；　utterly　freed　from　external　influences；　and　absolutely

without　a　compromising　future；　you　are　landed；　my　dear　friend；　with

your　youthful　companions。　　From　the　crumbling　ruins　of　a　decaying

Past　you　are　called　to　construct　an　Arcadia　of　your　own；　the

rudiments　of　a　new　civilization　are　within　your　grasp；　the　cost　of

existence　is　comparatively　trifling；　the　various　sums　you　have　with

you；　which　even　in　the　chaos　of　revolution　I　have　succeeded　in

keeping　intact；　will　more　than　suffice　to　your　natural　wants　for

years　to　come。　　Were　I　not　already　devoted　to　the　task　of　freeing

Quinquinambo；　I　should　willingly　share　this　Elysium　with　you　all。

But；　to　use　the　glowing　words　of　Mrs。　M'Corkle；　slightly　altering

the　refrain





　　　　　'Ah；　stay　me　not！　　With　flying　feet

　　　　　　O'er　desert　sands；　I　rush　to　greet

　　　　　　My　fate；　my　love；　my　life；　my　sweet

　　　　　　　　Quinquinambo！'





〃I　venture　to　intrust　to　your　care　two　unpublished　manuscripts　of

that　gifted　woman。　　The　dangers　that　may　environ　my　present

mission；　the　vicissitudes　of　battle　by　sea　or　land；　forbid　my

imperiling　their　natural　descent　to　posterity。　　You；　my　dear

friend；　will　preserve　them　for　the　ages　to　come；　occasionally

refreshing　yourself；　from　time　to　time；　from　that　Parnassian

spring。



〃Adieu！　my　friend。　　I　look　around　the　familiar　cabin；　and　miss　your

gentle　faces。　　I　feel　as　Jason　might　have　felt；　alone　on　the　deck

of　the　Argo　when　his　companions　were　ashore；　except　that　I　know　of

no　Circean　influences　to　mar　their　destiny。　　In　examining　the

state…rooms　to　see　if　my　orders　for　the　complete　restoration　of

passengers'　property　had　been　carried　out；　I　allowed　myself　to　look

into　yours。　　Lying　alone；　forgotten　and　overlooked；　I　saw　a

peculiar　jet　hair…pin　which　I　think　I　have　observed　in　the　coils　of