the crusade of the excelsior-第30部分

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country？〃



〃What？　　THAT？〃



〃No；　insensate。　　To　attend　a　married　senora？〃



〃Not　openly。〃



〃Ah；　that　is　wrong；〃　said　Dona　Isabel　meditatively；　moving　the

point　of　her　tiny　slipper　on　the　gravel。　　〃Then　it　is　the　young

girl　that　shall　come　in　the　corridor　and　the　married　lady　on　the

balcony？〃



〃Well；　yes。〃



〃Good…by；　ape！〃



She　ran　swiftly　down　the　avenue　of　palms　to　a　small　door　at　the

back　of　the　house；　turned；　blew　a　kiss　over　the　edge　of　her　fan　to

Brace；　and　disappeared。　　He　hesitated　a　moment　or　two；　then　quickly

rescaling　the　wall；　dropped　into　the　lane　outside；　followed　it　to

the　gateway　of　the　casa；　and　entered　the　patio　as　Dona　Isabel

decorously　advanced　from　a　darkened　passage　to　the　corridor。

Although　the　hour　of　siesta　had　passed；　her　sister；　Miss　Chubb；　the

Alcalde；　and　Mrs。　Brimmer　were　still　lounging　here　on　sofas　and

hammocks。



It　would　have　been　difficult　for　a　stranger　at　a　first　glance　to

discover　the　nationality　of　the　ladies。　　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　her

friend　Miss　Chubb　had　entirely　succumbed　to　the　extreme　dishabille

of　the　Spanish　toiletnot　without　a　certain　languid　grace　on　the

part　of　Mrs。　Brimmer；　whose　easy　contour　lent　itself　to　the

stayless　bodice；　or　a　certain　bashful；　youthful　naivete　on　the　part

of　Miss　Chubb；　the　rounded　dazzling　whiteness　of　whose　neck　and

shoulders　half　pleased　and　half　frightened　her　in　her　low；　white；

plain　camisaunder　the　lace　mantilla。



〃It　is　SUCH　a　pleasure　to　see　you　again；　Mr。　Brace；〃　said　Mrs。

Brimmer；　languidly　observing　the　young　man　through　the　sticks　of

her　fan；　〃I　was　telling　Don　Ramon　that　I　feared　Dona　Ursula　had

frightened　you　away。　　I　told　him　that　your　experience　of　American

society　might　have　caused　you　to　misinterpret　the　habitual　reserve

of　the　Castilian；〃　she　continued　with　the　air　of　being　already　an

alien　of　her　own　country；　〃and　I　should　be　only　too　happy　to

undertake　the　chaperoning　of　both　these　young　ladies　in　their

social　relations　with　our　friends。　　And　how　is　dear　Mr。　Banks？　and

Mr。　Crosby？　whom　I　so　seldom　see　now。　　I　suppose；　however；　business

has　its　superior　attractions。〃



But　Don　Ramon；　with　impulsive　gallantry；　would　notnay；　COULD　not

for　a　moment　tolerate　a　heresy　so　alarming。　　It　was　simply　wildly

impossible。　　For　why？　　In　the　presence　of　Dona　Barbarait　exists

not　in　the　heart　of　man！



〃YOU　cannot；　of　course；　conceive　it；　Don　Ramon；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer；

with　an　air　of　gentle　suffering；　〃but　I　fear　it　is　sadly　true　of

the　American　gentlemen。　　They　become　too　absorbed　in　their

business。　　They　forget　their　duty　to　our　sex　in　their　selfish

devotion　to　affairs　in　which　we　are　debarred　from　joining　them；　and

yet　they　wonder　that　we　prefer　the　society　of　men　who　are　removed

by　birth；　tradition；　and　position　from　this　degrading　kind　of

selfishness。〃



〃But　that　was　scarcely　true　of　your　own　husband。　　HE　was　not　only　a

successful　man　in　business；　but　we　can　see　that　he　was　equally

successful　in　his　relations　to　at　least　one　of　the　fastidious　sex；〃

said　Brace；　maliciously　glancing　at　Don　Ramon。



Mrs。　Brimmer　received　the　innuendo　with　invulnerable　simplicity。



〃Mr。　Brimmer　is；　I　am　happy　to　say；　NOT　a　business　man。　　He　entered

into　certain　contracts　having　more　or　less　of　a　political

complexion；　and　carrying　with　them　the　genius　but　not　the　material

results　of　trade。　　That　he　is　not　a　business　manand　a　successful

onemy　position　here　at　the　present　time　is　a　sufficient　proof；〃

she　said　triumphantly。　　〃And　I　must　also　protest；〃　she　added；　with

a　faint　sigh；　〃against　Mr。　Brimmer　being　spoken　of　in　the　past

tense　by　anybody。　　It　is　painfully　premature　and　ominous！〃



She　drew　her　mantilla　across　her　shoulders　with　an　expression　of

shocked　sensitiveness　which　completed　the　humiliation　of　Brace　and

the　subjugation　of　Don　Ramon。　　But；　unlike　most　of　her　sex；　she　was

wise　in　the　moment　of　victory。　　She　cast　a　glance　over　her　fan　at

Brace；　and　turned　languidly　to　Dona　Isabel。



〃Mr。　Brace　must　surely　want　some　refreshment　after　his　long　ride。

Why　don't　you　seize　this　opportunity　to　show　him　the　garden　and　let

him　select　for　himself　the　herbs　he　requires　for　that　dreadful

American　drink；　Miss　Chubb　and　your　sister　will　remain　with　me　to

receive　the　Comandante's　secretary　and　the　Doctor　when　they　come。〃



〃She's　more　than　my　match；〃　whispered　Brace　to　Dona　Isabel；　as　they

left　the　corridor　together。　　〃I　give　in。　　I　don't　understand　her：

she　frightens　me。〃



〃That　is　of　your　conscience！　　It　is　that　you　would　understand　the

Dona　Leonoryour　dear　Miss　Keenebetter！　　Ah！　silence；　imbecile！

this　Dona　Barbara　is　even　as　thou　arta　talking　parrot。　　She　will

have　that　the　Comandante's　secretary；　Manuel；　shall　marry　Mees

Chubb；　and　that　the　Doctor　shall　marry　my　sister。　　But　she　knows

not　that　Manuellisten　so　that　you　shall　get　sick　at　your　heart

and　swallow　your　moustachio！that　Manuel　loves　the　beautiful

Leonor；　and　that　Leonor　loves　not　him；　but　Don　Diego；　and　that　my

sister　loathes　the　little　Doctor。　　And　this　Dona　Barbara；　that

makes　your　liver　white；　would　be　a　feeder　of　chickens　with　such

barley　as　this！　　Ah！　come　along！〃



The　arrival　of　the　Doctor　and　the　Comandante's　secretary　created

another　diversion；　and　the　pairing　off　of　the　two　couples　indicated

by　Dona　Isabel　for　a　stroll　in　the　garden；　which　was　now　beginning

to　recover　from　the　still　heat　of　mid…day。　　This　left　Don　Ramon　and

Mrs。　Brimmer　alone　in　the　corridor；　Mrs。　Brimmer's　indefinite

languor；　generally　accepted　as　some　vague　aristocratic　condition　of

mind　and　body；　not　permitting　her　to　join　them。



There　was　a　moment　of　dangerous　silence；　the　voices　of　the　young

people　were　growing　fainter　in　the　distance。　　Mrs。　Brimmer's　eyes；

in　the　shadow　of　her　fan；　were　becoming　faintly　phosphorescent。

Don　Ramon's　melancholy　face；　which　had　grown　graver　in　the　last　few

moments；　approached　nearer　to　her　own。



〃You　are　unhappy；　Dona　Barbara。　　The　coming　of　this　young　cavalier；

your　countryman；　revives　your　anxiety　for　your　home。　　You　are

thinking　of　this　husband　who　comes　not。　　Is　it　not　so？〃



〃I　am　thinking；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer；　with　a　sudden　revulsion　of

solid　Boston　middle…class　propriety；　shown　as　much　in　the　dry　New

England　asperity　of　voice　that　stung　even　through　her　drawling　of

the　Castilian　speech；　as　in　anything　she　said；〃I　am　thinking

that；　unless　Mr。　Brimmer　comes　soon；　I　and　Miss　Chubb　shall　have　to

abandon　the　hospitality　of　your　house；　Don　Ramon。　　Without　looking

upon　myself　as　a　widow；　or　as　indefinitely　separated　from　Mr。

Brimmer；　the　few　words　let　fall　by　Mr。　Brace　show　me　what　might　be

the　feelings　of　my　countrymen　on　the　subject。　　However　charming　and

considerate　your　hospitality　has　beenand　I　do　not　deny　that　it

has　been　MOST　grateful　to　MEI　feel　I　cannot　continue　to　accept　it

in　those　equivocal　circumstances。　　I　am　speaking　to　a　gentleman

who；　with　the　instincts　and　chivalrous　obligations　of　his　order；

must　sympathize　with　my　own　delicacy　in　coming　to　this　conclusion；

and　who　will　not　take　advantage　of　my　confession　that　I　do　it　with

pain。〃



She　spoke　with　a　dry　alacrity　and　precision　so　unlike　her　usual

languor　and　the　suggestions　of　the　costume；　and　even　the　fan　she

still　kept　shading　her　faintly　glowing　eyes；　that　the　man　before

her　was　more　troubled　by　her　manner　than　her　words；　which　he　had

but　imperfectly　understood。



〃You　will　leave　herethis　house？〃　he　stammered。



〃It　is　necessary；〃　she　returned。



〃But　you　shall　listen　to　me　first！〃　he　said　hurriedly。　　〃Hear　me；

Dona　BarbaraI　have　a　secretI　will　to　you　confess〃



〃You　must　confess　nothing；〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer；　dropping　her　feet

from　the　hammock；　and　sitting　up　primly；　〃I　meannothing　I　may　not

hear。〃



The　Alcalde　cast　a　look　upon　her　at　once　blank　and　imploring。



〃Ah；　but　you　will　hear；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause。　　〃There　is　a　ship

coming　here。　　In　two　weeks　she　will　arrive。　　None　know　it　but

myself；　the　Comandante；　and　the　Padre。　　It　is　a　secret　of　the

Government。　　She　will　come　at　night；　she　will　depart　in　the

morning；　and　no　one　else　shall　know。　　It　has　ever　been　that　she

brings　no　one　to　Todos　Santos；　that　she　takes　no　one　from　Todos

Santos。　　That　is　the　law。　　But　I　swear　to　you　that　she　shall　take

you；　your　children；　and　your　friend　to　Acapulco　in　secret；　where

you　will　be　free。　　You　will　join　your　husband；　you　will　be　happy。

I　will　remain；　and　I　will　die。〃



It　would　have　been　impossible　for　any　woman　but　Mrs。　Brimmer　to

have　regarded　the　childlike　earnestness　and　melancholy　simplicity

of　this　grown…up　man　without　a　pang。　　Even　this　superior　woman

experienced　a　sensible　awkwardness　as　she　slipped　from　the　hammock

and　regained　an　upright　position。



〃Of　course；〃　she；　began；　〃your　offer　is　exceedingly　generous；　and

although　I　should　not；　perhaps；　take　a　step　of　this　kind　without

the　sanction　of　Mr。　Brimmer；　and　am　not　sure　that　he　would　not

regard　it　as　rash　and　premature；　I　will　talk　it　over　with　Miss

Chubb；　for　whom　I　am　partially　responsible。　　Nothing；〃　she

continued；　with　a　sudden　access　of　feeling；　〃would　induce　me；　for

any　selfish　consideration；　to　take　any　step　that　would　imperil　the

future　of　that　child；　towards　whom　I　feel　as　a　sister。〃　　A　slight

suffusion　glistened　under　her　pretty　brown　lashes。　　〃If　anything

should　happen　to　her；　I　would　never　forgive　myself；　if　I　should　be

the　unfortunate　means　of　severing　any　ties　that　SHE　may　have

formed；　I　could　never　look　her　in　the　face　again。　　Of　course；　I　can

well　understand　that　our　presence　here　must　be　onerous　to　you；　and

that　you　naturally　look　forward　to　any　sacrificeeven　that　of　the

interests　of　your　country；　and　the　defiance　of　its　lawsto　relieve

you　from　a　position　so　embarrassing　as　yours　has　become。　　I　only

trust；　however；　that　the　ill　effects　you　allude　to　as　likely　to

occur　to　yourself　after　our　departure　may　be　exaggerated　by　yo