the crusade of the excelsior-第40部分

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what　was　scarcely　yet　a　serious　emergency；　was　not　to　be　thought

of！　　Yet；　where　could　he　go？　　How　could　he　be　near　enough　to　assist

HER　without　again　openly　casting　his　lot　among　them？　　And　would

they　not　consider　his　return　an　act　of　cowardice？　　He　could　not

restrain　a　gesture　of　irritation　as　he　rose　impatiently　to　his

feet。



〃You　are　agitated；　my　dear　fellow。　　It　is　not　unworthy　of　your

youth；　but；　believe　me；　it　is　unnecessary；〃　said　Perkins；　in　his

most　soothing　manner。　　〃Sit　down。　　You　have　an　hour　yet　to　make

your　decision。　　If　you　prefer　to　remain；　you　will　accompany　the

ship　to　Todos　Santos　and　join　me。〃



〃I　don't　comprehend　you；〃　interrupted　Hurlstone　suspiciously。



〃I　forgot；〃　said　Perkins；　with　a　bland　smile；　〃that　you　are　unaware

of　our　plan　of　campaign。　　After　communicating　with　the　insurgents；

I　land　here　with　a　small　force　to　assist　them。　　I　do　this　to

anticipate　any　action　and　prevent　the　interference　of　the　Mexican

coaster；　now　due；　which　always　touches　here　through　ignorance　of

the　channel　leading　to　the　Bay　of　Todos　Santos　and　the　Presidio。　　I

then　send　the　Excelsior；　that　does　know　the　channel；　to　Todos

Santos；　to　appear　before　the　Presidio；　take　the　enemy　in　flank；　and

cooperate　with　us。　　The　arrival　of　the　Excelsior　there　is　the　last

move　of　this　little　game；　if　I　may　so　call　it：　it　is　'checkmate　to

the　King；'　the　clerical　Government　of　Todos　Santos。〃



A　little　impressed；　in　spite　of　himself；　with　the　calm　forethought

and　masterful　security　of　the　Senor；　Hurlstone　thanked　him　with　a

greater　show　of　respect　than　he　had　hitherto　evinced。　　The　Senor

looked　gratified；　but　unfortunately　placed　that　respect　the　next

moment　in　peril。



〃You　were　possibly　glancing　over　these　verses；〃　he　said；　with　a

hesitating　and　almost　awkward　diffidence；　indicating　the　manuscript

Hurlstone　had　just　thrown　aside。　　〃It　is　merely　the　first　rough

draft　of　a　little　tribute　I　had　begun　to　a　charming　friend。　　I

sometimes；〃　he　interpolated；　with　an　apologetic　smile；　〃trifle　with

the　Muse。　　Perhaps　I　ought　not　to　use　the　word　'trifle'　in

connection　with　a　composition　of　a　threnodial　and　dirge…like

character；〃　he　continued　deprecatingly。　　〃Certainly　not　in　the

presence　of　a　gentleman　as　accomplished　and　educated　as　yourself；

to　whom　recreation　of　this　kind　is　undoubtedly　familiar。　　My

occupations　have　been；　unfortunately；　of　a　nature　not　favorable　to

the　indulgence　of　verse。　　As　a　college　man　yourself；　my　dear　sir；

you　will　probably　forgive　the　lucubrations　of　an　old　graduate　of

William　and　Mary's；　who　has　forgotten　his　'ars　poetica。'　　The

verses　you　have　possibly　glanced　at　are　crude；　I　am　aware；　and

perhaps　show　the　difficulty　of　expressing　at　once　the　dictates　of

the　heart　and　the　brain。　　They　refer　to　a　dear　friend　now　at　peace。

You　have　perhaps；　in　happier　and　more　careless　hours；　heard　me

speak　of　Mrs。　Euphemia　M'Corkle；　of　Illinois？〃



Hurlstone　remembered　indistinctly　to　have　heard；　even　in　his

reserved　exclusiveness　on　the　Excelsior；　the　current　badinage　of

the　passengers　concerning　Senor　Perkins'　extravagant　adulation　of

this　unknown　poetess。　　As　a　part　of　the　staple　monotonous　humor　of

the　voyage；　it　had　only　disgusted　him。　　With　a　feeling　that　he　was

unconsciously　sharing　the　burlesque　relief　of　the　passengers；　he

said；　with　a　polite　attempt　at　interest；



〃Then　the　lady　isno　more？〃



〃If　that　term　can　be　applied　to　one　whose　work　is　immortal；〃

corrected　Senor　Perkins　gently。　　〃All　that　was　finite　of　this

gifted　woman　was　lately　forwarded　by　Adams's　Express　Company　from

San　Juan；　to　receive　sepulture　among　her　kindred　at　Keokuk；　Iowa。〃



〃Did　she　say　she　was　from　that　place？〃　asked　Hurlstone；　with　half

automatic　interest。



〃The　Consul　says　she　gave　that　request　to　the　priest。〃



〃Then　you　were　not　with　her　when　she　died？〃　said　Hurlstone

absently。



〃I　was　NEVER　with　her；　neither　then　nor　before；〃　returned　Senor

Perkins　gravely。　　Seeing　Hurlstone's　momentary　surprise；　he　went

on；　〃The　late　Mrs。　M'Corkle　and　I　never　metwe　were　personally

unknown　to　each　other。　　You　may　have　observed　the　epithet　'unmet'

in　the　first　line　of　the　first　stanza；　you　will　then　understand

that　the　privation　of　actual　contact　with　this　magnetic　soul　would

naturally　impart　more　difficulty　into　elegiac　expression。〃



〃Then　you　never　really　saw　the　lady　you　admire？〃　said　Hurlstone

vacantly。



〃Never。　　The　story　is　a　romantic　one；〃　said　Perkins；　with　a　smile

that　was　half　complacent　and　yet　half　embarrassed。　　〃May　I　tell　it

to　you？　　Thanks。　　Some　three　years　ago　I　contributed　some　verses　to

the　columns　of　a　Western　paper　edited　by　a　friend　of　mine。　　The

subject　chosen　was　my　favorite　one；　'The　Liberation　of　Mankind；'　in

which　I　may　possibly　have　expressed　myself　with　some　poetic　fervor

on　a　theme　so　dear　to　my　heart。　　I　may　remark　without　vanity；　that

it　received　high　encomiumsperhaps　at　some　more　opportune　moment

you　may　be　induced　to　cast　your　eyes　over　a　copy　I　still　retain

but　no　praise　touched　me　as　deeply　as　a　tribute　in　verse　in　another

journal　from　a　gifted　unknown；　who　signed　herself　'Euphemia。'　　The

subject　of　the　poem；　which　was　dedicated　to　myself；　was　on　the

liberation　of　womenfromerI　may　say　certain　domestic　shackles；

treated　perhaps　vaguely；　but　with　grace　and　vigor。　　I　replied　a

week　later　in　a　larger　poem；　recording　more　fully　my　theories　and

aspirations　regarding　a　struggling　Central　American　confederacy；

addressed　to　'Euphemia。'　　She　rejoined　with　equal　elaboration　and

detail；　referring　to　a　more　definite　form　of　tyranny　in　the

relations　of　marriage；　and　alluding　with　some　feeling　to

uncongenial　experiences　of　her　own。　　An　instinct　of　natural

delicacy；　veiled　under　the　hyperbole　of　'want　of　space；'　prevented

my　editorial　friend　from　encouraging　the　repetition　of　this

charming　interchange　of　thought　and　feeling。　　But　I　procured　the

fair　stranger's　address；　we　began　a　correspondence；　at　once

imaginative　and　sympathetic　in　expression；　if　not　always　poetical

in　form。　　I　was　called　to　South　America　by　the　Macedonian　cry　of

'Quinquinambo！'　　I　still　corresponded　with　her。　　When　I　returned　to

Quinquinambo　I　received　letters　from　her；　dated　from　San　Francisco。

I　feel　that　my　words　could　only　fail；　my　dear　Hurlstone；　to　convey

to　you　the　strength　and　support　I　derived　from　those　impassioned

breathings　of　aid　and　sympathy　at　that　time。　　Enough　for　me　to

confess　that　it　was　mainly　due　to　the　deep　womanly　interest　that

SHE　took　in　the　fortunes　of　the　passengers　of　the　Excelsior　that　I

gave　the　Mexican　authorities　early　notice　of　their　whereabouts。

But；　pardon　me；〃he　stopped　hesitatingly；　with　a　slight　flush；　as

he　noticed　the　utterly　inattentive　face　and　attitude　of　Hurlstone；

〃I　am　boring　you。　　I　am　forgetting　that　this　is　only　important　to

myself；〃　he　added；　with　a　sigh。　　〃I　only　intended　to　ask　your

advice　in　regard　to　the　disposition　of　certain　manuscripts　and

effects　of　hers；　which　are　unconnected　with　our　acquaintance。　　I

thought；　perhaps；　I　might　entrust　them　to　your　delicacy　and

consideration。　　They　are　here；　if　you　choose　to　look　them　over；　and

here　is　also　what　I　believe　to　be　a　daguerreotype　of　the　lady

herself；　but　in　which　I　fail　to　recognize　her　soul　and　genius。〃



He　laid　a　bundle　of　letters　and　a　morocco　case　on　the　table　with　a

carelessness　that　was　intended　to　hide　a　slight　shade　of

disappointment　in　his　faceand　rose。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Hurlstone；　in　confused　and　remorseful

apology；　〃but　I　frankly　confess　that　my　thoughts　WERE　preoccupied。

Pray　forgive　me。　　If　you　will　leave　these　papers　with　me；　I　promise

to　devote　myself　to　them　another　time。〃



〃As　you　please；〃　said　the　Senor；　with　a　slight　return　of　his　old

affability。　　〃But　don't　bore　yourself　now。　　Let　us　go　on　deck。〃



He　passed　out　of　the　cabin　as　Hurlstone　glanced；　half　mechanically；

at　the　package　before　him。　　Suddenly　his　cheek　reddened；　he

stopped；　looked　hurriedly　at　the　retreating　form　of　Perkins；　and

picked　up　a　manuscript　from　the　packet。　　It　was　in　his　wife's

handwriting。　　A　sudden　idea　flashed　across　his　mind；　and　seemed　to

illuminate　the　obscure　monotony　of　the　story　he　had　just　heard。　　He

turned　hurriedly　to　the　morocco　case；　and　opened　it　with　trembling

fingers。　　It　was　a　daguerreotype；　faded　and　silvered；　but　the

features　were　those　of　his　wife！





CHAPTER　VIII。



HOSTAGE。





The　revolution　of　Todos　Santos　had　to　all　appearances　been　effected

as　peacefully　as　the　gentle　Liberator　of　Quinquinambo　could　have

wished。　　Two　pronunciamientos；　rudely　printed　and　posted　in　the

Plaza；　and　saluted　by　the　fickle　garrison　of　one　hundred　men；　who

had；　however；　immediately　reappointed　their　old　commander　as

Generalissimo　under　the　new　regime；　seemed　to　leave　nothing　to　be

desired。　　A　surging　mob　of　vacant　and　wondering　peons；　bearing　a

singular　resemblance　to　the　wild　cattle　and　horses　which

intermingled　with　them　in　blind　and　unceasing　movement　across　the

Plaza　and　up　the　hilly　street；　and　seemingly　as　incapable　of　self…

government；　were　alternately　dispersed　and　stampeded　or　allowed　to

gather　again　as　occasion　required。　　Some　of　these　heterogeneous

bands　were　afterwards　foundthe　revolution　accomplishedgazing

stupidly　on　the　sea；　or　ruminating　in　bovine　wantonness　on　the

glacis　before　the　Presidio。



Eleanor　Keene；　who　with　her　countrywomen　had　been　hurried　to　the

refuge　of　the　Mission；　was　more　disturbed　and　excited　at　the

prospect　of　meeting　Hurlstone　again　than　by　any　terror　of　the

insurrection。　　But　Hurlstone　was　not　there；　and　Father　Esteban

received　her　with　a　coldness　she　could　not　attribute　entirely　to

her　countrymen's　supposed　sympathy　with　the　insurgents。　　When

Richard　Keene；　who　would　not　leave　his　sister　until　he　had　seen　her

safe　under　the　Mission　walls；　ventured　at　her　suggestion　to　ask

after　the　American　recluse；　Father　Esteban　replied