the argonauts of north liberty-第20章

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later　find　it　out；　he　grinned　diabolically　in　the　face　of　that
worthy　man；　and　sought　the　meditation　of　his　miraculous　couch。
When　he　had　departed；　the　sceptic　turned　to　his　wife：

〃This　animal　has　been　sniffing　at　the　trail。〃

〃Trulybut　Mother　of　Godwhere　is　the　discretion　of　our　friend。
If　he　will　continue　to　haunt　the　pueblo　like　a　lovesick　chicken；　he
will　get　his　neck　wrung　yet。〃

Following　out　an　ingenious　idea　of　his　own；　Ezekiel　called　the　next
day　on　the　Demorests；　and　in　some　occult　fashion　obtained　an
invitation　to　stay　under　their　hospitable　roof　during　his　sojourn
in　Buenaventura。　　Perfectly　aware　that　he　owed　this　courtesy　more
to　Joan　than　to　her　husband；　it　is　probable　that　his　grim　enjoyment
was　not　diminished　by　the　fact；　while　Joan；　for　reasons　of　her　own；
preferred　the　constraint　which　the　presence　of　another　visitor　put
upon　Demorest's　uxoriousness。　　Of　late；　too；　there　were　times　when
Dona　Rosita's　naive　intelligence；　which　was　not　unlike　the
embarrassing　perceptions　of　a　bright　and　half…spoiled　child；　was　in
her　way；　and　she　would　willingly　have　shared　the　young　lady's
company　with　her　husband　had　Demorest　shown　any　sympathy　for　the
girl。　　It　was　in　the　faint　hope　that　Ezekiel　might　in　some　way
beguile　Rosita's　wandering　attention　that　she　had　invited　him。　　The
only　difficulty　lay　in　his　uncouthness；　and　in　presenting　to　the
heiress　of　the　Picos　a　man　who　had　been　formerly　her　own　servant。
Had　she　attempted　to　conceal　that　fact　she　was　satisfied　that
Ezekiel's　independence　and　natural　predilection　for　embarrassing
situations　would　have　inevitably　revealed　it。　　She　had　even　gone　so
far　as　to　consider　the　propriety　of　investing　him　with　a　poor
relationship　to　her　family；　when　Dona　Rosita　herself　happily
stopped　all　further　trouble。　　On　her　very　first　introduction　to
him；　that　charming　young　lady　at　once　accepted　him　as　a　lunatic
whose　brains　were　turned　by　occult；　scientific；　and　medical　study！
Ah！　she；　Rosita；　had　heard　of　such　cases　before。　　Had　not　a
paternal　ancestor　of　hers；　one　Don　Diego　Castro；　believed　he　had
discovered　the　elixir　of　youth。　　Had　he　not　to　that　end　refused
even　to　wash　him　the　hand；　to　cut　him　the　nail　of　the　finger　and
the　hair　of　the　head！　　Exalted　by　that　discovery；　had　he　not　been
unsparingly　uncomplimentary　to　all　humanity；　especially　to　the
weaker　sex？　　Even　as　the　Senor　Corwin！

Far　from　being　offended　at　this　ingenious　interpretation　of　his
character；　Ezekiel　exhibited　a　dry　gratification　over　it；　and　even
conceived　an　unwholesome　admiration　of　the　fair　critic；　he　haunted
her　presence　and　preoccupied　her　society　far　beyond　Joan's　most
sanguine　expectations。　　He　sat　in　open…mouthed　enjoyment　of　her　at
the　table；　he　waylaid　her　in　the　garden；　he　attempted　to　teach　her
English。　　Dona　Rosita　received　these　extraordinary　advances　in　a　no
less　extraordinary　manner。　　In　the　scant　masculine　atmosphere　of
the　house；　and　the　somewhat　rigid　New　England　reserve　that　still
pervaded　it；　perhaps　she　languished　a　little；　and　was　not　averse　to
a　slight　flirtation；　even　with　a　madman。　　Besides；　she　assumed　the
attitude　of　exercising　a　wholesome　restraint　over　him。　　〃If　we　are
not　found　dead　in　our　bed　one　morning；　and　extracted　of　our　blood
for　a　cordial；　you　shall　thank　to　me　for　it；〃　she　said　to　Joan。
〃Also　for　the　not　empoisoning　of　the　coffee！〃

So　she　permitted　him　to　carry　a　chair　or　hammock　for　her　into　the
garden；　to　fetch　the　various　articles　which　she　was　continually
losing；　and　which　he　found　with　his　usual　penetration；　and　to
supply　her　with　information；　in　which；　however；　he　exercised　an
unwonted　caution。　　On　the　other　hand；　certain　naive　recollections
and　admissions；　which　in　the　quality　of　a　voluble　child　she
occasionally　imparted　to　this　〃madman〃　in　return；　were　in　the
proportion　of　three　to　one。

It　had　been　a　hot　day；　and　even　the　usual　sunset　breeze　had　failed
that　evening　to　rock　the　tops　of　the　outlying　pine…trees　or　cool
the　heated　tiles　of　the　pueblo　roofs。　　There　was　a　hush　and　latent
expectancy　in　the　air　that　reacted　upon　the　people　with　feverish
unrest　and　uneasiness；　even　a　lull　in　the　faintly　whispering　garden
around　the　Demorests'　casa　had　affected　the　spirits　of　its　inmates；
causing　them　to　wander　about　in　vague　restlessness。　　Joan　had
disappeared；　Dona　Rosita；　under　an　olive…tree　in　one　of　the
deserted　paths；　and　attended　by　the　faithful　Ezekiel；　had　said　it
was　〃earthquake　weather；〃　and　recalled；　with　a　sign　of　the　cross；　a
certain　dreadful　day　of　her　childhood；　when　el　temblor　had　shaken
down　one　of　the　Mission　towers。　　〃You　shall　see　it　now；　as　he　have
left　it　so　it　has　remain　always；〃　she　added　with　superstitious
gravity。

〃That's　just　the　lazy　shiftlessness　of　your　folks；〃　responded
Ezekiel　with　prompt　ungallantry。　　〃It　ain't　no　wonder　the　Lord
Almighty　hez　to　stir　you　up　now　and　then　to　keep　you　goin'。〃

Dona　Rosita　gazed　at　him　with　simple　childish　pity。　　〃Poor　man；　it
have　affect　you　also　in　the　head；　this　weather。　　So！　　It　was　even
so　with　the　uncle　of　my　father。　　Hush　up　yourself；　and　bring　to　me
the　box　of　chocolates　of　my　table。　　I　will　gif　to　you　one。　　You
shall　for　one　time　have　something　pleasant　on　the　end　of　your
tongue；　even　if　you　must　swallow　him　after。〃

Ezekiel　grinned。　　〃Ye　ain't　afraid　o'　bein'　left　alone　with　the
ghost　that　haunts　the　garden；　Miss　Rosita？〃

〃After　YOUnever…r…r。〃

〃I'll　find　Mrs。　Demorest　and　send　her　to　ye；〃　said　Ezekiel；
hesitatingly。

〃Eh；　to　attract　here　the　ghost？　　Thank　you；　no；　very　mooch。〃

Ezekiel's　face　contracted　until　nothing　but　his　bright　peering　gray
eyes　could　be　seen。　　〃Attract　the　ghost！〃　he　echoed。　　〃Then　you
kalkilate　that　it's〃　he　stopped；　insinuatingly。

Rosita　brought　her　fan　sharply　over　his　knuckles；　and　immediately
opened　it　again　over　her　half…embarrassed　face。　　〃I　comprehend　not
anything　to　'ekalkilate。'　　WILL　you　go；　Don　Fantastico；　or　is　it
for　me　to　bring　to　you？〃

Ezekiel　flew。　　He　quickly　found　the　chocolates　and　returned；　but
was　disconcerted　on　arriving　under　the　olive…tree　to　find　Dona
Rosita　no　longer　in　the　hammock。　　He　turned　into　a　by…path；　where
an　extraordinary　circumstance　attracted　his　attention。　　The　air
was　perfectly　still；　but　the　leaves　of　a　manzanita　bush　near　the
misshapen　cactus　were　slightly　agitated。　　Presently　Ezekiel　saw　the
stealthy　figure　of　a　man　emerge　from　behind　it　and　approach　the
cactus。　　Reaching　his　hand　cautiously　towards　the　plant；　the
stranger　detached　something　from　one　of　its　thorns；　and　instantly
disappeared。　　The　quick　eyes　of　Ezekiel　had　seen　that　it　was　a
letter；　his　unerring　perception　of　faces　recognized　at　the　same
moment　that　the　intruder　was　none　other　than　the　handsome；
reckless…looking　man　he　had　seen　the　other　day　in　conference　with
Mateo。

But　Ezekiel　was　not　the　only　witness　of　this　strange　intrusion。　　A
few　paces　from　him；　Dona　Rosita；　unconscious　of　his　return；　was
gazing　in　a　half…frightened；　breathless　absorption　in　the　direction
of　the　stranger's　flight。

〃Wa'al！〃　drawled　Ezekiel　lazily。

She　started　and　turned　towards　him。　　Her　face　was　pale　and　alarmed；
and　yet　to　the　critical　eye　of　Ezekiel　it　seemed　to　wear　an
expression　of　gratified　relief。　　She　laughed　faintly。

〃Ef　that's　the　kind　o'　ghost　you　hev　about　yer；　it's　a　healthy
one；〃　drawled　Ezekiel。　　He　turned　and　fixed　his　keen　eyes　on
Rosita's　face。　　〃I　wonder　what　kind　o'　fruit　grows　on　the　cactus
that　he's　so　fond　of？〃

Either　she　had　not　seen　the　abstraction　of　the　letter；　or　his
acting　was　perfect；　for　she　returned　his　look　unwaveringly。　　〃The
fruit；　eh？　　I　have　not　comprehend。〃

〃Wa'al；　I　reckon　I　will；〃　said　Ezekiel。　　He　walked　towards　the
cactus；　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　its　thorny　spikes。　　He　was
confronted；　however；　by　the　sudden　apparition　of　Joan　from　behind
the　manzanita　at　its　side。　　She　looked　up　and　glanced　from　Ezekiel
to　Dona　Rosita　with　an　agitated　air。

〃Oh；　you　saw　him　too？〃　she　said　eagerly。

〃I　reckon；〃　answered　Ezekiel；　with　his　eyes　still　on　Rosita。　　〃I
was　wondering　what　on　airth　he　was　so　taken　with　that　air　cactus
for。〃

Rosita　had　become　slightly　pale　again　in　the　presence　of　her
friend。　　Joan