padre ignacio-第7章

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any　more；　and　the　black　hole　of　silence　grew　more　dreadful　to　him　than

their　arguments。　Then　the　dawn　came　in　at　his　window；　and　he　lay　watching

its　gray　grow　warm　into　color；　until　suddenly　he　sprang　from　his　bed　and

looked　at　the　sea。　Blue　it　lay；　sapphire…hued　and　dancing　with　points　of

gold；　lovely　and　luring　as　a　charm；　and　over　its　triangle　the　south…bound

ship　was　approaching。　People　were　on　board　who　in　a　few　weeks　would　be

sailing　the　Atlantic；　while　he　would　stand　here　looking　out　of　this　same

window。　〃Merciful　God！〃　he　cried；　sinking　on　his　knees。　〃Heavenly

Father；　Thou　seest　this　evil　in　my　heart！　Thou　knowest　that　my　weak　hand

cannot　pluck　it　out！　My　strength　is　breaking；　and　still　Thou　makest　my

burden　heavier　than　I　can　bear。〃　He　stopped；　breathless　and　trembling。

The　same　visions　was　flitting　across　his　closed　eyes；　the　same　silence

gaped　like　a　dry　crater　in　his　soul。　〃There　is　no　help　in　earth　or

heaven；〃　he　said；　very　quietly；　and　he　dressed　himself。







VIIt　was　still　so　early　that　few　of　the　Indians　were　stirring；　and　one　of

these　saddled　the　Padre's　mule。　Felipe　was　not　yet　awake；　and　for　a

moment　it　came　in　the　priest's　mind　to　open　the　boy's　door　softly；　look

at　him　once　more；　and　come　away。　But　this　he　did　not；　nor　even　take　a

farewell　glance　at　the　church　and　organ。　He　bade　nothing　farewell；　but；

turning　his　back　upon　his　room　and　his　garden；　rode　down　the　canyon。



The　vessel　lay　at　anchor；　and　some　one　had　landed　from　ha　and　was　talking

with　other　men　on　the　shore。　Seeing　the　priest　slowly　coming；　this

stranger　approached　to　meet　him。



〃You　are　connected　with　the　mission　here？〃　he　inquired。



〃Iam。〃



〃Perhaps　it　is　with　you　that　Gaston　Villere　stopped？〃



〃The　young　man　from　New　Orleans？　Yes。　I　am　Padre　Ignacio。〃



〃Then　you'll　save　me　a　journey。　I　promised　him　to　deliver　these　into　your

own　hands。〃



The　stranger　gave　them　to　him。



〃A　bag　of　gold…dust；〃　he　explained；　〃and　a　letter。　I　wrote　it　at　his

dictation　while　he　was　dying。　He　lived　hardly　an　hour　afterward。〃



The　stranger　bowed　his　head　at　the　stricken　cry　which　his　news　elicited

from　the　priest；　who；　after　a　few　moments'　vain　effort　to　speak；　opened

the　letter　and　read：



My　dear　Friend；It　is　through　no　man's　fault　but　mine　that　I　have　come

to　this。　I　have　had　plenty　of　luck；　and　lately　have　been　counting　the

days　until　I　should　return　home。　But　last　night　heavy　news　from　New

Orleans　reached　me；　and　I　tore　the　pressed　flower　to　pieces。　Under　the

first　smart　and　humiliation　of　broken　faith　I　was　rendered　desperate；　and

picked　a　needless　quarrel。　Thank　God；　it　is　I　who　have　the　punishment。　By

dear　friend；　as　I　lie　here；　leaving　a　world　that　no　man　ever　loved　more；

I　have　come　to　understand　you。　For　you　and　your　mission　have　been　much　in

my　thoughts。　It　is　strange　how　good　can　be　done；　not　at　the　time　when　it

is　intended；　but　afterward；　and　you　have　done　this　good　to　me。　I　say　over

your　words；　〃Contentment　with　Renunciation；〃　and　believe　that　at　this

last　hour　I　have　gained　something　like　what　you　would　wish　me　to　feel。

For　I　do　not　think　that　I　desire　it　otherwise　now。　My　life　would　never

have　been　of　service；　I　am　afraid。　You　am　the　last　person　in　this　world

who　has　spoken　serious　words　to　me；　and　I　want　you　to　know　that　now　at

length　I　value　the　peace　of　Santa　Ysabel　as　I　could　never　have　done　but

for　seeing　your　wisdom　and　goodness。　You　spoke　of　a　new　organ　for　your

church。　Take　the　gold…dust　that　will　reach　you　with　this；　and　do　what　you

will　with　it。　Let　me　at　least　in　dying　have　helped　some　one。　And　since

them　is　no　aristocracy　in　soulsyou　said　that　to　me；　do　you　remember？

perhaps　you　will　say　a　mass　for　this　departing　soul　of　mine。　I　only　wish；

must　my　body　must　go　under　ground　in　a　strange　country；　that　it　might

have　been　at　Santa　Ysabel　did　Mar；　where　your　feet　would　often　pass。



〃'At　Santa　Ysabel　del　Mar；　where　your　feet　would　often　pass。'〃　The　priest

repeated　this　final　sentence　aloud；　without　being　aware　of　it。



〃Those　are　the　last　words　he　ever　spoke；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃except

bidding　me　good…by。〃



〃You　knew　him　well；　then？〃



〃No；　not　until　after　he　was　hurt。　I'm　the　man　he　quarreled　with。〃



The　priest　looked　at　the　ship　that　would　sail　onward　this　afternoon。



Then　a　smile　of　great　beauty　passed　over　his　face；　and　he　addressed　the

strange。　〃I　thank　you。　You　will　never　know　what　you　have　done　for　me。〃



〃It　is　nothing；〃　answered　the　stranger；　awkwardly。　〃He　told　me　you　set

great　store　on　a　new　organ。〃



Padre　Ignacio　turned　away　from　the　ship　and　rode　back　through　the　gorge。

When　he　had　reached　the　shady　place　where　once　he　had　sat　with　Gaston

Villere；　he　dismounted　and　again　sat　there；　alone　by　the　stream；　for　many

hours。　Long　rides　and　outings　had　been　lately　so　much　his　custom　that　no

one　thought　twice　of　his　absence；　and　when　he　resumed　to　the　mission　in

the　afternoon；　the　Indian　took　his　mule；　and　he　went　to　his　seat　in　the

garden。　But　it　was　with　another　look　that　he　watched　the　sea；　and

presently　the　sail　moved　across　the　blue　triangle；　and　soon　it　had

rounded　the　headland。



With　it　departed　Temptation　for　ever。



Gaston's　first　coming　was　in　the　Padre's　mind；　and；　as　the　vespers　bell

began　to　ring　in　the　cloistered　silence；　a　fragment　of　Auber's　plaintive

tune　passed　like　a　sigh　across　his　memory。



＇Musical　score　appears　here＇



For　the　repose　of　Gaston's　young；　world…loving　spirit；　they　sang　all　that

he　had　taught　them　of　Il　Trovatore。



After　this　day；　Felipe　and　all　those　who　knew　and　loved　the　Padre　best；

saw　serenity　had　returned　to　his　features；　but　for　some　reason　they　began

to　watch　those　features　with　more　care。



〃Still；〃　they　said；　〃he　is　not　old。〃　And　as　the　months　went　by　they　would

repeat：　〃We　shall　have　him　yet　for　many　years。〃



Thus　the　season　rolled　round；　bringing　the　time　for　the　expected　messages

from　the　world。　Padre　Ignacio　was　wont　to　sit　in　his　garden；　waiting　for

the　ship；　as　of　old。



〃As　of　old；〃　they　said；　cheerfully；　who　saw　him。　But　Renunciation　with

Contentment　they　could　not　see；　it　was　deep　down　in　his　silent　and

thanked　heart。



One　day　Felipe　went　to　call　him　from　his　garden　seat；　wondering　why　the

ringing　of　the　bell　had　not　brought　him　to　vespers。　Breviary　in　lap；　and

hands　folded　upon　it；　the　Padre　sat　among　his　flowers；　looking　at　the

sea。　Out　there　amid　the　sapphire…blue；　tranquil　and　white；　gleamed　the

sails　of　the　barkentine。　It　had　brought　him　a　new　message；　not　from　this

world；　and　Padre　Ignacio　was　slowly　borne　in　from　the　garden；　while　the

mission…bell　tolled　for　the　passing　of　a　human　soul。










End