on the frontier-第2章

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Monterey？　　Speak！〃



〃Neither；　holy　father；〃　said　the　boy；　the　color　struggling　back

into　his　pale　cheeks；　and　an　apologetic；　bashful　smile　lighting　his

clear　eyes。　　〃Neither；　but　oh！　such　a　gross；　lethargic　toad！　　And

it　almost　leaped　upon　me。〃



〃A　toad　leaped　upon　thee！〃　repeated　the　good　father　with　evident

vexation。　　〃What　next？　　I　tell　thee；　child；　those　foolish　fears　are

most　unmeet　for　thee；　and　must　be　overcome；　if　necessary；　with

prayer　and　penance。　　Frightened　by　a　toad！　　Blood　of　the　Martyrs！

'Tis　like　any　foolish　girl！〃



Father　Pedro　stopped　and　coughed。



〃I　am　saying　that　no　Christian　child　should　shrink　from　any　of

God's　harmless　creatures。　　And　only　last　week　thou　wast　disdainful

of　poor　Murieta's　pig；　forgetting　that　San　Antonio　himself　did

elect　one　his　faithful　companion；　even　in　glory。〃



〃Yes；　but　it　was　so　fat；　and　so　uncleanly；　holy　father；〃　replied

the　young　acolyte；　〃and　it　smelt　so。〃



〃Smelt　so？〃　echoed　the　father　doubtfully。　　〃Have　a　care；　child；

that　this　is　not　luxuriousness　of　the　senses。　　I　have　noticed　of

late　you　gather　overmuch　of　roses　and　syringa；　excellent　in　their

way　and　in　moderation；　but　still　not　to　be　compared　with　the　flower

of　Holy　Church；　the　lily。〃



〃But　lilies　don't　look　well　on　the　refectory　table；　and　against　the

adobe　wall；〃　returned　the　acolyte；　with　a　pout　of　a　spoilt　child；

〃and　surely　the　flowers　cannot　help　being　sweet；　any　more　than

myrrh　or　incense。　　And　I　am　not　frightened　of　the　heathen

Americanos　either　NOW。　　There　was　a　small　one　in　the　garden

yesterday；　a　boy　like　me；　and　he　spoke　kindly　and　with　a　pleasant

face。〃



〃What　said　he　to　thee；　child？〃　asked　Father　Pedro；　anxiously。



〃Nay；　the　matter　of　his　speech　I　could　not　understand；〃　laughed　the

boy；　〃but　the　manner　was　as　gentle　as　thine；　holy　father。〃



〃'St；　child；〃　said　the　Padre　impatiently。　　〃Thy　likings　are　as

unreasonable　as　thy　fears。　　Besides；　have　I　not　told　thee　it　ill

becomes　a　child　of　Christ　to　chatter　with　those　sons　of　Belial？

But　canst　thou　not　repeat　the　wordsthe　WORDS　he　said？〃　he

continued　suspiciously。



〃'Tis　a　harsh　tongue　the　Americanos　speak　in　their　throat；〃　replied

the　boy。　　〃But　he　said　'Devilishnisse'　and　'pretty…as…a…girl；'　and

looked　at　me。〃



The　good　father　made　the　boy　repeat　the　words　gravely；　and　as

gravely　repeated　them　after　him　with　infinite　simplicity。　　〃They

are　but　heretical　words；〃　he　replied　in　answer　to　the　boy's

inquiring　look；　〃it　is　well　you　understand　not　English。　　Enough。

Run　away；　child；　and　be　ready　for　the　Angelus。　　I　will　commune　with

myself　awhile　under　the　pear　trees。〃



Glad　to　escape　so　easily；　the　young　acolyte　disappeared　down　the

alley　of　fig　trees；　not　without　a　furtive　look　at　the　patches　of

chickweed　around　their　roots；　the　possible　ambuscade　of　creeping　or

saltant　vermin。　　The　good　priest　heaved　a　sigh　and　glanced　round

the　darkening　prospect。　　The　sun　had　already　disappeared　over　the

mountain　wall　that　lay　between　him　and　the　sea；　rimmed　with　a　faint

white　line　of　outlying　fog。　　A　cool　zephyr　fanned　his　cheek；　it　was

the　dying　breath　of　the　vientos　generales　beyond　the　wall。　　As

Father　Pedro's　eyes　were　raised　to　this　barrier；　which　seemed　to

shut　out　the　boisterous　world　beyond；　he　fancied　he　noticed　for　the

first　time　a　slight　breach　in　the　parapet；　over　which　an　advanced

banner　of　the　fog　was　fluttering。　　Was　it　an　omen？　　His　speculations

were　cut　short　by　a　voice　at　his　very　side。



He　turned　quickly　and　beheld　one　of　those　〃heathens〃　against　whom

he　had　just　warned　his　young　acolyte；　one　of　that　straggling　band

of　adventurers　whom　the　recent　gold　discoveries　had　scattered　along

the　coast。　　Luckily　the　fertile　alluvium　of　these　valleys；　lying

parallel　with　the　sea；　offered　no　〃indications〃　to　attract　the　gold

seekers。　　Nevertheless　to　Father　Pedro　even　the　infrequent　contact

with　the　Americanos　was　objectionable；　they　were　at　once

inquisitive　and　careless；　they　asked　questions　with　the　sharp

perspicacity　of　controversy；　they　received　his　grave　replies　with

the　frank　indifference　of　utter　worldliness。　　Powerful　enough　to

have　been　tyrannical　oppressors；　they　were　singularly　tolerant　and

gentle；　contenting　themselves　with　a　playful；　good…natured

irreverence；　which　tormented　the　good　father　more　than　opposition。

They　were　felt　to　be　dangerous　and　subversive。



The　Americano；　however；　who　stood　before　him　did　not　offensively

suggest　these　national　qualities。　　A　man　of　middle　height；　strongly

built；　bronzed　and　slightly　gray　from　the　vicissitudes　of　years　and

exposure；　he　had　an　air　of　practical　seriousness　that　commended

itself　to　Father　Pedro。　　To　his　religious　mind　it　suggested　self…

consciousness；　expressed　in　the　dialect　of　the　stranger　it　only

meant　〃business。〃



〃I'm　rather　glad　I　found　you　out　here　alone；〃　began　the　latter；　〃it

saves　time。　　I　haven't　got　to　take　my　turn　with　the　rest；　in

there〃he　indicated　the　church　with　his　thumb〃and　you　haven't

got　to　make　an　appointment。　　You　have　got　a　clear　forty　minutes

before　the　Angelus　rings；〃　he　added；　consulting　a　large　silver

chronometer；　〃and　I　reckon　I　kin　git　through　my　part　of　the　job

inside　of　twenty；　leaving　you　ten　minutes　for　remarks。　　I　want　to

confess。〃



Father　Pedro　drew　back　with　a　gesture　of　dignity。　　The　stranger；

however；　laid　his　hand　upon　the　Padre's　sleeve　with　the　air　of　a

man　anticipating　objection；　but　never　refusal；　and　went　on。



〃Of　course；　I　know。　　You　want　me　to　come　at　some　other　time；　and　in

THERE。　　You　want　it　in　the　reg'lar　style。　　That's　your　way　and　your

time。　　My　answer　is：　it　ain't　MY　way　and　MY　time。　　The　main　idea　of

confession；　I　take　it；　is　gettin'　at　the　facts。　　I'm　ready　to　give

'em　if　you'll　take　'em　out　here；　now。　　If　you're　willing　to　drop

the　Church　and　confessional；　and　all　that　sort　o'　thing；　I；　on　my

side；　am　willing　to　give　up　the　absolution；　and　all　that　sort　o'

thing。　　You　might；〃　he　added；　with　an　unconscious　touch　of　pathos

in　the　suggestion；　〃heave　in　a　word　or　two　of　advice　after　I　get

through；　for　instance；　what　YOU'D　do　in　the　circumstances；　you　see！

That's　all。　　But　that's　as　you　please。　　It　ain't　part　of　the

business。〃



Irreverent　as　this　speech　appeared；　there　was　really　no　trace　of

such　intention　in　his　manner；　and　his　evident　profound　conviction

that　his　suggestion　was　practical；　and　not　at　all　inconsistent　with

ecclesiastical　dignity；　would　alone　have　been　enough　to　touch　the

Padre；　had　not　the　stranger's　dominant　personality　already

overridden　him。　　He　hesitated。　　The　stranger　seized　the　opportunity

to　take　his　arm；　and　lead　him　with　the　half　familiarity　of　powerful

protection　to　a　bench　beneath　the　refectory　window。　　Taking　out　his

watch　again；　he　put　it　in　the　passive　hands　of　the　astonished

priest；　saying；　〃Time　me；〃　cleared　his　throat；　and　began：



〃Fourteen　years　ago　there　was　a　ship　cruisin'　in　the　Pacific；　jest

off　this　range；　that　was　ez　nigh　on　to　a　Hell　afloat　as　anything

rigged　kin　be。　　If　a　chap　managed　to　dodge　the　cap'en's　belayin…pin

for　a　time；　he　was　bound　to　be　fetched　up　in　the　ribs　at　last　by

the　mate's　boots。　　There　was　a　chap　knocked　down　the　fore　hatch

with　a　broken　leg　in　the　Gulf；　and　another　jumped　overboard　off

Cape　Corrientes；　crazy　as　a　loon；　along　a　clip　of　the　head　from　the

cap'en's　trumpet。　　Them's　facts。　　The　ship　was　a　brigantine；

trading　along　the　Mexican　coast。　　The　cap'en　had　his　wife　aboard；　a

little　timid　Mexican　woman　he'd　picked　up　at　Mazatlan。　　I　reckon

she　didn't　get　on　with　him　any　better　than　the　men；　for　she　ups　and

dies　one　day；　leavin'　her　baby；　a　year…old　gal。　　One　of　the　crew

was　fond　o'　that　baby。　　He　used　to　get　the　black　nurse　to　put　it　in

the　dingy；　and　he'd　tow　it　astern；　rocking　it　with　the　painter　like

a　cradle。　　He　did　ithatin'　the　cap'en　all　the　same。　　One　day　the

black　nurse　got　out　of　the　dingy　for　a　moment；　when　the　baby　was

asleep；　leavin'　him　alone　with