on the frontier-第7章

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little　chorister　was　hanging　emptily　against　the　wall。　　Father

Pedro　started　and　trembled；　it　seemed　as　if　the　spiritual　life　of

the　child　had　slipped　away　with　its　garments。



In　that　slight　chill；　which　even　in　the　hottest　days　in　California

always　invests　any　shadow　cast　in　that　white　sunlight；　Father　Pedro

shivered　in　the　corridor。　　Passing　again　into　the　garden；　he

followed　in　fancy　the　wayfaring　figure　of　Francisco；　saw　the　child

arrive　at　the　rancho　of　Don　Juan；　and　with　the　fateful　blindness　of

all　dreamers　projected　a　picture　most　unlike　the　reality。　　He

followed　the　pilgrims　even　to　San　Jose；　and　saw　the　child　deliver

the　missive　which　gave　the　secret　of　her　sex　and　condition　to　the

Father　Superior。　　That　the　authority　at　San　Jose　might　dissent　with

the　Padre　of　San　Carmel；　or　decline　to　carry　out　his　designs；　did

not　occur　to　the　one…idea'd　priest。　　Like　all　solitary　people；

isolated　from　passing　events；　he　made　no　allowances　for　occurrences

outside　of　his　routine。　　Yet　at　this　moment　a　sudden　thought

whitened　his　yellow　cheek。　　What　if　the　Father　Superior　deemed　it

necessary　to　impart　the　secret　to　Francisco？　　Would　the　child

recoil　at　the　deception；　and；　perhaps；　cease　to　love　him？　　It　was

the　first　time；　in　his　supreme　selfishness；　he　had　taken　the

acolyte's　feelings　into　account。　　He　had　thought　of　him　only　as　one

owing　implicit　obedience　to　him　as　a　temporal　and　spiritual　guide。



〃Reverend　Father！〃



He　turned　impatiently。　　It　was　his　muleteer；　Jose。　　Father　Pedro's

sunken　eye　brightened。



〃Ah；　Jose！　　Quickly；　then；　hast　thou　found　Sanchicha？〃



〃Truly；　your　reverence！　　And　I　have　brought　her　with　me；　just　as

she　is；　though　if　your　reverence　make　more　of　her　than　to　fill　the

six…foot　hole　and　say　a　prayer　over　her；　I'll　give　the　mule　that

brought　her　here　for　food　for　the　bull's　horns。　　She　neither　hears

nor　speaks；　but　whether　from　weakness　or　sheer　wantonness；　I　know

not。〃



〃Peace；　then！　and　let　thy　tongue　take　example　from　hers。　　Bring　her

with　thee　into　the　sacristy　and　attend　without。　　Go！〃



Father　Pedro　watched　the　disappearing　figure　of　the　muleteer　and

hurriedly　swept　his　thin；　dry　hand；　veined　and　ribbed　like　a　brown

November　leaf；　over　his　stony　forehead；　with　a　sound　that　seemed

almost　a　rustle。　　Then　he　suddenly　stiffened　his　fingers　over　his

breviary；　dropped　his　arms　perpendicularly　before　him；　and　with　a

rigid　step　returned　to　the　corridor　and　passed　into　the　sacristy。



For　a　moment　in　the　half…darkness　the　room　seemed　to　be　empty。

Tossed　carelessly　in　the　corner　appeared　some　blankets　topped　by　a

few　straggling　black　horse　tails；　like　an　unstranded　riata。　　A

trembling　agitated　the　mass　as　Father　Pedro　approached。　　He　bent

over　the　heap　and　distinguished　in　its　midst　the　glowing　black　eyes

of　Sanchicha；　the　Indian　centenarian　of　the　Mission　San　Carmel。

Only　her　eyes　lived。　　Helpless；　boneless；　and　jelly…like；　old　age

had　overtaken　her　with　a　mild　form　of　deliquescence。



〃Listen；　Sanchicha；〃　said　the　father；　gravely。　　〃It　is　important

that　thou　shouldst　refresh　thy　memory　for　a　moment。　　Look　back

fourteen　years；　mother；　it　is　but　yesterday　to　thee。　　Thou　dost

remember　the　babya　little　muchacha　thou　broughtest　me　then

fourteen　years　ago？〃



The　old　woman's　eyes　became　intelligent；　and　turned　with　a　quick

look　towards　the　open　door　of　the　church；　and　thence　towards　the

choir。



The　Padre　made　a　motion　of　irritation。　　〃No；　no！　　Thou　dost　not

understand；　thou　dost　not　attend　me。　　Knowest　thou　of　any　mark　of

clothing；　trinket；　or　amulet　found　upon　the　babe？〃



The　light　of　the　old　woman's　eyes　went　out。　　She　might　have　been

dead。　　Father　Pedro　waited　a　moment；　and　then　laid　his　hand

impatiently　on　her　shoulder。



〃Dost　thou　mean　there　are　none？〃



A　ray　of　light　struggled　back　into　her　eyes。



〃None。〃



〃And　thou　hast　kept　back　or　put　away　no　sign　nor　mark　of　her

parentage？　　Tell　me；　on　this　crucifix。〃



The　eyes　caught　the　crucifix；　and　became　as　empty　as　the　orbits　of

the　carven　Christ　upon　it。



Father　Pedro　waited　patiently。　　A　moment　passed；　only　the　sound　of

the　muleteer's　spurs　was　heard　in　the　courtyard。



〃It　is　well；〃　he　said　at　last；　with　a　sigh　of　relief。　　〃Pepita

shall　give　thee　some　refreshment；　and　Jose　will　bring　thee　back

again。　　I　will　summon　him。〃



He　passed　out　of　the　sacristy　door；　leaving　it　open。　　A　ray　of

sunlight　darted　eagerly　in；　and　fell　upon　the　grotesque　heap　in　the

corner。　　Sanchicha's　eyes　lived　again；　more　than　that；　a　singular

movement　came　over　her　face。　　The　hideous　caverns　of　her　toothless

mouth　openedshe　laughed。　　The　step　of　Jose　was　heard　in　the

corridor；　and　she　became　again　inert。



The　third　day；　which　should　have　brought　the　return　of　Antonio；　was

nearly　spent。　　Father　Pedro　was　impatient　but　not　alarmed。　　The

good　fathers　at　San　Jose　might　naturally　detain　Antonio　for　the

answer；　which　might　require　deliberation。　　If　any　mischance　had

occurred　to　Francisco；　Antonio　would　have　returned　or　sent　a

special　messenger。　　At　sunset　he　was　in　his　accustomed　seat　in　the

orchard；　his　hands　clasped　over　the　breviary　in　his　listless　lap；

his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　mountain　between　him　and　that　mysterious

sea　that　had　brought　so　much　into　his　life。　　He　was　filled　with　a

strange　desire　to　see　it；　a　vague　curiosity　hitherto　unknown　to　his

preoccupied　life；　he　wished　to　gaze　upon　that　strand；　perhaps　the

very　spot　where　she　had　been　found；　he　doubted　not　his　questioning

eyes　would　discover　some　forgotten　trace　of　her；　under　his

persistent　will　and　aided　by　the　Holy　Virgin；　the　sea　would　give　up

its　secret。　　He　looked　at　the　fog　creeping　along　the　summit；　and

recalled　the　latest　gossip　of　San　Carmel；　how　that　since　the　advent

of　the　Americanos　it　was　gradually　encroaching　on　the　Mission。　　The

hated　name　vividly　recalled　to　him　the　features　of　the　stranger　as

he　had　stood　before　him　three　nights　ago；　in　this　very　garden；　so

vividly　that　he　sprang　to　his　feet　with　an　exclamation。　　It　was　no

fancy；　but　Senor　Cranch　himself　advancing　from　under　the　shadow　of

a　pear　tree。



〃I　reckoned　I'd　catch　you　here；〃　said　Mr。　Cranch；　with　the　same

dry；　practical　business　fashion；　as　if　he　was　only　resuming　an

interrupted　conversation；　〃and　I　reckon　I　ain't　going　to　keep　you　a

minit　longer　than　I　did　t'other　day。〃　　He　mutely　referred　to　his

watch；　which　he　already　held　in　his　hand；　and　then　put　it　back　in

his　pocket。　　〃Well！　we　found　her！〃



〃Francisco；〃　interrupted　the　priest　with　a　single　stride；　laying

his　hand　upon　Cranch's　arm；　and　staring　into　his　eyes。



Mr。　Cranch　quietly　removed　Father　Pedro's　hand。　　〃I　reckon　that

wasn't　the　name　as　I　caught　it；〃　he　returned　dryly。　　〃Hadn't　you

better　sit　down？〃



〃Pardon　mepardon　me；　Senor；〃　said　the　priest；　hastily　sinking

back　upon　his　bench；　〃I　was　thinking　of　other　things。　　Youyou

came　upon　me　suddenly。　　I　thought　it　was　the　acolyte。　　Go　on；

Senor！　　I　am　interested。〃



〃I　thought　you'd　be；〃　said　Cranch；　quietly。　　〃That's　why　I　came。

And　then　you　might　be　of　service　too。〃



〃True；　true；〃　said　the　priest；　with　rapid　accents；　〃and　this　girl；

Senor；　this　girl　is〃



〃Juanita；　the　mestiza；　adopted　daughter　of　Don　Juan　Briones；　over

on　the　Santa　Clare　Valley；〃　replied　Cranch；　jerking　his　thumb　over

his　shoulder；　and　then　sitting　down　upon　the　bench　beside　Father

Pedro。



The　priest　turned　his　feverish　eyes　piercingly　upon　his　companion

for　a　few　seconds；　and　then　doggedly　fixed　them　upon　the　ground。

Cranch　drew　a　plug　of　tobacco　from　his　pocket；　cut　off　a　portion；

placed　it　in　his　cheek；　and　then　quietly　began　to　strap　the　blade

of　his　jack…knife　upon　his　boot。　　Father　Pedro　saw　it　from　under

his　eyelids；　and　even　in　his　preoccupation　despised　him。



〃Then　you　are　certain　she　is　the　babe　you　seek？〃　said　the　father；

without　looking　up。



〃I　reckon　as　near　as　you　can　be　certain　of　anything。　　Her　age