a convert of the mission-第4章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a light laugh beside him。 He stopped。 A black shadow stepped out
from beneath his own almond tree。 He started when； with a gesture
that seemed familiar to him； the upper part of the shadow seemed to
fall away with a long black mantilla and the face of the young girl
was revealed。
He could see now that she was clad in black lace from head to foot。
She looked taller； older； and he fancied even prettier than before。
A sudden doubt of his ability to impress her； a swift realization
of all the difficulties of the attempt； and； for the first time
perhaps； a dim perception of the incongruity of the situation came
over him。
〃I was looking for you on the wall；〃 he stammered。
〃MADRE DE DIOS！〃 she retorted； with a laugh and her old audacity；
〃you would that I shall ALWAYS hang there； and drop upon you like a
pear when you shake the tree？ No！〃
〃You haven't brought your guitar；〃 he continued； still more
awkwardly； as he noticed that she held only a long black fan in her
hand。
〃For why？ You would that I PLAY it； and when my uncle say 'Where
go Pepita？ She is loss；' someone shall say； 'Oh！ I have hear her
tink…a…tink in the garden of the Americano； who lif alone。' And
thenit ess finish！〃
Masterton began to feel exceedingly uncomfortable。 There was
something in this situation that he had not dreamed of。 But with
the persistency of an awkward man he went on。
〃But you played on the wall the other night； and tried to accompany
me。〃
〃But that was lass night and on the wall。 I had not speak to you；
you had not speak to me。 You had not sent me the leetle note by
your peon。〃 She stopped； and suddenly opening her fan before her
face； so that only her mischievous eyes were visible； added： 〃You
had not asked me then to come to hear you make lof to me； Don
Esteban。 That is the difference。〃
The circuit preacher felt the blood rush to his face。 Anger；
shame； mortification； remorse； and fear alternately strove with
him； but above all and through all he was conscious of a sharp；
exquisite pleasurethat frightened him still more。 Yet he managed
to exclaim：
〃No！ no！ You cannot think me capable of such a cowardly trick？〃
The girl started； more at the unmistakable sincerity of his
utterance than at the words； whose full meaning she may have only
imperfectly caught。
〃A treek？ A treek？〃 she slowly and wonderingly repeated。 Then
suddenly； as if comprehending him； she turned her round black eyes
full upon him and dropped her fan from her face。
〃And WHAT for you ask me to come here then？〃
〃I wanted to talk with you；〃 he began； 〃on far more serious
matters。 I wished to〃 but he stopped。 He could not address this
quaint child…woman staring at him in black…eyed wonder； in either
the measured or the impetuous terms with which he would have
exhorted a maturer responsible being。 He made a step toward her；
she drew back； striking at his extended hand half impatiently； half
mischievously with her fan。
He flushedand then burst out bluntly； 〃I want to talk with you
about your soul。〃
〃My what？〃
〃Your immortal soul； unhappy girl。〃
〃What have you to make with that？ Are you a devil？〃 Her eyes grew
rounder； though she faced him boldly。
〃I am a Minister of the Gospel；〃 he said； in hurried entreaty。
〃You must hear me for a moment。 I would save your soul。〃
〃My immortal soul lif with the Padre at the Missionyou moost seek
her there！ My mortal BODY；〃 she added； with a mischievous smile；
〃say to you； 'good a' night； Don Esteban。'〃 She dropped him a
little curtsy andran away。
〃One moment； Miss Ramirez；〃 said Masterton； eagerly； but she had
already slipped beyond his reach。 He saw her little black figure
passing swiftly beside the moonlit wall； saw it suddenly slide into
a shadowy fissure； and vanish。
In his blank disappointment he could not bear to re…enter the house
he had left so sanguinely a few moments before； but walked moodily
in the garden。 His discomfiture was the more complete since he
felt that his defeat was owing to some mistake in his methods； and
not the incorrigibility of his subject。
Was it not a spiritual weakness in him to have resented so sharply
the girl's imputation that he wished to make love to her？ He
should have borne it as Christians had even before now borne
slander and false testimony for their faith！ He might even have
ACCEPTED it； and let the triumph of her conversion in the end prove
his innocence。 Or was his purpose incompatible with that sisterly
affection he had so often preached to the women of his flock？ He
might have taken her hand； and called her 〃Sister Pepita；〃 even as
he had called Deborah 〃Sister。〃 He recalled the fact that he had
for an instant held her struggling in his arms： he remembered the
thrill that the recollection had caused him； and somehow it now
sent a burning blush across his face。 He hurried back into the
house。
The next day a thousand wild ideas took the place of his former
settled resolution。 He would seek the Padre； this custodian of the
young girl's soul； he would convince HIM of his error； or beseech
him to give him an equal access to her spirit！ He would seek the
uncle of the girl； and work upon his feelings。
Then for three or four days he resolved to put the young girl from
his mind； trusting after the fashion of his kind for some special
revelation from a supreme source as an indication for his conduct。
This revelation presently occurred； as it is apt to occur when
wanted。
One evening his heart leaped at the familiar sound of Pepita's
guitar in the distance。 Whatever his ultimate intention now； he
hurriedly ran into the garden。 The sound came from the former
direction； but as he unhesitatingly approached the Mission wall； he
could see that she was not upon it； and as the notes of her guitar
were struck again； he knew that they came from the other side。 But
the chords were a prelude to one of his own hymns； and he stood
entranced as her sweet； childlike voice rose with the very words
that he had sung。 The few defects were those of purely oral
imitation； the accents； even the slight reiteration of the 〃s；〃
were Pepita's own：
Cheeldren oof the Heavenly King；
As ye journey essweetly ssing；
Essing your great Redeemer's praise；
Glorioos in Hees works and ways。
He was astounded。 Her recollection of the air and words was the
more wonderful； for he remembered now that he had only sung that
particular hymn once。 But to his still greater delight and
surprise； her voice rose again in the second verse； with a touch of
plaintiveness that swelled his throat：
We are traveling home to God；
In the way our farzers trod；
They are happy now； and we
Soon their happiness shall see。
The simple； almost childish wordsso childish that they might have
been the fitting creation of her own childish lipshere died away
with a sweep and crash of the whole strings。 Breathless silence
followed； in which Stephen Masterton could feel the beatings of his
own heart。
〃Miss Ramirez；〃 he called； in a voice that scarcely seemed his own。
There was no reply。 〃Pepita！〃 he repeated； it was strangely like
the accent of a lover； but he no longer cared。 Still the singer's
voice was silent。
Then he ran swiftly beside the wall； as he had seen her run； until
he came to the fissure。 It was overgrown with vines and brambles
almost as impenetrable as an abatis； but if she had pierced it in
her delicate crape dress； so could he！ He brushed roughly through；
and found himself in a glimmering aisle of pear trees close by the
white wall of the Mission church。
For a moment in that intricate tracing of ebony and ivory made by
the rising moon； he was dazzled； but evidently his irruption into
the orchard had not been as lithe and silent as her own； for a
figure in a parti…colored dress suddenly started into activity； and
running from the wall； began to course through the trees until it
became apparently a part of that involved pattern。 Nothing
daunted； however； Stephen Masterton pursued； his speed increased as
he recognized the flounces of Pepita's barred dress； but the young
girl had the advantage of knowing the locality； and could evade her
pursuer by unsuspected turns and doubles。
For some moments this fanciful sylvan chase was kept up in perfect
silence； it might have been a woodland nymph pursued by a wandering
shepherd。 Masterton presently saw that she was making toward a
tiled roof that was now visible as projecting over the presidio
wall； and was evidently her goal of refuge。 He redoubled his
speed； with skillful audacity and sheer strength of his broad
shoulders he broke through a dense ceanothus hedge which Pepita was
swiftly skirting； and suddenly appeared between her and her house。
With her first cry； the young girl turned and tried to bury herself
in the hedge； but in another stride the circuit preacher was at her
side； and caught her panting figure in his arms。
While he had been running he had swiftly formulated what he should
do and what he should say to her。 To his simple appeal for her
companionship and willing ear he would add a brotherly tenderness；
that should invite her trustfulness in him； he would confess his
wrong and ask her forgiveness of his abrupt solicitations； he would
propose to teach her more hymns； they would practice psalmody
together； even this priest； the custodian of her soul； could not
object to that； but chiefly he would thank her： he would tell her
how she had pleased him； and this would lead to more serious and
thoughtful converse。 All this was in his mind while he ran； was
upon his lips as he caught her and for an instant she lapsed；
exhausted； in his arms。 But； alas！ even in that moment he suddenly
drew her toward him； and kissed her as only a lover could！
The wire grass was already yellowing on the Tasajara plains with
the dusty decay of the long； dry summer when Dr。 Duchesne returned
to Tasajara。 He came to see the wife of Deacon Sanderson； who；
having for the twelfth time added to the population of the
settlement； was not 〃doing as well〃 as everybodyexcept； possibly；
Dr。 Duchesneexpected。 After he had made this hollow…eyed； over…
burdened； undernourished woman as comfortable as he could in her
rude； neglected surroundings； to change the dreary chronicle of
suffering； he turned to the husband； and said； 〃And what has become
of Mr。 Masterton； who used to be in yourvocation？〃 A long groan
came from the deacon。
〃Hallo！ I hope he has not had a relapse；〃 said the doctor；
earnestly。 〃I thought I'd knocked all that nonsense out of himI
beg your pardonI mean；〃 he added； hurriedly； 〃he wrote to me only
a few weeks ago that he was picking up his strength again and doi
