on the frontier-第2章

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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　it。　　An　idea　took　hold　on　him；　jest

from　cussedness；　you'd　say；　but　it　was　partly　from　revenge　on　the

cap'en　and　partly　to　get　away　from　the　ship。　　The　ship　was　well

inshore；　and　the　current　settin'　towards　it。　　He　slipped　the

painterthat　manand　set　himself　adrift　with　the　baby。　　It　was　a

crazy　act；　you'd　reckon；　for　there　wasn't　any　oars　in　the　boat；　but

he　had　a　crazy　man's　luck；　and　he　contrived；　by　sculling　the　boat

with　one　of　the　seats　he　tore　out；　to　keep　her　out　of　the　breakers；

till　he　could　find　a　bight　in　the　shore　to　run　her　in。　　The　alarm

was　given　from　the　ship；　but　the　fog　shut　down　upon　him；　he　could

hear　the　other　boats　in　pursuit。　　They　seemed　to　close　in　on　him；

and　by　the　sound　he　judged　the　cap'en　was　just　abreast　of　him　in

the　gig；　bearing　down　upon　him　in　the　fog。　　He　slipped　out　of　the

dingy　into　the　water　without　a　splash；　and　struck　out　for　the

breakers。　　He　got　ashore　after　havin'　been　knocked　down　and　dragged

in　four　times　by　the　undertow。　　He　had　only　one　idea　then；

thankfulness　that　he　had　not　taken　the　baby　with　him　in　the　surf。

You　kin　put　that　down　for　him：　it's　a　fact。　　He　got　off　into　the

hills；　and　made　his　way　up　to　Monterey。〃



〃And　the　child？〃　asked　the　Padre；　with　a　sudden　and　strange

asperity　that　boded　no　good　to　the　penitent；　〃the　child　thus

ruthlessly　abandonedwhat　became　of　it？〃



〃That's　just　it；　the　child；〃　assented　the　stranger；　gravely。

〃Well；　if　that　man　was　on　his　death…bed　instead　of　being　here

talking　to　you；　he'd　swear　that　he　thought　the　cap'en　was　sure　to

come　up　to　it　the　next　minit。　　That's　a　fact。　　But　it　wasn't　until

one　day　that　hethat's　meran　across　one　of　that　crew　in　Frisco。

'Hallo；　Cranch；'　sez　he　to　me；　'so　you　got　away；　didn't　you？　　And

how's　the　cap'en's　baby？　　Grown　a　young　gal　by　this　time；　ain't

she？'　　'What　are　you　talkin　about；'　ez　I；　'how　should　I　know？'　　He

draws　away　from　me；　and　sez；　'D…　it；'　sez　he；　'you　don't　mean

that　you'　。　。　。　　I　grabs　him　by　the　throat　and　makes　him　tell　me

all。　　And　then　it　appears　that　the　boat　and　the　baby　were　never

found　again；　and　every　man　of　that　crew；　cap'en　and　all；　believed　I

had　stolen　it。〃



He　paused。　　Father　Pedro　was　staring　at　the　prospect　with　an

uncompromising　rigidity　of　head　and　shoulder。



〃It's　a　bad　lookout　for　me；　ain't　it？〃　the　stranger　continued；　in

serious　reflection。



〃How　do　I　know；〃　said　the　priest　harshly；　without　turning　his　head；

〃that　you　did　not　make　away　with　this　child？〃



〃Beg　pardon。〃



〃That　you　did　not　complete　your　revenge　bybykilling　it；　as　your

comrade　suspected　you？　　Ah！　　Holy　Trinity；〃　continued　Father　Pedro；

throwing　out　his　hands　with　an　impatient　gesture；　as　if　to　take　the

place　of　unutterable　thought。



〃How　do　YOU　know？〃　echoed　the　stranger　coldly。



〃Yes。〃



The　stranger　linked　his　fingers　together　and　threw　them　over　his

knee；　drew　it　up　to　his　chest　caressingly；　and　said　quietly；

〃Because　you　DO　know。〃



The　Padre　rose　to　his　feet。



〃What　mean　you？〃　he　said；　sternly　fixing　his　eyes　upon　the　speaker。

Their　eyes　met。　　The　stranger's　were　gray　and　persistent；　with

hanging　corner　lids　that　might　have　concealed　even　more　purpose

than　they　showed。　　The　Padre's　were　hollow；　open；　and　the　whites

slightly　brown；　as　if　with　tobacco　stains。　　Yet　they　were　the　first

to　turn　away。



〃I　mean；〃　returned　the　stranger；　with　the　same　practical　gravity；

〃that　you　know　it　wouldn't　pay　me　to　come　here；　if　I'd　killed　the

baby；　unless　I　wanted　you　to　fix　things　right　with　me　up　there；〃

pointing　skywards；　〃and　get　absolution；　and　I've　told　you　THAT

wasn't　in　my　line。〃



〃Why　do　you　seek　me；　then？〃　demanded　the　Padre；　suspiciously。



〃Because　I　reckon　I　thought　a　man　might　be　allowed　to　confess

something　short　of　a　murder。　　If　you're　going　to　draw　the　line

below　that〃



〃This　is　but　sacrilegious　levity；〃　interrupted　Father　Pedro；

turning　as　if　to　go。　　But　the　stranger　did　not　make　any　movement　to

detain　him。



〃Have　you　implored　forgiveness　of　the　fatherthe　man　you　wronged

before　you　came　here？〃　asked　the　priest；　lingering。



〃Not　much。　　It　wouldn't　pay　if　he　was　living；　and　he　died　four

years　ago。〃



〃You　are　sure　of　that？〃



〃I　am。〃



〃There　are　other　relations；　perhaps？〃



〃None。〃



Father　Pedro　was　silent。　　When　he　spoke　again；　it　was　with　a

changed　voice。　　〃What　is　your　purpose；　then？〃　he　asked；　with　the

first　indication　of　priestly　sympathy　in　his　manner。　　〃You　cannot

ask　forgiveness　of　the　earthly　father　you　have　injured；　you　refuse

the　intercession　of　holy　Church　with　the　Heavenly　Father　you　have

disobeyed。　　Speak；　wretched　man！　　What　is　it　you　want？〃



〃I　want　to　find　the　child。〃



〃But　if　it　were　possible；　if　she　were　still　living；　are　you　fit　to

seek　her；　to　even　make　yourself　known　to　her；　to　appear　before

her？〃



〃Well；　if　I　made　it　profitable　to　her；　perhaps。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　echoed　the　priest；　scornfully。　　〃So　be　it。　　But　why　come

here？〃



〃To　ask　your　advice。　　To　know　how　to　begin　my　search。　　You　know

this　country。　　You　were　here　when　that　boat　drifted　ashore　beyond

that　mountain。〃



〃Ah；　indeed。　　I　have　much　to　do　with　it。　　It　is　an　affair　of　the

alcaldethe　authoritiesof　youryour　police。〃



〃Is　it？〃



The　Padre　again　met　the　stranger's　eyes。　　He　stopped；　with　the

snuff　box　he　had　somewhat　ostentatiously　drawn　from　his　pocket

still　open　in　his　hand。



〃Why　is　it　not；　Senor？〃　he　demanded。



〃If　she　lives；　she　is　a　young　lady　by　this　time；　and　might　not　want

the　details　of　her　life　known　to　any　one。〃



〃And　how　will　you　recognize　your　baby　in　this　young　lady？〃　asked

Father　Pedro；　with　a　rapid　gesture；　indicating　the　comparative

heights　of　a　baby　and　an　adult。



〃I　reckon　I'll　know　her；　and　her　clothes　too；　and　whoever　found　her

wouldn't　be　fool　enough　to　destroy　them。〃



〃After　fourteen　years！　　Good！　you　have　faith；　Senor〃