on the frontier-第3部分

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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〃



〃Cranch；〃　supplied　the　stranger；　consulting　his　watch。　　〃But　time's

up。　　Business　is　business。　　Good…by；　don't　let　me　keep　you。〃



He　extended　his　hand。



The　Padre　met　it　with　a　dry；　unsympathetic　palm；　as　sere　and　yellow

as　the　hills。　　When　their　hands　separated；　the　father　still

hesitated；　looking　at　Cranch。　　If　he　expected　further　speech　or

entreaty　from　him　he　was　mistaken；　for　the　American；　without

turning　his　head；　walked　in　the　same　serious；　practical　fashion

down　the　avenue　of　fig　trees；　and　disappeared　beyond　the　hedge　of

vines。　　The　outlines　of　the　mountain　beyond　were　already　lost　in

the　fog。　　Father　Pedro　turned　into　the　refectory。



〃Antonio。〃



A　strong　flavor　of　leather；　onions；　and　stable　preceded　the

entrance　of　a　short；　stout　vaquero　from　the　little　patio。



〃Saddle　Pinto　and　thine　own　mule　to　accompany　Francisco；　who　will

take　letters　from　me　to　the　Father　Superior　at　San　Jose　to…morrow

at　daybreak。〃



〃At　daybreak；　reverend　father？〃



〃At　daybreak。　　Hark　ye；　go　by　the　mountain　trails　and　avoid　the

highway。　　Stop　at　no　posada　nor　fonda；　but　if　the　child　is　weary；

rest　then　awhile　at　Don　Juan　Briones'　or　at　the　rancho　of　the

Blessed　Fisherman。　　Have　no　converse　with　stragglers；　least　of　all

those　gentile　Americanos。　　So　。　。　。〃



The　first　strokes　of　the　Angelus　came　from　the　nearer　tower。　　With

a　gesture　Father　Pedro　waved　Antonio　aside；　and　opened　the　door　of

the　sacristy。



〃Ad　Majorem　Dei　Gloria。〃





CHAPTER　II





The　hacienda　of　Don　Juan　Briones；　nestling　in　a　wooded　cleft　of　the

foot…hills；　was　hidden；　as　Father　Pedro　had　wisely　reflected；　from

the　straying　feet　of　travelers　along　the　dusty　highway　to　San　Jose。

As　Francisco；　emerging　from　the　canada；　put　spurs　to　his　mule　at

the　sight　of　the　whitewashed　walls；　Antonio　grunted。



〃Oh　aye；　little　priest！　thou　wast　tired　enough　a　moment　ago；　and

though　we　are　not　three　leagues　from　the　Blessed　Fisherman；　thou

couldst　scarce　sit　thy　saddle　longer。　　Mother　of　God！　and　all　to

see　that　little　mongrel；　Juanita。〃



〃But；　good　Antonio；　Juanita　was　my　play…fellow；　and　I　may　not　soon

again　chance　this　way。　　And　Juanita　is　not　a　mongrel；　no　more　than

I　am。〃



〃She　is　a　mestiza；　and　thou　art　a　child　of　the　Church；　though　this

following　of　gypsy　wenches　does　not　show　it。〃



〃But　Father　Pedro　does　not　object；〃　urged　the　boy。



〃The　reverend　father　has　forgotten　he　was　ever　young；〃　replied

Antonio；　sententiously；　〃or　he　wouldn't　set　fire　and　tow　together。〃



〃What　sayest　thou；　good　Antonio？〃　asked　Francisco　quickly；　opening

his　blue　eyes　in　frank　curiosity；　〃who　is　fire；　and　who　is　tow？〃



The　worthy　muleteer；　utterly　abashed　and　confounded　by　this　display

of　the　acolyte's　direct　simplicity；　contented　himself　by　shrugging

his　shoulders；　and　a　vague　〃Quien　sabe？〃



〃Come；〃　said　the　boy；　gayly；　〃confess　it　is　only　the　aguardiente　of

the　Blessed　Fisherman　thou　missest。　　Never　fear；　Juanita　will　find

thee　some。　　And　see！　here　she　comes。〃



There　was　a　flash　of　white　flounces　along　the　dark　brown　corridor；

the　twinkle　of　satin　slippers；　the　flying　out　of　long　black　braids；

and　with　a　cry　of　joy　a　young　girl　threw　herself　upon　Francisco　as

he　entered　the　patio；　and　nearly　dragged　him　from　his　mule。



〃Have　a　care；　little　sister；〃　laughed　the　acolyte；　looking　at

Antonio；　〃or　there　will　be　a　conflagration。　　Am　I　the　fire？〃　he

continued；　submitting　to　the　two　sounding　kisses　the　young　girl

placed　upon　either　cheek；　but　still　keeping　his　mischievous　glance

upon　the　muleteer。



〃Quien　sabe？〃　repeated　Antonio；　gruffly；　as　the　young　girl　blushed

under　his　significant　eyes。　　〃It　is　no　affair　of　mine；〃　he　added　to

himself；　as　he　led　Pinto　away。　　〃Perhaps　Father　Pedro　is　right；　and

this　young　twig　of　the　Church　is　as　dry　and　sapless　as　himself。

Let　the　mestiza　burn　if　she　likes。〃



〃Quick；　Pancho；〃　said　the　young　girl；　eagerly　leading　him　along　the

corridor。　　〃This　way。　　I　must　talk　with　thee　before　thou　seest　Don

Juan；　that　is　why　I　ran　to　intercept　thee；　and　not　as　that　fool

Antonio　would　signify；　to　shame　thee。　　Wast　thou　ashamed；　my

Pancho？〃



The　boy　threw　his　arm　familiarly　round　the　supple；　stayless　little

waist；　accented　only　by　the　belt　of　the　light　flounced　saya；　and

said；　〃But　why　this　haste　and　feverishness；　'Nita？　　And　now　I　look

at　thee；　thou　hast　been　crying。〃



They　had　emerged　from　a　door　in　the　corridor　into　the　bright

sunlight　of　a　walled　garden。　　The　girl　dropped　her　eyes；　cast　a

quick　glance　around　her；　and　said；



〃Not　here；　to　the　arroyo；〃　and　half　leading；　half　dragging　him；

made　her　way　through　a　copse　of　manzanita　and　alder　until　they

heard　the　faint　tinkling　of　water。　　〃Dost　thou　remember；〃　said　the

girl；　〃it　was　here；〃　pointing　to　an　embayed　pool　in　the　dark

current；　〃that　I　baptized　thee；　when　Father　Pedro　first　brought

thee　here；　when　we　both　played　at　being　monks？　　They　were　dear　old

days；　for　Father　Pedro　would　trust　no　one　with　thee　but　me；　and

always　kept　us　near　him。〃



〃Aye　and　he　said　I　would　be　profaned　by　the　touch　of　any　other；　and

so　himself　always　washed　and　dressed　me；　and　made　my　bed　near　his。〃



〃And　took　thee　away　again；　and　I　saw　thee　not　till　thou　camest　with

Antonio；　over　a　year　ago；　to　the　cattle　branding。　　And　now；　my

Pancho；　I　may　never　see　thee　again。〃　　She　buried　her　face　in　her

hands　and　sobbed　aloud。



The　little　acolyte　tried　to　comfort　her；　but　with　such　abstraction

of　manner　and　inadequacy　of　warmth　that　she　hastily　removed　his

caressing　hand。



〃But　why？　　What　has　happened？〃　he　asked　eagerly。



The　girl's　manner　had　changed。　　Her　eyes　flashed；　and　she　put　her

brown　fist　on　her　waist　and　began　to　rock　from　side　to　side。



〃But　I'll　not　go；〃　she　said　viciously。



〃Go　where？〃　asked　the　boy。



〃Oh；　where？〃　she　echoed；　impatiently。　　〃Hear　me；　Francisco；　thou

knowest　I　am；　like　thee；　an　orphan；　but　I　have　not；　like　thee；　a

parent　in　the　Holy　Church。　　For；　alas；〃　she　added；　bitterly；　〃I　am

not　a　boy；　and　have　not　a　lovely　voice　borrowed　from　the　angels。　　I

was；　like　thee；　a　foundling；　kept　by　the　charity　of　the　reverend

fathers；　until　Don　Juan；　a　childless　widower；　adopted　me。　　I　was

happy；　not　knowing　and　caring　who　were　the　parents　who　had

abandoned　me；　happy　only　in　the　love　of　him　who　became　my　adopted

father。　　And　now〃　　She　paused。



〃And　now？〃　echoed　Francisco；　eagerly。



〃And　now　they　say　it　is　discovered　who　are　my　parents。〃



〃And　they　live？〃



〃Mother　of　God！　no；〃　said　the　girl；　with　scarcely　filial　piety。

〃There　is　some　one；　a　thing；　a　mere　Don　Fulano；　who　knows　it　all；

it　seems；　who　is　to　be　my　guardian。〃



〃But　how？　tell　me　all；　dear　Juanita；〃　said　the　boy　with　a　feverish

interest；　that　contrasted　so　strongly　with　his　previous　abstraction

that　Juanita　bit　her　lips　with　vexation。



〃Ah！　　How？　　Santa　Barbara！　an　extravaganza　for　children。　　A

necklace　of　lies。　　I　am　lost　from　a　ship　of　which　my　fatherHeaven

rest　himis　General；　and　I　am　picked　up　among　the　weeds　on　the

sea…shore；　like　Moses　in　the　bulrushes。　　A　pretty　story；　indeed。〃



〃Oh；　how　beautiful！〃　exclaimed　Francisco；　enthusiastically。　　〃Ah；

Juanita；　would　it　had　been　me。〃



〃THEE！〃　said　the　girl　bitterly；〃thee！　　No！it　was　a　girl　wanted。

Enough；　it　was　me。〃



〃And　when　does　the　guardian　come？〃　persisted　the　boy；　with

sparkling　eyes。



〃He　is　here　even　now；　with　that　pompous　fool　the　American　alcalde

from　Monterey；　a　wretch　who　knows　nothing　of　the　country　or　the

people；　but　who　helped　the　other　American　to　claim　me。　　I　tell

thee；　Francisco；　like　as　not　it　is　all　a　folly；　some　senseless

blunder　of　those　Americanos　that　imposes　upon　Don　Juan's　simplicity

and　love　for　them。〃



〃How　looks　he；　this　Americano　who　seeks　thee？〃　asked　Francisco。