on the frontier-第6部分

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〃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

tallies；　she　was　the　only　foundling　girl　baby　baptized　by　you；　you

know；〃he　partly　turned　round　appealingly　to　the　Padre；〃that

year。　　Injin　woman　says　she　picked　up　a　baby。　　Looks　like　a　pretty

clear　case；　don't　it？〃



〃And　the　clothes；　friend　Cranch？〃　said　the　priest；　with　his　eyes

still　on　the　ground；　and　a　slight　assumption　of　easy　indifference。



〃They　will　be　forthcoming；　like　enough；　when　the　time　comes；〃　said

Cranch；　〃the　main　thing　at　first　was　to　find　the　girl；　that　was　MY

job；　the　lawyers；　I　reckon；　can　fit　the　proofs　and　say　what's

wanted；　later　on。〃



〃But　why　lawyers；〃　continued　Padre　Pedro；　with　a　slight　sneer　he

could　not　repress；　〃if　the　child　is　found　and　Senor　Cranch　is

satisfied？〃



〃On　account　of　the　property。　　Business　is　business！〃



〃The　property？〃



Mr。　Cranch　pressed　the　back　of　his　knife…blade　on　his　boot；　shut　it

up　with　a　click；　and　putting　it　in　his　pocket　said　calmly；



〃Well；　I　reckon　the　million　of　dollars　that　her　father　left　when　he

died；　which　naturally　belongs　to　her；　will　require　some　proof　that

she　is　his　daughter。〃



He　had　placed　both　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　turned　his　eyes

full　upon　Father　Pedro。　　The　priest　arose　hurriedly。



〃But　you　said　nothing　of　this　before；　Senor　Cranch；〃　said　he；　with

a　gesture　of　indignation；　turning　his　back　quite　upon　Cranch；　and

taking　a　step　towards　the　refectory。



〃Why　should　I？　　I　was　looking　after　the　girl；　not　the　property；〃

returned　Cranch；　following　the　Padre　with　watchful　eyes；　but　still

keeping　his　careless；　easy　attitude。



〃Ah；　well！　　Will　it　be　said　so；　think　you？　　Eh！　　Bueno。　　What　will

the　world　think　of　your　sacred　quest；　eh？〃　continued　the　Padre

Pedro；　forgetting　himself　in　his　excitement；　but　still　averting　his

face　from　his　companion。



〃The　world　will　look　after　the　proofs；　and　I　reckon　not　bother　if

the　proofs　are　all　right；〃　replied　Cranch；　carelessly；　〃and　the

girl　won't　think　the　worse　of　me　for　helping　her　to　a　fortune。

Hallo！　you've　dropped　something。〃　　He　leaped　to　his　feet；　picked　up

the　breviary　which　had　fallen　from　the　Padre's　fingers；　and

returned　it　to　him　with　a　slight　touch　of　gentleness　that　was

unsuspected　in　the　man。



The　priest's　dry；　tremulous　hand　grasped　the　volume　without

acknowledgment。



〃But　these　proofs？〃　he　said　hastily；　〃these　proofs；　Senor？〃



〃Oh；　well；　you'll　testify　to　the　baptism；　you　know。〃



〃But　if　I　refuse；　if　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　this　thing！　　If

I　will　not　give　my　word　that　there　is　not　some　mistake；〃　said　the

priest；　working　himself　into　a　feverish　indignation。　　〃That　there

are　not　slips　of　memory；　eh？　　Of　so　many　children　baptized；　is　it

possible　for　me　to　know　which；　eh？　　And　if　this　Juanita　is　not　your

girl；　eh？〃



〃Then　you'll　help　me　to　find　who　is；〃　said　Cranch；　coolly。



Father　Pedro　turned　furiously　on　his　tormentor。　　Overcome　by　his

vigil　and　anxiety。　　He　was　oblivious　of　everything　but　the　presence

of　the　man　who　seemed　to　usurp　the　functions　of　his　own　conscience。

〃Who　are　you；　who　speak　thus？〃　he　said　hoarsely；　advancing　upon

Cranch　with　outstretched　and　anathematizing　fingers。　　〃Who　are　you；

Senor　Heathen；　who　dare　to　dictate　to　me；　a　Father　of　Holy　Church？

I　tell　you；　I　will　have　none　of　this。　　Never！　　I　will　not。　　From

this　moment；　you　understandnothing。　　I　will　never　。　。　。〃



He　stopped。　　The　first　stroke　of　the　Angelus　rang　from　the　little

tower。　　The　first　stroke　of　that　bell　before　whose　magic　exorcism

all　human　passions　fled；　the　peaceful　bell　that　had　for　fifty　years

lulled　the　little　fold　of　San　Carmel　to　prayer　and　rest；　came　to

his　throbbing　ear。　　His　trembling　hands　groped　for　the　crucifix；

carried　it　to　his　left　breast；　his　lips　moved　in　prayer。　　His　eyes

were　turned　to　the　cold；　passionless　sky；　where　a　few　faint；　far…

spaced　stars　had　silently　stolen　to　their　places。　　The　Angelus

still　rang；　his　trembl