a convert of the mission-第5部分

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　　　　　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　doing

well！〃



〃In　his　weak；　gross；　sinful　fleshyes；　no　doubt；〃　returned　the

Deacon；　scornfully；　〃and；　perhaps；　even　in　a　worldly　sense；　for

those　who　value　the　vanities　of　life；　but　he　is　lost　to　us；　for　all

time；　and　lost　to　eternal　life　forever。　　Not；〃　he　continued　in

sanctimonious　vindictiveness；　〃but　that　I　often　had　my　doubts　of

Brother　Masterton's　steadfastness。　　He　was　too　much　given　to

imagery　and　song。〃



〃But　what　has　he　done？〃　persisted　Dr。　Duchesne。



〃Done！　　He　has　embraced　the　Scarlet　Woman！〃



〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　doctor；　〃so　soon？　　Is　it　anybody　you　knew

here？not　anybody's　wife？　　Eh？〃



〃He　has　entered　the　Church　of　Rome；〃　said　the　Deacon；　indignantly；

〃he　has　forsaken　the　God　of　his　fathers　for　the　tents　of　the

idolaters；　he　is　the　consort　of　Papists　and　the　slave　of　the　Pope！〃



〃But　are　you　SURE？〃　said　Dr。　Duchesne；　with　perhaps　less　concern

than　before。



〃Sure；〃　returned　the　Deacon　angrily；　〃didn't　Brother　Bulkley；　on

account　of　warning　reports　made　by　a　God…fearing　and　soul…seeking


teamster；　make　a　special　pilgrimage　to　this　land　of　Sodom　to

inquire　and　spy　out　its　wickedness？　　Didn't　he　find　Stephen

Masterton　steeped　in　the　iniquity　of　practicing　on　an　organhe

that　scorned　even　a　violin　or　harmonium　in　the　tents　of　the　Lord

in　an　idolatrous　chapel；　with　a　foreign　female　Papist　for　a

teacher？　　Didn't　he　find　him　a　guest　at　the　board　of　a　Jesuit

priest；　visiting　the　schools　of　the　Mission　where　this　young

Jezebel　of　a　singer　teaches　the　children　to　chant　in　unknown

tongues？　　Didn't　he　find　him　living　with　a　wrinkled　Indian　witch

who　called　him　'Padrone'and　speaking　her　gibberish？　　Didn't　he

find　him；　who　left　here　a　man　mortified　in　flesh　and　spirit　and

pale　with　striving　with　sinners；　fat　and　rosy　from　native　wines　and

fleshpots；　and　even　vain　and　gaudy　in　colored　apparel？　　And　last　of

all；　didn't　Brother　Bulkley　hear　that　a　rumor　was　spread　far　and

wide　that　this　miserable　backslider　was　to　take　to　himself　a　wife

in　one　of　these　strange　womenthat　very　Jezebel　who　seduced　him？

What　do　you　call　that？〃



〃It　looks　a　good　deal　like　human　nature；〃　said　the　doctor；

musingly；　〃but　I　call　it　a　cure！〃