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！
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 trembling ceased； he remained motionless and rigid。
The American； who had uncovered in deference to the worshiper
rather than the rite； waited patiently。 The eyes of Father Pedro
returned to the earth； moist as if with dew caught from above。 He
looked half absently at Cranch。
〃Forgive me； my son；〃 he said； in a changed voice。 〃I am only a
worn old man。 I must talk with thee more of thisbut not to…
nightnot to…night；to…morrowto…morrowto…morrow。〃
He turned slowly and appeared to glide rather than move under the
trees； until the dark shadow of the Mission tower met and
encompassed him。 Cranch followed him with anxious eyes。 Then he
removed the quid of tobacco from his cheek。
〃Just as I reckoned；〃 remarked he； quite audibly。 〃He's clean gold
on the bed rock after all！〃
CHAPTER IV
That night Father Pedro dreamed a strange dream。 How much of it
was reality； how long it lasted； or when he awoke from it； he could
not tell。 The morbid excitement of the previous day culminated in
a febrile exaltation in which he lived and moved as in a separate
existence。
This is what he remembered。 He thought he had risen at night in a
sudden horror of remorse； and making his way to the darkened church
had fallen upon his knees before the high altar； when all at once
the acolyte's voice broke from the choir； but in accents so
dissonant and unnatural that it seemed a sacrilege； and he
trembled。 He thought he had confessed the secret of the child's
sex to Cranch； but whether the next morning or a week later he did
not know。 He fancied； too； that Cranch had also confessed some
trifling deception to him； but what； or why； he could not remember；
so much greater seemed the enormity of his own transgression。 He
thought Cranch had put in his hands the letter he had written to
the Father Superior； saying that his secret was still safe； and
that he had been spared the avowal and the scandal that might have
ensued。 But through all； and above all； he was conscious of one
fixed idea： to seek the seashore with Sanchicha； and upon the spot
where she had found Francisco； meet the young girl who had taken
his place； and so part from her forever。 He had a dim recollection
that this was necessary to some legal identification of her； as
arranged by Cranch； but how or why he did not understand； enough
that it was a part of his penance。
It was early morning when the faithful Antonio； accompanied by
Sanchicha and Jose； rode forth with him from the Mission of San
Carmel。 Except on the expressionless features of the old woman；
there was anxiety and gloom upon the faces of the little cavalcade。
He did not know how heavily his strange abstraction and
hallucinations weighed upon their honest hearts。 As they wound up
the ascent of the mountain he noticed that Antonio and Jose
conversed with bated breath and many pious crossings of themselves；
but with eyes always wistfully fixed upon him。 He wondered