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color； though；〃 said he； 〃that a little more wind must have begun out
there。〃
The bell rang a last short summons to prayer。 Along the road from the
south a young rider； leading a pack…animal； ambled into the mission and
dismounted。 Church was not so much in his thoughts as food and； after due
digestion； a bed； but the doors stood open； and； as everybody was passing
within them； more variety was to be gained by joining this company than
by waiting outside alone until they should return from their devotions。
So he seated himself in a corner near the entrance； and after a brief；
jaunty glance at the sunburned； shaggy congregation； made himself as
comfortable as might be。 He had not seen a face worth keeping his eyes
open for。 The simple choir and simple fold； gathered for even…song； paid
him no attentiona rough American bound for the mines was but an object
of aversion to them。
The Padre； of course； had been instantly aware of the stranger's
presence。 To be aware of unaccustomed presences is the sixth sense with
vicars of every creed and heresy； and if the parish is lonely and the
worshipers few and seldom varying； a newcomer will gleam out like a new
book to be read。 And a trained priest learns to read keenly the faces of
those who assemble to worship under his guidance。 But American vagrants；
with no thoughts save of gold…digging； and an overweening illiterate
jargon for speech； had long ceased to interest this priest； even in his
starvation for company and talk from the outside world； and therefore
after the intoning he sat with his homesick thoughts unchanged； to draw
both pain and enjoyment from the music that he had set to the Dixit
Dominus。 He listened to the tender chorus that opens William Tell； and；
as the Latin psalm proceeded； pictures of the past rose between him and
the altar。 One after another came these strains he had taken from operas
famous in their day； until at length the Padre was murmuring to some
music seldom long out of his heartnot the Latin verse which the choir
sang； but the original French words：
〃Ah； voile man envie；
Voila mon seul desir：
Rendez moi ma patrie；
Ou laissez moi mourir。〃
Which may be rendered：
But one wish I implore；
One wish is all my cry：
Give back my native land once more；
Give back； or let me die。
Then it happened that his eye fell again upon the stranger near the door；
and he skaightway forgot his Dixit Dominus。 The face of the young man was
no longer hidden by the slouching position he had at first taken。 〃I
only noticed his clothes at first；〃 thought the Padre。 Restlessness was
plain upon the handsome brow； and violence was in the mouth； but Padre
Ignacio liked the eyes。 〃He is not saying any prayers；〃 he surmised；
presently。 〃I doubt if he has said any for a long while。 And he knows my
music。 He is of educated people。 He cannot be American。 And nowyes； he
has takenI think it must be a flower； from his pocket。 I shall have him
to dine with me。〃 And vespers ended with rosy clouds of eagerness
drifting across the Padre's brain。
II
But the stranger made his own beginning。 As the priest came from the
church； the rebellious young figure was waiting。 〃Your organist tells
me；〃 he said； impetuously； 〃that it is you who〃
〃May I ask with whom I have the great pleasure of speaking？〃 said the
Padre； putting formality to the front and his pleasure out of sight。
The stranger's face reddened beneath its sun…beaten bronze； and he became
aware of the Padre's pale features； molded by refinement and the world。
〃I beg your lenience；〃 said he； with a graceful and confident utterance；
as of equal to equal。 〃My name is Gaston Villere； and it was time I
should be reminded of my manners。〃
The Padre's hand waved a polite negative。
〃Indeed； yes； Padre。 But your music has amazed me。 If you carried such
associations asAh！ the days and the nights！〃he broke off。 〃To come
down a California mountain and find Paris at the bottom！ The Huguenots；
Rossini； HeroldI was waiting for Il Trovatore。〃
〃Is that something new？〃 inquired the Padre； eagerly。
The young man gave an exclamation。 〃The whole world is ringing with it！〃
he cried。
〃But Santa YsabeI del Mar is a long way from the whole world；〃 murmured
Padre Ignacio。
〃Indeed； it would not appear to be so；〃 returned young Gaston。 〃I think
the Comedie Francaise must be round the corner。〃
A thrill went through the priest at the theater's name。 〃And have you
been long in America？〃 he asked。
〃Why； alwaysexcept two years of foreign travel after college。〃
〃An American！〃 exclaimed the surprised Padre； with perhaps a tone of
disappointment in his voice。 〃But no Americans who are yet come this way
have beenhave been〃he veiled the too…blunt expression of his
thought〃have been familiar with The Huguenots；〃 he finished； making a
slight bow。
Villere took his under…meaning。 〃I come from New Orleans；〃 he returned；
〃and in New Orleans there live many of us who can recognize awho can
recognize good music wherever we hear it。〃 And he made a slight bow in
his turn。
The Padre laughed outright with pleasure and laid his hand upon the young
man's arm。 〃You have no intention of going away to…morrow； I trust？〃
〃With your leave；〃 answered Gaston； 〃I will have such an intention no
longer。〃
It was with the air and gait of mutual understanding that the two now
walked on together toward the Padre's door。 The guest was twenty…five；
the host sixty。
〃And have you been in America long？〃 inquired Gaston。
〃Twenty years。〃
〃And at Santa Ysabel how long？〃
〃Twenty years。〃
〃I should have thought；〃 said Gaston； looking lightly at the desert and
unpeopIed mountains； 〃that now and again you might have wished to
travel。〃
〃Were I your age；〃 murmured Padre Ignacio； 〃it might be so。〃
The evening had now ripened to the long after…glow of sunset。 The sea was
the purple of grapes； and wine…colored hues flowed among the high
shoulders of the mountains。
〃I have seen a sight like this；〃 said Gaston； 〃between Granada and
Malaga。〃
〃So you know Spain！〃 said the Padre。
Often he had thought of this resemblance； but never till now met any one
to share his thought。 The courtly proprietor of San Fernando and the
other patriarchal rancheros with whom he occasionally exchanged visits
across the wilderness knew hospitality and inherited gentle manners；
sending to Europe for silks and laces to give their daughters； but their
eyes had not looked upon Granada； and their ears had never listened to
William Tell。
〃It is quite singular；〃 pursued Gaston； 〃how one nook in the world will
suddenly remind you of another nook that may be thousands of miles away。
One morning； behind the Quai Voltaire； an old； yellow house with rusty
balconies made me almost homesick for New Orleans。〃
〃The Quai Voltaire！〃 said the Padre。
〃I heard Rachel in Valerie that night；〃 the young man went on。 〃Did you
know that she could sing； too。 She sang several verses by an astonishing
little Jew violon…cellist that is come up over there。〃
The Padre gazed down at his blithe guest。 〃To see somebody； somebody；
once again； is very pleasant to a hermit！〃
〃It cannot be more pleasant than arriving at an oasis；〃 returned Gaston。
They had delayed on the threshold to look at the beauty of the evening；
and now the priest watched his parishioners come and go。 〃How can one
make companions〃 he began； then； checking himself； he said： 〃Their
souls are as sacred and immortal as mine； and God helps me to help them。
But in this world it is not immortal souls that we choose for companions；
it is kindred tastes； intelligences； andand so I and my books are
growing old together； you see；〃 he added； more lightly。 〃You will find my
volumes as behind the times as myself。〃
He had fallen into talk more intimate than he wished； and while the guest
was uttering something polite about the nobility of missionary work； he
placed him in an easy…chair and sought aguardiente for his immediate
refreshment。 Since the year's beginning there had been no guest for him
to bring into his rooms； or to sit beside him in the high seats at table；
set apart for the gente fina。
Such another library was not then in California； and though Gaston
Villere； in leaving Harvard College； had shut Horace and Sophocles for
ever at the earliest instant possible under academic requirements； he
knew the Greek and Latin names that he now saw as well as he knew those
of Shakspere； Dante； Moliere； and Cervantes。 These were here also； but it
could not be precisely said of them； either； that they made a part of the
young man's daily reading。 As he surveyed the Padre's august shelves； it
was with a t