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breathed upon； and there between the short headlands came a sail； gray
and plain against the flat water。 The priest watched through his glasses；
and saw the gradual sun grow strong upon the canvas of the barkentine。
The message from his world was at hand； yet to…day he scarcely cared so
much。 Sitting in his garden yesterday； he could never have imagined such
a change。 But his heart did not hail the barkentine as usual。 Books；
music； pale paper； and printthis was all that was coming to him；
some of its savor had gone； for the siren voice of Life had been speaking
with him face to face； and in his spirit； deep down； the love of the
world was restlessly answering it。 Young Gaston showed more eagerness
than the Padre over this arrival of the vessel that might be bringing
Trovatore in the nick of time。 Now he would have the chance； before he
took his leave； to help rehearse the new music with the choir。 He would
be a missionary； too： a perfectly new experience。
〃And you still forgive Verdi the sins of his youth？〃 he said to his host。
〃I wonder if you could forgive mine？〃
〃Verdi has left his behind him；〃 retorted the Padre。
〃But I am only twenty…five！〃 exclaimed Gaston； pathetically。
〃Ah； don't go away soon！〃 pleaded the exile。 It was the first unconcealed
complaint that had escaped him； and he felt instant shame。
But Gaston was too much elated with the enjoyment of each new day to
comprehend the Padre's soul。 The shafts of another's pain might hardly
pierce the bright armor of his gaiety。 He mistook the priest's entreaty；
for anxiety about his own happy spirit。
〃Stay here under your care？〃 he asked。 〃It would do me no good； Padre。
Temptation sticks closer to me than a brother！〃 and he gave that laugh of
his which had disarmed severer judges than his host。 〃By next week I
should have introduced some sin or other into your beautiful Garden of
Ignorance here。 It will be much safer for your flock if I go and join the
other serpents at San Francisco。〃
Soon after breakfast the Padre had his two mules saddled； and he and his
guest set forth down the hills together to the shore。 And； beneath the
spell and confidence of pleasant； slow riding and the loveliness of
everything； the young man talked freely of himself。
〃And； seriously；〃 said he； 〃if I missed nothing else at Santa Ysabel； I
should long forhow shall I say it？for insecurity； for danger； and of
all kindsnot merely danger to the body。 Within these walls； beneath
these sacred bells； you live too safe for a man like me。〃
〃Too safe！〃 These echoed words upon the lips of the pale Padre were a
whisper too light； too deep； for Gaston's heedless ear。
〃Why；〃 the young man pursued in a spirit that was but half levity；
〃though I yield often to temptation； at times I have resisted it； and
here I should miss the very chance to resist。 Your garden could never be
Eden for me； because temptation is absent from it。〃
〃Absent！〃 Still lighter； still deeper； was this whisper that the Padre
breathed。
〃I must find life；〃 exclaimed Gaston； 〃and my fortune at the mines； I
hope。 I am not a bad fellow； Father。 You can easily guess all the things
I do。 I have never； to my knowledge； harmed any one。 I didn't even try to
kill my adversary in an affair of honor。 I gave him a mere flesh…wound；
and by this time he must be quite recovered。 He was my friend。 But as he
came between me〃
Gaston stopped； and the Padre； looking keenly at him； saw the violence
that he had noticed in church pass like a flame over the young man's
handsome face。
〃That's nothing dishonorable；〃 said Gaston； answering the priest's look。
And then； because this look made him not quite at his ease： 〃Perhaps a
priest might feel obliged to say it was dishonorable。 She and her father
werea man owes no fidelity before he isbut you might say that had
been dishonorable。〃
〃I have not said so； my son。〃
〃I did what every gentleman would do。〃 insisted Gaston。
〃And that is often wrong！〃 said the Padre； gently and gravely。 〃But I'm
not your confessor。〃
〃No；〃 said Gaston； looking down。 〃And it is all over。 It will not begin
again。 Since leaving New Orleans I have traveled an innocent journey
straight to you。 And when I make my fortune I shall be in a position to
return and〃
〃Claim the pressed flowrer？〃 suggested the Padre。 He did not smile。
〃Ah； you remember how those things are！〃 said Gaston： and he laughed and
blushed。
〃Yes；〃 said the Padre； looking at the anchored barkentine； 〃I remember
how those things are。〃
For a while the vessel and its cargo and the landed men and various
business and conversations occupied them。 But the freight for the mission
once seen to； there was not much else to detain them。
The barkentine was only a coaster like many others which had begun to
fill the sea a little more of late years； and presently host and guest
were riding homeward。 Side by side they rode； companions to the eye； but
wide apart in mood； within the turbulent young figure of Gaston dwelt a
spirit that could not be more at ease； while revolt was steadily kindling
beneath the schooled and placid mask of the Padre。
Yet still the strangeness of his situation in such a remote； resourceless
place came back as a marvel into the young man's lively mind。 Twenty
years in prison； he thought； and hardly aware of it！ And he glanced at
the silent priest。 A man so evidently fond of music； of theaters； of the
world； to whom pressed flowers had meant something onceand now
contented to bleach upon these wastes！ Not even desirous of a brief
holiday； but finding an old organ and some old operas enough recreation！
〃It is his age； I suppose；〃 thought Gaston。 And then the notion of
himself when he should be sixty occurred to him； and he spoke。
〃Do you know； I do not believe；〃 said he； 〃that I should ever reach such
contentment as yours。〃
〃Perhaps you will；〃 said Padre Ignacio； in a low voice。
〃Never！〃 declared the youth。 〃It comes only to the few； I am sure。〃
〃Yes。 Only to the few；〃 murmured the Padre。
〃I am certain that it must be a great possession；〃 Gaston continued；
〃and yetand yetdear me！ life is a splendid thing！〃
〃There are several ways to live it；〃 said the Padre。
〃Only one for me！〃 cried Gaston。 〃Action； men； women； thingsto be there；
to be known； to play a part； to sit in the front seats； to have people
tell one another； 'There goes Gaston Villere！' and to deserve one's
prominence。 Why； if I was Padre of Santa Ysabel del Mar for twenty years
no！ for one yeardo you know what I should have done？ Some day it
would have been too much for me。 I should have left these savages to a
pastor nearer their own level； and I should have ridden down this canyon
upon my mule； and stepped on board the barkentine； and gone back to my
proper sphere。 You will understand； sir； that I am far from venturing to
make any personal comment。 I am only thinking what a world of difference
lies between natures that can feel as alike as we do upon so many
subjects。 Why； not since leaving New Orleans have I met any one with whom
I could talk； except of the weather and the brute interests common to us
all。 That such a one as you should be here is like a dream。〃
〃But it is not a dream；〃 said the Padre。
〃And； sirpardon me if I do say thisare you not wasted at Santa
Ysabel del Mar？ I have seen the priests at the other missions。 They are
the sort of good men that I expected。 But are you needed to save such
souls as these？〃
〃There is no aristocracy of souls；〃 said the Padre； again whispering。
〃But the body and the mind！〃 cried Gaston。 〃My God； are they nothing？ Do
you think that they are given to us for nothing but a trap？ You cannot
teach such a doctrine with your library there。 And how about all the
cultivated men and women away from whose quickening society the brightest
of us grow numb？ You have held out。 But will it be for long？ Are you
never to save any souls of your own kind？ Are not twenty years of
mesclados enough？ No； no！〃 finished young Gaston； hot with his unforeseen
eloquence； 〃I should ride down some morning and take the barkentine。〃
Padre Ignacio was silent for a space。
〃I have not offended you？〃 asked the young man。
〃No。 Anything but that。 You are surprised that I shouldchooseto stay
here。 Perhaps you may have wondered how I came to be here at all？〃
〃I had not intended any impertinent〃
〃Oh no。 Put such an idea out of your head； my son。 You may remember that
I was going to make you a confession about my operas。 Let us sit down in
this shade。〃
So they picketed the mules near the stream and sat down。
IV
You have seen；〃 began Padre Ignacio； 〃what sort of a man Iwas once。
Indeed； it seems very strange to myself that you should have been here
not twenty…four hours yet； and know so much of me。 For there has come no
one else at al