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from garden herbs。 Perfume was manufactured from the petals of flowers
and certain spices； and presents of it despatched to San Fernando and
Ventura； and to friends at other places； for the Padre had a special
recepit。 As the time ran on； two or three visitors passed a night with
him； and presently there was a word at various missions that Padre
Ignacio had begun to show his years。 At Santa Ysabel del Mar they
whispered； 〃The Padre is not well。〃 Yet he rode a great deal over the
hills by himself； and down the canyon very often； stopping where he had
sat with Gaston； to sit alone and look up and down； now at the hills
above； and now at the ocean below。 Among his parishioners he had certain
troubles to soothe； certain wounds to heal； a home from which he was able
to drive jealousy； a girl whom he bade her lover set right。 But all said；
〃The Padre is unwell。〃 And Felipe told them that the music seemed
nothing to him any more； he never asked for his Dixit Dominus nowadays。
Then for a short time he was really in bed； feverish with the two voices
that spoke to him without ceasing。 〃You have given your life；〃 said one
voice。 〃And； therefore；〃 said the other； 〃have earned the right to go
home and die。〃 〃You are winning better rewards in the service of God；〃
said the first voice。 〃God can be better served in other places；〃
answered the second。 As he lay listening he saw Seville again； and the
trees of Aranhal； where he had been born。 The wind was blowing through
them； and in their branches he could hear the nightingales。 〃Empty！
Empty！〃 he said； aloud。 And he lay for two days and nights hearing the
wind and the nightingales in the far trees of Aranhal。 But Felipe；
watching； only heard the Padre crying through the hours； 〃Empty！ Empty！〃
Then the wind in the trees died down； and the Padre could get out of bed；
and soon be in the garden。 But the voices within him still talked all the
while as he sat watching the sails when they passed between the
headlands。 Their words； falling for ever the same way； beat his spirit
sore； like blows upon flesh already bruised。 If he could only change what
they said； he would rest。
〃Has the Padre any mall for Santa Barbara？〃 asked Felipe。 〃The ship
bound southward should be here to…morrow。〃
〃I will attend to it；〃 said the priest； not moving。 And Felipe stole
away。
At Felipe's words the voices had stopped； as a clock finishes striking。
Silence； strained like expectation； filled the Padre's soul。 But in place
of the voices came old sights of home again； the waving trees at Aranhal；
then it would be Rachel for a moment； declaiming tragedy while a houseful
of faces that he knew by name watched her； and through all the panorama
rang the pleasant laugh of Gaston。 For a while in the evening the Padre
sat at his Erard playing Trovatore。 Later； in his sleepless bed he lay；
saying now and then： 〃To die at home！ Surely I may be granted at least
this。〃 And he listened for the inner voices。 But they were not speaking
any more； and the black hole of silence grew more dreadful to him than
their arguments。 Then the dawn came in at his window； and he lay watching
its gray grow warm into color； until suddenly he sprang from his bed and
looked at the sea。 Blue it lay； sapphire…hued and dancing with points of
gold； lovely and luring as a charm； and over its triangle the south…bound
ship was approaching。 People were on board who in a few weeks would be
sailing the Atlantic； while he would stand here looking out of this same
window。 〃Merciful God！〃 he cried； sinking on his knees。 〃Heavenly
Father； Thou seest this evil in my heart！ Thou knowest that my weak hand
cannot pluck it out！ My strength is breaking； and still Thou makest my
burden heavier than I can bear。〃 He stopped； breathless and trembling。
The same visions was flitting across his closed eyes； the same silence
gaped like a dry crater in his soul。 〃There is no help in earth or
heaven；〃 he said； very quietly； and he dressed himself。
VIIt was still so early that few of the Indians were stirring； and one of
these saddled the Padre's mule。 Felipe was not yet awake； and for a
moment it came in the priest's mind to open the boy's door softly； look
at him once more； and come away。 But this he did not； nor even take a
farewell glance at the church and organ。 He bade nothing farewell； but；
turning his back upon his room and his garden； rode down the canyon。
The vessel lay at anchor； and some one had landed from ha and was talking
with other men on the shore。 Seeing the priest slowly coming； this
stranger approached to meet him。
〃You are connected with the mission here？〃 he inquired。
〃Iam。〃
〃Perhaps it is with you that Gaston Villere stopped？〃
〃The young man from New Orleans？ Yes。 I am Padre Ignacio。〃
〃Then you'll save me a journey。 I promised him to deliver these into your
own hands。〃
The stranger gave them to him。
〃A bag of gold…dust；〃 he explained； 〃and a letter。 I wrote it at his
dictation while he was dying。 He lived hardly an hour afterward。〃
The stranger bowed his head at the stricken cry which his news elicited
from the priest； who； after a few moments' vain effort to speak； opened
the letter and read：
My dear Friend；It is through no man's fault but mine that I have come
to this。 I have had plenty of luck； and lately have been counting the
days until I should return home。 But last night heavy news from New
Orleans reached me； and I tore the pressed flower to pieces。 Under the
first smart and humiliation of broken faith I was rendered desperate； and
picked a needless quarrel。 Thank God； it is I who have the punishment。 By
dear friend； as I lie here； leaving a world that no man ever loved more；
I have come to understand you。 For you and your mission have been much in
my thoughts。 It is strange how good can be done； not at the time when it
is intended； but afterward； and you have done this good to me。 I say over
your words； 〃Contentment with Renunciation；〃 and believe that at this
last hour I have gained something like what you would wish me to feel。
For I do not think that I desire it otherwise now。 My life would never
have been of service； I am afraid。 You am the last person in this world
who has spoken serious words to me； and I want you to know that now at
length I value the peace of Santa Ysabel as I could never have done but
for seeing your wisdom and goodness。 You spoke of a new organ for your
church。 Take the gold…dust that will reach you with this； and do what you
will with it。 Let me at least in dying have helped some one。 And since
them is no aristocracy in soulsyou said that to me； do you remember？
perhaps you will say a mass for this departing soul of mine。 I only wish；
must my body must go under ground in a strange country； that it might
have been at Santa Ysabel did Mar； where your feet would often pass。
〃'At Santa Ysabel del Mar； where your feet would often pass。'〃 The priest
repeated this final sentence aloud； without being aware of it。
〃Those are the last words he ever spoke；〃 said the stranger； 〃except
bidding me good…by。〃
〃You knew him well； then？〃
〃No； not until after he was hurt。 I'm the man he quarreled with。〃
The priest looked at the ship that would sail onward this afternoon。
Then a smile of great beauty passed over his face； and he addressed the
strange。 〃I thank you。 You will never know what you have done for me。〃
〃It is nothing；〃 answered the stranger； awkwardly。 〃He told me you set
great store on a new organ。〃
Padre Ignacio turned away from the ship and rode back through the gorge。
When he had reached the shady place where once he had sat with Gaston
Villere； he dismounted and again sat there； alone by the stream； for many
hours。 Long rides and outings had been lately so much his custom that no
one thought twice of his absence； and when he resumed to the mission in
the afternoon； the Indian took his mule； and he went to his seat in the
garden。 But it was with another look that he watched the sea； and
presently the sail moved across the blue triangle； and soon it had
rounded the headland。
With it departed Temptation for ever。
Gaston's first coming was in the Padre's mind； and； as the vespers bell
began to ring in the cloistered silence； a fragment of Auber's plaintive
tune passed like a sigh across his memory。
＇Musical score appears here＇
For the repose of Gaston's young； world…loving spirit； they sang all that
he had taught them of Il Trovatore。
After this day； Felipe and all those who knew and loved the Padre best；
saw serenity had returned to his features； but for some reason they began
to watch those features with more care。
〃Still；〃 they said； 〃he is not old。〃 And as the months went by they would
repeat： 〃We shall have him yet for many years。〃
Thus the season rolled round； bringing the time for the expected messages
from the wor