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！
in those equivocal circumstances。 I am speaking to a gentleman
who； with the instincts and chivalrous obligations of his order；
must sympathize with my own delicacy in coming to this conclusion；
and who will not take advantage of my confession that I do it with
pain。〃
She spoke with a dry alacrity and precision so unlike her usual
languor and the suggestions of the costume； and even the fan she
still kept shading her faintly glowing eyes； that the man before
her was more troubled by her manner than her words； which he had
but imperfectly understood。
〃You will leave herethis house？〃 he stammered。
〃It is necessary；〃 she returned。
〃But you shall listen to me first！〃 he said hurriedly。 〃Hear me；
Dona BarbaraI have a secretI will to you confess〃
〃You must confess nothing；〃 said Mrs。 Brimmer； dropping her feet
from the hammock； and sitting up primly； 〃I meannothing I may not
hear。〃
The Alcalde cast a look upon her at once blank and imploring。
〃Ah； but you will hear；〃 he said； after a pause。 〃There is a ship
coming here。 In two weeks she will arrive。 None know it but
myself； the Comandante； and the Padre。 It is a secret of the
Government。 She will come at night； she will depart in the
morning； and no one else shall know。 It has ever been that she
brings no one to Todos Santos； that she takes no one from Todos
Santos。 That is the law。 But I swear to you that she shall take
you； your children； and your friend to Acapulco in secret； where
you will be free。 You will join your husband； you will be happy。
I will remain； and I will die。〃
It would have been impossible for any woman but Mrs。 Brimmer to
have regarded the childlike earnestness and melancholy simplicity
of this grown…up man without a pang。 Even this superior woman
experienced a sensible awkwardness as she slipped from the hammock
and regained an upright position。
〃Of course；〃 she； began； 〃your offer is exceedingly generous； and
although I should not； perhaps； take a step of this kind without
the sanction of Mr。 Brimmer； and am not sure that he would not
regard it as rash and premature； I will talk it over with Miss
Chubb； for whom I am partially responsible。 Nothing；〃 she
continued； with a sudden access of feeling； 〃would induce me； for
any selfish consideration； to take any step that would imperil the
future of that child； towards whom I feel as a sister。〃 A slight
suffusion glistened under her pretty brown lashes。 〃If anything
should happen to her； I would never forgive myself； if I should be
the unfortunate means of severing any ties that SHE may have
formed； I could never look her in the face again。 Of course； I can
well understand that our presence here must be onerous to you； and
that you naturally look forward to any sacrificeeven that of the
interests of your country； and the defiance of its lawsto relieve
you from a position so embarrassing as yours has become。 I only
trust； however； that the ill effects you allude to as likely to
occur to yourself after our departure may be exaggerated by your
sensitive nature。 It would be an obligation added to the many that
we owe you； which Mr。 Brimmer would naturally find he could not
returnand that； I can safely say； he would not hear of for a
single moment。〃
While speaking； she had unconsciously laid aside her fan； lifted
her mantilla from her head with both hands； and； drawing it around
her shoulders and under her lifted chin； had crossed it over her
bosom with a certain prim； automatic gesture； as if it had been the
starched kerchief of some remote Puritan ancestress。 With her arms
still unconsciously crossed； she stooped rigidly； picked up her fan
with three fingers； as if it had been a prayer…book； and； with a
slight inclination of her bared head； with its accurately parted
brown hair； passed slowly out of the corridor。
Astounded； bewildered； yet conscious of some vague wound； Don Ramon
remained motionless； staring after her straight； retreating figure。
Unable to follow closely either the meaning of her words or the
logic of her reasoning； he nevertheless comprehended the sudden
change in her manner； her voice； and the frigid resurrection of a
nature he had neither known nor suspected。 He looked blankly at
the collapsed hammock； as if he expected to find in its depths
those sinuous graces； languid fascinations； and the soft； half
sensuous contour cast off by this vanishing figure of propriety。
In the eight months of their enforced intimacy and platonic
seclusion he had learned to love this naive； insinuating woman；
whose frank simplicity seemed equal to his own； without thought of
reserve； secrecy； or deceit。 He had gradually been led to think of
the absent husband with what he believed to be her own feelingsas
of some impalpable； fleshless ancestor from whose remote presence
she derived power； wealth； and importance； but to whom she owed
only respect and certain obligations of honor equal to his own。 He
had never heard her speak of her husband with love； with sympathy；
with fellowship； with regret。 She had barely spoken of him at all；
and then rather as an attractive factor in her own fascinations
than a bar to a free indulgence in them。 He was as little in her
way ashis children。 With what grace she had adapted herself to
hisDon Ramon'slifeshe who frankly confessed she had no
sympathy with her husband's！ With what languid enthusiasm she had
taken up the customs of HIS country； while deploring the habits of
her own！ With what goddess…like indifference she had borne this
interval of waiting！ And yet this womanwho had seemed the
embodiment of romancehad received the announcement of his
sacrificethe only revelation he allowed himself to make of his
hopeless passionwith the frigidity of a duenna！ Had he wounded
her in some other unknown way？ Was she mortified that he had not
first declared his passionhe who had never dared to speak to her
of love before？ Perhaps she even doubted it！ In his ignorance of
the world he had； perhaps； committed some grave offense！ He should
not have let her go！ He should have questioned； implored her
thrown himself at her feet！ Was it too late yet？
He passed hurriedly into the formal little drawing…room； whose
bizarre coloring was still darkened by the closed blinds and
dropped awnings that had shut out the heat of day。 She was not
there。 He passed the open door of her room； it was empty。 At the
end of the passage a faint light stole from a door opening into the
garden that was still ajar。 She must have passed out that way。 He
opened it； and stepped out into the garden。
The sound of voices beside a ruined fountain a hundred yards away
indicated the vicinity of the party； but a single glance showed him
that she was not among them。 So much the betterhe would find her
alone。 Cautiously slipping beside the wall of the house； under the
shadow of a creeper； he gained the long avenue without attracting
attention。 She was not there。 Had she effectively evaded contact
with the others by leaving the garden through the little gate in
the wall that entered the Mission enclosure？ It was partly open；
as if some one had just passed through。 He followed； took a few
steps； and stopped abruptly。 In the shadow of one of the old pear…
trees a man and woman were standing。 An impulse of wild jealousy
seized him； he was about to leap forward； but the next moment the
measured voice of the Comandante； addressing Mrs。 Markham； fell
upon his ear。 He drew back with a sudden flush upon his face。 The
Comandante of Todos Santos； in grave； earnest accents； was actually
offering to Mrs。 Markham the same proposal that he； Don Ramon； had
made to Mrs。 Brimmer but a moment ago！
〃No one；〃 said the Comandante sententiously； 〃will know it but
myself。 You will leave the ship at Acapulco； you will rejoin your
husband in good time； you will be happy； my child； you will forget
the old man who drags out the few years of loneliness still left to
him in Todos Santos。〃
Forgetting himself； Don Ramon leaned breathlessly forward to hear
Mrs。 Markham's reply。 Would she answer the Comandante as Dona
Barbara had answered HIM？ Her words rose distinctly in the evening
air。
〃You're a gentleman； Don Miguel Briones； and the least respect I
can show a man of your kind is not to pretend that I don't
understand the sacrifice you're making。 I shall always remember it
as about the biggest compliment I ever received； and the biggest
risk that any manexcept oneever ran for me。 But as the man who
ran that bigger risk isn't here to speak for himself； and generally
trusts his wife； Susan Markham； to speak for himit's all the same
as if HE thanked you。 There's my hand； Don Miguel： shake it。
Wellif you prefer itkiss it then。 Theredon't be a foolbut
let's go back to Miss Keene。〃
CHAPTER IV。
A GLEAM OF SUNSHINE。
W