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PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
white and red winethe white fifty years old。 Beneath the quiet shining of
candles； fresh…cut flowers leaned from vessels of old Mexican and Spanish
make。
There at one end of this feast sat the wild； pastoral； gaudy company；
speaking little over their food； and there at the other the pale Padre；
questioning his visitor about Rachel。 The mere name of a street would
bring memories crowding to his lips； and when his guest told him of a new
play he was ready with old quotations from the same author。 Alfred de
Vigny they spoke of； and Victor Hugo； whom the Padre disliked。 Long
after the dulce； or sweet dish； when it was the custom for the vaqueros and
the rest of the retainers to rise and leave the gente fina to themselves； the
host sat on in the empty hail； fondly talking to his guest of his bygone
Paris and fondly learning of the later Paris that the guest had seen。 And
thus the two lingered； exchanging their enthusiasms； while the candles
waned； and the long…haired Indians stood silent behind the chairs。
〃But we must go to my piano；〃 the host exclaimed。 For at length they
had come to a lusty difference of opinion。 The Padre； with ears critically
deaf； and with smiling； unconvinced eyes； was shaking his head； while
young Gaston sang Trovatore at him； and beat upon the table with a fork。
〃Come and convert me； then；〃 said Padre Ignacio； and he led the way。
〃Donizetti I have always admitted。 There； at least； is refinement。 If the
world has taken to this Verdi； with his street…band musicBut there； now！
Sit down and convert me。 Only don't crush my poor little Erard with
Verdi's hoofs。 I brought it when I came。 It is behind the times； too。 And； oh；
my dear boy； our organ is still worse。 So old； so old！ To get a proper one I
would sacrifice even this piano of mine in a momentonly the tinkling
thing is not worth a sou to anybody except its master。 But there！ Are you
quite comfortable？〃 And having seen to his guest's needs； and placed
spirits and cigars and an ash…tray within his reach； the Padre sat himself
comfortably in his chair to hear and expose the false doctrine of Il
Trovatore。
By midnight all of the opera that Gaston could recall had been played
and sung twice。 The convert sat in his chair no longer； but stood singing by
the piano。 The potent swing and flow of rhythms； the torrid； copious
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PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
inspiration of the South； mastered him。 〃Verdi has grown；〃 he cried。 〃Verdi
is become a giant。〃 And he swayed to the beat of the melodies； and waved
an enthusiastic arm。 He demanded every note。 Why did not Gaston
remember it all？ But if the barkentine would arrive and bring the whole
music； then they would have it right！ And he made Gaston teach him what
words he knew。 〃'Non ti scorder；'〃 he sang〃'non ti scordar di me。' That is
genius。 But one sees how the world moves when one is out of it。 'A nostri
monti ritorneremo'； home to our mountains。 Ah； yes； there is genius
again。〃 And the exile sighed and his spirit voyaged to distant places； while
Gaston continued brilliantly with the music of the final scene。
Then the host remembered his guest。 〃I am ashamed of my
selfishness；〃 he said。 〃It is already to…morrow。〃
〃I have sat later in less good company；〃 answered the pleasant Gaston。
〃And I shall sleep all the sounder for making a convert。〃
〃You have dispensed roadside alms；〃 said the Padre； smiling； 〃and that
should win excellent dreams。〃
Thus； with courtesies more elaborate than the world has time for at the
present day； they bade each other good…night and parted； bearing their late
candles along the quiet halls of the mission。 To young Gaston in his bed
easy sleep came without waiting； and no dreams at ail。 Outside his open
window was the quiet； serene darkness； where the stars shone clear； and
tranquil perfumes hung in the cloisters。 But while the guest lay sleeping all
night in unchanged position like a child； up and down between the
oleanders went Padre Ignacio； walking until dawn。 Temptation indeed had
come over the hill and entered the cloisters。
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PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
III
Day showed the ocean's surface no longer glassy； but lying like a
mirror 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。〃
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PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
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 g