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！
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。
7
… Page 8…
PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
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 a…
8
… Page 9…
PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
…who 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
9
… Page 10…
PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
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