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sailed。 And then〃
He dropped quietly on the settle； took the young man's hand
paternally in his own； and gazed into his eyes as if he read his
soul。
And then 。 。 。 Ah； yes 。 。 。 What then？ Hurlstone glanced once
more around him。 He thought of the quiet night； of the great peace
that had fallen upon him since he had entered the garden； and the
promise of a greater peace that seemed to breathe with the incense
from those venerable walls。 He thought of that crumbling barrier；
that even in its ruin seemed to shut out； more completely than
anything he had conceived； his bitter past； and the bitter world
that recalled it。 He thought of the long days to come； when；
forgetting and forgotten； he might find a new life among these
simple aliens； themselves forgotten by the world。 He had thought
of this once before in the garden； it occurred to him again in this
Lethe…like oblivion of the little church； in the kindly pressure of
the priest's hand。 The ornaments no longer looked uncouth and
barbaricrather they seemed full of some new spiritual
significance。 He suddenly lifted his eyes to Padre Esteban； and；
half rising to his feet； said；
〃Are we alone？〃
〃We are； it is a half…hour yet before mass；〃 said the priest。
〃My story will not last so long；〃 said the young man hurriedly； as
if fearing to change his mind。 〃Hear me； thenit is no crime nor
offense to any one； more than that； it concerns no one but myself
it is of〃
〃A woman；〃 said the priest softly。 〃So！ we will sit down； my son。〃
He lifted his hand with a soothing gesturethe movement of a
physician who has just arrived at an easy diagnosis of certain
uneasy symptoms。 There was also a slight suggestion of an habitual
toleration； as if even the seclusion of Todos Santos had not been
entirely free from the invasion of the primal passion。
Hurlstone waited for an instant； but then went on rapidly。
〃It is of a woman； who has cursed my life； blasted my prospects；
and ruined my youth； a woman who gained my early affection only to
blight and wither it； a woman who should be nearer to me and dearer
than all else； and yet who is further than the uttermost depths of
hell from me in sympathy or feeling； a woman that I should cleave
to； but from whom I have been flying； ready to face shame；
disgrace； oblivion； even that death which alone can part us： for
that woman ismy wife。〃
He stopped； out of breath； with fixed eyes and a rigid mouth。
Father Esteban drew a snuff…box from his pocket； and a large
handkerchief。 After blowing his nose violently； he took a pinch of
snuff； wiped his lip； and replaced the box。
〃A bad habit； my son；〃 he said apologetically； 〃but an old man's
weakness。 Go on。〃
〃I met her first five years agothe wife of another man。 Don't
misjudge me； it was no lawless passion； it was a friendship； I
believed； due to her intellectual qualities as much as to her
womanly fascinations； for I was a young student； lodging in the
same house with her； in an academic town。 Before I ever spoke to
her of love； she had confided to me her own unhappinessthe
uncongeniality of her married life； the harshness； and even
brutality； of her husband。 Even a man less in love than I was
could have seen the truth of thisthe contrast of the coarse；
sensual； and vulgar man with an apparently refined and intelligent
woman； but any one else except myself would have suspected that
such a union was not merely a sacrifice of the woman。 I believed
her。 It was not until long afterwards that I learned that her
marriage had been a condonation of her youthful errors by a
complaisant bridegroom； that her character had been saved by a
union that was a mutual concession。 But I loved her madly； and
when she finally got a divorce from her uncongenial husband； I
believed it less an expression of her love for me than an act of
justice。 I did not know at the time that they had arranged the
divorce together； as they had arranged their marriage； by equal
concessions。
〃I was the only son of a widowed mother； whose instincts were from
the first opposed to my friendship with this woman； and what she
prophetically felt would be its result。 Unfortunately； both she
and my friends were foolish enough to avow their belief that the
divorce was obtained solely with a view of securing me as a
successor； and it was this argument more than any other that
convinced me of my duty to protect her。 Enough； I married； not
only in spite of all oppositionbut BECAUSE of it。
〃My mother would have reconciled herself to the marriage； but my
wife never forgave the opposition； and； by some hellish instinct
divining that her power over me might be weakened by maternal
influence； precipitated a quarrel which forever separated us。 With
the little capital left by my father； divided between my mother and
myself； I took my wife to a western city。 Our small income
speedily dwindled under the debts of her former husband； which she
had assumed to purchase her freedom。 I endeavored to utilize a
good education and some accomplishments in music and the languages
by giving lessons and by contributing to the press。 In this my
wife first made a show of assisting me； but I was not long in
discovering that her intelligence was superficial and shallow； and
that the audacity of expression； which I had believed to be
originality of conviction； was simply shamelessness； and a desire
for notoriety。 She had a facility in writing sentimental poetry；
which had been efficacious in her matrimonial confidences； but
which editors of magazines and newspapers found to be shallow and
insincere。 To my astonishment； she remained unaffected by this； as
she was equally impervious to the slights and sneers that
continually met us in society。 At last the inability to pay one of
her former husband's claims brought to me a threat and an anonymous
letter。 I laid them before her； when a scene ensued which revealed
the blindness of my folly in all its hideous hopelessness： she
accused me of complicity in her divorce； and deception in regard to
my own fortune。 In a speech； whose language was a horrible
revelation of her early habits； she offered to arrange a divorce
from me as she had from her former husband。 She gave as a reason
her preference for another； and her belief that the scandal of a
suit would lend her a certain advertisement and prestige。 It was a
combination of Messalina and Mrs。 Jarley〃
〃Pardon！ I remember not a Madame Jarley；〃 said the priest。
〃Of viciousness and commercial calculation；〃 continued Hurlstone
hurriedly。 〃I don't remember what happened； she swore that I
struck her！ PerhapsGod knows！ But she failed； even before a
western jury； to convict me of cruelty。 The judge that thought me
half insane would not believe me brutal； and her application for
divorce was lost。
〃I need not tell you that the same friends who had opposed my
marriage now came