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！
glowing letters； 〃Excelsior Silver Mining Co。； J。 Crosby；
Superintendent；〃 and in the midst of certain excavations assailing
the integrity of the cliff itself was another small building；
scarcely larger than a sentry…box； with the inscription； 〃Office：
Eleanor Quicksilver Smelting Works。〃
Basking in that yellow morning sunlight； with his back against his
office； Mr。 Brace was seated on the ground； rolling a cigarette。 A
few feet from him Crosby； extended on his back on the ground； was
lazily puffing rings of smoke into the still air。 Both of these
young gentlemen were dressed in exaggerated Mexican costumes； the
silver buttons fringing the edge of Crosby's calza； open from the
knee down to show a glimpse of the snowy under…trouser； were richer
and heavier than those usually worn； while Brace； in addition to
the crimson silk sash round his waist； wore a crimson handkerchief
around his head； under his sombrero。
〃Pepe's falling off in his tobacco；〃 said Brace。 〃I think I'll
have to try some other Fonda。〃
〃How's Banks getting on with his crop？〃 asked Crosby。 〃You know he
was going to revolutionize the business； and cut out Cuba on that
hillside。〃
〃Oh； the usual luck！ He couldn't get proper cultivators； and the
Injins wouldn't work regular。 I must try and get hold of some of
the Comandante's stock； but I'm out of favor with the old man since
Winslow and I wrecked that fishing…boat on the rocks off yonder。
He always believed we were trying to run off； like Captain Bunker。
That's why he stopped our shipbuilding； I really believe。〃
〃All the same； we might have had it built and ready now but for our
laziness。 We might have worked on it nights without their knowing
it； and slipped off some morning in the fog。〃
〃And we wouldn't have got one of the women to go with us！ If we
are getting shiftless hereand I don't say we're notthese women
have just planted themselves and have taken root。 But that ain't
all： there's the influence of that infernal sneak Hurlstone！ He's
set the Comandante against us； you know； he； and the priest； the
Comandante； and Nelly Keene make up the real Council of Todos
Santos。 Between them they've shoved out the poor little Alcalde；
who's ready to give up everything to dance attendance on Mrs。
Brimmer。 They run the whole concern； and they give out that it's
owing to them that we're given parole of the town； and the
privilege of spending our money and working these mines。 Who'd
have thought that sneak Hurlstone would have played his cards so
well？ It makes me regularly sick to hear him called 'Don Diego。'〃
〃Yet you're mightily tickled when that black…eyed sister of the
Alcalde calls you 'Don Carlos；'〃 said Crosby； yawning。
〃Dona Isabel；〃 said Brace； with some empressement； 〃is a lady of
position； and these are only her national courtesies。〃
〃She just worships Miss Keene； and I reckon she knows by this time
all about your old attentions to her friend；〃 said Crosby； with
lazy mischief。
〃My attentions to Miss Keene were simply those of an ordinary
acquaintance； and were never as strongly marked as yours to Mrs。
Brimmer。〃
〃Who has deserted ME as Miss Keene did YOU；〃 rejoined Crosby。
Brace's quick color had risen again； and he would have made some
sharp retort； but the jingling of spurs caught his ear。 They both
turned quickly； and saw Banks approaching。 He was dressed as a
vaquero； but with his companions' like exaggeration of detail； yet；
while his spurs were enormous； and his sombrero unusually
expansive； he still clung to his high shirt…collars and accurately
tied check cravat。
〃Well？〃 he said； approaching them。
〃Well？〃 said Crosby。
〃Well？〃 repeated Brace。
After this national salutation； the three Americans regarded each
other silently。
〃Knocked off cultivating to…day？〃 queried Crosby； lighting a fresh
cigarette。
〃The peons have；〃 said Banks； 〃it's another saint's day。 That's
the fourth in two weeks。 Leaves about two clear working days in
each week； counting for the days off； when they're getting over the
effects of the others。 I tell you what； sir； the Catholic religion
is not suited to a working civilization； or else the calendar ought
to be overhauled and a lot of these saints put on the retired list。
It's hard enough to have all the Apostles on your pay…roll； so to
speak； but to have a lot of fellows run in on you as saints； and
some of them not even men or women； but IDEAS； is piling up the
agony！ I don't wonder they call the place 'All Saints。' The only
thing to do；〃 continued Banks severely； 〃is to open communication
with the desert； and run in some of the heathen tribes outside。
I've made a proposition to the Council offering to take five
hundred of them in the raw； unregenerate state； and turn 'em over
after a year to the Church。 If I could get Hurlstone to do some
log…rolling with that Padre； his friend； I might get the bill
through。 But I'm always put off till to…morrow。 Everything here
is 'Hasta manana； hasta manana；' always。 I believe when the last
trump is sounded； they'll say； 'Hasta manana。' What are YOU
doing？〃 he said； after a pause。
〃Waiting for your ship；〃 answered Crosby sarcastically。
〃Well； you can laugh； gentlemenbut you won't have to wait long。
According to my calculations that Mexican ship is about due now。
And I ain't basing my figures on anything the Mexican Government is
going to do； or any commercial speculation。 I'm reckoning on the
Catholic Church。〃
The two men languidly looked towards him。 Banks continued
gravely；
〃I made the proper inquiries； and I find that the stock of
rosaries； scapularies； blessed candles； and other ecclesiastical
goods； is running low。 I find that just at the nick of time a
fresh supply always comes from the Bishop of Guadalajara； with
instructions from the Church。 Now； gentlemen； my opinion is that
the Church； and the Church only； knows the secret of the passage
through the foggy channel； and keeps it to itself。 I look at this
commercially； as a question of demand and supply。 Well； sir； the
only real trader here at Todos Santos is the Church。〃
〃Then you don't take in account the interests of Brimmer； Markham；
and Keene；〃 said Brace。 〃Do you suppose they're doing nothing？〃
〃I don't say they're not； but you're confounding interests with
INSTINCTS。 They haven't got the instinct to find this place； and
all that they've done and are doing is blind calculation。 Just
look at the facts。 As the filibuster who captured the Excelsior of
course changed her name； her rig…out； and her flag； and even got up
a false register for her； she's as good as lost； as far as the
world knows； until she lands at Quinquinambo。 Then supposing she's
found out； and the whole story is knownalthough everything's
against such a propositionthe news has got to go back to San
Francisco before the real search will be begun。 As to any