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side。
When Father Esteban returned to the refectory that evening；
Hurlstone was absent。 When it grew later； becoming uneasy； the
good Father sought him in the garden。 At the end of the avenue of
pear…trees there was a break in the sea…wall； and here； with his
face to the sea； Hurlstone was leaning gloomily。 Father Esteban's
tread was noiseless； and he had laid his soft hand on the young
man's shoulder before Hurlstone was aware of his presence。 He
started slightly； his gloomy eyes fell before the priest's。
〃My son；〃 said the old man gravely； 〃this must go on no longer。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 Hurlstone replied coldly。
〃Do not try to deceive yourself； nor me。 Above all； do not try to
deceive HER。 Either you are or are not in love with this
countrywoman of yours。 If you are not； my respect for her and my
friendship for you prompts me to save you both from a foolish
intimacy that may ripen into a misplaced affection； if you are
already in love with her〃
〃I have never spoken a word of love to her！〃 interrupted Hurlstone
quickly。 〃I have even tried to avoid her since〃
〃Since you found that you loved her！ Ah； foolish boy！ and you
think that because the lips speak not； the passions of the heart
are stilled！ Do you think your silence in her presence is not a
protestation that she； even she； child as she is； can read； with
the cunning of her sex？〃
〃Wellif I am in love with her； what then？〃 said Hurlstone
doggedly。 〃It is no crime to love a pure and simple girl。 Am I
not free？ You yourself； in yonder church； told me〃
〃Silence； Diego；〃 said the priest sternly。 〃Silence； before you
utter the thought that shall disgrace you to speak and me to hear！〃
〃Forgive me； Father Esteban；〃 said the young man hurriedly；
grasping both hands of the priest。 〃Forgive meI am mad
distractedbut I swear to you I only meant〃
〃Hush！〃 interrupted the priest more gently。 〃So； that will do。〃
He stopped； drew out his snuff…box； rapped the lid； and took a
pinch of snuff slowly。 〃We will not recur to that point。 Then you
have told her the story of your life？〃
〃No； but I will； She shall know alleverythingbefore I utter a
word of love to her；〃
〃Ah！ bueno！ muy bueno！〃 said the Padre； wiping his nose
ostentatiously。 〃Ah！ let me see！ Then； when we have shown her
that we cannot possibly marry her； we will begin to make love to
her！ Eh； eh！ that is the American fashion。 Ah； pardon！〃 he
continued； in response to a gesture of protestation from Hurlstone；
〃I am wrong。 It is when we have told her that we cannot marry her
as a Protestant； that we will make love as a Catholic。 Is that
it？〃
〃Hear me；〃 said Hurlstone passionately。 〃You have saved me from
madness and； perhaps； death。 Your careyour kindnessyour
teachings have given me life again。 Don't blame me； Father
Esteban； if； in casting off my old self； you have given me hopes of
a new and fresher lifeof〃
〃A newer and fresher love； you would say；〃 said the Padre； with a
sad smile。 〃Be it so。 You will at least do justice to the old
priest； when you remember that he never pressed you to take vows
that would have prevented this forever。〃
〃I know it；〃 said Hurlstone； taking the old man's hand。 〃And you
will remember； too； that I was happy and contented before this came
upon me。 Tell me what I shall do。 Be my guidemy friend； Father
Esteban。 Put me where I was a few months agobefore I learned to
love her。〃
〃Do you mean it； Diego？〃 said the old man； grasping his hand
tightly； and fixing his eyes upon him。
〃I do。〃
〃Then listen to me； for it is my turn to speak。 When； eight months
ago； you sought the shelter of that blessed roof； it was for refuge
from a woman that had cursed your life。 It was given you。 You
would leave it now to commit an act that would bring another woman；
as mad as yourself； clamoring at its doors for protection from YOU。
For what you are proposing to this innocent girl is what you
accepted from the older and wickeder woman。 You have been cursed
because a woman divided for you what was before God an indivisible
right； and you； Diego； would now redivide that with another； whom
you dare to say you LOVE！ You would use the opportunity of her
helplessness and loneliness here to convince her； you would tempt
her with sympathy； for she is unhappy； with companionship； for she
has no longer the world to choose fromwith everything that should
make her sacred from your pursuit。〃
〃Enough；〃 said Hurlstone hoarsely； 〃say no more。 Only I implore
you tell me what to do now to save her。 I willif you tell me to
do itleave her forever。〃
〃Why should YOU go？〃 said the priest quietly。 〃HER absence will be
sufficient。〃
〃HER absence？〃 echoed Hurlstone。
〃Hers alone。 The conditions that brought YOU here are unchanged。
You are still in need of an asylum from the world and the wife you
have repudiated。 Why should you abandon it？ For the girl； there
is no cause why she should remainbeyond yourself。 She has a
brother whom she loveswho wants herwho has the right to claim
her at any time。 She will go to him。〃
〃But how？〃
〃That has been my secret； and will be my sacrifice to you； Diego；
my son。 I have foreseen all this； I have expected it from the day
that girl sent you her woman's message； that was half a challenge；
from her schoolI have known it from the day you walked together
on the sea…shore。 I was blind before thatfor I am weak in my
way； too； and I had dreamed of other things。 God has willed it
otherwise。〃 He paused； and returning the pressure of Hurlstone's
hand； went on。 〃My secret and my sacrifice for you is this。 For
the last two hundred years the Church has had a secret and trusty
messenger from the See at Guadalajarain a ship that touches here
for a few hours only every three years。 Her arrival and departure
is known only to myself and my brothers of the Council。 By this
wisdom and the provision of God； the integrity of the Holy Church
and the conversion of the heathen have been maintained without
interruption and interference。 You know now； my son； why your
comrades were placed under surveillance； why it was necessary that
the people should believe in a political conspiracy among
yourselves； rather than the facts as they existed； which might have
bred a dangerous curiosity among them。 I have given you our
secret； Diegothat is but a part of my sacrifice。 When that ship
arrives； and she is expected daily； I will secretly place Miss
Keene and her friend on board； with explanatory letters to the
Archbishop； and she will be assisted to rejoin her brother。 It
will be against the wishes of the Council； but my will；〃 continued
the old man； with a gesture of imperiousness； 〃is the will of the
Church； and the law that overrides all。〃
He had stopped； with a strange fire in his eyes。 It still
continued to burn as he went on rapidly；
〃You wi