登陆注册
5406600000019

第19章

One of the figures dressed in green jackets, who seemed to be in authority, now advanced, and, after a moment's parley with Senor Perkins while the Excelsior's passengers were being collected from the different boats, courteously led the way along the wall of the fortification.Presently a low opening or gateway appeared, followed by the challenge of a green-jacketed sentry, and the sentence, "Dios y Libertad" It was repeated in the interior of a dusky courtyard, surrounded by a low corridor, where a dozen green-jacketed men of aboriginal type and complexion, carrying antique flintlocks, were drawn up as a guard of honor.

"The Comandante," said Senor Perkins, "directs me to extend his apologies to the Senor Capitano Bunker for withholding the salute which is due alike to his country, himself, and his fair company;but fifty years of uninterrupted peace and fog have left his cannon inadequate to polite emergencies, and firmly fixed the tampion of his saluting gun.But he places the Presidio at your disposition;you will be pleased to make its acquaintance while it is still light; and he will await you in the guard-room."Left to themselves, the party dispersed like dismissed school-children through the courtyard and corridors, and in the enjoyment of their release from a month's confinement on shipboard stretched their cramped limbs over the ditches, walls, and parapets, to the edge of the glacis.

Everywhere a ruin that was picturesque, a decay that was refined and gentle, a neglect that was graceful, met the eye; the sharp exterior and reentering angles were softly rounded and obliterated by overgrowths of semitropical creepers; the abatis was filled by a natural brake of scrub-oak and manzanita; the clematis flung its long scaling ladders over the escarpment, until Nature, slowly but securely investing the doomed fortress, had lifted a victorious banner of palm from the conquered summit of the citadel! Some strange convulsions of the earth had completed the victory; the barbette guns of carved and antique bronze commemorating fruitless and long-forgotten triumphs were dismounted; one turned in the cheeks of its carriage had a trunnion raised piteously in the air like an amputated stump; another, sinking through its rotting chassis, had buried itself to its chase in the crumbling adobe wall.But above and beyond this gentle chaos of defense stretched the real ramparts and escarpments of Todos Santos--the impenetrable and unassailable fog! Corroding its brass and iron with saline breath, rotting its wood with unending shadow, sapping its adobe walls with perpetual moisture, and nourishing the obliterating vegetation with its quickening blood, as if laughing to scorn the puny embattlements of men--it still bent around the crumbling ruins the tender grace of an invisible but all-encompassing arm.

Senor Perkins, who had acted as cicerone to the party, pointed out these various mutations with no change from his usual optimism.

"Protected by their peculiar isolation during the late war, there was no necessity for any real fortification of the place.

Nevertheless, it affords some occupation and position for our kind friend, Don Miguel, and so serves a beneficial purpose.This little gun," he continued, stopping to attentively examine a small but beautifully carved bronze six-pounder, which showed indications of better care than the others, "seems to be the saluting-gun Don Miguel spoke of.For the last fifty years it has spoken only the language of politeness and courtesy, and yet through want of care the tampion, as you see, has become swollen and choked in its mouth.""How true in a larger sense," murmured Mrs.Markham, "the habit of courtesy alone preserves the fluency of the heart.""I know you two are saying something very clever," said Mrs.

Brimmer, whose small French slippers and silk stockings were beginning to show their inadequacy to a twilight ramble in the fog;"but I am so slow, and I never catch the point.Do repeat it slowly.""The Senor was only showing us how they managed to shut up a smooth bore in this country," said Crosby gravely."I wonder when we're going to have dinner.I suppose old Don Quixote will trot out some of his Senoritas.I want to see those choir girls that sang so stunningly a while ago.""I suppose you mean the boys--for they're all boys in the Catholic choirs--but then, perhaps you are joking again.Do tell me if you are, for this is really amusing.I may laugh--mayn't I?" As the discomfited humorist fell again to the rear amidst the laughter of the others, Mrs.Brimmer continued naively to Senor Perkins,--"Of course, as Don Miguel is a widower, there must be daughters or sisters-in-law who will meet us.Why, the priest, you know--even he--must have nieces.Really, it's a serious question--if we are to accept his hospitality in a social way.Why don't you ask HIM?"she said, pointing to the green-jacketed subaltern who was accompanying them.

Senor Perkins looked half embarrassed.

"Repeat your question, my dear lady, and I will translate it.""Ask him if there are any women at the Presidio."Senor Perkins drew the subaltern aside.Presently he turned to Mrs.Brimmer.

"He says there are four: the wife of the baker, the wife of the saddler, the daughter of the trumpeter, and the niece of the cook.""Good heavens! we can't meet THEM," said Mrs.Brimmer.

Senor Perkins hesitated.

同类推荐
  • 伤科大成

    伤科大成

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 希叟绍昙禅师广录

    希叟绍昙禅师广录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清三真旨要玉诀

    上清三真旨要玉诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • THE SON OF THE WOLF

    THE SON OF THE WOLF

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 遯斋闲览

    遯斋闲览

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 逆天狂妃:王爷宜坑不宜婚

    逆天狂妃:王爷宜坑不宜婚

    将军府草包小姐自从嫁给楚王殿下之后,在星宇大陆上掀起了一场舆论风暴。她掀起了一场星宇大陆空前绝后的舆论风暴:“听说了吗?厌恶女色的楚王殿下竟和那草包谈情说爱了。”“瞎说,她不是跟那魔头卿卿我我的吗?”“岂止啊,她还把宇帝国太子迷的神魂颠倒呢。”“水性杨花啊……无涯太子也未能幸免!”臭名昭著的花痴草包摇身变成全大陆男人争相追逐的香饽饽,王爷表示很愤怒:“爱妃,对此你难道不想说点什么吗?”“春天来了,桃花开的茂盛了点!喂,你干什么去?”“掐……桃……花!”
  • 主公的弱娇军师

    主公的弱娇军师

    这是一个病娇与弱娇的故事……她有惊世之才却弱不禁风,只能隐世而居;他是师父口中命定的天下共主,却残暴病娇,满手鲜血。两个没有交集的人因一个预言,一场雪中偶遇,注定纠葛一生……为了苍生她以“栖梧公子”之名被推到他的面前,她试图用她的办法减轻他手中的血腥,却不知所谓的“辅助”竟成了他留住她的枷锁……有人说“军师”是一剂解药,可保天下太平;有人说“军师”是一剂毒药,在侵蚀他们君王的灵魂……可谁又知天地两极,相生相克,总有一物降一物的时候……
  • 赌徒算法

    赌徒算法

    天像是漏了,雨下个不停。狭窄的小巷两旁,灰白色的高耸山墙在半空中支起浅灰色的云幕,云幕之外又沉沉实实地压着半片昏暗的天空。雨声淅淅沥沥,偶尔从半空传来一声清越的飞鸟破啼,转头看去,一只麻雀展开翅膀,暗光一般滑进灰暗的檐瓦下,便不见了。女人停下脚步,将黑色的伞折起来,轻轻地推开了门。这是一间街角的小咖啡屋,出售西式点心和手磨的热咖啡。空气里弥漫着一种温暖的淡淡苦香,柔黄的灯光温暖沉静。
  • 小学教育管理

    小学教育管理

    《高等院校小学教育专业课系列教材:小学教育管理》以实用的理念、实证的引领、实践的体悟,创新了小学教育管理的编写范式,体现了以实践为研究起点的编写特色。通过管理理论、管理范畴、管理内涵和校本管理的研究,向读者展现了新时期小学教育管理的全部内容。
  • 修炼手记

    修炼手记

    一个普通的家庭,一个平凡的少年,原本只是想像大部分年轻人一样,高考、上大学、毕业、找个好工作;却因为无意之中得到一部《裂天诀》,改写了他的人生轨迹。是机缘巧合,还是命中注定?!谜底将一步一步解开!筑基,化气,化神,还虚,合道,虚空…修炼途,满布难;本心之所趋,无惧神魔!我们的主角苏陌,能否裂天,需静观其造化!
  • 九转玲珑

    九转玲珑

    来自艾泽拉斯世界的上古之神克苏恩的历,看他是如何从一个触手怪变成大触手怪的故事。。。
  • 天道毒武

    天道毒武

    自幼颠沛流离,终于安定下来时却又不幸卷入一场阴谋之中,东方迹白原本近乎绝望的人生,却因一只奇异的生物而发生巨大的变化。筋脉皆被腐蚀又怎样?咱不练内力改修毒功!待得堪破天道之时,左毒右剑,横扫江湖!然而,一场惊天的阴谋也在展开,幕后,又是哪只黑手在悄悄的设下这机关算尽的棋局,无数武者,尽皆棋子!
  • TFBOYS长歌暖浮生

    TFBOYS长歌暖浮生

    她是一个霸道,高冷的女校花、学霸。可是,一个人的出现打破了她平静的生活。因为这人的出现,她从原来的霸道女神变成了吃醋少女。小时候是形影不离的好朋友,长大后的“琴瑟在御,莫不静好”……
  • 逆天特工妃:废物五小姐

    逆天特工妃:废物五小姐

    (正文完)她是紫荆大陆出了名的废物,家族的耻辱,更因貌丑无能,被欺辱至死,再次睁开眼的,是21世纪顶级特工,天都四强之首——紫云傲!废物?笑话!你见过会驾驭空气的废物吗?那些泼过我冷水的人我会烧开了还给你们!天下皆知,紫氏五小姐,左脸血色胎记,丑倾四方,可又有谁知,守宫砂破,毒斑消失,颜倾天下,风起云涌!她赚进天下财富,手握神力,不曾报复,却让陷害过她的人闻风丧胆,当21世纪的顶级特工穿越到这片紫荆大陆,且看她翻手为云覆手为雨,倾尽天下!他,是紫荆大陆闻名遐迩的鬼王皇君奕,出生便毒死了自己的生母,日夜药不离身,更被断言活不过二十……废物与药罐珠联璧合,共谱一世一双人的传奇。
  • 纵横虚空

    纵横虚空

    我本就是天才,奈何神龙被困马厩;虚空戒灵认主,纯阳之躯震撼出世;炼《纯阳全本》,建镇虚宗。为爱人,踩帝国,震十宗,威震灵武大陆,为师仇,破虚空,纵苍穹,十方仇敌皆伏诛,为和平,寻五行,踏异界,修虚空,成永恒传说。