padre ignacio(帕德拉·伊格纳西欧)-第2节
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〃There； Felipe！〃 he said now。 〃Can you do it？ Slower； and more softly；
muchacho mio。 It is about the death of a man； and it should go with our
bell。〃
The boy listened。 〃Then the father has played it a tone too low；〃 said
he； 〃for our bell rings the note of sol； or something very near it； as the
father must surely know。〃 He placed the melody in the right keyan easy
thing for him； and the Padre was delighted。
〃Ah； my Felipe；〃 he exclaimed； 〃what could you and I not do if we had
a better organ！ Only a little better！ See！ above this row of keys would be a
second row； and many more stops。 Then we would make such music as
has never yet been heard in California。 But my people are so poor and so
few！ And some day I shall have passed from them； and it will be too late。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 ventured Felipe； 〃the Americanos〃
〃They care nothing for us； Felipe。 They are not of our religionor of
any religion； from what I can hear。 Don't forget my Dixit Dominus。〃
The Padre retired once more to the sacristy； while the horse that
brought Temptation came over the hill。
The hour of service drew near； and as the Padre waited he once again
stepped out for a look at the ocean； but the blue triangle of water lay like a
picture in its frame of land； bare as the sky。 〃I think； from the color；
though；〃 said he； 〃that a little more wind must have begun out there。〃
The bell rang a last short summons to prayer。 Along the road from the
south a young rider； leading a pack…animal； ambled into the mission and
dismounted。 Church was not so much in his thoughts as food and； after
due digestion； a bed； but the doors stood open； and； as everybody was
passing within them； more variety was to be gained by joining this
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company than by waiting outside alone until they should return from their
devotions。 So he seated himself in a corner near the entrance； and after a
brief； jaunty glance at the sunburned； shaggy congregation； made himself
as comfortable as might be。 He had not seen a face worth keeping his eyes
open for。 The simple choir and simple fold； gathered for even…song； paid
him no attentiona rough American bound for the mines was but an object
of aversion to them。
The Padre； of course； had been instantly aware of the stranger's
presence。 To be aware of unaccustomed presences is the sixth sense with
vicars of every creed and heresy； and if the parish is lonely and the
worshipers few and seldom varying； a newcomer will gleam out like a
new book to be read。 And a trained priest learns to read keenly the faces of
those who assemble to worship under his guidance。 But American
vagrants； with no thoughts save of gold…digging； and an overweening
illiterate jargon for speech； had long ceased to interest this priest； even in
his starvation for company and talk from the outside world； and therefore
after the intoning he sat with his homesick thoughts unchanged； to draw
both pain and enjoyment from the music that he had set to the Dixit
Dominus。 He listened to the tender chorus that opens William Tell； and； as
the Latin psalm proceeded； pictures of the past rose between him and the
altar。 One after another came these strains he had taken from operas
famous in their day； until at length the Padre was murmuring to some
music seldom long out of his heartnot the Latin verse which the choir
sang； but the original French words：
〃Ah； voile man envie；
Voila mon seul desir： Rendez moi ma patrie；
Ou laissez moi mourir。〃
Which may be rendered：
But one wish I implore；
One wish is all my cry： Give back my native land
once more； Give back； or let me die。
Then it happened that his eye fell again upon the stranger near the door；
and he skaightway forgot his Dixit Dominus。 The face of the young man
was no longer hidden by the slouching position he had at first taken。 〃I
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PADRE IGNACIO Or The Song of Temptation
only noticed his clothes at first；〃 thought the Padre。 Restlessness was plain
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。
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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…
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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 t
