Show MISTRESS rf of MONTEREY VIRGINIA STIVERS BARTLETT BART LETT 0 virginia stivers silvers bartlett banuett service CHAPTER continued Con tinned 18 and while she was toying nervously with her quill her husband and young pedro were sitting astride their horses in don pedros beloved orchard the trees were full of indians gathering the luscious fruit that hung in rich clusters bright in the autumn sunshine early peats pears and apples late peaches and ates little naked boys ran through the orchard with rattles and miniature bows and arrows frightening away the clouds of birds that had assembled to steal the ripe As fast as the fruit was picked it was loaded into panniers pan on mules and carried to the shore where boats were piled high and a oared ared to the astrolabe and the bous sole a princely offering from the spanish governor to the expedition ot of the count de la perouse the governor and his son watched the scene with pleasure the movement and life the color and the clamor of many voices was pleasant to them they looked at each other and smiled completely at harmony together an indian passed them carrying a basket strapped to his back and supported from his brow with thongs it was filled to the rim with purple grapes the governor stopped him and made a note on a list he carried in his hand twenty baskets of grapes he said hum to the indian that will be enough grapes no more today Vay ase the indian plodded on yes continued the governor following the basket of grapes with his eyes that will have to be enough we must have enough left for the vintage but I 1 have already sent them barrels of wine so I 1 do not think I 1 am selfish do you no cried the boy and too we would not have any grapes tor for the fiesta the ven vend imia dimla and we must have we and wont it be soon yes I 1 think it will be soon yes we must have a great fiesta this year just for ourselves it has been nice to have the franceses francedes France ses here but it will be nice to have a party just for ourselves I 1 think there is a little buu bull that is ready to meet a torero and there is another that will make a barbecue and we will have some horse races and some cock fights and some of the indian boys will wrestle and there will be music and dancing A ai de mi what a vend imia it will bel and mother will sit on a throne with grapes and leaves on her head for a crown and be queen of the fiesta f yes yes and again yest yes look 4 y hurry down to the beach to see who comes it was an indian messenger from the camp of la perouse asking that something As they reached the beach they could see a cloud of smoke and a strange activity going on on coming closer they discovered la gobernadora ern adora with angustias and almost all of the people of the presidio who had evidently been summoned hastily by a messenger from la perouse the frenchman came hurrying to pedro pages fages 1 I had a thought at the last minute he said hurriedly you have been so wonderful to me all of your people have that I 1 wanted to give an occasion special tor for you we are to have a balloon ascension balloon ascension exclaimed the governor 1 I have heard of balloons but never seep one regard then said la perouse dramatically there is a balloon which was given us to take on our voyage around the world why I 1 do not know unless it was to impress people around the globe that frenchmen now make balloons what good they can ever fie ican I 1 can not see but they say some day they will be made strong enough to carry men there will never be one strong enough to carry me laughed fages he and young pedro dismounted and hurried on foot after la perouse to where the greit great muslin bag was slowly filling with smoke its rounding sides showing strange designs and pictures we have had it up once before on this trip explained la perouse that was in lima I 1 hope it will ascend now he said anxiously and at last it did slowly it staggered into the air everyone regarded it with amazement some of the indians muttered and several old women prostrated themselves on the ground accompanied with a chorus of incredulous ejaculations it rose the full length of the cord that tethered it then as a fresh late afternoon breeze puffed in from the sea and threatened it was brought down again por for diesl exclaimed the governor of california greatly pleased and amazed mil gracias to you senor el conde for such a miracle A balloon raised from the shore of california it will never happen again and will be something to remember all our lives and it will be something for me to remember all my life that I 1 have visited your california more I 1 can not say and now and now replied the governor with a slight formality which he assumed to cover his real feelings and now my friend I 1 suppose the time has come for us to say as you french put it adieu your spanish word adios is the same monsieur ie gouverneur both speed the parting guest in the care of god yes we must say those words for we must not hinder your departure with our curiosity and there are things I 1 must attend to at the presidio pre sidia but be sure senor el conde that at whatever hour you sail we shall be here on shore w watching you as far as we can see and wherever you shall sail you will be in our hearts thank you tor for visiting us the two men gripped hands la perouse was frankly moved thank you for everything the friendliness the courtesy the hospitality pita lity and your gifts of fruit and wine we will appreciate those surely and even for the goat and the chickens and mon dieu I 1 can not say more my feelings pardon nez moi he turned to eulalia who was standing quietly beside her husband her eyes on dagenet Da gelet and to you ma reine de cali fornie my respects for your fortitude and loyalty in being such a wonderful woman in the midst of such a remote country eulaliah Eul alias lips moved but her remarks were inaudible as the count kissed her hand there were other farewells then the governor followed by his soldiers and indian bearers his wife on one hand and his son at the other moved away from the camp on the beach As they rode the governor and his wife were each very silent busy with their own thoughts young pedro prattled beside them the count had given him a silver medal which had been struck off by the french government to commemorate me the great expedition of la perouse around the world on one side was an effigy of louis XVI and on the other two olive branches tied with a ribbon and a scroll which read les frigates fre gates du rol roi de france la Bous sole et command ees par mm de la a perouse ie de langle parties du art de brest en juin 1785 the child rapturously polished the bright coin on his jacket and asked his mother to translate it for him she did lifelessly the governor sighed and spoke at dawn on the tide they sail for or all the seven seas and I 1 he chuckled suddenly 1 I will escort you home my lady then ride over to the mission carmelo to talk with fray lasuen about this new mission santa barbara for that is the next great thing to happen to our california A ah h so you will not be home this even evening i ng no my love I 1 shall sup with the good fathers but will return early you will pardon me for a long moment she looked at him intently then gazed straight ahead certainly your excellency she said at last when at the great gate to the pre presidio sidia young pedro elected to go with his father she seemed in a strange mood go with your father my son she said but kiss me adios the 1 t 7 U I 1 ja p IA f j 1 9 ell 11 n N 4 0 ado certainly your excellency she said at last boy looked startled but pecked his mother hurriedly on the cheek eulalia watched them until their figures and that of the servant who followed were lost around a curving hill then she spurred her horse and rode rapidly across the parade ground to the palacio late that evening the count de la perouse working with some of his scientists in their rude laboratory on the beach was amazed when an attendant told him that a woman with a baby in her arms wished to see him and when the companion of la gobernadora strode in unabashed he was more surprised with no preamble she told her story landhere An and here dhere he is she said finally my baby my chichi you will take him will you not where he will be well and live but of course madame exclaimed the frenchman his eyes bright with amusement 1 I will see that he has the best of care and I 1 will loose him in the most beautiful jungle I 1 can find I 1 assure you he was astounded to see the wom ans harsh face begin working with emotion here she squeaked here is a little bundle of clothes I 1 made him he has needed them here where it has been cold and before he reaches his jungle see perhaps he will need them again she explained holding out a tiny pair of trousers and poking her finger through a hole see his dear little tail goes through here la perouse had taken the monkey in his arms but angustias reached for him strained him passionately to her breast the little animal put out a tiny paw and stroked her face with queer little noises she held him away from her and stared into the worried human eyes then thrust him back at the startled frenchman take him quickly she gasped be good to him he is my all my baby before la perouse ferouse could sayan other word she stumbled out of the tent into the dark norn nom du nom du vieu aleu singel roared la perouse here dage let you seem moony and unoccupied I 1 give you this animal to keep in your charge and to watch and ward and put his dear little tall tail through the hole in his pantaloons until we land on a tropical isle mon dieu temme femme dagenet picked up the monkey dolefully and you think I 1 have nothing to do he muttered he walked away from the tent carrying the monkey and his bundle of clothes to a spot where a boat was moored and an oarsman sat as though waiting tor for someone take this barked dagenet Da gelet 1 I will return angustias blinded with her tears staggered through the sand until she reached firmer ground then she made her way toward the pre presidio sidia sobbing and talking to herself Chic chichi hl my baby she grieved holding her empty arms to her breast my baby my baby when she was quite near the presidio gate she noticed a figure moving hurriedly in the direction of the beach it seemed to be the figure of a woman angustias slipped behind a tree and watched the woman came closer and angustias could see a large bundle balanced on her head every few feet she turned around and looked back toward the pre presidio sidia gasped angustias Angust las what is she doing ali ah the vixen she is running away wa with it h some french sailor ill be bound well we cant have that ive always had my suspicions of that one que la doncella honrada la pierna quebrada y en casa the virtuous maid and the broken leg must stay at home she muttered she took a few steps toward the girl then stopped if the hussy was intent on joining some french lover she would use violence rather than let angustias stop her she reflected she needed a man to help her As she hesitated her eye still on the flying girl who was zigzagging through the sand she heard the sound of horses she ran toward them as they came in view then she saw it was the governor she stopped she must not let him see her she had disobeyed him he would reprimand her she angustias whom he had always called a good soldier she started to step behind her tree again but was too late the governor had seen her so she took matters in her own hands and ran toward him your excellency she gasped look see that woman running toward the beach with the bundle on her head it is Indi zuela she is running away to join some french lover on the ships pedro fages looked after the fig ure that angustias pointed out she did indeed seem to be fleeing her erratic course took her now from one tree to another and she was avoiding the open spaces very well angustias Angust las you return with pedro to the mansion I 1 will attend to this go with them he be ordered the servant he spurred his horse lightly and cantered toward the girl As he drew near he saw rhe had staggered and dropped the great bundle from her head she was leaning over it sobbing with exertion when he ht up with her I 1 al 81 As he jumped from his b rs she 11 turned away from him and tried to cover her face with the that swathed her head fages spoke very gently mi chiquita he said my poor little one why are you running away from us all and from your home and those who are concerned in your welfare did you not say you loved the governor and were grateful grated U I 1 for all he had done for you and now you run away the girl suddenly became dynamic she straightened and faced the governor boldly tearing the from her head sol she screamed it is in you love Is it Indi zuela whom you follow after in the starlight Indi zuela Is it Indi zuela pedro F fages a ge s put h his is hands ha nd ra beard th then e n b brushed ru shed his eye As as though he doubted his sight Eula eulaia Eu laUa lial he said Eula eulalia lial you were running away she stooped over her bundle and tugged at it of course I 1 am running away and you can not stop me Indi zuela is not leaving you she panted so you will be happy she lifted the bundle and staggered a few steps don pedro watched her as though he were viewing an incident in a dream with drugged senses that could not react 1 I am leaving everything behind that you love she said through her teeth the children Indi zuela and your california for ever then he strode to her side and wrested her burden from her come he said sternly ster nry no nonsense she struggled with him nov no wildly no let me gol go you can not hold me here any longer let me but he slung the bundle over his saddle and taking her around the shoulders that writhed and tried to slip from his grasp he put one hand firmly over her mouth and tried to move her toward the horse she dug her hees heels in the sand he could feel her maledictions male dictions and imprecations m sputtering against his hand TO BE CONTINUED |