Show M mistress I 1 0 S t r S MIC 1 of 0 monterey M n t e iiii i 0 virginia stivers bartlett lett stivers bartlett virginia Virg a 0 a 0 0 1 service CHAPTER XVI continued Is 13 so amid great grumbl ings from angustias whose pet chichi had developed a dangerous cold from the fogs and sea air of monterey the gubernatorial party embarked on the san antonio for the mission and presidio sidio of san francisco angustias Angust las had at last settled herself to in some comfort in the governors palace and had she confided to the gobernadora just got the cramps out of her bones from the long journey she had made when she must needs pack and move on again As she fusse dover the little trunk that held the layette she scolded A rolling stone gathers no moss eulalia laughed and a dog that stays at home never finds any bones I 1 she countered the san antonio was drifting between prints lobos and bonita that guard the gates of the great bay of N 0 N N 1 OW te I 1 A rolling stone gathers no moss it was sunset and as the governor stood on the bridge odthe clumsy ship he looked west into the sky all vivid with color where islands called the Farr alones could be seen rising dimly above the water when she landed at san francisco leaning heavily on the governor all the people of the presidio and mission were there to greet eulalia but her pride and pleasure in the royal greeting were interrupted by a feeling of great uneasiness followed by acute discomfort the governor busy greeting his old friends was just shaking hands with the genial fray palou i when he felt his ladys fingers clutch him convulsively he looked into her face it was ivory white with wide staring black eyes and white drawn mouth eulalia eulalia pedro oh merciful god she whispered A day later fray palou with a pleased expression on his kindly face drew toward him the great register of the mission dolores at san francisco and inscribed in his fine scholarly hand that was to record so many priceless records for the annals of california these words born on august the third 1784 to dona eulalla eulalia celis de fages wife of don pedro fages goberna dor general of the Cali fornias a daughter some ten days later the young daughter of the governor his little flower as he called her was christened with as much pomp as was possible in the shabby little mission church fray palou proudly pointed out however the cornerstone already laid for or a new temple to be erected then the party returned gaily to the mansion of bf the commandants Comm andante of the Pre presidio of san francisco don jose moraga and his wife maria del pilar do de leon y barcelo who were the padrino and badrina of the baby there was a christening feast with don jose as the host dona maria del pilar had dug out her dearest treasures to grace the board the adobe room wasa strange background for the rich linen and silver the sparkling glass and china outside the wind blew great sheets of fog on the pitiful settlement clinging so precariously over the gray waters of the bay the rain poured ceaselessly doing still greater damage to the little houses and the wall around the presidio which had already earlier in the year been partly destroyed by a severe storm but in the humble mansion all 11 was gay and la gobernadora looked a very queen inde edin her wine red velvet and rubies as she sat beside her husband her eyes brighter than the candles and gracefully slim she ran her hands over her body beneath the tablecloth and sighed with pleasure she was free strong she could accomplish anything bowl during the festivities an indian servant announced that a messenger had arrived from monterey to speak to fray palou in a moment the shivering soaked boy came into the warm room and handed the friar a letter after obtaining permission to read it the missionary bent close to a candle and read the words of his br brother gunipero Juni pero serra his heart saddening more and more until he read the last lines that serra had penned in his dark hour good padre palou come and assist me to die fray palou covered his eyes with his hands a moment then turned a white face toward the company the governor rose slowly to his feet his face drawn father he said harshly what is it without a word the priest pointed out the last words in the message fages read them and without hesitating spoke decisively come father let us go at once I 1 am ready there are horses for us don jose we are going to carmelo gunipero Juni pero serra is dying there was perfect silence for a moment outside the wind win d sighed and moaned and seagulls sea gulls circling screamed as they made their evening flight to aeries adries among the rocks and crags that overhung the sea dying someone whispered gunipero Juni pero serra dying there were sighs and exclamations all around the table it does not seem possible exclaimed the commandants Comm andante but here is the letter in his own hand replied fages he turned to the messenger was there no word for me he asked the boy shook his head fages tugged at his beard his head bent he looked up abruptly you will pardon me it if I 1 leave don jose he said but you see I 1 must father palou I 1 will be ready in a moment I 1 must change these fiesta clothes tor for my old leathers and you don jose will you see that horses servants and food 1 are ready for us the commandants Comm andante hesitated of course I 1 will excuse you but but does your excellency think it is necessary to leave he stole a glance at la gobernadora just now by heaven yes nothing on earth could keep me from going to juni pero serra father are you ready the priest had been standing silently his beads moving between his fingers ready your excellency ready and anxious the guests had bad left their places at the table and were gathered about the letter which fray palou had received leaving la goberna dora sitting alone like a ruby madonna with her child in her arms the governor started to leave the room then he stopped suddenly before his wife and stared at her as though he had forgotten her existence eulalla eulalia he faltered she turned her face upward toward him and clasped the child closer to her she did not speak Vu eulalia lalia you see I 1 must go everyone was looking at them arrested by the sudden change in the governors manner 1 I do not see it she said coldly you shall not go 1 I am going still he stood though she had not detained him even by a gesture the guests began moving in a shocked silence out of the room eulalia saw fray palou going as though to join them she looked at him do not go please padre there Is nothing we have to say that you may not hear bear the priest bowed silently you shau shall not go you will stay here with me where you should be 1 I should be with gunipero Juni pero serra no I 1 am your wife flesh of your flesh I 1 have suffered tor for you I 1 have borne you children I 1 have hav traveled over a dangerous country that even strong men dread to face to be by your side and now you are not going to leave me fages tugged at his beard you do not understand a love between men I 1 must go no I 1 do not understand such a love but it if it separates you from me at this time I 1 do not want to understand it I 1 despise it her voice began rising from its icy controlled inflections the arms that pressed her baby to her trembled what Is gunipero Juni pero serra to you that you should leave me with your newborn new born child in my arms still weak and ill from my travail what is he anyway but a mad old fanatic love she laughed contemptuously love all I 1 have ever heard between you is quarreling and bitterness gunipero Juni pero serra hates bates and despises you in his heart as you do him stung by the words she hurled at him pedro fages took a step toward her his hand raised she stared up at him without flinching the baby began to whimper softly and nuzzle the r red ed velvet of her bodice fray palou moved forward quickly but the governor only laid his hand gently on his cifes shoulder you do not understand my dear it if you did you would see how necessary it is to my honor my position my very life that I 1 go to gunipero Juni pero serra now you will not make it any harder for me be a brave soldiers woman her face did not change it if you go I 1 shall never live with you as wife again pedro fages looked into the shadowed eyes burning so bitterly into his you do not mean that 1 I do the governor shrugged his shoulders and moved toward the door be that as it may he turned again to the door and this time walked out without a word hours later eulalla eulalia awoke to see the governor standing beside her his leather jacket was running rivulets his eyes burned out from a wet face for a moment she looked up at him in surprise then she put a hand toward him ai my pedro she cooed coded you did not got go oh my love I 1 am so happy look at your little flower she pulled the coverlet away and disclosed the child asleep its tiny mouth still pressed to her breast still he did not speak nor make a move toward her the love that she pleaded for from his eyes did not bindle kindle there was only bitter tiers nef s in his face eulalia grew afraid you yau are not going she whispered pitifully 1 I started but I 1 came back he said shortly ah my lover again she reached toward him but pedro fages made a slight exclamation of grief bitterness revulsion against the woman who held him and left herroon her room to wander along the bleak cliffs in the rain CHAPTER CHAP TEIl fray francisco palou sat heavily down in the aliso wood chair the indians had made for gunipero Juni pero serra the same armchair in which the father had sat to write his farewell letters fray fingers reached for the same quill and an k I 1 t N 0 NN 1 1 at fray palou read the words carefully leaning his arms where the mission arys aryls arms had so often rested on the crude table gave himself up t to 0 thought for a long while he sat silently listening to the darting swallows as they flew around the eaves of the tiny tin y cell then he took a deep breath and shaking his head sadly dipped the quill into the ink and began writing san carlos september seventh 1784 hall hail jesus mary and joseph very tery reverend father guardian fray juan sancho on the twenty eighth of august just passed god was pleased to take to eternity the soul of my ever loved and honored father the fa ther president fray gunipero Juni pero ter ser ra fray palou read the words carefully after he had written them then continued with a deep sigh As soon as the news was made public it t spread through all the town everybody mourning the death of their dear father everybody crowded to see him and it was necessary to close the gate in order to place him in the coffin he himself had ordered made As soon as he died his body was placed in it taking it from the bed or platform or on which he died without removing habit CH N then the indians whom the dari father had baptized and confirmed brought roses with which to adorn his dead body and weeping at his death they did not want to go away at night we took his body to the church with a procession formed formea by all the town and the six soldiers of the guard one of whom stayed on watch all night with many neophytes and sailors when the father died all were eager for some little thing that he had used I 1 promised that I 1 would comfort them all so they might not do anything unseemly but in spite of all this and of the sentinels at night they cut off bits of the habit that served as a shroud and much of the hair from his tonsure the fol following loIng day which ya sunday I 1 said mass for tora 11 body present in the afternoon the burial took place with all solemnity the procession went by way of the plaza making four stops and singing at each response the soldiers carried the body the rest going with tapers in their hands when we arrived at the church we sang lauds with all the ceremony of the ritual of the order all were eager to honor the deceased although I 1 was forgetful of the tact fact that I 1 had been asked for some mementoes of the deceased father which they wanted as relics they did not forget on the contrary they importuned importuner me to such an extent that I 1 was forced to give up his tunic which I 1 told them they must make up into scapulars and bring them to me together with their cords they did this and when I 1 distributed them I 1 explained they were scapular and girdle of our father san francisco in return for which they should pray for the soul of the dead father in this way I 1 satisfied the eager worshipers and interceded intercedes inter ceded for the soul of the dead father it if indeed he needs our prayers and petitions francisco palou read the letter that he had written added a few formal phrases and ended the message your reverences Reveren ces most humble servant and the humblest of your brothers fr francisco palou TO BE CONTINUED |