Show MISTRESS of WOON TEmEY K W VIRGINIA STIVERS BARTLETT 0 virginia Virgin la stivers barbett service CHAPTER 16 pedro fages was looking off across the water with that dreaming questioning expression that annoyed eulalia so 1 I he asked yes I 1 have my longings though to 0 o me california is the most beautiful spot in ill all the world still I 1 am homesick for places I 1 have never seen the men looked at pedro fages with sympathy as they turned their mounts around and started back to the presidio but eulalia had not heard her husbands words her head was whirling with her own thoughts again she heard dage lets impulsive word comel come her Ah thoughts were interrupted by the gentle voice of padre lasuen it was a beautiful fiesta senora la gobernadora he said a real event in the history of california this entertaining of the first distinguished visitors to reach our shores but now I 1 must hasten ahead to prepare another feast for them a feast of the soul at our little mission san carlos de carmelo Carmel tf until the then P adios CHAPTER along the darkening via cruces a mounted messenger flew ahead of the governor and his guests to warn the fathers at carmelo that the party was approaching don pedro and his guests lingered along the way deep in talk it has been wonderful this visit here monsieur ie gouverneur la perouse was saying sans doute this Is one of the wonder countries of the world me I 1 foresee great things these bays and harbors full of ships from all the world ports and strange people from all over the universe I 1 see commerce trade and great cities what is to prevent it ali ah if you or I 1 or some one of these restless people who travel and explore could only find that northwest passage if it exists replied fages thoughtfully exist it does I 1 am sure of that then why it found but never mind if as you say california is to become such a great place teeming with ships andreo and peo poe it will be I 1 am dead I 1 should hate to see it that way but it if it happens it will not be in my time still deep in thought her febrile imagination tricking her into the maddest imaginings la gobernadora rode quietly by her husbands side it had been impossible tor for her to have another word with dagenet Da gelet who rode also wrapped in thought close to the side of the count the governor and his guests cantered up to the gate to the compound which surrounded the mission buildings and left their horses with servants at the door they were greeted by padre lasuen swinging the with welcoming murmur he sprinkled them with holy water and they entered the church how could the french visitors tois know that it was a matter of pride and sacrifice that the altar was illuminated lumina ted with a hundred candles in their honor or that the ceremonial vestments padre lasuen wore were only brought out on the highest occasions to them it seemed so simple so crude so nearly pitiful but their religious feelings were deeply touched and the sonorous latin of the old pioneer priest thanking god tor for their safe delivery to these distant shores and begging him tor for a safe conduct across the waters home brought tears to many eyes eulalla eulalia sank into the chair provided for her and let her eyes rove about at the people around there was Indi zuela her face stolid impassive and there was angustias she was weeping what in heavens name thought la gobernadora ails her I 1 must find out and there was her husband and la perouse the dark of the governors head and the silvery white of the counts contrasting strongly in the candlelight and there was le pante dagenet again her thoughts began to whirl A sudden revelation came to her if she sailed away from california with the french expedition she would become Dage lets mistress she brushed her forehead hastily with trembling fingers she to belong to another man than pedro fages was it possible the thought struck like a blow and stunned her for a brief spell her knees bent automatically in the genuflections genuflect ions of the service she stood knelt and sat automatically her lips murmured responses her bewildered mind began consciously functioning again cautiously she turned over the thought of being Dage lets mistress while the low tones of fray laguens Lasu ens devout voice droher on another man to make love to her she said it over and over in the rhythm of the litany her lips spoke familiarity with the idea made it piquant another man not pedro fages with his rough tempestuous robust love making to which she was responding less and less as time went on she glanced at her husband from the corner of her eye how well she knew him every line every feature a tiny blood vessel in the corner of his eye like a question mark a large vein on his temple that swelled and throbbed at times the feeling of his hands roughened and coarse when he caressed her the smell of his clothes ah horses leather perspiration would it be difficult to change that for another man A man well groomed with delicate hands a sensitive mouth not buried in a beard A man whose every movement and gesture was graceful deliberate she shivered and clasped her warm hands together and then she thought dagenet does smell so sweet gloria Glor lar gloria sang the choir and the congregation gloria gloria sang eulalia she lifted her eyes to the altar with its hundred candles there gunipero Juni pero serra had stood quenching the flames of seven candles in the blood that poured from his breast there he had lain in his coffin and there beneath the floor at the foot of the altar lay his bones but suddenly it seemed that everywhere ery where she looked sh she saw his eyes staring at her from the lights looking out from the painted sockets of the holy images sorrowful accusing she shivered again for a cold breath seemed to rise from juni pero serras tomb and blow upon her she chafed chafee her hands together for now they were cold clammy would this service never end endi just when she thought she could not bear it for another instant she heard fray lasuen pronounce the benedictions benediction she staggered to her feet while the procession of choir boys and acolytes passed then don pedro took her arm and she stumbled from the church in the compound outside a great fire had been lighted for the fathers at carmel had planned a fiesta of their own in honor of the frenchmen la perouse spoke to the governor sacre coeur he said frankly wiping his eyes but what a scene to touch the heart mon dieu monsieur ie gouverneur what you spanish pioneers have done in this country ali ah I 1 can not say any more than I 1 have said how it touches the heart thank you senor el conde said the governor gravely they were moving toward seats that had been prepared tor for them in a ring around the fire eulalia noticed dagenet maneuvering to reach nor side that sacre pere your francois lasuen went on the count with gallic emotion what a saint is he he is the most worthy respectable man I 1 have ever met his mildness charity and affection for these unutterably stupid indians Is beyond expression Monsie url the gentlemen stood while eulalia seated herself with a queenly air dagenet waited until his superior officer was ensconced in a great armchair beside the governor then quickly slipped to the ground to sit at the feet of la gobernadora don pedro looked at him with a good natured twinkle we are all here your majesty he remarked to his lady even to the court jester at your feet dagenet hugged his knees wi with th a smile and looked inquiringly at la perouse who translated the remark for him tell his excellency he an it is a privilege to be here and tell him please he added as an afterthought that if it would please the lady I 1 would stretch out on the ground tor for her footstool foot stool like that young savage slave of hers if she would permit eulalla eulalia gasped at the daring la perouse gave his young friend a reprimanding glance and translated his remarks to the governor as he saw fit closer to the fire they saw fermin lasuen appear and talk with a 8 group of half naked indian boys who were preparing some game there is the holy man among his dark sheep remarked la perouse yes he is a holy man indeed replied pages fages gunipero Juni pero serra was a true saint but the two are very diff different erent for instance you would not have been privileged to see an indian ceremonial if gunipero Juni pero serra were padre presidente he did his best to put down every evidence of the barbarities bari ties the indians practiced even their harmless games yes he was different even the appearance of the two is different lasuen is a smaller more wiry man than serra he is very pious but very human our fray fermin 1 I would have been interested in serra but I 1 am glad lasuen is less strict for it is splendid to see these indian dances yes fray lasuen says with a smile of tolerance that they are only children and must play and they have grown too old to learn new games another priest you would have admired was fray palou he was a Mal lorcan as was serra and after serving here a little while as padre presidente after serras death has retired to mexico where he is writing a life of his brother gunipero Juni pero he laughed suddenly but all the priests that have come to california have not been saints by any means we had two here for a while and please do not embarrass me by asking how they got here who were fiends sent straight from hell as good gunipero Juni pero used to say one was fray mariano rubio rubi and the other fray bartolome gili A crapulous pair he laughed uproariously mon dieu they sound like some of our famous french friars of the moyen age and what became of them por dios their fate was too good for them one of them was put on the manila galleon as chaplain and he sails annually from manila to acapulco and back trip after trip and is never allowed to set foot on land that is a terrible punishment for the poor man is seasick all the time the other is a chaplain in a prison and is virtually a prisoner himself I 1 heaved a sigh of relief when those two were deported from california although they did add to the gaiety of the place put in eulalia one never knew what they were going to do what exclaimed the governor my lady speaks again she has been so quiet ever since the meri enda I 1 was afraid she was dis pleased or ill how is it with you querida are you 11 eulalia could feel Dage lets fingers smoothing the hem of the green riding habit there was a low thud of tom toms a beating of rattles punctuated by sudden savage shrieks and screams A long queue of nearly naked indian youths began dancing around the fire and while the games and dances lasted all conversation died except for a quiet unheard whispering that passed unnoticed under cover of the excitement between E ulalia eulalia and dagenet Da gelet you are most beautiful in the firelight your majesty murmured the man your beauty gleams out of the dark amid this rude setting like an exotic jewel the woman sighed and moved her hand until it touched his shoulder the fire was darkened for a moment as a group of da dancers acers postured before it he reached for the hand and again eulalia felt subtle excitement when his lips kissed her palm gardet garde she murmured then after a moment when you said when you said corne come this morning on the cl cliff iff did you mean it dagenet drew away ever so slightly ali ah but yes cesi at the time at the time what do you 11 ship sh the chanting of the indian dancers had died down to an ominous silence only the crackling of the fire and the wind in the trees was audible the performers filed into the darkness silently then in a moment another group bounded into the firelight grotesque with strange he addresses and bows and arrows for a dance of the hunters again the tom toms and rattle grunts and shrieks eulali a felt a cold shiver through her body ghe he whispered again please explain to 1 I was carried away by the tenderness of the moment my selfishness overcame me forgive me I 1 could not carry you away she clutched his shoulder until her fingernails finger nails bit into his flesh away from what this loneliness desolation neglect do you think I 1 am mad to prefer to stay here dagenet peered at her in the firelight indeed her eyes did look a little mad what was going to happen he reached again for her hand and patted it soothingly it is I 1 who am mad jae he breathed you do not really wish to come I 1 would not wish to to 11 he stopped and cursed to himself those were not the right words you make it difficult for me whispered eulalia for you have asked me to come and I 1 am coming do not worry about it just rest content and happy in the knowledge that when you sail I 1 shall be with you no no madame it is too great a sacrifice for you to beulal his voice was rising and eulala murmured sh they were silent tor for a moment watching the dancers Dage lets brain was whirling the lady was determined and if a lady were determined ter mined he stole a glance at the ladys husband the powerful governor of the Calit Cali fornias his bulk solid and imposing in the half light how good a swordsman was he how true a shot visions of duels of pursuit by the spanish armada of international complications passed through his mind was he laying too much stress on the latin understanding of aff affair air de voeurt coeur he must not do this it was madness sheer insanity it is not too great a sacrifice for me mon ami the lady was breathing in his ear 1 I am willing to make it and what Is more sh she adad leaned far over as though to ad just a shoe latchet and looked straight into his eyes her own glowing feverishly what is more if I 1 stay if I 1 do not go lam I 1 am afraid I 1 will have to confess to my husband that you that you have made love to me she hissed triumphantly dagenet dropped his head bead to his knees with a groan of despair but he recovered himself suddenly la that is what was needed now he fumbled half heart edly for the ladys hand again he must kiss it poor lady he thought as he felt her warm fingers he felt a tremor pass through her and soon she whispered and all that is left to decide is where and when dagenet thought quickly the nearness of the woman her real appeal the sound of the thudding indian rhythm savage passionate moved him he shrugged his shoulders after all why not there had been elopements elope ments before and there would be again and the lady was determined TO BE CONTINUED |