第64章

"Do not try to deceive yourself, nor me.Above all, do not try to deceive HER.Either you are or are not in love with this countrywoman of yours.If you are not, my respect for her and my friendship for you prompts me to save you both from a foolish intimacy that may ripen into a misplaced affection; if you are already in love with her"--"I have never spoken a word of love to her!" interrupted Hurlstone quickly."I have even tried to avoid her since"--"Since you found that you loved her! Ah, foolish boy! and you think that because the lips speak not, the passions of the heart are stilled! Do you think your silence in her presence is not a protestation that she, even she, child as she is, can read, with the cunning of her sex?""Well--if I am in love with her, what then?" said Hurlstone doggedly."It is no crime to love a pure and simple girl.Am Inot free? You yourself, in yonder church, told me"--"Silence, Diego," said the priest sternly."Silence, before you utter the thought that shall disgrace you to speak and me to hear!""Forgive me, Father Esteban," said the young man hurriedly, grasping both hands of the priest."Forgive me--I am mad--distracted--but I swear to you I only meant"--"Hush!" interrupted the priest more gently."So; that will do."He stopped, drew out his snuff-box, rapped the lid, and took a pinch of snuff slowly."We will not recur to that point.Then you have told her the story of your life?""No; but I will, She shall know all--everything--before I utter a word of love to her,""Ah! bueno! muy bueno!" said the Padre, wiping his nose ostentatiously."Ah! let me see! Then, when we have shown her that we cannot possibly marry her, we will begin to make love to her! Eh, eh! that is the American fashion.Ah, pardon!" he continued, in response to a gesture of protestation from Hurlstone;"I am wrong.It is when we have told her that we cannot marry her as a Protestant, that we will make love as a Catholic.Is that it?""Hear me," said Hurlstone passionately."You have saved me from madness and, perhaps, death.Your care--your kindness--your teachings have given me life again.Don't blame me, Father Esteban, if, in casting off my old self, you have given me hopes of a new and fresher life--of"--"A newer and fresher love, you would say," said the Padre, with a sad smile."Be it so.You will at least do justice to the old priest, when you remember that he never pressed you to take vows that would have prevented this forever.""I know it," said Hurlstone, taking the old man's hand."And you will remember, too, that I was happy and contented before this came upon me.Tell me what I shall do.Be my guide--my friend, Father Esteban.Put me where I was a few months ago--before I learned to love her.""Do you mean it, Diego?" said the old man, grasping his hand tightly, and fixing his eyes upon him.

"I do."

"Then listen to me, for it is my turn to speak.When, eight months ago, you sought the shelter of that blessed roof, it was for refuge from a woman that had cursed your life.It was given you.You would leave it now to commit an act that would bring another woman, as mad as yourself, clamoring at its doors for protection from YOU.

For what you are proposing to this innocent girl is what you accepted from the older and wickeder woman.You have been cursed because a woman divided for you what was before God an indivisible right; and you, Diego, would now redivide that with another, whom you dare to say you LOVE! You would use the opportunity of her helplessness and loneliness here to convince her; you would tempt her with sympathy, for she is unhappy; with companionship, for she has no longer the world to choose from--with everything that should make her sacred from your pursuit.""Enough," said Hurlstone hoarsely; "say no more.Only I implore you tell me what to do now to save her.I will--if you tell me to do it--leave her forever.""Why should YOU go?" said the priest quietly."HER absence will be sufficient.""HER absence?" echoed Hurlstone.

"Hers alone.The conditions that brought YOU here are unchanged.

You are still in need of an asylum from the world and the wife you have repudiated.Why should you abandon it? For the girl, there is no cause why she should remain--beyond yourself.She has a brother whom she loves--who wants her--who has the right to claim her at any time.She will go to him.""But how?"