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　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
  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。
  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　awho　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　the　long　after…glow　of　sunset。　The　sea　was
  the　purple　of　grapes；　and　wine…colored　hues　flowed　among　the　high
  shoulders　of　the　mountains。
  〃I　have　seen　a　sight　like　this；〃　said　Gaston；　〃between　Granada　and
  Malaga。〃
  〃So　you　know　Spain！〃　said　the　Padre。
  Often　he　had　thought　of　this　resemblance；　but　never　till　now　met　any　one
  to　share　his　thought。　The　courtly　proprietor　of　San　Fernando　and　the
  other　patriarchal　rancheros　with　whom　he　occasionally　exchanged　visits
  across　the　wilderness　knew　hospitality　and　inherited　gentle　manners；
  sending　to　Europe　for　silks　and　laces　to　give　their　daughters；　but　their
  eyes　had　not　looked　upon　Granada；　and　their　ears　had　never　listened　to
  William　Tell。
  〃It　is　quite　singular；〃　pursued　Gaston；　〃how　one　nook　in　the　world　will
  suddenly　remind　you　of　another　nook　that　may　be　thousands　of　miles　away。
  One　morning；　behind　the　Quai　Voltaire；　an　old；　yellow　house　with　rusty
  balconies　made　me　almost　homesick　for　New　Orleans。〃
  〃The　Quai　Voltaire！〃　said　the　Padre。
  〃I　heard　Rachel　in　Valerie　that　night；〃　the　young　man　went　on。　〃Did　you
  know　that　she　could　sing；　too。　She　sang　several　verses　by　an　astonishing
  little　Jew　violon…cellist　that　is　come　up　over　there。〃
  The　Padre　gazed　down　at　his　blithe　guest。　〃To　see　somebody；　somebody；
  once　again；　is　very　pleasant　to　a　hermit！〃
  〃It　cannot　be　more　pleasant　than　arriving　at　an　oasis；〃　returned　Gaston。
  They　had　delayed　on　the　threshold　to　look　at　the　beauty　of　the　evening；
  and　now　the　priest　watched　his　parishioners　come　and　go。　〃How　can　one
  make　companions〃　he　began；　then；　checking　himself；　he　said：　〃Their
  souls　are　as　sacred　and　immortal　as　mine；　and　God　helps　me　to　help　them。
  But　in　this　world　it　is　not　immortal　souls　that　we　choose　for　companions；
  it　is　kindred　tastes；　intelligences；　andand　so　I　and　my　books　are
  growing　old　together；　you　see；〃　he　added；　more　lightly。　〃You　will　find　my
  volumes　as　behind　the　times　as　myself。〃
  He　had　fallen　into　talk　more　intimate　than　he　wished；　and　while　the　guest
  was　uttering　something　polite　about　the　nobility　of　missionary　work；　he
  placed　him　in　an　easy…chair　and　sought　aguardiente　for　his　immediate
  refreshment。　Since　the　year's　beginning　there　had　been　no　guest　for　him
  to　bring　into　his　rooms；　or　to　sit　beside　him　in　the　high　seats　at　table；
  set　apart　for　the　gente　fina。
  Such　another　library　was　not　then　in　California；　and　though　Gaston
  Villere；　in　leaving　Harvard　College；　had　shut　Horace　and　Sophocles　for
  ever　at　the　earliest　instant　possible　under　academic　requirements；　he
  knew　the　Greek　and　Latin　names　that　he　now　saw　as　well　as　he　knew　those
  of　Shakspere；　Dante；　Moliere；　and　Cervantes。　These　were　here　also；　but　it
  could　not　be　precisely　said　of　them；　either；　that　they　made　a　part　of　the
  young　man's　daily　reading。　As　he　surveyed　the　Padre's　august　shelves；　it
  was　with　a　t