In which ship shall we put him, Senor?"
"In the Santa Maria," answered the Admiral.
So short as that was it done! And yet--and yet--it
had been doing for a long time, for how long a time I have
no way of measuring!
Juan de Penelosa continued to speak: "Follow us into
Palos where Sebastian Jaurez will give you wine and a piece
of money. Thence you will go to church where indeed we
are bound, all who sail being gathered there for general
confession and absolution. This voyage begins Christianly!"
Said Fray Juan Perez, "Not to do that, Juan Lepe, were
to cry aloud for another shipwreck!"
He used the tone of priest, thrusting in speech as priests
often do, where there is no especial need of speech. But I
understood that that was a mask, and could read kinsmanly
anxiety in a good man's heart. I said, "I will find Sebastian
Jaurez, and I will go to church, Senors. A ship is a ship,
and a voyage a voyage!"
"This, Juan Lepe," said the Admiral in that peculiarly
warm and thrilling voice of his, "is such a voyage as you
have never been!"
I made reply, "So be it! I would have every voyage
greater than the last." And as they put their steeds into
motion, walked behind them downhill and over sandy ways
into Palos. There I found Sebastian Jaurez who signed me
in. I put into my pocket the coin he gave me and drank
with him a stoup of wine, and then I went to church.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88