Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Whenever,duringhislongsojournsinthewildernessoftheSouthwest,hehadcalledupthepictureintheeyeofhismind,ithadalwaysappearedtohiminthedimmysteryofmoonlessnights,thevenerablepeartreesblackwithshadow,thefountainathingtobeheardratherthanseen.

           Butasyethehadnotenteredthegarden.ThatlayontheothersideoftheMission.Vanameepasseddownthecolonnade,withitsunevenpavementofwornredbricks,tothelastdoorbythebelfrytower,andrangthelittlebellbypullingtheleatherthongthathungfromaholeinthedoorabovetheknob.

           Butthemaid-servant,who,afteralongintervalopenedthedoor,blinkingandconfusedatbeingrousedfromhersleep,toldVanameethatSarriawasnotinhisroom.Vanamee,however,wasknowntoherasthepriest’sprotegeandgreatfriend,andsheallowedhimtoenter,tellinghimthat,nodoubt,hewouldfindSarriainthechurchitself.Theservantledthewaydownthecooladobepassagetoalargerroomthatoccupiedtheentirewidthofthebottomofthebelfrytower,andwhenceaflightofagedstepsledupwardintothedark.Atthefootofthestairswasadooropeningintothechurch.TheservantadmittedVanamee,closingthedoorbehindher.

           TheinterioroftheMission,agreatoblongofwhite-washedadobewithaflatceiling,waslighteddimlybythesanctuarylampthathungfromthreelongchainsjustoverthechancelrailatthefarendofthechurch,andbytwoorthreecheapkerosenelampsinbracketsofimitationbronze.AllaroundthewallswastheinevitableseriesofpicturesrepresentingtheStationsoftheCross.