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Rezanov
by　Gertrude　Atherton


With　an　Introduction　by
WILLIAM　MARION　REEDY



INTRODUCTION


A　long　list　of　works　Gertrude　Atherton　has　to　her　credit　as　a　writer。　　She　is　indisputably　a　woman　of　genius。　　Not　that　her　genius　is　distinctively　feminine；　though　she　is　in　matters　historical　a　pas…　sionate　partisan。　　Most　of　the　critics　who　approve　her　work　agree　that　in　the　main　she　views　life　with　somewhat　of　the　masculine　spirit　of　liberality。　　She　is　as　much　the　realist　as　one　can　be　who　is　saturated　with　the　romance　that　is　California；　her　birthplace　and　her　home；　if　such　a　true　cosmopolite　as　she　can　be　said　to　have　a　home。　　In　all　she　has　written　there　is　abounding　life；　her　grasp　of　character　is　firm；　her　style　has　a　warm；　glowing　plasticity；　frequently　a　rhythm　variously　expressive　of　all　the　wide　range　of　feeling　which　a　writer　must　have　to　make　his　or　her　books　living　things。　　She　does　no　less　well　in　the　depiction　of　men　than　in　the　portraiture　of　women。　　All　stand　out　of　their　vivid　environment　distinctly　and　they　are　all　personalities　of　power　even；　occasionally；　of　〃that　strong　power　called　weakness。〃　　And　they　all　wear　something　of　a　glory　imparted　to　them　by　the　sympathy　of　their　creator　and　interpreter。　　High　upon　any　roster　of　our　best　American　writers　we　must　enroll　the　name　of　Mrs。　Atherton。

Of　all　her　books　I　like　best　this　〃Rezanov；〃　though　I　have　not　found　many　to　agree　with　me。　It　is　not　so　pretentious　as　others　more　frequently　commended。　　It　is　a　simple　story；　almost　one　might　say　an　incident　or　an　anecdote。　　It　is　not　literally　sophisticated。　　For　me　that　is　its　unfailing　charm。　I　find　in　it　not　a　little　of　the　strange；　primeval　quality　that　makes　me　think　of　〃Aucassin　and　Nico…　lette。〃　　For　it　is　not　so　much　a　novel　as　an　his…　torical　idyl；　not　to　be　read　without　a　persisting　suffusion　of　sympathy　and　never　to　be　remembered　without　a　recurring　tenderness。　　Remembered；　did　I　say？　　It　is　unforgettable。　　There　are　few　books　of　American　origin　that　resist　so　well　the　passing　of　the　years；　that　take　on　more　steadily　the　glam…　our　of　〃the　unimaginable　touch　of　time。〃　　〃Rez…　anov〃　is　a　classic；　or　I　miss　my　guess。　　This；　though　it　was　first　published　so　recently　as　1906。

The　story　has　the　merit　of　being；　to　some　extent　historically；　and　wholly　artistically；　true。　　For　the　matter…of…facts　Mrs。　Atherton　provides　a　bibliog…　raphy　of　her　authorities。　　Those　authorities　I　have　not　read；　nor　should　others。　　Sufficient　unto　me　is　the　authority　of　the　novel　itself　splendidly　demonstrated　and　established　in　the　high　court　of　the　reader's　head　and　heart　by　the　author's　visu…　alizing　veritism。　　Not　twenty　pages　have　you　turned　before　you　know　this　Rezanov；　privy　councilor；　grand　chamberlain；　plenipotentiary　of　the　Russo…　American　company；　imperial　inspector　of　the　ex…　treme　eastern　and　northwestern　dominions　of　his　imperial　majesty　Alexander　the　First；　emperor　of　Russiaall　this　and　more；　a　man。　　He　comes　out　of　mystery　into　the　softly　bright　light　of　California；　in　strength　and　shrewdness　and　dignity　and　per…　sonal　splendor。　　And　there　is　amidst　it　all　a　pathos　upon　him。　　He　commands　your　affection　even　while　suggesting　a　doubt　whether　the　man　may　not　be　overwhelmed　in　the　diplomat；　the　intriguer。　　The　year　is　1806。　　The　monstrous　apparition　of　Napo…　leon　has　loomed　an　omen　of　the　doom　of　ancient　authority　and　the　shattering　of　nations　in　Europe。　That　faithless；　incalculable　idealist　Alexander；　plans　he　knows　not　what　of　imperial　glory　in　the　Eastern　and　Western　world。　　Rezanov　is　his　ser…　vant；　a　man　of　ambition；　perhaps　in　all　favor　at　court；　desirous　of　doing　some　great　service　for　his　master。　　He　dreams　of　dominion　in　this　sun…soaked　land　so　lazily　held　in　the　lax　grasp　of　Spain。　　He　has　come　from　failure。　　He　had　been　to　Japan　with　presents　to　the　emperor；　was　received　by　minor　officials　with　a　hospitality　that　poorly　concealed　the　fact　that　he　was　virtually　a　prisoner；　and　then　dis…　missed　without　admission　to　the　audience　he　sought　with　the　mikado。　　He　had　gone　then　to　bleak；　in…　hospitable　Sitka；　to　find　the　settlement　there　in　a　plague　of　scurvy　and　starvation　only　slightly　miti…　gated　by　vodka。　　Down　the　coast　then　he　sailed　to　the　Spanish　settlement　for　food　for　the　settlement。　He　comes　to　that　place　where　in　his　vision　he　sees　arise　that　city　of　the　future　which　we　know　now　as　San　Francisco。　　Masterful　man　that　he　is；　he　feels　that　here　some　great　thing　awaits　him。　　The　Spaniards　are　wary　of　him。　　They　will　not　trade　with　him；　but　they　receive　him　courteously　and　they　are　fascinated　by　his　self…possessed；　well…poised　but　withal　so　gracious　personality。　　The　life　there　at　the　time　is　a　sort　of　lotus…eating　existence。　　It　is　a　piece　of　Spain　translated　to　a　more　luscious；　a　lovelier　land；　overlooking　beautiful　seas　and　peril…　ous。　　Into　the　dolce　far　niente　Rezanov　enters　with　some　surrender　to　its　softening　spell；　but　with　the　courtier's　prudence。

And　he　meets　the　girl；　Concha　Arguello。　　He　sees　her　in　the　setting　of　burning　and　sweet　Cas…　tilian　rosesa　girl　who　has　had　the　benefit　of　edu…　cation；　who　keeps　the　graces　of　old　Madrid　in　this　realm　beyond　sea；　a　burgeoning　bud　of　womanhood；　daughter　of　the　commandante。　　The　doom　of　both　is　upon　them　at　once。　　They　have　drunk　the　pois…　oned　cup。　　Rezanov　resists　the　first　approaches　of　the　delightful　delirium；　remembering　Russia；　his　duty；　his　ambition；　the　poor　starving　men　of　the　Sitka　factory。　　At　a　party　he　dances　with　Concha　and　they　both　know　that　for　each　there　is　none　other。　　So　in　that　setting　so　wild；　so　strange；　so　remote；　so　lovely　for　the　old　world　grace　that　is　made　native　there　by　this　bright；　deep；　fond　girl；　the　high　gods　proceed　to　have　their　will　upon　the　two。　　The　little　community　life　pulses　around　them　the　faster　because　they　are　there。　　Their　love　be…　comes　a　motive　in　the　diplomatic　drama　which　has　for　end；　first；　the　securing　of　food　for　those　fam…　ishing　folk　at　Sitka；　and　beyond　that；　possibly　the　seizing　of　the　region　for　Russia；　lest　that　new　young　power　of　the　West；　the　United　States；　pre…　empt　the　rich　domain。　　Concha　would　help　the　Rus…　sian　to　those　ends　immediate　which　he　reveals　to　her；　and　succeeds。　　He　tells　her　of　Russia　and　his　mighty　position　there。　　He　would　have　her　for　his　wife；　his　helper　in　the　vast　imperial　affairs　at　the　Russian　capitol；　his　princess　in　his　palace；　augment…　ing　his　official　and　personal　distinction。　　She　shares　his　vision；　rising　to　all　the　heights　it　unfolds　in　a　splendid　future。　　Child　she　is；　but　she　is　transformed　into　a　woman　by　the　prospect　not　of　her　own　pleas…　ure；　but　of　participation　in　splendid　achievement　with　this　man　so　keen；　so　supple；　yet　so　firm　in　high　purpose。　　And　as　the　prospect　opens　to　her　desire　and　his　there　looms　the　obstacle。　　They　can…　not　marry；　for　Rezanov　is　a　heretic。　　And　now　the　passion　flames。　　This　child　woman　will　go　with　him。　Ah；　but　the　church；　the　king　of　Spain；　will　they　per…　mit？　　And　the　Czar！　　Rezanov　will　see　to　it　that　the　Czar　will　clear　the　way　for　them　through　power　exercised　at　Rome　and　at　Madrid。　　Conditioned　upon　this；　the　girl's　parents　consent。

These　lovers　prate　very　little　of　love。　　Their　desire　runs　too　deep　for　mere　speech。　　It　is　a　desire　made　up　of　as　much　spiritual　as　carnal　fire。　　It　is　fierce　but　steady　in　ecstacy　and　agony；　indistinguish…　able　the　one　from　the　other。　　Rezanov；　man　of　the　great　world；　it　purifies。　　Concha　it　strengthens　and　makes　indomitable。　　They　will　abide　delay。　　They　will　endure　in　faith　and　hopethe　faith　and　hope　both　dimmed　by　the　vague　and　unshakable　intui…　tion　or　premonition　that　fate　has　marked　them　for　derision。　　Nevertheless；　they　will　endure。

There　is　a　meeting　on　a　path　that　overlooks　where　the　white　seas　strike　their　tents。　　It　is　a　meeting　of　little　action；　of　few　words。　　It　is　tense　with　the　almost　inexpressible；　but　at　its　end；　confronting　the　doubtful　future；　realizing　that　when　Rezanov　goes　he　may　not　return；　this　girl　tells　him：　〃I　will　give　myself　to　you　forever；　how　much　or　little　that　may　mean　here　on　earth。　　Forever！〃　　And　then　that　scene　in　the　moonlight　amid　the　scent　of　the　Cas…　tilian　roses；　when　Concha；　as　signal　of　her　trust　in　her　lover；　lifts　the　little　wisps　of　hair　that　conceal　her　ears　and　shows　them　to　himit　throbs　with　passionate　purity　in　memory　yet。

Rezanov　sails　away　to　Sitka　with　provisions；　thence　to　Siberia；　and　then　begins　the　long　ride　over　endless　versts　of　land；　across　streams　in　icy　flood；　in　rain　and　cold　and　snow　towards　the　capitol　and　the　Czar。　　Delays；　disasters　to　vehicles　and　horses　and　the　maddening　lengthening　of　time。　　From　drenchings　and　freezing　comes　the　fever　that　calls　for　more　speed。　　Krasnoiarsk　is　reached。　　The　fever　mounts；　the　traveler　must　stop　and　rest　and　be　cared　for。　　His　visions　commingle　his　objective　and　his　memories　。　。　。　CONCHA！　。　。　。　　The　snowy　steppes　and　the　inky　rivers。　。　。　。　　His　servant　en…　ters　the　room　in　the　inn　。　。　。　　Why　。　。　。　〃Where　has　Jon　found　Castilian　roses　in　this　barren　land？〃　。　。　。　〃and　his　unconquerably　sanguine　spirit　flared　high　before　a　vision　of　eternal　and　unthinkable　happiness〃　。　。　。　Castilian　roses！　　Concha　Arguello　waits　among　them；　immortal；　sainted　in　her　purity　and　fidelity；　ministering　to　her　poor　Indians；　her　face　alight　with　unquenchable　memory　and　with　surety　of　an　eventual　everlasting　tryst。　　Those　Cas…　tilian　roses！　　They　perfume　forever　one's　mem…　ories　of　this　pair；　puissant　in　faith；　in　this　novel　that　is　a　poem　and　a　shrine　of　that　love　which　lives　when　death　itself　is　dead。

WILLIAM　MARION　REEDY




REZANOV


I

As　the　little　ship　that　had　three　times　raced　with　death　sailed　past　the　gray　headlands　and　into　the　straits　of　San　Francisco　on　that　brilliant　April　morning　of　1806；　Rezanov　forgot　the　bitter　hu…　miliations；　the　mental　and　physical　torments；　the　deprivations　and　dangers　of　the　past　three　years；　forgot　those　harrowing　months　in　the　harbor　of　Nagasaki　when　the　Russian　bear　had　caged　his　tail　in　the　presence　of　eyes　aslant；　his　dismay　at　Kam…　chatka　when　he　had　been　forced　to　send　home　an…　other　to　vindicate　his　failure；　and　to　remain　in　the　Tsar's　incontiguous　and　barbarous　northeastern　possessions　as　representative　of　his　Imperial　Majesty；　and　plenipotentiary　of　th