rezanov-第15部分

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l。　　They　were　now　shouting　and　stamping　and　clapping。　Suddenly；　as　once　more　she　danced　back　to　the　very　center　of　the　room；　her　bosom　heaving；　her　eyes　like　stars；　her　red　lips　parted；　Don　Ignacio；　long　since　recovered　from　his　spleen；　invaded　his　pocket　and　flung　a　handful　of　silver　at　her　feet。　　It　was　a　signal。　　Gold　and　silver　coins；　chains；　watches；　jewels；　bounced　over　the　floor；　to　be　laughingly　ignored。　　Rezanov　looked　on　in　amazement；　won…　dering　if　this　were　a　part　of　the　performance　and　if　he　should　follow　suit。　　But　after　a　glance　at　the　faces　of　the　young　men；　lost　to　everything　but　their　passionate　admiration　for　the　unique　and　beautiful　dancing　of　their　Favorita；　and　when　Sturgis；　after　wildly　searching　in　his　pockets；　tore　a　large　pearl　from　the　lace　of　his　stock；　he　doubted　no　longer　nor　hesitated。　　Fastened　by　a　blue　ribbon　to　the　fourth　button　of　his　closely　fitting　coat　was　a　golden　key；　the　outward　symbol　of　his　rank　at　court。　　He　detached　it；　then　made　a　sudden　gesture　that　caught　her　attention。　　For　a　moment　their　eyes　met。　　He　tossed　her　the　bauble；　and　mechanically　she　lifted　her　hand　and　caught　it。　　Then　she　laughed　con…　fusedly；　shrugged　her　shoulders；　bowed　graciously　to　her　audience；　and　signalled　to　the　musicians　to　stop。　　Rezanov　was　at　her　side　in　a　moment。

〃You　must　be　tired；〃　he　said。　　〃I　insist　that　you　come　out　on　the　veranda　and　rest。〃

〃Very　well；〃　she　said　indifferently；　〃it　is　quite　time　we　all　went　out　to　the　air。　　Santiago　mio；　wilt　thou　bring　my　rebosothe　white　one？〃

Santiago；　more　flushed　than　his　sister　at　her　triumphs；　fetched　the　long　strip　of　silk；　and　Rez…　anov　detached　her　from　her　eager　court　and　led　her　without。　　Elena　Castro　followed　closely；　yet　with　a　cavalier　of　her　own　that　her　friend　might　talk　freely　with　this　interesting　stranger。　　The　night　air　was　cool　and　stimulating。　　The　hills　were　black　under　the　sparks　of　white　fire　in　the　high　arch　of　the　California　sky。　　In　the　Presidio　square　were　long　blue　shadows　that　might　have　been　reflections　of　the　smoldering　blue　beyond　the　stars。　　Rezanov　and　Concha　sat　on　the　railing　at　the　end　of　the　〃corridor。〃

〃It　is　a　customall　that　very　material　admira…　tion？〃　he　asked。

〃A　very　old　one；　but　not　too　often　followed。　Otherwise　we　should　not　prize　it。　　But　when　some　Favorita　outdoes　herself　then　she　receives　the　greatest　reward　that　man　can　think　ofgold　and　silver　jewels。　　We　do　not　dare　to　return　the　tributes　in　common　fashion；　but　they　have　a　way　of　appear…　ing　where　they　belong　as　soon　as　their　owners　are　supposed　to　have　forgotten　the　incident。　　As　you　are　not　a　Californian；　senor；　I　take　the　liberty　of　re…　turning　this　without　any　foolish　subterfuge。〃　　She　handed　him　his　contribution。　　〃I　thank　you　all　the　same。　　It　was　a　spontaneous　act；　and　I　am　very　proud。〃

He　accepted　the　key　awkwardly；　not　daring　to　press　it　upon　her；　with　the　obvious　banalities。　　But　he　felt　a　sudden　desire　to　give　her　something；　and；　nothing　better　offering；　he　gathered　half　a　dozen　roses　and　laid　them　on　her　lap。

〃I　was　disappointed　that　you　did　not　wear　your　roses　to…night；〃　he　said。　　〃I　associate　them　with　you　in　my　thoughts。　　Will　you　put　one　in　your　hair？〃

She　found　a　place　for　two　and　thrust　another　in　the　neck　of　her　gown。　　The　rest　she　held　closely　in　her　hands。　　Then　he　noticed　that　she　was　very　white；　and　again　she　shivered。

〃You　are　cold　and　tired；〃　he　murmured；　his　eyes　melting　to　hers。　　〃It　was　entrancing；　but　I　hope　never　to　see　you　give　so　much　of　yourself　to　others　again。〃　　His　hand　in　arranging　the　reboso　touched　hers。　　It　lingered；　and　she　stared　up　at　him；　help…　lessly；　her　eyes　wide；　her　lips　parted。　　She　reminded　him　of　a　rabbit　caught　in　a　trap；　and　he　had　a　sud…　den　and　violent　revulsion　of　feeling。　　He　rose　and　offered　his　arm。　　〃I　should　be　a　brute　if　I　kept　you　talking　out　here。　　Slip　off　and　go　to　bed。　　I　shall　start　the　guests；　for　I　am　very　tired　myself。〃



XI

He　did　not　talk　with　her　again　for　several　days。　　He　called　in　state；　but　remained　only　a　few　moments。　His　officers　went　to　several　impromptu　dances　at　the　Presidio　and　Mission；　but　he　pleaded　fatigue；　natural　in　the　damaged　state　of　his　constitution；　and　left　the　ship　only　for　a　gallop　over　the　hills　or　down　the　coast　with　Luis　Arguello。

But　he　had　never　felt　better。　　At　the　end　of　a　week　his　pallor　had　gone；　his　skin　was　tanned　and　fresh。　　Even　his　wretched　crew　were　different　men。　They　were　given　much　leave　on　shore；　and　already　might　be　seen　escorting　the　serving…women　over　the　hills　in　the　late　afternoon。　　Rezanov　gave　them　a　long　rope；　although　he　knew　they　must　be　ger…　minating　with　a　mutinous　distaste　of　the　Russian　north；　he　kept　strict　watch　over　them　and　would　have　given　a　deserter　his　due　without　an　instant's　pause。

The　estafette　that　had　gone　with　Luis'　letters　to　Monterey　had　taken　one　from　Rezanov　as　well；　ask…　ing　permission　to　pay　a　visit　of　ceremony　to　the　Governor。　　Five　days　later　the　plenipotentiary　re…　ceived　a　polite　welcome　to　California；　and　protest　against　another　long　journey；　the　humble　servant　of　the　King　of　Spain　would　himself　go　to　San　Francisco　at　once　and　offer　the　hospitality　of　Cali…　fornia　to　the　illustrious　representative　of　the　Em…　peror　of　all　the　Russias。

Rezanov　was　not　only　annoyed　at　the　Governor's　evident　determination　that　he　should　see　as　little　as　possible　of　the　insignificant　military　equipment　of　California；　but　at　the　delay　to　his　own　plans　for　ex…　ploration。　　He　knew　that　Luis　would　dare　take　him　upon　no　expedition　into　the　heart　of　the　country　without　the　consent　of　the　Governor；　and　he　began　to　doubt　this　consent　would　be　given。　　But　he　was　determined　to　see　the　bay；　at　least；　and　he　no　sooner　read　the　diplomatic　epistle　from　Monterey　than　he　decided　to　accomplish　this　part　of　his　purpose　before　the　arrival　of　the　Governor　or　Don　Jose。　　He　knew　the　material　he　had　to　deal　with　at　the　moment；　but　nothing　of　that　already；　no　doubt；　on　its　way　to　the　north。

Early　in　the　morning　after　the　return　of　the　courier　he　wrote　an　informal　note　to　Dona　Ignacia；　asking　her　to　give　him　the　honor　of　entertaining　her　for　a　day　on　the　Juno；　and　to　bring　all　the　young　people　she　would。　　As　the　weather　was　so　fine；　he　hoped　to　see　them　in　time　for　chocolate　at　nine　o'clock。　　He　knew　that　Luis；　who　was　pressingly　included　in　the　invitation；　had　left　at　daybreak　for　his　father's　rancho；　some　thirty　miles　to　the　south。

There　was　a　flutter　at　the　Presidio　when　the　invi…　tation　of　the　Chamberlain　was　made　known。　　The　compliment　was　not　unexpected；　but　there　had　been　a　lively　speculation　as　to　what　form　the　Russian's　return　of　hospitality　would　take。　　Concha；　whose　tides　had　thundered　and　ebbed　many　times　since　the　night　of　her　party；　submerging　the　happy　inconse…　quence　of　her　sixteen　years；　but　leaving　her　un…　shaken　spirit　with　wide　clarified　vision；　felt　young　to…day　from　sheer　reaction。　　She　would　listen　to　no　protest　from　her　prudent　mother　and　smothered　her　with　kisses　and　a　torrent　of　words。

〃But；　my　Conchita；〃　gasped　Dona　Ignacia；　〃I　have　much　to　do。　　Thy　father　and　his　excellency　come　in　two　days。　　And　perhaps　they　would　not　approvebefore　they　are　here！to　go　on　the　for…　eign　ship！　　If　Luis　were　not　gone！　　Ay　yi！　　Ay　yi！〃

〃We　go；　we　go；　madre　mia！　　And　his　excellency　will　give　you　a　shawl。　　I　feel　it！　　I　know　it！　　And　if　we　go　now　we　disobey　no　law。　　Have　they　ever　said　we　could　not　visit　a　foreign　ship　when　they　were　not　here？　　We　are　light…headed；　irresponsible　women。　　And　if　they　should　not　let　us　go！　　If　the　Governor　and　the　Russian　should　disagree！　　Now　we　have　the　opportunity　for　such　a　day　as　we　never　have　had　before。　　We　should　be　imbeciles。　　We　go；　madre　mia；　we　go！〃

So　it　proved。　　At　a　few　minutes　before　nine　the　Senora　Arguello；　clad　in　her　best　black　skirt　and　jacket；　a　red　shawl　embroidered　with　yellow　draped　over　her　bust　with　unconquerable　grace；　and　a　black　reboso　folded　about　her　fine　proud　head；　rode　down　to　the　beach　with　Ana　Paula　on　the　aquera　behind　and　Gertrudis　Rudisinda　on　her　arm。　　The　boys　howled　on　the　corridor；　but　the　good　senora　felt　she　could　not　too　liberally　construe　the　kind　invita…　tion　of　a　chamberlain　of　the　Russian　Court。

Behind　her　rode　Concha；　in　white　with　a　pink　reboso；　Rafaella　Sal；　Carolina　Xime'no；　Herminia　Lopez；　Delfina　Rivera；　the　only　other　girls　at　the　Presidio　old　enough　to　grace　such　an　occasion；　Sturgis；　who　happened　to　have　spent　the　night　at　the　Presidio；　Gervasio；　Santiago　and　Lieutenant　Rivera。　　Castro　had　returned　to　Monterey；　Sal　was　officer　of　the　day；　and　the　other　young　men　had　sulkily　declined　to　be　the　guests　of　a　man　who　looked　as　haughty　as　the　Tsar　himself　and　betrayed　no　dis…　position　to　recognize　in　Spain　the　first　nation　of　Europe。　　But　no　one　missed　them。　　The　girls；　in　their　flowered　muslins　and　bright　rebosos；　the　men　in　gay　serapes　and　embroidered　botas；　looked　a　fine　mass　of　color　as　they　galloped　down　to　the　beach　and　laughed　and　chattered　as　youth　must　on　so　glorious　a　morning。　　Even　Sturgis；　always　care…　ful　to　be　as　nearly　one　with　these　people　as　his　dif…　ferent　appearance　and　temperament　would　permit；　wore　clothes　of　green　linen；　a　ruffled　shirt；　deer…skin　botas　and　sombrero。

Three　of　the　ship's　canoes　awaited　the　guests；　and　as　not　one　of　the　women　had　ever　set　foot　in　a　boat；　there　was　a　chorus　of　shrieks。　　Dona　Ignacia　mur…　mured　an　audible　prayer；　and　clutched　Gertrudis　Rudisinda　to　her　breast。

〃Madre　de　Dios！　　The　water！　　I　cannot！〃　she　muttered。　　But　Santiago　took　her　firmly　by　one　elbow；　Sturgis　by　the　other；　Davidov　caught　up　the　children　with　a　reassuring　laugh；　and　in　a　moment　she　was　trembling　in　the　middle　of　the　canoe。　　Con…　cha　had　already　leaped　into　the　second　and　waved　a　careless　little　salutation　to　the　Juno。　　Her　eyes　sparkled。　　Her　nostrils　fluttered。　　She　felt　indif…　ferent　to　everything　but　the　certain　pleasure　of　the　day。　　Rezanov　was　sure　to　be　charming。　　What　mattered　the　morrow；　and　possible　nights　of　doubt；　despair；　hatred　of　life　and　wondering　self…contempt？

Rezanov　awaited　the　canoes　in　the　prow　of　the　ship。　　He　wore　undress　uniform　and　a　cap　instead　of　the　cocked　hat　of　ceremony　which　had　excited　their　awe。　　He　too　tingled　with　a　sense　of　youthful　gaiety　and　adventure。