rezanov-第17部分

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〃We　shall　have　our　dinner　here；　Excellency。　There　on　that　little　beach；　and　afterward　we　shall　climb　to　the　top。　　See；　there　are　trails！　　The　In…　dians　have　been　here。〃

They　stood　out　through　the　straits　between　Point　Tiburon　and　the　Isle　of　the　Angels；　where　the　tide　ran　fast。　　Then；　for　the　first　time；　was　Rezanov　able　to　form　a　definite　idea　of　the　size　and　shape　of　this　great　natural　harbor。　　To　the　south　it　extended　be…　yond　the　peninsula　in　an　unbroken　sheet　for　some　forty　English　miles。　　Ten　miles　to　the　north　there　was　a　gateway　between　the　lower　hills　which　Luis　had　alluded　to　as　leading　into　the　bay　of　Saint　Pablo；　another　large　body　of　tidewater；　but　inferior　in　depth　and　beauty　to　the　Bay　of　San　Francisco。

The　mist　had　dissolved。　　The　greens　were　vivid　where　the　sun　shone　on　island　and　hill。　　The　woods　of　Bellissima；　the　groves　of　Point　Sausalito；　the　for…　ests　in　the　northern　canyons；　deepened　to　purple　like　that　of　the　great　bare　sweep　of　Tamalpais。　　Only　the　farther　peaks　remained　a　pale　misty　blue；　and　were　of　an　indescribable　floating　delicacy。

Concha　pointed　to　the　eastern　double　cone。　　〃That　is　Monte　del　Diablo。　　Once　they　say　it　spouted　fire；　but　that　was　long　ago；　and　all　our　volcanoes　are　dead。　　But　perhaps　not　so　long　ago。　　The　Indians　tell　the　strange　story　that　their　grandfathers　remem…　bered　when　this　bay　was　a　valley　covered　with　oak　trees；　and　the　rivers　of　the　north　flowed　through　and　emptied　into　Lake　Merced　and　a　rift　by　the　Fort。　　Then　came　a　tremendous　earthquake　and　rent　the　mountains　apart　where　you　came　through　we　call　it　the　Mouth　of　the　Gulf　of　the　Faral…　lonesthe　valley　sank；　the　sea　flowed　in；　only　these　hills　that　are　islands　now　keeping　their　heads　above　the　flood。　　Perhaps　it　is　true；　for　Drake　was　close　to　this　bay　for　a　long　while　and　never　saw　it；　and　it　would　have　given　him　a　better　shelter　than　the　little　harbor　he　found　a　few　miles　higher　on　the　coast。　　I　believe　it　was　not　here。　　Madre　de　Dios；　I　hope　California　shakes　no　more。　　She　wouldis　it　not　true；　Excellency？be　the　most　perfect　coun…　try　in　all　the　world　did　she　not　have　the　devil　in　her。〃

〃Are　you　afraid　of　earthquakes？〃　asked　Rezanov；　who　once　more　had　transferred　his　comprehensive　gaze　from　battery　sites　to　her　face。

〃I　cross　myself。　　It　is　like　feeling　your　grave　turn　over。　　But　I　fancy　the　poor　old　earth　is　like　the　people　on　her；　she　gets　tired　of　being　good　and　is　all　the　naughtier　for　having　been　sober　too　long。　Don　Vincente　Rivera　is　an　example；　he　is　cold；　haughty；　solemn；　stern　to　others　and　himself；　as　you　see　him；　but　once　in　a　whileMadre　de　Dios！　The　Presidio　does　not　sleep　for　three　nights！〃

Rezanov　laughed　heartily；　then　turned　abruptly　away。　　〃Come；〃　he　said。　　〃I　had　almost　forgotten。　Will　you　ask　the　others　to　go　to　the　cabin；　while　I　give　orders　that　dinner　shall　be　served　on　your　island？〃

In　the　cabin；　Concha　forgot　him　for　a　few　mo…　ments。　　Her　mother；　her　eyes　dwelling　fondly　upon　several　shawls　she　hoped　were　intended　for　herself　alone；　was　hushing　the　baby　to　sleep　in　the　deep　chair　of　his　excellency。　　Ana　Paula　was　playing　with　an　Alaskan　doll　she　had　appropriated　without　ceremony。　　Rezanov　came　in　when　his　guests　were　assembled；　and　he　had　a　gift　for　each；　curious　ob…　jects　of　Alaskan　workmanship　for　the　men；　minia…　ture　totem　poles　and　fur…bordered　moccasins；　but　silk　and　cotton；　linen；　shawls；　and　find　handker…　chiefs　for　senora　and　maiden。

〃They　are　trifles；〃　he　said；　in　response　to　an　en…　thusiastic　chorus。　　〃The　cargo　I　was　obliged　to　take　over　was　a　very　large　one。　　You　must　not　protest。　　I　shall　never　miss　these　things。〃　　And　he　knew　that　he　had　sown　the　seeds　of　a　rapacity　simi…　lar　to　that　implanted　in　the　worthy　bosoms　of　the　priests　when　they　had　paid　him　their　promised　visit。　If　the　Governor　were　insensible　to　diplomacy　he　would　have　pressure　brought　to　bear　upon　his　offi…　cial　integrity　from　more　quarters　than　one。

〃There　are　also　many　of　the　presents　rejected　by　the　Mikado；　somewhere；〃　he　added　carelessly。　　〃But　I　could　not　find　them。　　They　must　have　found　their　way　to　the　bottom　of　the　hold　during　one　of　the　storms　we　encountered　on　our　way　from　Sitka。〃

He　certainly　looked　the　fairy　godfather；　and　quite　impartial　as　he　distributed　his　offerings　with　a　chosen　word　to　each；　his　memory　for　little　char…　acteristics　was　as　remarkable　as　for　names　and　faces。　He　had　taken　off　his　cap　on　deck；　and　the　breeze　had　ruffled　his　thick　fair　hair；　brought　the　blood　to　his　thin　cheeks。　　The　lines　of　his　face；　cut　by　privation　and　anxiety　and　illness；　had　almost　disappeared　with　the　renewed　elasticity　of　the　flesh；　and　his　blue　eyes　were　wide　open；　and　sparkling　in　sympathy　with　the　pleasure　of　his　guests　and　the　success　of　his　own　strategy。　　These　few　insignificant　Spaniards　dis…　lodged；　a　half…dozen　forts　in　this　harbor；　and　the　combined　navies　of　the　world　might　be　defied；　while　a　great　chain　of　hungry　settlements　fattened　and　prospered　exceedingly　on　the　beneficence　of　the　most　fertile　land　in　all　the　Americas。



XII

The　eastern　mountains　looked　very　close　from　the　crest　of　La　Bellissima　and　of　a　singular　transpar…　ency　and　variety　of　hue。　　It　was　as　if　the　white　masses　of　cloud　sailing　low　overhead　flung　down　great　splashes　of　color　from　prismatic　stores　stolen　from　the　sun。　　There　was　a　vivid　pale　green　on　the　long　sweep　of　a　rounding　slope；　deep　violet　and　pale　purple　in　dimple　and　hollow；　red　showing　through　green　on　a　tongue　of　land　running　down　from　the　north；　and　on　the　lower　ridges　and　little　islands；　pale　and　dark　blue；　and　the　most　exquisite　fields　of　lavender。　　This　last　tint　was　reflected　in　the　water　immediately　below　the　ridge；　and　farther　out　there　were　lakelets　of　pale　green；　as　if　the　islands；　too；　had　the　power　to　mirror　themselves　when　the　sea　itself　was　glass。

Santiago；　Davidov；　Carolina　Xime'no；　Delfina　Ri…　vera；　Concha　and　Rezanov；　had　climbed　to　the　ridge。　The　other　young　people　had　given　out　halfway　up　the　steep　and　tangled　ascent　and　returned　to　the　beach。　　Dona　Ignacia　immediately　after　dinner　had　frankly　asked　her　host　for　the　hospitality　of　his　stateroom。　　She　and　her　little　ones　must　have　their　siesta；　and　the　good　lady　was　convinced　that　so　high　and　mighty　a　personage　as　the　Russian　Cham…　berlain　was　all　the　chaperon　the　proprieties　de…　manded。

Four　of　the　party　strayed　along　the　crest　in　search　of　the　first　wild　pansies。　　Rezanov　and　Concha　looked　under　the　sloping　roof　of　brittle　leaves　into　dim　falling　vistas；　arches；　arbors；　caverns；　a　forest　in　miniature　with　natural　terraces　breaking　the　pre…　cipitous　wall　of　the　island。

〃I　should　like　to　live　here；〃　said　Concha　defi…　nitely。

〃It　would　make　a　fine　estate　for　summer　lifeor　for　a　honeymoon。〃　　He　smiled　down　upon　his　com…　panion；　who　stood　very　tall　and　straight　and　proud　beside　him。　　〃If　you　conclude　to　marry　your　little　Bostonian　no　doubt　he　will　buy　it　for　you；〃　he　said。

If　he　had　hoped　to　see　a　look　of　blank　dismay　after　his　hours　of　devotion　he　was　disappointed。　She　made　a　little　face。

〃I　do　not　think　I　could　stand　a　desert　island　with　the　good　Weeliam。　　For　that　I　should　prefer　one　of　my　own　sortIgnacio；　or　Fernando。　　Better　still；　I　could　come　here　and　be　a　hermit。〃

〃A　hermit？〃

〃In　some　ways　that　would　suit　me　very　well。　　All　human　beings　become　tiresome；　I　find。　　I　shall　have　a　little　hut　just　below　the　crest　where　I　can　look　from　my　window　right　into　the　woods　that　are　so　quiet　and　green　and　beautiful。　　That　is　a　thought　that　has　always　fascinated　me。　　And　when　I　walk　on　the　crest　I　can　see　all　the　beauty　of　mountain　and　bay。　　What　more　could　I　want？　　What　more　have　you　in　your　world　when　you　know　it　too　well；　senor？〃

〃Nothing；　but　you　might　tire；　too；　of　this。〃

〃What　of　it？　　It　would　be　the　gentle　sad　ennui　of　peace；　not　of　disillusion；　senor。　　How　I　wish　you　would　tell　me　all　you　know　of　life！〃

〃God　forbid。　　And　do　not　remind　me　of　ennui　and　disillusions。　　I　have　forgotten　both　in　California。　Perhaps；　after　all；　I　shall　not　return　to　St。　Peters…　burg。　　There　is　a　vast　empire　here〃

〃But　it　is　not　yours　or　Russia's　to　rule；　Excel…　lency；〃　she　interrupted　him　softly。

He　did　not　color　nor　start；　but　met　her　eyes　with　his　deep　amused　glance。　　〃I；　too；　can　dream；　seno…　rita。　　Of　a　great　and　wonderful　kingdomthat　never　will　exist；　perhaps。　　I　have　always　been　called　a　dreamer；　but　the　habit　has　grown　since　I　came　to　this　lovely　unreal　land　of　yours。〃

〃Have　you　the　intention　to　take　it　from　us；　Ex…　cellency？〃　she　asked　quietly。

〃Would　you　betray　me　if　you　thought　I　had？〃

Her　eyes　responded　for　a　moment　to　the　mag…　netism　of　his；　and　then　she　drew　herself　up。

〃No；　senor；　I　could　not　betray　a　man　who　had　been　our　guest；　and　Spain　needs　no　assistance　from　a　weak　girl　to　hold　her　own　against　Russia。〃

〃Well　said！　　I　kiss　your　hands；　as　they　say　in　Vienna。　　But　we　must　sail　again。　　I　told　them　to　be　ready　at　three　o'clock。〃

Dalliance　with　the　most　alluring　girl　he　had　ever　known　was　all　very　well；　but　the　day's　work　was　not　yet　done。　　When　they　returned　to　the　ship　he　deliberately　engaged　all　the　Spaniards　in　a　game　of　cards；　ordered　cigarettes　and　a　bowl　of　punch　for　their　refreshment；　and　then　the　Juno　steered　south。

They　sailed　swiftly　past　Nuestra　Senorita　de　los　Angeles　and　the　eastern　side　of　Alcatraz；　Rezanov　sweeping　every　inch　with　his　glass；　more　slowly　past　the　peninsula　where　it　came　down　in　a　succes…　sion　of　rough　hills　almost　in　a　straight　line　from　the　Presidio；　ascending　to　a　high　outpost　of　solid　rock；　whence　it　turned　abruptly　to　the　south　in　a　waving　line　of　steep　irregular　cliffs；　harsh；　barren；　intersected　with　gullies。　　Then　the　land　became　sud…　denly　as　flat　as　the　sea；　save　for　the　shifting　dunes：　the　desert　porch　of　the　great　fertile　valley　hidden　from　the　water　by　the　waves　of　sand；　but　indicated　by　its　rampart　of　mountains。　　The　shallow　water　curved　abruptly　inward　between　the　rocky　mass　on　the　right　and　a　gentler　incline　and　point　two　miles　below。　　At　its　head　was　the　〃Battery　of　Yerba　Buena；〃　facing　the　island　from　which　it　took　its　name。　　Rezanov　scrupulously　kept　his　word　and　did　not　raise　his　glass；　but　one　contemptuous　glance　satisfied　his　curiosity。　　His　eye　rolled　over　the　steep　hills　that　were　des