rezanov-第19部分

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own。　　That　is　life　in　California。　I　should　prefer　to　work　and　pray；　and〃with　a　flash　of　insight　that　made　her　drop　her　work　again　and　stare　through　the　rose…vines〃to　dream　always　of　some　beautiful　thing　that　youth　promised　but　never　gave；　and　that　given　might　have　ended　in　dull　routine　and　a　brain　so　choked　with　little　things　that　memory　too　held　nothing　else。〃

〃But　Concha；〃　cried　Sturgis　eagerly；　〃I　could　give　you　far　better　than　that。　　I　could　take　you　away　from　hereto　Boston；　to　Europe。　　You　should　seelive　your　lifein　the　great　cities　you　have　dreamed　ofthat　you　hardly　believe　inthat　were　made　to　enjoy。　　I　have　told　you　of　the　theater；　the　operayou　should　go　to　the　finest　in　the　world。　You　should　wear　the　most　beautiful　gowns　and　jewels；　go　to　courts；　see　the　great　works　of　artI　am　not　trying　to　bribe　you；〃　he　stammered；　flushing　miserably。　　〃God　forbid　that　I　should　stoop　to　any…　thing　as　mean　as　that。　　But　it　all　rushed　upon　me　suddenly　that　I　could　give　you　so　much　that　you　were　made　for；　with　this　worthless　money　of　mine。　And　what　happiness　to　be　in　Europe　with　you　whatwhat〃

His　voice　trembled　and　broke；　and　he　dared　not　look　at　her。　　Again　she　stared　through　the　vines。　A　splendid　and　thrilling　panorama　rose　beyond　them；　her　bosom　heaved；　her　lips　parted。　　She　saw　herself　in　it；　and　not　alone。　　And　not；　alas；　with　the　honest　youth　whose　words　had　inspired　it。　　In　a　moment　she　shook　her　head　and　turned　her　eyes　on　the　flushed；　averted　face　of　her　suitor。

〃I　shall　never　see　Europe；〃　she　said　gently；　〃and　I　shall　never　marry。〃

〃Not　if　this　Russian　asks　you？〃　cried　Sturgis；　in　his　jealous　misery。

But　Concha's　anger　did　not　rise　again。　　〃He　has　no　intention　of　asking　a　little　California　girl　to　share　the　honors　of　one　of　the　most　brilliant　careers　in　Europe；〃　she　said　calmly。　　〃Set　your　mind　at　rest。　　He　has　paid　me　no　more　attention　than　is　due　my　position　as　the　daughter　of　the　Commandante；　and　perhaps　of　La　Favorita。　　If　I　flirt　a　little　and　he　flirts　in　response；　that　is　nothing。　　Is　he　not　then　a　man？　　But　he　will　forget　me　in　a　month。　　The　world；　his　world；　is　full　of　pretty　girls。〃

〃A　week　ago　you　would　not　have　said　that；〃　said　Sturgis　shrewdly。　　〃There　has　been　nothing　in　your　life　to　make　you　so　humble。〃

〃I　cannot　explain；　but　he　seems　to　have　brought　the　great　world　with　him。　　I　know；　I　understand　so　many　things　that　I　had　not　dreamed　of　a　week　ago。　　A　week！　　Madre　de　Dios！〃

And　Sturgis；　who　after　all　was　a　gallant　gentle…　man；　made　no　comment。



XIV

Governor　Arrillaga；　Commandante　Arguello；　and　Chamberlain　Rezanov　sat　in　the　familiar　sala　at　the　Presidio　content　in　body　after　a　culinary　achievement　worthy　of　Padre　Landaeta；　but　per…　turbed　and　alert　of　mind。　　Upon　the　arrival　of　the　two　California　dignitaries　in　the　morning；　Rezanov　had　sent　Davidov　and　Langsdorff　on　shore　to　assure　them　of　his　gratitude　and　deep　appreciation　of　the　hospitality　shown　himself；　his　officers　and　men。　　The　Governor　had　replied　with　a　fulsome　apology　for　not　repairing　at　once　to　the　Juno　to　welcome　his　dis…　tinguished　guest　in　person；　and；　pleading　his　age　and　the　one　hundred　and　seventy…five　English　miles　he　had　ridden　from　Monterey；　begged　him　as　a　younger　man　to　waive　informality；　and　dine　at　the　house　of　the　Commandante　that　very　day。　　Rezanov　had　complied　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　now　he　was　alone　with　the　men　who　held　his　fate　in　their　hands。　The　dark　worn　rugged　face　of　Don　Jose；　who　had　been　skilfully　prepared　by　his　oldest　daughter　to　think　well　of　the　Russian；　beamed　with　good…will　and　interest；　in　spite　of　lingering　doubts；　but　the　lank；　wiry　figure　of　the　Governor；　who　was　as　digni…　fied　as　only　a　blond　Spaniard　can　be；　was　fairly　rigid　with　the　severe　formality　he　reserved　for　occa…　sions　of　ceremonybeing　a　gentleman　who　loved　good　company　and　cheerand　his　sharp　gray　eyes　were　almost　shut　in　the　effort　to　penetrate　the　de…　signs　of　this　deputy；　this　symbol；　this　index　in　cipher；　of　a　dreaded　race。　　Rezanov　smoked　calmly；　made　himself　comfortable　on　the　slippery　horse…hair　chair；　though　with　no　loss　of　dignity；　and　beat　about　the　bush　with　the　others　until　the　Governor　betrayed　himself　at　last　by　a　chance　remark：

〃What　you　say　of　the　neighborly　instincts　of　the　Russian　colonists　for　the　Spanish　on　this　coast　in…　terests　me　deeply；　Excellency；　but　if　Russia　is　at　war　with　Spain〃

〃Russia　is　not　at　war　with　Spain；〃　said　Rezanov；　with　a　flash　of　amusement　in　his　half…closed　eyes。　〃Napoleon　Bonaparte　is　encamped　about　half　way　between　the　two　countries。　　They　could　not　get　at　each　other　if　they　wished。　　While　that　man　is　at　large；　Europe　will　be　at　war　with　him；　no　two　na…　tions　with　each　other。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Arrillaga。　　〃That　is　a　manner　of　reasoning　that　had　not　occurred　to　me。〃

The　Commandante　had　spat　at　the　mention　of　the　usurper's　name　and　muttered　〃Chinchosa！〃　and　Rezanov；　recalling　his　first　conversation　with　Con…　cha；　looked　into　the　honest　eyes　of　the　monarchist　with　a　direct　and　hearty　sympathy。

〃No　better　epithet　for　him；〃　he　said。　　〃And　the　sooner　Europe　combines　to　get　rid　of　him　the　bet…　ter。　　But　until　it　does；　count　upon　a　common　griev…　ance　to　unite　your　country　and　mine。〃

〃Good！〃　muttered　the　Governor。　　〃Good！　　I　am　glad　that　nightmare　has　lifted　its　bat's　wings　from　our　poor　California。　　Captain　O'Cain's　raid　two　years　ago　made　me　apprehensive；　for　he　took　away　some　eleven　hundred　of　our　otter　skins　and　his　hunters　were　Aleutianssubjects　of　the　Tsar。　　A　negro　that　deserted　gave　the　information　that　they　were　furnished　the　Bostonian　by　the　chief　manager　of　your　CompanyBaranhovwhose　reputation　we　know　well　enough！for　the　deliberate　purpose　of　raiding　our　coast。〃

Rezanov　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　replied　indif…　ferently：　〃I　will　ask　Baranhov　when　I　return　to　Sitka；　and　write　you　the　particulars。　　It　is　more　likely　that　the　Aleutians　were　deserters。　　This　O'Cain　would　not　be　the　first　shrewd　Bostonian　to　tempt　them；　for　they　are　admirable　hunters　and　ready　for　any　change。　　They　make　a　greater　de…　mand　upon　the　Company　for　variety　of　diet　than　we　are　always　prepared　to　meet；　so　many　are　the　difficulties　of　transportation　across　Siberia。　　When；　therefore；　the　time　arrived　that　I　could　continue　my　voyage；　I　determined　to　come　here　and　see　if　some　arrangement　could　not　be　made　for　a　bi…yearly　exchange　of　commodities。　　We　need　farinaceous　stuffs　of　every　sort。　　I　will　not　pay　so　poor　a　com…　pliment　to　your　knowledge　of　the　northern　settle…　ments　as　to　enlarge　upon　the　advantages　California　would　reap　from　such　a　treaty。〃

The　Governor；　who　had　permitted　himself　to　touch　the　back　of　his　chair　after　the　dispersal　of　the　war　cloud；　stiffened　again。　　〃Ah！〃　he　said。　〃Ah！〃　　He　looked　significantly　at　the　Com…　mandante；　who　nodded。　　〃You　come　on　a　semi…　official　mission；　after　all；　then？〃

〃It　is　entirely　my　own　idea；〃　said　Rezanov　care…　lessly。　　〃The　young　Tsar　is　too　much　occupied　with　Bonaparte　to　give　more　than　a　passing　thought　to　his　colonies。　　But　I　have　a　free　hand。　　Can　I　arrange　the　preliminaries　of　a　treaty；　I　have　only　to　return　to　St。　Petersburg　to　receive　his　signature　and　highest　approval。　　It　would　be　a　great　feather　in　my　cap　I　can　assure　your　excellencies；〃　he　added；　with　a　quick　human　glance　and　a　sudden　curve　of　his　somewhat　cynical　mouth。

〃Um！〃　said　the　Governor。　　〃Um！〃

But　Arguello's　stern　face　had　further　relaxed。　After　all；　he　was　but　eleven　years　older　than　the　Russian；　and；　although　early　struggles　and　heavy　responsibilities　and　many　disappointments　had　de…　prived　life　of　much　of　its　early　savor；　what　was　left　of　youth　in　him　responded　to　the　ambition　he　divined　in　this　interesting　stranger。　　Moreover；　the　idea　of　a　friendly　bond　with　another　race　on　the　lonely　coast　of　the　Pacific　appealed　to　him　irresistibly。　　He　turned　eagerly　to　the　Governor。

〃It　is　a　fine　idea；　Excellency。　　We　need　much　that　they　have；　and　it　pleases　me　to　think　we　should　be　able　to　supply　the　wants　of　others。　　Fancy　any　one　wanting　aught　of　California；　except　hides；　to　be　sure。　　I　did　not　think　our　existence　was　known　save　to　an　occasional　British　or　Boston　skipper。　　It　is　true　we　are　here　only　to　Christianize　savages；　but　even　they　have　need　of　much　that　cannot　be　manu…　factured　in　this　God…forsaken　land。　　And　we　our…　selves　could　be　more　comfortableGod　in　heaven；　yes！　　It　is　well　to　think　it　over；　Excellency。　　Who　knows？we　might　have　a　trip　to　the　north　once　in　a　while。　　Life　is　more　excellent　with　something　to　look　forward　to。〃

〃You　should　have　a　royal　welcome。　　Baranhov　is　the　most　hospitable　man　in　Russia；　and　I　might　have　the　happiness　to　be　there　myself。　　I　see；　by　the　way；　that　you　have　not　engaged　in　shipbuilding。　　I　need　not　say　that　we　should　supply　the　ships　of　com…　merce；　with　no　diminution　of　your　profits。　　We　build　at　Okhotsk；　Petropaulovski；　Kadiak；　and　Sitka。　Moreover；　as　the　Bostonians　visit　us　frequently；　and　as　your　laws　prohibit　you　from　trading　with　them；　we　would　see　that　you　always　got　such　of　their　com…　modities　as　you　needed。　　They　come　to　us　for　furs；　and　generally　bring　much　for　which　we　have　no　use。　　Captain　D'Wolf；　from　whom　I　bought　the　Juno；　had　a　cargo　I　was　forced　to　take　over。　　I　unloaded　what　was　needed　at　Sitka；　but　as　there　was　no　boat　going　for　some　months　to　the　other　islands；　I　brought　the　rest　with　me；　and　you　are　wel…　come　to　it；　if　in　exchange　you　will　ballast　the　Juno　with　samples　of　your　agricultural　products；　while　the　treaty　is　pending；　I　can　experiment　in　our　col…　onies　and　make　sure　which　are　the　most　adaptable　to　the　market。

〃Um！〃　said　the　Governor。　　〃Um！〃

Rezanov　did　not　remove　his　cool　direct　gaze　from　the　snapping　eyes　opposite。

〃I　have　not　the　least　objection　to　making　a　trade　that　would　fill　my　promuschleniki　with　joy；　but　that　was　by　no　means　the　first　object　of　my　voyage；　which　was　partly　inspired　by　a　desire　to　see　as　much　of　this　globe　as　a　man　may　in　one　short　life；　partly　to　arrange　a　treaty　that　would　be　of　incalculable　benefit　to　both　colonies　and　greatly　redound　to　my　own　glory。　　I　make　no　pretence　of　being　disinter…　ested。　　I　look　forward　to　a　career　of　ever　increasing　influence　and　power　in　St。　Petersburg；　and　I　wish　to　take　back　as　many　credits　as　possible。〃

〃I　understand；　I　understand！〃　　T