rezanov-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


head；　lifting　her　eyes　to　the　ashen　vault　so　soon　to　yield　to　the　gay　brush　of　dawn。

〃Before　all　that　great　mystery；〃　she　said　solemnly；　〃I　give　myself　to　you　forever；　how　much　or　how　little　that　may　mean　here　on　earth。　　Forever。〃



XVI

The　Commandante　of　the　San　Francisco　Company　sat　opposite　Rezanov　with　his　mouth　open；　the　lines　of　his　strong　face　elongated　and　relaxed。　　It　was　the　hour　of　siesta；　and　they　were　alone　in　the　sala。

〃Mother　of　God！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Mother　of　God！　　Are　you　mad；　Excellency？〃

〃No　man　was　ever　saner；〃　said　Rezanov　cheer…　fully。　　〃What　better　proof　would　you　have　than　this　final　testimony　to　Dona　Concha's　perfections？〃

〃But　it　cannot　be！　　Surely；　Excellency；　you　realize　that？　　The　priests！　　Ay　yi！　　Ay　yi！〃

〃I　think　I　understand　the　priests。　　Persuade　the　Governor　to　buy　my　cargo　and　they　will　look　upon　me　as　an　amicus　humani　generis　to　whom　common　rules　do　not　apply。　　And　I　have　won　their　sincere　friendship。〃

〃You　have　won　mine；　senor。　　But；　though　I　say　it；　there　is　no　more　devout　Catholic　in　the　Cali…　fornias　than　Jose　Arguello。　　Do　you　know　what　they　call　me？　　El　santo。　　God　knows　I　am　not；　but　it　is　not　for　want　of　the　wish。　　Did　I　give　my　daugh…　ter　to　a　heretic；　not　only　should　I　become　an　outcast；　a　pariah；　but　I　should　imperil　my　everlasting　soul　and　that　of　my　best　beloved　child。　　It　is　impossible；　Excellencyunless；　indeed；　you　embrace　our　faith。〃

〃That　is　so　impossible　that　the　subject　is　not　worth　the　waste　of　a　moment。　　But　surely；　Com…　mandante；　in　your　excitement　at　this　perfectly　nat…　ural　issue　you　are　misrepresenting　yourself。　　I　do　not　believe；　devout　Catholic　as　you　are；　that　your　soul　is　steeped　in　fanaticism。　　You　are　known　far　and　wide　as　the　first　and　most　intelligent　of　His　Catholic　Majesty's　subjects　in　New　Spain。　　When　you　have　my　word　of　honor　that　your　daughter's　faith　shall　never　be　disturbed；　it　is　impossible　you　should　believe　that　marriage　with　me　would　ruin　her　chances　of　happiness　in　the　next　world。　　But　I　doubt　if　your　soul　and　conscience　will　have　the　peace　you　desire　if　you　ruin　her　happiness　in　this。　　What　pleasure　do　you　find　in　the　thought　of　an　old　age　companioned　by　a　heart…broken　daughter？〃

Don　Jose　turned　pale　and　hitched　his　chair。　〃Other　maids　have　been　balked　when　young；　and　have　forgotten。　　Concha　is　but　sixteen〃

〃She　is　also　unique。　　She　will　marry　me　or　no　one。　　Of　that　I　am　as　certain　as　that　she　is　the　woman　of　women　for　me。〃

〃How　can　you　be　so　certain？〃　asked　the　Com…　mandante　sharply。　　〃Surely　you　have　had　little　talk　alone　with　her？〃

〃The　heart　has　a　language　of　its　own。　　Recall　your　own　youth；　senor。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Don　Jose；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　as　he　had　a　fleeting　vision　of　Dona　Ignacia；　slim　and　lovely；　at　the　grating；　with　a　rose　in　her　hair。　　〃But　this　tremendous　passion　of　the　heartit　passes；　senor；　it　passes。　　We　love　the　good　wife；　but　we　sometimes　realize　that　we　could　have　loved　another　good　wife　as　well。〃

〃That　is　a　bit　of　philosophy　I　should　have　uttered　myself；　Commandanteyesterday。　　But　there　are　women　and　women；　and　your　daughter　is　one　of　the　chosen　few　who　take　from　the　years　what　the　years　take　from　others。　　I　am　not　rushing　into　matri…　mony　for　the　sake　of　a　pair　of　black　eyes　and　a　fine　figure。　　I　have　outlived　the　possibility　of　making　a　fool　of　myself　if　I　would。　　Before　I　realized　how　deeply　I　loved　your　daughter　I　had　deliberately　chosen　her　out　of　all　the　women　I　have　known；　as　my　friend　and　companion　for　the　various　and　diffi…　cult　ways　of　life　which　I　shall　be　called　upon　to　follow。　　Your　daughter　will　have　a　high　place　at　the　Russian　Court；　and　she　will　occupy　it　as　nat…　urally　as　if　I　had　found　her　in　Madrid　and　you　in　the　great　position　to　which　your　attainments　and　services　entitle　you。〃

Don　Jose；　despite　his　consternation；　titillated　agreeably。　　He　privately　thought　no　one　in　New　Spain　good　enough　for　his　daughter；　and　his　weather…beaten　self　was　not　yet　insensible　to　the　rare　visitation　of　winged　darts　tipped　with　honey。　But　the　situation　was　one　of　the　most　embarrassing　he　had　ever　been　called　upon　to　face；　and　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　his　direct　and　honest　life　his　resolution　was　shaken　in　a　crisis。

〃Believe　me；　your　excellency；　I　appreciate　the　honor　you　have　done　my　house；　and　I　will　add　with　all　my　heart　that　never　have　I　liked　a　man　more。　ButMother　of　God！　　Mother　of　God！〃

Rezanov　took　out　his　cigarette　case；　a　superb　bit　of　Russian　enamel；　graven　with　the　Imperial　arms；　and　a　parting　gift　from　his　Tsar。　　He　passed　it　to　his　host；　who　had　developed　a　preference　for　Rus…　sian　cigarettes。

〃There　are　other　things　to　consider　besides　the　happiness　of　your　daughter　and　myself；〃　he　re…　marked。　　〃This　alliance　would　mean　the　consolida…　tion　of　Spanish　and　Russian　interests　on　the　Pacific　coast。　　It　would　mean　the　protection　of　California　in　the　almost　certain　event　of　'American'　aggres…　sion。　　And　I　hear　that　a　courier　brought　word　again　yesterday　that　the　Russian　and　the　Spanish　fleets　had　sailed　for　these　waters。　　I　do　not　believe　a　word　of　it；　but　should　it　be　true；　I　would　remind　you　of　two　things：　that　I　have　the　powers　of　the　Tsar　him…　self　in　this　part　of　the　world；　and　that　the　Russian　fleet　is　likely　to　arrive　first。〃

Again　the　Commandante　moved　uneasily。　　The　news　from　Mexico　had　kept　himself　and　the　Gov…　ernor　awake　the　better　part　of　the　night。　　He　fully　appreciated　the　importance　of　this　powerful　Rus…　sian's　friendship。　　Nothing　would　bind　and　commit　him　like　taking　a　Californian　to　wife。　　If　only　he　had　fallen　in　love　with　Carolina　Xime'no　or　Delfina　Rivera！　　Don　Jose　had　an　uneasy　suspicion　that　his　scruples　as　a　Catholic　might　have　gone　down　before　his　sense　of　duty　to　this　poor　California。　　But　a　heretic　in　his　own　family！　　He　was　justly　renowned　for　his　piety。　　Aside　from　the　wrath　of　the　church；　the　mere　thought　of　one　of　his　offspring　in　matri…　monial　community　beyond　its　pale　made　him　sick　with　repugnance。　　And　yetCalifornia！　　And　he　would　have　selected　Rezanov　for　his　daughter　out　of　all　men　had　he　been　of　their　faith。　　And　he　was　deeply　conscious　of　the　honor　that　had　descended；　however　unfruitfully；　upon　his　house。　　Madre　de　Dios！　　How　would　it　end？　　Suddenly　he　felt　him…　self　inspired。　　In　blissful　ignorance　of　her　subtle　feminine　rule；　he　reminded　himself　that　Concha's　mind　was　the　child　of　his　own。　　When　she　saw　his　embarrassment；　filial　duty　and　woman's　wit　would　extricate　them　both　with　grace　and　avert　the　enmity　of　the　Russian　even　though　the　latter's　more　per…　sonal　interest　in　California　must　die　in　his　disap…　pointment。　　He　would　make　her　feel　the　weight　of　the　stern　paternal　hand；　and　then　indicate　the　part　she　had　to　play。

He　rang　a　bell　and　directed　the　servant　to　sum…　mon　his　daughter；　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　and　set　his　rugged　face　in　hard　lines。　　As　Concha　entered　he　looked　the　Commandante；　the　stern　disci…　plinarian；　every　inch　of　him。

There　was　no　trace　of　the　siesta　in　Concha's　cheeks。　　They　were　very　white；　but　her　eyes　were　steady　and　her　mouth　indomitable　as　she　walked　down　the　sala　and　took　the　chair　Rezanov　placed　for　her。　　Except　for　her　Castilian　fairness；　she　looked　very　like　the　martinet　sitting　on　the　other　side　of　the　table。　　The　Commandante　regarded　her　silently　with　brows　drawn　together。　　Dimly；　he　felt　apprehension；　wondered；　in　a　flash　of　insight；　if　girls　held　fast　to　the　parental　recipe；　or　recombined　with　tongue　in　cheek。　　The　bare　possibility　of　resistance　almost　threw　him　into　panic；　but　he　controlled　his　features　until　the　effort　injected　his　eyes　and　drew　in　his　nostrils。　　Concha　regarded　him　calmly；　al…　though　her　heart　beat　unevenly；　for　she　dreaded　the　long　strain　she　foresaw。

〃My　daughter；〃　said　Don　Jose　finally；　his　tones　harsh　with　repressed　misgiving；　〃do　you　suspect　why　I　have　sent　for　you？〃

〃I　think　that　his　excellency　wishes　to　marry　me；〃　replied　Concha；　and　the　Commandante　was　so　stag…　gered　by　the　calm　assurance　of　her　tone　and　manner　that　his　pent…up　emotion　exploded。

〃Dios！〃　he　roared。　　〃What　right　have　you　to　know　when　a　man　wishes　to　marry　you？　　What　manner　of　Spanish　girl　is　this？　　Truly　has　his　ex…　cellency　said　that　you　are　not　as　other　women。　　The　place　for　you　is　your　room；　with　bread　and　water　for　a　week。　　Sixteen！〃

〃Ignacio　was　born　when　my　mother　was　sixteen；〃　said　Concha　coolly。

〃What　of　that？　　She　married　whom　and　when　she　was　told　to　marry。〃

〃I　have　heard　that　you　serenaded　nightly　beneath　her　grating〃

〃So　did　others。〃

〃I　have　heard　that　when　of　all　her　suitors　her　father　chose　one　more　highly　born；　a　gentleman　of　the　Viceroy's　court；　she　pined　until　they　gave　their　consent　to　her　marriage　with　you；　lest　she　die。〃

〃But　I　was　a　Catholic！　　The　prejudice　against　my　birth　was　an　unworthy　one。　　I　had　distinguished　myself。　　And　she　had　the　support　of　the　priests。〃

〃It　is　my　misfortune　that　M。　de　Rezanov　is　not　a　Catholic；　but　it　will　make　no　difference。　　I　shall　not　fall　ill；　for　I　am　like　you；　not　like　my　dear　motherand　the　education　you　have　given　me　is　very　different　from　hers。　　But　I　shall　marry　his　excellency　or　no　one；　and　whether　I　marry　him　or　live　alone　with　the　thought　of　him　until　the　end　of　my　mortal　days；　I　do　not　believe　that　my　soul　will　be　imperilled　in　the　least。〃

〃You　do　not！〃　shouted　the　irate　Spaniard。　　〃How　dare　you　presume　to　decide　such　a　question　for　yourself？　　What　does　a　woman　know　of　love　until　she　marries？　　It　is　nothing　but　a　sickening　imag…　ination　before；　and　if　the　man　goes；　the　doctor　soon　comes。〃

〃You　may　not　have　intendedbut　you　have　taught　me　to　think　for　myself。　　And　I　have　seen　others　besides　M。　de　Rezanovthe　flower　of　Cali…　fornia　and　more　than　one　fine　gentleman　from　Mexico。　　I　will　have　none　of　them。　　I　will　marry　the　man　of　my　choice　or　no　one。　　It　may　be　that　I　know　naught　of　love。　　If　you　wish；　you　may　think　that　my　choice　of　a　husband　is　determined　by　ambi…　tion；　that　I　am　dazzled　with　the　thought　of　court　life　in　St。　Petersburg；　of　being　the　consort　of　a　great　and　wealthy　noble。　　It　matters　not。　　Love　or　ambition；　I　shall　marry　this　Russian　or　I　shall　never　marry　at　all。〃

〃Mother　of　God！　　Mother　of　God！〃　　Don　Jose's　face　was　purple。　　The　veins　swelled　in　his　neck。　　He　was　th