rezanov-第24部分

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〃I　will　not　conquer。　　I　　Oh；　padrefor　the　love　of　heaven〃

He　left　the　box　hastily　and　lifted　her　where　she　had　fallen　and　carried　her　into　the　room　adjoining　the　church。　　He　laid　her　on　the　floor；　and　ran　for　Dona　Ignacia；　who；　refreshed　with　wine　and　chocolate；　came　swiftly。　　But　when　Concha；　under　practical　administrations　and　maternal　endearments；　finally　opened　her　eyes；　she　pushed　her　mother　coldly　aside；　rose　and　steadied　herself　against　the　wall　for　a　moment；　then　returned　to　the　church；　closing　the　door　behind　her。

When　a　woman　has　borne　thirteen　children　in　the　lost　corners　of　the　world；　with　scarce　a　thought　in　thirty　years　for　aught　else　save　the　husband　and　his　comforts；　it　is　not　to　be　expected　that　her　wits　should　be　rapiers　or　her　vocabulary　distinguished。　But　Dona　Ignacia's　unresting　heart　had　an　intelli…　gence　of　its　own；　and　no　inner　convulsion　could　alter　the　superb　dignity　of　mien　which　Nature　had　granted　her。　　As　she　rose　and　confronted　Father　Abella　he　moved　forward　with　the　instinct　to　kiss　her　hand；　as　he　had　seen　Rezanov　do。

〃Mi　padre；〃　she　said；　〃Concha　is　the　first　of　my　children　to　push　me　aside；　and　it　is　like　a　blow　on　the　heart；　but　I　have　neither　anger　nor　resentment；　for　it　was　not　the　act　of　a　child　to　its　parent；　but　of　one　woman　to　another。　　Alas！　this　Russian；　what　has　he　done；　when　her　own　mother　can　give　her　no　comfort？　　We　all　love　when　young；　but　this　is　more。　I　loved　Jose　so　much　I　thought　I　should　die　when　they　would　have　compelled　me　to　marry　another。　But　this　is　more。　　She　will　not　die；　nor　even　go　to　bed　and　weep　for　days；　but　it　is　more。　　I　should　not　have　died；　I　know　that　now；　and　in　time　I　should　have　married　another；　and　been　as　happy　as　a　wom…　an　can　be　when　the　man　is　kind。　　Concha　will　love　but　once；　and　she　will　suffersuffer　　She　may　be　more　than　I；　but　I　bore　her　and　I　know。　　And　she　cannot　marry　him。　　A　heretic！　　I　no　longer　think　of　the　terrible　separation。　　Were　he　a　Cath…　olic　I　should　not　think　of　myself　again。　　But　it　cannot　be。　　Oh；　padre；　what　shall　we　do？〃

They　talked　for　a　long　while；　and　after　further　consultation　with　Don　Jose　and　Father　Landaeta；　it　was　decided　that　Concha　should　remain　for　the　present　in　the　house　of　Juan　Moraga；　where　she　could　receive　the　daily　counsels　of　the　priests；　and　be　beyond　the　reach　of　Rezanov。　　Meanwhile；　all　influence　would　be　brought　to　bear　upon　the　Gov…　ernor　that　the　Russian　might　be　placated　even　while　made　to　realize　that　to　loiter　longer　in　California　waters　would　be　but　a　waste　of　precious　time。



XVIII

There　was　no　performance　after　all　in　the　Presidio　square　that　night；　for　the　bear　brought　in　from　the　hills　to　do　honor　to　the　Russians　died　of　excitement；　and　it　rained　besides。　　Rezanov　made　the　storm　his　excuse　for　not　dining　and　dancing　as　usual　at　the　house　of　the　Commandante。　　But　the　relations　be…　tween　the　Presidio　and　the　Juno　during　the　next　few　days　were　by　no　means　strained。　　Davidov　and　Khostov　were　always　with　the　Spanish　officers；　drinking　and　card　playing；　or　improving　their　danc…　ing　and　Spanish　with　the　girls；　whose　guitars　were　tuned　for　the　waltz　day　and　night。　　The　dignitaries　met　as　usual　and　conversed　on　all　topics　save　those　paramount　in　the　minds　of　each。　　Nevertheless；　there　were　three　significant　facts　as　well　known　to　Rezanov　as　had　they　been　aired　to　his　liking。

He　had　sought　an　interview　with　Father　Abella；　and　tactfully　ignoring　the　question　of　his　marriage；　had　persuaded　that　astute　and　influential　priest　to　make　the　proposition　regarding　his　cargo　that　Con…　cha　had　suggested。　　The　priest；　backed　by　his　three　coadjutors；　had　made　it；　and　been　repulsed　with　fury。　　From　another　quarter　Rezanov　learned　that　during　his　absence　little　else　was　discussed　in　the　house　of　the　Commandante　save　his　formidable　mat…　rimonial　project；　and　the　supposed　designs　to　his　country。　　Troops　had　been　ordered　from　the　south　to　reinforce　the　San　Francisco　garrisons；　and　were　even　now　massed　at　Santa　Clara；　within　a　day's　march　of　the　bay。

About　a　mile　from　the　Presidio　and　almost　oppo…　site　the　Juno's　anchorage　were　six　great　stone　tubs　sunken　in　the　ground　and　filled　by　a　spring　of　clear　water。　　Here；　once　a　week；　the　linen；　fine　and　heavy；　of　Fort　and　Presidio　was　washed；　the　stoutest　serving　women　of　households　and　barracks　meeting　at　dawn　and　scrubbing　for　half　a　day。　Rezanov　had　watched　the　bright　picture　they　made　for　they　wore　a　bit　of　every　hue　they　could　com…　mandwith　a　lazy　interest；　which　quickened　to　thirst　when　he　heard　that　they　were　the　most　re…　liable　newsmongers　in　the　country。　　In　every　Pre…　sidial　district　was　a　similar　institution；　and　the　four　were　known　as　the　〃Wash　Tub　Mail。〃　　Many　of　the　women　were　selected　by　the　tyrants　of　the　tubs　for　their　comeliness；　and　each　had　a　lover　in　the　couriers　that　went　regularly　with　mail　and　official　instructions　from　one　end　of　the　Californias　to　the　other。　　All　important　news　was　known　first　by　these　women；　and　much　was　discussed　over　the　tubs　that　was　long　in　reaching　higher　but　no　less　interested　circles；　and　domestic　bulletins　were　as　eagerly　prized。　　The　sailor　that　brought　this　information　to　Rezanov　was　a　good…looking　and　susceptible　youth；　already　the　victim　of　an　Indian　maiden　from　the　handsome　tribe　in　the　Santa　Clara　Valley；　and　sister　of　Dona　Ignacia's　Malia。　　Rezanov　furnished　him　with　beads　and　other　trinkets　and　was　at　no　dis…　advantage　thereafter。

There　was　nothing　Rezanov　would　have　liked　better　than　to　see　a　Russian　fleet　sail　through　the　straits；　but　he　also　knew　that　nothing　was　less　likely；　and　that　from　such　rumors　he　should　only　derive　further　annoyance　and　delay。　　Two　of　his　sailors　deserted　at　the　prospect　of　war；　and　his　hosts；　if　neutral；　were　manifestly　alert。　　Luis　and　Santiago　had　been　obliged　to　go　to　Monterey　for　a　few　days；　and　there　was　no　one　at　the　Presidio　in　whom　Rez…　anov　could　confide　either　his　impatience　to　see　Con…　cha　or　at　the　adjournment　of　his　more　prosaic　but　no　less　pressing　interests。　　These　two　young　men　had　been　with　him　almost　constantly　since　his　arrival；　and　demonstrated　their　friendship　and　even　affection　unfailingly；　but　there　was　no　love　lost　be…　tween　himself　and　Gervasio。　　This　young　hidalgo　had　the　hauteur　and　intense　family　pride　of　San…　tiago　without　his　younger　brother's　frank　intelli…　gence　and　lingering　ingenuousness。　　With　all　the　superiority　and　inferiority；　he　had　made　himself　so　unpopular　that　his　real　kindness　of　heart　atoned　for　his　absurdities　only　with　those　that　knew　him　best。　Rezanov　was　not　one　of　these　nor　aspired　to　be。　Like　all　highly　seasoned　men　of　the　world；　he　had　no　patience　with　the　small　vanities　of　the　provincial；　and　although　diplomatically　courteous　to　all；　in　his　present　precarious　position；　he　had　taken　too　little　trouble　to　conciliate　Gervasio　to　find　him　of　use　in　the　absence　of　his　friends。

At　the　end　of　three　days　Rezanov　had　forgotten　his　cargo；　and　would　have　sent　the　Juno　to　the　bot…　tom　for　ten　minutes　alone　with　Concha。　　He　had　been　on　fire　with　love　of　her　since　the　moment　of　his　actual　surrender；　and　he　was　determined　to　have　her　if　there　were　no　other　recourse　but　elopement。　All　his　old　and　intense　love　of　personal　freedom　had　melted　out　of　form　in　the　crucible　of　his　lover's　imagination。　　That　he　should　have　doubted　for　a　moment　that　Concha　was　the　woman　for　whom　his　soul　had　held　itself　aloof　and　unshackled　was　a　matter　for　contemptuous　wonder；　and　the　pride　he　had　taken　in　his　keen　and　swift　perceptive　faculties　suffered　an　eclipse。　　Mind　and　soul　and　body　he　was　a　lover；　a　union　unknown　before。

On　the　fourth　morning；　his　patience　at　an　end；　he　was　about　to　leave　the　Juno　to　demand　a　formal　interview　with　Don　Jose　when　he　saw　Luis　and　San…　tiago　dismount　at　the　beach　and　enter　the　canoe　al…　ways　in　waiting。　　A　few　moments　later　they　had　helped　themselves　to　cigarettes　from　the　gift　of　the　Tsar　and　were　assuring　Rezanov　of　their　partisan…　ship　and　approval。

〃We　were　somewhat　taken　aback　at　the　first　mo…　ment；〃　Luis　admitted。　　〃Butwell；　we　are　both　in　loveSantiago　no　less　than　I；　although　I　have　had　these　six　long　years　of　waiting　and　am　likely　to　have　another。　　And　we　love　Concha　as　few　men　love　their　sisters；　for　there　is　no　one　like　heris　it　not　so；　Rezanov？　　And　we　quite　understand　why　she　has　chosen　you；　and　why　she　stands　firm；　for　we　know　the　strength　of　her　character。　　We　would　that　you　were　a　Catholic；　but　even　so；　we　will　not　sit　by　and　see　her　life　ruined；　and　we　have　called　to　assure　you　that　we　shall　use　all　our　influence；　every　adroit　argument；　to　bring　our　parents　to　a　more　reasonable　frame　of　mind。　　They　have　already　risen　above　the　first　natural　impulse　of　selfishness；　and　would　consent　to　the　inevitable　separation　were　you　only　a　Catholic。　　I　have　also　talked　with　the　Gov…　ernorwe　arrived　at　midnightand　he　flew　into　a　terrible　temperthe　poor　man　is　already　like　a　mad　bull　at　baybut　if　my　father　yielded；　he　would　on　all　points。　　This　morning　I　shall　ride　over　and　talk　with　Father　Abella；　who；　I　fancy；　needs　only　a　little　extra　pressureyou　may　be　sure　Concha　has　not　been　idleto　yield；　and　for　more　reasons　than　one。　　I　shall　enlist　Father　Uria　and　Father　de　la　Cueva　as　well。　　They　also　have　great　influence　with　my　parents；　and　as　they　return　to　San　Jose　in　two　days　to　prepare　for　the　visit　of　the　most　estim…　able　Dr。　Langsdorff；　there　is　no　time　to　lose。　　I　shall　go　this　morning。　　One　more　cigarito；　senor；　and　when　that　treaty　is　drawn　remember　the　con…　version　of　your　brother　to　Russian　tobacco。〃

Rezanov　thanked　him　so　warmly；　assured　him　with　so　convincing　an　emphasis　that　with　his　fate　in　such　competent　hands　his　mind　was　at　peace；　that　the　ardent　heart　of　the　Californian　exulted；　Rez…　anov；　with　his　splendid　appearance；　and　typical　of　the　highest　civilizations　of　Europe；　had　descended　upon　his　narrow　sphere　with　the　authority　of　a　demigod；　and　he　not　only　thirsted　to　serve　him；　but　to　fasten　him　to　California　with　the　surest　of　human　bonds。

As　he　dropped　over　the　side　of　the　ship；　Rezanov's　hand　fell　lightly　on　the　shoulder　of　Santiago。

〃I　can　wait　no　longer　to　see　your　sister；〃　he　whispered；　mindful　of　the　sterner　responsibilities　of　the　older　brother。　　〃Do　you　think　you　could〃

Santiago　nodded。