rezanov-第26部分

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But　this　was　far　too　simple　for　the　taste　of　a　Governor。　　So　important　an　occasion　demanded　official　dignity　and　many　words。

〃Your　excellency；〃　he　said　severely；　sitting　very　erect；　with　one　white　hand　on　the　table　and　the　other　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword　（yet　full　of　courtesy；　and　longing　to　enjoy　the　cheer　and　conversation　of　his　host）；　〃the　peaceful　monotony　of　our　lives　has　been　rudely　shaken　by　a　demand　upon　three　fallible　human　beings　to　alter　the　course　of　history　in　two　great　nations。　　That　is　a　sufficient　excuse　for　the　suspense　to　which　we　have　been　forced　to　subject　you。　　The　marriage　of　a　Russian　and　a　Spaniard　is　of　no　great　moment　in　itself；　but　the　marriage　of　the　Plenipotentiary　of　the　Tsar　himself　with　the　daughter　of　Jose　Mario　Arguello；　not　only　one　of　the　most　eminent；　respected；　and　distinguished　of　His　Most　Catholic　Majesty's　subjects　in　New　Spain；　but　a　man　so　beloved　and　influential　that　he　could　create　a　revolution　were　he　so　mindedindeed；　Jose；　no　one　knows　better　than　I　how　incapable　you　are　of　treason〃as　the　Commandante　gave　a　loud　exclamation　of　horror〃I　merely　illustrate　and　emphasize。　　My　sands　are　nearly　run；　Excellency；　it　is　to　the　estimable　mind　and　strong　paternal　hand　of　my　friend　that　this　miserable　colony　must　look　before　long；　would　she　continue　even　this　hand　to　mouth　existencea　fact　well　known　to　our　king　and　natural　lord。　　When　he　hears　of　this　projected　alliance〃

〃Projected？〃　exclaimed　Rezanov。　　〃I　wish　to　marry　at　once。〃

Father　Abella　shook　his　head　vigorously；　but　he　spoke　with　great　kindness。　　〃That；　Excellency；　alas；　is　the　one　point　upon　which　we　are　forced　to　dis…　appoint　you。　　Indeed；　our　own　submission　to　your　wishes　is　contingent。　　This　marriage　cannot　take　place　without　a　dispensation　from　Rome　and　the　consent　of　the　King。〃

Rezanov　looked　at　Don　Jose。　　〃You；　too？〃　he　asked　curtly。

The　Commandante　stirred　uneasily；　heaved　a　deep　sigh；　he　thought　of　the　long　impatience　of　his　Con…　cha。　　〃It　is　true；〃　he　said。　　〃Not　only　would　it　be　impossible　for　my　conscience　to　resign　itself　to　the　marriage　of　my　daughter　with　a　hereticpar…　don；　Excellencywithout　the　blessing　of　the　Pope；　not　only　would　no　priest　in　California　perform　the　ceremony　until　it　arrived；　but　it　would　mean　the　degradation　of　Governor　Arrillaga　and　myself；　and　the　ruin　of　all　your　other　hopes。　　We　should　be　ordered　summarily　to　Mexico；　perhaps　worse；　and　no　Russian　would　ever　be　permitted　to　set　foot　in　the　Californias　again。　　I　would　it　were　otherwise。　I　knowI　knowbut　it　is　inevitable。　　Your　excel…　lency　must　see　it。　　Even　were　you　a　Catholic；　Gov…　ernor　Arrillaga　and　the　President　of　the　Missions；　at　least；　would　not　dare　to　countenance　this　mar…　riage　without　the　consent　of　the　King。〃

Rezanov　was　silent　for　a　few　minutes。　　In　spite　of　the　emotions　of　the　past　few　days　he　was　aston…　ished　at　the　depth　and　keenness　of　his　disappoint…　ment。　　But　never　yet　had　he　failed　to　realize　when　he　was　beaten；　nor　to　trim　his　sails　without　loss　of　precious　time。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　go　to　St。　Peters…　burg　at　the　earliest　possible　moment；　obtain　personal　letters　from　the　Tsar　and　proceed　post　haste　to　Rome　and　Madrid。　　At　the　same　time　I　shall　arrange　for　the　treaty　with　full　authority　from　the　Tsar。　　Then　I　shall　sail　from　Spain　to　Mexico　and　reach　here　as　soon　as　may　be。　　It　will　take　a　long　while；　the　best　part　of　two　years；　but　I　have　your　word〃

〃You　have；〃　the　three　asserted　with　solemn　em…　phasis。

〃Very　well。　　But　there　is　one　thing　more。　　I　am　not　in　a　diplomatic　humor。　　My　Sitkans　are　starv…　ing。　　I　must　leave　here　with　a　shipload　of　bread…　stuffs。〃

Again　the　Governor　drew　up　his　slim　soldierly　figure；　deposited　his　cigarette　on　the　malachite　ash　tray。　　〃You　may　be　sure　that　we　have　given　that　momentous　question　our　deepest　consideration。　Father　Abella's　suggestion　that　we　buy　your　com…　modities　for　cash；　and　that　with　our　Spanish　dol…　lars　you　buy　again　of　us；　did　not　strike　me　favor…　ably　at　first；　for　it　savored　of　sophistry。　　I　may　have　failed　in　every　attempt　to　benefit　and　advance　this　Godforsaken　country；　but　at　least　I　have　been　the　honest　agent　of　my　King。　　But　the　circumstances　are　extraordinary。　　You　are　about　to　become　one　of　us；　to　do　our　unhappy　colony　the　greatest　service　that　is　in　the　power　of　any　mortal；　and　personally　you　have　inspired　us　with　affection　and　respect。　　I　have；　therefore；　decided　that　the　exchange　shall　be　made　on　these　terms；　but　that　your　cargo　shall　be　received　by　Don　Jose　Arguello；　Commandante　of　the　San　Francisco　Company；　and　held　in　trust　until　the　formal　consent　of　the　King　to　the　purchase　shall　arrive。〃

Rezanov　glowed　to　his　finger　tips。　　Not　even　the　assurance　of　his　union　with　the　woman　of　his　heart；　which　after　all　had　met　but　the　skeleton　of　his　de…　sires；　gave　him　the　acute　satisfaction　of　this　sud…　den　fulfilment　of　his　self…imposed　mission。　　He　dropped　his　own　official　demeanor　and　throwing　himself　across　the　table　gripped　the　Governor's　hand　while　he　poured　out　his　thanks　in　a　voice　thick　with　feeling；　his　eyes　glittering　with　more　than　vic…　tory。　　He　did　not　lose　sight　of　his　ultimate　designs　and　pledge　himself　to　external　friendship；　but　he　un…　wittingly　conveyed　the　impression　that　Spain　had　that　day　made　a　friend　she　ill　could　afford　to　lose；　and　his　three　visitors　rose　well　pleased　with　the　cul…　mination　of　the　interview。

〃You　must　stay　here　no　longer；　Rezanov；〃　said　Don　Jose；　as　they　were　taking　leave。　　〃My　house　is　now　literally　your　own。　　It　will　be　some　weeks　be…　fore　the　large　quantities　of　corn　and　flour　and　other　stores　you　wish　can　be　got　togetherfor　we　must　lay　a　requisition　on　the　fertile　Mission　ranchos　in　the　valleysand　you　will　exchange　these　narrow　quarters　for　such　poor　comfort　as　my　house　affords　I　take　no　denial。　　Concha　will　remain　at　Juan　Moraga's　for　the　present。〃



XXI

Concha；　after　her　father　left　her；　sat　for　a　long　while　in　an　attitude　of　such　complete　repose　that　Sturgis；　watching　her　miserably　from　the　veranda；　remembered　the　consolations　of　his　sketch　book；　and　he　was　able　to　counterfeit　the　graceful；　proud　figure；　under　the　wall　and　roses；　before　she　stirred。

Concha　had　sent　her　father　away　deeply　puzzled。　When；　after　embracing　her　with　unusual　emotion；　he　had　informed　her　of　his　consent　to　her　marriage；　she　had　received　the　news　as　a　matter　of　course；　her　hopes　and　desires　having　mounted　too　high　to　contemplate　a　fall。　　Then　the　Commandante；　after　dwelling　at　some　length　upon　his　discussions　with　the　Governor　and　the　priests；　and　admonishing　her　against　conceiving　herself　too　important　a　factor　in　what　might　prove　to　be　an　alliance　of　international　moment　（she　had　laughed　merrily　and　called　him　the　most　callous　of　parents　and　subtlest　of　diplo…　mats）；　had　announced　with　some　trepidation　and　his　most　official　manner　that　the　consent　of　the　Pope　and　the　King　would　be　sought　by　Rezanov　in　per…　son；　involving　a　delay　and　separation　of　not　less　than　two　years。　　But　to　his　surprise　she　did　not　fling　herself　upon　his　neck　with　blandishments　and　tears。　She　merely　became　quite　still；　her　light　high　spirits　retreating　as　a　breeze　might　before　one　of　Nature's　sudden　and　portentous　calms。　　Don　Jose；　after　a　fruitless　attempt　to　recapture　her　interest；　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　away；　and　Concha　sat　down　on　a　bench　under　the　wall　and　thought　for　an　hour　without　moving　a　finger。

Her　first　sensation　was　one　of　bitter　anger　and　disappointment　with　Rezanov。　　He　had；　apparently；　in　the　first　brief　interview　with　their　tribunal；　given　his　consent　to　this　long　delay　of　their　nuptials。

Her　thoughts　since　his　advent　had　flown　on　many　journeys　and　known　little　rest。　　She　had　been　rudely　awakened　and　stripped　of　her　girlish　illusions　in　those　days　and　nights　of　battle　between　pride　and　her　dazzled　womanhood　when；　in　the　new　humility　of　love；　she　believed　herself　to　be　but　one　of　a　hun…　dred　pretty　girls　in　the　eyes　of　this　accomplished　and　fortunate　Russian。　　The　interval　had　been　brief；　but　not　long　enough　for　the　grandeur　in　her　nature　to　awaken　almost　concurrently　with　her　passions；　and　she　had　planned　a　life；　in　which；　guided　and　uplifted　by　the　star　of　fidelity；　and　delivered　from　the　friv…　olous　and　commonplace　temptations　of　other　wom…　en；　she　should　devote　herself　to　the　improvement　and　instruction　not　only　of　the　Indians　but　of　the　youth　of　her　own　class。　　The　schools　founded　by　the　estimable　and　enterprising　Borica　had　practically　disappeared；　and　she　was　by　far　the　best　educated　woman　in　California。　　For　such　there　was　a　mani…　fest　and　an　inexorable　duty。　　She　would　live　to　be　old；　she　supposed；　like　all　the　Arguellos　and　Moragas；　but　hidden　in　her　unspotted　soul　would　be　the　flame　of　eternal　youth；　fed　by　an　ideal　and　a　memory　that　would　outlive　her　weary；　insignifi…　cant　body。　　And　in　it　she　would　find　her　courage　and　her　inspiration；　as　well　as　an　unwasting　sym…　pathy　for　those　she　taught。

Then　had　come　the　sudden　and　passionate　woo…　ing　of　Rezanov。　　All　other　ideals　and　aspirations　had　fled。　　She　had　alternated　between　the　tragic　extremes　of　bliss　and　despair。　　So　completely　did　the　ardor　of　her　nature　respond　to　his；　so　fierce　and　primitive　was　the　cry　of　her　ego　for　its　mate；　that　she　cared　nothing　for　the　distress　of　her　parents　nor　the　fate　of　California。　　There　is　no　love　com…　plete　without　this　early　and　absolute　selfishness；　which　is　merely　the　furious　determination　of　the　race　to　accomplish　its　object　before　the　spirit　awakens　and　the　passions　cool。

Last　night　life　had　seemed　serious；　she　had　been　girlishly；　romantically　happy。　　It　is　true　that　her　heart　had　thumped　against　the　wall　as　he　kissed　her；　and　that　she　had　been　full　of　a　wild　desire　to　sing；　although　she　could　hardly　shape　and　utter　the　words　that　danced　in　her　throbbing　brain。　　But　she　had　been　conscious　through　it　all　of　the　romantic　circum…　stance；　of　the　lonely　beauty　of　the　night；　of　the　de…　lightful　wickedness　of　meeting　her　lover　in　the　si…　lence　and　the　dark；　even　with　a　wall　ten　feet　high　be…　tween　them。　　For　the　wall；　indeed；　she　had　been　confusedly　and　deliciously　grateful。

And　this　was　what　a　man's　love　came　to：　ardors　by　night　and　expedience　by　day！　　Or　was　it　merely　that　Rezanov　was　the　man　of　affairs　always；