rezanov-第33部分

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ions　by　the　way。　　Mine　will　be　one；　although　I'll　get　nothing　else。　　Shelikov　is　safe；　but　you　will　have　a　monument。　　Well；　God　bless　you。　　I　grudge　you　nothing。　　Not　even　the　happi…　ness　you　deserve　and　are　bound　to　havefor　when　all　is　said　and　done；　Rezanov；　you　are　a　lucky　dog；　a　lucky　dog！　　Any　man　may　see　that；　even　when　these　infernal　snows　have　left　him　with　but　half　an　eye。　　To　quarrel　with　a　destiny　like　yours　would　be　as　great　a　waste　of　time　as　to　protest　that　California　is　warm　and　fertile；　while　this　infernal　North　is　like　living　in　a　refrigerator　with　the　deluge　to　vary　the　monotony。　　Now　let　us　get　drunk！〃

But　Rezanov　laughingly　extricated　himself；　and　sending　a　message　to　Davidov　and　Khostov　to　come　to　him　immediately；　walked　toward　the　tent　he　had　ordered　erected　on　the　edge　of　the　settlement；　only　the　worst　of　weather　drove　him　indoors　in　these　half…civilized　communities。

As　he　was　passing　the　chapel；　followed　again　by　the　employees　of　the　Company；　to　whom　he　had　granted　a　holiday；　he　suddenly　found　his　hand　taken　possession　of；　and　looked　up　to　see　himself　con…　fronted　by　a　dissipated…looking　person　in　plain　clothes。　　His　hand　became　so　limp　that　it　was　dropped　as　if　it　had　put　forth　a　sting；　and　he　nar…　rowed　his　eyes　and　demanded　with　a　bend　of　his　mouth　that　brought　the　blood　to　the　face　of　the　in…　truder：

〃And　who　are　you；　may　I　ask？〃

The　man　threw　back　his　head　defiantly。　　〃I　am　Lieutenant　Sookin　of　the　Imperial　Navy　of　Russia；〃　he　said　in　a　loud；　defiant　tone。

〃And　I　am　Chamberlain　of　the　Russian　Court　and　Commander　of　all　America；〃　replied　Rezanov　coolly。　　〃Now　go　to　your　quarters；　dress　yourself　in　your　uniform；　and　present　your　report　to　me　an　hour　hence。〃

The　officer；　concentrating　in　his　injected　eyes　all　the　lively　hatred　and　jealousy　of　his　service　for　the　Russian…American　Company　in　this　region　where　it　reigned　supreme　and　cared　no　more　for　the　Ad…　miralty　than　for　some　native　chieftain　covered　with　shells　and　warpaint；　glared　at　its　plenipotentiary　as　if　calling　upon　his　deeper　resources　of　insolence；　but　the　steady；　contemptuous　gaze　of　the　man　who　had　dealt　with　his　kind　often　and　successfully　over…　came　his　sodden　spirit；　and　he　turned　sulkily　and　slouched　off　to　his　quarters　to　console　himself　with　more　brandy。　　Rezanov　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　went　on　to　his　tent。

There　was　no　furniture　in　it　as　yet；　and　he　was　obliged　to　receive　Davidov　and　Khostov　standing；　but　this　he　preferred。　　They　followed　him　almost　immediately；　apprehensive　and　nervous；　and　before　speaking　he　looked　at　them　for　a　moment　with　his　strong；　penetrating　gaze。　　He　well　knew　the　power　of　his　own　personality；　and　that　it　was　immeasur…　ably　enhanced　by　the　fact　that　of　all　with　whom　he　had　to　do　in　these　benighted　regions　his　will　alone　was　never　weakened　by　liquor。　　These　young　men；　clever；　high…bred；　with　an　honorable　record　not　only　in　Russia；　but　in　England　and　America；　looked　upon　a　hilarious　night　as　the　just　reward　of　work　well　done　by　day。　　Brandy　was　debited　to　their　account　by　the　〃bucket〃　（a　bucket　being　a　trifle　less　than　two　gallons）；　and　they　found　little　fault　with　life。　But　the　profligacy　gave　a　commanding　spirit　like　Rezanov's　an　advantage　which　they　did　not　under…　estimate　for　a　moment；　and　they　alternately　hated　and　worshiped　him。

〃I　think　you　have　an　inkling　of　what　I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　do。〃　　The　Chamberlain　brought　out　the　euphemism　with　the　utmost　suavity。　　〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　not　to　ignore　the　indignity　to　which　Russia　was　subjected　last　year　by　Japan；　but　to　inflict　upon　it　such　punishment　as　I　find　it　in　my　power　to　compass。　　It　was　my　intention　to　build　a　flotilla　here；　but　owing　to　the　diseased　condition　and　reduced　numbers　of　the　employees；　that　was　im…　possible；　and　I　shall　be　obliged　to　content　myself　with　the　Juno　and　the　Avos；　whose　keel；　as　you　know；　was　laid　in　November；　and　is　no　doubt　fin…　ished　long　since。　　These　I　shall　fit　with　armaments　in　Okhotsk。　　I　shall　place　the　enterprise　I　have　spoken　of　in　your　charge；　sailing　with　you　from　Sitka　five　days　hence。　　From　Okhotsk　I　desire　that　you　proceed　to　the　Japanese　settlements　in　the　lower　Kurile　Islands；　take　possession　of　them　and　bring　all　stores　and　as　many　of　the　inhabitants　as　the　vessels　will　accommodate；　to　Sitka；　where　Baran…　hov　will　see　that　they　are　comfortably　established　on　that　large　island　in　the　harborwhich　we　shall　call　Japonskyand　converted　into　good　servants　of　the　Company。　　The　excuse　for　this　enterprise　is　that　those　islands　were　formally　taken　possession　of　by　Shelikov；　and　although　abandoned　later；　the　fact　remains　that　the　Russian　flag　was　the　first　to　float　over　them。　　The　stores　captured　may　not　be　worth　much　and　the　islands　are　of　no　particular　use　to　us；　but　it　is　wise　that　Japan　should　have　a　taste　of　Russian　power；　and　the　consequences　may　be　salutary　in　more　ways　than　one。　　I　hope　you　will　do　me　this　great　favor；　for　there　is　no　one　of　your　tried　probity　and　skill　to　whom　I　can　trust　so　deli…　cate　an　enterprise。　　I　am　doing　it　wholly　upon　my　own　responsibility；　for　although　I　wrote　tentatively　to　the　Tsar　on　this　subject　before　I　sailed　for　Cali…　fornia；　it　is　not　yet　time　for　a　reply。　　However；　I　take　the　consequences　upon　my　own　shoulders。　　You　shall　not　suffer　in　any　way；　for　your　orders　are　to　obey　mine　while　you　remain　in　these　waters。〃

He　paused　a　moment；　and　then　suddenly　smiled　into　the　unresponsive　faces　before　him。　　He　held　out　his　hand　and　shook　their　limp　ones　warmly。

〃Let　me　thank　you　here　for　all　your　inestimable　services　in　the　past；　and　particularly　during　our　late　hazardous　voyages。　　Be　sure　that　whether　you　suc…　ceed　in　this　enterprise　or　not；　your　rewards　shall　be　no　less　for　what　you　have　already　done。　　I　shall　make　it　a　personal　matter　with　the　Tsar。　　You　shall　have　promotion　and　a　substantial　increase　in　pay；　besides　the　orders　and　Imperial　thanks　you　so　richly　deserve。　　Lest　anything　happen　to　me　on　my　home…　ward　journey；　I　shall　write　to　St。　Petersburg　before　I　leave。〃

The　lieutenants；　overcome　as　ever　when　he　chose　to　put　forth　his　full　powers；　assured　him　of　their　fidelity　and；　if　with　misgivings；　vowed　to　mete　out　vengeance　to　the　Japanese。　　And　although　their　misgivings　were　not　unfounded；　and　they　paid　a　high　price　in　suffering　and　mortification；　they　ac…　complished　their　object　and　in　due　course　received　the　rewards　the　Chamberlain　had　promised　them。

They　did　not　retire；　and　Rezanov；　noting　their　sudden　hesitation　and　embarrassment；　felt　an　in…　stant　thrill　of　apprehension。

〃What　is　it？〃　he　demanded。　　〃What　has　hap…　pened？〃

〃Life　has　moved　slowly　in　Sitka　during　your　absence；　Excellency；〃　replied　Davidov。　　〃There　has　been　little　work　done　on　the　Avos。　　It　will　not　be　finished　for　a　month　or　six　weeks。〃

Then；　had　the　young　men　been　possessed　by　a　not　infrequent　mood；　they　would　have　glowed　with　a　sense　of　just　satisfaction。　　Rezanov　felt　himself　turn　so　white　that　he　wheeled　about　and　left　the　tent。　　A　month　or　six　weeks！　　And　the　speed　and　safety　of　his　journey　across　Siberia　depended　upon　his　making　the　greater　part　of　it　before　the　heavy　autumn　rains　swelled　the　rivers　and　flooded　the　swamps。　　Winter　or　summer　the　journey　from　Ok…　hotsk　to　St。　Petersburg　might　be　made　in　four　months；　with　the　wealth　and　influence　at　his　com…　mand；　possibly　in　less；　but　in　the　deluge　between　he　was　liable　to　detentions　lasting　nearly　as　long　again；　to　say　nothing　of　illness　caused　by　inevitable　exposure。

He　stood　staring　at　the　palisades　for　many　min…　utes。　　The　separation　must　be　long　enough；　the　dangers　numerous　enough　if　he　started　within　the　week；　but　at　least　he　had　in　a　measure　accustomed　himself　to　the　idea　of　not　seeing　Concha　again　for　〃the　best　part　of　two　years；〃　and　the　sanguineness　of　his　temperament　had　led　him　to　hope　that　the　time　might　be　reduced　to　eighteen　months。　　If　he　delayed　too　long；　only　by　means　of　an　unprece…　dented　run　of　good　fortune　would　he　reach　St。　Petersburg　but　a　month　behind　his　calculations。　And　the　chances　were　in　favor　of　four；　or　three　at　the　best！　　Never　since　the　morning　that　the　real　nature　of　his　feeling　for　Concha　had　declared　itself　had　he　yearned　toward　her　as　at　that　moment；　never　since　the　dictum　of　what　she　called　their　〃tribunal〃　had　he　so　rebelled　against　the　long　delay。　　And　yet　he　hesitated。　　To　leave　Japan　unpunished　for　the　senseless　humiliations　to　which　it　had　subjected　Russia　in　his　person　was　not　to　be　thought　of；　and　yet　did　he　leave　without　seeing　the　Avos　finished；　the　two　boats　supplied　with　armaments　at　Okhotsk；　and　under　way　before　he　started　across　Siberia；　he　knew　it　was　doubtful　if　the　expedition　took　place　before　his　return；　in　that　case　might　never　take　place；　for　these　two　young　men　might　have　drifted　elsewhere；　and　he　knew　no　one　else　to　whom　he　could　entrust　such　a　commission。　　In　spite　of　their　idiosyncrasies　he　could　rely　upon　them　implicitly　up　to　a　certain　point。　　That　point　involved　keeping　them　in　sight　until　exactly　the　right　moment　and　leaving　nothing　to　their　executive　which　could　be　certainly　accomplished　by　himself　alone。　　Did　he　sail　five　days　hence　on　the　Juno　one　of　the　officers　would　be　exposed　for　an　indeterminate　time　to　the　temptations　of　Okhotsk；　the　ship；　perhaps；　at　the　mercy　of　some　sudden　requirement　of　the　Com…　pany。　　His　authority　was　absolute　when　enforced　in　person；　but　it　was　a　proverb　west　of　the　Ural：　〃God　reigns　and　the　Tsar　is　far　away。〃　　If　the　Juno　were　wanted　the　manager　of　Okhotsk　would　argue　that　two　years　was　a　period　in　which　an　ar…　dent　servant　of　the　Company　would　find　many　an　excuse　to　justify　its　seizure。

And　here　in　Sitka　it　was　doubtful　if　the　work　on　the　Avos　proceeded　at　all。　　Baranhov　was　not　in　sympathy　with　the　enterprise　against　the　Japanese；　fearing　the　consequences　to　himself　in　the　event　of　the　Tsar's　disapproval；　and　resenting　the　impress…　ment　of　the　promuschleniki　into　a　service　that　de…　prived　him　of　their　legitimate　work。　　Moreover；　al…　though　he　loved　Rezanov　personally；　he　had　en…　joyed　supreme　power　in　the　wilderness　too　long　not　to　chafe　under　even　the　temporary　assumption　of　authority　by　his　high…handed　superior。　　With　the　best　of　intentions　Davidov　could　make　little　head…　way　against　the　passive　resistance　of　the