the lost road-第33节

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more　precious　than　gold。〃

A　few　moments　later　Professor　Peabody　took　his　leave；　and　it　was
not　until　he　had　turned　the　corner　of　the　Calle　Morazan　that　he
halted　and；　like　a　man　emerging　from　water；　drew　a　deep　breath。

〃Gee！〃　muttered　the　distinguished　archeologist；　〃that　was　a　close
call！〃

One　or　two　women　had　loved　Everett；　and　after　five　weeks；　in
which　almost　daily　he　had　seen　Monica；　he　knew　she　cared　for　him。
This　discovery　made　him　entirely　happy　and　filled　him　with　dismay。
It　was　a　complication　he　had　not　foreseen。　　It　left　him　at　the　parting
of　two　ways；　one　of　which　he　must　choose。　　For　his　career　he　was
willing　to　renounce　marriage；　but　now　that　Monica　loved　him；　even
though　he　had　consciously　not　tried　to　make　her　love　him；　had　he
the　right　to　renounce　it　for　her　also？　He　knew　that　the　difference
between　Monica　and　his　career　lay　in　the　fact　that　he　loved　Monica
and　was　in　love　with　his　career。　　Which　should　he　surrender？　Of　this
he　thought　long　and　deeply；　until　one　night；　without　thinking　at　all；
he　chose。

Colonel　Goddard　had　given　a　dance；　and；　as　all　invited　were
Americans；　the　etiquette　was　less　formal　than　at　the　gatherings
of　the　Amapalans。　　For　one　thing；　the　minister　and　Monica　were
able　to　sit　on　the　veranda　overlooking　the　garden　without　his
having　to　fight　a　duel　in　the　morning。

It　was　not　the　moonlight；　or　the　music；　or　the　palms　that　made
Everett　speak。　　It　was　simply　the　knowledge　that　it　was　written；
that　it　had　to　be。　　And　he　heard　himself；　without　prelude　or
introduction；　talking　easily　and　assuredly　of　the　life　they　would
lead　as　man　and　wife。　　From　this　dream　Monica　woke　him。　　The
violet　eyes　were　smiling　at　him　through　tears。

〃When　you　came；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　I　loved　you；　I　thought　that
was　the　greatest　happiness。　　Now　that　I　know　you　love　me　I　ask
nothing　more。　　And　I　can　bear　it。〃

Everett　felt　as　though　an　icy　finger　had　moved　swiftly　down　his
spine。　　He　pretended　not　to　understand。

〃Bear　what？〃　he　demanded　roughly。

〃That　I　cannot　marry　you；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃Even　had　you　not　asked
me；　in　loving　you　I　would　have　been　happy。　　Now　that　I　know　you
thought　of　me　as　your　wife；　I　am　proud。　I　am　grateful。　　And　the
obstacle〃

Everett　laughed　scornfully。

〃There　is　no　obstacle。〃

Monica　shook　her　head。　　Unafraid；　she　looked　into　his　eyes；　her
own　filled　with　her　love　for　him。

〃Don't　make　it　harder；〃　she　said。　　〃My　brother　is　hiding　from　the
law。　　What　he　did　I　don't　know。　　When　it　happened　I　was　at　the
convent；　and　he　did　not　send　for　me　until　he　had　reached　Amapala。
I　never　asked　why　we　came；　but　were　I　to　marry　you；　with　your　name
and　your　position；　every　one　else　would　ask。　　And　the　scandal　would
follow　you；　wherever　you　went　it　would　follow；　it　would　put　an　end
to　your　career。〃

His　career；　now　that　Monica　urged　it　as　her　rival；　seemed　to
Everett　particularly　trivial。

〃I　don't　know　what　your　brother　did　either；〃　he　said。　　〃His　sins
are　on　his　own　head。　　They're　not　on　yours；　nor　on　mine。　　I　don't
judge　him；　neither　do　I　intend　to　let　him　spoil　my　happiness。　　Now
that　I　have　found　you　I　will　never　let　you　go。〃

Sadly　Monica　shook　her　head　and　smiled。

〃When　you　leave　here；〃　she　said；　〃for　some　new　post；　you　won't
forget　me；　but　you'll　be　grateful　that　I　let　you　go　alone；　that　I　was
not　a　drag　on　you。　　When　you　go　back　to　your　great　people　and
your　proud　and　beautiful　princesses；　all　this　will　seem　a　strange
dream；　and　you　will　be　glad　you　are　awakeand　free。〃

〃The　idea　of　marrying　you；　Monica；〃　said　Everett；　〃is　not　new。　　It　did
not　occur　to　me　only　since　we　moved　out　here　into　the　moonlight。
Since　I　first　saw　you　I've　thought　of　you；　and　only　of　you。　　I've
thought　of　you　with　me　in　every　corner　of　the　globe；　as　my　wife；
my　sweetheart；　my　partner；　riding　through　jungles　as　we　ride　here；
sitting　opposite　me　at　our　own　table；　putting　the　proud　and　beautiful
princesses　at　their　ease。　　And　in　all　places；　at　all　moments；　you　make
all　other　women　tawdry　and　absurd。　　And　I　don't　think　you　are　the
most　wonderful　person　I　ever　met　because　I　love　you；　but　I　love　you
because　you　are　the　most　wonderful　person　I　ever　met。〃

〃I　am　young；〃　said　Monica；　〃but　since　I　began　to　love　you　I　am
very　old。　　And　I　see　clearly　that　it　cannot　be。〃

〃Dear　heart；〃　cried　Everett；　〃that　is　quite　morbid。　　What　the
devil　do　I　care　what　your　brother　has　done！　I　am　not　marrying
your　brother。〃

For　a　long　time；　leaning　forward　with　her　elbows　on　her　knees　and
her　face　buried　in　her　hands；　the　girl　sat　silent。　　It　was　as　though　she
were　praying。　　Everett　knew　it　was　not　of　him；　but　of　her　brother；
she　was　thinking；　and　his　heart　ached　for　her。　　For　him　to　cut　the
brother　out　of　his　life　was　not　difficult；　what　it　meant　to　her　he
could　guess。

When　the　girl　raised　her　eyes　they　were　eloquent　with　distress。

〃He　has　been　so　good　to　me；〃　she　said；　〃always　so　gentle。　　He　has
been　mother　and　father　to　me。　　He　is　the　first　person　I　can　remember。
When　I　was　a　child　he　put　me　to　bed；　he　dressed　me；　and　comforted
me。　　When　we　became　rich　there　was　nothing　he　did　not　wish　to　give
me。　　I　cannot　leave　him。　　He　needs　me　more　than　ever　I　needed　him。　　I
am　all　he　has。　　And　there　is　this　besides。　　Were　I　to　marry；　of　all　the
men　in　the　world　it　would　be　harder　for　him　if　I　married　you。　　For　if
you　succeed　in　what　you　came　here　to　do；　the　law　will　punish　him；
and　he　will　know　it　was　through　you　he　was　punished。　　And　even
between　you　and　me　there　always　would　be　that　knowledge；　that
feeling。〃

〃That　is　not　fair；〃　cried　Everett。　　〃I　am　not　an　individual　fighting
less　fortunate　individuals。　　I　am　an　insignificant　wheel　in　a　great
machine。　　You　must　not　blame　me　because　I…〃

With　an　exclamation　the　girl　reproached　him。

〃Because　you　do　your　duty！〃　she　protested。　　〃Is　that　fair　to　me？
If　for　my　sake　or　my　brother　you　failed　in　your　duty；　if　you　were
less　vigilant；　less　eager；　even　though　we　suffer；　I　could　not
love　you。〃

Everett　sighed　happily。

〃As　long　as　you　love　me；〃　he　said；　〃neither　your　brother　nor　any
one　else　can　keep　us　apart。〃

〃My　brother；〃　said　the　girl；　as　though　she　were　pronouncing　a
sentence；　〃always　will　keep　us　apart；　and　I　will　always　love
you。〃

It　was　a　week　before　he　again　saw　her；　and　then　the　feeling　he
had　read　in　her　eyes　was　goneor　rigorously　concealed。　　Now　her
manner　was　that　of　a　friend；　of　a　young　girl　addressing　a　man
older　than　herself；　one　to　whom　she　looked　up　with　respect　and
liking；　but　with　no　sign　of　any　feeling　deeper　or　more　intimate。

It　upset　Everett　completely。　　When　he　pleaded　with　her；　she　asked：

〃Do　you　think　it　is　easy　for　me？　But〃　she　protested；　〃I　know　I
am　doing　right。　　I　am　doing　it　to　make　you　happy。〃

〃You　are　succeeding；〃　Everett　assured　her；　〃in　making　us　both
damned　miserable。〃

For　Everett；　in　the　second　month　of　his　stay　in　Amapala；　events
began　to　move　quickly。　　Following　the　example　of　two　of　his
predecessors；　the　Secretary　of　State　of　the　United　States　was
about　to　make　a　grand　tour　of　Central　America。　　He　came　on　a
mission　of　peace　and　brotherly　love；　to　foster　confidence　and
good…will；　and　it　was　secretly　hoped　that；　in　the　wake　of　his
escort　of　battle…ships；　trade　would　follow　fast。　　There　would
be　salutes　and　visits　of　ceremony；　speeches；　banquets；　reviews。
But　in　these　rejoicings　Amapala　would　have　no　part。

For；　so　Everett　was　informed　by　cable；　unless；　previous　to　the
visit　of　the　Secretary；　Amapala　fell　into　line　with　her　sister
republics　and　signed　a　treaty　of　extradition；　from　the　itinerary
of　the　great　man　Amapala　would　find　herself　pointedly　excluded。
It　would　be　a　humiliation。　　In　the　eyes　of　her　sister　republics　it
would　place　her　outside　the　pale。　　Everett　saw　that　in　his　hands
his　friend　the　Secretary　had　placed　a　powerful　weapon；　and　lost
no　time　in　using　it。　　He　caught　the　President　alone；　sitting　late　at
his　dinner；　surrounded　by　bottles；　and　read　to　him　the　Secretary's
ultimatum。　　General　Mendoza　did　not　at　once　surrender。　　Before　he
threw　over　the　men　who　fed　him　the　golden　eggs　that　made　him　rich；
and　for　whom　he　had　sworn　never　to　violate　the　right　of　sanctuary；
he　first；　for　fully　half　an　hour；　raged　and　swore。　　During　that　time；
while　Everett　sat　anxiously　expectant；　the　President　paced　and
repaced　the　length　of　the　dining…hall。　　When　to　relight　his　cigar；
or　to　gulp　brandy　from　a　tumbler；　he　halted　at　the　table；　his　great
bulk　loomed　large　in　the　flickering　candle…flames；　and　when　he
continued　his　march；　he　would　disappear　into　the　shadows；　and
only　his　scabbard　clanking　on　the　stone　floor　told　of　his　presence。
At　last　he　halted　and　shrugged　his　shoulders　so　that　the　tassels　of
his　epaulets　tossed　like　wheat。

〃You　drive　a　hard　bargain；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃And　I　have　no　choice。
To…morrow　bring　the　treaty　and　I　will　sign。〃

Everett　at　once　produced　it　and　a　fountain　pen。

〃I　should　like　to　cable　to…night；〃　he　urged；　〃that　you　have　signed。
They　are　holding　back　the　public　announcement　of　the　Secretary's
route　until　hearing　from　Your　Excellency。　　This　is　only　tentative；〃
he　pointed　out；　〃the　Senate　must　ratify。　　But　our　Senate　will　ratify
it；　and　when　you　sign　now；　it　is　a　thing　a