rezanov-第13节

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ents；　not　even　knowing　in　what　direction　land　might　be；　was　flung；　senseless；　on　the　shore　below　the　Fort。　For　the　next　month　he　was　an　invalid　in　the　house　of　the　Commandante。　　Fortunately；　his　papers　and　money　were　sewn　in　an　oilskin　belt　and　his　father's　name　was　well　known　in　California。　　Moreover；　there　never　was　a　more　likable　youth。　　His　illness　interested　all　the　matrons　and　maids　of　the　Presidio　in　his　fate；　when　he　recovered；　his　good　dancing　and　unselfishness　gave　him　a　permanent　place　in　the　regard　of　the　women；　while　his　entire　absence　of　beauty；　and　his　ability　to　hold　his　own　in　the　mess　room；　established　his　position　with　the　men。

In　due　course　word　of　his　plight　reached　Boston；　and　a　ship　was　immediately　despatched；　not　only　to　bring　the　castaway　home；　but　with　the　fine　ward…　robe　necessary　to　a　young　gentleman　of　his　station。　But　the　same　ship　brought　word　of　his　father's　deathhis　mother　had　gone　long　sinceand　as　there　were　brothers　enamored　of　the　business　he　hated；　he　decided　to　remain　in　the　country　that　had　won　his　heart　and　given　him　health。　　For　some　time　there　was　demur　on　the　part　of　the　authorities；　Spain　welcomed　no　foreigners　in　her　colonies。　But　Sturgis　swore　a　mighty　oath　that　he　would　never　despatch　a　letter　uninspected　by　the　Com…　mandante；　that　he　would　make　no　excursions　into　the　heart　of　the　country；　that　he　would　neither　en…　gage　in　traffic　nor　interfere　in　politics。　　Then　hav…　ing　already　won　the　affections　of　the　Governor；　he　was　permitted　to　remain；　even　to　rent　an　acre　of　land　from　the　Church　in　the　sheltered　Mission　val…　ley；　and　build　himself　a　house。　　Here　he　raised　fruit　and　vegetables　for　his　own　hospitable　table；　chickens　and　game　cocks。　　Books　and　other　lux…　uries　came　by　every　ship　from　Boston；　until　for　a　long　interval　ships　came　no　more。　　One　of　these　days；　when　the　power　of　the　priests　had　abated；　and　the　jealousy　which　would　keep　all　Californians　land…　less　but　themselves　was　counterbalanced　by　a　great　increase　in　population；　he　meant　to　have　a　ranch　down　in　the　south　where　the　sun　shone　all　the　year　round　and　he　could　ride　half　the　day　with　his　vaqueros　after　the　finest　cattle　in　the　country。　　He　should　never　marry　because　he　could　not　marry　Concha　Arguello；　but　he　could　think　of　her；　see　her　sometimes；　and　in　a　land　where　a　man　was　neither　frozen　in　winter　nor　grilled　in　summer；　where　life　could　be　led　in　the　open；　and　the　tendency　was　to　idle　and　dream；　domestic　happiness　called　on　a　feebler　note　than　in　less　equable　climes。　　In　his　heart　he　was　desperately　jealous　of　Concha's　fav…　ored　cavaliers；　but　it　was　a　jealousy　without　hatred；　and　his　kind；　earnest；　often　humorous　eyes；　were　always　assuring　his　lady　of　an　imperishable　desire　to　serve　her　without　reward。　　Of　course　Concha　treated　him　with　as　little　consideration　as　so　humble　a　swain　deserved；　but　in　her　heart　she　liked　him　bet…　ter　than　either　Castro　or　Sal；　for　he　talked　to　her　of　something　besides　rodeos　and　balls；　racing　and　cock…fights；　he　had　taught　her　English　and　lent　her　many　books。　　Moreover；　he　neither　sighed　nor　lan…　guished；　nor　ever　had　sung　at　her　grating。　　But　she　regarded　him　merely　as　an　intelligence；　a　well　of　refreshment　in　her　stagnant　life；　never　as　a　man。

〃Rose；〃　she　said；　as　she　caught　her　hair　into　a　high　golden　comb　that　had　been　worn　in　Spain　by　many　a　beauty　of　the　house　of　Moraga；　and　spiked　the　knot　with　two　long　pins　globed　at　the　end　with　gold；　while　the　maid　fastened　her　slippers　and　smoothed　the　pink　silk　stockings　over　the　thin　in…　step　above；　〃what　is　a　lover　like？　　Is　it　like　meet…　ing　one　of　the　saints　of　heaven？〃

〃No；　senorita。〃

〃Like　what；　then？〃

〃Likelike　nothing　but　himself；　senorita。　　You　would　not　have　him　otherwise。〃

〃Oh；　stupid　one！　　Hast　thou　no　imagination？　Fancy　any　man　being　well　enough　as　he　is！　　For　instance；　there　is　Don　Antonio；　who　is　so　hand…　some　and　fiery；　and　Don　Ignacio；　who　can　sing　and　dance　and　ride　as　no　one　else　in　all　the　Californias；　and　Don　Weeliam　Sturgis；　who　is　very　clever　and　true。　　If　I　could　roll　them　into　onea　tamale　of　corn　and　chicken　and　peppersthere　would　be　a　man　almost　to　my　liking。　　But　even　thennot　quite。　　And　one　manwhat　nonsense！　　I　have　too　much　color　to…night；　Rosa。〃

〃No；　senorita；　you　have　never　been　so　beautiful。　When　the　lover　comes　and　you　love　him；　senorita；　you　will　think　him　greater　than　our　natural　king　and　lord；　and　all　other　men　poor　Indians。〃

〃But　how　shall　I　know？〃

〃Your　heart　will　tell　you；　senorita。〃

〃My　heart？　　My　father　and　my　mother　will　choose　for　me　a　husband　whom　I　shall　love　as　all　other　women　love　their　husbandsjust　enough　and　no　more。　　ThenI　supposeI　shall　never　know？〃

〃Would　you　marry　at　your　parents'　bidding；　like　a　child；　senorita？　　I　do　not　think　you　would。〃

Concha　looked　at　the　girl　in　astonishment；　but　with　a　greater　astonishment　she　suddenly　realized　that　she　would　not。　　Even　her　little　fingers　stiffened　in　a　rush　of　personality；　of　passionate　resentment　against　the　shackles　bound　by　the　ages　about　the　feminine　ego。　　Her　individuality；　long　budding；　burst　into　flower；　her　eyes　gazed　far　beyond　her　radiant　image　in　the　mirror　with　a　look　of　terrified　but　dauntless　insight；　then　moved　slowly　to　the　girl　that　sat　weeping　on　the　floor。

〃I　know　not　what　thy　sin　was；〃　she　said　musingly。　〃But　I　have　heard　it　said　thou　didst　obey　no　law　but　thine　own　willand　his。　　Why　should　the　pun…　ishment　have　been　so　terrible？　　Thou　hast　sworn　to　me　thou　didst　not　help　to　murder　the　woman。〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you；　senorita。　　You　will　never　know　anything　of　sin；　but　of　loveyes；　I　think　you　will　know　that；　and　before　very　long。〃

〃Before　long？〃　　Concha's　lips　parted　and　the　ner…　vous　color　she　had　deprecated　left　her　cheeks。　〃What　meanest　thou；　Rosa？〃　　Her　voice　rose　hoarsely。

And　the　Indian；　with　the　insight　of　her　own　tragedy；　replied：　〃The　Russian　has　come　for　you；　senorita。　　You　will　go　with　him；　far　away　to　the　north　and　the　snow。　　These　others　never　could　win　your　heart；　but　this　man　who　looks　like　a　king；　and　as　if　many　women　had　loved　him；　and　he　had　cared　little　　Oh；　senorita；　Carlos　was　only　a　poor　In…　dian；　but　the　men　that　women　love　all　have　some…　thing　that　makes　them　brothersthe　Great　Rus…　sian　and　the　poor　man　who　goes　mad　for　a　moment　and　kills　one　woman　that　he　may　live　with　another　forever。　　The　great　Russian　is　free；　but　he　is　the　same；　senoritahe　too　could　kill　for　love；　and　such　are　the　men　we　women　die　for！〃

Concha；　ambitious　and　romantic；　eager　for　the　brilliant　life　the　advent　of　this　Russian　nobleman　seemed　to　herald；　had　assured　Santiago　that　he　would　love　her；　but　they　had　been　the　empty　words　of　the　Favorita　of　many　conquests；　of　love　and　pas…　sion　she　had　known；　suspected；　nothing。　　As　she　watched　Rosa；　huddled　and　convulsed；　little　pointed　arrows　flew　into　her　brain。　　Girls　in　those　old　Span…　ish　days　went　to　the　altar　with　a　serene　faith　in　miracles；　and　it　was　a　matter　of　honor　among　those　that　preceded　their　friends　to　abet　the　parents　in　a　custom　which　assuredly　did　not　err　on　the　side　of　ugliness。　　Concha　had　a　larger　vocabulary　than　other　Californians　of　her　sex；　for　she　had　read　many　books；　and　if　never　a　novel；　she　knew　some…　thing　of　poetry。　　Sturgis　had　filled　the　sala　with　the　sonorous　roll　of　his　favorite　masters　and　it　had　pleased　her　ear；　but　the　language　of　passion　had　been　so　many　beautiful　words；　neither　vibrating　nor　lingering　in　her　consciousness。　　But　the　rude　expres…　sion　of　the　miserable　woman　at　her　feet；　whose　sobs　grew　more　uncontrollable　every　moment；　made　it　forever　impossible　that　she　should　prattle　again　as　she　had　to　Santiago　and　Rezanov　in　the　last　day　and　night；　and　although　she　felt　as　if　straining　her　eyes　in　the　dark；　her　cheeks　burned　once　more；　and　she　rose　uneasily　and　walked　to　the　window。

She　returned　in　a　moment　and　stood　over　Rosa；　but　her　voice　when　she　spoke　had　lost　its　hoarseness　and　was　cold　and　irritated。

〃Control　thyself；〃　she　said。　　〃And　go　and　bathe　thine　eyes。　　Wouldst　look　like　a　tomato　when　it　is　time　to　pass　the　dulces　and　wines？　　And　think　no　more　of　thy　lover　until　he　can　come　out　of　prison　and　marry　thee。〃　　She　drew　herself　away　as　the　woman　attempted　to　clutch　her　skirts。　　〃Go；〃　she　said。　　〃The　musicians　are　tuning。〃



IX

〃The　sash；　Excellency？〃　Jon　longed　to　see　his　master　in　full　regalia　once　more；　and　after　all；　was　not　this　an　embassy　of　a　sort？　　But　Rezanov；　who　already　regarded　his　reflection　with　some　humor；　shook　his　head。

〃I'll　go　as　far　as　decency　permits；　for　no　one　is　so　impressed　by　external　magnificence　as　the　Span…　iard。　　But　full　dress　uniform　and　orders　are　enough；　an　ambassador's　sash　and　they　might　suspect　I　took　them　for　the　children　they　are。　　Children　are　not　always　fools。　　My　stock　is　too　tight。　　Remember　that　I　am　to　dance；　and　am　too　tall　for　most　wom…　men's　pretty　little　ears。　　And　I　doubt　if　an　ear　is　less　thirsty　for　being　so　provocatively　screened。〃

Jon；　a　〃prince〃　whose　family　had　fallen　upon　evil　days　long　since；　but　whose　thin；　clever　fingers　were　no　mean　inheritance；　unwound　and　readjusted　the　folds　of　soft　batiste；　that　most　becoming　neck　ves…　ture　man　has　ever　worn。　　He　fain　would　have　pressed　the　matter　of　the　sash；　but　Rezanov；　most　indulgent　of