rezanov-第26节

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Father　Abella；　not　without　a　glimmering　of　the　truth；　for　better　than　any　one　he　understood　the　girl　he　had　confessed　many　times；　besides　himself　having　succumbed　to　the　Russian；　led　the　way　to　the　confessional　in　some　perturbation　of　spirit。　　He　walked　slowly；　hoping　that　the　long；　cool　church；　its　narrow　high　windows　admitting　so　scant　a　meed　of　sunlight　that　no　one　of　its　worshippers　had　ever　read　the　legends　on　the　walls；　and　even　the　stations　were　but　deeper　bits　of　shade；　would　attune　her　mind　to　holy　things；　and　throw　a　mantle　of　un…　reality　over　those　of　the　world。

He　covered　his　face　with　his　hand　as　she　told　her　story。　　This　she　did　in　a　few　words；　disjointed；　for　she　was　both　tired　and　seething。　　For　a　few　mo…　ments　afterward　there　was　a　silence；　the　good　priest　was　increasingly　disturbed　and　by　no　means　certain　of　his　course。　　He　was　astonished　to　feel　a　tug　at　his　sleeve。　　Before　he　could　reprove　this　impenitent　child　for　audacity　she　had　raised　herself　that　she　might　approach　her　lips　more　closely　to　his　ear。

〃Mi　padre！〃　she　whispered　hoarsely；　〃you　will　take　my　part！　　You　will　not　condemn　me　to　a　life　of　misery！　　I　am　too　proud　to　speak　openly　to　others　but　I　love　this　man　more　than　my　soulmore　than　my　immortal　soul。　　Do　you　hear？　　I　am　in　danger　of　mortal　sin。　　Perhaps　I　am　already　in　that　state。　　You　cannot　save　me　if　he　goes。　　I　will　not　pray。　　I　will　not　come　to　the　church。　　I　will　be　an　outcast。　　If　I　marry　him；　I　will　be　a　good　Catholic　to　the　end　of　my　days。　　If　I　marry　him　I　can　think　of　other　things　besidesof　my　church；　my　father；　my　mother；　my　sisters；　brothers。　　If　he　goes；　I　shall　pass　my　life　thinking　of　nothing　but　him；　and　if　it　be　true　that　heretics　are　doomed　to　hell；　then　I　will　live　so　that　I　may　go　to　hell　with　him。〃

In　spite　of　his　horror　the　priest　was　thrilled　by　the　intense　passion　in　the　voice　so　close　to　his　ear。　Moreover；　he　knew　women　well；　this　good　padre；　for　even　in　California　they　differed　little　from　those　that　played　ball　with　the　world。　　So　he　dismissed　the　horror　and　spoke　soothingly。

〃What　you　have　said　would　be　mortal　sin；　my　daughter；　were　it　not　that　you　are　laboring　under　strong　and　natural　excitement；　and　I　shall　absolve　you　freely　when　you　have　done　the　penance　I　must　impose。　　You　have　always　been　such　a　good　child　that　I　am　able　to　forgive　you　even　in　this　terrible　moment。　　But；　my　daughter；　surely　you　know　that　this　marriage　can　never　take　place〃

〃It　shall！　　It　shall！〃

〃Control　yourself；　my　daughter。　　You　cannot　bring　this　man　into　the　true　church。　　His　character　is　long　since　formed　and　castit　is　iron。　　Even　love　will　not　melt　it。　　Were　he　younger〃

〃I　should　hate　him。　　All　young　men　are　insuffer…　able　to　mealways　have　been。　　I　have　found　my　mate；　and　have　him　I　will　if　I　have　to　hide　in　the　hold　of　his　ship。　　Ah；　padre　mio；　I　know　not　what　I　say。　　But　you　will　help　me。　　Only　you　can。　　My　father　thinks　you　as　wise　as　a　saint。　　And　there　are　other　thingsmy　head　turns　roundI　can　hardly　thinkbut　you　dare　not　lose　the　friendship　of　this　Russian。　　And　my　marriage　to　him　would　be　as　much　for　the　good　of　the　Missions　as　for　Cali…　fornia　herself。　　Champion　our　course；　point　out　that　not　only　would　it　be　a　great　match　for　me；　but　that　many　ends　would　be　lost　by　ruining　my　life。　The　Governor　will　find　himself　in　a　position　to　grant　your　prayers　for　the　cargo；　particularly　if　you　first　persuaded　my　fatherso　long　they　have　been　friends；　the　Governor　could　not　resist　if　he　joined　our　forces。　　What　is　one　girl　that　she　should　be　held　of　greater　account　than　the　welfare　of　this　country　to　which　you　are　devoting　your　life？　　The　happier　are　your　converts；　the　more　kindly　will　they　take　to　Christianitywhich　they　do　not　love　as　yet！the　more　faithful　and　contented　will　they　be；　in　the　prospect　of　the　luxuries　and　the　toys　and　the　trinkets　of　the　Russian　north。　　What　is　one　girl　against　the　friendship　of　Russia　for　Spain？　　Who　am　I　that　I　should　weigh　a　peseta　in　the　scale？〃

〃You　are　Concha　Arguello；　the　flower　of　all　the　maidens　in　California；　and　the　daughter　of　the　best　of　our　men；〃　replied　Father　Abella　musingly。　　〃And　until　to…day　there　has　been　no　Catholic　more　de…　vout〃

〃It　lies　with　you；　mi　padre；　whether　I　continue　to　be　the　best　of　Catholics　or　become　the　most　abandoned　of　heretics。　　You　know　me　better　than　anyone。　　You　know　that　I　will　not　weaken　and　bend　and　submit；　like　a　thousand　other　women。　　I　could　be　badbadbadand　I　will　be！　　Do　you　hear？〃　　And　she　shook　his　arm　violently；　while　her　hoarse　voice　filled　the　church。

〃My　child！　　My　child！　　I　have　always　believed　that　you　had　it　in　you　to　become　a　saint。　　Yes；　yes；　I　feel　the　strength　and　maturity　of　your　nature；　I　know　the　lengths　to　which　it　might　lead　another；　but　you　could　not　be　bad；　Conchita。　　I　have　known　many　women。　　In　you　alone　have　I　perceived　the　capacity　for　spiritual　exaltation。　　You　are　the　stuff　of　which　saints　and　martyrs　are　made。　　The　vio…　lent　will；　the　transcendent　passionsthey　have　existed　in　the　greatest　of　our　saints；　and　been　con…　quered。〃

〃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；