rezanov-第36节

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　that　there　is　not　a　mill　in　the　settlement　to　grind　it。〃

Rezanov　sprang　to　his　feet　with　a　violent　ex…　clamation；　his　face　very　red。　　There　was　no　one　whose　good　opinion　he　valued　as　he　did　that　of　this　brilliant；　dissipated；　disinterested　old　genius；　and　he　felt　like　a　schoolboy。　　But　although　he　started　for　the　door；　he　recovered　half…way；　and　reseating　himself　joined　in　the　laughter　of　the　little　man　who　was　rocking　back　and　forth　on　his　bench；　his　weaz…　ened　leg　clasped　against　his　shrunken　chest。

〃How　on　earth　was　I　to　know　all　your　domestic　arrangements？〃　he　said　testily。　　〃God　knows　I　found　them　limited　enough　last　winter；　but　it　never　occurred　to　me　there　was　any　mysterious　process　involved　in　converting　corn　into　meal。　　Is　it　quite　useless；　then？〃

〃Oh；　no；　we　can　boil　or　roast　it。　　It　will　dispose　of　what　teeth　we　have　left；　but　that　will　serve　the　good　purpose　of　reminding　us　always　of　your　ex…　cellency's　interest　in　our　welfare。〃

Rezanov　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Give　the　corn　to　the　natives。　　It　is　farinaceous　at　all　events。　　And　you　can　have　nothing　to　say　against　the　flour　I　have　brought；　and　the　peas；　beans；　tallow；　butter；　barley；　salt；　and　salted　meatsin　all　to　the　value　of　twenty…four　thousand　Spanish　dollars。〃

The　Chief…Manager's　head　nodded　with　the　vigor　and　rapidity　of　a　mechanical　toy。　　〃It　is　a　God…send；　a　God…send。　　If　you　did　no　more　than　that　you　would　have　earned　our　everlasting　gratitude。　　It　will　make　us　over；　give　us　renewed　courage　in　this　cursed　ex…　istence。　　Are　you　not　going　to　get　me　out　of　it？〃

Rezanov　shook　his　head　with　a　smile。　　〃Literally　you　are　the　whole　Company。　　As　long　as　I　live　here　you　stayalthough　when　I　reach　St。　Peters…　burg　I　shall　see　that　you　receive　every　possible　re…　ward　and　honor。〃

Baranhov　lifted　his　shoulders　to　his　ears　in　quiz…　zical　resignation。　　〃I　suppose　it　matters　little　where　the　last　few　years　left　me　are　spent；　and　I　can　hang　the　medals　on　the　walls　to　console　me　when　I　have　rheumatism；　and　shout　my　titles　from　the　top　of　the　fort　when　the　Kolosh　are　yelling　at　the　barri…　cades。〃

〃You　must　make　yourself　more　comfortable；〃　said　Rezanov　emphatically。　　〃You　are　wrong　to　carry　your　honesty　and　enthusiasm　to　the　point　of　living　like　the　promuschleniki。　　Take　enough　of　their　time　to　build　you　a　comfortable　dwelling；　and　I　will　send　you；　on　my　own　account；　far　more　sub…　stantial　rewards　than　orders　and　titles。　　Build　a　big　house；　for　that　matter。　　I　shall　be　here　more　or　lesswhen　I　am　not　in　California。〃　　And　he　told　Baranhov　of　his　proposed　marriage　with　the　daugh…　ter　of　Don　Jose　Arguello。

The　Chief…Manager　listened　to　this　confidence　with　an　even　livelier　satisfaction　than　to　the　list　of　the　Juno's　cargo。

〃We　shall　have　California　yet！〃　he　cried；　his　eyes　snapping　like　live　coals　under　the　black　thatch　of　wig。　　〃Absorption　or　the　bayonet。　　It　matters　little。　Ten　years　from　now　and　we　shall　have　a　line　of　settlements　as　far　south　as　San　Diego。　　My　plan　was　to　feel　my　way　down　the　northern　coast　of　California　with　a　colony；　which　should　buy　a　tract　of　land　from　the　natives　and　engage　immediately　in　otter　huntingsomewhere　between　Cape　Mendo…　cino　and　Drake's　Bay。　　The　Spanish　have　no　settle…　ments　above　San　Francisco　and　are　too　weak　to　drive　us　out。　　They　would　rage　and　bluster　and　do　nothing。　　Then　quietly　push　forward；　building　forts　and　ships。　　But　you　have　taken　hold　in　the　grand　manner　and　will　accomplish　in　ten　years　what　would　have　taken　me　fifty。　　Marry　this　girl；　use　your　ad…　vantage　over　the　entire　familywhose　influence　I　well　knowand　that　great　personal　power　with　which　the　Almighty　has　been　so　lavish；　and　you　will　have　the　whole　weakly　garrisoned　country　un…　der　your　foot　before　they　know　where　they　are；　and　the　Russian　settlers　pouring　in。　　Spain　cannot　come　to　the　rescue　while　this　devil　Bonaparte　is　alive；　and　he　is　young；　and　like　yourself　a　favorite　of　destiny。　　Those　damned　Bostonians　inherit　the　grabbing　instincts　of　the　too　paternal　race　they　have　just　rejected；　but　there　are　thousands　of　miles　of　desert　between　California　and　their　own　western　outposts；　hundreds　of　savage　tribes　to　exterminate。　By　the　time　they　are　in　a　position　to　attempt　the　occupation　of　California　we　shall　be　so　securely　en…　trenched　they　will　either　let　us　alone　or　send　troops　that　would　be　half　dead　by　the　time　they　reach　us。　　As　to　ships；　we　could　soon　build　enough　at　Ok…　hotsk　and　Petropaulovsky　for　our　purpose。　　For　the　matter　of　that；　if　your　gifted　tongue　impressed　the　Tsar　with　the　riches　of　California　there　would　always　be　war　ships　on　her　coast。〃　　He　leaned　for…　ward　and　caught　the　strong　shoulders　above　him　in　hands　that　looked　like　a　tangle　of　baked　nerves；　and　shook　them　vigorously。　　〃You　are　a　great　boy！〃　he　said　with　a　sort　of　quizzical　solemnity。　　〃A　great　boy。　　This　damned；　God…forsaken；　pestilential；　de…　moralizing；　brutalizing　factory　for　enriching　a　few　with　the　very　life　blood　and　vitals　of　thousands　that　will　suffer　and　starve　and　never　be　heard　of〃　（all　his　language　cannot　be　recorded）；　〃will　make　two　or　three　reputations　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