rezanov-第5节

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e　killed　somebody！　　To　be　a　man；　and　strong；　and　caressed　all　one's　life　by　fortuneand　to　be　as　helpless　as　an　Indian！　　Madre　de　dios！〃

〃I　shall　take　my　revenge；〃　said　Rezanov　shortly；　but　the　wound　closed；　and　once　more　he　became　aware　of　the　poignant　sweetness　of　Castilian　roses。　Concha　wore　one　in　her　soft　dusky　hair；　and　an…　other　where　the　little　round　jacket　of　white　linen；　gaily　embroidered　with　pink；　met　on　her　bosom。　But　if　sentiment　tempted　him　he　was　quickly　poised　by　her　next　remarks。　　She　uttered　them　in　a　low　tone；　although　the　animated　conversation　of　the　rest　of　the　party　would　have　permitted　the　two　on　the　sofa　to　exchange　the　vows　of　love　unheard。

〃But　what　a　practice　for　your　diplomatic　talents；　Excellency！　　Poor　California！　　At　least　let　me　be　the　first　to　hear　what　you　have　come　for？〃　　Her　voice　dropped　to　a　soft　cooing　note；　although　her　eyes　twinkled。　　〃For　the　love　of　God；　senor！　　I　am　so　bored　in　this　life　on　the　edge　of　the　world！　　To　see　the　seams　and　ravelings　of　a　diplomatic　in…　trigue！　　I　have　read　and　heard　of　many；　but　never　had　I　hoped　to　link　my　finger　in　anything　subtler　than　a　quarrel　between　priest　and　Governor；　or　the　jealousy　of　Los　Angeles　for　Monterey。　　I　even　will　help　youif　you　mean　no　harm　to　my　father　or　my　country。　　And　I　am　not　a　friend　to　scorn；　senor；　for　my　blessed　father　is　as　wax　in　my　hands；　the　dear　old　Governor　adores　me；　and　even　Padre　Abella；　who　thinks　himself　a　great　diplomat；　and　is　watching　us　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　while　I　make　him　believe　you　pay　me　so　many　compli…　ments　my　poor　little　head　turns　roundBueno　senor！〃　　As　she　raised　her　voice　she　plucked　the　rose　from　her　dress　and　tossed　it　to　Rezanov。　　Then　she　lifted　her　chin　and　pouted　her　childish　lips　at　the　ironical　smile　of　the　priest。

Rezanov　was　close　to　betraying　his　surprise；　but　as　he　cherished　a　belief　that　the　souls　of　all　pretty　women　went　to　school　to　the　devil　before　entering　upon　earthly　enterprise；　he　wondered　that　he　had　been　open　to　the　illusion　of　complete　ingenuousness　in　a　descendant　of　one　of　the　oldest　and　subtlest　civilizations　of　earth。　　Within　that　luminous　shell　of　youth　there　were；　no　doubt；　whispering　memories　of　men　and　women　steeped　in　court　intrigue　from　birth；　of　triumphant　beauties　that　had　lived　for　love　and　their　power　over　the　passions　of　men　as　ardent　as　himself。　　It　was　quite　possible　that　she　might　be　as　useful　as　she　desired。　　But　his　impulses　were　in　leash。　　He　merely　looked　and　murmured　his　ad…　miration。

〃Better　ask；　what　chance　have　I；　a　defenceless　man；　who　has　not　seen　a　charming　woman　for　three　years；　against　such　practised　art？　　If　you　can　hood…　wink　a　Spanish　priest；　and　manipulate　a　Governor　who　has　won　the　confidence　of　the　most　suspicious　court　in　Europe；　what　fortune　for　a　barbarian　of　the　north？　　Less　than　with　Japan；　I　should　think。〃

He　divested　the　rose　of　its　thorns　and　many　tight　little　buds；　and　thrust　the　stem　underneath　the　star　of　St。　Ann。　　She　lifted　her　chin　again　and　tossed　her　head。

〃You　do　not　trust　me；　but　you　will。　　I　fancy　it　will　be　before　longfor　it　is　quite　true　that　the　Californians　are　not　so　easily　outwitted。　　And　even　did　I　not　help　you；　I　would　notI　vow；　senor！　betray　you。　　Is　it　true　that　Russia　is　at　war　with　Spain？〃

〃What？〃

〃Have　you　not　heard？　　It　was　for　that　we　were　all　so　excited　this　morning。　　We　thought　your　ship　might　be　the　first　of　a　fleet。〃

〃I　have　heard　no　such　rumor；　and　you　may　dis…　miss　it。　　Russia　is　too　much　occupied　with　Napo…　leon　Bonaparte；　who　has　had　himself　crowned　Em…　peror；　and　by　this　time　is　probably　at　war　with　half　Europe〃

She　interrupted　him　with　flashing　eye。　　The　pink　in　her　cheeks　had　turned　red。　　The　thin　nostrils　of　her　pretty　Roman　nose　fluttered　like　paper。　　〃Ah！〃　she　exclaimed；　again　with　that　note　of　hoarseness　in　her　voice。　　〃There　is　a　great　man；　not　a　mere　king　on　a　throne　his　ancestors　made　for　him。　　Papa　hates　him　because　he　has　seized　a　throne。　　AY　YI！　DIOS；　but　you　should　hear　the　words　fly　when　we　go　to　war　together。　　But　I　do　not　care　that〃she　snapped　her　firm　white　fingers〃for　all　the　Bour…　bons　that　are　in　Europe。　　Bonaparte！　　Do　you　know　him？　　Have　you　seen　him？〃

〃I　have　seen　him　insult　poor　Markov；　our　ambas…　sador　to　France；　when　I　can　assure　you　that　he　looked　like　neither　a　demi…god　nor　a　gentleman。　When　you　have　improved　my　Spanish　I　will　tell　you　many　anecdotes　of　him。　　Meanwhile；　am　I　to　as…　sume　that　you　reserve　your　admiration　for　the　man　that　carves　his　career　in　defiance　of　the　rusty　old　machinery？〃

〃I　do！　　I　do！　　My　father　was　of　the　people；　a　poor　boy。　　He　has　risen　to　be　the　most　powerful　of　all　Californians；　although　the　King　he　adores　never　makes　him　Gobernador　Proprietario。　　I　tell　him　he　should　be　the　first　to　recognize　the　genius　and　the　ambitions　of　a　Bonaparte。　　The　mere　thought　hor…　rifies　him。　　But　in　me　that　same　strong　plebeian　blood　makes　another　cry；　and　if　my　father　had　but　enough　men　at　his　back；　and　the　will　to　make　him…　self　King　of　the　CaliforniasMadre　de　Dios！　how　I　should　help　him！〃

〃At　least　I　know　her　better　than　she　knows　me；〃　thought　Rezanov；　as　the　inner　door　was　thrown　open　and　another　bare　room　with　a　long　table　laden　with　savory　food　on　a　superb　silver　service　was　re…　vealed。　　〃And　if　I　know　anything　of　women；　I　can　trust　herfor　as　long　as　she　may　be　necessary；　at　all　events。〃



III

〃Santiago！〃　whispered　Concha。　　〃Do　not　go　down　to　the　ship。　　Take　me　for　a　walk。　　I　have　much　to　say。〃

Santiago；　who　had　not　been　asked　to　form　one　of　the　escort　upon　the　return　of　the　Russians　to　the　Juno　for　the　night；　felt　injured　and　sulky　and　deigned　no　reply。

〃If　you　do　not；　I'll　not　braid　your　hair　to…mor…　row；〃　said　his　sister；　giving　his　arm　a　little　shake；　and　he　succumbed。　　The　luxuriant　tresses　of　the　male　Arguellos　were　combed　and　braided　and　tied　with　a　ribbon　every　morning　by　the　women　of　the　family；　and　Concha's　fingers　were　the　gentlest　and　deftest。　　And　Concha　and　Santiago　were　more　inti…　mate　than　even　the　rest　of　that　united　family。　　They　had　studied　and　read　together；　were　equally　dis…　satisfied　with　their　narrow　existence；　ambitious　for　a　wider　experience。　　Santiago　consoled　himself　with　cards　and　training　roosters　for　battle；　and　otherwise　as　a　man　may。　　He　was　but　fifteen；　this　haughty；　severe…looking　young　hidalgo；　but　while　in　some　re…　spects　many　years　older　than　his　sister；　in　others　he　was　younger；　for　he　possessed　none　of　her　illuminating　instinct。

She　led　him　through　a　postern　gate；　round　the　first　of　the　dunes；　and　they　were　alone　in　a　waste　of　sand。　　She　demanded　abruptly：

〃What　do　you　think　of　our　illustrious　visitor？〃

〃I　like　him。　　He　would　wring　your　neck　if　you　got　in　his　way；　but　has　a　kind　heart　for　those　that　call　him　master。　　I　like　that　sort　of　a　man。　　I　wish　he　would　take　me　away　with　him。〃

〃He　shallone　of　these　days。　　Santiago　mio；　let　me　whisper〃　　She　pulled　his　ear　down　to　her　lips。　　〃He　will　marry　me。　　I　feel　it。　　I　know　it。　He　has　talked　to　me　the　whole　day。　　He　has　told　me　grave　secrets。　　Not　even　to　you　would　I　reveal　them。　　So　many　have　loved　mewhy　should　not　he？　　I　shall　live　in　St。　Petersburg；　and　see　all　Europe！thousands　of　peopleDios　mio！　　Dios　mio！〃

〃Indeed！〃　　Santiago；　still　unamiable；　responded　to　this　confidence　with　a　sneer。　　〃You　aspire　very　high　for　a　little　girl　of　the　wilderness；　without　for…　tune；　and　only　half　a　coat…of…arms；　so　to　speak。　　Do　you　know　that　this　RezanovDr。　Langsdorff　has　told　us　all　about　himis　a　great　noble；　one　of　the　ten　barons　of　Russia；　and　a　Chamberlain　in　accord…　ance　with　a　decree　of　Peter　the　Great　that　court　titles　should　be　bestowed　as　a　reward　for　distin…　guished　services　alone？　　He　got　a　fortune　in　his　youth　by　marriage　with　a　daughter　of　Shelikov　that　Siberian　who　founded　the　Russian　colonies　in　America。　　The　wife　died　almost　immediately；　but　the　Baron's　influence　remained　with　Shelikovfor　his　influence　at　court　was　even　greaterand　after　the　older　man's　death；　with　his　mother…in…law；　who　is　uncommonly　clever。　　Shelikov's　schemes　were　but　little　sketches　beside　Rezanov's；　who　from　merely　a　courtier　and　a　gay　blood　about　town　developed　into　a　great　man　of　business；　with　an　ambition　to　corre…　spond。　　It　was　he　who　got　the　Imperial　ukase　that　gave　the　Russian…American　Company　its　power　to　squeeze　all　the　other　fur　hunters　and　traders　out　of　the　northeast；　and　made　Rezanov　and　everybody　belonging　to　it　so　rich　your　head　would　swim　if　I　told　you　the　number　of　doubloons　they　spend　in　a　year。　　Nobody　has　ever　been　so　clever　at　managing　those　old　beasts　of　autocrats　as　he。　　They　think　him　merely　the　accomplished　courtier；　a　brilliant　dilet…　tante；　a　condescending　patron　of　art　and　letters；　a　devotee　of　pleasure；　and　all　the　time　he　is　pulling　their　befuddled　old　brains　about　to　suit　himself。　The　Tsar　Paul　was　a　lunatic　and　they　murdered　him；　but　meanwhile　he　signed　the　ukase。　　The　Tsar　Alexander；　who　is　not　so　bad　nor　so　silly　as　the　others；　thinks　there　is　no　man　so　clever　as　Rezanov；　who　addresses　him　personally　when　sending　home　his　reports。　　Do　you　know　what　all　that　means？　Your　plenipotentiary　is　not　only　a　Chamberlain　at　court；　a　Privy　Councillor；　and　the　Tsar　himself　on　this　side　of　the　world；　but　when　his　inspe