rezanov-第18部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


As　Rezanov　stood　alone　with　Concha　in　the　prow　of　the　ship　and　alternately　cast　softened　eyes　on　her　intense；　rapt　face；　and　shrewd　glances　on　the　rami…　fications　of　the　bay；　he　congratulated　himself　upon　his　precipitate　action　and　the　collusion　of　nature。　They　were　sailing　east；　and　would　turn　to　the　north　in　a　moment。　　The　mountain　range　bent　abruptly　at　the　entrance　to　the　bay；　encircling　the　immense　sheet　of　water　in　a　chain　of　every　altitude　and　form：　a　long　hard　undulating　line　against　the　bright　blue　sky；　smooth　and　dimpled　slopes　as　round　as　cones；　bare　but　for　the　green　of　their　grasses；　lofty　ridges　tapering　to　hills　in　the　curve　at　the　north　but　with　blue　peaks　multiplying　beyond。　　There　were　dense　forests　in　deep　canyons　on　the　mountainside；　bare　and　jagged　heights；　the　graceful　sweep　of　valleys；　promontories　leaping　out　from　the　mainland　like　mammoth　crocodiles　guarding　the　bay。　　The　view　of　the　main　waters　was　broken　by　the　largest　of　the　islands；　but　far　away　were　the　hills　of　the　east　and　the　soft　blue　peaks　behind。　　And　over　all；　hills　and　valley　and　canyon　and　mountain；　was　a　bright　opalescent　mist。　　Green；　pink；　and　other　pale　col…　ors　gleamed　as　behind　a　thin　layer　of　crystal。　Where　the　sun　shone　through　a　low　white　cloud　upon　a　distant　slope　there　might　have　been　a　great　globe　of　iridescent　glass　illuminated　within。　　The　water　was　a　light；　soft；　filmy　yet　translucent　blue。　Concha　gazed　with　parted　lips。

〃I　never　knew　before　how　wonderful　it　was；〃　she　murmured。　　〃I　have　been　taught　to　believe　that　only　the　south　is　beautiful；　and　when　we　had　to　come　here　again　from　Santa　Barbara　it　was　exile。　But　now　I　am　glad　I　was　born　in　the　north。〃

〃I　have　watched　the　light　on　these　hills　and　islands；　and　what　I　could　see　of　the　fine　lines　of　the　mountains　ever　since　I　came；　and　were　there　but　villas　and　castles；　these　waters　would　be　far　more　beautiful　than　the　Lake　of　Como　or　the　Bay　of　Naples。　　But　I　am　glad　to　see　trees　again。　　From　our　anchorage　I　had　but　a　bare　glimpse　of　two　or　three。　　They　seem　to　hide　from　the　western　winds。　Are　they　so　strong；　then？〃

〃We　have　terrible　winds；　senor。　　I　do　not　wonder　the　trees　crouch　to　the　east。　　But　I　must　tell　you　our　names。〃　　She　pointed　to　the　largest　of　the　islands；　a　great　bare　mass　that　looked　as　had　it　been；　when　viscid；　flung　out　in　long　folds　from　a　central　peak；　concaving　here　and　there　with　its　own　weight。　Its　southern　point　was　on　a　line　with　a　point　of　mainland　far　to　the　west；　and　its　northern；　from　their　vantage　looking　to　be　but　a　continuation　of　the　curve　of　the　mainland；　finished　an　arc　of　almost　perfect　proportions；　whose　deep　curve　was　a　tumbled　mass　of　hills　and　one　great　mountain。　　〃That　is　Nuestra　Senora　de　los　Angeles；　and　it　opens　a　triple　jaw；　Luis　has　told　me；　at　Point　Tiburonyou　will　soon　see　the　straits　between。　　The　big　rock　over　there　is　Alcatraz；　and　farther　away　still　is　Yerba　Buenathat　looks　like　a　camel　on　its　knees。〃

But　Rezanov　was　examining　the　scene　before　him。　　The　lines　of　this　bay　within　a　bay　were　superb；　and　in　its　wide　embrace；　slanting　from　Point　Tiburon　toward　an　inner　point　two　miles　opposite　was　another　island；　as　steep　as　Alcatraz；　but　long　and　waving　of　outline；　with　a　glimpse　of　trees　on　its　crest。　　Rezanov；　while　he　lost　nothing　of　the　pic…　turesque　beauty　surrounding　him；　was　more　deeply　interested　in　noting　the　many　foundations；　sheltered　and　solid；　for　fortifications　that　would　hold　these　rich　lands　against　the　fleets　of　the　world。　　Never　had　he　seen　so　many　strategic　advantages　on　one　sheet　of　water。　　The　islands　farther　south　he　had　examined　through　his　glass　from　the　deck　of　the　Juno　until　he　knew　every　convolution　they　turned　to　the　west。

Concha　was　directing　his　attention　to　the　tremen…　dous　angular　peak　rising　above　the　tumbled　hills。　〃That　is　Mount　Tamalpaisthe　mountain　of　peace。　It　was　named　by　the　Indians；　not　by　us。　　Sometimes　it　is　like　a　great　purple　shadow；　and　at　others　the　clouds　fight　about　it　like　the　ghosts　of　big　sea　gulls。〃　They　were　sailing　past　the　rounded　end　of　the　western　inner　point　of　the　little　bay。　　It　was　almost　detached　from　the　bare　ridge　behind　and　half　cov…　ered　with　oaks　and　willow　trees。　　〃That　is　Point　Sausalito。　　I　have　often　looked　at　it　through　the　glass　and　longed　for　a　merienda　in　the　deep　shade。〃　She　turned　to　Rezanov　with　lips　apart。　　〃Could　we　notoh；　senor！have　our　dinner　on　shore？〃

〃It　is　only　for　you　to　select　the　spot。　　We　can　sail　many　miles　before　it　is　time　for　dinner；　and　you　may　find　a　place　even　more　to　your　liking。　　I　fancy　we　can　not　go　far　here。　　It　looks　swampy　and　shal…　low。　　Nothing　could　be　less　romantic　than　to　stick　in　the　mud。〃

〃May　I　ask；〃　said　Concha　demurely；　〃how　you　dare　to　run　the　risks　of　an　unknown　sheet　of　water？　I　have　heard　it　said　that　there　is　more　than　one　rock　and　shoal　in　this　bay。〃

〃I　am　not　as　rash　as　I　may　appear；〃　replied　Reza…　nov　dryly；　but　smiling。　　〃In　1789　there　was　a　chart　of　this　bay；　taken　from　a　Spanish　MSS。；　published　in　London；　and　I　bought　it　there　when　I　ran　up　from　the　Nadeshdaanchored　at　Falmouththree　years　ago。　　Davidov；　who；　you　may　observe；　is　steering；　oblivious　to　the　charms　of　even　Dona　Caro…　lina；　knows　every　sounding　by　heart。〃

〃Oh！〃　　Concha　shrugged　her　shoulders。　　〃The　Governor；　too；　is　very　clever。　　It　will　be　a　drawn　battle。　　Perhaps　I　shall　remain　neutral　after　all。　　It　would　be　more　amusing。〃　　The　ship　was　turning；　and　she　waved　her　hand　to　the　island　between　the　deep　arc　of　the　hilly　coast。　　〃I　have　heard　so　much　of　the　beauty　of　that　island；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　have　called　it　La　Bellissima；　but　I　never　hoped　to　see　anything　but　the　back　of　its　head；　from　which　the　wind　has　blown　all　the　hair。　　And　now　I　shall。　　How　kind　of　you；　senor！〃

〃How　easily　you　are　made　happy！〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh。　　〃You　look　like　a　child。〃

〃To…day　I　shall　be　one；　and　you　the　kind　fairy　god…father；〃　she　added；　with　some　malice。　　〃How　old　are　you；　senor？〃

〃Forty…two。〃

〃That　is　twenty…six　years　older　than　myself。　　But　your　excellency　might　pass　for　thirty…five；〃　she　added　politely。　　〃We　have　all　said　it。　　And　now　that　you　are　not　so　pale　you　will　soon　look　younger　and　even　more　triumphant　than　when　you　came。〃

〃I　have　never　felt　so　triumphant　as　on　this　morn…　ing；　dear　senorita。　　I　had　not　hoped　to　give　you　so　much　pleasure。〃

Her　cheeks　were　as　pink　as　her　reboso；　her　great　black　eyes　were　dancing。　　Her　hands　strained　at　the　railing。　　〃I　shall　see　La　Bellissima！　　La　Bellis…　sima！〃　she　cried。

They　rounded　the　low　broken　point　of　the　island；　sailed　through　the　racing　currents　between　the　lower　end　of　La　Bellissima　and　〃Our　Lady　of　the　An…　gels；〃　more　slowly　past　what　looked　to　be　a　per…　pendicular　forest。　　From　water　to　crest　the　gulches　and　converging　spurs　of　this　hillside　in　the　sea　were　a　dense　mass　of　oaks；　bays；　underbrush；　here　and　there　a　tall　slender　tree　with　a　bark　like　red　kid　and　a　flirting　polished　leaf；　at　which　Concha　clapped　her　hands　as　at　sight　of　an　old　friend　and　called　〃El　Madrono。〃　　It　was　a　primeval　bit　of　nature；　but　sweet　and　silent　and　peaceful；　there　was　no　sugges…　tion　either　of　gloom　or　of　discourteous　beast。

〃We　shall　have　our　dinner　here；　Excellency。　There　on　that　little　beach；　and　afterward　we　shall　climb　to　the　top。　　See；　there　are　trails！　　The　In…　dians　have　been　here。〃

They　stood　out　through　the　straits　between　Point　Tiburon　and　the　Isle　of　the　Angels；　where　the　tide　ran　fast。　　Then；　for　the　first　time；　was　Rezanov　able　to　form　a　definite　idea　of　the　size　and　shape　of　this　great　natural　harbor。　　To　the　south　it　extended　be…　yond　the　peninsula　in　an　unbroken　sheet　for　some　forty　English　miles。　　Ten　miles　to　the　north　there　was　a　gateway　between　the　lower　hills　which　Luis　had　alluded　to　as　leading　into　the　bay　of　Saint　Pablo；　another　large　body　of　tidewater；　but　inferior　in　depth　and　beauty　to　the　Bay　of　San　Francisco。

The　mist　had　dissolved。　　The　greens　were　vivid　where　the　sun　shone　on　island　and　hill。　　The　woods　of　Bellissima；　the　groves　of　Point　Sausalito；　the　for…　ests　in　the　northern　canyons；　deepened　to　purple　like　that　of　the　great　bare　sweep　of　Tamalpais。　　Only　the　farther　peaks　remained　a　pale　misty　blue；　and　were　of　an　indescribable　floating　delicacy。

Concha　pointed　to　the　eastern　double　cone。　　〃That　is　Monte　del　Diablo。　　Once　they　say　it　spouted　fire；　but　that　was　long　ago；　and　all　our　volcanoes　are　dead。　　But　perhaps　not　so　long　ago。　　The　Indians　tell　the　strange　story　that　their　grandfathers　remem…　bered　when　this　bay　was　a　valley　covered　with　oak　trees；　and　the　rivers　of　the　north　flowed　through　and　emptied　into　Lake　Merced　and　a　rift　by　the　Fort。　　Then　came　a　tremendous　earthquake　and　rent　the　mountains　apart　where　you　came　through　we　call　it　the　Mouth　of　the　Gulf　of　the　Faral…　lonesthe　valley　sank；　the　sea　flowed　in；　only　these　hills　that　are　islands　now　keeping　their　heads　above　the　flood。　　Perhaps　it　is　true；　for　Drake　was　close　to　this　bay　for　a　long　while　and　never　saw　it；　and　it　would　have　given　him　a　better　shelter　than　the　little　harbor　he　found　a　few　miles　higher　on　the　coast。　　I　believe　it　was　not　here。　　Madre　de　Dios；　I　hope　California　shakes　no　more。　　She　wouldis　it　not　true；　Excellency？be　the　most　perfect　coun…　try　in　all　the　wor