rezanov-第24部分

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〃Pardon；　senor；　I　cannot　turn。〃

For　a　moment　Rezanov　stared　at　her；　through　her。　　Then　his　heavy　eyes　opened　and　flashed。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　for　the　first　time　he　saw　how　beautiful；　how　desirable　she　was；　set　in　that　gray　volcanic　rock　with　the　heavens　gray　above　her；　and　the　stars　fading　out。　　It　was　not　the　bower　he　would　have　imagined　for　the　wooing　of　a　mate；　but　neither　moonlight　nor　the　romantic　glades　of　La　Bellissima　could　have　awakened　in　him　a　passion　so　sudden　and　final。　　Her　face　between　the　black　folds　turned　whiter　and　she　shrank　back　against　the　jagged　wall：　and　when　his　eyes　flashed　again　with　a　wild　eager　hope　she　involuntarily　crossed　herself。　　He　threw　himself　against　the　horse　and　snatched　her　down　and　kissed　her　as　he　had　kissed　no　woman　yet；　recognizing　her　once　for　all。

When　he　finally　held　her　at　arm's　length　for　a　moment　he　laughed　confusedly。

〃The　Russian　bear　is　no　longer　a　figure　of　speech；〃　he　said。　　〃Forgive　me。　　I　forgot　that　you　are　as　tender　as　you　are　strong。〃

Her　hands　were　tightly　clasped　against　her　breast　and　the　breath　was　short　in　her　throat；　but　she　made　no　protest。　　Her　eyes　were　radiant；　her　mouth　was　the　only　color　in　that　gray　dawn。　　In　a　moment　she　too　laughed。

〃Dios　de　mi　alma！　　What　will　they　say？　　A　heretic！　　If　Tamalpais　fell　into　the　sea　it　would　not　make　so　great　a　sensation　in　this　California　of　ours　where　civilized　man　exists　but　to　drive　heathen　souls　into　the　one　true　church。〃

〃Will　it　matter　to　you？　　Are　you　strong　enough？　It　will　be　only　a　question　of　time　to　win　them　over；　if　you　are。〃

She　nodded　emphatically。　　〃I　was　born　with　strength。　　NowDios！now　I　can　be　stronger　than　the　King　of　Spain　himself；　than　the　Governor；　my　parents　and　all　the　priests　　You　would　not　be…　come　a　Catholic？〃　she　asked　abruptly。

He　shook　his　head；　although　he　still　smiled　at　her。　〃Not　even　for　you。〃

〃No；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　　〃I　will　confess　what　matters　it？I　often　dreamed　that　this　would　come　just　because　I　believed　it　would　not。　　But　why　should　one　control　the　imagination　when　it　alone　can　give　us　happiness　for　a　little　while？　　I　gave　it　rein；　for　I　thought　that　one…half　of　my　life　was　to　be　passed　in　that　unreal　but　by　no　means　niggardly　world。　　And　I　thought　of　everything。　　To　change　your　religion　would　mean　the　ruin　of　your　career；　moreover；　it　is　not　a　possibility　of　your　character。　Were　it　I　think　I　should　not　love　you　so　much。　　Nor　could　I　bear　to　think　of　any　change　in　you。　　Only　it　will　be　harderlonger。〃　　Then　she　stretched　out　her　hand；　and　closed　and　opened　it　slowly。　　The　most　obtuse　could　not　have　failed　to　read　the　old　simile　of　the　steel　in　the　velvet。　　〃I　shall　win　be…　cause　it　is　my　natureand　my　powerto　hold　what　I　grasp。〃

〃But　if　they　persistently　refuse〃

〃Dios！〃　she　interrupted　him。　　〃Do　you　think　that　your　love　is　greater　than　mine？　　I　was　born　with　a　thousand　years　of　love　in　me　and　had　you　not　come　I　should　have　gone　alone　with　my　dreams　to　the　grave。　　I　am　all　women　in　one；　not　merely　Concha　Arguello；　a　girl　of　sixteen。〃　　She　clasped　her　hands　high　above　her　head；　lifting　her　eyes　to　the　ashen　vault　so　soon　to　yield　to　the　gay　brush　of　dawn。

〃Before　all　that　great　mystery；〃　she　said　solemnly；　〃I　give　myself　to　you　forever；　how　much　or　how　little　that　may　mean　here　on　earth。　　Forever。〃



XVI

The　Commandante　of　the　San　Francisco　Company　sat　opposite　Rezanov　with　his　mouth　open；　the　lines　of　his　strong　face　elongated　and　relaxed。　　It　was　the　hour　of　siesta；　and　they　were　alone　in　the　sala。

〃Mother　of　God！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Mother　of　God！　　Are　you　mad；　Excellency？〃

〃No　man　was　ever　saner；〃　said　Rezanov　cheer…　fully。　　〃What　better　proof　would　you　have　than　this　final　testimony　to　Dona　Concha's　perfections？〃

〃But　it　cannot　be！　　Surely；　Excellency；　you　realize　that？　　The　priests！　　Ay　yi！　　Ay　yi！〃

〃I　think　I　understand　the　priests。　　Persuade　the　Governor　to　buy　my　cargo　and　they　will　look　upon　me　as　an　amicus　humani　generis　to　whom　common　rules　do　not　apply。　　And　I　have　won　their　sincere　friendship。〃

〃You　have　won　mine；　senor。　　But；　though　I　say　it；　there　is　no　more　devout　Catholic　in　the　Cali…　fornias　than　Jose　Arguello。　　Do　you　know　what　they　call　me？　　El　santo。　　God　knows　I　am　not；　but　it　is　not　for　want　of　the　wish。　　Did　I　give　my　daugh…　ter　to　a　heretic；　not　only　should　I　become　an　outcast；　a　pariah；　but　I　should　imperil　my　everlasting　soul　and　that　of　my　best　beloved　child。　　It　is　impossible；　Excellencyunless；　indeed；　you　embrace　our　faith。〃

〃That　is　so　impossible　that　the　subject　is　not　worth　the　waste　of　a　moment。　　But　surely；　Com…　mandante；　in　your　excitement　at　this　perfectly　nat…　ural　issue　you　are　misrepresenting　yourself。　　I　do　not　believe；　devout　Catholic　as　you　are；　that　your　soul　is　steeped　in　fanaticism。　　You　are　known　far　and　wide　as　the　first　and　most　intelligent　of　His　Catholic　Majesty's　subjects　in　New　Spain。　　When　you　have　my　word　of　honor　that　your　daughter's　faith　shall　never　be　disturbed；　it　is　impossible　you　should　believe　that　marriage　with　me　would　ruin　her　chances　of　happiness　in　the　next　world。　　But　I　doubt　if　your　soul　and　conscience　will　have　the　peace　you　desire　if　you　ruin　her　happiness　in　this。　　What　pleasure　do　you　find　in　the　thought　of　an　old　age　companioned　by　a　heart…broken　daughter？〃

Don　Jose　turned　pale　and　hitched　his　chair。　〃Other　maids　have　been　balked　when　young；　and　have　forgotten。　　Concha　is　but　sixteen〃

〃She　is　also　unique。　　She　will　marry　me　or　no　one。　　Of　that　I　am　as　certain　as　that　she　is　the　woman　of　women　for　me。〃

〃How　can　you　be　so　certain？〃　asked　the　Com…　mandante　sharply。　　〃Surely　you　have　had　little　talk　alone　with　her？〃

〃The　heart　has　a　language　of　its　own。　　Recall　your　own　youth；　senor。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Don　Jose；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　as　he　had　a　fleeting　vision　of　Dona　Ignacia；　slim　and　lovely；　at　the　grating；　with　a　rose　in　her　hair。　　〃But　this　tremendous　passion　of　the　heartit　passes；　senor；　it　passes。　　We　love　the　good　wife；　but　we　sometimes　realize　that　we　could　have　loved　another　good　wife　as　well。〃

〃That　is　a　bit　of　philosophy　I　should　have　uttered　myself；　Commandanteyesterday。　　But　there　are　women　and　women；　and　your　daughter　is　one　of　the　chosen　few　who　take　from　the　years　what　the　years　take　from　others。　　I　am　not　rushing　into　matri…　mony　for　the　sake　of　a　pair　of　black　eyes　and　a　fine　figure。　　I　have　outlived　the　possibility　of　making　a　fool　of　myself　if　I　would。　　Before　I　realized　how　deeply　I　loved　your　daughter　I　had　deliberately　chosen　her　out　of　all　the　women　I　have　known；　as　my　friend　and　companion　for　the　various　and　diffi…　cult　ways　of　life　which　I　shall　be　called　upon　to　follow。　　Your　daughter　will　have　a　high　place　at　the　Russian　Court；　and　she　will　occupy　it　as　nat…　urally　as　if　I　had　found　her　in　Madrid　and　you　in　the　great　position　to　which　your　attainments　and　services　entitle　you。〃

Don　Jose；　despite　his　consternation；　titillated　agreeably。　　He　privately　thought　no　one　in　New　Spain　good　enough　for　his　daughter；　and　his　weather…beaten　self　was　not　yet　insensible　to　the　rare　visitation　of　winged　darts　tipped　with　honey。　But　the　situation　was　one　of　the　most　embarrassing　he　had　ever　been　called　upon　to　face；　and　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　his　direct　and　honest　life　his　resolution　was　shaken　in　a　crisis。

〃Believe　me；　your　excellency；　I　appreciate　the　honor　you　have　done　my　house；　and　I　will　add　with　all　my　heart　that　never　have　I　liked　a　man　more。　ButMother　of　God！　　Mother　of　God！〃

Rezanov　took　out　his　cigarette　case；　a　superb　bit　of　Russian　enamel；　graven　with　the　Imperial　arms；　and　a　parting　gift　from　his　Tsar。　　He　passed　it　to　his　host；　who　had　developed　a　preference　for　Rus…　sian　cigarettes。

〃There　are　other　things　to　consider　besides　the　happiness　of　your　daughter　and　myself；〃　he　re…　marked。　　〃This　alliance　would　mean　the　consolida…　tion　of　Spanish　and　Russian　interests　on　the　Pacific　coast。　　It　would　mean　the　protection　of　California　in　the　almost　certain　event　of　'American'　aggres…　sion。　　And　I　hear　that　a　courier　brought　word　again　yesterday　that　the　Russian　and　the　Spanish　fleets　had　sailed　for　these　waters。　　I　do　not　believe　a　word　of　it；　but　should　it　be　true；　I　would　remind　you　of　two　things：　that　I　have　the　powers　of　the　Tsar　him…　self　in　this　part　of　the　world；　and　that　the　Russian　fleet　is　likely　to　arrive　first。〃

Again　the　Commandante　moved　uneasily。　　The　news　from　Mexico　had　kept　himself　and　the　Gov…　ernor　awake　the　better　part　of　the　night。　　He　fully　appreciated　the　importance　of　this　powerful　Rus…　sian's　friendship。　　Nothing　would　bind　and　commit　him　like　taking　a　Californian　to　wife。　　If　only　he　had　fallen　in　love　with　Carolina　Xime'no　or　Delfina　Rivera！　　Don　Jose　had　an　uneasy　suspicion　that　his　scruples　as　a　Catholic　might　have　gone　down　before　his　sense　of　duty　to　this　poor　California。　　But　a　heretic　in　his　own　family！　　He　was　justly　renowned　for　his　piety。　　Aside　from　the　wrath　of　the　church；　the　mere　thought　of　one　of　his　offspring　in　matri…　monial　community　beyond　its　pale　made　him　sick　with　repugnance。　　And　yetCalifornia！　　And　he　would　have　selected　Rezanov　for　his　daughter　out　of　all　men　had　he　been　of　their　faith。　　And　he　was　deeply　conscious　of　the　honor　that　had　descended；　h