rezanov-第27部分

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in　the　ground　and　filled　by　a　spring　of　clear　water。　　Here；　once　a　week；　the　linen；　fine　and　heavy；　of　Fort　and　Presidio　was　washed；　the　stoutest　serving　women　of　households　and　barracks　meeting　at　dawn　and　scrubbing　for　half　a　day。　Rezanov　had　watched　the　bright　picture　they　made　for　they　wore　a　bit　of　every　hue　they　could　com…　mandwith　a　lazy　interest；　which　quickened　to　thirst　when　he　heard　that　they　were　the　most　re…　liable　newsmongers　in　the　country。　　In　every　Pre…　sidial　district　was　a　similar　institution；　and　the　four　were　known　as　the　〃Wash　Tub　Mail。〃　　Many　of　the　women　were　selected　by　the　tyrants　of　the　tubs　for　their　comeliness；　and　each　had　a　lover　in　the　couriers　that　went　regularly　with　mail　and　official　instructions　from　one　end　of　the　Californias　to　the　other。　　All　important　news　was　known　first　by　these　women；　and　much　was　discussed　over　the　tubs　that　was　long　in　reaching　higher　but　no　less　interested　circles；　and　domestic　bulletins　were　as　eagerly　prized。　　The　sailor　that　brought　this　information　to　Rezanov　was　a　good…looking　and　susceptible　youth；　already　the　victim　of　an　Indian　maiden　from　the　handsome　tribe　in　the　Santa　Clara　Valley；　and　sister　of　Dona　Ignacia's　Malia。　　Rezanov　furnished　him　with　beads　and　other　trinkets　and　was　at　no　dis…　advantage　thereafter。

There　was　nothing　Rezanov　would　have　liked　better　than　to　see　a　Russian　fleet　sail　through　the　straits；　but　he　also　knew　that　nothing　was　less　likely；　and　that　from　such　rumors　he　should　only　derive　further　annoyance　and　delay。　　Two　of　his　sailors　deserted　at　the　prospect　of　war；　and　his　hosts；　if　neutral；　were　manifestly　alert。　　Luis　and　Santiago　had　been　obliged　to　go　to　Monterey　for　a　few　days；　and　there　was　no　one　at　the　Presidio　in　whom　Rez…　anov　could　confide　either　his　impatience　to　see　Con…　cha　or　at　the　adjournment　of　his　more　prosaic　but　no　less　pressing　interests。　　These　two　young　men　had　been　with　him　almost　constantly　since　his　arrival；　and　demonstrated　their　friendship　and　even　affection　unfailingly；　but　there　was　no　love　lost　be…　tween　himself　and　Gervasio。　　This　young　hidalgo　had　the　hauteur　and　intense　family　pride　of　San…　tiago　without　his　younger　brother's　frank　intelli…　gence　and　lingering　ingenuousness。　　With　all　the　superiority　and　inferiority；　he　had　made　himself　so　unpopular　that　his　real　kindness　of　heart　atoned　for　his　absurdities　only　with　those　that　knew　him　best。　Rezanov　was　not　one　of　these　nor　aspired　to　be。　Like　all　highly　seasoned　men　of　the　world；　he　had　no　patience　with　the　small　vanities　of　the　provincial；　and　although　diplomatically　courteous　to　all；　in　his　present　precarious　position；　he　had　taken　too　little　trouble　to　conciliate　Gervasio　to　find　him　of　use　in　the　absence　of　his　friends。

At　the　end　of　three　days　Rezanov　had　forgotten　his　cargo；　and　would　have　sent　the　Juno　to　the　bot…　tom　for　ten　minutes　alone　with　Concha。　　He　had　been　on　fire　with　love　of　her　since　the　moment　of　his　actual　surrender；　and　he　was　determined　to　have　her　if　there　were　no　other　recourse　but　elopement。　All　his　old　and　intense　love　of　personal　freedom　had　melted　out　of　form　in　the　crucible　of　his　lover's　imagination。　　That　he　should　have　doubted　for　a　moment　that　Concha　was　the　woman　for　whom　his　soul　had　held　itself　aloof　and　unshackled　was　a　matter　for　contemptuous　wonder；　and　the　pride　he　had　taken　in　his　keen　and　swift　perceptive　faculties　suffered　an　eclipse。　　Mind　and　soul　and　body　he　was　a　lover；　a　union　unknown　before。

On　the　fourth　morning；　his　patience　at　an　end；　he　was　about　to　leave　the　Juno　to　demand　a　formal　interview　with　Don　Jose　when　he　saw　Luis　and　San…　tiago　dismount　at　the　beach　and　enter　the　canoe　al…　ways　in　waiting。　　A　few　moments　later　they　had　helped　themselves　to　cigarettes　from　the　gift　of　the　Tsar　and　were　assuring　Rezanov　of　their　partisan…　ship　and　approval。

〃We　were　somewhat　taken　aback　at　the　first　mo…　ment；〃　Luis　admitted。　　〃Butwell；　we　are　both　in　loveSantiago　no　less　than　I；　although　I　have　had　these　six　long　years　of　waiting　and　am　likely　to　have　another。　　And　we　love　Concha　as　few　men　love　their　sisters；　for　there　is　no　one　like　heris　it　not　so；　Rezanov？　　And　we　quite　understand　why　she　has　chosen　you；　and　why　she　stands　firm；　for　we　know　the　strength　of　her　character。　　We　would　that　you　were　a　Catholic；　but　even　so；　we　will　not　sit　by　and　see　her　life　ruined；　and　we　have　called　to　assure　you　that　we　shall　use　all　our　influence；　every　adroit　argument；　to　bring　our　parents　to　a　more　reasonable　frame　of　mind。　　They　have　already　risen　above　the　first　natural　impulse　of　selfishness；　and　would　consent　to　the　inevitable　separation　were　you　only　a　Catholic。　　I　have　also　talked　with　the　Gov…　ernorwe　arrived　at　midnightand　he　flew　into　a　terrible　temperthe　poor　man　is　already　like　a　mad　bull　at　baybut　if　my　father　yielded；　he　would　on　all　points。　　This　morning　I　shall　ride　over　and　talk　with　Father　Abella；　who；　I　fancy；　needs　only　a　little　extra　pressureyou　may　be　sure　Concha　has　not　been　idleto　yield；　and　for　more　reasons　than　one。　　I　shall　enlist　Father　Uria　and　Father　de　la　Cueva　as　well。　　They　also　have　great　influence　with　my　parents；　and　as　they　return　to　San　Jose　in　two　days　to　prepare　for　the　visit　of　the　most　estim…　able　Dr。　Langsdorff；　there　is　no　time　to　lose。　　I　shall　go　this　morning。　　One　more　cigarito；　senor；　and　when　that　treaty　is　drawn　remember　the　con…　version　of　your　brother　to　Russian　tobacco。〃

Rezanov　thanked　him　so　warmly；　assured　him　with　so　convincing　an　emphasis　that　with　his　fate　in　such　competent　hands　his　mind　was　at　peace；　that　the　ardent　heart　of　the　Californian　exulted；　Rez…　anov；　with　his　splendid　appearance；　and　typical　of　the　highest　civilizations　of　Europe；　had　descended　upon　his　narrow　sphere　with　the　authority　of　a　demigod；　and　he　not　only　thirsted　to　serve　him；　but　to　fasten　him　to　California　with　the　surest　of　human　bonds。

As　he　dropped　over　the　side　of　the　ship；　Rezanov's　hand　fell　lightly　on　the　shoulder　of　Santiago。

〃I　can　wait　no　longer　to　see　your　sister；〃　he　whispered；　mindful　of　the　sterner　responsibilities　of　the　older　brother。　　〃Do　you　think　you　could〃

Santiago　nodded。　　〃While　Luis　is　at　the　Mission　I　shall　go　to　my　cousin　Juan　Moraga's。　　You　will　dine　with　us　at　the　Presidio；　and　I　shall　escort　you　back　to　the　ship。〃



XIX

It　was　ten　o'clock　when　Rezanov；　who　had　supped　on　the　Juno；　met　Santiago　in　a　sandy　valley　half　a　mile　from　the　Presidio　and　mounted　the　horse　his　young　friend　himself　had　saddled　and　brought。　The　long　ride　was　a　silent　one。　　The　youth　was　not　talkative　at　any　time；　and　Rezanov　was　conscious　of　little　else　save　an　overwhelming　desire　to　see　Con…　cha　again。　　One　secret　of　his　success　in　life　was　his　gift　of　yielding　to　one　energy　at　a　time；　oblivious　at　the　moment　to　aught　that　might　distract　or　en…　feeble　the　will。　　To…night；　as　he　rode　toward　the　Mission　on　as　romantic　a　quest　as　ever　came　the　way　of　a　lover；　the　diplomat；　the　anxious　director　of　a　great　Company；　the　representative　of　one　of　the　mighty　potentates　of　earth；　were　submerged；　forgotten；　in　the　thrilling　anticipation　of　his　hour　with　the　woman　for　whom　every　fiber　of　his　being　yearned。

Nor　ever　was　there　more　appropriate　a　setting　for　one　of　those　inaugural　chapters　in　mating；　half　appreciated　at　the　time；　that　glimmer　as　a　sort　of　morning　twilight　on　mountain　tops　over　the　mild　undulations　of　matrimony。　　The　moon　rode　without　a　masking　cloud　across　the　ambiguous　night　blue　of　the　California　sky；　a　blue　that　looks　like　the　fire　of　strange　elements；　where　the　stars　glow　like　silver　coals；　and　out　of　whose　depths　intense　shadows　of　blue　and　black　fall；　shadows　in　which　all　the　terres…　trial　world　seems　to　float　and　recombine；　where　houses　are　ghosts　of　ancient　selves　and　men　but　the　eidola　of　forgotten　dust。　　To…night　the　little　estate　of　Juan　Moraga；　the　most　isolated　and　eastern　of　the　settlement；　surrounded　by　its　high　white　wall；　looked　as　unreal　and　formless　as　the　blue　oval　of　water　and　black　trees　behind　it；　but　Rezanov　knew　that　it　enfolded　warm　and　palpitating　womanhood　and　was　steeped　in　the　sweetness　of　Castilian　roses。

The　riders；　who　had　taken　a　path　far　to　the　east　of　the　Mission　dismounted　and　tied　their　horses　among　the　willows；　then；　in　their　dark　cloaks　but　a　part　of　the　shadows；　stole　toward　the　wall　designed　to　impress　hostile　tribes　rather　than　to　resist　on…　slaught；　at　the　first　warning　the　settlement　invari…　ably　fled　to　the　church；　where　walls　were　massive　and　windows　high。

In　three　of　Moraga's　four　walls　was　a　grille；　or　wicket　of　slender　iron　bars；　whence　the　open　could　be　swept　with　glass；　or　gun　at　a　pinch；　and　toward　the　grille　looking　eastward　went　Rezanov　as　swiftly　as　the　uneven　ground　would　permit。　　As　Concha　watched　him　gather　form　in　the　moonlight　and　saw　him　jerk　his　cloak　off　impatiently；　she　flung　her　soft　body　against　the　wall　and　shook　the　bars　with　her　strong　little　hands。　　But　when　he　faced　her　she　was　erect　and　smiling；　in　a　sudden　uprush　of　spirits；　almost　indifferent。　　She　wore　a　white　gown　and　a　rose　in　her　hair。　　A　rosebush　as　dense　as　an　arbor　spread　its　prickly　arms　between　herself　and　the　windows　of　the　house。

〃Good…evening；〃　she　whispered。

Rezanov　gave　the　grill　an　angry　shake。　　（San…　tiago　had