rezanov-第33部分

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eiving　a　lesson　in　Spanish　behind　the　portly　back　of　a　duena；　or　clasping　brown　little　fingers　under　cover　of　a　fan　when　all　eyes　were　riveted　on　the　death　struggle　of　a　bull　and　a　bear；　they　were　playing　cards　and　drinking　in　the　officers'　quarters；　which　they　liked　almost　as　well。　It　is　true　they　sometimes　paid　the　price　in　a　cutting　rebuke　from　their　chief；　but　the　rebukes　were　not　as　frequent　as　in　less　toward　circumstances；　and　were　generally　followed　by　some　fresh　indulgence。　　This；　they　uneasily　guessed；　was　not　only　the　result　of　the　equable　state　of　his　excellency's　temper；　but　be…　cause　he　had　a　signal　unpleasantness　in　store；　and　would　not　hazard　their　resignation。　　They　had　taken　advantage　of　an　imperial　ukase　to　enter　the　service　of　the　Russian…American　Company　tempor…　arily；　and　they　knew　that　if　they　evaded　any　be…　hest　of　Rezanov's　their　adventurous　life　in　the　Pa…　cific　would　be　over。　　Therefore；　although　they　re…　sented　his　implacable　will；　they　pulled　with　him　in　outward　amity；　and　indeed　there　were　few　of　the　Juno's　human　freight　that　did　not　look　back　upon　that　California　springtime　as　the　episode　of　their　lives；　commonly　stormy　or　monotonous；　in　which　the　golden　tide　flowed　with　least　alloy。　　Even　Langsdorff；　although　impervious　to　female　charms　and　with　scientific　thirst　unslaked；　enjoyed　the　Spanish　fare　and　the　society　of　the　priests。　　The　sailors　received　many　privileges；　attended　bull…fights　and　fandangos；　loved　and　pledged；　and　were　only　restrained　from　emigration　to　the　interior　of　this　enchanted　land　of　pretty　girls　and　plentiful　food　by　the　knowledge　of　the　sure　and　merciless　venge…　ance　of　their　chief。　　Had　the　rumor　of　war　still　held　it　might　have　been　otherwise；　but　that　raven　had　flown　off　to　the　limbo　of　its　kind；　and　the　Com…　mandante　let　it　be　known　that　deserters　would　be　summarily　captured　and　sent　in　irons　to　the　Juno。

In　the　mind　of　Concha　Arguello　there　was　never　a　lingering　doubt　of　the　quality　of　that　fortnight　between　the　days　of　torturing　doubts　and　acute　emo…　tional　upheaval；　and　the　sailing　away　of　Rezanov。　It　was　true　that　what　he　banteringly　termed　her　romantic　sadness　possessed　her　at　times；　but　it　served　as　a　shadow　to　throw　into　sharper　relief　an　almost　incredible　happiness。　　If　she　seldom　saw　Rezanov　alone　there　was　the　less　to　disturb　her；　and　at　least　he　was　never　far　from　her　side。　　There　were　always　the　delight　of　unexpected　moments　unseen；　whispered　words　in　the　crowd；　the　sense　of　com…　plete　understanding；　broken　now　and　again　by　poig…　nant　attacks　of　unreasoning　jealousy；　not　only　on　her　part　but　his；　quite　worth　the　reconciliation　at　the　lattice；　while　Elena　Castro；　gentle　duena；　pitched　her　voice　high　and　amused　her　husband　so　well　he　sought　no　opportunity　for　response。

Then　there　was　more　than　one　excursion　about　the　bay　on　the　Juno；　dinner　on　La　Bellissima　or　Nuestra　Senora　de　los　Angeles；　a　long　return　after　sundown　that　the　southerners　might　appreciate　the　splendor　of　the　afterglow　when　the　blue　of　the　water　was　reflected　in　the　lower　sky；　to　melt　into　the　pink　fire　above；　and　all　the　land　swam　in　a　pearly　mist。

Once　the　Commandante　took　twenty　of　his　guests；　a　gay　cavalcade；　to　his　rancho；　El　Pilar；　thirty　miles　to　the　south：　a　long　valley　flanked　by　the　bay　and　the　eastern　mountains　on　the　one　hand；　and　a　high　range　dense　with　forests　of　tall　thin　trees　on　the　other。　　But　the　valley　itself　was　less　Californian　than　any　part　of　the　country　Rezanov　had　seen。　Smooth　and　flat　and　free　of　undergrowth　and　set　with　at　least　ten　thousand　oaks；　it　looked　more　like　a　splendid　English　park；　long　preserved；　than　the　recent　haunt　of　naked　savages。　　There　were　deer　and　quail　in　abundance；　here　and　there　an　open　field　of　grain。　　Long　beards　of　pale　green　moss　waved　from　the　white　oaks；　wild　flowers；　golden　red　and　pale　blue；　burst　underfoot。　　There　were　hedges　of　sweet　briar；　acres　of　lupins；　purple　and　yellow。　　Al…　together　the　ideal　estate　of　a　nobleman；　and　Reza…　nov；　who　had　liked　nothing　in　California　so　well；　gave　his　imagination　rein　and　saw　the　counterpart　of　the　castle　of　his　ancestors　rise　in　the　deep　shade　of　the　trees。

Don　Jose's　house　was　a　long　rambling　adobe；　red　tiled；　with　many　bedrooms　and　one　immense　hall。　Beyond　were　a　chapel　and　a　dozen　outbuildings。　Dinner　was　served　in　patriarchal　style　in　the　hall；　the　Commandanteor　El　padrone　as　he　was　known　hereand　his　guests　at　the　upper　end　of　the　table；　below　the　salt；　the　vaqueros；　their　wives　and　chil…　dren；　and　the　humble　friar　who　drove　them　to　prayer　night　and　morning。　　The　friar　wore　his　brown　robes；　the　vaqueros　their　black　and　silver　and　red　in　honor　of　the　company；　their　women　glar…　ing　handkerchiefs　of　green　or　red　or　yellow　about　their　necks；　even　pinned　back　and　front　on　their　shapeless　garments；　and　affording　a　fine　vegetable　garden　contrast　to　the　delicate　flower　bed　surround…　ing　the　padrone。

There　was　a　race　track　on　the　ranch　and　many　fine　horses。　　After　siesta　the　company　mounted　fresh　steeds　and　rode　off　to　applaud　the　feats　of　the　vaqueros；　who；　not　content　with　climbing　the　greased　pole；　wrenching　the　head　of　an　unfortunate　rooster　from　his　buried　body　as　they　galloped　by；　submit…　ting　the　tail　of　an　oiled　pig　in　full　flight　to　the　same　indignity；　gave　when　these　and　other　native　diversions　were　exhausted；　such　exhibitions　of　rid…　ing　and　racing　as　have　never　been　seen　out　of　Cali…　fornia。　　As　lithe　as　willow　wands；　on　slender　horses　as　graceful　as　themselves；　they　looked　like　meteors　springing　through　space；　and　there　was　no　trick　of　the　circus　they　did　not　know　by　instinct；　and　trans…　late　from　gymnastics　into　poetry。　　Even　Rezanov　shared　the　excitement　of　the　shouting；　clapping　Californians；　and　Concha　laughed　delightedly　when　his　cap　waved　with　the　sombreros。

〃I　think　you　will　make　a　good　Californian　in　time；〃　she　said　as　they　rode　homeward。

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Rezanov　musingly。　　His　eyes　roved　over　the　magnificent　estate　and　at　the　mo…　ment　they　entered　a　portion　of　it　that　deepened　to　woods；　so　dense　was　the　undergrowth；　so　thick　the　oak　trees。　　Here　there　was　but　a　glimpse；　now　and　again；　of　the　mountains　swimming　in　the　dark　blue　mist　of　the　late　afternoon；　the　moss　waved　thickly　from　the　ancient　trees；　over　even　the　higher　branches　of　many　rolled　a　cascade　of　small　brittle　leaves；　with　the　tempting　opulence　of　its　poisonous　sap。　　The　path　was　very　abrupt；　cut　where　the　immense　spread…　ing　trees　permitted；　and　Rezanov　and　Concha　had　no　difficulty　in　falling　away　from　the　chattering；　excited　company。

〃Tell　me　your　ultimate　plans；　Pedro　mio；〃　said　Concha　softly。　　〃You　are　dreaming　of　something　this　moment　beyond　corn　and　treaties。〃

〃Do　you　want　that　final　proof？〃　he　asked；　smil…　ing。　　〃Well；　if　I　could　not　trust　you　that　would　be　the　end　of　everything；　and　I　know　that　I　can。　　I　have　long　regarded　California　as　an　absolutely　necessary　field　of　supplies；　and　since　I　have　come　here　I　will　frankly　say　that　could　I；　as　the　represen…　tative　of　the　Tsar　in　all　this　part　of　the　world；　make　it　practically　my　own；　I　should　be　content　in　even　a　permanent　exile　from　St。　Petersburg。　　I　could　at…　tract　an　immense　colony　here　and　in　time　import　libraries　and　works　of　art；　laying　the　foundation　of　a　great　and　important　city　on　that　fine　site　about　Yerba　Buena。　　But　now　that　these　kind　people　have　practically　adopted　me　I　cannot　repay　their　hospi…　tality　by　any　overt　act　of　hostility。　　I　must　be　con…　tent　either　slowly　to　absorb　the　country；　in　which　case　I　shall　see　no　great　result　in　my　lifetime；　or　and　for　this　I　hopewhat　with　the　mess　Bonaparte　is　making　of　Europe；　every　state　may　be　at　the　others'　throat　before　long；　including　Russia　and　Spain。　　At　all　events；　a　cause　for　rupture　would　not　be　far　to　seek；　and　it　would　need　no　instigation　of　mine　to　despatch　a　fleet　to　these　shores。　　In　that　case　I　should　be　sent　with　it　to　take　possession　in　the　name　of　the　Tsar；　and　to　deal　with　these　simple；　kindand　inefficient　people；　my　dear　girlas　no　other　Russian　could。　　They　cannot　hold　this　coun…　try。　　Spain　could　notwould　not；　at　all　events；　for　she　has　not　troops　enough　here　to　protect　a　territory　half　its　sizehold　it　against　even　the　'Americans；'　should　they　in　time　feel　strong　enough　to　push　their　way　across　the　western　wilderness。　　It　is　the　destiny　of　this　charming　Arcadia　to　disappear；　and　did　Russia　forego　an　opportunity　to　appropriate　a　do…　main　that　offers　her　literally　everything　except　civil…　ization；　she　would　be　unworthy　of　her　place　among　nations。　　Moreovera　beneficent　triumph　impossi…　ble　to　us　otherwisewith　a　powerful　and　flourish…　ing　colony　up　and　down　this　coast；　and　sending　breadstuffs　regularly　to　our　other　possessions　in　these　waters　until　the　natives；　immigrants；　and　exiles　were　healthy；　vitalized　beings；　it　would　be　but　a　question　of　a　few　years　before　we　should　force　open　the　doors　of　China　and　Japan。〃　　He　caught　Concha　from　her　horse　and　strained　her　to　him　in　the　mount…　ing　ardor　of　his　plunge　down　the　future。　　〃You　must　resent　nothing！〃　he　cried。　　〃You　must　cease　to　be　a　Spanish　woman　when　you　become　my　wife；　and　help　me　as　only　you　can　in　those　inevitable　years　I　have　mapped　out；　and　not　so　much　for　myself　as　for　Russia。　　My　enemies　have　sought　to　persuade　three　so