rezanov-第11节
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han reward； I concluded to bring it here and offer it as a manifest of my ad… miration for what the great Franciscan Order of the Most Holy Church of Rome has accomplished in the Californias。 Have I been too presump… tuous？〃
The priests all wore the eager expressions of chil… dren。
〃Could we not see them first？〃 asked Father Lan… daeta of his superior； and Father Abella sent a ser… vant with an order to unload the horse and bring in the presents。
Not a vestige of reserve lingered。 Priests and guests sat about the table eating and drinking and chatting as were they old friends reunited； and Rezanov extracted much of the information he de… sired。 The white population〃gente de razon〃 of Alta California； the peculiar province of the Franciscansthe Jesuits having been the first to invade Baja California； and with little success numbered about two thousand； the Christianized Indians about twenty thousand。 There were nine… teen Missions and four Presidial districtsSan Diego； close to the border of Baja California； Santa Barbara； Monterey； and San Francisco。 Each Mis… sion had an immense grant of land； or rancho generally fifteen miles squarefor the raising of live stock； agricultural necessities； and the grape。 At the Presidio of San Francisco there were some seventy men； including invalids； and the number varied little at the other military centres； Rezanov inferred； although there was a natural effort to im… press the foreigner with the casual inferiority of the armed force within his ken。 Cattle and horses increased so rapidly that every few years there was a wholesale slaughter； although the agricultural yield was enormous。 What the Missions were un… able to manufacture was sent them from Mexico； and disposed of the small salaries of the priests； the 〃Pious Fund of California〃 in the city of Mexico being systematically embezzled。 The first Presidio and Mission were founded at San Diego in July of 1769； the last at San Francisco in Sep… tember and October of 1776。
Rezanov's polite interest in the virgin country was cut short by the entrance of two Indians carry… ing heavy bundles； which they opened upon the floor without further delay。
The cloth of gold was magnificent； and the padres handled it as rapturously as had their souls and fin… gers been of the sex symbolized while exalted by the essence of maternity； in whose service it would be anointed。 Rezanov looked on with an amused sigh； yet conscious of being more comprehending and sympathetic than if he had journeyed straight from Europe to California。 It was not the first time he had felt a passing gratitude for his uncomfort… able but illuminating sojourn so close to the springs of nature。
The priests were as well pleased with the pieces of fine English cloth； and as their own homespun robes rasped like hair shirts； they silently but uni… formly congratulated themselves that the color was brown。
Father Abella turned to Rezanov； his saturnine features relaxed。
〃We are deeply grateful to your excellency； and our prayers shall follow you always。 Never have we received presents so timely and so magnificent。 And be sure we shall not forget the brave officers that have brought you safely to our distant shores； nor the distinguished scholar who guards your ex… cellency's health。〃 He turned to Langsdorff and repeated himself in Latin。 The naturalist； whose sharp nose was always lifted as if in protest against oversight and ready to pounce upon and penetrate the least of mysteries； bowed with his hand on his heart； and translated for the benefit of the officers。
〃Humph！〃 said Davidov in Russian。 〃Much the Chamberlain will care for the prayers of the Cath… olic Church if he has to go home with his cargo。 But he has a fine opportunity here for the display of his diplomatic talents。 I fancy they will avail him more than they did at Nagasakiwhere I am told he swore more than once when he should have kow… towed and grinned。〃
〃I shouldn't like to see him grin；〃 replied Khos… tov； as they finally started for the outbuildings。 〃If he could go as far as that he would be the most terrible man living。 Were it not for the fire in him that melts the iron just so often he would be crafty and cruel instead of subtle and firm。 He is a for… tunate man！ There were many fairies at his cradle！ I have always envied him； and now he is going to win that beautiful Dona Concha。 She will look at none of us。〃
〃We will doubtless meet others as beautiful at the ball to…night；〃 said Davidov philosophically。 〃You are not in love with a girl who has barely spoken to you； I suppose。〃
〃She had almost given me a rose this morning； when Rezanov； who was flattering the good Dona Ignacia with a moment of his attention； turned too soon。 I might have been air。 She looked straight through me。 Such eyes！ Such teeth！ Such a form！ She is the most enchanting girl I have ever seen。 And he will monopolize her without troubling to notice whether we even admire her or not。 Pray heaven he does not break her heart。〃
〃He is honorable。 One must admit that； if he does fancy his own will was a personal gift from the Almighty。 Perhaps she will break his。 I never saw a more accomplished flirt。〃
〃I know women；〃 replied the shrewder Khos… tov。 When men like Rezanov make an effort to please〃 He shrugged his shoulders。 〃Some men are the offspring of Mars and Venus and most of us are not。 We can at least be philosophers。 Let us hope the dinner will be excellent。〃
VII
It proved to be the most delicate and savory repast that had excited their appetites this side of Europe。 The friars had their consolations； and even Dona Ignacia Arguello was less gastronomic than Father Landaeta。 Rezanov； whose epicurianism had sur… vived a year of dried fish and the coarse luxuries of his managers； suddenly saw all life in the light of the humorist； and told so many amusing versions of his adventures in the wilderness； and even of his misadventure with Japan； that the priests choked over their wine； and Langsdorff； who had not a grain of humor； swelled with pride in his chance relationship to a man who seemed able to manip… ulate every string in the human network。
〃He will succeed；〃 he said to Davidov。 〃He will succeed。 I almost hoped he would not； he is so in… differentI might almost say so hostileto my own scientific adventures。 But when he is in this mood； when those cold eyes brim with laughter and ordinary humanity； I am nothing better than his slave。〃
Rezanov； in reply to an entreaty from Father Uria to tell them more of his mission and of the strange picture…book country they had never hoped to hear of at first hand； assumed a tone of great frankness and intimacy。 〃We were； with astound… ing cleverness； treated from the first like an audi… ence in a new theatre。 After we had solemnly been towed by a string of boats to anchor； under the Papen mountains； all Nagasaki appeared to turn out； men； women and children。 Thousands of little boats； decorated with flags by day and colored lan… terns by night； and filled with people in gala attire； swarmed about us； gazed at us through telescopes； were so thick on the bay one could have traversed it on foot。 The imperial sailors were distinguished by their uniforms of a large blue and white check； suggesting the pinafores of a brobdingnagian baby。 The barges of the imperial princes were covered with blue and white awnings and towed to the sound of kettledrums and the loud measured cries of the boatmen。 At night the thousands of illuminated lanterns； of every color and shade； the waving of fans； the incessant chattering； and the more har… monious noise that rose unceasingly above； made up a scene as brilliant as it was juvenile and absurd。 In the daytime it was more interesting； with the background of hills cultivated to their crests in the form of terraces； varied with rice fields； hamlets； groves； and paper villas encircled with little gardens as glowing and various of color as the night lan… terns。 When； at last； I was graciously permitted to have a residence on a point of land called Megasaki； I was conveyed thither in the pleasure barge of the Prince of Fisi。 There was place for sixty oarsmen； but as one of the few tokens of respect； I was en… abled to record for the comfort of the mighty sov… ereign whose representative I was； the barge was towed by a long line of boats； decorated with flags； the voices of the rowers rising and falling in meas… ured cadence as they announced to all Japan the honor about to be conferred upon her。 I sat on a chair of state in the central compartment of the barge； and quite alone； my suite standing on a raised deck beyond。 Before me on a table； mar… vellously inlaid； were my credentials。 I was sur… rounded by curtains of sky…blue silk and panels of polished lacquer inwrought with the Imperial arms in gold。 The awning of blue and white silk was lined with a delicate and beautiful tapestry； and the reverse sides of the silken partitions were of canvas painted by the masters of the country。 The pol… ished floor was covered by a magnificent carpet woven with alarming dragons whose jaws pointed directly at my chair of state。 And such an escort and such a reception； both of ceremony and of curios
