rezanov-第6节
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ain at court； a Privy Councillor； and the Tsar himself on this side of the world； but when his inspections and reforms are concluded； and he is one of the wealth… iest men in Russia； he will return to St。 Petersburg and become so high and mighty that a princess would snap at him。 And you aspire！ I never heard such nonsense。〃
〃His excellency told me much of this；〃 replied Concha imperturbably。 〃And I am sure that he cares nothing for princesses and will marry whom he most admires。 He would not say； but I know he cared nothing for that poor little wife； dead so long ago。 It was a mariage de convenance； such as all the great world is accustomed to。 He will love me more than all the fine ladies he has ever seen。 I feel it。 I know it！ And I am quite happy。〃
〃Do you love him？〃 asked Santiago； looking curiously at his sister's flushed and glowing face。 It seemed to him that she had never looked so young。 〃Many have loved you。 I had begun to think you had no heart for men； no wish for any… thing but admiration。 And now you give your heart in a day to this Russianwho must be nearly fortyunasked。〃
〃I have not thought of my heart at all。 But I could love him； of course。 He is so handsome； so kind； so grand； so gay！ But love is for men and wiveshas not my mother said so？ Now I think only of St。 Petersburg！ of Paris！ of London！ of the beautiful gowns and jewels I shall wear at court a red velvet train as long as a queen's； and all embroidered with gold； a white veil spangled with gold； a head…dress a foot high studded with jewels； ropes of diamonds and pearlsI made him tell me how the great ladies dressed。 Ah！ there is the pleasure of being a girlto think and dream of all those beautiful things； not of when the wife must live always for the husband and children。 That comes soon enough。 And why should I not have all！there is so little in life for the girl。 It seems to me now that I have had nothing。 When he asks me to marry him he will tell me of the fine things I shall have and the great sights I shall witness the ceremonies at court； the winter streetswith snowsnow； Santiago！where the great nobles drive four horses through the drifts like little hills； and are wrapped in furs like bears！ The grand military paradeshow I shall laugh when I think of our poor little Presidios with their dozen officers strutting about〃 She stopped abruptly and bursting wildly into tears flung herself into her brother's arms。 〃But I never could leave you！ And my father！ my mother！ all！ all！ Ay； Dios de mi alma！ what an ingrate I am！ I should die of home… sickness！ My Santiago！ My Santiago！〃
Santiago patted her philosophically。 〃You are not going to…morrow；〃 he reminded her。 〃Don't cross your bridges until you come to them。 That is a good proverb for maids and men。 You might take us all with you； or spend every third year or so in California。 No doubt you would need the rest。 And meanwhile remember that the high and mighty Chamberlain has not yet asked for the honor of an alliance with the house of Arguello； and that your brother will match his best fighting cock against your new white lace mantilla from Mexico； that he is not meditating any project so detrimental to his fortunes。 Console yourself with the reflection that if he were； our father and the priests； and the Governor himself； would die of apoplexy。 He is a heretica member of the Greek Church！ Hast thou lost thy reason； Conchita？ Dry your eyes and come home to sleep； and let us hear no more of marriage with a man who is not only a barbarian of the north and a heretic； but so proud he does not think a Californian good enough to wash his decks。〃
IV
It was long before Rezanov slept that night。 The usual chill had come in from the Pacific as the sun went down； and the distinguished visitor had inti… mated to his hosts that he should like to exercise on shore until ready for his detested quarters； but Arguello dared not； in the absence of his father； in… vite the foreigner even to sleep in the house so lavishly offered in the morning； although he had sent such an abundance of provisions to the ship that the poor sailors were deep in sleep； gorged like boa…constrictors； and he could safely promise that while the Juno remained in port her larder should never be empty。 He shared the evening bowl of punch in the cabin； then went his way lamenting that he could not take his new friends with him。
Rezanov paced the little deck of the Juno to keep his blood in stir。 There was no moon。 The islands and promontories on the great sheet of water were black save for the occasional glow of an Indian camp…fire。 There was not a sound but the lapping of the waves； the roar of distant breakers。 The great silver stars and the little green stars looked down upon a solitude that was almost primeval； yet mysteriously disturbed by the restless currents in the brain of a man who had little in common with primal forces。
Rezanov was uneasy on more scores than one。 He was annoyed and mortified at the discovery made over the punch bowlthat the girl he had taken to be twenty was but sixteen。 It was by no means his first experience of the quick maturity of southern womenbut sixteen！ He had never wasted a moment on a chit before； and although he was a man of imagination； and notwithstanding her intelligence and dignity； he could not reconcile properties so conflicting with any sort of feminine ideal。
And the pressing half of his mission he had con… fided to her！ No man knew better than he the value of a tactful and witty woman in the political dilemmas of life； more than one had given him devoted service； nor ever yet had he made a mistake。 After several hours spent in the society of this clever； politic； dissatisfied girl he had come to the conclu… sion that he could trust her； and had told her of the lamentable condition of the creatures in the employ of the Russian…American Company； of their chronic state of semi…starvation； of the scurvy that made them apathetic of brain and body； and eventually would exterminate them unless he could establish reciprocal trade relations with California and obtain regular supplies of farinaceous food； acknowl… edged that he had brought a cargo of Russian and Boston goods necessary to the well…being of the Mis… sions and Presidios； and that he would not return to the wretched people of Sitka； at least； without a generous exchange of breadstuffs； dried meats； peas； beans； barley and tallow。 Not only had he no long… er the courage to witness their misery； but his for… tune and his career were at stake。 His entire capi… tal was invested in the Company he had founded； and he had failed in his embassy to Japanto the keen mortification of the Tsar and the jubilation of his enemies。 If he left the Emperor's northeastern dominions unreclaimed and failed to rescue the Company from its precarious condition； he hardly should care to return to St。 Petersburg。
Dona Concha had listened to this eloquent haranguethey sat alone at one end of the long sala while Luis at the other toiled over letters to the Governor and his father advising them of the for… midable honor of the Russian's visitin exactly the temper he would have chosen。 Her fine eyes had melted and run over at the moving tale of the sufferings of the servants of the Companyuntil his own had softened in response and he had im… pulsively kissed her hand； they had dilated and flashed as he spoke of his personal apprehensions； and when he had given her a practical explanation of his reasons for coming to California she had given him advice as practical in return。
He must withhold from her father and the Gov… ernor the fact of his pressing need； they were high officials with an inflexible sense of duty； and did all they could to enforce the law against trading with foreigners。 He was to maintain the fiction of belt… ing the globe； but admit that he had indulged in a dream of commercial relationsfor a benefit strictly mutualbetween neighbors as close as the Spanish and Russians in America。 This would interest themwhat would not； on the edge of the world？ and they would agree to lay the matter； rein… forced by a strong personal plea； before the Viceroy of Mexico； who in turn would send it to the Cab… inet and King at Madrid。 Meanwhile； he was to confide in the priests at the Mission。 Not only would their sympathies be enlisted； but they did much trading under the very nose of the govern… ment。 Not for personal gainthey were vowed to a life of poverty； but for their Indian converts； and as there were twelve hundred at the Mission of San Francisco； they would wink at many things con… demnable in the abstract。 He had engaged to visit them on the morrow； and he must take presents to tempt their impersonal cupidity； and invite them to inspect the rest of his wareswhich the Governor would be informed his Excellency had been forced to buy with the Juno from the Yankee skipper； D'Wolf； and would rid himself of did opportunity offer。
Rezanov had never received sounder advice； and had promptly accepted it。 Now； as he reflected that it had been given by a girl of sixteen； he was divided between admiration of her precocity and fear lest she prove to be too young to keep a secret。 More… over
