rezanov-第17章

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〃My　mother　has　gone　to　Gertrudis　Rudisinda；　who　is　crying；〃　said　Concha。　　〃It　is　my　pleasure　to　lead　your　excellency　in　to　supper。〃

They　sat　side　by　side　at　the　head　of　the　long　table　almost　covered　by　the　massive　service　of　sil…　ver　and　loaded　with　evidences　of　Dona　Ignacia's　generosity　and　skill；　chickens　in　red　rice　and　gravy；　oysters；　tamales；　dulces；　pastries；　fruits　and　pleasant　drinks。　　Luis；　with　Rafaella　Sal　dimpling　and　sparkling　at　his　side；　and　now　quite　resigned　to　the　semi…official　nature　of　the　ball；　rose　and　drank　the　health　of　the　distinguished　guest　in　long　and　flow…　ery　praises。　　Rezanov　responded　in　briefer　but　no　less　felicitous　vein；　and　concluded　by　remarking　that　the　only　rift　in　the　lute　of　his　present　enchant…　ing　experience　was　the　fear　that　whereas　he　had　nearly　died　of　starvation　several　times　during　the　past　three　years；　he　was　now　threatened　with　a　far　more　ignominious　end；　so　delicious　and　irresistible　were　the　temptations　that　beset　the　wayfarer　in　this　most　hospitable　land。　　Both　speeches　were　gaily　ap…　plauded；　the　conversation　became　animated　and　gen…　eral；　and　Concha　dropped　her　voice　to　the　attentive　ear　beside　her。

〃You　were　very　successful　to…day　at　the　Mission；　Excellency。〃

〃May　I　ask　how　you　know？〃

〃I　never　saw　anything　so　serenelyarrogantly；　perhaps　would　be　a　truer　descriptiontriumphant　as　your　bearing　when　you　walked　down　our　humble　sala　to…night。　　You　looked　like　Caesar　returned　from　Gaul；　but　I　suppose　that　all　great　conquests　are　merely　the　sum　of　many　small　ones。〃

〃I　do　not　regard　the　friendship　of　so　shrewd　a　man　as　Father　Abella　a　trifling　conquest。　　And　ac…　cording　to　yourself；　dear　senorita；　it　is　essential　to　the　success　of　a　mission　upon　which　many　lives　and　my　own　honor　depend。〃

〃Is　it　really　so　serious？〃　she　asked　with　a　faint　sneer。

He　drew　himself　up　stiffly　and　his　light　eyes　glowed　with　anger。　　〃It　is　a　subject　I　never　should　have　thought　of　introducing　at　a　festivity　like　this；〃　he　said　suavely。　　〃May　I　be　permitted　to　compli…　ment　you；　senorita；　upon　your　marvellous　grace　in　the　contra…danza？　　It　quite　turned　my　head；　and　I　am　delighted　to　hear　that　you　will　dance　alone　after　supper。〃

Her　face　had　flushed　hotly。　　She　dropped　her　eyes　and　her　voice　trembled　as　she　replied：　〃You　humiliate　me；　senor；　and　I　deserve　it。　　Imy　poor　Rosa　told　me　something　of　her　great　tragedy　while　dressing　me；　and　for　the　moment　other　things　seemed　unimportant。　　What　is　hunger　and　court　favor　beside　a　broken　heart　and　a　desolate　life？　But　that　of　course　is　the　attitude　of　an　ignorant　girl。〃　　She　raised　her　eyes。　　They　were　soft；　and　her　voice　was　softer。　　〃I　beg　that　you　will　forgive　me；　senor。　　And　be　sure　that　I　take　an　even　deeper　interest　in　your　great　mission　than　yesterday。　　I　have　thought　much　about　it；　and　while　I　have　told　my　mother　nothing；　I　have　expressed　certain　peev…　ish　hopes　that　a　ship　would　not　come　all　the　way　from　Sitka　without　taking　a　hint　more　than　one　Boston　skipper　must　have　given；　and　brought　us　many　things　we　need。　　She　is　quite　excited　over　the　prospect　of　a　new　shawl　for　herself；　and　of　send…　ing　several　as　presents　to　the　south；　besides　many　other　things：　cotton；　shoes；　kitchen　utensils。　　Have　you　any　of　these　things；　Excellency？〃

Rezanov　stared　at　her　face；　barely　tinted　with　color；　dully　wondering　why　it　should　be　so　different　from　the　one　roguish；　pathetically　innocent；　that　had　haunted　him　all　day。　　He　asked　abruptly：

〃Which　is　the　friend　whose　little　ones　you　envy？　You　have　made　me　wish　to　see　them　and　her？〃

〃That　is　Elenabeside　Gervasio。〃　　She　indicated　a　young　woman　with　soft；　patient；　brown　eyes；　the　dignity　of　her　race　and　the　sweetness　of　young　motherhood；　who　would　have　looked　little　older　than　herself　had　it　not　been　for　an　already　shape…　less　figure。　　〃I　can　take　you　to…morrow　to　see　them　if　you　wish。〃

She　had　cast　down　her　eyes　and　her　face　was　white。　　Still　he　groped　on。

〃Pardon　me　if　I　say　that　I　am　surprised　your　parents　should　permit　such　a　woman　as　this　Rosa　to　attend　you。　　Why　should　your　happy　life　be　dis…　turbed　by　the　lamentations　of　an　abandoned　crea…　turewho　can　do　you　no　good；　and　possibly　much　harm？〃

Still　Concha　did　not　raise　her　eyes。　　〃I　do　not　think　poor　Rosa　would　do　anyone　harm。　　But　per…　haps　it　were　as　well　she　went　elsewhere。　　We　have　had　her　long　enough。　　I　have　taken　a　dislike　to　her。　I　reproach　myself　bitterly；　but　I　cannot　help　it。　　I　should　like　never　to　see　her　again。〃

〃What　has　she　told　you？〃　　Concha　glanced　up　swiftly。　　His　eyes　were　blazing。　　She　felt　quite　cer…　tain　that　he　rolled　a　Russian　oath　under　his　tongue；　and　she　made　a　slight　involuntary　motion　toward　him；　her　lips　trembling　apart。

〃Nothing；〃　she　murmured。　　〃I　do　not　knowI　do　not　know。　　But　I　no　longer　wish　her　near　me。　Shelife　is　very　strange　and　terrible；　senor。　　You　know　it　wellI；　so　little。〃

Rezanov　felt　his　breath　short　and　his　hands　cold。　For　a　moment　he　made　no　reply。　　Then　he　smiled　charmingly　and　said　in　the　conventional　tone　that　was　ever　at　his　command：　〃Of　course　you　know　little　of　life　in　this　Arcadia。　　One　who　hopes　to　be　numbered　among　the　best　of　your　friends　prays　that　you　never　may。　　Yes；　senorita；　life　is　strange　strangely　commonplace　and　disillusionizingbut　sometimes　picturesque。　　Believe　me　when　I　say　that　nothing　stranger　has　ever　befallen　me　than　to　find　out　here　on　the　lonely　brink　of　a　continent　nearly　twenty　thousand　versts　from　Europe；　a　girl　of　six…　teen　with　the　grand　manner；　and　an　intellect　with…　out　the　detestable　idiosyncrasies　of　the　fashionable　bas　bleus　I　have　hitherto　had　the　misfortune　to　en…　counter。〃

She　was　tapping　the　table　slowly　with　her　fork；　and　he　noted　that　her　soft；　childish　mouth　was　set。　〃No　doubt　you　are　quite　right　to　put　me　off；〃　she　said　finally；　and　in　a　voice　as　even　as　his　own。　　〃And　my　intellect　would　do　me　little　good　if　it　did　not　teach　me　to　ignore　mysteries　I　can　never　hope　to　fathom。　　There　is　no　such　thing　as　life　in　your　sense　in　this　forgotten　corner　of　the　world；　nor　ever　will　be　in　my　time。　　If　you　come　back　and　visit　us　twenty　years　hence　you　will　find　me　fat　and　worn　like　Elena；　and　busy　every　minute　like　my　mother　unless；　indeed；　I　marry　Don　Weeliam　Sturgis　and　become　a　great　lady　in　Boston。　　It　would　not　be　so　mean　a　fate。〃

Rezanov　darted　a　look　of　angry　contempt　at　the　pale　young　man　who　was　eating　little　and　miser…　ably　watching　the　handsome　pair　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　〃You　will　not　marry　him！〃　he　said　briefly。

〃I　could　do　far　worse。〃　　Concha's　lashes　framed　an　adorable　glance　that　sent　the　blood　to　the　hair　of　the　sensitive　youth。　　〃You　have　no　idea　how　clever　and　good　he　is。　　AndMadre　de　Dios！　I　am　so　tired　of　California。〃

〃But　you　are　a　part　of　itthe　very　symbol　of　its　future；　it　seems　to　me。　　I　wish　I　had　a　sculptor　in　my　suite。　　I　should　make　him　model　you；　label　the　statue　'California；'　and　erect　it　on　the　peak　of　that　big　island　out　there。〃

〃That　is　very　poetical；　but　after　all；　you　are　only　saying　that　I　am　a　pretty　savage　with　an　education　that　will　be　more　common　in　the　next　generation。　It　is　little　consolation　for　an　existence　where　the　most　exciting　event　in　a　lifetime　is　the　arrival　of　a　foreign　ship　or　the　inauguration　of　a　governor。〃　And　once　more　she　smiled　at　Sturgis。　　He　raised　his　glass　impulsively；　and　she　hers　in　gay　response。　　A　moment　later　she　gave　the　signal　to　leave　the　table。　Rezanov　followed　her　back　to　the　sala　chewing　the　cud　of　many　reflections。



X

Concha　had　eaten　no　supper。　　As　she　entered　the　sala　she　clapped　her　hands；　the　guests　ranged　themselves　against　the　wall；　the　musicians；　livelier　than　ever；　flew　to　their　instruments；　with　the　drift…　ing；　swaying　movement　she　could　assume　at　will；　she　went　slowly；　absently；　to　the　middle　of　the　room。　Then　she　let　her　head　drop　backward；　as　if　with　the　weight　of　her　hair；　and　Rezanov；　vaguely　angry；　expected　one　of　those　appeals　to　the　senses　for　which　Spanish　women　of　another　sort　were　notorious。　　But　Concha；　after　tapping　the　floor　alternately　with　the　points　and　the　wooden　heels　of　her　slippers；　for　a　few　moments；　suddenly　made　an　imperious　gesture　to　Ignacio　Sal。　　He　sprang　to　her　side；　took　her　hand；　and　once　more　there　was　the　sa