rezanov-第23章

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〃You　have　been　drinking　Russian　tea；〃　said　Con…　cha；　stitching　quietly　but　flashing　him　a　glance　of　amusement；　not　wholly　without　malice。

〃It　is　true；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　suppose　I　never　really　believed　you　would　marry　Raimundo　or　Ignacio　or　any　of　the　caballeros。　　They　think　and　talk　of　noth…　ing　but　horse…racing；　gambling；　cock…fighting；　love　and　cigaritos。　　I　thought　of　you　always　here；　where　at　least　I　could　look　at　you　or　read　with　you。　　But　one　must　admit　that　this　Russian　is　no　ordinary　man。　　I　hate　him；　yet　like　him　more　than　any　I　have　ever　met。　　Last　night　I　stayed　to　punch　with　him；　and　we　talked　English　for　an　hour。　　That　is　to　say；　he　did；　I　could　have　listened　to　him　till　morning。　Langsdorff　says　that　he　has　the　greatest　possible　command　of　his　native　tongue；　but　he　speaks　Eng…　lish　well　enough。　　I　wish　I　could　despise　him；　but　I　do　not　believe　I　even　hate　him。〃

〃Well？〃　demanded　Concha。　　She　kept　her　eyes　on　her　work　（and　the　delight　that　rose　in　her　breast　from　her　voice）。

〃Well？〃

〃Why　should　you　hate　him？〃

〃Do　you　ask　me　that；　Concha；　when　he　makes　a　fence　of　himself　about　you；　and　his　fine　eyesprac…　tised　is　nearer　the　marklook　at　no　one　else？〃

〃But　why　should　that　cause　you　jealousy？　　He　is　a　man　of　the　world；　accustomed　to　make　himself　agreeable；　and　I　am　the　daughter　of　the　Com…　mandante。〃

〃He　is　more　in　love　with　you　than　he　knows。〃

〃Do　you　think　so；　Weeliam？〃　　Still　her　voice　was　innocent　and　even；　although　the　color　rose　above　the　inner　commotion。　　〃But　even　so；　what　of　it？　Have　not　many　loved　me？　　Am　I　to　be　won　by　the　first　stranger？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

The　tumult　in　Concha　turned　to　wrath；　and　she　lifted　flashing　eyes　to　his　moody　face。　　〃Do　you　presume　to　say　you　are　jealous　because　you　think　I　love　hima　stranger　I　have　known　but　a　week　who　looks　upon　me　as　a　childwho　has　never　never　thought〃　　But　her　dignity；　flying　to　the　rescue；　assumed　control。　　Her　upper　lip　curled；　her　body　stiffened　for　a　moment；　and　she　went　on　with　her　stitching。　　〃You　deserve　I　should　rap　your　silly　little　skull　with　my　thimble。　　You　are　no　better　than　Ignacio　and　Fernando。　　Such　scenes　as　I　have　had　with　them！　　They　wanted　to　fight　the　Russian！　How　he　would　laugh　at　them！　　I　have　threatened　they　shall　both　be　sent　to　San　Diego　if　there　is　any　more　nonsense。〃　　Then　curiosity　overcame　her。　〃You　never　had　the　least；　least　reason　to　think　I　would　marry　you；　and　now；　according　to　your　own　words；　you　think　you　have　less。　　Then　why；　pray；　did　you　address　me？〃

〃Because　I　am　a　man；　I　suppose。　　I　could　not　sit　tamely　down　and　see　you　go。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　a　slight　access　of　interest。　A　man？　　Perhaps　he　was；　after　all。　　And　his　well…　bred；　bony　face　looked　very　determined；　albeit　the　eyes　were　wistful。　　Suddenly　she　felt　sorry　for　him；　and　she　had　never　experienced　a　pang　of　sym…　pathy　for　a　suitor　before。　　She　leaned　forward　and　patted　his　hand。

〃I　cannot　marry　you；　dear　Weeliam；〃　she　said；　and　never　had　he　seen　her　so　sweet　and　adorable；　although　he　noted　with　a　pang　that　her　mouth　was　already　drawn　with　a　firmer　line。　　〃But　what　mat…　ter？　　I　shall　never　marry　at　all。　　For　many　years　forty；　fifty　perhapsI　shall　sit　here　on　the　veranda；　and　you　shall　read　to　me。〃

And　then　she　shivered　violently。　　But　she　set　her　mouth　until　it　was　almost　straight；　and　picked　up　the　little　dress。　　〃Not　that；　perhaps；〃　she　said　quietly　in　a　moment。　　〃I　sometimes　think　I　should　like　to　be　a　nun；　that；　after　all；　it　is　my　vocation。　Not　a　cloistered　one；　for　that　is　but　a　selfish　life。　But　to　teach；　to　do　good；　to　forget　myself。　　There　are　no　convents　in　California；　but　I　could　join　the　Third　Order　of　the　Franciscans；　and　wear　the　gray　habit；　and　be　set　aside　by　the　world　as　one　that　only　lived　to　make　it　a　little　better。　　To　forget　oneself！　That；　after　all；　may　be　the　secret　of　happiness。　　I　envy　none　of　my　friends　that　are　married。　　They　have　the　dear　children；　it　is　true。　　But　the　children　grow　up　and　go　away；　and　then　one　is　fat　and　eats　many　dulces　and　the　siesta　grows　longer　and　longer　and　the　face　very　brown。　　That　is　life　in　California。　I　should　prefer　to　work　and　pray；　and〃with　a　flash　of　insight　that　made　her　drop　her　work　again　and　stare　through　the　rose…vines〃to　dream　always　of　some　beautiful　thing　that　youth　promised　but　never　gave；　and　that　given　might　have　ended　in　dull　routine　and　a　brain　so　choked　with　little　things　that　memory　too　held　nothing　else。〃

〃But　Concha；〃　cried　Sturgis　eagerly；　〃I　could　give　you　far　better　than　that。　　I　could　take　you　away　from　hereto　Boston；　to　Europe。　　You　should　seelive　your　lifein　the　great　cities　you　have　dreamed　ofthat　you　hardly　believe　inthat　were　made　to　enjoy。　　I　have　told　you　of　the　theater；　the　operayou　should　go　to　the　finest　in　the　world。　You　should　wear　the　most　beautiful　gowns　and　jewels；　go　to　courts；　see　the　great　works　of　artI　am　not　trying　to　bribe　you；〃　he　stammered；　flushing　miserably。　　〃God　forbid　that　I　should　stoop　to　any…　thing　as　mean　as　that。　　But　it　all　rushed　upon　me　suddenly　that　I　could　give　you　so　much　that　you　were　made　for；　with　this　worthless　money　of　mine。　And　what　happiness　to　be　in　Europe　with　you　whatwhat〃

His　voice　trembled　and　broke；　and　he　dared　not　look　at　her。　　Again　she　stared　through　the　vines。　A　splendid　and　thrilling　panorama　rose　beyond　them；　her　bosom　heaved；　her　lips　parted。　　She　saw　herself　in　it；　and　not　alone。　　And　not；　alas；　with　the　honest　youth　whose　words　had　inspired　it。　　In　a　moment　she　shook　her　head　and　turned　her　eyes　on　the　flushed；　averted　face　of　her　suitor。

〃I　shall　never　see　Europe；〃　she　said　gently；　〃and　I　shall　never　marry。〃

〃Not　if　this　Russian　asks　you？〃　cried　Sturgis；　in　his　jealous　misery。

But　Concha's　anger　did　not　rise　again。　　〃He　has　no　intention　of　asking　a　little　California　girl　to　share　the　honors　of　one　of　the　most　brilliant　careers　in　Europe；〃　she　said　calmly。　　〃Set　your　mind　at　rest。　　He　has　paid　me　no　more　attention　than　is　due　my　position　as　the　daughter　of　the　Commandante；　and　perhaps　of　La　Favorita。　　If　I　flirt　a　little　and　he　flirts　in　response；　that　is　nothing。　　Is　he　not　then　a　man？　　But　he　will　forget　me　in　a　month。　　The　world；　his　world；　is　full　of　pretty　girls。〃

〃A　week　ago　you　would　not　have　said　that；〃　said　Sturgis　shrewdly。　　〃There　has　been　nothing　in　your　life　to　make　you　so　humble。〃

〃I　cannot　explain；　but　he　seems　to　have　brought　the　great　world　with　him。　　I　know；　I　understand　so　many　things　that　I　had　not　dreamed　of　a　week　ago。　　A　week！　　Madre　de　Dios！〃

And　Sturgis；　who　after　all　was　a　gallant　gentle…　man；　made　no　comment。



XIV

Governor　Arrillaga；　Commandante　Arguello；　and　Chamberlain　Rezanov　sat　in　the　familiar　sala　at　the　Presidio　content　in　body　after　a　culinary　achievement　worthy　of　Padre　Landaeta；　but　per…　turbed　and　alert　of　mind。　　Upon　the　arrival　of　the　two　California　dignitaries　in　the　morning；　Rezanov　had　sent　Davidov　and　Langsdorff　on　shore　to　assure　them　of　his　gratitude　and　deep　appreciation　of　the　hospitality　shown　himself；　his　officers　and　men。　　The　Governor　had　replied　with　a　fulsome　apology　for　not　repairing　at　once　to　the　Juno　to　welcome　his　dis…　tinguished　guest　in　person；　and；　pleading　his　age　and　the　one　hundred　and　seventy…five　English　miles　he　had　ridden　from　Monterey；　begged　him　as　a　younger　man　to　waive　informality；　and　dine　at　the　house　of　the　Commandante　that　very　day。　　Rezanov　had　complied　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　now　he　was　alone　with　the　men　who　held　his　fate　in　their　hands。　The　dark　worn　rugged　face　of　Don　Jose；　who　had　been　skilfully　prepared　by　his　oldest　daughter　to　think　well　of　the　Russian；　beamed　with　good…will　and　interest；　in　spite　of　lingering　doubts；　but　the　lank；　wiry　figure　of　the　Governor；　who　was　as　digni…　fied　as　only　a　blond　Spaniard　can　be；　was　fairly　rigid　with　the　severe　formality　he　reserved　for　occa…　sions　of　ceremonybeing　a　gentleman　who　loved　good　company　and　cheerand　his　sharp　gray　eyes　were　almost　shut　in　the　effort　to　penetrate　the　de…　signs　of　this　deputy；　this　symbol；　this　index　in　cipher；　of　a　dreaded　race。　　Rezanov　smoked　calmly；　made　himself　comfortable　on　the　slippery　horse…hair　chair；　though　with　no　loss　of　dignity；　and　beat　about　the　bush　with　the　others　until　the　Governor　betra