rezanov-第25章

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Rezanov　rose；　and　the　Commandante　solemnly　kissed　him　on　either　cheek。　　〃Governor　Arrillaga　is　my　guest；　Excellency；〃　he　said。　　〃I　beg　that　you　will　dine　with　us　dailyunofficiallythat　you　will　re…　gard　California　as　your　own　kingdom；　and　come　and　go　at　your　pleasure。　　And　my　daughter　begs　me　to　remind　you　and　your　young　officers　that　there　will　be　informal　dancing　every　night。〃

〃So　far　so　good；〃　thought　Rezanov；　as　he　mounted　his　horse　to　return　to　the　Juno。　　〃But　what　of　my　cargo？　　I　fancy　there　will　be　more　diffi…　culty　in　that　quarter。〃



XV

The　Chamberlain　was　in　a　towering　bad　humor。　As　he　made　his　appearance　at　least　two　hours　earlier　than　he　was　expected；　he　found　the　decks　of　the　Juno　covered　with　the　skins　of　sea…dogs；　foxes；　and　birds。　　He　had　heard　Langsdorff　go　to　his　cabin　later　than　usual　the　night　before；　and　that　his　pet　aversion　was　the　cause　of　a　fresh　grievance；　but　hastened　the　eruption　of　his　smouldering　resentment　toward　life　in　general。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　he　roared　to　the　sailor　on　watch。　　〃Clear　them　offoverboard；　every　one　of　them。　　What　are　you　staring　at？〃

The　sailor；　who　was　a　〃Bostonian；〃　an　inheri…　tance　with　the　ship；　opened　his　mouth　in　favor　of　the　unfortunate　professor；　but　like　his　mates；　he　stood　in　much　awe　of　a　master　whose　indulgence　demanded　implicit　obedience　in　return。　　Without　further　ado；　he　flung　the　skins　into　the　sea。

Rezanov；　to　do　him　justice；　would　not　have　acted　otherwise　had　he　risen　in　the　best　of　tempers。　　He　had　inflicted　himself　with　the　society　of　the　learned　doctor　that　he　might　always　have　a　physician　and　surgeon　at　hand；　as　well　as　an　interpreter　where　Latin　was　the　one　door　of　communication。　　He　should　pay　him　handsomely；　make　him　a　present　in　addition　to　the　sum　agreed　upon；　but　he　had　not　the　least　intention　of　giving　up　any　of　the　Juno's　precious　space　to　the　vagaries　of　a　scientist；　nor　to　submit　to　the　pollution　of　her　atmosphere。　　Langs…　dorff　was　his　creature；　and　the　sooner　he　realized　the　fact　the　better。

〃Remember；〃　he　said　to　the　sailor；　〃no　more　of　this；　or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you　　What　is　this？〃　　He　had　come　upon　a　pile　of　ducks；　gulls；　pelicans；　and　other　aquatic　birds。　　〃Are　these　the　cook's　or　the　professor's？〃

〃The　professor's；　Excellency。〃

〃Overboard。〃　　And　the　birds　followed　the　skins。

Rezanov　turned　to　confront　the　white　and　trembling　Langsdorff。　　The　naturalist　was　enfolded　in　a　gorgeous　Japanese　dressing…gown；　purple　bro…　cade　embroidered　with　gold；　that　he　had　surrepti…　tiously　bought　in　the　harbor　of　Nagasaki。　　To　Rezanov　it　was　like　a　red　rag　to　a　bull；　but　the　pro…　fessor　was　oblivious　at　the　moment　of　the　tactless　garment。　　His　eyes　were　glaring　and　the　extended　tip　of　his　nose　worked　like　a　knife　trying　to　leap　from　its　sheath。　　But　although　he　occasionally　ven…　tured　upon　a　retort　when　goaded　too　far　in　conver…　sation；　he　was　able　to　curb　his　just　indignation　when　the　Chamberlain　was　in　a　bad　temper。　　In　that　vague　gray　under　winking　stars　in　their　last　watch；　Rez…　anov　seemed　to　tower　six　feet　above　him。

〃Excellency；〃　he　murmured。

〃Well？〃

〃Mymy　specimens。〃

〃Your　what？〃

〃The　cause　of　science　is　very　dear　to　me；　Excel…　lency。〃

〃So　it　is　to　mein　its　proper　place。　　Were　those　skins　yours？〃　　His　voice　became　very　suave。　　〃I　am　sorry　you　should　have　fatigued　yourself　for　noth…　ing；　but　I　am　forced　to　remind　you　that　this　is　not　an　expedition　undertaken　for　the　promotion　of　nat…　ural　history。　　I　am　not　violating　my　part　in　the　con…　tract；　I　believe。　　Upon　our　arrival　at　Sitka　you　are　at　liberty　to　remain　as　my　guest　and　make　use　of　the　first　boat　that　sails　for　this　colony；　but　for　the　present　I　beg　that　you　will　limit　yourself　to　the　re…　quirements　of　your　position　on　my　staff。〃

He　turned　his　back　and　ordered　a　canoe　to　be　lowered。　　Since　the　arrival　of　the　Governor　and　Commandante；　now　three　days　ago；　all　restrictions　on　his　liberty　had　been　removed；　and　the　phrases　of　hospitality　were　a　trifle　less　meaningless。　　He　had　been　asked　to　give　his　word　to　keep　away　from　the　fortifications；　and　as　he　knew　quite　as　much　of　the　military　resources　of　the　country　as　he　desired；　he　had　merely　suppressed　a　smile　and　given　his　promise。

This　morning　he　wanted　nothing　but　a　walk。　　He　had　slept　badly；　the　blood　was　in　his　head；　his　nerves　were　on　edge。　　He　went　rapidly　along　the　beach　and　over　the　steep　hills　that　led　to　the　north…　eastern　point　of　the　peninsula。　　But　he　had　taken　the　walk　before　and　did　not　turn　his　head　to　look　at　the　great　natural　amphitheater　formed　by　the　inner　slopes　of　those　barren　heights；　so　uninterest…　ing　of　outline　from　the　water。　　Once　when　Luis　had　left　him　to　go　down　with　an　order　to　the　Bat…　tery　of　Yerba　Buena；　he　had　examined　it　critically　and　concluded　that　never　had　there　been　so　fine　a　site　for　a　great　city。　　Nor　a　more　beautiful；　with　the　broken　line　of　the　San　Bruno　mountains　in　the　distance　and　a　glimpse　of　the　Mission　valley　just　beyond　this　vast　colosseum；　whose　steep　imposing　lines　were　destined　by　nature　to　be　set　with　palaces　and　bazaars；　minarets　and　towers　and　churches；　with　a　thousand　gilded　domes　and　slender　crosses　glittering　in　the　crystal　air　and　sunlight。　　If　not　another　Moscow；　then　an　Irkutsk　in　his　day；　at　least。

But　he　did　not　give　the　chosen　site　of　his　city　a　glance　to…day；　although　in　this　gray　air　before　dawn　when　mystery　and　imagination　most　closely　embrace；　he　might　at　another　time　have　forgotten　himself　in　one　of　those　fits　of　dreaming　that　slipped　him　out　of　touch　with　realities；　and　sometimes　pre…　cipitated　action　in　a　manner　highly　gratifying　to　his　enemies。

But　much　as　he　loved　Russia；　there　were　times　when　he　loved　his　own　way　more；　and　since　the　arrival　of　Governor　Arrillaga　he　was　beginning　to　feel　as　he　had　felt　in　the　harbor　of　Nagasaki。　　Not　a　word　since　that　first　interview　had　been　said　of　his　cargo；　nor　even　of　the　treaty；　although　nothing　could　have　been　more　natural　than　the　discussion　of　details。　　Whenever　he　had　delicately　broached　either　subject；　he　had　been　met　with　a　polite　indif…　ference；　that　had　little　in　common　with　the　cor…　diality　otherwise　shown　him。　　He　foresaw　that　he　might　be　obliged　to　reveal　the　more　pressing　object　of　his　visit　without　further　diplomacy；　and　the　thought　irritated　him　beyond　endurance。

Whether　Concha　were　giving　him　her　promised　aid　he　had　no　means　of　discovering；　and　herein　lay　another　cause　of　his　general　vexation。　　He　had　dined　every　day　at　the　Commandante's；　danced　there　every　night。　　Concha　had　been　vivacious；　friendlyimpersonal。　　Not　so　much　as　a　coquettish　lift　of　the　brow　betrayed　that　the　distinguished　stranger　eclipsed　the　caballeros　for　the　moment；　nor　a　whispered　word　that　he　retained　the　friendship　she　had　offered　him　on　the　day　of　their　meeting。　He　had　not；　indeed；　had　a　word　with　her　alone。　But　his　interest　and　admiration　had　deepened。　　It　was　evident　that　her　father　and　the　Governor　adored　her；　would　deny　her　little。　　Her　attitude　to　them　was　alternately　that　of　the　petted　child　and　the　chosen　companion。　　As　her　mother　was　indisposed；　she　occupied　her　place　at　the　table；　presiding　with　dignity；　guiding　the　conversation；　revealing　the　rare　gift　of　making　everyone　appear　at　his　best。　　In　the　evening　she　had　sometimes　danced　alone　for　a　few　moments；　but　more　often　with　her　Russian　guests；　and　readily　learning　the　English　country　dances　they　were　anxious　to　teach。　　Rezanov　would　have　found　the　gay　informality　of　these　evenings　delight…　ful　had　his　mind　been　at　ease　about　his　Sitkans；　and　Concha　a　trifle　more　personal。　　He　had　begun　by　suspecting　that　she　was　maneuvering　for　his　scalp；　but　he　was　forced　to　acquit　her；　for　not　only　did　she　show　no　provocative　favor　to　another；　but　she　seemed　to　have　gained　in　dignity　and　pride　since　his　arrival；　actually　to　have　kissed　her　hand　in　farewell　to　the　childhood　he　had　been　so　slow　in　divining；　grownhe　felt　rather　than　analyzedabove　the　pettiness　of　coquetry。　　Once　more　she　had　stirred　the　dormant　ideals　of　his　early　manhood；　there　were　moments　when　she　floated　before　his　inner　vision　as　the　embodiment　of　the　world's　beauty。　Nor　ever　had　there　been　a　woman　born　more　elab…　orately　equipped　for　the　position　of　a　public　man's　ma