rezanov-第6章

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apped　her　firm　white　fingers〃for　all　the　Bour…　bons　that　are　in　Europe。　　Bonaparte！　　Do　you　know　him？　　Have　you　seen　him？〃

〃I　have　seen　him　insult　poor　Markov；　our　ambas…　sador　to　France；　when　I　can　assure　you　that　he　looked　like　neither　a　demi…god　nor　a　gentleman。　When　you　have　improved　my　Spanish　I　will　tell　you　many　anecdotes　of　him。　　Meanwhile；　am　I　to　as…　sume　that　you　reserve　your　admiration　for　the　man　that　carves　his　career　in　defiance　of　the　rusty　old　machinery？〃

〃I　do！　　I　do！　　My　father　was　of　the　people；　a　poor　boy。　　He　has　risen　to　be　the　most　powerful　of　all　Californians；　although　the　King　he　adores　never　makes　him　Gobernador　Proprietario。　　I　tell　him　he　should　be　the　first　to　recognize　the　genius　and　the　ambitions　of　a　Bonaparte。　　The　mere　thought　hor…　rifies　him。　　But　in　me　that　same　strong　plebeian　blood　makes　another　cry；　and　if　my　father　had　but　enough　men　at　his　back；　and　the　will　to　make　him…　self　King　of　the　CaliforniasMadre　de　Dios！　how　I　should　help　him！〃

〃At　least　I　know　her　better　than　she　knows　me；〃　thought　Rezanov；　as　the　inner　door　was　thrown　open　and　another　bare　room　with　a　long　table　laden　with　savory　food　on　a　superb　silver　service　was　re…　vealed。　　〃And　if　I　know　anything　of　women；　I　can　trust　herfor　as　long　as　she　may　be　necessary；　at　all　events。〃



III

〃Santiago！〃　whispered　Concha。　　〃Do　not　go　down　to　the　ship。　　Take　me　for　a　walk。　　I　have　much　to　say。〃

Santiago；　who　had　not　been　asked　to　form　one　of　the　escort　upon　the　return　of　the　Russians　to　the　Juno　for　the　night；　felt　injured　and　sulky　and　deigned　no　reply。

〃If　you　do　not；　I'll　not　braid　your　hair　to…mor…　row；〃　said　his　sister；　giving　his　arm　a　little　shake；　and　he　succumbed。　　The　luxuriant　tresses　of　the　male　Arguellos　were　combed　and　braided　and　tied　with　a　ribbon　every　morning　by　the　women　of　the　family；　and　Concha's　fingers　were　the　gentlest　and　deftest。　　And　Concha　and　Santiago　were　more　inti…　mate　than　even　the　rest　of　that　united　family。　　They　had　studied　and　read　together；　were　equally　dis…　satisfied　with　their　narrow　existence；　ambitious　for　a　wider　experience。　　Santiago　consoled　himself　with　cards　and　training　roosters　for　battle；　and　otherwise　as　a　man　may。　　He　was　but　fifteen；　this　haughty；　severe…looking　young　hidalgo；　but　while　in　some　re…　spects　many　years　older　than　his　sister；　in　others　he　was　younger；　for　he　possessed　none　of　her　illuminating　instinct。

She　led　him　through　a　postern　gate；　round　the　first　of　the　dunes；　and　they　were　alone　in　a　waste　of　sand。　　She　demanded　abruptly：

〃What　do　you　think　of　our　illustrious　visitor？〃

〃I　like　him。　　He　would　wring　your　neck　if　you　got　in　his　way；　but　has　a　kind　heart　for　those　that　call　him　master。　　I　like　that　sort　of　a　man。　　I　wish　he　would　take　me　away　with　him。〃

〃He　shallone　of　these　days。　　Santiago　mio；　let　me　whisper〃　　She　pulled　his　ear　down　to　her　lips。　　〃He　will　marry　me。　　I　feel　it。　　I　know　it。　He　has　talked　to　me　the　whole　day。　　He　has　told　me　grave　secrets。　　Not　even　to　you　would　I　reveal　them。　　So　many　have　loved　mewhy　should　not　he？　　I　shall　live　in　St。　Petersburg；　and　see　all　Europe！thousands　of　peopleDios　mio！　　Dios　mio！〃

〃Indeed！〃　　Santiago；　still　unamiable；　responded　to　this　confidence　with　a　sneer。　　〃You　aspire　very　high　for　a　little　girl　of　the　wilderness；　without　for…　tune；　and　only　half　a　coat…of…arms；　so　to　speak。　　Do　you　know　that　this　RezanovDr。　Langsdorff　has　told　us　all　about　himis　a　great　noble；　one　of　the　ten　barons　of　Russia；　and　a　Chamberlain　in　accord…　ance　with　a　decree　of　Peter　the　Great　that　court　titles　should　be　bestowed　as　a　reward　for　distin…　guished　services　alone？　　He　got　a　fortune　in　his　youth　by　marriage　with　a　daughter　of　Shelikov　that　Siberian　who　founded　the　Russian　colonies　in　America。　　The　wife　died　almost　immediately；　but　the　Baron's　influence　remained　with　Shelikovfor　his　influence　at　court　was　even　greaterand　after　the　older　man's　death；　with　his　mother…in…law；　who　is　uncommonly　clever。　　Shelikov's　schemes　were　but　little　sketches　beside　Rezanov's；　who　from　merely　a　courtier　and　a　gay　blood　about　town　developed　into　a　great　man　of　business；　with　an　ambition　to　corre…　spond。　　It　was　he　who　got　the　Imperial　ukase　that　gave　the　Russian…American　Company　its　power　to　squeeze　all　the　other　fur　hunters　and　traders　out　of　the　northeast；　and　made　Rezanov　and　everybody　belonging　to　it　so　rich　your　head　would　swim　if　I　told　you　the　number　of　doubloons　they　spend　in　a　year。　　Nobody　has　ever　been　so　clever　at　managing　those　old　beasts　of　autocrats　as　he。　　They　think　him　merely　the　accomplished　courtier；　a　brilliant　dilet…　tante；　a　condescending　patron　of　art　and　letters；　a　devotee　of　pleasure；　and　all　the　time　he　is　pulling　their　befuddled　old　brains　about　to　suit　himself。　The　Tsar　Paul　was　a　lunatic　and　they　murdered　him；　but　meanwhile　he　signed　the　ukase。　　The　Tsar　Alexander；　who　is　not　so　bad　nor　so　silly　as　the　others；　thinks　there　is　no　man　so　clever　as　Rezanov；　who　addresses　him　personally　when　sending　home　his　reports。　　Do　you　know　what　all　that　means？　Your　plenipotentiary　is　not　only　a　Chamberlain　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