rezanov-第14部分

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　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　same　monotonous　tapping　of　toes　and　heels。　Then　they　whirled　apart；　bent　their　lithe　backs　until　their　brows　almost　touched　the　floor　in　a　salute　of　mock　admiration；　and　danced　to　and　from　each　other；　coquetry　in　the　very　tilt　of　her　eyebrows；　the　bare　semblance　of　masculine　indulgence　on　his　eager；　passionate　face。　　Suddenly　to　the　surprise　of　all；　she　snapped　her　fingers　directly　under　his　nose；　waved　her　hand；　turned　her　back；　and　made　a　peremptory　gesture　to　that　other　enamoured　young　swain；　Cap…　tain　Antonio　Castro　of　Monterey。　　Don　Ignacio；　surprised　and　discomfited；　retired　amidst　the　jeers　of　his　friends；　and　Concha；　with　her　most　vivacious　and　gracious　manner；　met　Castro　half　way；　and；　tak…　ing　his　hand；　danced　up　and　down　the　sala；　slowly　and　with　many　improvisations。　　Then；　as　they　re…　turned　to　the　center　of　the　room　and　stepped　lightly　apart　before　joining　in　a　gay　whirl；　she　snapped　her　fingers　under　HIS　nose；　made　a　gesture　of　dismissal　over　her　shoulder；　and　fluttered　an　uplifted　hand　in　the　direction　of　Sturgis。　　Again　there　was　a　de…　lighted　laughter；　again　a　discomforted　knight　and　a　triumphant　partner。

〃Concha　always　gives　us　something　we　do　not　expect；〃　said　Santiago　to　Rezanov；　whose　eyes　were　twinkling。　　〃The　other　girls　dance　El　Son　and　La　Jota　very　gracefullyyes。　　But　Conchita　dances　with　her　head；　and　the　musicians　and　the　partner；　when　she　takes　one；　have　all　they　can　do　to　follow。　She　will　choose　you；　next；　senor。〃

Rezanov　turned　cold；　and　measured　the　distance　to　the　door。　　〃I　hope　not！〃　he　said。　　〃I　should　hate　nothing　so　much　as　to　make　an　exhibition　of　myself。　The　dances　I　knowthat　is　all　very　wellbut　to　improvisefor　the　love　of　heaven　help　me　to　get　out！〃

But　Santiago；　who　was　watching　his　sister　in…　tently；　replied：　〃Wait　a　moment；　Excellency。　　I　do　not　think　she　will　choose　another。　　I　know　by　her　feet　that　she　intends　to　dance　El　Sonin　her　own　way；　of　courseafter　all。〃

Concha　circled　about　the　room　twice　with　Sturgis；　lifted　him　to　the　seventh　heaven　of　expectancy；　dis…　missed　him　as　abruptly　as　the　others。　　Lifting　her　chin　with　an　expression　of　supreme　disdain　for　all　his　sex；　she　stood　a　moment；　swaying；　her　arms　hanging　at　her　sides。

〃I　am　glad　she　will　not　dance　with　Weeliam；〃　muttered　Santiago。　　〃I　love　himyes；　but　the　Spanish　dance　is　not　for　the　Bostonian。〃

Rezanov　awaited　her　performance　with　an　in…　terest　that　caused　him　some　cynical　amusement。　But　in　a　moment　he　had　surrendered　to　her　once　more　as　a　creature　of　inexhaustible　surprise。　　The　musicians；　watching　her；　began　to　play　more　slowly。　Concha；　her　arms　still　supine；　her　head　lifted；　her　eyes　half　veiled；　began　to　dance　in　a　stately　and　measured　fashion　that　seemed　to　powder　her　hair　and　dissolve　the　partitions　before　an　endless　vista　of　rooms。　　Rezanov　had　a　sudden　vision　of　the　Hall　of　the　Ambassadors　in　the　royal　palace　at　Madrid；　where；　when　a　young　man　on　his　travels；　he　had　attended　a　state　ball。　　There　he　had　seen　the　most　dignified　beauties　of　Europe　dance　at　the　most　for…　mal　of　its　courts。　　But　Concha　created　the　illusion　of　having　stepped　down　from　the　throne　in　some　bygone　fashion　to　dance　alone　for　her　subjects　and　adorers。

She　raised　her　arms；　barely　budding　at　the　top；　with　a　gesture　that　was　not　only　the　poetry　of　grace　but　as　though　bestowing　some　royal　favor；　when　she　curved　and　swayed　her　body；　again　it　was　with　the　lofty　sweetness　of　one　too　highly　placed　to　descend　to　mere　seductiveness。　　She　glided　up　and　down；　back　and　forth；　with　a　dreamy　revealing　mo…　tion　as　if　assisting　to　shape　some　vague　impas…　sioned　image　in　the　brain　of　a　poet。　　She　lifted　her　little　feet　in　a　manner　that　transformed　boards　into　clouds。　　There　were　moments　when　she　seemed　actually　to　soar。

〃She　is　a　little　genius！〃　thought　Rezanov　en…　thusiastically。　　〃Anything　could　be　made　of　a　woman　like　that。〃

It　was　not　her　dancing　alone　that　interested　him；　but　its　effect　on　her　audience。　　The　young　men　had　begun　with　audible　expressions　of　approval。　　They　were　now　shouting　and　stamping　and　clapping。　Suddenly；　as　once　more　she　danced　back　to　the