rs.undertheandes-第6部分

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　The　vagaries　and　caprices　of　a　beautiful　woman　are　always　interesting；　and　when　you　are　allowed　to　study　them　at　close　range　without　being　under　the　necessity　of　acting　the　part　of　a　faithful　lover　they　bee　doubly　so。
　Le　Mire　managed　Harry　with　wonderful　tact　and　finesse；　I　sat　back　and　laughed　at　the　performance；　now　and　then　applying　a　check　when　her　riotous　imagination　seemed　likely　to　run　away　with　us。
　At　San　Francisco　she　achieved　a　triumph；　notorious　to　the　point　of　embarrassment。　Paul　Lamar；　of　New　York；　had　introduced　himself　into　the　highest　circle　of　society；　and　in　turn　had　introduced　his　friends；　Senor　and　Senora　Ramal。　The　senora　captured　the　town　in　a　single　night　at　a　reception　and　ball　on　Telegraph　Hill。
　The　day　following　there　were　several　dozens　of　cards　left　for　her　at　our　hotel；　invitations　arrived　by　the　score。　She　accepted　two　or　three　and　made　the　fortune　of　two　drawing…rooms；　then　suddenly　tired　of　the　sport　and　insulted　a　most　estimable　lady；　our　hostess；　by　certain　remarks　which　inadvertently　reached　the　ears　of　the　lady's　husband。
　〃You　have　done　for　yourself；　Le　Mire；〃　I　told　her。
　She　answered　me　with　a　smile…straightway　proceeded　to　issue　invitations　for　an　〃entertainment〃　at　our　hotel。　I　had　no　idea　what　she　meant　to　do；　but　gave　the　thing　no　thought；　feeling　certain　that　few；　or　none；　of　the　invitations　would　be　accepted　…wherein　I　was　badly　mistaken；　for　not　one　was　refused。
　Well；　Le　Mire　danced　for　them。
　For　myself　it　was　barely　interesting；　I　have　passed　the　inner　portals　of　the　sacred　temples　of　India；　and　the　human　body　holds　no　surprises　for　me。　But　the　good　people　of　San　Francisco　were　shocked；　astonished；　and　entranced。　Not　a　man　in　the　room　but　was　Le　Mire's　slave；　even　the　women　were　forced　to　applaud。　She　became　at　once　a　goddess　and　an　outcast。
　The　newspapers　of　the　following　morning　were　full　of　it；　running　the　scale　of　eulogy；　admiration；　and　wonder。　And　one　of　the　articles；　evidently　written　by　a　man　who　had　been　considerably　farther　east　than　San　Francisco；　ended　with　the　following　paragraph：
　In　short；　it　was　sublime；　and　with　every　movement　and　every　gesture　there　was　a　something　hidden；　a　suggestion　of　a　personality　and　mysterious　charm　that　we　have　always　heretofore　considered　the　exclusive　property　of　just　one　woman　in　the　world。　But　Desiree　Le　Mire　is　not　in　San　Francisco；　though　we　declare　that　the　performance　of　last　evening　was　more　than　enough　to　rouse　certain　suspicions；　especially　in　view　of　Le　Mire's　mysterious　disappearance　from　New　York。
　
　I　took　the　paper　to　Desiree　in　her　room；　and　while　she　read　the　article　stood　gazing　idly　from　a　window。　It　was　about　eleven　in　the　morning；　Harry　had　gone　for　a　walk；　saying　that　he　would　return　in　half　an　hour　to　join　us　at　breakfast。
　〃Well？〃　said　Desiree　when　she　had　finished。
　〃But　it　is　not　well；〃　I　retorted；　turning　to　face　her。　〃I　do　not　reproach　you；　you　are　being　amused；　and　so；　I　confess；　am　I。
　But　your　name…that　is；　Le　Mire…has　been　mentioned；　and　discovery　is　sure　to　follow。　We　must　leave　San　Francisco　at　once。〃
　〃But　I　find　it　entertaining。〃
　〃Nevertheless；　we　must　leave。〃
　〃But　if　I　choose　to　stay？〃
　〃No；　for　Harry　would　stay　with　you。〃
　〃Well；　then…I　won't　go。〃
　〃Le　Mire；　you　will　go？〃
　She　sent　me　a　flashing　glance；　and　for　a　moment　I　half　expected　an　explosion。　Then；　seeming　to　think　better　of　it；　she　smiled：
　〃But　where？　We　can't　go　west　without　falling　into　the　ocean；　and　I　refuse　to　return。　Where？〃
　〃Then　we'll　take　the　ocean。〃
　She　looked　up　questioningly；　and　I　continued：
　〃What　would　you　say　to　a　yacht…a　hundred　and　twenty　foot　steamer；　with　a　daredevil　captain　and　the　coziest　little　cabins　in　the　world？〃
　〃Bah！〃　Le　Mire　snapped　her　fingers　to　emphasize　her　incredulity。　〃It　does　not　exist。〃
　〃But　it　does。　Afloat　and　in　mission；　to　be　had　for　the　asking　and　the　necessary　check。　Dazzling　white；　in　perfect　order；　a　second　Antoine　for　a　chef；　rooms　furnished　as　you　would　your　own　villa。　What　do　you　say？〃
　〃Really？〃　asked　Le　Mire　with　sparkling　eyes。
　〃Really。〃
　〃Here…in　San　Francisco？〃
　〃In　the　harbor。　I　saw　her　myself　this　morning。〃
　〃Then　I　say…allons！　Ah；　my　friend；　you　are　perfection！
　I　want　to　see　it。　Now！　May　I？　e！〃
　I　laughed　at　her　eager　enthusiasm　as　she　sprang　up　from　her　chair。
　〃Le　Mire；　you　are　positively　a　baby。　Something　new　to　play　with！　Well；　you　shall　have　it。　But　you　haven't　had　breakfast。
　We'll　go　out　to　see　her　this　afternoon；　in　fact；　I　have　already　made　an　appointment　with　the　owner。〃
　〃Ah！　Indeed；　you　are　perfection。　And…how　well　you　know　me。〃　She　paused　and　seemed　to　be　searching　for　words；　then　she　said　abruptly：　〃M。　Lamar；　I　wish　you　to　do　me　a　favor。〃
　〃Anything；　Le　Mire；　in　or　out　of　reason。〃
　Again　she　hesitated；　then：
　〃Do　not　call　me　Le　Mire。〃
　I　laughed。
　〃But　certainly；　Senora　Ramal。　And　what　is　the　favor？〃
　〃That。〃
　〃That…〃
　〃Do　not　call　me　Le　Mire…nor　Senora　Ramal。〃
　〃Well；　but　I　must　address　you　occasionally。〃
　〃Call　me　Desiree。〃
　I　looked　at　her　with　a　smile。
　〃But　I　thought　that　that　was　reserved　for　your　particular　friends。〃
　〃So　it　is。〃
　〃Then；　my　dear　senora；　it　would　be　impertinent　of　me。〃
　〃But　if　I　request　it？〃
　〃I　have　said…anything　in　or　out　of　reason。　And；　of　course；　I　am　one　of　the　family。〃
　〃Is　that　the　only　reason？〃
　I　began　to　understand　her；　and　I　answered　her　somewhat　dryly：　〃My　dear　Desiree；　there　can　be　none　other。〃
　〃Are　you　so…cold？〃
　〃When　I　choose。〃
　〃Ah！〃　It　was　a　sigh　rather　than　an　exclamation。　〃And　yet；　on　the　ship…do　you　remember？　Look　at　me；　M。　Lamar。　Am　I　not…am　I　so　little　worthy　of　a　thought？〃
　Her　lips　were　parted　with　tremulous　feeling；　her　eyes　glowed　with　a　strange　fire；　and　yet　were　tender。　Indeed；　she　was　〃worthy　of　a　thought〃…dangerously　so；　I　felt　my　pulse　stir。　It　was　necessary　to　assume　a　stoicism　I　was　far　from　feeling；　and　I　looked　at　her　with　a　cynical　smile　and　spoke　in　a　voice　as　carefully　deliberate　as　I　could　make　it。
　〃Le　Mire；〃　I　said；　〃I　could　love　you；　but　I　won't。〃　And　I　turned　and　left　her　without　another　word。
　Why？　I　haven't　the　slightest　idea。　It　must　have　been　my　vanity。　Some　few　men　had　conquered　Le　Mire；　others　had　surrendered　to　her；　certainly　none　had　ever　been　able　to　resist　her。　There　was　a　satisfaction　in　it。　I　walked　about　the　lobby　of　the　hotel　till　Harry　returned；　idiotically　pleased　with　myself。
　At　the　breakfast　table　I　acquainted　Harry　with　our　plans　for　a　cruise；　and　he　was　fully　as　eager　about　it　as　Le　Mire　had　been。
　He　wanted　to　weigh　anchor　that　very　afternoon。　I　explained　that　it　was　necessary　to　wait　for　funds　from　New　York。
　〃How　much？〃　said　he。　〃I'm　loaded。〃
　〃I've　sent　for　a　hundred　thousand；〃　said　I。
　〃Are　you　going　to　buy　her？〃　he　demanded　with　astonishment。
　Then　we　fell　to　a　discussion　of　routes。　Harry　was　for　Hawaii；　Le　Mire　for　South　America。
　We　tossed　a　coin。
　〃Heads；〃　said　Desiree；　and　so　it　fell。
　I　requested　Le　Mire　to　keep　to　the　hotel　as　closely　as　possible　for　the　days　during　which　it　was　necessary　for　us　to　remain　in　San　Francisco。　She　did　so；　but　with　an　apparent　effort。
　I　have　never　seen　a　creature　so　full　of　nervous　energy　and　fire；　only　by　severe　restraint　could　she　force　herself　to　even　a　small　degree　of　posure。　Harry　was　with　her　nearly　every　minute；　though　what　they　found　to　talk　about　was　beyond　my　prehension。
　Neither　was　exactly　bubbling　over　with　ideas；　and　one　cannot　say　〃I　love　you〃　for　twenty…four　hours　a　day。
　It　was　a　cool；　sunny　day　in　the　latter　part　of　October　when　we　weighed　anchor　and　passed　through　the　Golden　Gate。　I　had　leased　the　yacht　for　a　year；　and　had　made　alternative　plans　in　case　Le　Mire　should　tire　of　the　sport；　which　I　thought　extremely　probable。
　She　and　Harry　were　delighted　with　the　yacht；　which　was　not　surprising；　for　she　was　as　perfect　a　craft　as　I　have　seen。　Sides　white　as　sea…foam；　everything　above　decks　of　shining　brass；　below　mahogany；　and　as　clean　and　shipshape　as　a　Dutch　kitchen。　There　were　five　rooms　besides　the　captain's；　and　a　reception…room；　dining…room；　and　library。　We　had　provisioned　her　well；　and　had　a　jewel　of　a　cook。
　Our　first　port　was　Santa　Catalina。　We　dropped　anchor　there　at　about　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　such　a　day　as　only　southern　California　can　boast　of；　and　the　dingey　was　lowered　to　take　us　ashore。
　〃What　is　there？〃　asked　Le　Mire；　pointing　to　the　shore　as　we　stood　leaning　on　the　rail　waiting　for　the　crew　to　place　the　ladder。
　I　answered：　〃Tourists。〃
　Le　Mire　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃Tourists？　Bah！　Merci；　non。　Allons！〃
　I　laughed　and　went　forward　to　the　captain　to　tell　him　that　madame　did　not　approve　of　Santa　Catalina。　In　another　minute　the　dingey　was　back　on　its　davits；　the　anchor　up；　and　we　were　under　way。　Poor　captain！　Within　a　week　he　became　used　to　Le　Mire's　sudden　whims。
　At　San　Diego　we　went　ashore。　Le　Mire　took　a　fancy　to　some　Indian　blankets；　and　Harry　bought　them　for　her；　but　when　she　expressed　an　intention　to　take　an　Indian　girl…about　sixteen　or　seventeen　years　old…aboard　the　yacht　as　a　〃panion；〃　I　interposed　a　firm　negative。　And；　after　all；　she　nearly　had　her　way。
　For　a　month　it　was　〃just　one　port　after　another。〃　Mazatlan；　San　Bias；　Manzanillo；　San　Salvador；　Panama　City…at　each　of　these　we　touched；　and　visited　sometimes　an　hour；　sometimes　two　or　three　days。　Le　Mire　was　loading　the　yacht　with　all　sorts　of　curious　relics。　Ugly　or　beautiful；　useful　or　worthless；　genuine　or　faked；　it　mattered　not　to　her；　if　a　thing　suited　her　fancy　she　wanted　it…and　got　it。
　At　Guayaquil　occurred　the　first　collision　of　wills。　It　was　our　second　evening　in　port。　We　were　dining　on　the　deck　of　the　yacht；　with　half　a　dozen　South　American　generals　and　admirals　as　guests。
　Toward　the　end　of　the　dinner　Le　Mire　suddenly　became　silent　and　remained　for　some　minutes　lost　in　thought；　then；　suddenly；　she　turned　to　the　bundle　of　gold　lace　at　her　side　with　a　question：
　〃Where　is　Guayaquil？〃
　He　stared　at　her　in　amazement。
　〃It　is　there；　senora；〃　he　said　finally；　pointing　to　the　shore　lined　with　twinkling　lights。
　〃I　know；　I　know；〃　said　Le　Mire　impatiently；　〃but　where　is　it？
　In　what　country？〃
　The　poor　fellow；　too　surprised　to　be　offended；　stammered　the　name　of　his