Rezanov

  XX

  The next morning Father Abella rode over to the Presidio and wascloseted for an hour with the Commandante and the Governor. Then thethree rode down to the beach, entered a canoe, and paddled out to theJuno. Rezanov met them on deck with a gravity as significant as theirown, but led them at once to the cabin where wine, and the cigarettesfor which alone they would have counselled the treaty, awaited them.

  The quartette pledged each other in an embarrassed silence, disposed ofa moment more with obdurate matches. Don Jose inhaled audibly, thenlifted his eyes and met the veiled and steady gaze of the Russian.

  "Senor," he said, "I have come to tell you that I consent to yourmarriage with my daughter."

  "Thank you," said Rezanov. And their hands clasped across the table.

  But this was far too simple for the taste of a Governor. So importantan occasion demanded official dignity and many words.

  "Your excellency," he said severely, sitting very erect, with one whitehand on the table and the other on the hilt of his sword (yet full ofcourtesy, and longing to enjoy the cheer and conversation of his host);"the peaceful monotony of our lives has been rudely shaken by a demandupon three fallible human beings to alter the course of history in twogreat nations. That is a sufficient excuse for the suspense to whichwe have been forced to subject you. The marriage of a Russian and aSpaniard is of no great moment in itself, but the marriage of thePlenipotentiary of the Tsar himself with the daughter of Jose MarioArguello, not only one of the most eminent, respected, anddistinguished of His Most Catholic Majesty's subjects in New Spain, buta man so beloved and influential that he could create a revolution werehe so minded--indeed, Jose, no one knows better than I how incapableyou are of treason"--as the Commandante gave a loud exclamation ofhorror--"I merely illustrate and emphasize. My sands are nearly run,Excellency; it is to the estimable mind and strong paternal hand of myfriend that this miserable colony must look before long, would shecontinue even this hand to mouth existence--a fact well known to ourking and natural lord. When he hears of this projected alliance--"

  "Projected?" exclaimed Rezanov. "I wish to marry at once."

  Father Abella shook his head vigorously, but he spoke with greatkindness. "That, Excellency, alas, is the one point upon which we areforced to disappoint you. Indeed, our own submission to your wishes iscontingent. This marriage cannot take place without a dispensationfrom Rome and the consent of the King."

  Rezanov looked at Don Jose. "You, too?" he asked curtly.

  The Commandante stirred uneasily, heaved a deep sigh; he thought of thelong impatience of his Concha. "It is true," he said. "Not only wouldit be impossible for my conscience to resign itself to the marriage ofmy daughter with a heretic--pardon, Excellency--without the blessing ofthe Pope; not only would no priest in California perform the ceremonyuntil it arrived, but it would mean the degradation of GovernorArrillaga and myself, and the ruin of all your other hopes. We shouldbe ordered summarily to Mexico, perhaps worse, and no Russian wouldever be permitted to set foot in the Californias again. I would itwere otherwise. I know--I know--but it is inevitable. Your excellencymust see it. Even were you a Catholic, Governor Arrillaga and thePresident of the Missions, at least, would not dare to countenance thismarriage without the consent of the King."

  Rezanov was silent for a few minutes. In spite of the emotions of thepast few days he was astonished at the depth and keenness of hisdisappointment. But never yet had he failed to realize when he wasbeaten, nor to trim his sails without loss of precious time.

  "Very well," he said. "I will go to St. Petersburg at the earliestpossible moment, obtain personal letters from the Tsar and proceed posthaste to Rome and Madrid. At the same time I shall arrange for thetreaty with full authority from the Tsar. Then I shall sail from Spainto Mexico and reach here as soon as may be. It will take a long while,the best part of two years; but I have your word--"

  "You have," the three asserted with solemn emphasis.

  "Very well. But there is one thing more. I am not in a diplomatichumor. My Sitkans are starving. I must leave here with a shipload ofbreadstuffs."

  Again the Governor drew up his slim soldierly figure; deposited hiscigarette on the malachite ash tray. "You may be sure that we havegiven that momentous question our deepest consideration. FatherAbella's suggestion that we buy your commodities for cash, and thatwith our Spanish dollars you buy again of us, did not strike mefavorably at first, for it savored of sophistry. I may have failed inevery attempt to benefit and advance this Godforsaken country, but atleast I have been the honest agent of my King. But the circumstancesare extraordinary. You are about to become one of us, to do ourunhappy colony the greatest service that is in the power of any mortal,and personally you have inspired us with affection and respect. Ihave, therefore, decided that the exchange shall be made on theseterms, but that your cargo shall be received by Don Jose Arguello,Commandante of the San Francisco Company, and held in trust until theformal consent of the King to the purchase shall arrive."

  Rezanov glowed to his finger tips. Not even the assurance of his unionwith the woman of his heart, which after all had met but the skeletonof his desires, gave him the acute satisfaction of this suddenfulfilment of his self-imposed mission. He dropped his own officialdemeanor and throwing himself across the table gripped the Governor'shand while he poured out his thanks in a voice thick with feeling, hiseyes glittering with more than victory. He did not lose sight of hisultimate designs and pledge himself to external friendship, but heunwittingly conveyed the impression that Spain had that day made afriend she ill could afford to lose; and his three visitors rose wellpleased with the culmination of the interview.

  "You must stay here no longer, Rezanov," said Don Jose, as they weretaking leave. "My house is now literally your own. It will be someweeks before the large quantities of corn and flour and other storesyou wish can be got together--for we must lay a requisition on thefertile Mission ranchos in the valleys--and you will exchange thesenarrow quarters for such poor comfort as my house affords--I take nodenial. Concha will remain at Juan Moraga's for the present."