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ecocious； inevitably would fall in love with the first uncom… mon stranger she met； and Rezanov； less vain than most men of his kind； and with a fundamental hu… manity that was the chief cause in his efforts to im… prove the condition of his wretched promuschleniki； had no taste for the role of heart…breaker。
But the girl had proved her timeliness； would； if trustworthy； be of further use in inclining her father and the Governor toward such of his de… signs as he had any intentions of revealing； and； weighing carefully his conversations with her； he was disposed to believe that she would screen and abet him through vanity and love of intrigue。 After the dinner； in the seclusion of the sala； he had taken pains to explore for the causes of her mental ma… turity。 Concha had told him of Don Jose Arguello's ambition that his children in their youth should have the education he had been forced to acquire in his manhood； he had taught them himself； and not… withstanding his piety and the disapproval of the priests； had permitted them to read the histories； travels； and biographies he received once a year from the City of Mexico。 Rezanov had met Madame de Stael and other bas bleus； and given them no more of his society than politeness de… manded； but although astonished at the amount of information this young girl had assimilated； he found nothing in her manner of wearing her intel… lectual crown to offend his fastidious taste。 She was wholly artless in her love of books and of dis… cussing them； and nothing in their contents had dis… turbed the sweetest innocence he had ever met。 Of the little arts of coquetry she was mistress by inheri… tance and much provocation； but her unawakened inner life breathed the simplicity and purity of the elemental roses that hovered about her in his thoughts。 Her very unsusceptibility made the game more dangerous； if it piqued himand he aspired to be no more than humanhe either should have to marry her； or nurse a sore spot in his conscience for the rest of his life； and for neither alternative had he the least relish。
He dismissed the subject at last with an impatient shrug。 Perhaps he was a conceited ass； as his Eng… lish friends would say； perhaps the Governor would be more amenable than she had represented。 No man could forecast events。 It was enough to be forearmed。
But his thoughts swung to a theme as little dis… burdening。 His needs； as he had confided to Con… cha； were very pressing。 The dry or frozen fish； the sea dogs； the fat of whales； upon which the em… ployees of the Company were forced to subsist in the least hospitable of climes； had ravaged them with scorbutic diseases until their numbers were so reduced by death and desertion that there was dan… ger of depopulation and the consequent bankruptcy of the Company。 Since June of the preceding year until his departure from New Archangel in the pre… vious month； he had been actively engaged in inspec… tion of the Company's holdings from Kamchatka to Sitka： reforming abuses； establishing schools and libraries； conceiving measures to protect the fur…bearing animals from reckless slaughter both by the promuschleniki and marauding foreigners； punishing and banishing the worst offenders against the Company's laws； encouraging the faithful； and sharing hardships with them that sent memories of former luxuries and pleasures scurrying off to the realms of fantasy。 But his rule would be incom… plete and his efforts end in failure if the miserable Russians and natives in the employ of the Com… pany were not vitalized by proper food and cheered with the hope of its permanence。
In Santiago's story of the Russian visitor's achievements and status there was the common mingling of truth and fiction the exalted never fail to inspire。 Rezanov； although he had accomplished great ends against greater odds； was too little of a courtier at heart ever to have been a prime favorite in St。 Petersburg until the accession of a ruler with whom he had something in common。 A dissolute woman and a crack…brained despot were the last to appreciate an original and independent mind； and the seclusion of Alexander had been so complete during the lifetime of his father that Rezanov barely had known him by sight。 But the Tsarovitz； en… thusiastic for reform and a passionate admirer of enterprise； knew of Rezanov； and no sooner did he mount his gory throne than he confirmed the Cham… berlain in his enterprise； and two years later made him a Privy Counsellor； invested him with the order of St。 Ann； and chose him for the critical embassy to the verdant realm with the blind and gateless walls。
Rezanov had conquered so far in life even less by address than by the demonstration of abilities very singular in a man of his birth and education。 When he met Shelikov； during the Siberian merchant… trader's visit to St。 Petersburg in 1788； he was a young man with little interest in life outside of its pleasures； and a patrimony that enabled him to command them to no great extent and barely to maintain the dignity of his rank。 Shelikov's plan to obtain a monopoly of the fur trade in the islands and territories added by his Company to Russia； possibly throughout the entire possession； thus pre… venting the destruction of sables； seals； otters； and foxes by small traders and foreigners； interested him at once； or possibly he was merely fascinated at first by the shrewd and dauntless representative of a class with which he had never before come in contact。 The accidental acquaintance ripened into intimacy； Rezanov became a partner in the Shelikov…Golikov Company； and married the daugh… ter of his new friend。 After the death of his father…in…law； in 1795； his ambitions and business abilities； now fully awake； prompted him to obtain for himself and his partners rights analogous to those granted by England to the East India Com… pany。 Shelikov had won little more than half the power and privileges he had solicited of Catherine； although he had amalgamated the two leading com… panies； drawn in several others； and built ships and factories and forts to protect them。 And if the regnant merchants made large fortunes； the enter… prise in general suffered from the rivalries between the various companies； and above all from lack of imperial support。
Rezanov； his plans made； brought to bear all the considerable influence he was able to command； called upon all his resources of brain and address； and brought Catherine to the point of consenting to sign the charter he needed。 Before it was ready for the imperial signature she died。 Rezanov was forced to begin again with her ill…balanced and in… tractable son。 Natalie Shelikov； his famous mother… in…law； the old shareholders of the Company； and the many new ones that had subscribed to Rezanov's ambitious project； gave themselves up to despair。 For a time the outlook was dark。 The personal enemies of Rezanov and the bitter and persistent opponents of the companies threw themselves eager… ly into the scale with tales of brutality of the mer… chants and the threatened extirpation of the fur… bearing animals。 Paul announced his attention to abolish all the companies and close the colonies to traders big and little。
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