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 great kindness. "That, Excellency, alas,
is the one point upon which we are forced to dis-
appoint you. Indeed, our own submission to your
wishes is contingent. This marriage cannot take
place without a dispensation from 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 the long impatience of his Con-
cha. "It is true," he said. "Not only would it
be impossible for my conscience to resign itself to
the marriage of my daughter with a heretic--par-
don, Excellency--without the blessing of the Pope;
not only would no priest in California perform the
ceremony until it arrived, but it would mean the
degradation of Governor Arrillaga and myself, and
the ruin of all your other hopes. We should be
ordered summarily to Mexico, perhaps worse, and
no Russian would ever be permitted to set foot in
the Californias again. I would it were otherwise.