the golden fleece-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃A　civil　engineer！〃　said　Miriam；　with　an　intonation　worthy　of　the　daughter　of　a　West…Pointer　and　the　descendant　of　an　Aztec　prince。

Kamaiakan　（who　spoke　only　Spanish）　had　been　gathering　up　some　cushions　that　had　fallen　out　of　the　hammock。　　Having　replaced　them；　and　cast　a　quick　glance　at　Meschines；　he　withdrew。



CHAPTER　II。

The　Southern　Pacific　Railway　passes；　today；　not　far　from　the　site　of　General　Trednoke's　ranch。　　But　the　events　now　to　be　narrated　occurred　some　years　before　the　era　of　transcontinental　railroads：　they　were　in　the　air；　but　not　yet　bolted　down　to　the　earth。　　The　general；　therefore；　was　a　pioneer；　and　was　by　no　means　overrun　with　friends　from　the　East　in　search　of　an　agreeable　winter　climate。　　The　easiest　way　to　reach　himif　you　were　not　pressed　for　time　was　round　the　cape　which　forms　the　southernmost　point　of　South　America　and　sticks　its　sharp　snout　inquiringly　into　the　Antarctic　solitudes；　as　if　it　scented　something　questionable　there。　　The　speediest　route；　though　open　to　strange　discomforts；　was　by　way　of　the　Isthmus；　and　then　there　were　always　the　saddle；　the　wagon；　and　the　stage；　with　the　accompaniments　of　road…　agents；　tornadoes；　deserts；　and　starvation。

Miss　Grace　Parsloe　came　via　the　Isthmus；　and　the　latter　part　of　her　journey　had　been　alleviated　by　the　society　of　a　young　gentleman　from　New　York；　Freeman　by　name。　　There　were　other　passengers　on　the　vessel；　but　these　two　discovered　sympathies　of　origin　and　education　which　made　companionship　natural。　　They　sat　together　at　table；　leaned　side　by　side　over　the　taffrail；　discussed　their　fellow…travellers；　and　investigated　each　other。　　As　he　lolled　on　the　bench　with　folded　arms　and　straw　hat　tilted　back　from　his　forehead　she；　glancing　side…　long；　as　her　manner　was；　saw　a　sunburnt　aquiline　nose；　a　moustache　of　a　lighter　brown　than　the　visage　which　it　decorated；　a　lean；　strong　jaw；　and　a　muscular　neck。　　His　forehead；　square　and　impending；　was　as　white　as　ivory　in　comparison　with　the　face　below；　his　hair；　in　accordance　with　the　fashion　introduced　by　the　late　war；　was　cropped　close。　　But　what　especially　moved　Miss　Grace　were　those　long；　lazy　blue　eyes；　which　seemed　to　tolerate　everything；　but　to　be　interested　in　nothing；hardly　even　in　her。　　Now；　Grace　could　not　help　knowing　she　was　a　pretty　girl；　and　it　was　somewhat　of　a　novelty　to　her　that　Freeman　should　appear　so　indifferent。　　It　would　have　been　difficult　to　devise　a　better　opportunity　than　this　to　monopolize　masculine　admiration；　and　she　fell　to　speculating　as　to　what　sort　of　an　experience　Mr。　Freeman　must　have　had；　so　to　panoply　him　against　her　magic。　　On　the　other　hand；　she　was　the　recipient　of　whatever　attentions　he　could　bring　himself　to　detach　from　the　horizon…line；　or　from　his　own　thoughts　（which　appeared　to　amount；　practically；　to　about　the　same　thing）。　　She　had　no　other　rivals；　and　a　woman　will　submit　amiably　to　a　good　deal　of　indifference；　provided　she　be　assured　that　no　other　woman　is　enjoying　what　she　lacks。

Freeman；　for　his　part；　had　nothing　to　complain　of。　　Grace　Parsloe　was　a　singularly　pretty　girl。　　Singular　properly　qualifies　her。　　She　was　not　like　the　others；by　which　phrase　he　epitomized　the　numerous　comely　young　women　whom　he　had；　at　various　times　and　in　several　countries；　attended；　teased；　and　kissed。　　Both　physically　and　mentally；　she　was　very　fine…wrought。　　Her　bones　were　small；　her　body　and　limbs　were　slender；　but　beautifully　fashioned。　　She　was　supple　and　vigorous。　　Grace　is　a　product　of　brain　as　well　as　an　effect　of　bodily　symmetry：　　Grace　had　the　quality　on　both　counts。　　She　answered　to　one's　conception　of　Mahomet's　houris；　assuming　that　the　conception　is　not　of　a　fat　person。　　Her　head　was　small；　but　well　proportioned；compact　as　to　the　forehead；　rather　broad　across　the　cheek…bones；　thence　tapering　to　the　chin。　　Her　eyes　were　blue；　but　of　an　Eastern　strangeness　of　shape　and　setting；　they　were　subject　to　great　and　sudden　changes　of　expression；　depending；　apparently；　on　the　varying　state　of　her　emotions；　and　betraying　an　intensity　more　akin　to　the　Oriental　temperament　than　to　ours。　　There　was　in　her　something　subtle　and　fierce；　yet　overlaying　it；　like　a　smooth　and　silken　skin；　were　the　conventional　polish　and　bearing　of　an　American　school　graduate。　　She　was；　in　deed；　noticeably　artificial　and　self…conscious　in　manner　and　in　the　intonations　of　her　speech；　though　it　was　an　aesthetic　delight　to　see　her　move　or　pose；　and　the　quality　of　her　voice　was　music's　self。　　But　Freeman；　after　due　meditation；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　this　was　the　outcome　of　her　recognition　of　her　own　singularity：　in　trying　to　be　like　other　people；　she　fell　into　caricature。　　Freeman；　somehow；　liked　her　the　better　for　it。　　Like　most　men　of　brain　and　pith；　who　have　seen　and　thought　much；　he　was　thankful　for　a　new　thing；　because；　so　far　as　it　went；　it　renewed　him。　　It　pleased　him　to　imagine　that　he　could；　with　a　word　or　a　look；　cause　this　veil　of　artifice　to　be　thrown　aside；　and　the　primitive　passion　and　fierceness　behind　it　to　start　forth。　　He　allowed　himself　to　imagine；　with　a　certain　satisfaction；　that　were　he　to　make　this　young　woman　jealous　she　would　think　nothing　of　thrusting　a　dagger　between　his　ribs。　　Reality；what　a　delight　it　is！　　The　actual　touch　and　feeling　of　the　spontaneous　natural　creature　have　been　so　buried　beneath　centuries　of　hypocrisy　and　humbug　that　we　have　ceased　to　believe　in　them　save　as　a　metaphysical　abstraction。　　But　even　as　water；　long　depressed　under…ground　in　perverse　channels；　surges　up　to　the　surface；　and　above　it；　at　last；　in　a　fountain　of　relief；　so　Nature；　after　enduring　ages　of　outrage　and　banishment；　leaps　back　to　her　rightful　domain　in　some　individual　whom　we　call　extraordinary　because　he　or　she　is　natural。　　Grace　Parsloe　did　not　seem　（regarded　as　to　her　temperament　and　quality）　to　belong　where　she　was：　therefore　she　was　a　delightful　incident　there。　　Had　she　been　met　with　in　the　days　of　the　Old　Testament；　or　in　the　depths　of　Persia　or　India　at　the　present　time；　even；　she　might　have　appeared　commonplace。　　But　here　she　was　in　conventional　costume；　with　conventional　manners。　　And；　just　as　the　nautch…girls；　and　other　Oriental　dancers　and　posturers；　wear　a　costume　which　suggests　nature　more　effectively　than　does　nature　itself；　so　did　Grace's　conventionality　suggest　to　Freeman　the　essential　absence　of　conventionality　more　forcibly　than　if　he　had　seen　her　clad　in　a　turban　and　translucent　caftan；　dancing　off　John　the　Baptist's　head；　or　driving　a　nail　into　that　of　Sisera。　　Grace　certainly　owed　much　of　her　importance　to　her　situation；　which　rendered　her　foreign　and　piquante。　　But；　then；　everything；　in　this　world；　is　relative。

Racial　types　seem　to　be　a　failure：　when　they　become　very　marked；　the　race　deteriorates　or　vanishes。　　In　the　counties　of　England；　after　only　a　thousand　years；　the　women　you　meet　in　the　rural　districts　and　country　towns　all　look　like　sisters。　　The　Asiatics；　of　course；　are　much　more　sunk　in　type　than　the　Anglo…　Saxons；　and　they　show　us　the　way　we　would　be　going。　　Only；　there　is　hope　in　rapid　transit　and　the　cosmopolitan　spirit；　and　especially　in　these　United　States；　which　bring　together　the　ends　of　the　earth；　and　place　side　by　side　a　descendant　of　the　Puritans　like　Freeman；　and　a　daughter　of　Irak…Ajemi。

〃What　are　you　coming　to　California　for；　Mr。　Freeman？〃

Freeman　had　already　told　her　what　he　had　been　in　the　Isthmus　for；to　paddle　in　miasmatic　swamps　with　a　view　to　the　possibility　of　a　canal　in　the　remote；　speculative　future。　　He　had　given　her　a　graphic　and　entertaining　picture　of　the　hideous　and　inconceivable　life　he　had　led　there　for　six　months；　from　which　he　had　emerged　the　only　member　of　a　party　of　nineteen　（whites；　blacks；　and　yellows）　who　was　not　either　dead　by　disease；　by　violence；　or　by　misadventure；　or　had　barely　escaped　with　life　and　a　shattered　constitution。　　Freeman；　after　emerging　from　the　miasmatic　hell　and　lake　of　Gehenna；　had　taken　a　succession　of　baths；　with　soap　and　friction；　had　been　attended　by　a　barber　and　a　tailor；　and　had　himself　attended　the　best　table　to　be　found　for　love　or　money　in　the　charming　town　of　Panama。　　He　had　also　spent　more　than　half　of　the　week　of　his　sojourn　there　in　sleep；　and　he　was　now　in　the　best　possible　condition；　physical　and　mental；　though　not；　he　admitted；　pecuniary。　　As　to　morals；　they　had　not　reached　that　discussion　yet。　　But；　in　all　that　he　did　say；　Freeman　exhibited　perfect　unreserve　and　frankness；　answering　without　hesitation　or　embarrassment　any　question　she　chose　to　ask　（and　she　asked　some　curious　ones）。

But　when　she　asked　him　such　an　innocent　thing　as　what　he　was　after　in　Californiaan　inquiry；　by　the　way；　put　more　in　idleness　than　out　of　curiosityFreeman　stroked　his　yellow　moustache　with　the　thumb　of　the　hand　that　held　his　Cuban　cigarette；　gazed　with　narrowed　eyelids　at　the　horizon；　and　for　some　time　made　no　reply　at　all。　　Finally　he　said　that　California　was　a　place　he　had　never　visited；　and　that　it　would　be　a　pity　to　have　been　so　near　it　and　yet　not　have　improved　the　opportunity　of　taking　a　look　at　it。

Grace　instantly　scented　a　mystery；　and　was　not　less　promptly　resolved　to　fathom　it。　　And　what　must　be　the　nature　of　a　mystery　attaching　to　a　handsome　man；　unmarried；　and　evidently　no　stranger　to　the　gentler　sex？　　Of　course　there　must　be　a　woman　in　it！　　Her　eyes　glowed　with　azure　fire。

〃You　have　some　acquaintances　in　California；　I　suppose？〃　she　said；　with　an　air　of　laborious　indifference。

〃Well；yes；　I　believe　I　have；〃　Freeman　admitted。

〃Have　they　lived　there　long？〃

〃No；　not　over　a　few　months。　　I　accidentally　heard　from　a　person　in　Panama。　　I　dropped　a　line　to　say　I　might　turn　up。〃

〃Sheyou　haven't　had　time　to　get　an　answer；　then？〃

Freeman　inhaled　a　deep　breath　through　his　cigarette；　tilted　his　head　back；　and　allowed　the　smoke　to　escape　slowly　through　his　nostrils。　　In　this　manner；　familiar　to　his　deep…designing　sex；　he　concealed　a　smile。　　Grace　was；　in　some　respects；　as　transparent　as　she　was　subtle。　　So　long　as　the　matter　in　hand　did　not　touch　her　emotions；　she　had　no　difficulty　in　maintaining　a　deceptive　surface；　but　emotion　she　could　not　disguise；　though　she　was　probably　not　aware　of　the　fact；　for　emotion　has　a　tendency　to　shut　one's　own　eyes　and　open　what　they　can　no　longer　see　in　one's　self　to　the　gaze　of　outsiders。

〃No；〃　he　said；　when　he　had　recovered　his　composure。　　〃But　that　won't　make　any　difference。　　We　are　on　rather　intimate　terms；　you　see。〃

〃Oh！　　Is　it　long　since　you　have　met？〃

〃Pretty　long；　at　least　it　seems　so　to　me。〃

Grace　turned；　and　looked　full　at　her　companion。　　He　did　not　meet　her　glance；　but　kept　his　profile　steadily　opposed；　and　went　on　smoking　with　a　dreamy　air；　as　if　lost　in　memories　and　anticipations；　sad；　yet　sweet。

〃Really；　Mr。　Freeman；　I　hardly　thought　you　have　always　seemed　to　care　so　little　about　anythingI　didn't　suspect　you　of　so　much　sentiment。〃

〃I　am　like　other　men；〃　he　returned；　with　a　sigh。　　〃My　affections　are　not　given　indiscriminately；　but　when　they　are　given；you　understand；I〃

〃Oh；　I　understand：　pray　don't　think　it　necessary　to　explain。　　I'm　sure　I'm　very　far　from　wishing　to　listen　to　confidences　about　another；to〃

〃Yes；　but　I　like　to　talk　about　it；〃　interposed　Freeman；　earnestly。　　〃I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　open　my　heart；　you　know；　fo