the golden fleece-第5章

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Monotony　is　the　ruling　characteristic；　monotony　of　beauty；　monotony　of　desolation；　monotony　even　of　variety。　　The　glorious　blue　overhead　is　monotonous：　as　for　the　thermometer；　it　paces　up　and　down　within　the　narrowest　limits；　like　a　prisoner　in　his　cell；　or　a　meadow…lark　hopping　to　and　fro　in　a　seven…inch　cage。　　The　plan　and　aspect　of　the　buildings　are　monotonous；　and　so　is　the　way　of　life　of　those　who　inhabit　them。　　Fortunately；　the　sun　does　rise　and　set　in　Southern　California：　otherwise　life　there　would　be　at　an　absolute　stand…still；　with　no　past　and　no　future。　　But；　as　it　is；　one　can　look　forward　to　morning；　and　remember　the　evening。

Then；　there　are　the　not　infrequent　but　seldom　very　destructive　earthquakes；　the　occasional　cloud…bursts　and　tornadoes；　sudden　and　violent　as　a　gunpowder…explosion；　and；　finally；　the　astounding　contrast　between　the　fertile　regions　and　the　desert。　　There　are　places　where　you　can　stand　with　one　foot　planted　in　everlasting　sterility　and　the　other　in　immortal　verdure。　　In　the　midst　of　an　arid　and　hopeless　waste；　you　come　suddenly　upon　the　brink　of　a　narrow　ravine；　sharply　defined　as　if　cut　out　with　an　axe；　and　packed　to　the　brim　with　enchanting　and　voluptuous　fertility。　　Or　you　will　come　upon　mountains　which　sweep　upward　out　of　burning　death　into　sumptuous　life。　　When　the　monotony　of　life　meets　the　monotony　of　death；　Southern　California　becomes　a　land　of　contrasts；　and　the　contrasts　themselves　become　monotonous。

General　Trednoke's　ranch　was　very　near　the　borders　of　these　two　mighty　forces。　　An　hour's　easy　ride　would　carry　him　to　a　region　as　barren　and　apparently　as　irreclaimable　as　that　through　which　Childe　Roland　journeyed　in　quest　of　the　Dark　Tower；　lying；　too；　in　a　temperature　so　fiery　that　it　coagulated　the　blood　in　the　veins；　and　stopped　the　beating　of　the　heart。　　Underfoot　were　fine　dust；　and　whitened　bones；　the　air　was　prismatic　and　magical；　ever　conjuring　up　phantom　pictures；　whose　characteristic　was　that　they　were　at　the　farthest　remove　from　any　possible　reality。　　The　azure　sky　descended　and　became　a　lake；　the　pulsations　of　the　atmosphere　translated　themselves　into　the　rhythmic　lapse　of　waves；　spikes　of　sage…　brush　and　blades　of　cactus　became　sylvan　glades；　and　hamlets　cheerful　with　inhabitants。　　Only；　all　was　silent；　and　as　you　drew　near；　the　scene　trembled；　altered；　and　was　gone！

Hideous　black　lizards　and　horned　toads　crawl　and　hop　amid　this　desolation；　and　the　deadly　little　sidewinder　rattlesnake　lies　basking　in　the　blaze　of　sunshine；　which　it　distils　into　venom。　　Sometimes　the　level　plain　is　broken　up　into　savage　ridges　and　awful　canons；　along　whose　arid　bottoms　no　water　streams。　　As　you　stagger　through　their　chaotic　bottoms；　you　see　vast　boulders　poised　overhead；　tottering　to　a　fall；　a　shiver　of　earthquake；　a　breath　of　hurricane；　and　they　come　crashing　and　splintering　in　destruction　down。　　Along　the　sides　of　these　acclivities　extend　long；　level　lines　and　furrows；　marks　of　where　the　ocean　flowed　ages　ago。　　But　sometimes　the　hills　are　but　accumulations　of　desert　dust；　which　shift　slowly　from　place　to　place　under　the　action　of　the　wind；　melting　away　here　to　be　re…erected　yonder；　mounding　themselves；　perhaps；　above　a　living　and　struggling　human　being；　to　move　forward；　anon；　leaving　where　he　was　a　little　heap　of　withered　bones。　　A　fearful　place　is　this　broad　abyss；　where　once　murmured　the　waters　of　a　prehistoric　sea。　　Let　us　return　to　the　cool　and　fragrant　security　of　the　general's　ranch。

At　right　angles　to　the　main　body　of　the　house　extend　two　wings；　thus　forming　three　sides　of　a　square；　the　interior　of　which　is　the　court…yard。　　Here　the　business　of　the　establishment　is　conducted。　　It　is　the　liveliest　spot　on　the　premises；　though　it　is　liveliness　of　a　very　indolent　sort。　　The　veranda　built　around　these　sides　is　twenty　feet　in　breadth；　paved　with　tiles　that　have　been　worn　into　hollows　by　innumerable　lazy　footsteps；　mostly　shoeless；　for　this　side　of　the　house　is　frequented　chiefly　by　the　servants　of　the　place；　who　are　Mexican　Indians。　　Ancient　wooden　settles　are　bolted　to　the　walls；　from　hooks　hang　Indian　baskets　of　bright　colors；　in　one　corner　are　stretched　raw　hides；　which　serve　as　beds。　　Small　brown　children；　half　naked；　trot；　clamber；　and　crawl　about。　　Black…haired；　swarthy　women　squat　on　the　tiled　floor；　pursuing　their　vocations；　or；　often；　doing　nothing　at　all　beyond　continuing　a　placid　organic　existence。　　Boys　and　men　saunter　in　and　out　of　the　court…yard；　chatting　or　calling　in　their　musical　patois；　once　in　a　while　there　is　a　thud　and　clatter　of　hoofs；　a　rider　arriving　or　departing。　　It　is　an　entertaining　scene；　charming　in　its　monotony　of　small　changes　and　evolutions；　you　can　sit　watching　it　in　a　half…doze　for　twenty　years　at　a　stretch；　and　it　may　seem　only　as　many　minutes；　or　vice　versa。

Most　of　the　rooms　in　the　wings　are　used　for　the　kitchens　and　other　servants'　quarters；　but　one　large　chamber　is　devoted　to　a　special　purpose　of　the　general's　own：　it　is　a　museum；　the　Curiosity…Room；　he　calls　it。　　It　is　lighted　by　two　windows　opening　on　opposite　sides；　one　on　the　court…yard；　the　other　on　an　orange　grove　at　the　south　end　of　the　house。　　Besides　being；　in　itself；　a　cool　and　pleasant　spot；　it　is　full　of　interest　to　any　one　who　cares　about　the　relics　and　antiquities　of　an　ancient　and　vanishing　race；　concerning　whom　little　is　or　ever　will　be　known。　　There　are　two　students　in　it　at　this　moment；　though　whether　they　are　studying　antiquities　is　another　matter。　　Let　us　give　ear　to　their　discourse　and　be　instructed。

〃But　this　was　made　for　you　to　wear；　Miss　Trednoke。　　Try　it。　　It　fits　you　perfectly；　you　see。　　There　can　be　no　doubt　about　your　being　a　princess；　now！〃

〃I　sometimes　feel　it；here！〃　she　said；　putting　her　hand　on　her　bosom。　　She　was　looking　at　him　as　she　said　it；　but　her　eyes；　instead　of　any　longer　meeting　his；　seemed　to　turn　their　regard　inward；　and　to　traverse　strange　regions；　not　of　this　world。　　〃I　see　some　one　who　is　myself；　though　I　can　never　have　been　she：　she　is　surrounded　with　brightness；　and　people　not　like　ours；　she　thinks　of　things　that　I　have　never　known。　　It　is　the　memory　of　a　dream；　I　suppose；〃　she　added；　in　another　tone。

〃Heredity　is　a　queer　thing。　　You　may　be　Aztecan　over　again；　in　mind　and　temperament；　and　every　one　knows　how　impressions　are　transmitted。　　If　features　and　traits　of　character；　why　not　particular　thoughts　and　feelings？〃

〃I　think　it　is　better　not　to　try　to　explain　these　things；〃　said　she；　with　the　unconscious　haughtiness　which　maidens　acquire　who　have　not　seen　the　world　and　are　adored　by　their　family。　　〃They　are　great　mysteries；or　else　nothing。〃　　She　now　removed　from　her　head　the　curious　cap　or　helmet；　ornamented　with　gold　and　with　the　green　feathers　of　the　humming…bird；　which　her　companion　had　crowned　her　with；　and　hung　it　on　its　nail　in　the　cabinet。　　〃Perhaps　the　thoughts　came　with　the　cap；〃　she　remarked；　smiling　slightly。　　〃I　don't　feel　that　way　any　more。　　I　ought　not　to　have　spoken　of　it。〃

〃I　hope　the　time　will　come　when　you　will　feel　that　you　may　trust　me。〃

〃You　seem　easy　to　know；　Mr。　Freeman；〃　she　replied；　looking　at　him　contemplatively　as　she　spoke；　〃and　yet　you　are　not。　　There　is　one　of　you　that　thinks；　and　another　that　speaks。　　And　you　are　not　the　same　to　my　father；　or　to　Professor　Meschines；　that　you　are　to　me。〃

〃What　is　the　use　of　human　beings　except　to　take　one　out　of　one's　self？〃

〃But　it　is　not　your　real　self　that　comes　out；〃　said　Miriam；　after　a　little　pause。　　She　never　spoke　hurriedly；　or　until　after　the　coming　speech　had　passed　into　her　face。

Freeman　laughed。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃if　I'm　a　hypocrite；　I'm　one　of　those　who　are　made　and　not　born。　　As　a　boy；　I　was　frank　enough。　　But　a　good　part　of　my　life　has　been　spent　with　people　who　couldn't　be　trusted；　and　perhaps　the　habit　of　protecting　myself　against　them　has　grown　upon　me。　　If　I　could　only　live　here　for　a　while　it　would　be　different。Here's　an　odd…looking　thing。　　What　do　you　call　that？〃

〃We　call　it　the　Golden　Fleece。〃

〃The　Golden　Fleece！　　I　can　imagine　a　Medea；　but　where　is　the　Dragon？〃

〃If　Jason　came；　the　Dragon　might　appear。〃

〃I　remember　reading　somewhere　that　the　Dragon　was　less　to　be　feared　than　Medea's　eyes。　　But　this　fleece　seems　to　have　lost　most　of　its　gold。　　There　is　only　a　little　gold　embroidery。〃

〃It　shows　where　the　gold　is　hidden。〃

〃It's　you　that　are　concealing　something　now；　Miss　Trednoke。　　How　can　a　woollen　garment　be　a　talisman？〃

〃The　secret　might　be　woven　into　it；　perhaps；〃　replied　Miriam；　passing　her　fingers　caressingly　over　the　soft　tunic。　　〃Then；　when　the　right　person　puts　it　on；　it　wouldBut　you　don't　believe　in　these　things。〃

〃I　don't　know：　you　don't　give　me　a　chance。　　But　who　is　the　right　person？　　The　thing　seems　rather　small。　　I'm　sure　I　couldn't　get　it　on。〃

〃It　can　fit　only　the　one　it　was　made　for；〃　said　Miriam；　gravely。　　〃And　if　you　wanted　to　find　the　gold；　you　would　trust　to　your　science；　rather　than　to　this。〃

〃Well；　gold…hunting　is　not　in　my　line；　at　present。　　Every　nugget　has　been　paid　for　more　than　once；　before　it　is　found。　　Besides；　there　is　something　better　than　gold　in　Southern　California；something　worth　any　labor　to　get。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Miriam；　turning　her　tranquil　regard　upon　him。

Harvey　Freeman　had　never　been　deficient　in　audacity。　　But；　standing　in　the　dark　radiance　of　this　maiden's　eyes；　his　self…　assurance　dwindled；　and　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　say　to　her　what　he　would　have　said　to　any　other　pretty　woman　he　had　ever　met。　　For　he　felt　that　great　pride　and　passion　were　concealed　beneath　that　tranquil　surface：　it　was　a　nature　that　might　give　everything　to　love；　and　would　never　pardon　any　frivolous　parody　thereof。　　Freeman　had　been　acquainted　with　Miriam　scarcely　two　days；　but　he　had　already　begun　to　perceive　the　main　indications　of　a　character　which　a　lifetime　might　not　be　long　enough　wholly　to　explore。　　Marriage　had　never　been　among　the　enterprises　he　had；　in　the　course　of　his　career；　proposed　to　himself：　he　did　not　propose　it　now：　yet　he　dared　not　risk　the　utterance　of　a　word　that　would　lead　Miriam　to　look　at　him　with　an　offended　or　contemptuous　glance。　　It　was　not　that　she　was；　from　the　merely　physical　point　of　view；　transcendently　beautiful。　　His　first　impression　of　her；　indeed；　had　been　that　she　was　merely　an　unusually　good　example　of　a　type　by　no　means　rare　in　that　region。　　But　ere　long　he　became　sensible　of　a　spiritual　quality　in　her　which　lifted　her　to　a　level　far　above　that　which　can　be　attained　by　mere　harmony　of　features　and　proportions。　　Beneath　the　outward　aspect　lay　a　profound　depth　of　being；　glimpses　of　which　were　occasionally　discernible　through　her　eyes；　in　the　tones　of　her　voice；　in　her　smile；　in　unconscious　movements　of　her　hands　and　limbs。　　Demonstrative　she　could　never　be；　but　she　could；　at　will；　feel　with　tropical　intensity；　and　act　with　the　swiftness　and　energy　of　a　fanatic。

In　Miriam's　company；　Freeman　forgot　every　one　save　her；even　himself；though　she　certainly　made　no　effort　to　attract　him　or　（beyond　the　commonplaces　of　courtesy）　to　interest　him。　　Consequently　he　had　become　entirely　oblivious　of　the　existence　of　such　a　person　as　Grace　Parsloe；　when；　much　to　his　irritation；　he　heard　the　voice　of　that　young　lady；　mingled　with　others；　approaching　along　the　veranda。