the golden fleece-第7节

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w；　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。　　At　the　same　moment　he　experienced　acute　regret　at　the　whim　of　fortune　which　had　made　himself　and　that　sprightly　young　lady　fellow…　passengers　from　Panama；　and　at　the　idle　impulse　which　had　prompted　him　to　flirt　with　her。

But　the　past　was　beyond　remedy：　it　was　his　concern　to　deal　with　the　present。　　In　a　few　seconds；　Grace　entered　the　curiosity…　room；　followed　by　Professor　Meschines；　and　by　a　dashing　young　Mexican　senor；　whom　Freeman　had　met　the　previous　evening；　and　who　was　called　Don　Miguel　de　Mendoza。　　The　senor；　to　judge　from　his　manner；　had　already　fallen　violently　in　love　with　Grace；　and　was　almost　dislocating　his　organs　of　speech　in　the　effort　to　pay　her　romantic　compliments　in　English。　　Freeman　observed　this　with　unalloyed　satisfaction。　　But　the　look　which　Grace　bent　upon　him　and　Miriam；　on　entering；　and　the　ominous　change　which　passed　over　her　mobile　countenance；　went　far　to　counteract　this　agreeable　impression。

One　story　is　good　until　another　is　told。　　Freeman　had　really　thought　Grace　a　fascinating　girl；　until　he　saw　Miriam。　　There　was　no　harm　in　that：　the　trouble　was；　he　had　allowed　Grace　to　perceive　his　admiration。　　He　had　already　remarked　that　she　was　a　creature　of　violent　extremes；　tempered；　but　not　improved；　by　a　thin　polish　of　subtlety。　　She　was　now　about　to　give　an　illustration　of　the　passion　of　jealousy。　　But　it　was　not　her　jealousy　that　Freeman　minded：　it　was　the　prospect　of　Miriam's　scorn　when　she　should　surmise　that　he　had　given　Grace　cause　to　be　jealous。　　Miriam　was　not　the　sort　of　character　to　enter　into　a　competition　with　any　other　woman　about　a　lover。　　He　would　lose　her　before　he　had　a　chance　to　try　to　win　her。

But　fortune　proved　rather　more　favorable　than　Freeman　expected；　or；　perhaps；　than　he　deserved。　　Grace's　attack　was　too　impetuous。　　She　stopped　just　inside　the　threshold；　and　said；　in　an　imperious　tone；　〃Come　here；　Mr。　Freeman：　I　wish　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　he　replied；　resolving　at　once　to　widen　the　breach　to　the　utmost　extent　possible；　〃I　am　otherwise　engaged。〃

〃Upon　my　word；〃　observed　the　professor；　with　a　chuckle；　〃you're　no　diplomatist；　Harvey！　　What　are　you　two　about　here？　　Investigating　antiquities？〃

〃The　remains　of　ancient　Mexico　are　more　interesting　than　some　of　her　recent　products；〃　returned　Freeman；　who　wished　to　quarrel　with　somebody；　and　had　promptly　decided　that　Senor　Don　Miguel　de　Mendoza　was　the　most　available　person。　　He　bowed　to　the　latter　as　he　spoke。

〃Youaspoken　to　me？〃　said　the　senor；　stepping　forward　with　a　polite　grimace。　　〃I　no　to　quite　comprehend〃

〃Pray　don't　exert　yourself　to　converse　with　me　out　of　your　own　language；　senor；〃　interrupted　Freeman；　in　Spanish。　　〃I　was　just　remarking　that　the　Spaniards　seem　to　have　degenerated　greatly　since　they　colonized　Mexico。〃

〃Senor！〃　exclaimed　Don　Miguel；　stiffening　and　staring。

〃Of　course；〃　added　Freeman；　smiling　benevolently　upon　him；　〃I　judge　only　from　such　specimens　of　the　modern　Mexican　as　I　happen　to　meet　with。〃

Don　Miguel's　sallow　countenance　turned　greenish　white。　　But；　before　he　could　make　a　reply；　Meschines；　who　scented　mischief　in　the　air；　and　divined　that　the　gentler　sex　must　somehow　be　at　the　bottom　of　it；　struck　in。

〃You　may　consider　yourself　lucky；　Harvey；　in　making　the　acquaintance　of　a　gentleman　like　Senor　de　Mendoza；　who　exemplifies　the　undimmed　virtues　of　Cortez　and　Torquemada。　　For　my　part；　I　brought　him　here　in　the　hope　that　he　might　be　able　to　throw　some　light　on　the　mystery　of　this　embroidered　garment；　which　I　see　you've　been　examining。　　What　do　you　say；　Don　Miguel？　　Have　these　designs　any　significance　beyond　mere　ornament？　　Anything　in　the　nature　of　hieroglyphics？〃

The　senor　was　obliged　to　examine；　and　to　enter　into　a　discussion；　though；　of　course；　his　ignorance　of　the　subject　in　dispute　was　as　the　depths　of　that　abyss　which　has　no　bottom。　　Miriam；　who　was　not　fond　of　Don　Miguel；　but　who　felt　constrained　to　exceptional　courtesy　in　view　of　Freeman's　unwarrantable　attack　upon　him；　stood　beside　him　and　the　Professor；　and　Freeman　and　Grace　were　thus　left　to　fight　it　out　with　each　other。

But　Grace　had　drawn　her　own　conclusions　from　what　had　passed。　　Freeman　had　insulted　Don　Miguel。　　Wherefore？　　Obviously；　it　could　only　be　because　he　thought　that　she　was　flirting　with　him。　　In　other　words；　Freeman　was　jealous；　and　to　be　jealous　is　to　love。　　Now；　Grace　was　so　constituted　that；　though　she　did　not　like　to　play　second　fiddle　herself；　yet　she　had　no　objection　to　monopolizing　all　the　members　of　the　male　species　who　might　happen；　at　a　given　moment；　to　be　in　sight。

She　had；　consequently；　already　forgiven　Freeman　for　his　apparent　unfaithfulness　to　her；　by　reason　of　his　manifest　jealousy　of　Don　Miguel。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　not　jealous；　and　he　was　unfaithful；　but　fate　had　decreed　that　there　should　be；　for　the　moment；　a　game　of　cross…purposes；　and　the　decrees　of　fate　are　incorrigible。

〃I　had　no　idea　you　were　so　savage；〃　she　said；　softly。

〃I'm　not　savage；〃　replied　Freeman。　　〃I　am　bored。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　as　I　can　blame　you；〃　said　Grace；　still　more　softly：　she　fancied　he　was　referring　to　Miriam。　　〃I　don't　much　like　Spanish　mixtures　myself。〃

〃One　has　to　take　what　one　can　get；〃　said　Freeman；　referring　to　Don　Miguel。

〃But　it's　all　right　now；〃　rejoined　she；　meaning　that　Freeman　and　herself　were　reconciled　after　their　quarrel。

〃If　you　are　satisfied；　I　am；〃　observed　Freeman；　too　indifferent　to　care　what　she　meant。

〃Only；　you　mustn't　take　that　poor　young　man　too　seriously；〃　she　went　on：　〃these　Mexicans　are　absurdly　demonstrative；　but　they　don't　mean　anything。〃

〃He　won't；　if　he　values　his　skin；〃　said　Freeman；　meaning　that　if　Don　Miguel　attempted　to　interfere　between　himself　and　Miriam　he　would　wring　his　neck。

〃He　won't；　I　promise　you；〃　said　Grace；　sparkling　with　pleasure。

〃I　don't　quite　see　how　you　can　help　it；〃　returned　Freeman。

〃I　should　hope　I　could　manage　a　creature　like　that！〃　murmured　she；　smiling。

〃Well；〃　said　Freeman；　after　a　pause；　for　Grace's　seeming　change　of　attitude　puzzled　him　a　little；〃I'm　glad　you　look　at　it　that　way。　　I　don't　wish　to　be　meddled　with；　that's　all。〃

〃You　shan't　be；〃　she　whispered；　and　then；　just　when　they　were　approaching　the　point　where　their　eyes　might　have　been　opened；　in　came　General　Trednoke。　　The　group　round　the　Golden　Fleece　broke　up。

The　general　wore　his　riding…dress；　and　his　bearing　was　animated；　though　he　was　covered　with　dust。

〃I　was　wondering　what　had　become　of　you　all；〃　he　said；　as　the　others　gathered　about　him。　　〃I　have　been　taking　a　canter　to　the　eastward。　　Kamaiakan　said　this　morning　that　one　of　the　boys　had　brought　news　of　a　cloud…burst　in　that　direction。　　I　rode　far　enough　to　ascertain　that　there　has　really　been　something　of　the　kind；　and　I　think　it　has　affected　the　arroyo　on　the　farther　side　of　the　little　sierra。　　Now；　I　don't　know　how　you　gentlemen　feel；　but　it　occurred　to　me　that　it　might　be　interesting　to　make　up　a　little　party　of　exploration　to…morrow。　　Would　you　like　to　try　it；　Meschines？〃

〃To　be　sure　I　should！〃　the　professor　replied。　　〃I　imagine　I　can　stand　as　much　of　the　desert　as　you　can！　　And　I　want　to　catch　a　sidewinder。〃

〃Good！　　And　you；　Mr。　Freeman？〃

〃It　would　suit　me　exactly；〃　said　the　latter。　　〃In　fact；　I　had　been　intending　to　gratify　my　curiosity　by　making　some　such　expedition　on　my　own　account。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　general；　eying　him　with　some　intentness。　　〃Well；　we　may　be　able　to　show　you　something　more　curious　than　you　anticipate。And　now；　Senor　de　Mendoza；　there　is　only　you　left。　　May　we　count　on　your　company　into　the　desert？〃

But　the　Mexican；　with　a　bow　and　a　grimace；　excused　himself。　　Scientific　curiosity　was　an　unknown　emotion　to　him；　but　he　foresaw　an　opportunity　to　have　Grace　all　to　himself；　and　he　meant　to　improve　it。　　He　also　wished　leisure　to　think　over　some　plan　for　getting　rid　of　Senor　Freeman；　in　whom　he　scented　a　rival；　and　who；　whether　a　rival　or　not；　had　behaved　to　him　with　a　lack　of　consideration　in　the　presence　of　ladies。



CHAPTER　IV。

General　Trednoke's　household　went　early　to　bed。　　As　there　was　more　accommodation　in　the　old　house　than　sufficed　for　its　present　inhabitants