the golden fleece-第12部分

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our　father。　　Will　you　give　it？〃

〃What　vindication　do　you　need；　that　I　can　give？〃　asked　she；　opening　her　dark　eyes　upon　him　questioningly。

〃That's　what　I　wish　to　explain。　　I　am　in　a　difficult　position。　　Would　you　mind　stepping　down　into　the　garden？　　It　won't　take　a　minute。〃

Curiosity；　if　not　especially　feminine；　is　at　least　human。　　Miriam　descended　the　steps；　Freeman　beside　her。　　They　strolled　down　the　path；　amidst　the　flowers。

〃You　said；　yesterday；〃　he　began；　〃that　I　would　say　one　thing　and　be　another。　　Now　I　am　going　to　tell　you　what　I　am。　　And　afterwards　I'll　tell　you　why　I　tell　it。　　In　the　first　place；　you　know；　I'm　a　civil　engineer；　and　that　includes；　in　my　case；　a　good　deal　of　knowledge　about　geology　and　things　of　that　sort。　　I　have　sometimes　been　commissioned　to　make　geological　surveys　for　Eastern　capitalists。　　Lately　I've　been　canal…digging　on　the　Isthmus；　but　the　other　day　I　got　a　notification　from　some　men　in　Boston　and　New　York　to　come　out　here　on　a　secret　mission。〃

〃Secret；　Mr。　Freeman？〃

〃Yes：　you　will　understand　directly。　　These　men　had　heard　enough　about　the　desert　valleys　of　this　region　to　lead　them　to　think　that　it　might　be　reclaimed　and　so　be　made　very　valuable。　　Such　lands　can　be　bought　now　for　next　to　nothing；　but；　if　the　theories　that　control　these　capitalists　are　correct；　they　could　afterwards　be　sold　at　a　profit　of　thousands　per　cent。　　So　it's　indispensable　that　the　object　of　my　being　here　should　remain　unknown；　otherwise；　other　persons　might　step　in　and　anticipate　the　designs　of　this　company。〃

〃If　those　are　your　orders；　why　do　you　speak　to　me？〃

〃There's　a　reason　for　doing　it　that　outweighs　the　reasons　against　it。　　I　trust　you　with　the　secret：　yet　I　don't　mean　to　bind　you　to　secrecy。　　You　will　have　a　perfect　right　to　tell　it：　the　only　result　would　be　that　I　should　be　discredited　with　my　employers；　and　there　is　nothing　to　warrant　me　in　supposing　that　you　would　be　deterred　by　that。〃

〃I　don't　ask　to　know　your　secret：　　I　think　you　had　better　say　no　more。〃

Freeman　shook　his　head。　　〃I　must　speak；〃　said　he。　　〃I　don't　care　what　becomes　of　me；　so　long　as　I　stand　right　in　your　opinion；your　father's　and　yours。　　I　am　here　to　find　out　whether　this　desert　can　be　flooded；irrigated；whether　it's　possible；　by　any　means；　to　bring　water　upon　it。　　If　my　report　is　favorable；　the　company　will　purchase　hundreds；　or　thousands；　of　square　miles；　and；　incidentally；　my　own　fortune　will　be　made。〃

〃Why；　that's　the　very　thing〃　　She　stopped。

〃The　very　thing　your　father　had　thought　of！　　Yes；　so　I　imagined；　though　he　has　not　told　me　so　in　so　many　words。　　So　I'm　in　the　position　of　surreptitiously　taking　away　the　prospective　fortune　of　a　man　whom　I　respect　and　honor；　and　who　treats　me　as　a　friend。〃

Miriam　walked　on　some　steps　in　silence。　　〃It　is　no　fault　of　yours；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃You　owe　us　nothing。　　You　must　carry　out　your　orders。〃

〃Yes；　but　what　is　to　prevent　your　father　from　thinking　that　I　stole　his　idea　and　then　used　it　against　him？〃

〃You　can　tell　him　the　truth：　he　could　not　complain；　and　why　should　you　care　if　he　did？　　I　know　that　men　separate　business　fromfrom　other　things。〃

They　had　now　come　to　the　little　enclosed　space　where　the　fountain　basin　was；　and　by　tacit　consent　they　seated　themselves　upon　it。　　Miriam　gave　an　exclamation　of　surprise。　〃The　water　is　gone！〃　she　said。　　〃How　strange！〃

〃Perhaps　it　has　gone　to　meet　us　at　our　rendezvous　in　the　desert。No：　if　I　tell　your　father；　I　should　be　unfaithful　to　my　employers。　　But　there's　another　alternative：　I　can　resign　my　appointment；　and　let　my　place　be　taken　by　another。〃

〃And　give　up　your　chance　of　a　fortune？　　You　mustn't　do　that。〃

〃What　is　it　to　you　what　becomes　of　me？〃

〃I　wish　nothing　but　good　to　come　to　you；〃　said　she；　in　a　low　voice。

〃I　have　never　wanted　to　have　a　fortune　until　now。　　And　I　must　tell　you　the　reason　of　that；　too。　　A　man　without　a　fortune　does　very　well　by　himself。　　He　can　knock　about；　and　live　from　hand　to　mouth。　　But　when　he　wants　to　live　for　somebody　else；even　if　he　has　only　a　very　faint　hope　of　getting　the　opportunity　of　doing　it；then　he　must　have　some　settled　means　of　livelihood　to　justify　him。　　So　I　say　I　am　in　a　difficult　position。　　For　if　I　give　this　up；　I　must　go　away；　and　if　I　go　away；　I　must　give　up　even　the　little　hope　I　have。〃

〃Don't　go　away；〃　said　Miriam；　after　a　pause。

〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　saying？〃　　He　hesitated　a　moment；　looking　at　her　as　she　looked　down　at　the　empty　basin。　　〃My　hope　was　that　you　might　love　me；　for　I　love　you；　to　be　my　wife。〃

The　color　slowly　rose　in　Miriam's　face：　at　length　she　hid　it　in　her　hands。　　〃Oh；　what　is　it？〃　she　said；　almost　in　a　whisper。　　〃I　have　known　you　only　three　days。　　But　it　seems　as　if　I　must　have　known　you　before。　　There　is　something　in　me　that　is　not　like　myself。　　But　it　is　the　deepest　thing　in　me；　and　it　loves　you：　yes；　I　love　you！〃

Her　hands　left　her　face；　and　there　was　a　light　in　her　eyes　which　made　Freeman；　in　the　midst　of　his　rejoicing；　feel　humble　and　unworthy。　　He　felt　himself　in　contact　with　something　pure　and　sacred。　　At　the　same　moment；　the　recollection　recurred　to　him　of　the　figure　he　had　seen　the　night　before；　with　the　features　of　Miriam。　　Was　it　she　indeed？　　Was　this　she？　　To　doubt　the　identity　of　the　individual　is　to　lose　one's　footing　on　the　solid　earth。　　For　the　first　time　it　occurred　to　him　that　this　doubt　might　affect　Miriam　herself。　　Was　she　obscurely　conscious　of　two　states　of　being　in　herself；　and　did　she　therefore　fear　to　trust　her　own　impulses？　　But；　again；　love　is　the　master…passion；　its　fire　fuses　all　things；　and　gives　them　unity。　　Would　not　this　love　that　they　confessed　for　each　other　burn　away　all　that　was　abnormal　and　enigmatic；　and　leave　only　the　unerring　human　heart；　that　knows　its　own　and　takes　it？　　These　reflections　passed　through　Freeman's　mind　in　an　instant　of　time。　　But　he　was　no　metaphysician；　and　he　obeyed　the　sane　and　wholesome　instinct　which　has　ever　been　man's　surest　and　safest　guide　through　the　mysteries　and　bewilderments　of　existence。　　He　took　the　beautiful　woman　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her。

〃This　is　real　and　right；　if　anything　is；〃　said　he。　　〃If　there　are　ghosts　about；　you　and　I；　at　any　rate；　are　flesh　and　blood；　and　where　we　belong。　　As　to　the　irrigation　scrape；　there　must　be　some　way　out　of　it：　if　not；　no　matter！　　You　and　I　love　each　other；　and　the　world　begins　from　this　moment！〃

〃My　father　must　know　to…morrow；〃　said　Miriam。

〃No　doubt　we　shall　all　know　more　to…　morrow　than　we　do　to…day；〃　returned　her　lover；　not　knowing　how　abundantly　his　prophecy　would　be　fulfilled：　he　was　over…　flowing　with　the　fearless　and　enormous　joy　of　a　young　man　who　has　attained　at　one　bound　the　summit　of　his　desire。　　〃There！　they　are　calling　for　me。　　Good…by；　my　darling。　　Be　yourself；　and　think　of　nothing　but　me。〃


A　short　ride　brought　the　little　cavalcade　to　the　borders　of　the　desert。　　Here；　by　common　consent；　a　halt　was　made；　to　draw　breath；　as　it　were；　before　taking　the　final　plunge　into　the　fiery　furnace。

〃Before　we　go　farther；〃　said　General　Trednoke；　approaching　Freeman；　as　he　was　tightening　his　girths；　〃I　must　tell　you　what　is　the　object　of　this　expedition。〃

〃It　is　not　necessary；　general；〃　replied　the　young　man；　straightening　himself　and　looking　the　other　in　the　face；　〃for　from　this　point　our　paths　lie　apart。〃

〃Why　so？〃　demanded　the　general；　in　surprise。

〃What's　that？〃　exclaimed　Meschines；　coming　up；　and　adjusting　his　spectacles。

〃I'm　not　at　liberty；　at　present；　to　explain；〃　Freeman　answered。　　〃All　I　can　say　is　that　I　don't　feel　justified　in　assisting　you　in　your　affair；　and　I　am　not　able　to　confide　my　own　to　you。　　I　wish　you　to　put　the　least　uncharitable　construction　you　can　on　my　conduct。　　To…morrow；　if　we　all　live；　I　may　say　more；　now；　the　most　I　can　tell　you　is　that　I　am　not　entirely　a　free　agent。　　MeantimeHasta　luego。〃

Against　this　unexpected　resolve　the　general　cordially　protested　and　the　professor　scoffed　and　contended；　but　Freeman　stayed　firm。　　He　had　with　him　provisions　enough　to　last　him　three　days；　and　a　supply　of　water；　and　in　a　small　case　he　carried　a　compact　assortment　of　instruments　for　scientific　observation。　　〃Take　your　departure　in　whatever　direction　you　like；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　will　take　mine　at　an　angle　of　not　less　than　fifteen　degrees　from　it。　　If　I　am　not　back　in　three　days；　you　may　conclude　something　has　happened。〃

It　was　certainly　very　hot。　　Freeman　had　been　accustomed　to　torrid　suns　in　the　Isthmus；　but　this　was　a　sun　indefinitely　multiplied　by　reflections　from　the　dusty　surface　underfoot。　　Nor　was　it　the　fine；　ethereal　fire　of　the　Sahara：　the　atmosphere　was　dead　and　heavy；　for　the　rider　was　already　far　below　the　level　of　the　Pacific；　whose　cool　blue　waves　rolled　and　rippled　many　leagues　to　the　westward；　as；　aeons　ago；　they　had　rolled　and　rippled　here。　　There　was　not　a　breath　of　air。　　Freeman　could　hear　his　heart　beat；　and　the　veins　in　his　temples　and　wrists　throbbed。　　The　sweat　rose　on　the　surface　of　his　body；　but　without　cooling　it。　　The　pony　which　he　bestrode；　a　bony　and　sinewy　beast　of　the　toughest　description；　trod　onwards　doggedly；　but　with　little　animation。　　Freeman　had　no　desire　to　push　him。　　Were　the　little　animal　to　overdo　itself；　nothing　in　the　future　could　be　more　certain　than　that　his　master　would　never　see　the　Trednoke　ranch　again。　　It　seemed　unusually　hot；　even　for　that　region。

There　was　little　in　the　way　of　outward　incident　to　relieve　the　monotony　of　the　journey。　　Now　and　then　a　short；　thick　rattlesnake；　with　horns　on　its　ugly　head；　wriggled　out　of　his　path。　　Now　and　then　his　horse's　hoof　almost　trod　upon　a　hideous；　flat　lizard；　also　horned。　　Here　and　there　the　uncouth　projections　of　a　cactus　pushed　upwards　out　of　the　dust；　some　of　these　the　mustang　nibbled　at；　for　the　sake　of　their　juice。　　Freeman　wondered　where　the　juice　came　from。　　The　floor　of　the　desert　seemed　for　the　most　part　level；　though　there　was　a　gradual　dip　towards　the　east　and　northeast；　and　occasionally　mounds　and　ridges　of　wind…swept　dust；　sometimes　upwards　of　fifty　feet　in　height；　broke　the　uniformity。　　The　soil　was　largely　composed　of　powdered　feldspar；　but　there　were　also　tracts　of　gravel　shingle；　of　yellow　loam；　and　of　alkaline　dust。　　In　some　places　there　appeared　a　salt　efflorescence；