the golden fleece-第6部分

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；　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。　　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