the golden fleece-第17部分

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！


lland　with　him；　I　hope；　to　all　that　is　uncanny　and　abnormal　in　the　lives　of　you　young　folks！〃


The　last　rites　having　been　paid　to　the　dead；　the　party　mounted　their　horses　and　rode　out　of　the　gorge　on　to　the　long　levels　of　the　desert。

〃Who　come　yonder？〃　said　Freeman。

〃A　couple　of　Mexicans；　I　think；〃　said　the　general。

〃One　of　them　is　a　woman；〃　said　Meschines。

〃They　look　very　weary；〃　remarked　Freeman。

Miriam　fixed　her　eyes　on　the　approaching　pair　for　a　moment；　and　then　said；　〃They　are　Senor　de　Mendoza　and　Grace　Parsloe。〃

And　so；　indeed；　they　were；　and　thus；　in　this　lonely　spot；　all　the　dramatis　personae　of　this　history　found　themselves　united。

In　answer　to　the　obvious　question；　how　Grace　and　De　Mendoza　happened　to　be　there；　it　transpired　that；　left　to　their　own　devices；　they　had　undertaken　no　less　an　enterprise　than　to　discover　the　hidden　treasure。　　Grace　had　communicated　to　the　Mexican　such　bits　of　information　as　she　had　picked　up　and　such　surmises　as　she　had　formed；　and　he　had　been　able　to　supplement　her　knowledge　to　an　extent　that　seemed　to　justify　them　in　attempting　the　adventure；　not　to　mention　the　fact　that　Don　Miguel　（such　was　the　ardor　of　his　sentiment　for　Grace）　would；　had　she　desired　it；　have　gone　with　her　into　a　fiery　furnace　or　a　den　of　lions。　　Grace；　who　was　ambitious　as　well　as　romantic；　and　who　longed　for　the　power　and　independence　that　wealth　would　give；　was　all　alight　with　the　idea　of　capturing　the　hoard　of　Montezuma：　her　social　position　would　be　altered　at　a　stroke；　and　the　world　would　be　at　her　feet。　　Whether　she　would　then　have　rewarded　Don　Miguel　for　his　devotion；　is　possibly　open　to　doubt：　the　sudden　acquisition　of　boundless　wealth　has　been　known　to　turn　larger　heads　than　hers。　　Fortunately；　however；　this　temptation　was　withheld　from　her：　so　far　from　finding　the　treasure；　she　and　Don　Miguel　very　soon　lost　themselves　in　the　desert；　and　had　been　wandering　about　ever　since；　dolely　uncomfortable；　and　in　no　small　danger　of　losing　their　lives。　　They　were　already　at　the　end　of　their　last　resource　when　they　happened　to　encounter　the　other　party；　as　we　have　seen；　and　immeasurable　was　their　joy　at　the　unlooked…for　deliverance。　　So　there　was　another　halt；　to　enable　them　to　rest　and　recuperate；　and　it　was　not　until　the　evening　of　that　day　that　the　journey　was　finally　resumed。

Meanwhile；　Grace　had　time　to　think　over　all　that　happened；　and　to　arrive　at　certain　conclusions。　　She　was　at　bottom　a　good　girl；　though　liable　to　be　led　away　by　her　imagination；　her　vanity；　and　her　temperament。　　Don　Miguel's　best　qualities　had　revealed　themselves　to　her　in　the　desert：　he　had　always　thought　of　her　before　himself；　had　done　all　that　in　him　lay　to　save　her　from　fatigue　and　suffering；　and　had　stuck　to　her　faithfully　when　he　might　perhaps　have　increased　his　own　chances　of　escape　by　abandoning　her。　　Did　not　such　a　man　deserve　to　be　rewarded？especially　as　he　was　a　handsome　fellow；　of　good　family；　and　possessed　of　quite　a　respectable　income。　　Moreover；　Harvey　Freeman　was　now　beyond　her　reach：　he　was　going　to　marry　Miriam；　and　she　had　realized　that　her　own　brief　infatuation　for　him　had　had　no　very　deep　root　after　all。　　Accordingly；　she　smiled　encouragingly　upon　Don　Miguel；　and　before　they　set　out　on　their　homeward　ride　she　had　vouchsafed　him　the　bliss　of　knowing　that　he　might　call　her　his。

The　general；　as　her　guardian；　did　not　withhold　his　approval；　but　when　Grace　drew　him　aside　and　besought　him　never　to　reveal　to　her　intended　the　fact　that　she　had　once　been　a　shop…girl；　the　old　warrior　smiled。

〃You　can　depend　upon　me　to　keep　your　secret；　if　you　wish　it；　my　dear；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　warn　you　that　such　concealments　between　husband　and　wife　are　not　wise。　　He　loves　you　and　would　only　love　you　the　more　for　your　frankness　in　confessing　what　you　seem　to　consider　a　discreditable　episode：　though　I　for　my　part　am　free　to　tell　you　that　you　will　be　lucky　if　your　future　life　affords　you　the　opportunity　of　doing　anything　else　so　much　to　your　credit。　　But　the　chances　are　that　he　will　find　it　out　sooner　or　later；　and　that　may　not　be　so　agreeable；　either　to　him　or　to　you。　　Better　tell　him　all　now。〃

But　Grace　pictured　to　herself　the　aristocratic　pride　of　an　hidalgo　shocked　by　the　suggestion　of　the　plebeianism　of　trade；　and　she　would　not　consent　to　the　revelation。　　But　the　general's　prediction　was　fulfilled　sooner　than　might　have　been　expected。

For；　after　they　were　married；　Don　Miguel　decided　to　visit　the　Atlantic　coast　on　the　wedding　journey；　and　one　of　the　first　notable　places　they　reached　was；　of　course；　New　York。　　Don　Miguel　was　delighted；　and　was　never　weary　of　strolling　up　Fifth　Avenue　and　down　Broadway；　with　his　beautiful　wife　on　his　arm。　　He　marvelled　at　the　vast　white　pile　of　the　Fifth　Avenue　Hotel；　he　frowned　at　the　Worth　Monument；　he　stared　inexhaustibly　into　the　shop…windows；　he　exclaimed　with　admiration　at　the　stupendous　piles　of　masonry　which　contained　the　goods　of　New　York's　merchant　princes。　　It　seemed　to　be　his　opinion　that　the　possessors　of　so　much　palpable　wealth　must　be　the　true　aristocracy　of　the　country。

And　one　afternoon　it　happened　that　as　they　were　strolling　along　Broadway；　between　Twenty…third　Street　and　Union　Square；　and　were　crossing　one　of　the　side…streets；　a　horse　belonging　to　one　of　Lord　and　Taylor's　delivery…　wagons　became　frightened；　and　bolted　round　the　corner。　　One　of　the　hind　wheels　of　the　vehicle　came　in　contact　with　Grace's　shoulder；　and　knocked　her　down。　　The　blow　and　the　fall　stunned　her。　　Don　Miguel's　grief　and　indignation　were　expressed　with　tropical　energy；　and　a　by…stander　said；　〃Better　carry　her　into　the　store；　mister；　it's　their　wagon　run　her　down；　and　they　can't　do　less　than　look　after　her。〃

The　counsel　seemed　reasonable；　and　Don　Miguel；　with　the　assistance　of　a　policeman；　lifted　his　wife　and　bore　her　into　the　stately　shop。　　One　of　the　floor…walkers　met　them　at　the　door；　he　cast　a　glance　at　their　burden；　and　exclaimed；　〃Why；　it's　Miss　Parsloe！〃　　And　immediately　a　number　of　the　employees　gathered　round；　all　regarding　her　with　interest　and　sympathy；　all　anxious　to　help；　andwhich　was　what　mystified　Don　Miguel　all　calling　her　by　name！　　How　came　they　to　know　Grace　Parsloe？　　Nay；　they　even　glanced　at　Don　Miguel；　as　if　to　ask　what　was　HIS　business　with　the　beautiful　unconscious　one！

〃This　lady　are　my　wife；〃　he　said；　with　dignity。　　〃She　not　any　more　Miss　Parsloe。〃

〃Oh；　Grace　has　got　married！〃　exclaimed　the　young　ladies；　one　to　another；　and　then　an　elderly　man；　evidently　in　authority；　came　forward　and　said；　〃I　suppose　you　are　aware；　sir；　that　Miss　Parsloe　was　formerly　one　of　our　girls　here；　and　a　very　clever　and　useful　girl　she　was。　　I　need　not　say　how　sorry　we　are　for　this　accident：　I　have　sent　for　the　physician：　but　I　cannot　but　be　glad　that　the　misfortune　has　at　least　given　me　the　opportunity　of　telling　you　how　highly　your　wife　was　valued　and　respected　here。〃

At　this　juncture；　Grace　opened　her　eyes：　she　looked　from　one　face　to　another；　and　knew　that　fate　had　brought　the　truth　to　light。　　But　the　physical　shock　tempered　the　severity　of　the　mental　one：　besides；　she　could　not　help　being　pleased　at　the　sight　of　so　many　well…remembered　and　friendly　faces；　and；　finally；　her　husband　did　not　look　by　any　means　so　angry　and　scandalized　as　she　had　feared　he　would。　　Indeed；　he　appeared　almost　gratified。　　The　truth　probably　was；　he　was　flattered　to　see　his　wife　the　centre　of　so　much　interest　and　attention；　and　at　the　discovery　that　she　had　been　in　some　way　an　honored　appanage　of　so　imposing　an　establishment。　　So；　by　the　time　Grace　was　well　enough　to　be　driven　back　to　her　hotel；　the　senor　was　prattling　cheerfully　and　familiarly　with　all　and　sundry；　and　was　promising　to　bring　his　wife　back　there　the　next　day；　to　talk　over　old　times　with　her　former　associates。

Such　was　Grace's　punishment：　it　was　not　very　severe；　but　then　her　fault　had　been　a　venial　one；　and　the　episode　was　of　much　moral　benefit　to　her。　　She　liked　her　husband　all　the　better　for　having　nothing　more　to　conceal　from　him；　her　vanity　was　rebuked；　and　her　false　pride　chastened；　and　when；　in　after…years；　her　pretty　daughters　and　black…haired　sons　gathered　about　her　knees；　she　was　wont　to　warn　them　sagely　against　the　un…American　absurdity　of　fearing　to　work　for　their　living；　or　being　ashamed　to　have　it　known。

But　the　married　life　of　Miriam　and　Harvey　Freeman　was　characteristically　American　in　its　happiness。　　The　representatives　of　the　oldest　and　of　the　latest　inhabitants　of　this　continent；　their　union　seemed　to　produce　the　flower　of　what　was　best　in　both。　　Their　wedding　is　still　remembered　in　that　region；　as　being　everything　that　a　Southern　Californian　wedding　should　be；　and　the　bride；　as　she　stood　at　the　altar；　looked　what　she　was；　one　of　those　women　who；　more　than　anything　else　in　this　world；　are　fitted　to　bring　back　to　earth　the　gentle　splendors　of　the　Garden　of　Eden。　　In　her　dark　eyes；　as　she　fixed　them　upon　Freeman；　there　was　a　mystic　light；　telling　of　fathomless　depths　of　tenderness　and　intelligence：　it　seemed　to　her　husband　that　love　had　expanded　and　uplifted　her；　or　perhaps　that　other　spirit　in　her；　which　had　battled　with　her　own；　had　now　become　reconciled；　and　therefore　yielded　up　whatever　it　had　of　good　and　noble　to　aggrandize　the　gentle　victory　of　its　conqueror。　　Somehow；　somewhere；　in　Miriam's　nature；　Semitzin　lived；　and；　as　a　symbol　of　the　peace　and　atonement　that　were　the　issue　of　her　strange　interior　story；　her　husband　preserves　with　reverence　and　affection　the　mysterious　garment　called　the　Golden　Fleece。







End