the golden fleece-第2部分

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〃　quoth　he。　　〃But　I　wouldn't　mind　hearing　where　the　water　went　to；　myself。　　I　should　like　to　see　some　of　it　back　again。〃

〃Ask　the　earthquakes；　and　the　sun。　　There's　a　hundred　and　thirty　degrees　of　heat　in　some　of　these　valleys；abysses；　rather；　three　or　four　hundred　feet　below　sea…　level。　　The　earth　is　very　thin…skinned　in　this　region；　too；　and　whatever　water　wasn't　evaporated　from　above　would　be　likely　to　come　to　grief　underneath。〃

〃But；　professor；〃　said　the　musical　voice；　〃I　thought　there　was　a　law　that　water　always　seeks　its　own　level。　　So　how　can　there　be　empty　places　below　sea…level？〃

〃It's　the　fault　of　the　aneroid　barometer；　my　dear。　　We　were　very　comfortable　and　commonplace　until　that　came　along　and　revealed　anomalies。　　The　secret　lies；　I　suppose；　in　the　trend　of　the　strata；　which　is　generally　north　and　south。　　You　see　the　ridges　cropping　out　all　through　the　desert；　and　there's　a　good　deal　of　lava　oozing　over　them；　too。　　They　probably　act　as　walls；　to　prevent　the　sea　getting　in　from　the　west；　or　the　Colorado　leaking　in　from　the　east。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　remarked　the　general；　〃a　little　more　seismic　disturbance　might　produce　a　change。〃

〃It　would　have　to　be　more　than　a　little；　I　suspect；〃　returned　Meschines。

〃Kamaiakan　told　me　that　the　Indians　have　a　prophecy　that　a　great　lake　will　come　back　and　make　the　desert　fruitful；　and　that　there　are　some　who　know　the　very　place　where　the　water　will　begin　to　flow。〃　　And　here　the　hammock；　with　a　final　convulsion；　gave　birth　to　a　beautiful　young　woman；　in　a　diaphanous　silk　dress　and　a　white　lace　mantilla。　　She　crossed　the　veranda；　and　seated　herself　on　the　broad　arm　of　her　father's　chair。

〃Why；　that's　important！〃　said　the　general；　arching　his　brows。　　〃I　wonder　if　Kamaiakan　is　one　of　those　who　know　the　place？　　If　so；　it　might　be　worth　his　while　to　let　me　into　the　secret。〃

〃Oh；　you　couldn't　go　there！　　It's　enchanted；　and　people　who　go　near　it　die。　　There　are　bones　all　about　there；　now。〃

〃This　Kamaiakan　appears　to　be　a　remarkable　personage：　where　did　you　pick　him　up？〃　inquired　the　professor。

〃It　was　rather　the　other　way；〃　Trednoke　replied；　taking　one　of　his　daughter's　hands　in　his；　and　caressing　it。　　〃We　are　appendages　to　Kamaiakan。　　You　look　so　natural；　sitting　there；　Meschines；　that　I　forget　it's　thirty　years　since　we　met；　and　that　all　the　significant　events　of　my　life　have　happened　in　that　time；the　Mexican　war；　my　marriage；　and　the　rest　of　it！　　I　have　been　a　widower　ten　years。〃

〃And　I've　been　a　bachelor　for　over　sixty！〃　said　Meschines；　with　a　queer　expression。　　〃Your　wife　was　Spanish；　was　she　not？〃

〃Her　father　was　a　Mexican　of　Andalusian　descent。　　But　her　mother　was　descended　from　the　race　of　Azatlan：　there　are　records　and　relics　indicating　that　her　ancestors　were　princes　in　Tenochtitlan　before　Cortez　made　trouble　there。〃

〃And　I've　been　losing　my　heart　to　a　princess；　and　never　realized　my　audacity！〃　exclaimed　the　professor；　laying　his　hand　on　his　waistcoat　and　making　an　obeisance　to　Miriam。

She　tossed　her　free　foot；　and　played　with　the　fringe　of　her　reboso。

〃I　will　tell　my　maid　to　look　for　it；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　think　you　must　have　left　it　in　papa's　curiosity…room。〃

〃No：　I'm　an　Aztec　sacrifice！〃　cried　the　professor；　and　they　all　laughed。　　〃One　would　hardly　have　anticipated；〃　he　resumed　after　a　pause；　addressing　Trednoke；　〃that　you　would　have　made　a　double　conquest；　first　of　the　men；　and　then　of　the　woman！〃

〃The　woman　conquered　me；　without　trying　or　wishing　to；　and　then；　because　she　was　a　woman；　took　compassion　on　me。　　Whether　my　country　has　benefited　much　by　the　Mexican　annexation；　I　can't　say；　but　I　know　Inezmade　a　heaven　on　earth　for　me；〃　concluded　the　general；　in　a　low　voice。　　His　countenance；　at　this　moment；　wore　a　solemn　and　humble　expression；　beautiful　to　see；　and　Miriam　bent　and　laid　her　cheek　against　his。　　Meschines　knocked　the　ashes　out　of　his　pipe；　and　sighed。

〃No　woman　ever　took　compassion　on　me；〃　he　remarked；　〃and　you　see　the　result；　ashes！〃

〃Ashes；with　their　wonted　fires　living　in　them；〃　said　Trednoke。

〃We　were　talking　about　this　Indian　of　yours；〃　said　Meschines。

〃Ay；　to　be　sure。　　Well；　he　was　attached　to　Inez's　family　when　I　first　knew　them。　　It　was　a　peculiar　relation；　not　like　that　of　a　servant。　　One　finds　such　things　in　Mexico。　　The　conquered　race　were　of　as　good　strain　as　their　conquerors；　the　blood　of　Montezuma　was　as　blue　as　the　best　of　the　Castilian。　　There　were　many　intermarriages；　and　there　are　many　instances　of　the　survival　of　traditions　and　records；　though　the　records　are　often　symbolic；　and　would　have　no　meaning　to　persons　not　initiated。　　But　they　have　been　sufficient　to　perpetuate　ties　of　a　personal　nature　through　generation　after　generation；　and　the　alliance　between　Kamaiakan　and　Inez　was　of　this　kind。　　His　forefathers；　I　imagine；　were　priests；　and　priests　were　a　mighty　power　in　Tenochtitlan。　　For　aught　I　know；　indeed　Kamaiakan　may　be　an　original　priest　of　Montezuma's；　no　one　knows　his　age；　but　he　does　not　look　an　hour　older；　to…day；　than　when　I　first　saw　him；　over　twenty　years　ago。〃

〃He　must　be！〃　said　Miriam；　with　some　positiveness。　　〃He　has　told　me　of　seeing　and　doing　things　hundreds　of　years　ago。　　And　he　says〃　　She　paused。

〃What　does　he　say；　Nina　adorada？〃　asked　her　father。

〃It　was　about　the　treasure；　you　know。〃

〃Let　us　hear。　　The　professor　is　one　of　us。〃

〃It's　one　of　our　traditions　that　my　mother's　ancestors；　at　the　time　of　Cortez；　were　very　rich　people；〃　continued　Miriam；　glancing　at　Meschines；　and　then　letting　her　eyes　wander　across　the　garden；　blooming　with　roses　and　fragrant　with　orange…trees；　and　so　across　the　trellised　vines　towards　the　soft　outline　of　the　mountains　eastward。　　〃A　great　part　of　their　wealth　was　in　the　form　of　jewels　and　precious　stones。　　When　Cortez　took　the　city；　one　of　the　priests；　who　was　a　relative　of　our　family；　put　the　jewels　in　a　box；　and　hid　them　in　a　certain　place　in　the　desert。〃

〃And　does　Kamaiakan　know　where　the　place　is？〃　asked　the　general。

〃He　can　know；　when　the　time　comes。〃

〃Which　will　be；　perhaps；　when　you　are　ready　for　your　dowry；〃　observed　the　professor；　genially。

〃A　spell　was　put　upon　the　spot；〃　Miriam　went　on；　with　a　certain　imaginative　seriousness；　for　she　loved　romance　and　mystery　so　well；　and　was　of　a　temperament　so　poetical；　that　the　wildest　fairy…tales　had　a　sort　of　reality　for　her。　　〃No　one　can　find　the　treasure　while　the　spell　remains。　　But　Kamaiakan　understands　the　spell；　and　the　conjuration　which　dissolves　it；　and　when　he　dissolves　it；　the　treasure　will　be　found。〃

〃And；　between　ourselves；〃　added　the　general；　〃Kamaiakan　is　himself　the　priestly　relative　by　whom　the　spell　was　wrought。　　He　bears　an　enchanted　life；　which　cannot　cease　until　he　has　restored　the　jewels　to　Miriam's　hands。〃

〃There　might　be　something　in　it；　you　know；〃　said　Meschines；　after　a　pause。　　〃The　treasures　of　Montezuma　have　never　been　found。　　Is　there　no　old　chart　or　writing；　in　your　collection　of　curiosities　and　relics；　that　might　throw　light　on　it？〃

〃The　scriptures　of　Anahuac　were　of　the　hieroglyphic　type；picture…writing；〃　replied　the　other。　　〃No；　I　fear　there　is　nothing　to　the　purpose；　and　if　there　were；　I　shouldn't　know　how　to　decipher　it。〃

〃But；　papa；　the　tunic！〃　exclaimed　Miriam。

〃Oh！　has　the　tunic　anything　to　do　with　it？〃

〃Is　that　the　queer　woollen　garment　with　the　gold　embroidery？〃　inquired　the　professor；　becoming　more　interested。　　〃I　took　a　fancy　to　that；　you　remember。　　Has　it　a　story？〃

〃Well；　it　is　a　kind　of　an　anomaly；　I　believe；〃　the　general　answered；　looking　up　at　his　daughter　with　a　smile。　　〃The　Aztecs；　you　are　aware；　dressed　chiefly　in　cotton。　　Even　their　defensive　armor　was　of　cotton；　thickly　quilted。　　Their　ornaments　were　feathers；　and　embroidery　of　gold　and　precious　stones。　　But　wool；　for　some　reason；　they　didn't　wear；　and　yet　this　garment；　as　you　can　see　for　yourself；　is　pure　wool；　and　that　it　is　also　pure　Aztecan　is　beyond　question。〃

〃Admitting　that；　what　clue　does　it　give　to　the　treasure？〃

〃You　must　ask　Kamaiakan；〃　said　Miriam：　〃only；　he　wouldn't　tell　you。〃

〃Possibly；〃　the　professor　suggested；　〃the　place　where　the　treasure　is　hidden　is　the　place　whence　the　water　is　to　flow　out；　and　the　water　is　the　treasure。〃

〃Seriously；　do　you　suppose　that　such　a　phenomenon　as　the　return　of　an　inland　sea　is　physically　practicable？〃　asked　Trednoke。

〃No　phenomenon；　in　this　part　of　the　world；　would　surprise　me；〃　returned　Meschines。　　〃The　Colorado　might　break　its　barriers；　or　it　is　conceivable　that　some　huge　stream；　taking　its　rise　in　the　heights　hundreds　of　miles　north　and　east　of　us；　may　be　flowing　through　subterranean　passages　into　the　sea；　emerging　from　the　sea…bottom　hundreds　of　miles　to　the　westward。　　Now；　if　a　rattling　good　earthquake　were　to　happen　along；　you　might　awake　in　the　morning　to　find　yourself　on　an　island；　or　even　under　water。〃

〃A　moderate　Mediterranean　would　satisfy　me；〃　the　general　said。　　〃I　wouldn't　exchange　the　certainty　of　it　for　the　treasures　of　Montezuma。〃

〃The　thirst　for　gold　and　for　water　are　synonymous　in　your　case？〃

〃Give　this　section　a　moist　climate；　and　I　needn't　tell　you　that　the　Great　American　Desert　would　literally　blossom　as　the　rose。　　Even　as　it　is；　I　expect　a　great　deal　of　it　will　be　redeemed　by　scientific　irrigation。　　The　soil　only　needs　water　to　become　inexhaustibly　productive。　　Our　desert；　as　you　know；　is　not　sand；　like　parts　of　the　Sahara；　it　has　all　the　ingredients　that　go　to　nourish　plants；　only　their　present　powdery　condition　makes　them　unavailable。　　Now；　I　can；　to…day；　buy　a　hundred　square　miles　of　desert　for　a　few　dollars。　　You　see　the　point；　don't　you？〃

〃And　all　you　want　is　expert　opinion　as　to　the　likelihood　of　finding　water？〃

〃The　man　who　solves　that　question　for　me　in　the　affirmative　is　welcome　to　half　my　share　of　the　results　that　would　ensue　from　it。〃

〃Why　don't　you　engage　some　expert　to　investigate？〃

〃One　can't　always　trust　an　expert。　　I　don't　mean　as　to　his　expertness　only；　but　as　to　his　good　faith。　　He　might　prefer　to　sell　the　idea　to　somebody　who　could　pay　cash；　which　I　cannot。〃

〃Why；　you　seem　to　have　given　this　thing　a　good　deal　of　thought；　Trednoke。〃

〃Well；　yes：　it　has　been　my　hobby　for　a　year　past；　and　I　have　made　some　investigations　myself。　　But　this　is