the golden fleece-第4部分

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the　best　possible　condition；　physical　and　mental；　though　not；　he　admitted；　pecuniary。　　As　to　morals；　they　had　not　reached　that　discussion　yet。　　But；　in　all　that　he　did　say；　Freeman　exhibited　perfect　unreserve　and　frankness；　answering　without　hesitation　or　embarrassment　any　question　she　chose　to　ask　（and　she　asked　some　curious　ones）。

But　when　she　asked　him　such　an　innocent　thing　as　what　he　was　after　in　Californiaan　inquiry；　by　the　way；　put　more　in　idleness　than　out　of　curiosityFreeman　stroked　his　yellow　moustache　with　the　thumb　of　the　hand　that　held　his　Cuban　cigarette；　gazed　with　narrowed　eyelids　at　the　horizon；　and　for　some　time　made　no　reply　at　all。　　Finally　he　said　that　California　was　a　place　he　had　never　visited；　and　that　it　would　be　a　pity　to　have　been　so　near　it　and　yet　not　have　improved　the　opportunity　of　taking　a　look　at　it。

Grace　instantly　scented　a　mystery；　and　was　not　less　promptly　resolved　to　fathom　it。　　And　what　must　be　the　nature　of　a　mystery　attaching　to　a　handsome　man；　unmarried；　and　evidently　no　stranger　to　the　gentler　sex？　　Of　course　there　must　be　a　woman　in　it！　　Her　eyes　glowed　with　azure　fire。

〃You　have　some　acquaintances　in　California；　I　suppose？〃　she　said；　with　an　air　of　laborious　indifference。

〃Well；yes；　I　believe　I　have；〃　Freeman　admitted。

〃Have　they　lived　there　long？〃

〃No；　not　over　a　few　months。　　I　accidentally　heard　from　a　person　in　Panama。　　I　dropped　a　line　to　say　I　might　turn　up。〃

〃Sheyou　haven't　had　time　to　get　an　answer；　then？〃

Freeman　inhaled　a　deep　breath　through　his　cigarette；　tilted　his　head　back；　and　allowed　the　smoke　to　escape　slowly　through　his　nostrils。　　In　this　manner；　familiar　to　his　deep…designing　sex；　he　concealed　a　smile。　　Grace　was；　in　some　respects；　as　transparent　as　she　was　subtle。　　So　long　as　the　matter　in　hand　did　not　touch　her　emotions；　she　had　no　difficulty　in　maintaining　a　deceptive　surface；　but　emotion　she　could　not　disguise；　though　she　was　probably　not　aware　of　the　fact；　for　emotion　has　a　tendency　to　shut　one's　own　eyes　and　open　what　they　can　no　longer　see　in　one's　self　to　the　gaze　of　outsiders。

〃No；〃　he　said；　when　he　had　recovered　his　composure。　　〃But　that　won't　make　any　difference。　　We　are　on　rather　intimate　terms；　you　see。〃

〃Oh！　　Is　it　long　since　you　have　met？〃

〃Pretty　long；　at　least　it　seems　so　to　me。〃

Grace　turned；　and　looked　full　at　her　companion。　　He　did　not　meet　her　glance；　but　kept　his　profile　steadily　opposed；　and　went　on　smoking　with　a　dreamy　air；　as　if　lost　in　memories　and　anticipations；　sad；　yet　sweet。

〃Really；　Mr。　Freeman；　I　hardly　thought　you　have　always　seemed　to　care　so　little　about　anythingI　didn't　suspect　you　of　so　much　sentiment。〃

〃I　am　like　other　men；〃　he　returned；　with　a　sigh。　　〃My　affections　are　not　given　indiscriminately；　but　when　they　are　given；you　understand；I〃

〃Oh；　I　understand：　pray　don't　think　it　necessary　to　explain。　　I'm　sure　I'm　very　far　from　wishing　to　listen　to　confidences　about　another；to〃

〃Yes；　but　I　like　to　talk　about　it；〃　interposed　Freeman；　earnestly。　　〃I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　open　my　heart；　you　know；　for　at　least　six　months。　　And　though　you　and　I　haven't　known　each　other　long；　I　believe　you　to　be　capable　of　appreciating　what　a　man　feels　when　he　is　on　his　way　to　meet　some　one　who〃

〃Thank　you！　　You　are　most　considerate！　　But　I　shall　be　additionally　obliged　if　you　would　tell　me　in　what　respect　I　can　have　so　far　forgotten　myself　as　to　lead　you　to　think　me　likely　to　appreciate　anything　of　the　kind。　　I　assure　you；　Mr。　Freeman；　I　have　never　cared　for　any　one；　and　nothing　I　have　seen　since　I　left　home　makes　it　probable　that　I　shall　begin　now。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　that；〃　said　Freeman；　slowly　drawing　another　cigarette　out　of　his　bundle；　and　beginning　to　re…roll　it　with　a　dejected　air。

〃Indeed！〃

〃Yes：　the　fact　is；　I　had　hoped　that　you　had　begun　to　have　a　little　friendly　feeling　for　me。　　I　am　more　than　ready　to　reciprocate。〃

〃I　hope　you　will　spare　me　any　insults；　sir。　　I　have　no　one　to　protect　me；　but〃

〃I　assure　you；　I　mean　no　insult。　　You　cannot　help　knowing　that　I　think　you　as　beautiful　and　fascinating　a　woman　as　I　have　ever　met；　but　of　course　you　can't　help　being　beautiful　and　fascinating。　　Do　I　insult　you　by　having　eyes？　　If　so；　I　am　sorry；　but　you　will　have　to　make　the　best　of　it。〃

With　this；　he　turned　in　his　seat；　and　calmly　confronted　her。　　Beautiful　she　certainly　was；　at　that　moment；　but　it　was　the　beauty　of　an　angry　serpent。　　She　had　a　pencil　in　her　hand；　with　which；　a　little　while　before；　she　had　been　sketching　heads　of　some　of　the　passengers　in　her　little　notebook。　　She　was　now　handling　this　inoffensive　object　in　such　a　way　as　to　justify　the　fancy　that；　had　it　been　charged　with　a　deadly　poison　in　its　point；　instead　of　with　a　bit　of　plumbago　of　the　HH　quality；　she　would　have　driven　it　into　Freeman's　heart　then　and　there。

〃Is　it　no　insult；〃　said　she；　in　a　sibilant　voice；　〃to　talk　to　me　as　you　are　doing；　when　you　have　just　told　me　that　you　love　another　woman；　and　are　going　to　meet　her？〃

Freeman's　brows　gradually　knitted　themselves　in　a　frown　of　apparent　perplexity。　　〃I　must　say　I　don't　understand　you；〃　he　observed；　at　length。　　〃I　am　quite　sure　I　have　said　nothing　of　the　sort。　　How　could　I？〃

〃If　you　wish　to　quibble　about　words；　perhaps　not。　　But　was　not　that　your　meaning？〃

〃No；　it　wasn't。　　You　are　the　only　woman　who　has　been　in　my　thoughts　to…day。〃

〃Mr。　Freeman！〃

〃Well？〃

〃You　have　intimated　very　clearly　that　you　are　engagedmarried；　for　aught　I　know　to　a　woman　whom　you　are　now　on　your　way　to　meet〃

At　this　point　she　stopped。　　Freeman　had　interrupted　her　with　a　shout　of　laughter。

She　had　been　very　pale。　　She　now　flushed　all　over　her　face；　and　jumped　to　her　feet。

〃Sit　down；〃　he　said；　laying　a　hand　on　her　dress　and　（aided　by　a　lurch　of　the　vessel）　pulling　her　into　her　seat　again；　〃and　listen　to　me。　　And　then　I　shall　insist　upon　an　apology。　　This　is　too　much！〃

〃I　shall　ask　the　captain〃

〃You　will　not；　I　promise　you。　　Look　here！　　When　I　was　in　Panama；　I　met　there　a　fellow　I　used　to　know　in　New　York。　　He　told　me　that　he　had　recently　crossed　the　continent　with　Professor　Meschines；　who　used　to　teach　geology　and　botany　at　Yale　College；　when　he　and　I　were　students　there。　　The　professor　had　come　over　partly　for　the　fun　of　the　thing；　and　partly　to　look　for　specimens　in　the　line　of　his　profession。　　My　friend　parted　from　him　at　San　Francisco：　the　professor　was　going　farther　south。〃

〃What　has　all　this　to　do　with　the　woman　who〃

〃It　has　this　to　do　with　it；that　the　professor　is　the　woman！　　He　is　over　sixty　years　old；　and　has　always　been　a　good　friend　of　mine；　but　I　am　not　going　to　marry　him。　　I　am　not　engaged　to　him；　he　is　not　beautiful；　nor　even　fascinating；　except　in　the　way　of　an　elderly　man　of　science。　　And　he　is　the　only　human　being；　besides　yourself；　that　I　know　or　have　ever　heard　of　on　the　Pacific　coast。　　Now　for　your　apology！〃

Grace　emitted　a　long　breath；　and　sank　back　in　her　seat；　with　her　hands　clasped　in　her　lap。　　She　raised　her　hands　and　covered　her　face　with　them。　　She　removed　them；　sat　erect；　and　bent　an　open…eyed；　intent　gaze　upon　her　companion。

After　this　pantomime；　she　exclaimed；　in　the　lowest　and　most　musical　of　tones；　〃Oh！　how　hateful　you　are！〃　　Then　she　cried　out　with　animation；　〃I　believe　you　did　it　on　purpose！〃　　Finally；　she　sank　back　again；　with　a　soft　laugh　and　sparkling　eyes；　at　the　same　time　stretching　out　her　right　arm　towards　him　and　placing　her　hand　on　his；　with　a　whispered；　〃There；　then！〃

Freeman；　accepting　the　hand　for　the　apology；　kissed　it；　and　continued　to　hold　it　afterwards。

〃Am　I　not　a　little　goose？〃　she　murmured。

〃You　certainly　are；〃　replied　Freeman。

〃You　mustn't　hold　my　hand　any　more。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　withdraw　your　apology？〃

〃Nno；　but　it　doesn't　follow　that〃

〃Oh；　yes；　it　does。　　Besides；　when　a　man　receives　such　a　delicate；　refined；　graceful；　exquisite　apology　as　this；〃here　he　lifted　the　hand；　looked　at　it　critically；　and　bestowed　another　kiss　upon　it；〃he　would　be　a　fool　not　to　make　the　most　of　it。〃

〃Ah；　I'm　afraid　you're　dangerous。　　You　are　well　namedFreeman！〃

〃My　name　is　Harvey：　won't　you　call　me　by　it？〃

〃Oh；　I　can't！〃

〃Try！　　Would　it　make　it　easier　if　I　were　to　call　you　by　yours？〃

〃Mine　is　Miss　Parsloe。〃

〃Pooh！　　How　can　that　be　your　name　which　you　are　going　to　change　so　soon？　　When　I　look　at　you；　I　see　your　name；　when　I　think　of　you；　I　say　it　to　myself；Grace！〃

〃How　do　you　know　I　am　going　to　change　my　name　soonor　ever？〃

〃Whom　are　you　talking　to？〃

〃To　you；Harvey！　　Oh！〃　She　snatched　her　hand　away　and　pressed　it　over　her　lips。

〃How　do　I　know　you　are　beautiful；　Grace；　andirresistible？〃

〃But　I'm　not！　　You're　making　fun　of　me！　　Besides；　I'm　twenty。〃

〃How　many　times　have　you　been　engaged？〃

〃Never。　　Nobody　wants　to　be　engaged　to　a　poor　girl。　　Oh　me！〃

〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　made　of；　Grace？　　Fire　and　flowers！　　Few　men　in　the　world　are　men　enough　to　be　a　match　for　you。　　But　what　have　you　been　doing　with　yourself　all　this　time？　　Why　do　you　come　to　a　place　like　this？〃

〃Maybe　I　had　a　presentiment　that　。　。　。　　What　nonsense　we　are　talking！　　But　what　you　said　reminds　me。　　It's　the　strangest　coincidence！〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Your　Professor　Meschines〃

〃On　the　contrary；　he　is　a　most　matter…　of…fact　old　gentleman。〃

〃Do　be　quiet；　and　listen　to　me！　　When　my　mamma　was　a　girl　in　school；　there　were　two　boys　there；it　was　a　boy…and…girls'　school；and　they　were　great　friends。　　But　they　both　fell　in　love　with　my　mamma〃

〃I　can　understand　that；〃　put　in　Freeman。

〃How　do　you　know　I　am　like　my　mamma？　　Well；　as　I　was　saying；　they　both　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　quarrelled　with　each　other；　and　had　a　fight。　　The　boy　that　won　the　fight　is　the　man　to　whose　house　I　am　going。〃

〃Then　he　didn't　marry　your　mamma？〃

〃Oh；　no；　that　was　only　a　childish　affair；　and　she　married　another　man。〃

〃The　one　who　got　thrashed？〃

〃Of　course　not。　　But　the　one　who　got　thrashed　is　your　Professor　Meschines。〃

〃I　see！　　The　poor　old　professor！　　And　he　has　remained　a　bachelor　all　his　life。〃

〃Mamma　has　often　told　me　the　story；　and　that　the　Trednoke　boy　went　to　West　Point；　and　distinguished　himself　in　the　Mexican　war；　and　married　a　Mexican　woman；　and　the　Meschines　boy　became　a　professor　in　Yale　C