the golden fleece-第14部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

〃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；　sprouting　up　in　a　sort　of　ghastly　vegetation；　as　if　death　itself　had　acquired　a　sinister　life。　　Elsewhere；　the　ground　quaked　and　yielded　underfoot；　and　it　became　necessary　to　make　detours　to　avoid　these　arid　bogs。　　Once　or　twice；　too；　Freeman　turned　aside　lest　he　should　trample　upon　some　dry　bones　that　protruded　in　his　path；bones　that　were　their　own　monument；　and　told　their　own　story　of　struggle；　agony；　exhaustion；　and　despair。

None　of　these　things　had　any　depressing　effect　on　Freeman's　spirit。　　His　heart　was　singing　with　joy。　　To　a　mind　logically　disposed；　there　was　nothing　but　trouble　in　sight；　whether　he　succeeded　or　failed　in　his　present　mission。　　In　the　former　case；　he　would　find　himself　in　a　hostile　position　as　regarded　the　man　he　most　desired　to　conciliate；　in　the　latter；　he　would　remain　the　mere　rolling　stone　that　he　was　before；　and　love　itself　would　forbid　him　to　ask　the　woman　he　loved　to　share　his　uncertain　existence。　　But　Freeman　was　not　logical：　he　was　happy；　and　he　could　not　help　it。　　He　had　kissed　Miriam；　and　she　loved　him。

His　course　lay　a　few　degrees　north　of　east。　　Far　across　the　plain；　dancing　and　turning　somersaults　in　the　fantastic　atmosphere；　were　the　summits　of　a　range　of　abrupt　hills；　the　borders　of　a　valley　or　ravine　which　he　wished　to　explore。　　Gradually；　as　he　rode；　his　shadow　lengthened　before　him。　　It　was　his　only　companion；　and　yet　he　felt　no　sense　of　loneliness。　　Miriam　was　in　his　heart；　and　kept　it　fresh　and　bold。　　Even　hunger　and　thirst　he　scarcely　felt。　　Who　can　estimate　the　therapeutic　and　hygienic　effects　of　love？

The　mustang　could　not　share　his　rider's　source　of　content；　but　he　may　have　been　conscious；　through　animal　instincts　whereof　we　know　nothing；　of　an　uplifting　and　encouraging　spirit。　　At　all　events；　he　kept　up　his　steady　lope　without　faltering　or　apparent　effort；　and　seemed　to　require　nothing　more　than　the　occasional　wetting　which　Freeman　administered　to　his　nose。　　There　would　probably　be　some　vegetation；　and　perhaps　water；　on　the　hills；　and　that　prospect　may　likewise　have　helped　him　along。

Nevertheless；　man　and　beast　may　well　have　welcomed　the　hour　when　the　craggy　acclivities　of　that　lonely　range　became　so　near　that　they　seemed　to　loom　above　their　heads。　　Freeman　directed　his　steps　towards　the　southern　extremity；　where　a　huge；　pallid　mass；　of　almost　regular　pyramidal　form；　reared　itself　aloft　like　a　monument。　　He　skirted　the　base　of　the　pyramid；　and　there　opened　on　his　view　a　narrow；　winding　valley；　scarcely　half　a　mile　in　apparent　breadth；　and　of　a　very　wild　and　savage　aspect。　　Its　general　direction　was　nearly　north　and　south；　and　it　declined　downwards；　as　if　seeking　the　interior　of　the　earth。　　In　fact；　it　looked　not　unlike　those　imaginative　pictures　of　the　road　to　the　infernal　regions　described　by　the　ancient　poets。　　One　could　picture　Pluto　in　his　chariot；　with　Proserpine　beside　him；　thundering　downwards　behind　his　black　horses；　on　the　way　to　those　sombre　and　magnificent　regions　which　are　hollowed　out　beneath　the　surface　of　the　planet。

Freeman；　however；　presently　saw　a　sight　which；　if　less　spectacularly　impressive；　was　far　more　agreeable　to　his　eyes。　　On　a　shelf　or　cup　of　the　declivity　was　a　little　clump　of　vegetation；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　welled　up　a　thin　stream　of　water。　　The　mustang　scrambled　eagerly　towards　it；　and；　before　Freeman　had　had　time　to　throw　himself　out　of　the　saddle；　he　had　plunged　his　muzzle　into　the　rivulet。　　He　sucked　it　down　with　such　satisfaction　that　it　was　evident　the　water　was　not　salt。　　Freeman　laid　himself　prone　upon　the　brink；　and　followed　his　steed's　example。　　The　draught　was　cool　and　pure。

〃I　didn't　know　how　much　I　wanted　it！〃　said　he　to　himself。　　〃It　must　come　from　a　good　way　down。　　If　I　could　only　bring　the　parent　stream　to　the　surface；　my　mission　would　be　on　a　fair　road　to　success。〃

An　examination　of　the　spring　revealed　the　fact　that　it　could　not　have　been　long　in　existence。　　Indeed；　there　were　no　traces　whatever　of　long　continuance。　　The　aperture　in　the　rock　through　which　it　trickled　bore　the　appearance　of　having　been　recently　opened；　fragments　were　lying　near　it　that　seemed　to　have　been　just　broken　off。　　The　bed　of　the　little　stream　was　entirely　free　from　moss　or　weeds；　and　after　proceeding　a　short　distance　it　dwindled　and　disappeared；　either　sucked　up　in　vapor　by　the　torrid　air；　or　absorbed　into　the　dusty　soil。　　Manifestly；　it　was　a　recent　creation。

〃And；　to　be　sure；　why　not？〃　ejaculated　Freeman。　　〃There　was　an　earthquake　last　night；　which　swallowed　up　the　spring　in　the　Trednokes'　garden：　probably　that　same　earthquake　brought　this　stream　to　light。　　It　vanished　there；　to　reappear　here。　　Well；　the　loss　is　not　important　to　them；　but　the　gain　is　very　important　to　me。　　It　is　as　if　Miriam　had　come　with　a　cup　of　water　to　refresh　her　lover　in　the　desert。　　God　bless　her！　　She　has　refreshed　me　indeed；　soul　and　body！〃

He　removed　the　saddle　from　the　mustang；　and　turned　him　loose　to　make　the　best　of　such　scanty　herbage　as　he　could　find。　　Then　he　unpacked　his　own　provisions；　and　made　a　comfortable　meal；　after　which　he　rolled　a　cigarette　and　reclined　on　the　spot　most　available；　to　rest　and　recuperate。　　The　valley；　or　gorge；　lay　before　him　in　the　afternoon　light。　　It　was　a　strange　and　savage　spectacle。　　Had　it　been　torn　asunder　by　some　stupendous　explosion；　it　could　not　have　presented　a　rougher　or　more　chaotic　aspect。　　To　look　at　it　was　like　beholding　the　secret　places　of　the　earth。　　The　rocky　walls　were　of　different　colors；　yellow；　blue；　and　red；　in　many　shades　and　gradations。　　They　towered　ruggedly　upwards；　sharply　shadowed　and　brightly　lighted；　mounting　in　regular　pinnacles；　parting　in　black　crevices；　here　and　there　vast　masses　hung　poised　on　bases　seemingly　insufficient；　ready　to　topple　over　on　the　unwary　passer　beneath。　　A　short　distance　to　the　northward　the　ravine　had　a　turn；　and　a　projecting　promontory　hid　its　further　extreme　from　sight。　　Freeman　made　up　his　mind　to　follow　it　up　on　foot；　after　the　descending　sun　should　have　thrown　a　shadow　over　it。　　The　indications；　in　his　judgment；　were　not　without　promise　that　a　system　of　judi