the golden fleece-第16章

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　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　judiciously…applied　blastings　might　open　up　a　source　of　water　that　would　transform　this　dreadful　barrenness　into　something　quite　different。

The　shade　of　the　great　pyramid　fell　upon　him　as　he　lay；　but　the　tumultuous　wall　opposite　was　brilliantly　illuminated：　the　sky；　over　it；　was　of　a　peculiar　brassy　hue；　but　entirely　cloudless。　　The　radiations　from　the　baked　surface；　ascending　vertically；　made　the　rocky　bastion　seem　to　quiver；　as　if　it　were　a　reflection　cast　on　undulating　water。　　The　wreaths　of　tobacco…smoke　that　emanated　from　Freeman's　mouth　also　ascended；　until　they　touched　the　slant　of　sunlight　overhead。　　As　the　young　man's　eyes　followed　these；　something　happened　that　caused　him　to　utter　an　exclamation　and　raise　himself　on　one　arm。

All　at　once；　in　the　vacant　air　diagonally　above　him；　a　sort　of　shadowy　shimmer　seemed　to　concentrate　itself；　which　was　rapidly　resolved　into　color　and　form。　　It　was　much　as　if　some　unseen　artist　had　swept　a　mass　of　mingled　hues　on　a　canvas　and　then　had　worked　them　with　magical　speed　into　a　picture。　　There　appeared　a　breadth　of　rolling　country；　covered　with　verdure；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　the　white　walls　and　long；　shadowed　veranda　of　an　adobe　house。　　Freeman　saw　the　vines　clambering　over　the　eaves　and　roof；　the　vases　of　earthenware　suspended　between　the　pillars　and　overflowing　with　flowers；　the　long　windows；　the　steps　descending　into　the　garden。　　Now　a　figure　clad　in　white　emerged　from　the　door　and　advanced　slowly　to　the　end　of　the　veranda。　　He　recognized　the　gait　and　bearing：　he　could　almost　fancy　he　discerned　the　beloved　features。　　She　stood　there　for　a　moment；　gazing；　as　it　seemed；　directly　at　him。　　She　raised　her　hands；　and　pressed　them　to　her　lips；　then　threw　them　outwards；　with　a　gesture　eloquent　of　innocent　and　tender　passion。　　Freeman's　heart　leaped：　involuntarily　he　stretched　out　his　arms；　and　murmured；　〃Miriam！〃　　The　next　moment；　a　tall；　dark　figure；　with　white　hair；　wrapped　in　a　blanket；　came　stalking　behind　her；　and　made　a　beckoning　movement。　　Miriam　did　not　turn；　but　h