the golden fleece-第13章

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Freeman's　emotions　had　undergone　several　variations　during　the　course　of　the　mighty　professor's　harangue。　　But　he　had　ended　by　admitting　the　force　of　the　argument；　and　the　reminiscences　of　college　lecturings　aroused　by　the　incident　had　tickled　his　sense　of　humor　and　quenched　his　anger。　　He　looked　at　the　professor　with　a　sparkle　of　laughter　in　his　eyes。

〃I　have　done　very　wrong；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'm　very　sorry　for　it。　　If　you　won't　give　me　any　bad　marks　this　time；　I'll　promise　to　be　good　in　future。〃

〃Ah！　very　smooth！　　To　begin　with；　suppose　you　ask　pardon　of　Senor　Don　Miguel　de　Mendoza　for　the　affront　you　have　put　upon　him。〃

To　a　soul　really　fearless；　even　an　apology　has　no　terrors。　　Moreover；　Freeman's　night　ride　with　Don　Miguel；　though　brief　in　time；　had　sufficed　to　give　him　the　measure　of　the　Mexican's　character；　and　he　respected　it　so　little　that　he　could　no　longer　take　the　man　seriously；　or　be　sincerely　angry　with　him。　　The　professor's　assurance　as　to　Don　Miguel's　inoffensiveness　had　also　its　weight；　and　it　was　therefore　with　a　quite　royal　gesture　of　amicable　condescension　that　Freeman　turned　upon　his　late　antagonist　and　held　out　his　hand。

〃Senor　Don　Miguel　de　Mendoza；〃　said　he；　〃I　humbly　tender　you　my　apologies　and　crave　your　pardon。　　My　conduct　has　been　inexcusable；　I　beg　you　to　excuse　it。　　I　deserve　your　reprobation；　I　entreat　the　favor　of　your　friendship。　　Senor；　between　men　of　honor；　a　misunderstanding　is　a　misunderstanding；　and　an　apology　is　an　apology。　　I　lament　the　existence　of　the　first；　the　professor；　here；　is　witness　that　I　lay　the　second　at　your　feet。　　May　I　hope　to　receive　your　hand　as　a　pledge　that　you　restore　me　to　the　privilege　of　your　good　will？〃

Now；　Don　Miguel's　soul　had　been　grievously　exercised　that　night：　he　had　been　insulted；　he　had　shivered　beneath　the　shadow　of　death；　he　had　been　a　prey　to　superstitious　terrors；　and　he　had　been　utterly　perplexed　by　the　professor's　eloquent　address；　whereof　（as　it　was　delivered　in　good　American；　and　with　a　rapidity　of　utterance　born　of　strong　feeling）　he　had　comprehended　not　a　word；　and　the　unexpected　effect　of　which　upon　his　late　adversary　he　was　at　a　loss　to　understand。　　Although；　therefore；　he　had　no　stomach　for　battle；　he　was　oppressed　by　a　misgiving　lest　the　whole　transaction　had　been　in　some　way　planned　to　expose　him　to　ridicule；　and　for　this　reason　he　was　disposed　to　treat　Freeman's　peaceful　overtures　with　suspicion。　　His　heart　did　not　respond　to　those　overtures；　but　neither　was　it　stout　enough　to　enable　him　to　reject　them　explicitly。　　Accordingly；　he　adopted　that　middle　course　which；　in　spite　of　the　proverb；　is　not　seldom　the　least　expedient。　　He　disregarded　the　proffered　hand；　bowed　very　stiffly；　and；　saying；　〃Senor；　I　am　satisfied；〃　stalked　off　with　all　the　rigidity　of　one　in　whose　veins　flows　the　sangre　azul　of　Old　Castile。　　Freeman　smiled　superior　upon　his　retreat；　and　then；　producing　a　cigar…case；　proceeded　to　light　up　with　the　professor。　　In　this　fragrant　and　friendly　cloud　we　will　leave　them；　and　return　for　a　few　minutes　to　the　house　of　General　Trednoke。

It　will　be　remembered　that　something　was　said　of　Grace　being　privy　to　the　nocturnal　advances　of　Senor　de　Mendoza。　　We　are　not　to　suppose　that　this　implies　in　her　anything　worse　than　an　aptness　to　indulge　in　romantic　adventure：　the　young　lady　enjoyed　the　mystery　of　romance；　and　knew　that　serenades；　and　whisperings　over　star…lit　balconies；　were　proper　to　this　latitude。　　It　may　be　open　to　question　whether　she　really　was　much　interested　in　De　Mendoza；　save　as　he　was　a　type　of　the　adoring　Spaniard。　　That　the　scene　required：　she　could　imagine　him　（for　the　time…being）　to　be　the　Cid　of　ancient　legend；　and　she　herself　would　enact　a　role　of　corresponding　elevation。　　Grace　would　doubtless　have　prospered　better　had　she　been　content　with　one　adorer　at　a　time；　but；　while　turning　to　a　new　love；　she　was　by　no　means　disposed　to　loosen　the　chains　of　a　former　one；　and；　though　herself　as　jealous　as　is　a　tiger…cat　of　her　young；　she　could　never　recognize　the　propriety　of　a　similar　passion　on　the　part　of　her　victims。　　She　had　been　indignant　at　Freeman's　apparent　infidelity　with　Miriam；　but　when　she　had　（as　she　imagined）　discovered　her　mistake；　she　had　listened　with　a　heart　at　ease　to　the　protestations　of　Don　Miguel。　　She　had　parted　from　him　that　evening　with　a　half　expressed　understanding　that　he　was　to　reappear　beneath　her　window　before　day…　light；　and　she　had　pictured　to　herself　a　charming　balcony…scene；　such　as　she　had　beheld　in　Italian　opera。　　Accordingly；　she　had　attired　herself　in　a　becoming　negligee；　and　had　spent　the　fore　part　of　the　night　somewhat　restlessly；　occasionally　emerging　on　the　veranda　and　gazing　down　into　the　perfumed　gloom　of　the　garden。　　At　length　she　fancied　that　she　heard　footsteps。　　Whose　could　they　be；　unless　Don　Miguel's？　　Grace　retreated　within　her　window　to　await　developments。　　Don　Miguel　did　not　appear；　but　presently　she　descried　a　phantom…like　figure　ascending　the　flight　of　steps　to　the　veranda。　　Could　that　be　he？　　If　so；　he　was　bolder　in　his　wooing　than　Grace　had　been　prepared　for。　　But　surely　that　was　a　strange　costume　that　he　wore；　nor　did　the　unconscious　harmony　of　the　gait　at　all　resemble　the　senor's　self…conscious　strut。　　And　whither　was　he　going？

It　was　but　too　evident　that　he　was　going　straight　to　the　room　occupied　by　Miriam！

This　was　too　much　for　Grace's　equanimity。　She　stepped　out　of　her　window；　and　flitted　with　noiseless　step　along　the　veranda。　　The　figure　that　she　pursued　entered　the　door　of　the　house；　and　passed　into　the　corridor　traversing　the　wing。　　Grace　was　in　time　to　see　it　cross　the　threshold　of　Miriam's　door；　which　stood　ajar。　　She　stole　to　the　door；　and　peeped　in。　　There　was　the　figure；　but　of　Miriam　there　was　no　trace。

The　figure　slowly　unfastened　and　threw　back　the　hood　which　covered　its　head；　at　the　same　time　turning　round；　so　that　its　countenance　was　revealed。　　A　torrent　of　black　hair　fell　down　over　its　shoulders。　　Grace　uttered　an　involuntary　exclamation。　It　was　Miriam　herself！

The　two　gazed　at　each　other　a　moment　in　silence。　　〃Goodness　me；　dear！〃　said　Grace　at　last；　in　a　faint　voice；　〃how　you　have　frightened　me！　　I　saw　you　go　in；　in　that　dress；　and　I　thought　you　were　a　man！　　How　my　heart　beats！　　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃This　is　strange！〃　murmured　the　other；　after　a　pause。　　〃I　never　heard　such　words；　and　yet　I　seem　to　understand；　and　even　to　speak　them。　　It　must　be　a　dream。　　What　are　you？〃

〃Why；　Miriam；　dear！　don't　you　know　Grace？〃

〃Oh！　you　think　me　Miriam。　　No；　not　yet！〃　　She　raised　her　hands；　and　pressed　her　fingers　against　her　temples。　　〃But　I　feel　herI　feel　her　coming！　　Not　yet；　Kamaiakan！　not　so　soon！Do　you　know　him？〃　she　suddenly　asked；　throwing　back　her　hair；　and　fixing　an　eager　gaze　on　Grace。

〃Know　who？　　Kamaiakan？　　Why；　yes〃

〃No；　not　him！　　The　youth；the　blue…　eyed；the　fair　beard　above　his　lips〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？　　Not　Harvey　Freeman！〃

〃Harvey　Freeman！　　Ah；　how　sweet　a　name！　　Harvey　Freeman！　　I　shall　know　it　now！Tell　him；〃　she　went　on；　laying　her　hand　majestically　upon　Grace's　shoulder；　and　speaking　with　an　impressive　earnestness；　〃that　Semitzin　loves　him！〃

〃Semitzin？〃　repeated　Grace；　puzzled；　and　beginning　to　feel　scared。

〃Semitzin！〃　the　other　said；　pointing　to　her　own　heart。　　〃She　loves　him：　not　as　the　child　Miriam　loves；　but　with　the　heart　and　soul　of　a　mighty　princess。　　When　he　knows　Semitzin；　he　will　think　of　Miriam　no　more。〃

〃But　who　is　Semitzin？〃　inquired　Grace；　with　a　fearful　curiosity。

〃The　Princess　of　Tenochtitlan；　and　the　guardian　of　the　great　treasure；　〃was　the　reply。

〃Good　gracious！　what　treasure？〃

〃The　treasure　of　gold　and　precious　stones　hidden　in　the　gorge　of　the　desert　hills。　　None　knows　the　place　of　it　but　I；　and　I　will　give　it　to　none　but　him　I　love。〃

〃But　you　said　that　。　。　。　　Really；　my　dear；　I　don't　understand　a　bit！　　As　for　Mr。　Freeman；　he　may　care　for　Semitzin；　for　aught　I　know；　but；　I　must　confess；　I　think　you're　mistaken　in　supposing　he's　in　love　with　you；if　that　is　what　you　mean。　　I　met　him　before　you　did；　you　know；　and　if　I　were　to　tell　you　all　that　we〃

〃What　are　you　or　Miriam　to　me？Ah！　she　comes！The　treasureby　the　turning　of　the　white　pyramidsix　hundred　pa