the golden fleece-第6章
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in the Mexican war； and married a Mexican woman； and the Meschines boy became a professor in Yale College。 And now I am going to see one of them； and you to see the other。 Isn't that a coincidence？〃
〃The first of a long series； I trust。 Is this West…Pointer a permanent settler here？〃
〃Yes； for ever so long；twenty years。 He's a widower； but he has a daughter Oh； I know you'll fall in love with her！〃
〃Is she like you？〃
〃I don't know。 I've never seen her； or General Trednoke either。〃
〃Come to think of it； though； nobody is like you； Grace。 Now； will you be so good as to apologize again？〃
〃Don't you think you're rather exacting； Harvey？〃
However； the apology was finally repeated； and continued； more or less； during the rest of the voyage； and Grace quite forgot that she had never made Harvey tell what was really the cause of his coming to California。 But she； on her side； had a secret。 She never allowed him to suspect that the past eighteen months of her life had been passed as employee in a New York dry… goods store。
CHAPTER III。
General Trednoke's house was built by Spanish missionaries in the sixteenth century； and in its main features it was little altered in three hundred years。 In a climate where there is no frost； walls of adobe last as long as granite。 The house consisted； practically； of but one story； for although there were rooms under the roof； they were used only for storage； no one slept in them。 The plan of the building was not unlike that of a train of railway…cars； or； it might be more appropriate to say； of emigrant…wagons。 There was a series of rooms； ranged in a line； access to them being had from a narrow corridor； which opened on the rear veranda。 Several of the rooms also communicated directly with each other； and； through low windows； gave on the veranda in front； for the house was merely a comparatively narrow array of apartments between two broad verandas； where most of the living； including much of the sleeping； was done。
Logically； there can be nothing uglier than a Spanish…American dwelling of this type。 But； as a matter of fact； they appear seductively beautiful。 The thick white walls acquire a certain softness of tone； the surface scales off here and there； and cracks and crevices appear。 In a damp country； like England； they would soon become covered with moss； but moss is not to be had in this region； though one were to offer for it the price of the silk velvet； triple ply； which so much resembles it。 Nevertheless； there are compensations。 The soil is inexhaustibly fertile； and its fertility expresses itself in the most inveterate beauty。 Such colors and varieties of flowers exist nowhere else； and they continue all the year round。 Climbing vines storm the walls； and toss their green ladders all over it； for beauty to walk up and down。 Huge jars； standing on the verandas； emit volcanoes of lovely blossoms； and vases swung from the roof drip and overflow with others； as if water had turned to flowers。 In the garden； which extends over several acres at the front of the house； and； as it were； makes it an island in a gorgeous sea of petals； there are roses； almonds； oranges； vines； pomegranates； and a hundred rivals whose names are unknown to the present historian； marching joyfully and triumphantly through the seasons； as the symphony moves through changes along its central theme。
Everything that is not an animal or a mineral seems to be a flower。 There are too many flowers；or； rather； there is not enough of anything else。 The faculty of appreciation wearies； and at last ceases to take note。 It is like conversing with a person whose every word is an epigram。 The senses have their limitations； and imagination and expectation are half of beauty and delight； and the better half； otherwise we should have no souls。 A single violet； discovered by chance in the by…ways of an April forest in New England； gives a pleasure as poignant as； and more spiritual than； the miles upon miles of Californian splendors。
Monotony is the ruling characteristic； monotony of beauty； monotony of desolation； monotony even of variety。 The glorious blue overhead is monotonous： as for the thermometer； it paces up and down within the narrowest limits； like a prisoner in his cell； or a meadow…lark hopping to and fro in a seven…inch cage。 The plan and aspect of the buildings are monotonous； and so is the way of life of those who inhabit them。 Fortunately； the sun does rise and set in Southern California： otherwise life there would be at an absolute stand…still； with no past and no future。 But； as it is； one can look forward to morning； and remember the evening。
Then； there are the not infrequent but seldom very destructive earthquakes； the occasional cloud…bursts and tornadoes； sudden and violent as a gunpowder…explosion； and； finally； the astounding contrast between the fertile regions and the desert。 There are places where you can stand with one foot planted in everlasting sterility and the other in immortal verdure。 In the midst of an arid and hopeless waste； you come suddenly upon the brink of a narrow ravine； sharply defined as if cut out with an axe； and packed to the brim with enchanting and voluptuous fertility。 Or you will come upon mountains which sweep upward out of burning death into sumptuous life。 When the monotony of life meets the monotony of death； Southern California becomes a land of contrasts； and the contrasts themselves become monotonous。
General Trednoke's ranch was very near the borders of these two mighty forces。 An hour's easy ride would carry him to a region as barren and apparently as irreclaimable as that through which Childe Roland journeyed in quest of the Dark Tower； lying； too； in a temperature so fiery that it coagulated the blood in the veins； and stopped the beating of the heart。 Underfoot were fine dust； and whitened bones； the air was prismatic and magical； ever conjuring up phantom pictures； whose characteristic was that they were at the farthest remove from any possible reality。 The azure sky descended and became a lake； the pulsations of the atmosphere translated themselves into the rhythmic lapse of waves； spikes of sage… brush and blades of cactus became sylvan glades； and hamlets cheerful with inhabitants。 Only； all was silent； and as you drew near； the scene trembled； altered； and was gone！
Hideous black lizards and horned toads crawl and hop amid this desolation； and the deadly little sidewinder rattlesnake lies basking in the blaze of sunshine； which it distils into venom。 Sometimes the level plain is broken up into savage ridges and awful canons； along whose arid bottoms no water streams。 As you stagger through their chaotic bottoms； you see vast boulders poised overhead； tottering to a fall； a shiver of earthquake； a breath of hurricane； and they come crashing and splintering in destruction down。 Along the sides of these acclivities extend long； level lines and furrows； marks of where the ocean flowed ages ago。 But sometimes the hills are but accumulations of desert dust； which shift slowly from place to place under the action of the wind； melting away here to be re…erected yonder； mounding themselves； perhaps； above a living and struggling human being； to move forward； anon； leaving where he was a little heap of withered bones。 A fearful place is this broad abyss； where once murmured the waters of a prehistoric sea。 Let us return to the cool and fragrant security of the general's ranch。
At right angles to the main body of the house extend two wings； thus forming three sides of a square； the interior of which is the court…yard。 Here the business of the establishment is conducted。 It is the liveliest spot on the premises； though it is liveliness of a very indolent sort。 The veranda built around these sides is twenty feet in breadth； paved with tiles that have been worn into hollows by innumerable lazy footsteps； mostly shoeless； for this side of the house is frequented chiefly by the servants of the place； who are Mexican Indians。 Ancient wooden settles are bolted to the walls； from hooks hang Indian baskets of bright colors； in one corner are stretched raw hides； which serve as beds。 Small b
