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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
thrusting a dagger between his ribs。 Reality；what a delight it is！ The actual touch and feeling of the spontaneous natural creature have been so buried beneath centuries of hypocrisy and humbug that we have ceased to believe in them save as a metaphysical abstraction。 But even as water； long depressed under…ground in perverse channels； surges up to the surface； and above it； at last； in a fountain of relief； so Nature； after enduring ages of outrage and banishment； leaps back to her rightful domain in some individual whom we call extraordinary because he or she is natural。 Grace Parsloe did not seem （regarded as to her temperament and quality） to belong where she was： therefore she was a delightful incident there。 Had she been met with in the days of the Old Testament； or in the depths of Persia or India at the present time； even； she might have appeared commonplace。 But here she was in conventional costume； with conventional manners。 And； just as the nautch…girls； and other Oriental dancers and posturers； wear a costume which suggests nature more effectively than does nature itself； so did Grace's conventionality suggest to Freeman the essential absence of conventionality more forcibly than if he had seen her clad in a turban and translucent caftan； dancing off John the Baptist's head； or driving a nail into that of Sisera。 Grace certainly owed much of her importance to her situation； which rendered her foreign and piquante。 But； then； everything； in this world； is relative。
Racial types seem to be a failure： when they become very marked； the race deteriorates or vanishes。 In the counties of England； after only a thousand years； the women you meet in the rural districts and country towns all look like sisters。 The Asiatics； of course； are much more sunk in type than the Anglo… Saxons； and they show us the way we would be going。 Only； there is hope in rapid transit and the cosmopolitan spirit； and especially in these United States； which bring together the ends of the earth； and place side by side a descendant of the Puritans like Freeman； and a daughter of Irak…Ajemi。
〃What are you coming to California for； Mr。 Freeman？〃
Freeman had already told her what he had been in the Isthmus for；to paddle in miasmatic swamps with a view to the possibility of a canal in the remote； speculative future。 He had given her a graphic and entertaining picture of the hideous and inconceivable life he had led there for six months； from which he had emerged the only member of a party of nineteen （whites； blacks； and yellows） who was not either dead by disease； by violence； or by misadventure； or had barely escaped with life and a shattered constitution。 Freeman； after emerging from the miasmatic hell and lake of Gehenna； had taken a succession of baths； with soap and friction； had been attended by a barber and a tailor； and had himself attended the best table to be found for love or money in the charming town of Panama。 He had also spent more than half of the week of his sojourn there in sleep； and he was now in 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