green mansions-第10部分

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s　this　voice　without　a　body　was；　and　always　productive　of　a　slightly　uncomfortable　feeling　on　account　of　its　mystery；　it　seemed　impossible　to　doubt　that　it　came　to　me　now　in　a　spirit　of　pure　friendliness；　and　when　I　had　recovered　my　composure　I　found　a　new　delight　in　listening　to　itall　the　greater　because　of　the　fear　so　lately　experienced；　and　of　its　seeming　intelligence。　　For　the　third　time　I　reseated　myself　on　the　same　spot；　and　at　intervals　the　voice　talked　to　me　there　for　some　time　and；　to　my　fancy；　expressed　satisfaction　and　pleasure　at　my　presence。　　But　later；　without　losing　its　friendly　tone；　it　changed　again。　　It　seemed　to　move　away　and　to　be　thrown　back　from　a　considerable　distance；　and；　at　long　intervals；　it　would　approach　me　again　with　a　new　sound；　which　I　began　to　interpret　as　of　command；　or　entreaty。　　Was　it；　I　asked　myself；　inviting　me　to　follow？　　And　if　I　obeyed；　to　what　delightful　discoveries　or　frightful　dangers　might　it　lead？　　My　curiosity　together　with　the　belief　that　the　beingI　called　it　being；　not　bird；　nowwas　friendly　to　me；　overcame　all　timidity；　and　I　rose　and　walked　at　random　towards　the　interior　of　the　wood。　　Very　soon　I　had　no　doubt　left　that　the　being　had　desired　me　to　follow；　for　there　was　now　a　new　note　of　gladness　in　its　voice；　and　it　continued　near　me　as　I　walked；　at　intervals　approaching　me　so　closely　as　to　set　me　staring　into　the　surrounding　shadowy　places　like　poor　scared　Kua…ko。

On　this　occasion；　too；　I　began　to　have　a　new　fancy；　for　fancy　or　illusion　I　was　determined　to　regard　it；　that　some　swift…footed　being　was　treading　the　ground　near　me；　that　I　occasionally　caught　the　faint　rustle　of　a　light　footstep；　and　detected　a　motion　in　leaves　and　fronds　and　thread…like　stems　of　creepers　hanging　near　the　surface；　as　if　some　passing　body　had　touched　and　made　them　tremble；　and　once　or　twice　that　I　even　had　a　glimpse　of　a　grey；　misty　object　moving　at　no　great　distance　in　the　deeper　shadows。

Led　by　this　wandering　tricksy　being；　I　came　to　a　spot　where　the　trees　were　very　large　and　the　damp　dark　ground　almost　free　from　undergrowth；　and　here　the　voice　ceased　to　be　heard。　　After　patiently　waiting　and　listening　for　some　time；　I　began　to　look　about　me　with　a　slight　feeling　of　apprehension。　　It　was　still　about　two　hours　before　sunset；　only　in　this　place　the　shade　of　the　vast　trees　made　a　perpetual　twilight：　moreover；　it　was　strangely　silent　here；　the　few　bird…cries　that　reached　me　coming　from　a　long　distance。　　I　had　flattered　myself　that　the　voice　had　become　to　some　extent　intelligible　to　me：　its　outburst　of　anger　caused　no　doubt　by　my　cowardly　flight　after　the　Indian；　then　its　recovered　friendliness；　which　had　induced　me　to　return；　and　finally　its　desire　to　be　followed。　　Now　that　it　had　led　me　to　this　place　of　shadow　and　profound　silence　and　had　ceased　to　speak　and　to　lead；　I　could　not　help　thinking　that　this　was　my　goal；　that　I　had　been　brought　to　this　spot　with　a　purpose；　that　in　this　wild　and　solitary　retreat　some　tremendous　adventure　was　about　to　befall　me。

As　the　silence　continued　unbroken；　there　was　time　to　dwell　on　this　thought。　　I　gazed　before　me　and　listened　intently；　scarcely　breathing；　until　the　suspense　became　painfultoo　painful　at　last；　and　I　turned　and　took　a　step　with　the　idea　of　going　back　to　the　border　of　the　wood；　when　close　by；　clear　as　a　silver　bell；　sounded　the　voice　once　more；　but　only　for　a　momenttwo　or　three　syllables　in　response　to　my　movement；　then　it　was　silent　again。

Once　more　I　was　standing　still；　as　if　in　obedience　to　a　command；　in　the　same　state　of　suspense；　and　whether　the　change　was　real　or　only　imagined　I　know　not；　but　the　silence　every　minute　grew　more　profound　and　the　gloom　deeper。　　Imaginary　terrors　began　to　assail　me。　　Ancient　fables　of　men　allured　by　beautiful　forms　and　melodious　voices　to　destruction　all　at　once　acquired　a　fearful　significance。　　I　recalled　some　of　the　Indian　beliefs；　especially　that　of　the　mis…shapen；　man…devouring　monster　who　is　said　to　beguile　his　victims　into　the　dark　forest　by　mimicking　the　human　voicethe　voice　sometimes　of　a　woman　in　distressor　by　singing　some　strange　and　beautiful　melody。　　I　grew　almost　afraid　to　look　round　lest　I　should　catch　sight　of　him　stealing　towards　me　on　his　huge　feet　with　toes　pointing　backwards；　his　mouth　snarling　horribly　to　display　his　great　green　fangs。　　It　was　distressing　to　have　such　fancies　in　this　wild；　solitary　spothateful　to　feel　their　power　over　me　when　I　knew　that　they　were　nothing　but　fancies　and　creations　of　the　savage　mind。　　But　if　these　supernatural　beings　had　no　existence；　there　were　other　monsters；　only　too　real；　in　these　woods　which　it　would　be　dreadful　to　encounter　alone　and　unarmed；　since　against　such　adversaries　a　revolver　would　be　as　ineffectual　as　a　popgun。　　Some　huge　camoodi；　able　to　crush　my　bones　like　brittle　twigs　in　its　constricting　coils；　might　lurk　in　these　shadows；　and　approach　me　stealthily；　unseen　in　its　dark　colour　on　the　dark　ground。　　Or　some　jaguar　or　black　tiger　might　steal　towards　me。　masked　by　a　bush　or　tree…trunk；　to　spring　upon　me　unawares。　　Or；　worse　still；　this　way　might　suddenly　come　a　pack　of　those　swift…footed；　unspeakably　terrible　hunting…leopards；　from　which　every　living　thing　in　the　forest　flies　with　shrieks　of　consternation　or　else　falls　paralysed　in　their　path　to　be　instantly　torn　to　pieces　and　devoured。

A　slight　rustling　sound　in　the　foliage　above　me　made　me　start　and　cast　up　my　eyes。　　High　up；　where　a　pale　gleam　of　tempered　sunlight　fell　through　the　leaves；　a　grotesque　human…like　face；　black　as　ebony　and　adorned　with　a　great　red　beard；　appeared　staring　down　upon　me。　　In　another　moment　it　was　gone。　　It　was　only　a　large　araguato；　or　howling　monkey；　but　I　was　so　unnerved　that　I　could　not　get　rid　of　the　idea　that　it　was　something　more　than　a　monkey。　Once　more　I　moved；　and　again）　the　instant　I　moved　my　foot；　clear；　and　keen；　and　imperative；　sounded　the　voice！　　It　was　no　longer　possible　to　doubt　its　meaning。　　It　commanded　me　to　stand　stillto　waitto　watchto　listen！　　Had　it　cried　〃Listen！　　Do　not　move！〃　　I　could　not　have　understood　it　better。　　Trying　as　the　suspense　was；　I　now　felt　powerless　to　escape。　　Something　very　terrible；　I　felt　convinced；　was　about　to　happen；　either　to　destroy　or　to　release　me　from　the　spell　that　held　me。

And　while　I　stood　thus　rooted　to　the　ground；　the　sweat　standing　in　large　drops　on　my　forehead；　all　at　once　close　to　me　sounded　a　cry；　fine　and　clear　at　first；　and　rising　at　the　end　to　a　shriek　so　loud；　piercing；　and　unearthly　in　character　that　the　blood　seemed　to　freeze　in　my　veins；　and　a　despairing　cry　to　heaven　escaped　my　lips；　then；　before　that　long　shriek　expired；　a　mighty　chorus　of　thunderous　voices　burst　forth　around　me；　and　in　this　awful　tempest　of　sound　I　trembled　like　a　leaf；　and　the　leaves　on　the　trees　were　agitated　as　if　by　a　high　wind；　and　the　earth　itself　seemed　to　shake　beneath　my　feet。　　Indescribably　horrible　were　my　sensations　at　that　moment；　I　was　deafened；　and　would　possibly　have　been　maddened　had　I　not；　as　by　a　miracle；　chanced　to　see　a　large　araguato　on　a　branch　overhead；　roaring　with　open　mouth　and　inflated　throat　and　chest。

It　was　simply　a　concert　of　howling　monkeys　that　had　so　terrified　me！　　But　my　extreme　fear　was　not　strange　in　the　circumstances；　since　everything　that　had　led　up　to　the　displaythe　gloom　and　silence；　the　period　of　suspense；　and　my　heated　imaginationhad　raised　my　mind　to　the　highest　degree　of　excitement　and　expectancy。　　I　had　rightly　conjectured；　no　doubt；　that　my　unseen　guide　had　led　me　to　that　spot　for　a　purpose；　and　the　purpose　had　been　to　set　me　in　the　midst　of　a　congregation　of　araguatos　to　enable　me　for　the　first　time　fully　to　appreciate　their　unparalleled　vocal　powers。　　I　had　always　heard　them　at　a　distance；　here　they　were　gathered　in　scores；　possibly　hundredsthe　whole　araguato　population　of　the　forest；　I　should　thinkclose　to　me；　and　it　may　give　some　faint　conception　of　the　tremendous　power　and　awful　character　of　the　sound　thus　produced　by　their　combined　voices　when　I　say　that　this　animalmiscalled　〃howler〃　in　Englishwould　outroar　the　mightiest　lion　that　ever　woke　the　echoes　of　an　African　wilderness。

This　roaring　concert；　which　lasted　three　or　four　minutes；　having　ended；　I　lingered　a　few　minutes　longer　on　the　spot；　and　not　hearing　the　voice　again；　went　back　to　the　edge　of　the　wood；　and　then　started　on　my　way　back　to　the　village。



CHAPTER　IV

Perhaps　I　was　not　capable　of　thinking　quite　coherently　on　what　had　just　happened　until　I　was　once　more　fairly　outside　of　the　forest　shadowsout　in　that　clear　open　daylight；　where　things　seem　what　they　are；　and　imagination；　like　a　juggler　detected　and　laughed　at；　hastily　takes　itself　out　of　the　way。　　As　I　walked　homewards　I　paused　midway　on　the　barren　ridge　to　gaze　back　on　the　scene　I　had　left；　and　then　the　recent　adventure　began　to　take　a　semi…ludicrous　aspect　in　my　mind。　　All　that　circumstance　of　preparation；　that　mysterious　prelude　to　something　unheard　of；　unimaginable；　surpassing　all　fables　ancient　and　modern；　and　all　tragediesto　end　at　last　in　a　concert　of　howling　monkeys！　Certainly　the　concert　was　very　grandindeed；　one　of　the　most　astounding　in　nature…but　stillI　sat　down　on　a　stone　and　laughed　freely。

The　sun　was　sinking　behind　the　forest；　it