green mansions-第11部分

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ture…but　stillI　sat　down　on　a　stone　and　laughed　freely。

The　sun　was　sinking　behind　the　forest；　its　broad　red　disk　still　showing　through　the　topmost　leaves；　and　the　higher　part　of　the　foliage　was　of　a　luminous　green；　like　green　flame；　throwing　off　flakes　of　quivering；　fiery　light；　but　lower　down　the　trees　were　in　profound　shadow。

I　felt　very　light…hearted　while　I　gazed　on　this　scene；　for　how　pleasant　it　was　just　now　to　think　of　the　strange　experience　I　had　passed　throughto　think　that　I　had　come　safely　out　of　it；　that　no　human　eye　had　witnessed　my　weakness；　and　that　the　mystery　existed　still　to　fascinate　me！　　For；　ludicrous　as　the　denouement　now　looked；　the　cause　of　all；　the　voice　itself；　was　a　thing　to　marvel　at　more　than　ever。　　That　it　proceeded　from　an　intelligent　being　I　was　firmly　convinced；　and　although　too　materialistic　in　my　way　of　thinking　to　admit　for　a　moment　that　it　was　a　supernatural　being；　I　still　felt　that　there　was　something　more　than　I　had　at　first　imagined　in　Kua…ko's　speech　about　a　daughter　of　the　Didi。　　That　the　Indians　knew　a　great　deal　about　the　mysterious　voice；　and　had　held　it　in　great　fear；　seemed　evident。　But　they　were　savages；　with　ways　that　were　not　mine；　and　however　friendly　they　might　be　towards　one　of　a　superior　race；　there　was　always　in　their　relations　with　him　a　low　cunning；　prompted　partly　by　suspicion；　underlying　their　words　and　actions。　　For　the　white　man　to　put　himself　mentally　on　their　level　is　not　more　impossible　than　for　these　aborigines　to　be　perfectly　open；　as　children　are；　towards　the　white。　　Whatever　subject　the　stranger　within　their　gates　exhibits　an　interest　in；　that　they　will　be　reticent　about；　and　their　reticence；　which　conceals　itself　under　easily　invented　lies　or　an　affected　stupidity；　invariably　increases　with　his　desire　for　information。　　It　was　plain　to　them　that　some　very　unusual　interest　took　me　to　the　wood；　consequently　I　could　not　expect　that　they　would　tell　me　anything　they　might　know　to　enlighten　me　about　the　matter；　and　I　concluded　that　Kua…ko's　words　about　the　daughter　of　the　Didi；　and　what　she　would　do　if　he　blew　an　arrow　at　a　bird；　had　accidentally　escaped　him　in　a　moment　of　excitement。　　Nothing；　therefore；　was　to　be　gained　by　questioning　them；　or；　at　all　events；　by　telling　them　how　much　the　subject　attracted　me。　　And　I　had　nothing　to　fear；　my　independent　investigations　had　made　this　much　clear　to　me；　the　voice　might　proceed　from　a　very　frolicsome　and　tricksy　creature；　full　of　wild　fantastic　humours；　but　nothing　worse。　　It　was　friendly　to　me；　I　felt　sure；　at　the　same　time　it　might　not　be　friendly　towards　the　Indians；　for；　on　that　day；　it　had　made　itself　heard　only　after　my　companion　had　taken　flight；　and　it　had　then　seemed　incensed　against　me；　possibly　because　the　savage　had　been　in　my　company。

That　was　the　result　of　my　reflections　on　the　day's　events　when　I　returned　to　my　entertainer's　roof　and　sat　down　among　my　friends　to　refresh　myself　with　stewed　fowl　and　fish　from　the　household　pot；　into　which　a　hospitable　woman　invited　me　with　a　gesture　to　dip　my　fingers。

Kua…ko　was　lying　in　his　hammock；　smoking；　I　thinkcertainly　not　reading。　　When　I　entered　he　lifted　his　head　and　stared　at　me；　probably　surprised　to　see　me　alive；　unharmed；　and　in　a　placid　temper。　　I　laughed　at　the　look；　and；　somewhat　disconcerted；　he　dropped　his　head　down　again。　　After　a　minute　or　two　I　took　the　metal　match…box　and　tossed　it　on　to　his　breast。　　He　clutched　it　and；　starting　up；　stared　at　me　in　the　utmost　astonishment。　　He　could　scarcely　believe　his　good　fortune；　for　he　had　failed　to　carry　out　his　part　of　the　compact　and　had　resigned　himself　to　the　loss　of　the　coveted　prize。　　Jumping　down　to　the　floor；　he　held　up　the　box　triumphantly；　his　joy　overcoming　the　habitual　stolid　look；　while　all　the　others　gathered　about　him；　each　trying　to　get　the　box　into　his　own　hands　to　admire　it　again；　notwithstanding　that　they　had　all　seen　it　a　dozen　times　before。　　But　it　was　Kua…ko's　now　and　not　the　stranger's；　and　therefore　more　nearly　their　own　than　formerly；　and　must　look　different；　more　beautiful；　with　a　brighter　polish　on　the　metal。　　And　that　wonderful　enamelled　cock　on　the　lidfigured　in　Paris　probably；　but　just　like　a　cock　in　Guayana；　the　pet　bird　which　they　no　more　think　of　killing　and　eating　than　we　do　our　purring　pussies　and　lemon…coloured　canariesmust　now　look　more　strikingly　valiant　and　cock…like　than　ever；　with　its　crimson　comb　and　wattles；　burnished　red　hackles；　and　dark　green　arching　tail…plumes。　　But　Kua…ko；　while　willing　enough　to　have　it　admired　and　praised；　would　not　let　it　out　of　his　hands；　and　told　them　pompously　that　it　was　not　theirs　for　them　to　handle；　but　hisKua…ko'sfor　all　time；　that　he　had　won　it　by　accompanying　mevalorous　man　that　he　was！to　that　evil　wood　into　which　theytimid；　inferior　creatures　that　they　were！would　never　have　ventured　to　set　foot。　　I　am　not　translating　his　words；　but　that　was　what　he　gave　them　to　understand　pretty　plainly；　to　my　great　amusement。

After　the　excitement　was　over；　Runi；　who　had　maintained　a　dignified　calm；　made　some　roundabout　remarks；　apparently　with　the　object　of　eliciting　an　account　of　what　I　had　seen　and　heard　in　the　forest　of　evil　fame。　　I　replied　carelessly　that　I　had　seen　a　great　many　birds　and　monkeysmonkeys　so　tame　that　I　might　have　procured　one　if　I　had　had　a　blow…pipe；　in　spite　of　my　never　having　practiced　shooting　with　that　weapon。

It　interested　them　to　hear　about　the　abundance　and　tameness　of　the　monkeys；　although　it　was　scarcely　news；　but　how　tame　they　must　have　been　when　I；　the　stranger　not　to　the　manner　bornnot　naked；　brown…skinned；　lynx…eyed；　and　noiseless　as　an　owl　in　his　movementshad　yet　been　able　to　look　closely　at　them！　　Runi　only　remarked；　apropos　of　what　I　had　told　him；　that　they　could　not　go　there　to　hunt；　then　he　asked　me　if　I　feared　nothing。

〃Nothing；〃　I　replied　carelessly。　　〃The　things　you　fear　hurt　not　the　white　man　and　are　no　more　than　this　to　me；〃　saying　which　I　took　up　a　little　white　wood…ash　in　my　hand　and　blew　it　away　with　my　breath。　　〃And　against　other　enemies　I　have　this；〃　I　added；　touching　my　revolver。　　A　brave　speech；　just　after　that　araguato　episode；　but　I　did　not　make　it　without　blushingmentally。

…　He　shook　his　head；　and　said　it　was　a　poor　weapon　against　some　enemies；　alsotruly　enoughthat　it　would　procure　no　birds　and　monkeys　for　the　stew…pot。

Next　morning　my　friend　Kua…ko；　taking　his　zabatana；　invited　me　to　go　out　with　him；　and　I　consented　with　some　misgivings；　thinking　he　had　overcome　his　superstitious　fears　and；　inflamed　by　my　account　of　the　abundance　of　game　in　the　forest；　intended　going　there　with　me。　　The　previous　day's　experience　had　made　me　think　that　it　would　be　better　in　the　future　to　go　there　alone。　　But　I　was　giving　the　poor　youth　more　credit　than　he　deserved：　it　was　far　from　his　intention　to　face　the　terrible　unknown　again。　　We　went　in　a　different　direction；　and　tramped　for　hours　through　woods　where　birds　were　scarce　and　only　of　the　smaller　kinds。　　Then　my　guide　surprised　me　a　second　time　by　offering　to　teach　me　to　use　the　zabatana。　　This；　then；　was　to　be　my　reward　for　giving　him　the　box！　　I　readily　consented；　and　with　the　long　weapon；　awkward　to　carry；　in　my　hand；　and　imitating　the　noiseless　movements　and　cautious；　watchful　manner　of　my　companion；　I　tried　to　imagine　myself　a　simple　Guayana　savage；　with　no　knowledge　of　that　artificial　social　state　to　which　I　had　been　born；　dependent　on　my　skill　and　little　roll　of　poison…darts　for　a　livelihood。　　By　an　effort　of　the　will　I　emptied　myself　of　my　life　experience　and　knowledgeor　as　much　of　it　as　possibleand　thought　only　of　the　generations　of　my　dead　imaginary　progenitors；　who　had　ranged　these　woods　back　to　the　dim　forgotten　years　before　Columbus；　and　if　the　pleasure　I　had　in　the　fancy　was　childish；　it　made　the　day　pass　quickly　enough。　　Kua…ko　was　constantly　at　my　elbow　to　assist　and　give　advice；　and　many　an　arrow　I　blew　from　the　long　tube；　and　hit　no　bird。　　Heaven　knows　what　I　hit；　for　the　arrows　flew　away　on　their　wide　and　wild　career　to　be　seen　no　more；　except　a　few　which　my　keen…eyed　comrade　marked　to　their　destination　and　managed　to　recover。　　The　result　of　our　day's　hunting　was　a　couple　of　birds；　which　Kua…ko；　not　I；　shot；　and　a　small　opossum　his　sharp　eyes　detected　high　up　a　tree　lying　coiled　up　on　an　old　nest；　over　the　side　of　which　the　animal　had　incautiously　allowed　his　snaky　tail　to　dangle。　　The　number　of　darts　I　wasted　must　have　been　a　rather　serious　loss　to　him；　but　he　did　not　seem　troubled　at　it；　and　made　no　remark。

Next　day；　to　my　surprise；　he　volunteered　to　give　me　a　second　lesson；　and　we　went　out　again。　　On　this　occasion　he　had　provided　himself　with　a　large　bundle　of　darts；　butwise　man！they　were　not　poisoned；　and　it　therefore　mattered　little　whether　they　were　wasted　or　not。　　I　believe　that　on　this　day　I　made　some　little　progress；　at　all　events；　my　teacher　remarked　that　before　long　I　would　be　able　to　hit　a　bird。　　This　made　me　smile　and　answer　that　if　he　could　place　me　within　twenty　yards　of　a　bird　not　smaller　than　a　small　man　I　might　manage　to　touch　it　with　an　arrow。

This　speech　had　a　very　unexpected　and　remarkable　effect。　　He　stopped　short　in　his　walk；　stared　at　me　wildly；　then　grinned；　and　finally　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter；