green mansions-第12部分

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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；　which　was　no　bad　imitation　of　the　howling　monkey's　performance；　and　smote　his　naked　thighs　with　tremendous　energy。　　At　length　recovering　himself；　he　asked　whether　a　small　woman　was　not　the　same　as　a　small　man；　and　being　answered　in　the　affirmative；　went　off　into　a　second　extravagant　roar　of　laughter。

Thinking　it　was　easy　to　tickle　him　while　he　continued　in　this　mood；　I　began　making　any　number　of　feeble　jokesfeeble；　but　quite　as　good　as　the　one　which　had　provoked　such　outrageous　merrimentfor　it　amused　me　to　see　him　acting　in　this　unusual　way。　　But　they　all　failed　of　their　effectthere　was　no　hitting　the　bull's…eye　a　second　time；　he　would　only　stare　vacantly　at　me；　then　grunt　like　a　peccarynot　appreciativelyand　walk　on。　Still；　at　intervals　he　would　go　back　to　what　I　had　said　about　hitting　a　very　big　bird；　and　roar　again；　as　if　this　wonderful　joke　was　not　easily　exhausted。

Again　on　the　third　day　we　were　out　together　practicing　at　the　birdsfrightening　if　not　killing　them；　but　before　noon；　finding　that　it　was　his　intention　to　go　to　a　distant　spot　where　he　expected　to　meet　with　larger　game；　I　left　him　and　returned　to　the　village。　　The　blow…pipe　practice　had　lost　its　novelty；　and　I　did　not　care　to　go　on　all　day　and　every　day　with　it；　more　than　that；　I　was　anxious　after　so　long　an　interval　to　pay　a　visit　to　my　wood；　as　I　began　to　call　it；　in　the　hope　of　hearing　that　mysterious　melody　which　I　had　grown　to　love　and　to　miss　when　even　a　single　day　passed　without　it。



CHAPTER　V

After　making　a　hasty　meal　at　the　house；　I　started；　full　of　pleasing　anticipations；　for　the　wood；　for　how　pleasant　a　place　it　was　to　be　in！　　What　a　wild　beauty　and　fragrance　and　melodiousness　it　possessed　above　all　forests；　because　of　that　mystery　that　drew　me　to　it！　　And　it　was　mine；　truly　and　absolutelyas　much　mine　as　any　portion　of　earth's　surface　could　belong　to　any　manmine　with　all　its　products：　the　precious　woods　and　fruits　and　fragrant　gums　that　would　never　be　trafficked　away；　its　wild　animals　that　man　would　never　persecute；　nor　would　any　jealous　savage　dispute　my　ownership　or　pretend　that　it　was　part　of　his　hunting…ground。　　As　I　crossed　the　savannah　I　played　with　this　fancy；　but　when　I　reached　the　ridgy　eminence；　to　look　down　once　more　on　my　new　domain；　the　fancy　changed　to　a　feeling　so　keen　that　it　pierced　to　my　heart　and　was　like　pain　in　its　intensity；　causing　tears　to　rush　to　my　eyes。　　And　caring　not　in　that　solitude　to　disguise　my　feelings　from　myself；　and　from　the　wide　heaven　that　looked　down　and　saw　mefor　this　is　the　sweetest　thing　that　solitude　has　for　us；　that　we　are　free　in　it；　and　no　convention　holds　usI　dropped　on　my　knees　and　kissed　the　stony　ground；　then　casting　up　my　eyes；　thanked　the　Author　of　my　being　for　the　gift　of　that　wild　forest；　those　green　mansions　where　I　had　found　so　great　a　happiness！

Elated　with　this　strain　of　feeling；　I　reached　the　wood　not　long　after　noon；　but　no　melodious　voice　gave　me　familiar　and　expected　welcome；　nor　did　my　invisible　companion　make　itself　heard　at　all　on　that　day；　or；　at　all　events；　not　in　its　usual　bird…like　warbling　language。　　But　on　this　day　I　met　with　a　curious　little　adventure　and　heard　something　very　extraordinary；　very　mysterious；　which　I　could　not　avoid　connecting　in　my　mind　with　the　unseen　warbler　that　so　often　followed　me　in　my　rambles。

It　was　an　exceedingly　bright　day；　without　cloud；　but　windy；　and　finding　myself　in　a　rather　open　part　of　the　wood；　near　its　border；　where　the　breeze　could　be　felt；　I　sat　down　to　rest　on　the　lower　part　of　a　large　branch；　which　was　half　broken；　but　still　remained　attached　to　the　trunk　of　the　tree；　while　resting　its　terminal　twigs　on　the　ground。　　Just　before　me；　where　I　sat；　grew　a　low；　wide…spreading　plant；　covered　with　broad；　round；　polished　leaves；　and　the　roundness；　stiffness；　and　perfectly　horizontal　position　of　the　upper　leaves　made　them　look　like　a　collection　of　small　platforms　or　round　table…tops　placed　nearly　on　a　level。　Through　the　leaves；　to　the　height　of　a　foot　or　more　above　them；　a　slender　dead　stem　protruded；　and　from　a　twig　at　its　summit　depended　a　broken　spider's　web。　　A　minute　dead　leaf　had　become　attached　to　one　of　the　loose　threads　and　threw　its　small　but　distinct　shadow　on　the　platform　leaves　below；　and　as　it　trembled　and　swayed　in　the　current　of　air；　the　black　spot　trembled　with　it　or　flew　swiftly　over　the　bright　green　surfaces；　and　was　seldom　at　rest。　　Now；　as　I　sat　looking　down　on　the　leaves　and　the　small　dancing　shadow；　scarcely　thinking　of　what　I　was　looking　at；　I　noticed　a　small　spider；　with　a　flat　body　and　short　legs；　creep　cautiously　out　on　to　the　upper　surface　of　a　leaf。　　Its　pale　red　colour　barred　with　velvet　black　first　drew　my　attention　to　it；　for　it　was　beautiful　to　the　eye；　and　presently　I　discovered　that　this　was　no　web…spinning；　sedentary　spider；　but　a　wandering　hunter；　that　captured　its　prey；　like　a　cat；　by　stealing　on　it　concealed　and　making　a　rush　or　spring　at　the　last。　　The　moving　shadow　had　attracted　it　and；　as　the　sequel　showed；　was　mistaken　for　a　fly　running　about　over　the　leaves　and　flitting　from　leaf　to　leaf。　　Now　began　a　series　of　wonderful　manoeuvres　on　the　spider's　part；　with　the　object　of　circumventing　the　imaginary　fly；　which　seemed　specially　designed　to　meet　this　special　case；　for　certainly　no　insect　had　ever　before　behaved　in　quite　so　erratic　a　manner。　　Each　time　the　shadow　flew　past；　the　spider　ran　swiftly　in　the　same　direction；　hiding　itself　under　the　leaves；　always　trying　to　get　near　without　alarming　its　prey；　and　then　the　shadow　would　go　round　and　round　in　a　small　circle；　and　some　new　strategic　move　on　the　part　of　the　hunter　would　be　called　forth。　　I　became　deeply　interested　in　this　curious　scene；　I　began　to　wish　that　the　shadow　would　remain　quiet　for　a　moment　or　two；　so　as　to　give　the　hunter　a　chance。　　And　at　last　I　had　my　wish：　the　shadow　was　almost　motionless；　and　the　spider　moving　towards　it；　yet　seeming　not　to　move；　and　as　it　crept　closer　I　fancied　that　I　could　almost　see　the　little　striped　body　quivering　with　excitement。　　Then　came　the　final　scene：　swift　and　straight　as　an　arrow　the　hunter　shot　himself　on　to　the　fly…like　shadow；　then　wiggled　round　and　round；　evidently　trying　to　take　hold　of　his　prey　with　fangs　and　claws；　and　finding　nothing　under　him；　he　raised　the　fore　part　of　his　body　vertically；　as　if　to　stare　about　him　in　search　of　the　delusive　fly；　but　the　action　may　have　simply　expressed　astonishment。　　At　this　moment　I　was　just　on　the　point　of　giving　free　and　loud　vent　to　the　laughter　which　I　had　been　holding　in　when；　just　behind　me；　as　if　from　some　person　who　had　been　watching　the　scene　over　my　shoulder　and　was　as　much　amused　as　myself　at　its　termination；　sounded　a　clear　trill　of　merry　laughter。　　I　started　up　and　looked　hastily　around；　but　no　living　creature　was　there。　　The　mass　of　loose　foliage　I　stared　into　was　agitated；　as　if　from　a　body　having　just　pushed　through　it。　　In　a　moment　the　leaves　and　fronds　were　motionless　again；　still；　I　could　not　be　sure　that　a　slight　gust　of　wind　had　not　shaken　them。　But　I　was　so　convinced　that　I　had　heard　close　to　me　a　real　human　laugh；　or　sound　of　some　living　creature　that　exactly　simulated　a　laugh；　that　I　carefully　searched　the　ground　about　me；　expecting　to　find　a　being　of　some　kind。　　But　I　found　nothing；　and　going　back　to　my　seat　on　the　hanging　branch；　I　remained　seated　for　a　considerable　time；　at　first　only　listening；　then　pondering　on　the　mystery　of　that　sweet　trill　of　laughter；　and　finally　I　began　to　wonder　whether　I；　like　the　spider　that　chased　the　shadow；　had　been　deluded；　and　had　seemed　to　hear　a　sound　that　was　not　a　sound。

On　the　following　day　I　was　in　the　wood　again；　and　after　a　two　or　three　hours'　ramble；　during　which　I　heard　nothing；　thinking　it　useless　to　haunt　the　known　spots　any　longer；　I　turned　southwards　and　penetrated　into　a　denser　part　of　the　forest；　where　the　undergrowth　made　progress　difficult。　　I　was　not　afraid　of　losing　myself；　the　sun　above　and　my　sense　of　direction；　which　was　always　good；　would　enable　me　to　return　to　the　starting…point。

In　this　direction　I　had　been　pushing　resolutely　on　for　over　half　an　hour；　finding　it　no　easy　matter　to　make　my　way　without　constantly　deviating　to　this　side　or　that　from　the　course　I　wished　to　keep；　when　I　came　to　a　much　more　open　spot。　　The　trees　were　smaller　and　scantier　here；　owing　to　the　rocky　nature　of　the　ground；　which　sloped　rather　rapidly　down；　but　it　was　moist　and　overgrown　with　mosses；　ferns；　creepers；　and　low　shrubs；　all　of　the　liveliest　green。　　I　could　not　see　many　yards　ahead　owing　to　the　bushes　and　tall　fern　fronds；　but　presently　I　began　to　hear　a　low；　continuous　sound；　which；　when　I　had　advanced　twenty　or　thirty　yards　further；　I　made　out　to　be　the　gurgling　of　running　water；　and　at　the　same　moment　I　made　the　discovery　that　my　throat　was　parched　and　my　palms　tingling　with　heat。　　I　hurried　on；　promising　myself　a　cool　draught；　when　all　at　once；　above　the　soft　dashing　and　gurgling　of　the　water；　I　caught　yet　another　sounda　low；　warbling　note；　or　succession　of　notes；　which　might　have　been　emitted　by　a　bird。　　But　it　startled