green mansions-第13部分

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tted　by　a　bird。　　But　it　startled　me　neverthelessbird…like　warbling　sounds　had　come　to　mean　so　much　to　meand　pausing；　I　listened　intently。　　It　was　not　repeated；　and　finally；　treading　with　the　utmost　caution　so　as　not　to　alarm　the　mysterious　vocalist；　I　crept　on　until；　coming　to　a　greenheart　with　a　quantity　of　feathery　foliage　of　a　shrub　growing　about　its　roots；　I　saw　that　just　beyond　the　tree　the　ground　was　more　open　still；　letting　in　the　sunlight　from　above；　and　that　the　channel　of　the　stream　I　sought　was　in　this　open　space；　about　twenty　yards　from　me；　although　the　water　was　still　hidden　from　sight。　　Something　else　was　there；　which　I　did　see；　instantly　my　cautious　advance　was　arrested。　　I　stood　gazing　with　concentrated　vision；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe　lest　I　should　scare　it　away。

It　was　a　human　beinga　girl　form；　reclining　on　the　moss　among　the　ferns　and　herbage；　near　the　roots　of　a　small　tree。　　One　arm　was　doubled　behind　her　neck　for　her　head　to　rest　upon；　while　the　other　arm　was　held　extended　before　her；　the　hand　raised　towards　a　small　brown　bird　perched　on　a　pendulous　twig　just　beyond　its　reach。　　She　appeared　to　be　playing　with　the　bird；　possibly　amusing　herself　by　trying　to　entice　it　on　to　her　hand；　and　the　hand　appeared　to　tempt　it　greatly；　for　it　persistently　hopped　up　and　down；　turning　rapidly　about　this　way　and　that；　flirting　its　wings　and　tail；　and　always　appearing　just　on　the　point　of　dropping　on　to　her　finger。　　From　my　position　it　was　impossible　to　see　her　distinctly；　yet　I　dared　not　move。　　I　could　make　out　that　she　was　small；　not　above　four　feet　six　or　seven　inches　in　height；　in　figure　slim；　with　delicately　shaped　little　hands　and　feet。　　Her　feet　were　bare；　and　her　only　garment　was　a　slight　chemise…shaped　dress　reaching　below　her　knees；　of　a　whitish…gray　colour；　with　a　faint　lustre　as　of　a　silky　material。　　Her　hair　was　very　wonderful；　it　was　loose　and　abundant；　and　seemed　wavy　or　curly；　falling　in　a　cloud　on　her　shoulders　and　arms。　　Dark　it　appeared；　but　the　precise　tint　was　indeterminable；　as　was　that　of　her　skin；　which　looked　neither　brown　nor　white。　　All　together；　near　to　me　as　she　actually　was；　there　was　a　kind　of　mistiness　in　the　figure　which　made　it　appear　somewhat　vague　and　distant；　and　a　greenish　grey　seemed　the　prevailing　colour。　　This　tint　I　presently　attributed　to　the　effect　of　the　sunlight　falling　on　her　through　the　green　foliage；　for　once；　for　a　moment；　she　raised　herself　to　reach　her　finger　nearer　to　the　bird；　and　then　a　gleam　of　unsubdued　sunlight　fell　on　her　hair　and　arm；　and　the　arm　at　that　moment　appeared　of　a　pearly　whiteness；　and　the　hair；　just　where　the　light　touched　it；　had　a　strange　lustre　and　play　of　iridescent　colour。

I　had　not　been　watching　her　more　than　three　seconds　before　the　bird；　with　a　sharp；　creaking　little　chirp；　flew　up　and　away　in　sudden　alarm；　at　the　same　moment　she　turned　and　saw　me　through　the　light　leafy　screen。　　But　although　catching　sight　of　me　thus　suddenly；　she　did　not　exhibit　alarm　like　the　bird；　only　her　eyes；　wide　open；　with　a　surprised　look　in　them；　remained　immovably　fixed　on　my　face。　　And　then　slowly；　imperceptiblyfor　I　did　not　notice　the　actual　movement；　so　gradual　and　smooth　it　was；　like　the　motion　of　a　cloud　of　mist　which　changes　its　form　and　place；　yet　to　the　eye　seems　not　to　have　movedshe　rose　to　her　knees；　to　her　feet；　retired；　and　with　face　still　towards　me；　and　eyes　fixed　on　mine；　finally　disappeared；　going　as　if　she　had　melted　away　into　the　verdure。　　The　leafage　was　there　occupying　the　precise　spot　where　she　had　been　a　moment　beforethe　feathery　foliage　of　an　acacia　shrub；　and　stems　and　broad；　arrow…shaped　leaves　of　an　aquatic　plant；　and　slim；　drooping　fern　fronds；　and　they　were　motionless　and　seemed　not　to　have　been　touched　by　something　passing　through　them。　　She　had　gone；　yet　I　continued　still；　bent　almost　double；　gazing　fixedly　at　the　spot　where　I　had　last　seen　her；　my　mind　in　a　strange　condition；　possessed　by　sensations　which　were　keenly　felt　and　yet　contradictory。　　So　vivid　was　the　image　left　on　my　brain　that　she　still　seemed　to　be　actually　before　my　eyes；　and　she　was　not　there；　nor　had　been；　for　it　was　a　dream；　an　illusion；　and　no　such　being　existed；　or　could　exist；　in　this　gross　world；　and　at　the　same　time　I　knew　that　she　had　been　therethat　imagination　was　powerless　to　conjure　up　a　form　so　exquisite。

With　the　mental　image　I　had　to　be　satisfied；　for　although　I　remained　for　some　hours　at　that　spot；　I　saw　her　no　more；　nor　did　I　hear　any　familiar　melodious　sound。　　For　I　was　now　convinced　that　in　this　wild　solitary　girl　I　had　at　length　discovered　the　mysterious　warbler　that　so　often　followed　me　in　the　wood。　　At　length；　seeing　that　it　was　growing　late；　I　took　a　drink　from　the　stream　and　slowly　and　reluctantly　made　my　way　out　of　the　forest　and　went　home。

Early　next　day　I　was　back　in　the　wood　full　of　delightful　anticipations；　and　had　no　sooner　got　well　among　the　trees　than　a　soft；　warbling　sound　reached　my　ears；　it　was　like　that　heard　on　the　previous　day　just　before　catching　sight　of　the　girl　among　the　ferns。　　So　soon！　　thought　I；　elated；　and　with　cautious　steps　I　proceeded　to　explore　the　ground；　hoping　again　to　catch　her　unawares。　　But　I　saw　nothing；　and　only　after　beginning　to　doubt　that　I　had　heard　anything　unusual；　and　had　sat　down　to　rest　on　a　rock；　the　sound　was　repeated；　soft　and　low　as　before；　very　near　and　distinct。　　Nothing　more　was　heard　at　this　spot；　but　an　hour　later；　in　another　place；　the　same　mysterious　note　sounded　near　me。　　During　my　remaining　time　in　the　forest　I　was　served　many　times　in　the　same　way；　and　still　nothing　was　seen；　nor　was　there　any　change　in　the　voice。

Only　when　the　day　was　near　its　end　did　I　give　up　my　quest；　feeling　very　keenly　disappointed。　　It　then　struck　me　that　the　cause　of　the　elusive　creature's　behaviour　was　that　she　had　been　piqued　at　my　discovery　of　her　in　one　of　her　most　secret　hiding…places　in　the　heart　of　the　wood；　and　that　it　had　pleased　her　to　pay　me　out　in　this　manner。

On　the　next　day　there　was　no　change；　she　was　there　again；　evidently　following　me；　but　always　invisible；　and　varied　not　from　that　one　mocking　note　of　yesterday；　which　seemed　to　challenge　me　to　find　her　a　second　time。　　In　the　end　I　was　vexed；　and　resolved　to　be　even　with　her　by　not　visiting　the　wood　for　some　time。　　A　display　of　indifference　on　my　part　would；　I　hoped；　result　in　making　her　less　coy　in　the　future。

Next　day；　firm　in　my　new　resolution；　I　accompanied　Kua…ko　and　two　others　to　a　distant　spot　where　they　expected　that　the　ripening　fruit　on　a　cashew　tree　would　attract　a　large　number　of　birds。　　The　fruit；　however；　proved　still　green；　so　that　we　gathered　none　and　killed　few　birds。　　Returning　together；　Kua…ko　kept　at　my　side；　and　by　and　by；　falling　behind　our　companions；　he　complimented　me　on　my　good　shooting；　although；　as　usual；　I　had　only　wasted　the　arrows　I　had　blown。

〃Soon　you　will　be　able　to　hit；〃　he　said；　〃hit　a　bird　as　big　as　a　small　woman〃；　and　he　laughed　once　more　immoderately　at　the　old　joke。　　At　last；　growing　confidential；　he　said　that　I　would　soon　possess　a　zabatana　of　my　own；　with　arrows　in　plenty。　　He　was　going　to　make　the　arrows　himself；　and　his　uncle　Otawinki；　who　had　a　straight　eye；　would　make　the　tube。　　I　treated　it　all　as　a　joke；　but　he　solemnly　assured　me　that　he　meant　it。

Next　morning　he　asked　me　if　I　was　going　to　the　forest　of　evil　fame；　and　when　I　replied　in　the　negative；　seemed　surprised　and；　very　much　to　my　surprise；　evidently　disappointed。　　He　even　tried　to　persuade　me　to　go；　where　before　I　had　been　earnestly　recommended　not　to　go；　until；　finding　that　I　would　not；　he　took　me　with　him　to　hunt　in　the　woods。　　By　and　by　he　returned　to　the　same　subject：　he　could　not　understand　why　I　would　not　go　to　that　wood；　and　asked　me　if　I　had　begun　to　grow　afraid。

〃No；　not　afraid；〃　I　replied；　〃but　I　know　the　place　well；　and　am　getting　tired　of　it。〃　　I　had　seen　everything　in　itbirds　and　beastsand　had　heard　all　its　strange　noises。

〃Yes；　heard；〃　he　said；　nodding　his　head　knowingly；　〃but　you　have　seen　nothing　strange；　your　eyes　are　not　good　enough　yet。〃

I　laughed　contemptuously　and　answered　that　I　had　seen　everything　strange　the　wood　contained；　including　a　strange　young　girl；　and　I　went　on　to　describe　her　appearance；　and　finished　by　asking　if　he　thought　a　white　man　was　frightened　at　the　sight　of　a　young　girl。

What　I　said　astonished　him；　then　he　seemed　greatly　pleased；　and；　growing　still　more　confidential　and　generous　than　on　the　previous　day；　he　said　that　I　would　soon　be　a　most　important　personage　among　them；　and　greatly　distinguish　myself。　　He　did　not　like　it　when　I　laughed　at　all　this；　and　went　on　with　great　seriousness　to　speak　of　the　unmade　blowpipe　that　would　be　minespeaking　of　it　as　if　it　had　been　something　very　great；　equal　to　the　gift　of　a　large　tract　of　land；　or　the　governorship　of　a　province；　north　of　the　Orinoco。　　And　by　and　by　he　spoke　of　something　else　more　wonderful　even　than　the　promise　of　a　blow…pipe；　with　arrows　galore；　and　this　was　that　young　sister　of　his；　whose　name　was　Oalava；　a　maid　of　about　sixteen；　shy　and　silent　and　mild…eyed；　rather　lean　and　dirty；　not　ugly；　nor　yet　prepossessing。　　And　this　copper…coloured　little　drab　of　the　wilderness　he　proposed　to　bestow　in　marriage　on　me！　　Anxious　to