green mansions-第15部分

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o　doubt　to　lead　me　a　dance　through　the　wood　with　her　mocking　voice；　as　on　previous　occasions；　when　my　attack　on　the　serpent　caused　that　outburst　of　wrath。　　The　torrent　of　ringing　and　to　me　inarticulate　sounds　in　that　unknown　tongue；　her　rapid　gestures；　and；　above　all；　her　wide…open　sparkling　eyes　and　face　aflame　with　colour　made　it　impossible　to　mistake　the　nature　of　her　feeling。

In　casting　about　for　some　term　or　figure　of　speech　in　which　to　describe　the　impression　produced　on　me　at　that　moment；　I　think　of　waspish；　and；　better　still；　avispadaliterally　the　same　word　in　Spanish；　not　having　precisely　the　same　meaning　nor　ever　applied　contemptuouslyonly　to　reject　both　after　a　moment's　reflection。　Yet　I　go　back　to　the　image　of　an　irritated　wasp　as　perhaps　offering　the　best　illustration；　of　some　large　tropical　wasp　advancing　angrily　towards　me；　as　I　have　witnessed　a　hundred　times；　not　exactly　flying；　but　moving　rapidly；　half　running　and　half　flying；　over　the　ground；　with　loud　and　angry　buzz；　the　glistening　wings　open　and　agitated；　beautiful　beyond　most　animated　creatures　in　its　sharp　but　graceful　lines；　polished　surface；　and　varied　brilliant　colouring；　and　that　wrathfulness　that　fits　it　so　well　and　seems　to　give　it　additional　lustre。

Wonder…struck　at　the　sight　of　her　strange　beauty　and　passion；　I　forgot　the　advancing　snake　until　she　came　to　a　stop　at　about　five　yards　from　me；　then　to　my　horror　I　saw　that　it　was　beside　her　naked　feet。　　Although　no　longer　advancing；　the　head　was　still　raised　high　as　if　to　strike；　but　presently　the　spirit　of　anger　appeared　to　die　out　of　it；　the　lifted　head；　oscillating　a　little　from　side　to　side；　sunk　down　lower　and　lower　to　rest　finally　on　the　girl's　bare　instep；　and　lying　there　motionless；　the　deadly　thing　had　the　appearance　of　a　gaily　coloured　silken　garter　just　dropped　from　her　leg。　　It　was　plain　to　see　that　she　had　no　fear　of　it；　that　she　was　one　of　those　exceptional　persons；　to　be　found；　it　is　said；　in　all　countries；　who　possess　some　magnetic　quality　which　has　a　soothing　effect　on　even　the　most　venomous　and　irritable　reptiles。

Following　the　direction　of　my　eyes；　she　too　glanced　down；　but　did　not　move　her　foot；　then　she　made　her　voice　heard　again；　still　loud　and　sharp；　but　the　anger　was　not　now　so　pronounced。

〃Do　not　fear；　I　shall　not　harm　it；〃　I　said　in　the　Indian　tongue。

She　took　no　notice　of　my　speech　and　continued　speaking　with　increasing　resentment。

I　shook　my　head；　replying　that　her　language　was　unknown　to　me。　Then　by　means　of　signs　I　tried　to　make　her　understand　that　the　creature　was　safe　from　further　molestation。　　She　pointed　indignantly　at　the　stone　in　my　hand；　which　I　had　forgotten　all　about。　　At　once　I　threw　it　from　me；　and　instantly　there　was　a　change；　the　resentment　had　vanished；　and　a　tender　radiance　lit　her　face　like　a　smile。

I　advanced　a　little　nearer；　addressing　her　once　more　in　the　Indian　tongue；　but　my　speech　was　evidently　unintelligible　to　her；　as　she　stood　now　glancing　at　the　snake　lying　at　her　feet；　now　at　me。　　Again　I　had　recourse　to　signs　and　gestures；　pointing　to　the　snake；　then　to　the　stone　I　had　cast　away；　I　endeavoured　to　convey　to　her　that　in　the　future　I　would　for　her　sake　be　a　friend　to　all　venomous　reptiles；　and　that　I　wished　her　to　have　the　same　kindly　feelings　towards　me　as　towards　these　creatures。　　Whether　or　not　she　understood　me；　she　showed　no　disposition　to　go　into　hiding　again；　and　continued　silently　regarding　me　with　a　look　that　seemed　to　express　pleasure　at　finding　herself　at　last　thus　suddenly　brought　face　to　face　with　me。　　Flattered　at　this；　I　gradually　drew　nearer　until　at　the　last　I　was　standing　at　her　side；　gazing　down　with　the　utmost　delight　into　that　face　which　so　greatly　surpassed　in　loveliness　all　human　faces　I　had　ever　seen　or　imagined。

And　yet　to　you；　my　friend；　it　probably　will　not　seem　that　she　was　so　beautiful；　since　I　have；　alas！　　only　the　words　we　all　use　to　paint　commoner；　coarser　things；　and　no　means　to　represent　all　the　exquisite　details；　all　the　delicate　lights；　and　shades；　and　swift　changes　of　colour　and　expression。　　Moreover；　is　it　not　a　fact　that　the　strange　or　unheard　of　can　never　appear　beautiful　in　a　mere　description；　because　that　which　is　most　novel　in　it　attracts　too　much　attention　and　is　given　undue　prominence　in　the　picture；　and　we　miss　that　which　would　have　taken　away　the　effect　of　strangenessthe　perfect　balance　of　the　parts　and　harmony　of　the　whole？　　For　instance；　the　blue　eyes　of　the　northerner　would；　when　first　described　to　the　black…eyed　inhabitants　of　warm　regions；　seem　unbeautiful　and　a　monstrosity；　because　they　would　vividly　see　with　the　mental　vision　that　unheard…of　blueness；　but　not　in　the　same　vivid　way　the　accompanying　flesh　and　hair　tints　with　which　it　harmonizes。

Think；　then；　less　of　the　picture　as　I　have　to　paint　it　in　words　than　of　the　feeling　its　original　inspired　in　me　when；　looking　closely　for　the　first　time　on　that　rare　loveliness；　trembling　with　delight；　I　mentally　cried：　〃Oh；　why　has　Nature；　maker　of　so　many　types　and　of　innumerable　individuals　of　each；　given　to　the　world　but　one　being　like　this？〃

Scarcely　had　the　thought　formed　itself　in　my　mind　before　I　dismissed　it　as　utterly　incredible。　　No；　this　exquisite　being　was　without　doubt　one　of　a　distinct　race　which　had　existed　in　this　little…known　corner　of　the　continent　for　thousands　of　generations；　albeit　now　perhaps　reduced　to　a　small　and　dwindling　remnant。

Her　figure　and　features　were　singularly　delicate；　but　it　was　her　colour　that　struck　me　most；　which　indeed　made　her　differ　from　all　other　human　beings。　　The　colour　of　the　skin　would　be　almost　impossible　to　describe；　so　greatly　did　it　vary　with　every　change　of　moodand　the　moods　were　many　and　transientand　with　the　angle　on　which　the　sunlight　touched　it；　and　the　degree　of　light。

Beneath　the　trees；　at　a　distance；　it　had　seemed　a　somewhat　dim　white　or　pale　grey；　near　in　the　strong　sunshine　it　was　not　white；　but　alabastrian；　semi…pellucid；　showing　an　underlying　rose　colour；　and　at　any　point　where　the　rays　fell　direct　this　colour　was　bright　and　luminous；　as　we　see　in　our　fingers　when　held　before　a　strong　firelight。　　But　that　part　of　her　skin　that　remained　in　shadow　appeared　of　a　dimmer　white；　and　the　underlying　colour　varied　from　dim；　rosy　purple　to　dim　blue。　　With　the　skin　the　colour　of　the　eyes　harmonized　perfectly。　　At　first；　when　lit　with　anger；　they　had　appeared　flame…like；　now　the　iris　was　of　a　peculiar　soft　or　dim　and　tender　red；　a　shade　sometimes　seen　in　flowers。　　But　only　when　looked　closely　at　could　this　delicate　hue　be　discerned；　the　pupils　being　large；　as　in　some　grey　eyes；　and　the　long；　dark；　shading　lashes　at　a　short　distance　made　the　whole　eye　appear　dark。　　Think　not；　then；　of　the　red　flower；　exposed　to　the　light　and　sun　in　conjunction　with　the　vivid　green　of　the　foliage；　think　only　of　such　a　hue　in　the　half…hidden　iris；　brilliant　and　moist　with　the　eye's　moisture；　deep　with　the　eye's　depth；　glorified　by　the　outward　look　of　a　bright；　beautiful　soul。　　Most　variable　of　all　in　colour　was　the　hair；　this　being　due　to　its　extreme　fineness　and　glossiness；　and　to　its　elasticity；　which　made　it　lie　fleecy　and　loose　on　head；　shoulders；　and　back；　a　cloud　with　a　brightness　on　its　surface　made　by　the　freer　outer　hairs；　a　fit　setting　and　crown　for　a　countenance　of　such　rare　changeful　loveliness。　　In　the　shade；　viewed　closely；　the　general　colour　appeared　a　slate；　deepening　in　places　to　purple；　but　even　in　the　shade　the　nimbus　of　free　flossy　hairs　half　veiled　the　darker　tints　with　a　downy　pallor；　and　at　a　distance　of　a　few　yards　it　gave　the　whole　hair　a　vague；　misty　appearance。　　In　the　sunlight　the　colour　varied　more；　looking　now　dark；　sometimes　intensely　black；　now　of　a　light　uncertain　hue；　with　a　play　of　iridescent　colour　on　the　loose　surface；　as　we　see　on　the　glossed　plumage　of　some　birds；　and　at　a　short　distance；　with　the　sun　shining　full　on　her　head；　it　sometimes　looked　white　as　a　noonday　cloud。　　So　changeful　was　it　and　ethereal　in　appearance　with　its　cloud　colours　that　all　other　human　hair；　even　of　the　most　beautiful　golden　shades；　pale　or　red；　seemed　heavy　and　dull　and　dead…looking　by　comparison。

But　more　than　form　and　colour　and　that　enchanting　variability　was　the　look　of　intelligence；　which　at　the　same　time　seemed　complementary　to　and　one　with　the　all…seeing；　all…hearing　alertness　appearing　in　her　face；　the　alertness　one　remarks　in　a　wild　creature；　even　when　in　repose　and　fearing　nothing；　but　seldom　in　man；　never　perhaps　in　intellectual　or　studious　man。　　She　was　a　wild；　solitary　girl　of　the　woods；　and　did　not　understand　the　language　of　the　country　in　which　I　had　addressed　her。　　What　inner　or　mind　life　could　such　a　one　have　more　than　that　of　any　wild　animal　existing　in　the　same　conditions？　　Yet　looking　at　her　face　it　was　not　possible　to　doubt　its　intelligence。　　This　union　in　her　of　two　opposite　qualities；　which；　with　us；　cannot　or　do　not　exist　together；　although　so　novel；　yet　struck　me　as　the　girl's　principal　charm。　　Why　had　Nature　not　done　this　beforewhy　in　all　others　does　the　brightness　of　the　mind　dim　that　beautiful　physical　brightness　which　the　wild　animals　have？　　But　enough　for　me　that　that　which　no　man　had　ever　looked　for　or　hoped　to　find　existed　here；　that　through　that　un