green mansions-第23部分

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ughter's　origin。〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　I　returned；　〃your　story　explains　why　she　can　call　a　wild　bird　to　her　hand；　and　touch　a　venomous　serpent　with　her　bare　foot　and　receive　no　harm。〃

〃Doubtless　you　are　right；〃　said　the　old　dissembler。　　〃Living　alone　in　the　wood；　she　had　only　God's　creatures　to　play　and　make　friends　with；　and　wild　animals；　I　have　heard　it　said；　know　those　who　are　friendly　towards　them。〃

〃You　treat　her　friends　badly；〃　said　I；　kicking　the　long　tail　of　the　coatimundi　away　with　my　foot；　and　regretting　that　I　had　joined　in　his　repast。

〃Senor；　you　must　consider　that　we　are　only　what　Heaven　made　us。　When　all　this　was　formed；〃　he　continued；　opening　his　arms　wide　to　indicate　the　entire　creation；　〃the　Person　who　concerned　Himself　with　this　matter　gave　seeds　and　fruitless　and　nectar　of　flowers　for　the　sustentation　of　His　small　birds。　　But　we　have　not　their　delicate　appetites。　　The　more　robust　stomach　which　he　gave　to　man　cries　out　for　meat。　　Do　you　understand？　　But　of　all　this；　friend；　not　one　word　to　Rima！〃

I　laughed　scornfully。　　〃Do　you　think　me　such　a　child；　old　man；　as　to　believe　that　Rima；　that　little　sprite；　does　not　know　that　you　are　an　eater　of　flesh？　　Rima；　who　is　everywhere　in　the　wood；　seeing　all　things；　even　if　I　lift　my　hand　against　a　serpent；　she　herself　unseen。〃

〃But；　sir；　if　you　will　pardon　my　presumption；　you　are　saying　too　much。　　She　does　not　come　here；　and　therefore　cannot　see　that　I　eat　meat。　　In　all　that　wood　where　she　flourishes　and　sings；　where　she　is　in　her　house　and　garden；　and　mistress　of　the　creatures；　even　of　the　small　butterfly　with　painted　wings；　there；　sir；　I　hunt　no　animal。　　Nor　will　my　dogs　chase　any　animal　there。　　That　is　what　I　meant　when　I　said　that　if　an　animal　should　stumble　against　their　legs；　they　would　lift　up　their　noses　and　pass　on　without　seeing　it。　　For　in　that　wood　there　is　one　law；　the　law　that　Rima　imposes；　and　outside　of　it　a　different　law。〃

〃I　am　glad　that　you　have　told　me　this；〃　I　replied。　　〃The　thought　that　Rima　might　be　near；　and；　unseen　herself；　look　in　upon　us　feeding　with　the　dogs　and；　like　dogs；　on　flesh；　was　one　which　greatly　troubled　my　mind。〃

He　glanced　at　me　in　his　usual　quick；　cunning　way。

〃Ah；　senor；　you　have　that　feeling　tooafter　so　short　a　time　with　us！　　Consider；　then；　what　it　must　be　for　me；　unable　to　nourish　myself　on　gums　and　fruitlets；　and　that　little　sweetness　made　by　wasps　out　of　flowers；　when　I　am　compelled　to　go　far　away　and　eat　secretly　to　avoid　giving　offence。〃

It　was　hard；　no　doubt；　but　I　did　not　pity　him；　secretly　I　could　only　feel　anger　against　him　for　refusing　to　enlighten　me；　while　making　such　a　presence　of　openness；　and　I　also　felt　disgusted　with　myself　for　having　joined　him　in　his　rank　repast。　　But　dissimulation　was　necessary；　and　so；　after　conversing　a　little　more　on　indifferent　topics；　and　thanking　him　for　his　hospitality；　I　left　him　alone　to　go　on　with　his　smoky　task。

On　my　way　back　to　the　lodge；　fearing　that　some　taint　of　Nuflo's　evil…smelling　den　and　dinner　might　still　cling　to　me；　I　turned　aside　to　where　a　streamlet　in　the　wood　widened　and　formed　a　deep　pool；　to　take　a　plunge　in　the　water。　　After　drying　myself　in　the　air；　and　thoroughly　ventilating　my　garments　by　shaking　and　beating　them；　I　found　an　open；　shady　spot　in　the　wood　and　threw　myself　on　the　grass　to　wait　for　evening　before　returning　to　the　house。　　By　that　time　the　sweet；　warm　air　would　have　purified　me。　Besides；　I　did　not　consider　that　I　had　sufficiently　punished　Rima　for　her　treatment　of　me。　　She　would　be　anxious　for　my　safety；　perhaps　even　looking　for　me　everywhere　in　the　wood。　　It　was　not　much　to　make　her　suffer　one　day　after　she　had　made　me　miserable　for　three；　and　perhaps　when　she　discovered　that　I　could　exist　without　her　society　she　would　begin　to　treat　me　less　capriciously。

So　ran　my　thoughts　as　I　rested　on　the　warm　ground；　gazing　up　into　the　foliage；　green　as　young　grass　in　the　lower；　shady　parts；　and　above　luminous　with　the　bright　sunlight；　and　full　of　the　murmuring　sounds　of　insect　life。　　My　every　action；　word；　thought；　had　my　feeling　for　Rima　as　a　motive。　　Why；　I　began　to　ask　myself；　was　Rima　so　much　to　me？　　It　was　easy　to　answer　that　question：　Because　nothing　so　exquisite　had　ever　been　created。　　All　the　separate　and　fragmentary　beauty　and　melody　and　graceful　motion　found　scattered　throughout　nature　were　concentrated　and　harmoniously　combined　in　her。　　How　various；　how　luminous；　how　divine　she　was！　　A　being　for　the　mind　to　marvel　at；　to　admire　continually；　finding　some　new　grace　and　charm　every　hour；　every　moment；　to　add　to　the　old。　　And　there　was；　besides；　the　fascinating　mystery　surrounding　her　origin　to　arouse　and　keep　my　interest　in　her　continually　active。

That　was　the　easy　answer　I　returned　to　the　question　I　had　asked　myself。　　But　I　knew　that　there　was　another　answera　reason　more　powerful　than　the　first。　　And　I　could　no　longer　thrust　it　back；　or　hide　its　shining　face　with　the　dull；　leaden　mask　of　mere　intellectual　curiosity。　　BECAUSE　I　LOVED　HER；　loved　her　as　I　had　never　loved　before；　never　could　love　any　other　being；　with　a　passion　which　had　caught　something　of　her　own　brilliance　and　intensity；　making　a　former　passion　look　dim　and　commonplace　in　comparisona　feeling　known　to　everyone；　something　old　and　worn　out；　a　weariness　even　to　think　of。

From　these　reflections　I　was　roused　by　the　plaintive　three…syllable　call　of　an　evening　birda　nightjar　common　in　these　woods；　and　was　surprised　to　find　that　the　sun　had　set；　and　the　woods　already　shadowed　with　the　twilight。　　I　started　up　and　began　hurriedly　walking　homewards；　thinking　of　Rima；　and　was　consumed　with　impatience　to　see　her；　and　as　I　drew　near　to　the　house；　walking　along　a　narrow　path　which　I　knew；　I　suddenly　met　her　face　to　face。　　Doubtless　she　had　heard　my　approach；　and　instead　of　shrinking　out　of　the　path　and　allowing　me　to　pass　on　without　seeing　her；　as　she　would　have　done　on　the　previous　day；　she　had　sprung　forward　to　meet　me。　　I　was　struck　with　wonder　at　the　change　in　her　as　she　came　with　a　swift；　easy　motion；　like　a　flying　bird；　her　hands　outstretched　as　if　to　clasp　mine；　her　lips　parted　in　a　radiant；　welcoming　smile；　her　eyes　sparkling　with　joy。

I　started　forward　to　meet　her；　but　had　no　sooner　touched　her　hands　than　her　countenance　changed；　and　she　shrunk　back　trembling；　as　if　the　touch　had　chilled　her　warm　blood；　and　moving　some　feet　away；　she　stood　with　downcast　eyes；　pale　and　sorrowful　as　she　had　seemed　yesterday。　　In　vain　I　implored　her　to　tell　me　the　cause　of　this　change　and　of　the　trouble　she　evidently　felt；　her　lips　trembled　as　if　with　speech；　but　she　made　no　reply；　and　only　shrunk　further　away　when　I　attempted　to　approach　her；　and　at　length；　moving　aside　from　the　path；　she　was　lost　to　sight　in　the　dusky　leafage。

I　went　on　alone；　and　sat　outside　for　some　time；　until　old　Nuflo　returned　from　his　hunting；　and　only　after　he　had　gone　in　and　had　made　the　fire　burn　up　did　Rima　make　her　appearance；　silent　and　constrained　as　ever。　　



CHAPTER　X

On　the　following　day　Rima　continued　in　the　same　inexplicable　humour；　and　feeling　my　defeat　keenly；　I　determined　once　more　to　try　the　effect　of　absence　on　her；　and　to　remain　away　on　this　occasion　for　a　longer　period。　　Like　old　Nuflo；　I　was　secret　in　going　forth　next　morning；　waiting　until　the　girl　was　out　of　the　way；　then　slipping　off　among　the　bushes　into　the　deeper　wood；　and　finally　quitting　its　shelter；　I　set　out　across　the　savannah　towards　my　old　quarters。　　Great　was　my　surprise　on　arriving　at　the　village　to　find　no　person　there。　　At　first　I　imagined　that　my　disappearance　in　the　forest　of　evil　fame　had　caused　them　to　abandon　their　home　in　a　panic；　but　on　looking　round　I　concluded　that　my　friends　had　only　gone　on　one　of　their　periodical　visits　to　some　neighbouring　village。　　For　when　these　Indians　visit　their　neighbours　they　do　it　in　a　very　thorough　manner；　they　all　go；　taking　with　them　their　entire　stock　of　provisions；　their　cooking　utensils；　weapons；　hammocks；　and　even　their　pet　animals。　Fortunately　in　this　case　they　had　not　taken　quite　everything；　my　hammock　was　there；　also　one　small　pot；　some　cassava　bread；　purple　potatoes；　and　a　few　ears　of　maize。　　I　concluded　that　these　had　been　left　for　me　in　the　event　of　my　return；　also　that　they　had　not　been　gone　very　many　hours；　since　a　log　of　wood　buried　under　the　ashes　of　the　hearth　was　still　alight。　　Now；　as　their　absences　from　home　usually　last　many　days；　it　was　plain　that　I　would　have　the　big　naked　barn…like　house　to　myself　for　as　long　as　I　thought　proper　to　remain；　with　little　food　to　eat；　but　the　prospect　did　not　disturb　me；　and　I　resolved　to　amuse　myself　with　music。　　In　vain　I　hunted　for　my　guitar；　the　Indians　had　taken　it　to　delight　their　friends　by　twanging　its　strings。　　At　odd　moments　during　the　last　day　or　two　I　had　been　composing　a　simple　melody　in　my　brain；　fitting　it　to　ancient　words；　and　now；　without　an　instrument　to　assist　me；　I　began　softly　singing　to　myself：

Muy　mas　clara　que　la　luna

Sola　una　

en　el　mundo　vos　nacistes。

After　music　I　made　up　the　fire　and　parched　an　ear　of　maize　for　my　dinner；　and　while　laboriously　crunching　the　dry　hard　grain　I　thanked　Heaven　for　having　bestowed　on　me　such　good　molars。　Finally　I　slung　my　hammock　in　its　old　corner；　and　plac