green mansions-第3部分

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uld　even　say　that　I　could　get　well　if　I　wished　to。　　I　did　not　take　this　seriously；　but　one　morning；　when　calling　to　see　me　at　the　office；　he　attacked　me　in　a　way　that　made　me　downright　angry　with　him。　　He　told　me　that　indolence　and　the　use　of　stimulants　was　the　cause　of　my　bad　health。　　He　spoke　in　a　mocking　way；　with　a　presence　of　not　quite　meaning　it；　but　the　feeling　could　not　be　wholly　disguised。　Stung　by　his　reproaches；　I　blurted　out　that　he　had　no　right　to　talk　to　me；　even　in　fun；　in　such　a　way。　　Yes；　he　said；　getting　serious；　he　had　the　best　rightthat　of　our　friendship。　　He　would　be　no　true　friend　if　he　kept　his　peace　about　such　a　matter。　　Then；　in　my　haste；　I　retorted　that　to　me　the　friendship　between　us　did　not　seem　so　perfect　and　complete　as　it　did　to　him。　　One　condition　of　friendship　is　that　the　partners　in　it　should　be　known　to　each　other。　　He　had　had　my　whole　life　and　mind　open　to　him；　to　read　it　as　in　a　book。　　HIS　life　was　a　closed　and　clasped　volume　to　me。

His　face　darkened；　and　after　a　few　moments'　silent　reflection　he　got　up　and　left　me　with　a　cold　good…bye；　and　without　that　hand…grasp　which　had　been　customary　between　us。

After　his　departure　I　had　the　feeling　that　a　great　loss；　a　great　calamity；　had　befallen　me；　but　I　was　still　smarting　at　his　too　candid　criticism；　all　the　more　because　in　my　heart　I　acknowledged　its　truth。　　And　that　night；　lying　awake；　I　repented　of　the　cruel　retort　I　had　made；　and　resolved　to　ask　his　forgiveness　and　leave　it　to　him　to　determine　the　question　of　our　future　relations。　　But　he　was　beforehand　with　me；　and　with　the　morning　came　a　letter　begging　my　forgiveness　and　asking　me　to　go　that　evening　to　dine　with　him。

We　were　alone；　and　during　dinner　and　afterwards；　when　we　sat　smoking　and　sipping　black　coffee　in　the　veranda；　we　were　unusually　quiet；　even　to　gravity；　which　caused　the　two　white…clad　servants　that　waited　on　usthe　brown…faced　subtle…eyed　old　Hindu　butler　and　an　almost　blue…black　young　Guiana　Negroto　direct　many　furtive　glances　at　their　master's　face。　　They　were　accustomed　to　see　him　in　a　more　genial　mood　when　he　had　a　friend　to　dine。　　To　me　the　change　in　his　manner　was　not　surprising：　from　the　moment　of　seeing　him　I　had　divined　that　he　had　determined　to　open　the　shut　and　clasped　volume　of　which　I　had　spokenthat　the　time　had　now　come　for　him　to　speak。



CHAPTER　I

Now　that　we　are　cool；　he　said；　and　regret　that　we　hurt　each　other；　I　am　not　sorry　that　it　happened。　　I　deserved　your　reproach：　a　hundred　times　I　have　wished　to　tell　you　the　whole　story　of　my　travels　and　adventures　among　the　savages；　and　one　of　the　reasons　which　prevented　me　was　the　fear　that　it　would　have　an　unfortunate　effect　on　our　friendship。　　That　was　precious；　and　I　desired　above　everything　to　keep　it。　　But　I　must　think　no　more　about　that　now。　　I　must　think　only　of　how　I　am　to　tell　you　my　story。　　I　will　begin　at　a　time　when　I　was　twenty…three。　　It　was　early　in　life　to　be　in　the　thick　of　politics；　and　in　trouble　to　the　extent　of　having　to　fly　my　country　to　save　my　liberty；　perhaps　my　life。

Every　nation；　someone　remarks；　has　the　government　it　deserves；　and　Venezuela　certainly　has　the　one　it　deserves　and　that　suits　it　best。　　We　call　it　a　republic；　not　only　because　it　is　not　one；　but　also　because　a　thing　must　have　a　name；　and　to　have　a　good　name；　or　a　fine　name；　is　very　convenientespecially　when　you　want　to　borrow　money。　　If　the　Venezuelans；　thinly　distributed　over　an　area　of　half　a　million　square　miles；　mostly　illiterate　peasants；　half…breeds；　and　indigenes；　were　educated；　intelligent　men；　zealous　only　for　the　public　weal；　it　would　be　possible　for　them　to　have　a　real　republic。　　They　have　instead　a　government　by　cliques；　tempered　by　revolution；　and　a　very　good　government　it　is；　in　harmony　with　the　physical　conditions　of　the　country　and　the　national　temperament。　　Now；　it　happens　that　the　educated　men；　representing　your　higher　classes；　are　so　few　that　there　are　not　many　persons　unconnected　by　ties　of　blood　or　marriage　with　prominent　members　of　the　political　groups　to　which　they　belong。　By　this　you　will　see　how　easy　and　almost　inevitable　it　is　that　we　should　become　accustomed　to　look　on　conspiracy　and　revolt　against　the　regnant　partythe　men　of　another　cliqueas　only　in　the　natural　order　of　things。　　In　the　event　of　failure　such　outbreaks　are　punished；　but　they　are　not　regarded　as　immoral。　　On　the　contrary；　men　of　the　highest　intelligence　and　virtue　among　us　are　seen　taking　a　leading　part　in　these　adventures。　　Whether　such　a　condition　of　things　is　intrinsically　wrong　or　not；　or　would　be　wrong　in　some　circumstances　and　is　not　wrong；　because　inevitable；　in　others；　I　cannot　pretend　to　decide；　and　all　this　tiresome　profusion　is　only　to　enable　you　to　understand　how　Ia　young　man　of　unblemished　character；　not　a　soldier　by　profession；　not　ambitious　of　political　distinction；　wealthy　for　that　country；　popular　in　society；　a　lover　of　social　pleasures；　of　books；　of　nature　actuated；　as　I　believed；　by　the　highest　motives；　allowed　myself　to　be　drawn　very　readily　by　friends　and　relations　into　a　conspiracy　to　overthrow　the　government　of　the　moment；　with　the　object　of　replacing　it　by　more　worthy　men　ourselves；　to　wit。

Our　adventure　failed　because　the　authorities　got　wind　of　the　affair　and　matters　were　precipitated。　　Our　leaders　at　the　moment　happened　to　be　scattered　over　the　countrysome　were　abroad；　and　a　few　hotheaded　men　of　the　party；　who　were　in　Caracas　just　then　and　probably　feared　arrest；　struck　a　rash　blow：　the　President　was　attacked　in　the　street　and　wounded。　　But　the　attackers　were　seized；　and　some　of　them　shot　on　the　following　day。　　When　the　news　reached　me　I　was　at　a　distance　from　the　capital；　staying　with　a　friend　on　an　estate　he　owned　on　the　River　Quebrada　Honda；　in　the　State　of　Guarico；　some　fifteen　to　twenty　miles　from　the　town　of　Zaraza。　　My　friend；　an　officer　in　the　army；　was　a　leader　in　the　conspiracy；　and　as　I　was　the　only　son　of　a　man　who　had　been　greatly　hated　by　the　Minister　of　War；　it　became　necessary　for　us　both　to　fly　for　our　lives。　　In　the　circumstances　we　could　not　look　to　be　pardoned；　even　on　the　score　of　youth。

Our　first　decision　was　to　escape　to　the　sea…coast；　but　as　the　risk　of　a　journey　to　La　Guayra；　or　any　other　port　of　embarkation　on　the　north　side　of　the　country；　seemed　too　great；　we　made　our　way　in　a　contrary　direction　to　the　Orinoco；　and　downstream　to　Angostura。　　Now；　when　we　had　reached　this　comparatively　safe　breathing…placesafe；　at　all　events；　for　the　momentI　changed　my　mind　about　leaving　or　attempting　to　leave　the　country。　　Since　boyhood　I　had　taken　a　very　peculiar　interest　in　that　vast　and　almost　unexplored　territory　we　possess　south　of　the　Orinoco；　with　its　countless　unmapped　rivers　and　trackless　forests；　and　in　its　savage　inhabitants；　with　their　ancient　customs　and　character；　unadulterated　by　contact　with　Europeans。　　To　visit　this　primitive　wilderness　had　been　a　cherished　dream；　and　I　had　to　some　extent　even　prepared　myself　for　such　an　adventure　by　mastering　more　than　one　of　the　Indian　dialects　of　the　northern　states　of　Venezuela。　And　now；　finding　myself　on　the　south　side　of　our　great　river；　with　unlimited　time　at　my　disposal；　I　determined　to　gratify　this　wish。　　My　companion　took　his　departure　towards　the　coast；　while　I　set　about　making　preparations　and　hunting　up　information　from　those　who　had　travelled　in　the　interior　to　trade　with　the　savages。　　I　decided　eventually　to　go　back　upstream　and　penetrate　to　the　interior　in　the　western　part　of　Guayana；　and　the　Amazonian　territory　bordering　on　Colombia　and　Brazil；　and　to　return　to　Angostura　in　about　six　months'　time。　　I　had　no　fear　of　being　arrested　in　the　semi…independent　and　in　most　part　savage　region；　as　the　Guayana　authorities　concerned　themselves　little　enough　about　the　political　upheavals　at　Caracas。

The　first　five　or　six　months　I　spent　in　Guayana；　after　leaving　the　city　of　refuge；　were　eventful　enough　to　satisfy　a　moderately　adventurous　spirit。　　A　complaisant　government　employee　at　Angostura　had　provided　me　with　a　passport；　in　which　it　was　set　down　（for　few　to　read）　that　my　object　in　visiting　the　interior　was　to　collect　information　concerning　the　native　tribes；　the　vegetable　products　of　the　country；　and　other　knowledge　which　would　be　of　advantage　to　the　Republic；　and　the　authorities　were　requested　to　afford　me　protection　and　assist　me　in　my　pursuits。　I　ascended　the　Orinoco；　making　occasional　expeditions　to　the　small　Christian　settlements　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　right　bank；　also　to　the　Indian　villages；　and　travelling　in　this　way；　seeing　and　learning　much；　in　about　three　months　I　reached　the　River　Metal　During　this　period　I　amused　myself　by　keeping　a　journal；　a　record　of　personal　adventures；　impressions　of　the　country　and　people；　both　semi…civilized　and　savage；　and　as　my　journal　grew；　I　began　to　think　that　on　my　return　at　some　future　time　to　Caracas；　it　might　prove　useful　and　interesting　to　the　public；　and　also　procure　me　fame；　which　thought　proved　pleasurable　and　a　great　incentive；　so　that　I　began　to　observe　things　more　narrowly　and　to　study　expression。　　But　the　book　was　not　to　be。

From　the　mouth　of　the　Meta　I　journeyed　on；　intending　to　visit　the　settlement　of　Atahapo；　where　the　great　River　Guaviare；　with　other　rivers；　empties