green mansions-第31部分

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For　a　while　I　listened　with　keen　interest　to　this　dispute；　and　at　length　interposed　once　more　on　the　old　man's　side。　　The　poor　girl　in　her　petition　had　unwittingly　revealed　to　me　the　power　I　possessed；　and　it　was　a　pleasing　experience　to　exercise　it。　Touching　her　shoulder　again；　I　assured　her　that　seven　or　eight　days　was　only　a　reasonable　time　in　which　to　prepare　for　so　long　a　journey。　　She　instantly　yielded；　and　after　one　glance　at　my　face；　she　moved　swiftly　away　into　the　darker　shadows；　leaving　me　alone　with　the　old　man。

As　we　returned　together　through　the　now　profoundly　dark　wood；　I　explained　to　him　how　the　subject　of　Riolama　had　first　come　up　during　my　conversation　with　Rima；　and　he　then　apologized　for　the　violent　language　he　had　used　to　me。　　This　personal　question　disposed　of；　he　spoke　of　the　pilgrimage　before　him；　and　informed　me　in　confidence　that　he　intended　preparing　a　quantity　of　smoke…dried　meat　and　packing　it　in　a　bag；　with　a　layer　of　cassava　bread；　dried　pumpkin　slips；　and　such　innocent　trifles　to　conceal　it　from　Rima's　keen　sight　and　delicate　nostrils。　　Finally　he　made　a　long　rambling　statement　which；　I　vainly　imagined；　was　intended　to　lead　up　to　an　account　of　Rima's　origin；　with　something　about　her　people　at　Riolama；　but　it　led　to　nothing　except　an　expression　of　opinion　that　the　girl　was　afflicted　with　a　maggot　in　the　brain；　but　that　as　she　had　interest　with　the　powers　above；　especially　with　her　mother；　who　was　now　a　very　important　person　among　the　celestials；　it　was　good　policy　to　submit　to　her　wishes。　Turning　to　me；　doubtless　to　wink　（only　I　missed　the　sign　owing　to　the　darkness）；　he　added　that　it　was　a　fine　thing　to　have　a　friend　at　court。　　With　a　little　gratulatory　chuckle　he　went　on　to　say　that　for　others　it　was　necessary　to　obey　all　the　ordinances　of　the　Church；　to　contribute　to　its　support；　hear　mass；　confess　from　time　to　time；　and　receive　absolution；　consequently　those　who　went　out　into　the　wilderness；　where　there　were　no　churches　and　no　priests　to　absolve　them；　did　so　at　the　risk　of　losing　their　souls。　　But　with　him　it　was　different：　he　expected　in　the　end　to　escape　the　fires　of　purgatory　and　go　directly　in　all　his　uncleanness　to　heavena　thing；　he　remarked；　which　happened　to　very　few；　and　he；　Nuflo；　was　no　saint；　and　had　first　become　a　dweller　in　the　desert；　as　a　very　young　man；　in　order　to　escape　the　penalty　of　his　misdeeds。

I　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　remarking　here　that　to　an　unregenerate　man　the　celestial　country　might　turn　out　a　somewhat　uncongenial　place　for　a　residence。　　He　replied　airily　that　he　had　considered　the　point　and　had　no　fear　about　the　future；　that　he　was　old；　and　from　all　he　had　observed　of　the　methods　of　government　followed　by　those　who　ruled　over　earthly　affairs　from　the　sky；　he　had　formed　a　clear　idea　of　that　place；　and　believed　that　even　among　so　many　glorified　beings　he　would　be　able　to　meet　with　those　who　would　prove　companionable　enough　and　would　think　no　worse　of　him　on　account　of　his　little　blemishes。

How　he　had　first　got　this　idea　into　his　brain　about　Rima's　ability　to　make　things　smooth　for　him　after　death　I　cannot　say；　probably　it　was　the　effect　of　the　girl's　powerful　personality　and　vivid　faith　acting　on　an　ignorant　and　extremely；superstitious　mind。　　While　she　was　making　that　petition　to　her　mother　in　heaven；　it　did　not　seem　in　the　least　ridiculous　to　me：　I　had　felt　no　inclination　to　smile；　even　when　hearing　all　that　about　the　old　man's　wings　being　singed　to　prevent　his　escape　by　flying。　　Her　rapt　look；　the　intense　conviction　that　vibrated　in　her　ringing；　passionate　tones；　the　brilliant　scorn　with　which　she；　a　hater　of　bloodshed；　one　so　tender　towards　all　living　things；　even　the　meanest；　bade　him　kill　himself；　and　only　hear　first　how　her　vengeance　would　pursue　his　deceitful　soul　into　other　worlds；　the　clearness　with　which　she　had　related　the　facts　of　the　case；　disclosing　the　inmost　secrets　of　her　heartall　this　had　had　a　strange；　convincing　effect　on　me。　　Listening　to　her　I　was　no　longer　the　enlightened；　the　creedless　man。　　She　herself　was　so　near　to　the　supernatural　that　it　seemed　brought　near　me；　indefinable　feelings；　which　had　been　latent　in　me；　stirred　into　life；　and　following　the　direction　of　her　divine；　lustrous　eyes；　fixed　on　the　blue　sky　above；　I　seemed　to　see　there　another　being　like　herself；　a　Rima　glorified；　leaning　her　pale；　spiritual　face　to　catch　the　winged　words　uttered　by　her　child　on　earth。　　And　even　now；　while　hearing　the　old　man's　talk；　showing　as　it　did　a　mind　darkened　with　such　gross　delusions；　I　was　not　yet　altogether　free　from　the　strange　effect　of　that　prayer。　　Doubtless　it　was　a　delusion；　her　mother　was　not　really　there　above　listening　to　the　girl's　voice。　　Still；　in　some　mysterious　way；　Rima　had　become　to　me；　even　as　to　superstitious　old　Nuflo；　a　being　apart　and　sacred；　and　this　feeling　seemed　to　mix　with　my　passion；　to　purify　and　exalt　it　and　make　it　infinitely　sweet　and　precious。

After　we　had　been　silent　for　some　time；　I　said：　〃Old　man；　the　result　of　the　grand　discussion　you　have　had　with　Rima　is　that　you　have　agreed　to　take　her　to　Riolama；　but　about　my　accompanying　you　not　one　word　has　been　spoken　by　either　of　you。〃

He　stopped　short　to　stare　at　me；　and　although　it　was　too　dark　to　see　his　face；　I　felt　his　astonishment。　　〃Senor！〃　　he　exclaimed；　〃we　cannot　go　without　you。　　Have　you　not　heard　my　granddaughter's　wordsthat　it　is　only　because　of　you　that　she　is　about　to　undertake　this　crazy　journey？　　If　you　are　not　with　us　in　this　thing；　then；　senor；　here　we　must　remain。　　But　what　will　Rima　say　to　that？〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　go；　but　only　on　one　condition。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　　he　asked；　with　a　sudden　change　of　tone；　which　warned　me　that　he　was　becoming　cautious　again。

〃That　you　tell　me　the　whole　story　of　Rima's　origin；　and　how　you　came　to　be　now　living　with　her　in　this　solitary　place；　and　who　these　people　are　she　wishes　to　visit　at　Riolama。〃

〃Ah；　senor；　it　is　a　long　story；　and　sad。　　But　you　shall　hear　it　all。　　You　must　hear　it；　senor；　since　you　are　now　one　of　us；　and　when　I　am　no　longer　here　to　protect　her；　then　she　will　be　yours。　And　although　you　will　never　be　able　to　do　more　than　old　Nuflo　for　her；　perhaps　she　will　be　better　pleased；　and　you；　senor；　better　able　to　exist　innocently　by　her　side；　without　eating　flesh；　since　you　will　always　have　that　rare　flower　to　delight　you。　　But　the　story　would　take　long　to　tell。　　You　shall　hear　it　all　as　we　journey　to　Riolama。　　What　else　will　there　be　to　talk　about　when　we　are　walking　that　long　distance；　and　when　we　sit　at　night　by　the　fire？〃

〃No；　no；　old　man；　I　am　not　to　be　put　off　in　that　way。　　I　must　hear　it　before　I　start。〃

But　he　was　determined　to　reserve　the　narrative　until　the　journey；　and　after　some　further　argument　I　yielded　the　point。



CHAPTER　XIII

That　evening　by　the　fire　old　Nuflo；　lately　so　miserable；　now　happy　in　his　delusions；　was　more　than　usually　gay　and　loquacious。　He　was　like　a　child　who　by　timely　submission　has　escaped　a　threatened　severe　punishment。　　But　his　lightness　of　heart　was　exceeded　by　mine；　and；　with　the　exception　of　one　other　yet　to　come；　that　evening　now　shines　in　memory　as　the　happiest　my　life　has　known。　　For　Rima's　sweet　secret　was　known　to　me；　and　her　very　ignorance　of　the　meaning　of　the　feeling　she　experienced；　which　caused　her　to　fly　from　me　as　from　an　enemy；　only　served　to　make　the　thought　of　it　more　purely　delightful。

On　this　occasion　she　did　not　steal　away　like　a　timid　mouse　to　her　own　apartment；　as　her　custom　was；　but　remained　to　give　that　one　evening　a　special　grace；　seated　well　away　from　the　fire　in　that　same　shadowy　corner　where　I　had　first　seen　her　indoors；　when　I　had　marvelled　at　her　altered　appearance。　　From　that　corner　she　could　see　my　face；　with　the　firelight　full　upon　it；　she　herself　in　shadow；　her　eyes　veiled　by　their　drooping　lashes。　　Sitting　there；　the　vivid　consciousness　of　my　happiness　was　like　draughts　of　strong；　delicious　wine；　and　its　effect　was　like　wine；　imparting　such　freedom　to　fancy；　such　fluency；　that　again　and　again　old　Nuflo　applauded；　crying　out　that　I　was　a　poet；　and　begging　me　to　put　it　all　into　rhyme。　　I　could　not　do　that　to　please　him；　never　having　acquired　the　art　of　improvisationthat　idle　trick　of　making　words　jingle　which　men　of　Nuflo's　class　in　my　country　so　greatly　admire；　yet　it　seemed　to　me　on　that　evening　that　my　feelings　could　be　adequately　expressed　only　in　that　sublimated　language　used　by　the　finest　minds　in　their　inspired　moments；　and；　accordingly；　I　fell　to　reciting。　　But　not　from　any　modern；　nor　from　the　poets　of　the　last　century；　nor　even　from　the　greater　seventeenth　century。　　I　kept　to　the　more　ancient　romances　and　ballads；　the　sweet　old　verse　that；　whether　glad　or　sorrowful；　seems　always　natural　and　spontaneous　as　the　song　of　a　bird；　and　so　simple　that　even　a　child　can　understand　it。

It　was　late　that　night　before　all　the　romances　I　remembered　or　cared　to　recite　were　exhausted；　and　not　until　then　did　Rima　come　out　of　her　shaded　corner　and　steal　silently　away　to　her　sleeping…place。

Although　I　had　resolved　to　go　with　them；　and　had　set　Nuflo's　mind　at　rest　on　the　point；　I　was　bent　on　getting　the　request　from　Rima's　own　lips；　and　the　next　morning　the　opportunity　of　seeing　her　alone　presented　i