green mansions-第36部分

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nd；　after　some　successful　adventures；　met　with　a　reverse　which　reduced　their　number　from　nine　to　five。　　Flying　from　their　enemies；　they　sought　safety　at　Riolama；　an　uninhabited　place；　where　they　found　it　possible　to　exist　for　some　weeks　on　game；　which　was　abundant；　and　wild　fruits。

One　day　at　noon；　while　ascending　a　mountain　at　the　southern　extremity　of　the　Riolama　range　in　order　to　get　a　view　of　the　country　beyond　the　summit；　Nuflo　and　his　companions　discovered　a　cave；　and　finding　it　dry；　without　animal　occupants；　and　with　a　level　floor；　they　at　once　determined　to　make　it　their　dwelling…place　for　a　season。　　Wood　for　firing　and　water　were　to　be　had　close　by；　they　were　also　well　provided　with　smoked　flesh　of　a　tapir　they　had　slaughtered　a　day　or　two　before；　so　that　they　could　afford　to　rest　for　a　time　in　so　comfortable　a　shelter。　　At　a　short　distance　from　the　cave　they　made　a　fire　on　the　rock　to　toast　some　slices　of　meat　for　their　dinner；　and　while　thus　engaged　all　at　once　one　of　the　men　uttered　a　cry　of　astonishment；　and　casting　up　his　eyes　Nuflo　beheld；　standing　near　and　regarding　them　with　surprise　and　fear　in…her　wide…open　eyes；　a　woman　of　a　most　wonderful　appearance。　　The　one　slight　garment　she　had　on　was　silky　and　white　as　the　snow　on　the　summit　of　some　great　mountain；　but　of　the　snow　when　the　sinking　sun　touches　and　gives　it　some　delicate　changing　colour　which　is　like　fire。　　Her　dark　hair　was　like　a　cloud　from　which　her　face　looked　out；　and　her　head　was　surrounded　by　an　aureole　like　that　of　a　saint　in　a　picture；　only　more　beautiful。　　For；　said　Nuflo；　a　picture　is　a　picture；　and　the　other　was　a　reality；　which　is　finer。　　Seeing　her　he　fell　on　his　knees　and　crossed　himself；　and　all　the　time　her　eyes；　full　of　amazement　and　shining　with　such　a　strange　splendour　that　he　could　not　meet　them；　were　fixed　on　him　and　not　on　the　others；　and　he　felt　that　she　had　come　to　save　his　soul；　in　danger　of　perdition　owing　to　his　companionship　with　men　who　were　at　war　with　God　and　wholly　bad。

But　at　this　moment　his　comrades；　recovering　from　their　astonishment；　sprang　to　their　feet；　and　the　heavenly　woman　vanished。　　Just　behind　where　she　had　stood；　and　not　twelve　yards　from　them；　there　was　a　huge　chasm　in　the　mountain；　its　jagged　precipitous　sides　clothed　with　thorny　bushes；　the　men　now　cried　out　that　she　had　made　her　escape　that　way；　and　down　after　her

they　rushed；　pell…mell。

Nuflo　cried　out　after　them　that　they　had　seen　a　saint　and　that　some　horrible　thing　would　befall　them　if　they　allowed　any　evil　thought　to　enter　their　hearts；　but　they　scoffed　at　his　words；　and　were　soon　far　down　out　of　hearing；　while　he；　trembling　with　fear；　remained　praying　to　the　woman　that　had　appeared　to　them　and　had　looked　with　such　strange　eyes　at　him；　not　to　punish　him　for　the　sins　of　the　others。

Before　long　the　men　returned；　disappointed　and　sullen；　for　they　had　failed　in　their　search　for　the　woman；　and　perhaps　Nuflo's　warning　words　had　made　them　give　up　the　chase　too　soon。　　At　all　events；　they　seemed　ill　at　ease；　and　made　up　their　minds　to　abandon　the　cave；　in　a　short　time　they　left　the　place　to　camp　that　night　at　a　considerable　distance　from　the　mountain。　　But　they　were　not　satisfied：　they　had　now　recovered　from　their　fear；　but　not　from　the　excitement　of　an　evil　passion；　and　finally；　after　comparing　notes；　they　came　to　the　conclusion　that　they　had　missed　a　great　prize　through　Nuflo's　cowardice；　and　when　he　reproved　them　they　blasphemed　all　the　saints　in　the　calendar　and　even　threatened　him　with　violence。　　Fearing　to　remain　longer　in　the　company　of　such　godless　men；　he　only　waited　until　they　slept；　then　rose　up　cautiously；　helped　himself　to　most　of　the　provisions；　and　made　his　escape；　devoutly　hoping　that　after　losing　their　guide　they　would　all　speedily　perish。

Finding　himself　alone　now　and　master　of　his　own　actions；　Nuflo　was　in　terrible　distress；　for　while　his　heart　was　in　the　utmost　fear；　it　yet　urged　him　imperiously　to　go　back　to　the　mountain；　to　seek　again　for　that　sacred　　being　who　had　appeared　to　him　and　had　been　driven　away　by　his　brutal　companions。　　If　he　obeyed　that　inner　voice；　he　would　be　saved；　if　he　resisted　it；　then　there　would　be　no　hope　for　him；　and　along　with　those　who　had　cast　the　woman　to　the　alligators　he　would　be　lost　eternally。　　Finally；　on　the　following　day；　he　went　back；　although　not　without　fear　and　trembling；　and　sat　down　on　a　stone　just　where　he　had　sat　toasting　his　tapir　meat　on　the　previous　day。　　But　he　waited　in　vain；　and　at　length　that　voice　within　him；　which　he　had　so　far　obeyed；　began　urging　him　to　descend　into　the　valley…like　chasm　down　which　the　woman　had　escaped　from　his　comrades；　and　to　seek　for　her　there。　　Accordingly　he　rose　and　began　cautiously　and　slowly　climbing　down　over　the　broken　jagged　rocks　and　through　a　dense　mass　of　thorny　bushes　and　creepers。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　chasm　a　clear；　swift　stream　of　water　rushed　with　foam　and　noise　along　its　rocky　bed；　but　before　reaching　it；　and　when　it　was　still　twenty　yards　lower　down；　he　was　startled　by　hearing　a　low　moan　among　the　bushes；　and　looking　about　for　the　cause；　he　found　the　wonderful　womanhis　saviour；　as　he　expressed　it。　　She　was　not　now　standing　nor　able　to　stand；　but　half　reclining　among　the　rough　stones；　one　foot；　which　she　had　sprained　in　that　headlong　flight　down　the　ragged　slope；　wedged　immovably　between　the　rocks；　and　in　this　painful　position　she　had　remained　a　prisoner　since　noon　on　the　previous　day。　　She　now　gazed　on　her　visitor　in　silent　consternation；　while　he；　casting　himself　prostrate　on　the　ground；　implored　her　forgiveness　and　begged　to　know　her　will。　　But　she　made　no　reply；　and　at　length；　finding　that　she　was　powerless　to　move；　he　concluded　that；　though　a　saint　and　one　of　the　beings　that　men　worship；　she　was　also　flesh　and　liable　to　accidents　while　sojourning　on　earth；　and　perhaps；　he　thought；　that　accident　which　had　befallen　her　had　been　specially　designed　by　the　powers　above　to　prove　him。　　With　great　labour；　and　not　without　causing　her　much　pain；　he　succeeded　in　extricating　her　from　her　position；　and　then　finding　that　the　injured　foot　was　half　crushed　and　blue　and　swollen；　he　took　her　up　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　to　the　stream。　　There；　making　a　cup　of　a　broad　green　leaf；　he　offered　her　water；　which　she　drank　eagerly；　and　he　also　raved　her　injured　foot　in　the　cold　stream　and　bandaged　it　with　fresh　aquatic　leaves；　finally　he　made　her　a　soft　bed　of　moss　and　dry　grass　and　placed　her　on　it。　　That　night　he　spent　keeping　watch　over　her；　at　intervals　applying　fresh　wet　leaves　to　her　foot　as　the　old　ones　became　dry　and　wilted　from　the　heat　of　the　inflammation。

The　effect　of　all　he　did　was　that　the　terror　with　which　she　regarded　him　gradually　wore　off；　and　next　day；　when　she　seemed　to　be　recovering　her　strength；　he　proposed　by　signs　to　remove　her　to　the　cave　higher　up；　where　she　would　be　sheltered　in　case　of　rain。　She　appeared　to　understand　him；　and　allowed　herself　to　be　taken　up　in　his　arms　and　carried　with　much　labour　to　the　top　of　the　chasm。　　In　the　cave　he　made　her　a　second　couch；　and　tended　her　assiduously。　　He　made　a　fire　on　the　floor　and　kept　it　burning　night　and　day；　and　supplied　her　with　water　to　drink　and　fresh　leaves　for　her　foot。　　There　was　little　more　that　he　could　do。　　From　the　choicest　and　fattest　bits　of　toasted　tapir　flesh　he　offered　her　she　turned　away　with　disgust。　　A　little　cassava　bread　soaked　in　water　she　would　take；　but　seemed　not　to　like　it。　　After　a　time；　fearing　that　she　would　starve；　he　took　to　hunting　after　wild　fruits；　edible　bulbs　and　gums；　and　on　these　small　things　she　subsisted　during　the　whole　time　of　their　sojourn　together　in　the　desert。

The　woman；　although　lamed　for　life；　was　now　so　far　recovered　as　to　be　able　to　limp　about　without　assistance；　and　she　spent　a　portion　of　each　day　out　among　the　rocks　and　trees　on　the　mountains。　　Nuflo　at　first　feared　that　she　would　now　leave　him；　but　before　long　he　became　convinced　that　she　had　no　such　intentions。　　And　yet　she　was　profoundly　unhappy。　　He　was　accustomed　to　see　her　seated　on　a　rock；　as　if　brooding　over　some　secret　grief；　her　head　bowed；　and　great　tears　falling　from　half…closed　eyes。

From　the　first　he　had　conceived　the　idea　that　she　was　in　the　way　of　becoming　a　mother　at　no　distant　datean　idea　which　seemed　to　accord　badly　with　the　suppositions　as　to　the　nature　of　this　heavenly　being　he　was　privileged　to　minister　to　and　so　win　salvation；　but　he　was　now　convinced　of　its　truth；　and　he　imagined　that　in　her　condition　he　had　discovered　the　cause　of　that　sorrow　and　anxiety　which　preyed　continually　on　her。　　By　means　of　that　dumb　language　of　signs　which　enabled　them　to　converse　together　a　little；　he　made　it　known　to　her　that　at　a　great　distance　from　the　mountains　there　existed　a　place　where　there　were　beings　like　herself；　women；　and　mothers　of　children；　who　would　comfort　and　tenderly　care　for　her。　　When　she　had　understood；　she　seemed　pleased　and　willing　to　accompany　him　to　that　distant　place；　and　so　it　came　to　pass　that　they　left　their　rocky　shelter　and　the　mountains　of　Riolama　far　behind。　　But　for　several　days；　as　they　slowly　journeyed　over　the　plain；　she　would　pause　at　intervals　in　her　limping　walk　to　gaze　back　on　those　blue　summits；　shedding　abundant　tears。

Fortunately　t