green mansions-第40部分

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e　I　continued　to　gaze　on；　its　appearance　of　life　without　consciousness；　produced　a　strange　feeling　in　me；　hard；　perhaps　impossible；　to　describe。

Once；　when　clambering　among　the　rough　rocks；　overgrown　with　forest；　among　the　Queneveta　mountains；　I　came　on　a　single　white　flower　which　was　new　to　me；　which　I　have　never　seen　since。　　After　I　had　looked　long　at　it；　and　passed　on；　the　image　of　that　perfect　flower　remained　so　persistently　in　my　mind　that　on　the　following　day　I　went　again；　in　the　hope　of　seeing　it　still　untouched　by　decay。　　There　was　no　change；　and　on　this　occasion　I　spent　a　much　longer　time　looking　at　it；　admiring　the　marvellous　beauty　of　its　form；　which　seemed　so　greatly　to　exceed　that　of　all　other　flowers。　　It　had　thick　petals；　and　at　first　gave　me　the　idea　of　an　artificial　flower；　cut　by　a　divinely　inspired　artist　from　some　unknown　precious　stone；　of　the　size　of　a　large　orange　and　whiter　than　milk；　and　yet；　in　spite　of　its　opacity；　with　a　crystalline　lustre　on　the　surface。　　Next　day　I　went　again；　scarcely　hoping　to　find　it　still　unwithered；　it　was　fresh　as　if　only　just　opened；　and　after　that　I　went　often；　sometimes　at　intervals　of　several　days；　and　still　no　faintest　sign　of　any　change；　the　clear；　exquisite　lines　still　undimmed；　the　purity　and　lustre　as　I　had　first　seen　it。　　Why；　I　often　asked；　does　not　this　mystic　forest　flower　fade　and　perish　like　others？　　That　first　impression　of　its　artificial　appearance　had　soon　left　me；　it　was；　indeed；　a　flower；　and；　like　other　flowers；　had　life　and　growth；　only　with　that　transcendent　beauty　it　had　a　different　kind　of　life。　　Unconscious；　but　higher；　perhaps　immortal。　　Thus　it　would　continue　to　bloom　when　I　had　looked　my　last　on　it；　wind　and　rain　and　sunlight　would　never　stain；　never　tinge；　its　sacred　purity；　the　savage　Indian；　though　he　sees　little　to　admire　in　a　flower；　yet　seeing　this　one　would　veil　his　face　and　turn　back；　even　the　browsing　beast　crashing　his　way　through　the　forest；　struck　with　its　strange　glory；　would　swerve　aside　and　pass　on　without　harming　it。　Afterwards　I　heard　from　some　Indians　to　whom　I　described　it　that　the　flower　I　had　discovered　was　called　Hata；　also　that　they　had　a　superstition　concerning　ita　strange　belief。　　They　said　that　only　one　Hata　flower　existed　in　the　world；　that　it　bloomed　in　one　spot　for　the　space　of　a　moon；　that　on　the　disappearance　of　the　moon　in　the　sky　the　Hata　disappeared　from　its　place；　only　to　reappear　blooming　in　some　other　spot；　sometimes　in　some　distant　forest。　　And　they　also　said　that　whosoever　discovered　the　Hata　flower　in　the　forest　would　overcome　all　his　enemies　and　obtain　all　his　desires；　and　finally　outlive　other　men　by　many　years。　　But；　as　I　have　said；　all　this　I　heard　afterwards；　and　my　half…superstitious　feeling　for　the　flower　had　grown　up　independently　in　my　own　mind。　　A　feeling　like　that　was　in　me　while　I　gazed　on　the　face　that　had　no　motion；　no　consciousness　in　it；　and　yet　had　life；　a　life　of　so　high　a　kind　as　to　match　with　its　pure；　surpassing　loveliness。　　I　could　almost　believe　that；　like　the　forest　flower；　in　this　state　and　aspect　it　would　endure　for　ever；　endure　and　perhaps　give　of　its　own　immortality　to　everything　around　itto　me；　holding　her　in　my　arms　and　gazing　fixedly　on　the　pale　face　framed　in　its　cloud　of　dark；　silken　hair；　to　the　leaping　flames　that　threw　changing　lights　on　the　dim　stony　wall　of　rock；　to　old　Nuflo　and　his　two　yellow　dogs　stretched　out　on　the　floor　in　eternal；　unawakening　sleep。

This　feeling　took　such　firm　possession　of　my　mind　that　it　kept　me　for　a　time　as　motionless　as　the　form　I　held　in　my　arms。　　I　was　only　released　from　its　power　by　noting　still　further　changes　in　the　face　I　watched；　a　more　distinct　advance　towards　conscious　life。　　The　faint　colour；　which　had　scarcely　been　more　than　a　suspicion　of　colour；　had　deepened　perceptibly；　the　lids　were　lifted　so　as　to　show　a　gleam　of　the　crystal　orbs　beneath；　the　lips；　too；　were　slightly　parted。

And；　at　last；　bending　lower　down　to　feel　her　breath；　the　beauty　and　sweetness　of　those　lips　could　no　longer　be　resisted；　and　I　touched　them　with　mine。　　Having　once　tasted　their　sweetness　and　fragrance；　it　was　impossible　to　keep　from　touching　them　again　and　again。　　She　was　not　conscioushow　could　she　be　and　not　shrink　from　my　caress？　　Yet　there　was　a　suspicion　in　my　mind；　and　drawing　back　I　gazed　into　her　face　once　more。　　A　strange　new　radiance　had　overspread　it。　　Or　was　this　only　an　illusive　colour　thrown　on　her　skin　by　the　red　firelight？　　I　shaded　her　face　with　my　open　hand；　and　saw　that　her　pallor　had　really　gone；　that　the　rosy　flame　on　her　cheeks　was　part　of　her　life。　　Her　lustrous　eyes；　half　open；　were　gazing　into　mine。　　Oh；　surely　consciousness　had　returned　to　her！　　Had　she　been　sensible　of　those　stolen　kisses？　　Would　she　now　shrink　from　another　caress？　　Trembling；　I　bent　down　and　touched　her　lips　again；　lightly；　but　lingeringly；　and　then　again；　and　when　I　drew　back　and　looked　at　her　face　the　rosy　flame　was　brighter；　and　the　eyes；　more　open　still；　were　looking　into　mine。　　And　gazing　with　those　open；　conscious　eyes；　it　seemed　to　me　that　at　last；　at　last；　the　shadow　that　had　rested　between　us　had　vanished；　that　we　were　united　in　perfect　love　and　confidence；　and　that　speech　was　superfluous。　　And　when　I　spoke；　it　was　not　without　doubt　and　hesitation：　our　bliss　in　those　silent　moments　had　been　so　complete；　what　could　speaking　do　but　make　it　less！

〃My　love；　my　life；　my　sweet　Rima；　I　know　that　you　will　understand　me　now　as　you　did　not　before；　on　that　dark　nightdo　you　remember　it；　Rima？when　I　held　you　clasped　to　my　breast　in　the　wood。　　How　it　pierced　my　heart　with　pain　to　speak　plainly　to　you　as　I　did　on　the　mountain　tonightto　kill　the　hope　that　had　sustained　and　brought　you　so　far　from　home！　　But　now　that　anguish　is　over；　the　shadow　has　gone　out　of　those　beautiful　eyes　that　are　looking　at　me。　　It　is　because　loving　me；　knowing　now　what　love　is；　knowing；　too；　how　much　I　love　you；　that　you　no　longer　need　to　speak　to　any　other　living　being　of　such　things？　　To　tell　it；　to　show　it；　to　me　is　now　enoughis　it　not　so；　Rima？　　How　strange　it　seemed；　at　first；　when　you　shrank　in　fear　from　me！　　But；　afterwards；　when　you　prayed　aloud　to　your　mother；　opening　all　the　secrets　of　your　heart；　I　understood　it。　　In　that　lonely；　isolated　life　in　the　wood　you　had　heard　nothing　of　love；　of　its　power　over　the　heart；　its　infinite　sweetness；　when　it　came　to　you　at　last　it　was　a　new；　inexplicable　thing；　and　filled　you　with　misgivings　and　tumultuous　thoughts；　so　that　you　feared　it　and　hid　yourself　from　its　cause。　Such　tremors　would　be　felt　if　it　had　always　been　night；　with　no　light　except　that　of　the　stars　and　the　pale　moon；　as　we　saw　it　a　little　while　ago　on　the　mountain；　and；　at　last；　day　dawned；　and　a　strange；　unheard…of　rose　and　purple　flame　kindled　in　the　eastern　sky；　foretelling　the　coming　sun。　　It　would　seem　beautiful　beyond　anything　that　night　had　shown　to　you；　yet　you　would　tremble　and　your　heart　beat　fast　at　that　strange　sight；　you　would　wish　to　fly　to　those　who　might　be　able　to　tell　you　its　meaning；　and　whether　the　sweet　things　it　prophesied　would　ever　really　come。　　That　is　why　you　wished　to　find　your　people；　and　came　to　Riolama　to　seek　them；　and　when　you　knewwhen　I　cruelly　told　youthat　they　would　never　be　found；　then　you　imagined　that　that　strange　feeling　in　your　heart　must　remain　a　secret　for　ever；　and　you　could　not　endure　the　thought　of　your　loneliness。　　If　you　had　not　fainted　so　quickly；　then　I　should　have　told　you　what　I　must　tell　you　now。　　They　are　lost；　Rimayour　peoplebut　I　am　with　you；　and　know　what　you　feel；　even　if　you　have　no　words　to　tell　it。　　But　what　need　of　words？　　It　shines　in　your　eyes；　it　burns　like　a　flame　in　your　face；　I　can　feel　it　in　your　hands。　　Do　you　not　also　see　it　in　my　faceall　that　I　feel　for　you；　the　love　that　makes　me　happy？　　For　this　is　love；　Rima；　the　flower　and　the　melody　of　life；　the　sweetest　thing；　the　sweet　miracle　that　makes　our　two　souls　one。〃

Still　resting　in　my　arms；　as　if　glad　to　rest　there；　still　gazing　into　my　face；　it　was　clear　to　me　that　she　understood　my　every　word。　　And　then；　with　no　trace　of　doubt　or　fear　left；　I　stooped　again；　until　my　lips　were　on　hers；　and　when　I　drew　back　once　more；　hardly　knowing　which　bliss　was　greatestkissing　her　delicate　mouth　or　gazing　into　her　faceshe　all　at　once　put　her　arms　about　my　neck　and　drew　herself　up　until　she　sat　on　my　knee。

〃Abelshall　I　call　you　Abel　nowand　always？〃　　she　spoke；　still　with　her　arms　round　my　neck。　　〃Ah；　why　did　you　let　me　come　to　Riolama？　　I　would　come！　　I　made　him　comeold　grandfather；　sleeping　there：　he　does　not　count；　but　youyou！　　After　you　had　heard　my　story；　and　knew　that　it　was　all　for　nothing！　　And　all　I　wished　to　know　was　therein　you。　　Oh；　how　sweet　it　is！　　But　a　little　while　ago；　what　pain！　　When　I　stood　on　the　mountain　when　you　talked　to　me；　and　I　knew　that　you　knew　best；　and　tried　and　tried　not　to　know。　　At　last　I　could　try　no　more；　they　were　all　dead　like　mother；　I　had　chased　the　false　water　on　the　savannah。　　'Oh；　let　me　die　too；'　I　said；　for　I　could　not　bear　the　pain。　　And　afterwards；　here　in　the　cave；　I　was　like　one　asleep；　and　when　I　woke　I　did　not　really　wake。　　It　was　like　morning　with　the　light　teasing　me　to　open　my　eyes　and　look　at　it。　　Not　yet；　dear　ligh