green mansions-第43部分

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he　two　or　three　intervening　leagues　to　be　traversed　so　slowly；　step　by　stephow　vast　the　distance　seemed！　　Even　at　far　Riolama；　when　I　set　out　on　my　return；　I　scarcely　seemed　so　far　from　my　love。　This　maddening　impatience　told　on　my　strength；　which　was　small；　and　hindered　me。　　I　could　not　run　nor　even　walk　fast；　old　Nuflo；　slow；　and　sober；　with　no　flame　consuming　his　heart；　was　more　than　my　equal　in　the　end；　and　to　keep　up　with　him　was　all　I　could　do。　At　the　finish　he　became　silent　and　cautious；　first　entering　the　belt　of　trees　leading　away　through　the　low　range　of　hills　at　the　southern　extremity　of　the　wood。　　For　a　mile　or　upwards　we　trudged　on　in　the　shade；　then　I　began　to　recognize　familiar　ground；　the　old　trees　under　which　I　had　walked　or　sat；　and　knew　that　a　hundred　yards　further　on　there　would　be　a　first　glimpse　of　the　palm…leaf　thatch。　　Then　all　weakness　forsook　me；　with　a　low　cry　of　passionate　longing　and　joy　I　rushed　on　ahead；　but　I　strained　my　eyes　in　vain　for　a　sight　of　that　sweet　shelter；　no　patch　of　pale　yellow　colour　appeared　amidst　the　universal　verdure　of　bushes；　creepers；　and　treestrees　beyond　trees；　trees　towering　above　trees。

For　some　moments　I　could　not　realize　it。　　No；　I　had　surely　made　a　mistake；　the　house　had　not　stood　on　that　spot；　it　would　appear　in　sight　a　little　further　on。　　I　took　a　few　uncertain　steps　onwards；　and　then　again　stood　still；　my　brain　reeling；　my　heart　swelling　nigh　to　bursting　with　anguish。　　I　was　still　standing　motionless；　with　hand　pressed　to　my　breast；　when　Nuflo　overtook　me。　　〃Where　is　itthe　house？〃　　I　stammered；　pointing　with　my　hand。　　All　his　stolidity　seemed　gone　now；　he　was　trembling　too；　his　lips　silently　moving。　　At　length　he　spoke：　〃They　have　comethe　children　of　hell　have　been　here；　and　have　destroyed　everything！〃

〃Rima！　　What　has　become　of　Rima？〃　　I　cried；　but　without　replying　he　walked　on；　and　I　followed。

The　house；　we　soon　found；　had　been　burnt　down。　　Not　a　stick　remained。　　Where　it　had　stood　a　heap　of　black　ashes　covered　the　groundnothing　more。　　But　on　looking　round　we　could　discover　no　sign　of　human　beings　having　recently　visited　the　spot。　　A　rank　growth　of　grass　and　herbage　now　covered　the　once　clear　space　surrounding　the　site　of　the　dwelling；　and　the　ash…heap　looked　as　if　it　had　been　lying　there　for　a　month　at　least。　　As　to　what　had　become　of　Rima　the　old　man　could　say　no　word。　　He　sat　down　on　the　ground　overwhelmed　at　the　calamity：　Runi's　people　had　been　there；　he　could　not　doubt　it；　and　they　would　come　again；　and　he　could　only　look　for　death　at　their　hands。　　The　thought　that　Rima　had　perished；　that　she　was　lost；　was　unendurable。　　It　could　not　be！　　No　doubt　the　Indians　tract　come　and　destroyed　the　house　during　our　absence；　but　she　had　returned；　and　they　had　gone　away　again　to　come　no　more。　　She　would　be　somewhere　in　the　forest；　perhaps　not　far　off；　impatiently　waiting　our　return。　　The　old　man　stared　at　me　while　I　spoke；　he　appeared　to　be　in　a　kind　of　stupor；　and　made　no　reply：　and　at　last；　leaving　him　still　sitting　on　the　ground；　I　went　into　the　wood　to　look　for　Rima。

As　I　walked　there；　occasionally　stopping　to　peer　into　some　shadowy　glade　or　opening；　and　to　listen；　I　was　tempted　again　and　again　to　call　the　name　of　her　I　sought　aloud；　and　still　the　fear　that　by　so　doing　I　might　bring　some　hidden　danger　on　myself；　perhaps　on　her；　made　me　silent。　　A　strange　melancholy　rested　on　the　forest；　a　quietude　seldom　broken　by　a　distant　bird's　cry。　How；　I　asked　myself；　should　I　ever　find　her　in　that　wide　forest　while　I　moved　about　in　that　silent；　cautious　way？　　My　only　hope　was　that　she　would　find　me。　　It　occurred　to　me　that　the　most　likely　place　to　seek　her　would　be　some　of　the　old　haunts　known　to　us　both；　where　we　had　talked　together。　　I　thought　first　of　the　mora　tree；　where　she　had　hidden　herself　from　me；　and　thither　I　directed　my　steps。　　About　this　tree；　and　within　its　shade；　I　lingered　for　upwards　of　an　hour；　and；　finally；　casting　my　eyes　up　into　the　great　dim　cloud　of　green　and　purple　leaves；　I　softly　called：　〃Rima；　Rima；　if　you　have　seen　me；　and　have　concealed　yourself　from　me　in　your　hiding…place；　in　mercy　answer　mein　mercy　come　down　to　me　now！〃　　But　Rima　answered　not；　nor　threw　down　any　red　glowing　leaves　to　mock　me：　only　the　wind；　high　up；　whispered　something　low　and　sorrowful　in　the　foliage；　and　turning；　I　wandered　away　at　random　into　the　deeper　shadows。

By　and　by　I　was　startled　by　the　long；　piercing　cry　of　a　wildfowl；　sounding　strangely　loud　in　the　silence；　and　no　sooner　was　the　air　still　again　than　it　struck　me　that　no　bird　had　uttered　that　cry。　The　Indian　is　a　good　mimic　of　animal　voices；　but　practice　had　made　me　able　to　distinguish　the　true　from　the　false　bird…note。　For　a　minute　or　so　I　stood　still；　at　a　loss　what　to　do；　then　moved　on　again　with　greater　caution；　scarcely　breathing；　straining　my　sight　to　pierce　the　shadowy　depths。　　All　at　once　I　gave　a　great　start；　for　directly　before　me；　on　the　projecting　root　in　the　deeper　shade　of　a　tree；　sat　a　dark；　motionless　human　form。　　I　stood　still；　watching　it　for　some　time；　not　yet　knowing　that　it　had　seen　me；　when　all　doubts　were　put　to　flight　by　the　form　rising　and　deliberately　advancinga　naked　Indian　with　a　zabatana　in　his　hand。　　As　he　came　up　out　of　the　deeper　shade　I　recognized　Piake；　the　surly　elder　brother　of　my　friend　Kua…ko。

It　was　a　great　shock　to　meet　him　in　the　wood；　but　I　had　no　time　to　reflect　just　then。　　I　only　remembered　that　I　had　deeply　offended　him　and　his　people；　that　they　probably　looked　on　me　as　an　enemy；　and　would　think　little　of　taking　my　life。　　It　was　too　late　to　attempt　to　escape　by　flight；　I　was　spent　with　my　long　journey　and　the　many　privations　I　had　suffered；　while　he　stood　there　in　his　full　strength　with　a　deadly　weapon　in　his　hand。

Nothing　was　left　but　to　put　a　bold　face　on；　greet　him　in　a　friendly　way；　and　invent　some　plausible　story　to　account　for　my　action　in　secretly　leaving　the　village。

He　was　now　standing　still；　silently　regarding　me；　and　glancing　round　I　saw　that　he　was　not　alone：　at　a　distance　of　about　forty　yards　on　my　right　hand　two　other　dusky　forms　appeared　watching　me　from　the　deep　shade。

〃Piake！〃　　I　cried；　advancing　three　or　four　steps。

〃You　have　returned；〃　he　answered；　but　without　moving。　　〃Where　from？〃

〃Riolama。〃

He　shook　his　head；　then　asked　where　it　was。

〃Twenty　days　towards　the　setting　sun；〃　I　said。　　As　he　remained　silent　I　added：　〃I　heard　that　I　could　find　gold　in　the　mountains　there。　　An　old　man　told　me；　and　we　went　to　look　for　gold。〃

〃What　did　you　find？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Ah！〃

And　so　our　conversation　appeared　to　be　at　an　end。　　But　after　a　few　moments　my　intense　desire　to　discover　whether　the　savages　knew　aught　of　Rima　or　not　made　me　hazard　a　question。

〃Do　you　live　here　in　the　forest　now？〃　　I　asked。

He　shook　his　head；　and　after　a　while　said：　〃We　come　to　kill　animals。〃

〃You　are　like　me　now；〃　I　returned　quickly；　〃you　fear　nothing。〃

He　looked　distrustfully　at　me；　then　came　a　little　nearer　and　said：　〃You　are　very　brave。　　I　should　not　have　gone　twenty　days'　journey　with　no　weapons　and　only　an　old　man　for　companion。　　What　weapons　did　you　have？〃

I　saw　that　he　feared　me　and　wished　to　make　sure　that　I　had　it　not　in　my　power　to　do　him　some　injury。　　〃No　weapon　except　my　knife；〃　I　replied；　with　assumed　carelessness。　　With　that　I　raised　my　cloak　so　as　to　let　him　see　for　himself；　turning　my　body　round　before　him。　　〃Have　you　found　my　pistol？〃　　I　added。

He　shook　his　head；　but　he　appeared　less　suspicious　now　and　came　close　up　to　me。　　〃How　do　you　get　food？　　Where　are　you　going？〃　　he　asked。

I　answered　boldly：　〃Food！　　I　am　nearly　starving。　　I　am　going　to　the　village　to　see　if　the　women　have　got　any　meat　in　the　pot；　and　to　tell　Runi　all　I　have　done　since　I　left　him。〃

He　looked　at　me　keenly；　a　little　surprised　at　my　confidence　perhaps；　then　said　that　he　was　also　going　back　and　would　accompany　me　One　of　the　other　men　now　advanced；　blow…pipe　in　hand；　to　join　us；　and；　leaving　the　wood；　we　started　to　walk　across　the　savannah。

It　was　hateful　to　have　to　recross　that　savannah　again；　to　leave　the　woodland　shadows　where　I　had　hoped　to　find　Rima；　but　I　was　powerless：　I　was　a　prisoner　once　more；　the　lost　captive　recovered　and　not　yet　pardoned；　probably　never　to　be　pardoned。　　Only　by　means　of　my　own　cunning　could　I　be　saved；　and　Nuflo；　poor　old　man；　must　take　his　chance。

Again　and　again　as　we　tramped　over　the　barren　ground；　and　when　we　climbed　the　ridge；　I　was　compelled　to　stand　still　to　recover　breath；　explaining　to　Piake　that　I　had　been　travelling　day　and　night；　with　no　meat　during　the　last　three　days；　so　that　I　was　exhausted。　　This　was　an　exaggeration；　but　it　was　necessary　to　account　in　some　way　for　the　faintness　I　experienced　during　our　walk；　caused　less　by　fatigue　and　want　of　food　than　by　anguish　of　mind。

At　intervals　I　talked　to　him；　asking　after　all　the　other　members　of　the　community　by　name。　　At　last；　thinking　only　of　Rima；　I　asked　him　if　any　other　person　or　persons　besides　his　people　came　to　the　wood　now　or　lived　there。

He　said　no。　　〃Once；〃　I　said；　〃there　was　a　daughter　of　the　Didi；　a　girl　you　all　feared：　is　she　there　now？〃

He　looked　at　me　with　suspicion　and　then　shook　his　head。　　I　dared　not　press　him　with　more　questions；　bu