green mansions-第46部分

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〃You　burnt　the　tree　down；〃　I　said。　　〃Finish　telling　me　now　and　let　me　sleepmy　eyes　are　heavy。〃

〃Yes。　　While　the　men　cut　and　brought　trees；　the　women　and　children　gathered　dry　stuff　in　the　forest　and　brought　it　in　their　arms　and　piled　it　round。　　Then　they　set　fire　to　it　on　all　sides；　laughing　and　shouting：　'Burn；　burn；　daughter　of　the　Didi！'　At　length　all　the　lower　branches　of　the　big　tree　were　on　fire；　and　the　trunk　was　on　fire；　but　above　it　was　still　green；　and　we　could　see　nothing。　　But　the　flames　went　up　higher　and　higher　with　a　great　noise；　and　at　last　from　the　top　of　the　tree；　out　of　the　green　leaves；　came　a　great　cry；　like　the　cry　of　a　bird：　'Abel！　　Abel！'　and　then　looking　we　saw　something　fall；　through　leaves　and　smoke　and　flame　it　fell　like　a　great　white　bird　killed　with　an　arrow　and　falling　to　the　earth；　and　fell　into　the　flames　beneath。　　And　it　was　the　daughter　of　the　Didi；　and　she　was　burnt　to　ashes　like　a　moth　in　the　flames　of　a　fire；　and　no　one　has　ever　heard　or　seen　her　since。〃

It　was　well　for　me　that　he　spoke　rapidly；　and　finished　quickly。　Even　before　he　had　quite　concluded　I　drew　my　cloak　round　my　face　and　stretched　myself　out。　　And　I　suppose　that　he　at　once　followed　my　example；　but　I　had　grown　blind　and　deaf　to　outward　things　just　then。　　My　heart　no　longer　throbbed　violently；　it　fluttered　and　seemed　to　grow　feebler　and　feebler　in　its　action：　I　remember　that　there　was　a　dull；　rushing　sound　in　my　ears；　that　I　gasped　for　breath；　that　my　life　seemed　ebbing　away。　　After　these　horrible　sensations　had　passed；　I　remained　quiet　for　about　half　an　hour；　and　during　this　time　the　picture　of　that　last　act　in　the　hateful　tragedy　grew　more　and　more　distinct　and　vivid　in　my　mind；　until　I　seemed　to　be　actually　gazing　on　it；　until　my　ears　were　filled　with　the　hissing　and　crackling　of　the　fire；　the　exultant　shouts　of　the　savages；　and　above　all　the　last　piercing　cry　of　〃Abel！　Abel！〃　　from　the　cloud　of　burning　foliage。　　I　could　not　endure　it　longer；　and　rose　at　last　to　my　feet。　　I　glanced　at　Kua…ko　lying　two　or　three　yards　away；　and　he；　like　the　others；　was；　or　appeared　to　be；　in　a　deep　sleep；　he　was　lying　on　his　back；　and　his　dark　firelit　face　looked　as　still　and　unconscious　as　a　face　of　stone。　　Now　was　my　chance　to　escapeif　to　escape　was　my　wish。　Yes；　for　I　now　possessed　the　coveted　knowledge；　and　nothing　more　was　to　be　gained　by　keeping　with　my　deadly　enemies。　　And　now；　most　fortunately　for　me；　they　had　brought　me　far　on　the　road　to　that　place　of　the　five　hills　where　Managa　livedManaga；　whose　name　had　been　often　in　my　mind　since　my　return　to　Parahuari。　　Glancing　away　from　Kua…ko's　still　stone…like　face。　　I　caught　sight　of　that　pale　solitary　star　which　Runi　had　pointed　out　to　me　low　down　in　the　north…western　sky　when　I　had　asked　him　where　his　enemy　lived。　In　that　direction　we　had　been　travelling　since　leaving　the　village；　surely　if　I　walked　all　night；　by　tomorrow　I　could　reach　Managa's　hunting…ground；　and　be　safe　and　think　over　what　I　had　heard　and　on　what　I　had　to　do。

I　moved　softly　away　a　few　steps；　then　thinking　that　it　would　be　well　to　take　a　spear　in　my　hand；　I　turned　back；　and　was　surprised　and　startled　to　notice　that　Kua…ko　had　moved　in　the　interval。　　He　had　turned　over　on　his　side；　and　his　face　was　now　towards　me。　　His　eyes　appeared　closed；　but　he　might　be　only　feigning　sleep；　and　I　dared　not　go　back　to　pick　up　the　spear。　　After　a　moment's　hesitation　I　moved　on　again；　and　after　a　second　glance　back　and　seeing　that　he　did　not　stir；　I　waded　cautiously　across　the　stream；　walked　softly　twenty　or　thirty　yards；　and　then　began　to　run。　　At　intervals　I　paused　to　listen　for　a　moment；　and　presently　I　heard　a　pattering　sound　as　of　footsteps　coming　swiftly　after　me。　　I　instantly　concluded　that　Kua…ko　had　been　awake　all　the　time　watching　my　movements；　and　that　he　was　now　following　me。　　I　now　put　forth　my　whole　speed；　and　while　thus　running　could　distinguish　no　sound。　　That　he　would　miss　me；　for　it　was　very　dark；　although　with　a　starry　sky　above；　was　my　only　hope；　for　with　no　weapon　except　my　knife　my　chances　would　be　small　indeed　should　he　overtake　me。　　Besides；　he　had　no　doubt　roused　the　others　before　starting；　and　they　would　be　close　behind。　　There　were　no　bushes　in　that　place　to　hide　myself　in　and　let　them　pass　me；　and　presently；　to　make　matters　worse；　the　character　of　the　soil　changed；　and　I　was　running　over　level　clayey　ground；　so　white　with　a　salt　efflorescence　that　a　dark　object　moving　on　it　would　show　conspicuously　at　a　distance。　　Here　I　paused　to　look　back　and　listen；　when　distinctly　came　the　sound　of　footsteps；　and　the　next　moment　I　made　out　the　vague　form　of　an　Indian　advancing　at　a　rapid　rate　of　speed　and　with　his　uplifted　spear　in　his　hand。　　In　the　brief　pause　I　had　made　he　had　advanced　almost　to　within　hurling　distance　of　me；　and　turning；　I　sped　on　again；　throwing　off　my　cloak　to　ease　my　flight。　　The　next　time　I　looked　back　he　was　still　in　sight；　but　not　so　near；　he　had　stopped　to　pick　up　my　cloak；　which　would　be　his　now；　and　this　had　given　me　a　slight　advantage。　　I　fled　on；　and　had　continued　running　for　a　distance　perhaps　of　fifty　yards　when　an　object　rushed　past　me；　tearing　through　the　flesh　of　my　left　arm　close　to　the　shoulder　on　its　way；　and　not　knowing　that　I　was　not　badly　wounded　nor　how　near　my　pursuer　might　be；　I　turned　in　desperation　to　meet　him；　and　saw　him　not　above　twenty…five　yards　away；　running　towards　me　with　something　bright　in　his　hand。　　It　was　Kua…ko；　and　after　wounding　me　with　his　spear　he　was　about　to　finish　me　with　his　knife。　　O　fortunate　young　savage；　after　such　a　victory；　and　with　that　noble　blue　cloth　cloak　for　trophy　and　covering；　what　fame　and　happiness　will　be　yours！　　A　change　swift　as　lightning　had　come　over　me；　a　sudden　exultation。　　I　was　wounded；　but　my　right　hand　was　sound　and　clutched　a　knife　as　good　as　his；　and　we　were　on　an　equality。　　I　waited　for　him　calmly。　　All　weakness；　grief；　despair　had　vanished；　all　feelings　except　a　terrible　raging　desire　to　spill　his　accursed　blood；　and　my　brain　was　clear　and　my　nerves　like　steel；　and　I　remembered　with　something　like　laughter　our　old　amusing　encounters　with　rapiers　of　wood。　　Ah；　that　was　only　making　believe　and　childish　play；　this　was　reality。　　Could　any　white　man；　deprived　of　his　treacherous；　far…killing　weapon；　meet　the　resolute　savage；　face　to　face　and　foot　to　foot；　and　equal　him　with　the　old　primitive　weapons？　　Poor　youth；　this　delusion　will　cost　you　dear！　　It　was　scarcely　an　equal　contest　when　he　hurled　himself　against　me；　with　only　his　savage　strength　and　courage　to　match　my　skill；　in　a　few　moments　he　was　lying　at　my　feet；　pouring　out　his　life　blood　on　that　white　thirsty　plain。　　From　his　prostrate　form　I　turned；　the　wet；　red　knife　in　my　hand；　to　meet　the　others；　still　thinking　that　they　were　on　the　track　and　close　at　hand。　　Why　had　he　stooped　to　pick　up　the　cloak　if　they　were　not　followingif　he　had　not　been　afraid　of　losing　it？　　I　turned　only　to　receive　their　spears；　to　die　with　my　face　to　them；　nor　was　the　thought　of　death　terrible　to　me；　I　could　die　calmly　now　after　killing　my　first　assailant。　But　had　I　indeed　killed　him？　　I　asked；　hearing　a　sound　like　a　groan　escape　from　his　lips。　　Quickly　stooping；　I　once　more　drove　my　weapon　to　the　hilt　in　his　prostrate　form；　and　when　he　exhaled　a　deep　sigh；　and　his　frame　quivered；　and　the　blood　spurted　afresh；　I　experienced　a　feeling　of　savage　joy。　　And　still　no　sound　of　hurrying　footsteps　came　to　my　listening　ears　and　no　　vague　forms　appeared　in　the　darkness。　　I　concluded　that　he　had　either　left　them　sleeping　or　that　they　had　not　followed　in　the　right　direction。　　Taking　up　the　cloak；　I　was　about　to　walk　on；　when　I　noticed　the　spear　he　had　thrown　at　me　lying　where　it　had　fallen　some　yards　away；　and　picking　that　up　also；　I　went　on　once　more；　still　keeping　the　guiding　star　before　me。



CHAPTER　XX

That　good　fight　had　been　to　me　like　a　draught　of　wine；　and　made　me　for　a　while　oblivious　of　my　loss　and　of　the　pain　from　my　wound。　　But　the　glow　and　feeling　of　exultation　did　not　last：　the　lacerated　flesh　smarted；　I　was　weak　from　loss　of　blood；　and　oppressed　with　sensations　of　fatigue。　　If　my　foes　had　appeared　on　the　scene　they　would　have　made　an　easy　conquest　of　me；　but　they　came　not；　and　I　continued　to　walk　on；　slowly　and　painfully；　pausing　often　to　rest。

At　last；　recovering　somewhat　from　my　faint　condition；　and　losing　all　fear　of　being　overtaken；　my　sorrow　revived　in　full　force；　and　thought　returned　to　madden　me。

Alas！　　this　bright　being；　like　no　other　in　its　divine　brightness；　so　long　in　the　making；　now　no　more　than　a　dead　leaf；　a　little　dust；　lost　and　forgotten　for　everoh；　pitiless！　　Oh；　cruel！

But　I　knew　it　all　beforethis　law　of　nature　and　of　necessity；　against　which　all　revolt　is　idle：　often　had　the　remembrance　of　it　filled　me　with　ineffable　melancholy；　only　now　it　seemed　cruel　beyond　all　cruelty。

Not　nature　the　instrument；　not　the　keen　sword　that　cuts　into　the　bleeding　tissues；　but　the　hand　that　wields　itthe　unseen　unknown　something；　or　person；　that　manifests　itself　in　the　horrible　workings　of　nature。

〃Did　you　know；　beloved；　at　the　last；　in　that　intolerable　heat；　in　that　moment　of　supreme　anguish；　that　he　is　unlistening；　unhelpful　as　the　stars；　that　you　cried　not　to　him？　　To　me　was