green mansions- 第38部分

A　bright　smile　with　a　touch　of　mockery　in　it　flitted　over　her　face　as　she　replied：　〃Oh；　must　I　tell　you　that　there　are　things　you　cannot　do？　　Look；　Abel；〃　and　she　touched　the　slight　garment　she　wore；　thinner　now　than　at　first；　and　dulled　by　long　exposure　to　sun　and　wind　and　rain。

I　could　not　command　her；　and　seemed　powerless　to　persuade　her；　but　I　had　not　done　yet；　and　proceeded　to　use　every　argument　I　could　find　to　bring　her　round　to　my　view；　and　when　I　finished　she　put　her　arms　around　my　neck　and　drew　herself　up　once　more。　　〃O　Abel；　how　happy　I　shall　be！〃　　she　said；　taking　no　notice　of　all　I　had　said。　　〃Think　of　me　alone；　days　and　days；　in　the　wood；　waiting　for　you；　working　all　the　time；　saying：　'Come　quickly；　Abel；　come　slow；　Abel。　　O　Abel；　how　long　you　are！　Oh；　do　not　come　until　my　work　is　finished！'　And　when　it　is　finished　and　you　arrive　you　shall　find　me；　but　not　at　once。　　First　you　will　seek　for　me　in　the　house；　then　in　the　wood；　calling：　'Rime！　　Rima！'　And　she　will　be　there；　listening；　hid　in　the　trees；　wishing　to　be　in　your　arms；　wishing　for　your　lipsoh；　so　glad；　yet　fearing　to　show　herself。　Do　you　know　why？　　He　told　youdid　he　not？that　when　he　first　saw　her　she　was　standing　before　him　all　in　whitea　dress　that　was　like　snow　on　the　mountain…tops　when　the　sun　is　setting　and　gives　it　rose　and　purple　colour。　　I　shall　be　like　that；　hidden　among　the　trees；　saying：　'Am　I　differentnot　like　Rima？　　Will　he　know　mewill　he　love　me　just　the　same？'　Oh；　do　I　not　know　that　you　will　be　glad；　and　love　me；　and　call　me　beautiful？　　Listen！　　Listen！〃　　she　suddenly　exclaimed；　lifting　her　face。

Among　the　bushes　not　far　from　the　cave's　mouth　a　small　bird　had　broken　out　in　song；　a　clear；　tender　melody　soon　taken　up　by　other　birds　further　away。

〃It　will　soon　be　morning；〃　she　said；　and　then　clasped　her　arms　about　me　once　more　and　held　me　in　a　long；　passionate　embrace；　then　slipping　away　from　my　arms　and　with　one　swift　glance　at　the　sleeping　old　man；　passed　out　of　the　cave。

For　a　few　moments　I　remained　sitting；　not　yet　realizing　that　she　had　left　me；　so　suddenly　and　swiftly　had　she　passed　from　my　arms　and　my　sight；　then；　recovering　my　faculties；　I　started　up　and　rushed　out　in　hopes　of　overtaking　her。

It　was　not　yet　dawn；　but　there　was　still　some　light　from　the　full　moon；　now　somewhere　behind　the　mountains。　　Running　to　the　verge　of　the　bushgrown　plateau；　I　explored　the　rocky　slope　beneath　without　seeing　her　form；　and　then　called：　〃Rima！　　Rima！〃

A　soft；　warbling　sound；　uttered　by　no　bird；　came　up　from　the　shadowy　bushes　far　below；　and　in　that　direction　I　ran　on；　then　pausing；　called　again。　　The　sweet　sound　was　repeated　once　more；　but　much　lower　down　now；　and　so　faintly　that　I　scarcely　heard　it。　And　when　I　went　on　further　and　called　again　and　again；　there　was　no　reply；　and　I　knew　that　she　had　indeed　gone　on　that　long　journey　alone。



CHAPTER　XVIII

When　Nuflo　at　length　opened　his　eyes　he　found　me　sitting　alone　and　despondent　by　the　fire；　just　returned　from　my　vain　chase。　　I　had　been　caught　in　a　heavy　mist　on　the　mountain…side；　and　was　wet　through　as　well　as　weighed　down　by　fatigue　and　drowsiness；　consequent　upon　the　previous　day's　laborious　march　and　my　night…long　vigil；　yet　I　dared　not　think　of　rest。　　She　had　gone　from　me；　and　I　could　not　have　prevented　it；　yet　the　thought　that　I　had　allowed　her　to　slip　out　of　my　arms；　to　go　away　alone　on　that　long；　perilous　journey；　was　as　intolerable　as　if　I　had　consented　to　it。

Nuflo　was　at　first　startled　to　hear　of　her　sudden　departure；　but　he　laughed　at　my　fears；　affirming　that　after　having　once　been　over　the　ground　she　could　not　lose　herself；　that　she　would　be　in　no　danger　from　the　Indians；　as　she　would　invariably　see　them　at　a　distance　and　avoid　them；　and　that　wild　beasts；　serpents；　and　other　evil　creatures　would　do　her　no　harm。　　The　small　amount　of　food　she　required　to　sustain　life　could　be　found　anywhere；　furthermore；　her　journey　would　not　be　interrupted　by　bad　weather；　since　rain　and　heat　had　no　effect　on　her。　　In　the　end　he　seemed　pleased　that　she　had　left　us；　saying　that　with　Rima　in　the　wood　the　house　and　cultivated　patch　and　hidden　provisions　and　implements　would　be　safe；　for　no　Indian　would　venture　to　come　where　she　was。　　His　confidence　reassured　me；　and　casting　myself　down　on　the　sandy　floor　of　the　cave；　I　fell　into　a　deep　slumber；　which　lasted　until　evening；　then　I　only　woke　to　share　a　meal　with　the　old　man；　and　sleep　again　until　the　following　day。

Nuflo　was　not　ready　to　start　yet；　he　was　enamoured　of　the　unaccustomed　comforts　of　a　dry　sleeping…place　and　a　fire　blown　about　by　no　wind　and　into　which　fell　no　hissing　raindrops。　　Not　for　two　days　more　would　he　consent　to　set　out　on　the　return　journey；　and　if　he　could　have　persuaded　me　our　stay　at　Riolama　would　have　lasted　a　week。

We　had　fine　weather　at　starting；　but　before　long　it　clouded；　and　then　for　upwards　of　a　fortnight　we　had　it　wet　and　stormy；　which　so　hindered　us　that　it　took　us　twenty…three　days　to　accomplish　the　return　journey；　whereas　the　journey　out　had　only　taken　eighteen。　　The　adventures　we　met　with　and　the　pains　we　suffered　during　this　long　march　need　not　be　related。　　The　rain　made　us　miserable；　but　we　suffered　more　from　hunger　than　from　any　other　cause；　and　on　more　than　one　occasion　were　reduced　to　the　verge　of　starvation。　　Twice　we　were　driven　to　beg　for　food　at　Indian　villages；　and　as　we　had　nothing　to　give　in　exchange　for　it；　we　got　very　little。　　It　is　possible　to　buy　hospitality　from　the　savage　without　fish…hooks；　nails；　and　calico；　but　on　this　occasion　I　found　myself　without　that　impalpable　medium　of　exchange　which　had　been　so　great　a　help　to　me　on　my　first　journey　to　Parahuari。　　Now　I　was　weak　and　miserable　and　without　cunning。　It　is　true　that　we　could　have　exchanged　the　two　dogs　for　cassava　bread　and　corn；　but　we　should　then　have　been　worse　off　than　ever。　And　in　the　end　the　dogs　saved　us　by　an　occasional　capturean　armadillo　surprised　in　the　open　and　seized　before　it　could　bury　itself　in　the　soil；　or　an　iguana；　opossum；　or　labba；　traced　by　means　of　their　keen　sense　of　smell　to　its　hiding…place。　　Then　Nuflo　would　rejoice　and　feast；　rewarding　them　with　the　skin；　bones；　and　entrails。　　But　at　length　one　of　the　dogs　fell　lame；　and　Nuflo；　who　was　very　hungry；　made　its　lameness　an　excuse　for　dispatching　it；　which　he　did　apparently　without　compunction；　notwithstanding　that　the　poor　brute　had　served　him　well　in　its　way。　　He　cut　up　and　smoke…dried　the　flesh；　and　the　intolerable　pangs　of　hunger　compelled　me　to　share　the　loathsome　food　with　him。　　We　were　not　only　indecent；　it　seemed　to　me；　but　cannibals　to　feed　on　the　faithful　servant　that　had　been　our　butcher。　　〃But　what　does　it　matter？〃　　I　argued　with　myself。　　〃All　flesh；　clean　and　unclean；　should　be；　and　is；　equally　abhorrent　to　me；　and　killing　animals　a　kind　of　murder。　　But　now　I　find　myself　constrained　to　do　this　evil　thing　that　good　may　come。　　Only　to　live　I　take　it　nowthis　hateful　strength…giver　that　will　enable　me　to　reach　Rima；　and　the　purer；　better　life　that　is　to　be。〃

During　all　that　time；　when　we　toiled　onwards　league　after　league　in　silence；　or　sat　silent　by　the　nightly　fire；　I　thought　of　many　things；　but　the　past；　with　which　I　had　definitely　broken；　was　little　in　my　mind。　　Rima　was　still　the　source　and　centre　of　all　my　thoughts；　from　her　they　rose；　and　to　her　returned。　　Thinking；　hoping；　dreaming；　sustained　me　in　those　dark　days　and　nights　of　pain　and　privation。　　Imagination　was　the　bread　that　gave　me　strength；　the　wine　that　exhilarated。　　What　sustained　old　Nuflo's　mind　I　know　not。　　Probably　it　was　like　a　chrysalis；　dormant；　independent　of　sustenance；　the　bright…winged　image　to　be　called　at　some　future　time　to　life　by　a　great　shouting　of　angelic　hosts　and　noises　of　musical　instruments　slept　secure；　coffined　in　that　dull；　gross　nature。

The　old　beloved　wood　once　more！　　Never　did　his　native　village　in　some　mountain　valley　seem　more　beautiful　to　the　Switzer；　returning；　war…worn；　from　long　voluntary　exile；　than　did　that　blue　cloud　on　the　horizonthe　forest　where　Rima　dwelt；　my　bride；　my　beautifuland　towering　over　it　the　dark　cone　of　Ytaioa；　now　seem　to　my　hungry　eyes！　　How　near　at　lasthow　near！　　And　yet　the　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　h