green mansions-第17节

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reen　top　not　more　than　a　couple　of　yards　below　my　feet；　seemed　to　offer　a　means　of　escape。　　Nerving　myself　with　the　thought　that　if　I　got　crushed　by　the　fall　I　should　probably　escape　a　lingering　and　far　more　painful　death；　I　dropped　into　the　cloud　of　foliage　beneath　me　and　clutched　desperately　at　the　twigs　as　I　fell。　　For　a　moment　I　felt　myself　sustained；　but　branch　after　branch　gave　way　beneath　my　weight；　and　then　I　only　remember；　very　dimly；　a　swift　flight　through　the　air　before　losing　consciousness。　　



CHAPTER　VII

With　the　return　of　consciousness；　I　at　first　had　a　vague　impression　that　I　was　lying　somewhere；　injured；　and　incapable　of　motion；　that　it　was　night；　and　necessary　for　me　to　keep　my　eyes　fast　shut　to　prevent　them　from　being　blinded　by　almost　continuous　vivid　flashes　of　lightning。　　Injured；　and　sore　all　over；　but　warm　and　drysurely　dry；　nor　was　it　lightning　that　dazzled；　but　firelight。　　I　began　to　notice　things　little　by　little。　　The　fire　was　burning　on　a　clay　floor　a　few　feet　from　where　I　was　lying。　Before　it；　on　a　log　of　wood；　sat　or　crouched　a　human　figure。　　An　old　man；　with　chin　on　breast　and　hands　clasped　before　his　drawn…up　knees；　only　a　small　portion　of　his　forehead　and　nose　visible　to　me。　　An　Indian　I　took　him　to　be；　from　his　coarse；　lank；　grey　hair　and　dark　brown　skin。　　I　was　in　a　large　hut；　falling　at　the　sides　to　within　two　feet　of　the　floor；　but　there　were　no　hammocks　in　it；　nor　bows　and　spears；　and　no　skins；　not　even　under　me；　for　I　was　lying　on　straw　mats。　　I　could　hear　the　storm　still　raging　outside；　the　rush　and　splash　of　rain；　and；　at　intervals；　the　distant　growl　of　thunder。　　There　was　wind；　too；　I　listened　to　it　sobbing　in　the　trees；　and　occasionally　a　puff　found　its　way　in；　and　blew　up　the　white　ashes　at　the　old　man's　feet；　and　shook　the　yellow　flames　like　a　flag。　　I　remembered　now　how　the　storm　began；　the　wild　girl；　the　snake…bite；　my　violent　efforts　to　find　a　way　out　of　the　woods；　and；　finally；　that　leap　from　the　bank　where　recollection　ended。　　That　I　had　not　been　killed　by　the　venomous　tooth；　nor　the　subsequent　fearful　fall；　seemed　like　a　miracle　to　me。　　And　in　that　wild；　solitary　place；　lying　insensible；　in　that　awful　storm　and　darkness；　I　had　been　found　by　a　fellow　creaturea　savage；　doubtless；　but　a　good　Samaritan　all　the　samewho　had　rescued　me　from　death！　　I　was　bruised　all　over　and　did　not　attempt　to　move；　fearing　the　pain　it　would　give　me；　and　I　had　a　racking　headache；　but　these　seemed　trifling　discomforts　after　such　adventures　and　such　perils。　　I　felt　that　I　had　recovered　or　was　recovering　from　that　venomous　bite；　that　I　would　live　and　not　dielive　to　return　to　my　country；　and　the　thought　filled　my　heart　to　overflowing；　and　tears　of　gratitude　and　happiness　rose　to　my　eyes。

At　such　times　a　man　experiences　benevolent　feelings；　and　would　willingly　bestow　some　of　that　overplus　of　happiness　on　his　fellows　to　lighten　other　hearts；　and　this　old　man　before　me；　who　was　probably　the　instrument　of　my　salvation；　began　greatly　to　excite　my　interest　and　compassion。　　For　he　seemed　so　poor　in　his　old　age　and　rags；　so　solitary　and　dejected　as　he　sat　there　with　knees　drawn　up；　his　great；　brown；　bare　feet　looking　almost　black　by　contrast　with　the　white　wood…ashes　about　them！　　What　could　I　do　for　him？　　What　could　I　say　to　cheer　his　spirits　in　that　Indian　language；　which　has　few　or　no　words　to　express　kindly　feelings？　Unable　to　think　of　anything　better　to　say；　I　at　length　suddenly　cried　aloud：　〃Smoke；　old　man！　　Why　do　you　not　smoke？　　It　is　good　to　smoke。〃

He　gave　a　mighty　start　and；　turning；　fixed　his　eyes　on　me。　　Then　I　saw　that　he　was　not　a　pure　Indian；　for　although　as　brown　as　old　leather；　he　wore　a　beard　and　moustache。　　A　curious　face　had　this　old　man；　which　looked　as　if　youth　and　age　had　made　it　a　battling…ground。　　His　forehead　was　smooth　except　for　two　parallel　lines　in　the　middle　running　its　entire　length；　dividing　it　in　zones；　his　arched　eyebrows　were　black　as　ink；　and　his　small　black　eyes　were　bright　and　cunning；　like　the　eyes　of　some　wild　carnivorous　animal。　　In　this　part　of　his　face　youth　had　held　its　own；　especially　in　the　eyes；　which　looked　young　and　lively。　　But　lower　down　age　had　conquered；　scribbling　his　skin　all　over　with　wrinkles；　while　moustache　and　beard　were　white　as　thistledown。　〃Aha；　the　dead　man　is　alive　again！〃　　he　exclaimed；　with　a　chuckling　laugh。　　This　in　the　Indian　tongue；　then　in　Spanish　he　added：　〃But　speak　to　me　in　the　language　you　know　best；　senor；　for　if　you　are　not　a　Venezuelan　call　me　an　owl。〃

〃And　you；　old　man？〃　　said　I。

〃Ah；　I　was　right！　　Why　sir　what　I　am　is　plainly　written　on　my　face。

Surely　you　do　not　take　me　for　a　pagan！　　I　might　be　a　black　man　from　Africa；　or　an　Englishman；　but　an　Indianthat；　no！　　But　a　minute　ago　you　had　the　goodness　to　invite　me　to　smoke。　　How；　sir；　can　a　poor　man　smoke　who　is　without　tobacco？〃

〃Without　tobaccoin　Guayana！〃

〃Can　you　believe　it？　　But；　sir；　do　not　blame　me；　if　the　beast　that　came　one　night　and　destroyed　my　plants　when　ripe　for　cutting　had　taken　pumpkins　and　sweet　potatoes　instead；　it　would　have　been　better　for　him；　if　curses　have　any　effect。　　And　the　plant　grows　slowly；　sirit　is　not　an　evil　weed　to　come　to　maturity　in　a　single　day。　　And　as　for　other　leaves　in　the　forest；　I　smoke　them；　yes；　but　there　is　no　comfort　to　the　lungs　in　such　smoke。〃

〃My　tobacco…pouch　was　full；〃　I　said。　　〃You　will　find　it　in　my　coat；　if　I　did　not　lose　it。〃

〃The　saints　forbid！〃　　he　exclaimed。　　〃GrandchildRima；　have　you　got　a　tobacco…pouch　with　the　other　things？　　Give　it　to　me。〃

Then　I　first　noticed　that　another　person　was　in　the　hut；　a　slim　young　girl；　who　had　been　seated　against　the　wall　on　the　other　side　of　the　fire；　partially　hid　by　the　shadows。　　She　had　my　leather　belt；　with　the　revolver　in　its　case；　and　my　hunting…knife　attached；　and　the　few　articles　I　had　had　in　my　pockets；　on　her　lap。　　Taking　up　the　pouch；　she　handed　it　to　him；　and　he　clutched　it　with　a　strange　eagerness。

〃I　will　give　it　back　presently；　Rima；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　me　first　smoke　a　cigaretteand　then　another。〃

It　seemed　probable　from　this　that　the　good　old　man　had　already　been　casting　covetous　eyes　on　my　property；　and　that　his　granddaughter　had　taken　care　of　it　for　me。　　But　how　the　silent；　demure　girl　had　kept　it　from　him　was　a　puzzle；　so　intensely　did　he　seem　now　to　enjoy　it；　drawing　the　smoke　vigorously　into　his　lungs　and；　after　keeping　it　ten　or　fifteen　seconds　there；　letting　it　fly　out　again　from　mouth　and　nose　in　blue　jets　and　clouds。　　His　face　softened　visibly；　he　became　more　and　more　genial　and　loquacious；　and　asked　me　how　I　came　to　be　in　that　solitary　place。　　I　told　him　that　I　was　staying　with　the　Indian　Runi；　his　neighbour。

〃But；　senor；〃　he　said；　〃if　it　is　not　an　impertinence；　how　is　it　that　a　young　man　of　so　distinguished　an　appearance　as　yourself；　a　Venezuelan；　should　be　residing　with　these　children　of　the　devil？〃

〃You　love　not　your　neighbours；　then？〃

〃I　know　them；　sirhow　should　I　love　them？〃　　He　was　rolling　up　his　second　or　third　cigarette　by　this　time；　and　I　could　not　helD　noticing　that　he　took　a　great　deal　more　tobacco　than　he　required　in　his　fingers；　and　that　the　surplus　on　each　occasion　was　conveyed　to　some　secret　receptacle　among　his　rags。　　〃Love　them；　sir！　　They　are　infidels；　and　therefore　the　good　Christian　must　only　hate　them。　They　are　thievesthey　will　steal　from　you　before　your　very　face；　so　devoid　are　they　of　all　shame。　　And　also　murderers；　gladly　would　they　burn　this　poor　thatch　above　my　head；　and　kill　me　and　my　poor　grandchild；　who　shares　this　solitary　life　with　me；　if　they　had　the　courage。　　But　they　are　all　arrant　cowards；　and　fear　to　approach　mefear　even　to　come　into　this　wood。　　You　would　laugh　to　hear　what　they　are　afraid　ofa　child　would　laugh　to　hear　it！〃

〃What　do　they　fear？〃　　I　said；　for　his　words　had　excited　my　interest　in　a　great　degree。

〃Why；　sir；　would　you　believe　it？　　They　fear　this　childmy　granddaughter；　seated　there　before　you。　　A　poor　innocent　girl　of　seventeen　summers；　a　Christian　who　knows　her　Catechism；　and　would　not　harm　the　smallest　thing　that　God　has　madeno；　not　a　fly；　which　is　not　regarded　on　account　of　its　smallness。　　Why；　sir；　it　is　due　to　her　tender　heart　that　you　are　safely　sheltered　here；　instead　of　being　left　out　of　doors　in　this　tempestuous　night。〃

〃To　herto　this　girl？〃　　I　returned　in　astonishment。　　〃Explain；　old　man；　for　I　do　not　know　how　I　was　saved。〃

〃Today；　senor；　through　your　own　heedlessness　you　were　bitten　by　a　venomous　snake。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　true；　although　I　do　not　know　how　it　came　to　your　knowledge。　　But　why　am　I　not　a　dead　man；　thenhave　you　done　something　to　save　me　from　the　effects　of　the　poison？〃

〃Nothing。　　What　could　I　do　so　long　after　you　were　bitten？　　When　a　man　is　bitten　by　a　snake　in　a　solitary　place　he　is　in　God's　hands。　　He　will　live　or　die　as　God　wills。　　There　is　nothing　to　be　done。　　But　surely；　sir；　you　remember　that　my　poor　grandchild　was　with　you　in　the　wood　when　the　snake　bit　you？〃

〃A　girl　was　therea　strange　girl　I　have　seen　and　heard　before　when　I　have　walked　in　the　forest。　　But　not　this　girlsurely　not　this　girl！〃

〃No　other；〃　said　he；　carefully　rolling　up　another　cigarette。

〃It　is　not　possible！〃　　I　returned。

〃III　would　you　have　fared；　sir；　had　she　not