green mansions-第20节

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Meanwhile　she　came　and　went　and　came　again；　and　at　last；　finding　that　I　was　not　to　be　moved；　she　approached　and　stood　near　me。　　Her　face；　when　I　glanced　at　it；　had　a　somewhat　troubled　lookboth　troubled　and　curious。

〃Come　here；　Rima；〃　I　said；　〃and　stay　with　me　for　a　little　whileI　cannot　follow　you　now。〃

She　took　one　or　two　hesitating　steps；　then　stood　still　again；　and　at　length；　slowly　and　reluctantly；　advanced　to　within　a　yard　of　me。　　Then　I　rose　from　my　seat　on　the　root；　so　as　to　catch　her　face　better；　and　placed　my　hand　against　the　rough　bark　of　the　tree。

〃Rima；〃　I　said；　speaking　in　a　low；　caressing　tone；　〃will　you　stay　with　me　here　a　little　while　and　talk　to　me；　not　in　your　language；　but　in　mine；　so　that　I　may　understand？　　Will　you　listen　when　I　speak　to　you；　and　answer　me？〃

Her　lips　moved；　but　made　no　sound。　　She　seemed　strangely　disquieted；　and　shook　back　her　loose　hair；　and　with　her　small　toes　moved　the　sparkling　sand　at　her　feet；　and　once　or　twice　her　eyes　glanced　shyly　at　my　face。

〃Rime；　you　have　not　answered　me；〃　I　persisted。　　〃Will　you　not　say　yes？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Where　does　your　grandfather　spend　his　day　when　he　goes　out　with　his　dogs？〃

She　shook　her　head　slightly；　but　would　not　speak。

〃Have　you　no　mother；　Rima？　　Do　you　remember　your　mother？〃

〃My　mother！　　My　mother！〃　　she　exclaimed　in　a　low　voice；　but　with　a　sudden；　wonderful　animation。　　Bending　a　little　nearer；　she　continued：　〃Oh；　she　is　dead！　　Her　body　is　in　the　earth　and　turned　to　dust。　　Like　that；〃　and　she　moved　the　loose　sand　with　her　foot。　　〃Her　soul　is　up　there；　where　the　stars　and　the　angels　are；　grandfather　says。　But　what　is　that　to　me？　　I　am　heream　I　not？　　I　talk　to　her　just　the　same。　　Everything　I　see　I　point　out；　and　tell　her　everything。　In　the　daytimein　the　woods；　when　we　are　together。　　And　at　night　when　I　lie　down　I　cross　my　arms　on　my　breastso；　and　say：　'Mother；　mother；　now　you　are　in　my　arms；　let　us　go　to　sleep　together。'　Sometimes　I　say：　'Oh；　why　will　you　never　answer　me　when　I　speak　and　speak？'　Mothermothermother！〃

At　the　end　her　voice　suddenly　rose　to　a　mournful　cry；　then　sunk；　and　at　the　last　repetition　of　the　word　died　to　a　low　whisper。

〃Ah；　poor　Rima！　　she　is　dead　and　cannot　speak　to　youcannot　hear　you！　　Talk　to　me；　Rima；　I　am　living　and　can　answer。〃

But　now　the　cloud；　which　had　suddenly　lifted　from　her　heart；　letting　me　see　for　a　moment　into　its　mysterious　depthsits　fancies　so　childlike　and　feelings　so　intensehad　fallen　again；　and　my　words　brought　no　response；　except　a　return　of　that　troubled　look　to　her　face。

〃Silent　still？〃　　I　said。　　〃Talk　to　me；　then；　of　your　mother；　Rima。　Do　you　know　that　you　will　see　her　again　some　day？〃

〃Yes；　when　I　die。　　That　is　what　the　priest　said。〃

〃The　priest？〃

〃Yes；　at　Voado　you　know？　　Mother　died　there　when　I　was　smallit　is　so　far　away！　　And　there　are　thirteen　houses　by　the　side　of　the　riverjust　here；　and　on　this　sidetrees；　trees。〃

This　was　important；　I　thought；　and　would　lead　to　the　very　knowledge　I　wished　for；　so　I　pressed　her　to　tell　me　more　about　the　settlement　she　had　named；　and　of　which　I　had　never　heard。

〃Everything　have　I　told　you；〃　she　returned；　surprised　that　I　did　not　know　that　she　had　exhausted　the　subject　in　those　half…dozen　words　she　had　spoken。

Obliged　to　shift　my　ground；　I　said　at　a　venture：　〃Tell　me；　what　do　you　ask　of　the　Virgin　Mother　when　you　kneel　before　her　picture？　　Your　grandfather　told　me　that　you　had　a　picture　in　your　little　room。〃

〃You　know！〃　　flashed　out　her　answer；　with　something　like　resentment。

〃It　is　all　there　in　there；〃　waving　her　hand　towards　the　hut。　　〃Out　here　in　the　wood　it　is　all　gonelike　this；〃　and　stooping　quickly；　she　raised　a　little　yellow　sand　on　her　palm；　then　let　it　run　away　through　her　fingers。

Thus　she　illustrated　how　all　the　matters　she　had　been　taught　slipped　from　her　mind　when　she　was　out　of　doors；　out　of　sight　of　the　picture。　　After　an　interval　she　added：　〃Only　mother　is　herealways　with　me。〃

〃Ah；　poor　Rima！〃　　I　said；　〃alone　without　a　mother；　and　only　your　old　grandfather！　　He　is　oldwhat　will　you　do　when　he　dies　and　flies　away　to　the　starry　country　where　your　mother　is？〃

She　looked　inquiringly　at　me；　then　made　answer　in　a　low　voice：　〃You　are　here。〃

〃But　when　I　go　away？〃

She　was　silent；　and　not　wishing　to　dwell　on　a　subject　that　seemed　to　pain　her；　I　continued：　〃Yes；　I　am　here　now；　but　you　will　not　stay　with　me　and　talk　freely！　　Will　it　always　be　the　same　if　I　remain　with　you？　　Why　are　you　always　so　silent　in　the　house；　so　cold　with　your　old　grandfather？　　So　differentso　full　of　life；　like　a　bird；　when　you　are　alone　in　the　woods？　　Rima；　speak　to　me！　Am　I　no　more　to　you　than　your　old　grandfather？　　Do　you　not　like　me　to　talk　to　you？〃

She　appeared　strangely　disturbed　at　my　words。　　〃Oh；　you　are　not　like　him；〃　she　suddenly　replied。　　〃Sitting　all　day　on　a　log　by　the　fireall　day；　all　day；　Goloso　and　Susio　lying　beside　himsleep；　sleep。　　Oh；　when　I　saw　you　in　the　wood　I　followed　you；　and　talked　and　talked；　still　no　answer。　　Why　will　you　not　come　when　I　call？　To　me！〃　　Then；　mocking　my　voice：　〃Rime；　Rima！　　Come　here！　　Do　this！　Say　that！　　Rima！　　Rima！　　It　is　nothing；　nothingit　is　not　you；〃　pointing　to　my　mouth；　and　then；　as　if　fearing　that　her　meaning　had　not　been　made　clear；　suddenly　touching　my　lips　with　her　finger。　　〃Why　do　you　not　answer　me？speak　to　mespeak　to　me；　like　this！〃　　And　turning　a　little　more　towards　me；　and　glancing　at　me　with　eyes　that　had　all　at　once　changed；　losing　their　clouded　expression　for　one　of　exquisite　tenderness；　from　her　lips　came　a　succession　of　those　mysterious　sounds　which　had　first　attracted　me　to　her；　swift　and　low　and　bird…like；　yet　with　something　so　much　higher　and　more　soul…penetrating　than　any　bird…music。　　Ah；　what　feeling　and　fancies；　what　quaint　turns　of　expression；　unfamiliar　to　my　mind；　were　contained　in　those　sweet；　wasted　symbols！　　I　could　never　knownever　come　to　her　when　she　called；　or　respond　to　her　spirit。　　To　me　they　would　always　be　inarticulate　sounds；　affecting　me　like　a　tender　spiritual　musica　language　without　words；　suggesting　more　than　words　to　the　soul。

The　mysterious　speech　died　down　to　a　lisping　sound；　like　the　faint　note　of　some　small　bird　falling　from　a　cloud　of　foliage　on　the　topmost　bough　of　a　tree；　and　at　the　same　time　that　new　light　passed　from　her　eyes；　and　she　half　averted　her　face　in　a　disappointed　way。

〃Rima；〃　I　said　at　length；　a　new　thought　coming　to　my　aid；　〃it　is　true　that　I　am　not　here；〃　touching　my　lips　as　she　had　done；　〃and　that　my　words　are　nothing。　　But　look　into　my　eyes；　and　you　will　see　me　thereall；　all　that　is　in　my　heart。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　what　I　should　see　there！〃　　she　returned　quickly。

〃What　would　you　seetell　me？〃

〃There　is　a　little　black　ball　in　the　middle　of　your　eye；　I　should　see　myself　in　it　no　bigger　than　that；〃　and　she　marked　off　about　an　eighth　of　her　little　fingernail。　　〃There　is　a　pool　in　the　wood；　and　I　look　down　and　see　myself　there。　　That　is　better。　　Just　as　large　as　I　amnot　small　and　black　like　a　small；　small　fly。〃　　And　after　saying　this　a　little　disdainfully；　she　moved　away　from　my　side　and　out　into　the　sunshine；　and　then；　half　turning　towards　me；　and　glancing　first　at　my　face　and　then　upwards；　she　raised　her　hand　to　call　my　attention　to　something　there。

Far　up；　high　as　the　tops　of　the　tallest　trees；　a　great　blue…winged　butterfly　was　passing　across　the　open　space　with　loitering　flight。　　In　a　few　moments　it　was　gone　over　the　trees；　then　she　turned　once　more　to　me　with　a　little　rippling　sound　of　laughterthe　first　I　had　heard　from　her；　and　called：　〃Come；　come！〃

I　was　glad　enough　to　go　with　her　then；　and　for　the　next　two　hours　we　rambled　together　in　the　wood；　that　is；　together　in　her　way；　for　though　always　near　she　contrived　to　keep　out　of　my　sight　most　of　the　time。　　She　was　evidently　now　in　a　gay；　frolicsome　temper；　again　and　again；　when　I　looked　closely　into　some　wide…spreading　bush；　or　peered　behind　a　tree；　when　her　calling　voice　had　sounded；　her　rippling　laughter　would　come　to　me　from　some　other　spot。　　At　length；　somewhere　about　the　centre　of　the　wood；　she　led　me　to　an　immense　mora　tree；　growing　almost　isolated；　covering　with　its　shade　a　large　space　of　ground　entirely　free　from　undergrowth。　　At　this　spot　she　all　at　once　vanished　from　my　side；　and　after　listening　and　watching　some　time　in　vain；　I　sat　down　beside　the　giant　trunk　to　wait　for　her。　　Very　soon　I　heard　a　low；　warbling　sound　which　seemed　quite　near。

〃Rime！　　Rima！〃　　I　called；　and　instantly　my　call　was　repeated　like　an　echo。　　Again　and　again　I　called；　and　still　the　words　flew　back　to　me；　and　I　could　not　decide　whether　it　was　an　echo　or　not。　　Then　I　gave　up　calling；　and　presently　the　low；　warbling　sound　was　repeated；　and　I　knew　that　Rima　was　somewhere　near　me。

〃Rime；　where　are　you？〃　　I　called。

〃Rime；　where　are　you？〃　　came　the　answer。

〃You　are　behind　the　tree。〃

〃You　are　behind　the　tree。〃

〃I　shall　catch　you；　Rima。〃　　And　this　time；　instead　of　repeating　my　words；　she　answered：　〃Oh　no。〃

I　jumped　up　and　ran　round　the　tree；　feeling　sure　that　I　should　find　her。　　It　was　about　thirty…five　or　forty　feet　in　circumference；　and　after　going　round　two　or　three　times；　I　turned　and　ran　the　other　way；　but　failing　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　her　I　at　last