green mansions-第21节

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　ran　the　other　way；　but　failing　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　her　I　at　last　sat　down　again。

〃Rime；　Rima！〃　　sounded　the　mocking　voice　as　soon　as　I　had　sat　down。　　〃Where　are　you；　Rima？　　I　shall　catch　you；　Rima！　　Have　you　caught　Rima？〃

〃No；　I　have　not　caught　her。　　There　is　no　Rima　now。　　She　has　faded　away　like　a　rainbowlike　a　drop　of　dew　in　the　sun。　　I　have　lost　her；　I　shall　go　to　sleep。〃　　And　stretching　myself　out　at　full　length　under　the　tree；　I　remained　quiet　for　two　or　three　minutes。　Then　a　slight　rustling　sound　was　heard；　and　I　looked　eagerly　round　for　her。　　But　the　sound　was　overhead　and　caused　by　a　great　avalanche　of　leaves　which　began　to　descend　on　me　from　that　vast　leafy　canopy　above。

〃Ah；　little　spider…monkeylittle　green　tree…snakeyou　are　there！〃　　But　there　was　no　seeing　her　in　that　immense　aerial　palace　hung　with　dim　drapery　of　green　and　copper…coloured　leaves。　　But　how　had　she　got　there？　　Up　the　stupendous　trunk　even　a　monkey　could　not　have　climbed；　and　there　were　no　lianas　dropping　to　earth　from　the　wide　horizontal　branches　that　I　could　see；　but　by　and　by；　looking　further　away；　I　perceived　that　on　one　side　the　longest　lower　branches　reached　and　mingled　with　the　shorter　boughs　of　the　neighbouring　trees。　　While　gazing　up　I　heard　her　low；　rippling　laugh；　and　then　caught　sight　of　her　as　she　ran　along　an　exposed　horizontal　branch；　erect　on　her　feet；　and　my　heart　stood　still　with　terror；　for　she　was　fifty　to　sixty　feet　above　the　ground。　　In　another　moment　she　vanished　from　sight　in　a　cloud　of　foliage；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　her　for　about　ten　minutes；　when　all　at　once　she　appeared　at　my　side　once　more；　having　come　round　the　trunk　of　the　more。　　Her　face　had　a　bright；　pleased　expression；　and　showed　no　trace　of　fatigue　or　agitation。

I　caught　her　hand　in　mine。　　It　was　a　delicate；　shapely　little　hand；　soft　as　velvet；　and　warma　real　human　hand；　only　now　when　I　held　it　did　she　seem　altogether　like　a　human　being　and　not　a　mocking　spirit　of　the　wood；　a　daughter　of　the　Didi。

〃Do　you　like　me　to　hold　your　hand；　Rima？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　with　indifference。

〃Is　it　I？〃

〃Yes。〃　　This　time　as　if　it　was　small　satisfaction　to　make　acquaintance　with　this　purely　physical　part　of　me。

Having　her　so　close　gave　me　an　opportunity　of　examining　that　light　sheeny　garment　she　wore　always　in　the　woods。　　It　felt　soft　and　satiny　to　the　touch；　and　there　was　no　seam　nor　hem　in　it　that　I　could　see；　but　it　was　all　in　one　piece；　like　the　cocoon　of　the　caterpillar。　　While　I　was　feeling　it　on　her　shoulder　and　looking　narrowly　at　it；　she　glanced　at　me　with　a　mocking　laugh　in　her　eyes。

〃Is　it　silk？〃　　I　asked。　　Then；　as　she　remained　silent；　I　continued：　〃Where　did　you　get　this　dress；　Rima？　　Did　you　make　it　yourself？　Tell　me。〃

She　answered　not　in　words；　but　in　response　to　my　question　a　new　　look　came　into　her　face；　no　longer　restless　and　full　of　change　in　her　expression；　she　was　now　as　immovable　as　an　alabaster　statue；　not　a　silken　hair　on　her　head　trembled；　her　eyes　were　wide　open；　gazing　fixedly　before　her；　and　when　I　looked　into　them　they　seemed　to　see　and　yet　not　to　see　me。　　They　were　like　the　clear；　brilliant　eyes　of　a　bird；　which　reflect　as　in　a　miraculous　mirror　all　the　visible　world　but　do　not　return　our　look　and　seem　to　see　us　merely　as　one　of　the　thousand　small　details　that　make　up　the　whole　picture。　　Suddenly　she　darted　out　her　hand　like　a　flash；　making　me　start　at　the　unexpected　motion；　and　quickly　withdrawing　it；　held　up　a　finger　before　me。　　From　its　tip　a　minute　gossamer　spider；　about　twice　the　bigness　of　a　pin's　head；　appeared　suspended　from　a　fine；　scarcely　visible　line　three　or　four　inches　long。

〃Look！〃　　she　exclaimed；　with　a　bright　glance　at　my　face。

The　small　spider　she　had　captured；　anxious　to　be　free；　was　falling；　falling　earthward；　but　could　not　reach　the　surface。　Leaning　her　shoulder　a　little　forward；　she　placed　the　finger…tip　against　it；　but　lightly；　scarcely　touching；　and　moving　continuously；　with　a　motion　rapid　as　that　of　a　fluttering　moth's　wing；　while　the　spider；　still　paying　out　his　line；　remained　suspended；　rising　and　falling　slightly　at　nearly　the　same　distance　from　the　ground。　　After　a　few　moments　she　cried：　〃Drop　down；　little　spider。〃　　Her　finger's　motion　ceased；　and　the　minute　captive　fell；　to　lose　itself　on　the　shaded　ground。

〃Do　you　not　see？〃　　she　said　to　me；　pointing　to　her　shoulder。　　Just　where　the　finger…tip　had　touched　the　garment　a　round　shining　spot　appeared；　looking　like　a　silver　coin　on　the　cloth；　but　on　touching　it　with　my　finger　it　seemed　part　of　the　original　fabric；　only　whiter　and　more　shiny　on　the　grey　ground；　on　account　of　the　freshness　of　the　web　of　which　it　had　just　been　made。

And　so　all　this　curious　and　pretty　performance；　which　seemed　instinctive　in　its　spontaneous　quickness　and　dexterity；　was　merely　intended　to　show　me　how　she　made　her　garments　out　of　the　fine　floating　lines　of　small　gossamer　spiders！

Before　I　could　express　my　surprise　and　admiration　she　cried　again；　with　startling　suddenness：　〃Look！〃

A　minute　shadowy　form　darted　by；　appearing　like　a　dim　line　traced　across　the　deep　glossy　more　foliage；　then　on　the　lighter　green　foliage　further　away。　　She　waved　her　hand　in　imitation　of　its　swift；　curving　flight；　then；　dropping　it；　exclaimed：　〃Goneoh；　little　thing！〃

〃What　was　it？〃　　I　asked；　for　it　might　have　been　a　bird；　a　bird…like　moth；　or　a　bee。

〃Did　you　not　see？　　And　you　asked　me　to　look　into　your　eyes！〃

〃Ah；　little　squirrel　Sakawinki；　you　remind　me　of　that！〃　　I　said；　passing　my　arm　round　her　waist　and　drawing　her　a　little　closer。　〃Look　into　my　eyes　now　and　see　if　I　am　blind；　and　if　there　is　nothing　in　them　except　an　image　of　Rima　like　a　small；　small　fly。〃

She　shook　her　head　and　laughed　a　little　mockingly；　but　made　no　effort　to　escape　from　my　arm。

〃Would　you　like　me　always　to　do　what　you　wish；　Rimato　follow　you　in　the　woods　when　you　say　'Come'to　chase　you　round　the　tree　to　catch　you；　and　lie　down　for　you　to　throw　leaves　on　me；　and　to　be　glad　when　you　are　glad？〃

〃Oh；　yes。〃

〃Then　let　us　make　a　compact。　　I　shall　do　everything　to　please　you；　and　you　must　promise　to　do　everything　to　please　me。〃

〃Tell　me。〃

〃Little　things；　Rimanone　so　hard　as　chasing　you　round　a　tree。　Only　to　have　you　stand　or　sit　by　me　and　talk　will　make　me　happy。　And　to　begin　you　must　call　me　by　my　nameAbel。〃

〃Is　that　your　name？　　Oh；　not　your　real　name！　　Abel；　Abelwhat　is　that？　　It　says　nothing。　　I　have　called　you　by　so　many　namestwenty；　thirtyand　no　answer。〃

〃Have　you？　　But；　dearest　girl；　every　person　has　a　name；　one　name　he　is　called　by。　　Your　name；　for　instance；　is　Rima；　is　it　not？〃

〃Rima！　　only　Rimato　you？　　In　the　morning；　in　the　evening　。　　。　　。　now　in　this　place　and　in　a　little　while　where　know　I？　　。　　。　　。　　in　the　night　when　you　wake　and　it　is　dark；　dark；　and　you　see　me　all　the　same。　　Only　Rimaoh；　how　strange！〃

〃What　else；　sweet　girl？　　Your　grandfather　Nuflo　calls　you　Rima。〃

〃Nuflo？〃　　She　spoke　as　if　putting　a　question　to　herself。　　〃Is　that　an　old　man　with　two　dogs　that　lives　somewhere　in　the　wood？〃　　And　then；　with　sudden　petulance：　〃And　you　ask　me　to　talk　to　you！〃

〃Oh；　Rima；　what　can　I　say　to　you？　　Listen〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　exclaimed；　quickly　turning　and　putting　her　fingers　on　my　mouth　to　stop　my　speech；　while　a　sudden　merry　look　shone　in　her　eves。　　〃You　shall　listen　when　I　speak；　and　do　all　I　say。　　And　tell　me　what　to　do　to　please　you　with　your　eyeslet　me　look　in　your　eyes　that　are　not　blind。〃

She　turned　her　face　more　towards　me　and　with　head　a　little　thrown　back　and　inclined　to　one　side；　gazing　now　full　into　my　eyes　as　I　had　wished　her　to　do。　　After　a　few　moments　she　glanced　away　to　the　distant　trees。　　But　I　could　see　into　those　divine　orbs；　and　knew　that　she　was　not　looking　at　any　particular　object。　　All　the　ever…varying　expressionsinquisitive；　petulant；　troubled；　shy；　frolicsome　had　now　vanished　from　the　still　face；　and　the　look　was　inward　and　full　of　a　strange；　exquisite　light；　as　if　some　new　happiness　or　hope　had　touched　her　spirit。

Sinking　my　voice　to　a　whisper；　I　said：　〃Tell　me　what　you　have　seen　in　my　eyes；　Rima？〃

She　murmured　in　reply　something　melodious　and　inarticulate；　then　glanced　at　my　face　in　a　questioning　way；　but　only　for　a　moment；　then　her　sweet　eyes　were　again　veiled　under　those　drooping　lashes。

〃Listen；　Rima；〃　I　said。　　〃Was　that　a　humming…bird　we　saw　a　little　while　ago？　　You　are　like　that；　now　dark；　a　shadow　in　the　shadow；　seen　for　an　instant；　and　thengone；　oh；　little　thing！　　And　now　in　the　sunshine　standing　still；　how　beautiful！a　thousand　times　more　beautiful　than　the　humming…bird。　　Listen；　Rima；　you　are　like　all　beautiful　things　in　the　woodflower；　and　bird；　and　butterfly；　and　green　leaf；　and　frond；　and　little　silky…haired　monkey　high　up　in　the　trees。　　When　I　look　at　you　I　see　them　allall　and　more；　a　thousand　times；　for　I　see　Rima　herself。　　And　when　I　listen　to　Rima's　voice；　talking　in　a　language　I　cannot　understand；　I　hear　the　wind　whispering　in　the　leaves；　the　gurgling　running　water；　the　bee　among　the　flowers；　the　organ…bird　singing　far；　far　away　in　the　shadows　of　the　trees。　　I　hear　them　all；　and　more；　for　I　hear　Rima。　　Do　you　understand　me　now？　　Is　it　I　speaking　to　youhave　I　answered　youhave　I　come　to　you？〃

She　glanced　at　me　again；