green mansions-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


or　not　she　only　knew。

I　spent　an　amusing　evening　with　my　old　savage　hostess。　　She　had　thrown　off　her　ailments　and；　pleased　at　having　a　companion　in　her　dreary　solitude；　she　was　good…tempered　and　talkative；　and　much　more　inclined　to　laugh　than　when　the　others　were　present；　when　she　was　on　her　dignity。

We　sat　by　the　fire；　cooking　such　food　as　we　had；　and　talked　and　smoked；　then　I　sang　her　songs　in　Spanish　with　that　melody　of　my　own

Muy　mas　clara　que　la　luna；

and　she　rewarded　me　by　emitting　a　barbarous　chant　in　a　shrill；　screechy　voice；　and　finally；　starting　up；　I　danced　for　her　benefit　polka；　mazurka；　and　valse；　whistling　and　singing　to　my　motions。

More　than　once　during　the　evening　she　tried　to　introduce　serious　subjects；　telling　me　that　I　must　always　live　with　them；　learn　to　shoot　the　birds　and　catch　the　fishes；　and　have　a　wife；　and　then　she　would　speak　of　her　granddaughter　Oalava；　whose　virtues　it　was　proper　to　mention；　but　whose　physical　charms　needed　no　description　since　they　had　never　been　concealed。　　Each　time　she　got　on　this　topic　I　cut　her　short；　vowing　that　if　I　ever　married　she　only　should　be　my　wife。　　She　informed　me　that　she　was　old　and　past　her　fruitful　period；　that　not　much　longer　would　she　make　cassava　bread；　and　blow　the　fire　to　a　flame　with　her　wheezy　old　bellows；　and　talk　the　men　to　sleep　at　night。　　But　I　stuck　to　it　that　she　was　young　and　beautiful；　that　our　descendants　would　be　more　numerous　than　the　birds　in　the　forest。　　I　went　out　to　some　bushes　close　by；　where　I　had　noticed　a　passion　plant　in　bloom；　and　gathering　a　few　splendid　scarlet　blossoms　with　their　stems　and　leaves；　I　brought　them　in　and　wove　them　into　a　garland　for　the　old　dame's　head；　then　I　pulled　her　up；　in　spite　of　screams　and　struggles；　and　waltzed　her　wildly　to　the　other　end　of　the　room　and　back　again　to　her　seat　beside　the　fire。　　And　as　she　sat　there；　panting　and　grinning　with　laughter；　I　knelt　before　her　and；　with　suitable　passionate　gestures；　declaimed　again　the　old　delicate　lines　sung　by　Mena　before　Columbus　sailed　the　seas：

Muy　mas　clara　que　la　luna　Sola　una　　　　　　　en　el　mundo　vos　nacistes　tan　gentil；　que　no　vecistes　ni　tavistes　competedora　ninguna　Desdi　ninez　en　la　cuna　cobrastes　fama；　beldad；　con　tanta　graciosidad；　que　vos　doto　la　fortuna。

Thinking　of　another　all　the　time！　　O　poor　old　Cla…cla；　knowing　not　what　the　jingle　meant　nor　the　secret　of　my　wild　happiness；　now　when　I　recall　you　sitting　there；　your　old　grey　owlish　head　crowned　with　scarlet　passion　flowers；　flushed　with　firelight；　against　the　background　of　smoke…blackened　walls　and　rafters；　how　the　old　undying　sorrow　comes　back　to　me！

Thus　our　evening　was　spent；　merrily　enough；　then　we　made　up　the　fire　with　hard　wood　that　would　last　all　night；　and　went　to　our　hammocks；　but　wakeful　still。　　The　old　dame；　glad　and　proud　to　be　on　duty　once　more；　religiously　went　to　work　to　talk　me　to　sleep；　but　although　I　called　out　at　intervals　to　encourage　her　to　go　on；　I　did　not　attempt　to　follow　the　ancient　tales　she　told；　which　she　had　imbibed　in　childhood　from　other　white…headed　grandmothers　long；　long　turned　to　dust。　　My　own　brain　was　busy　thinking；　thinking；　thinking　now　of　the　woman　I　had　once　loved；　far　away　in　Venezuela；　waiting　and　weeping　and　sick　with　hope　deferred；　now　of　Rima；　wakeful　and　listening　to　the　mysterious　nightsounds　of　the　forestlistening；　listening　for　my　returning　footsteps。

Next　morning　I　began　to　waver　in　my　resolution　to　remain　absent　from　Rima　for　some　days；　and　before　evening　my　passion；　which　I　had　now　ceased　to　struggle　against；　coupled　with　the　thought　that　I　had　acted　unkindly　in　leaving　her；　that　she　would　be　a　prey　to　anxiety；　overcame　me；　and　I　was　ready　to　return。　　The　old　woman；　who　had　been　suspiciously　watching　my　movements；　rushed　out　after　me　as　I　left　the　house；　crying　out　that　a　storm　was　brewing；　that　it　was　too　late　to　go　far；　and　night　would　be　full　of　danger。　　I　waved　my　hand　in　good…bye；　laughingly　reminding　her　that　I　was　proof　against　all　perils。　　Little　she　cared　what　evil　might　befall　me；　I　thought；　but　she　loved　not　to　be　alone；　even　for　her；　low　down　as　she　was　intellectually；　the　solitary　earthen　pot　had　no　〃mind　stuff〃　in　it；　and　could　not　be　sent　to　sleep　at　night　with　the　legends　of　long　ago。

By　the　time　I　reached　the　ridge；　I　had　discovered　that　she　had　prophesied　truly；　for　now　an　ominous　change　had　come　over　nature。　A　dull　grey　vapour　had　overspread　the　entire　western　half　of　the　heavens；　down；　beyond　the　forest；　the　sky　looked　black　as　ink；　and　behind　this　blackness　the　sun　had　vanished。　　It　was　too　late　to　go　back　now；　I　had　been　too　long　absent　from　Rima；　and　could　only　hope　to　reach　Nuflo's　lodge；　wet　or　dry；　before　night　closed　round　me　in　the　forest。

For　some　moments　I　stood　still　on　the　ridge；　struck　by　the　somewhat　weird　aspect　of　the　shadowed　scene　before　methe　long　strip　of　dull　uniform　green；　with　here　and　there　a　slender　palm　lifting　its　feathery　crown　above　the　other　trees；　standing　motionless；　in　strange　relief　against　the　advancing　blackness。　Then　I　set　out　once　more　at　a　run；　taking　advantage　of　the　downward　slope　to　get　well　on　my　way　before　the　tempest　should　burst。　　As　I　approached　the　wood；　there　came　a　flash　of　lightning；　pale；　but　covering　the　whole　visible　sky；　followed　after　a　long　interval　by　a　distant　roll　of　thunder；　which　lasted　several　seconds　and　ended　with　a　succession　of　deep　throbs。　　It　was　as　if　Nature　herself；　in　supreme　anguish　and　abandonment；　had　cast　herself　prone　on　the　earth；　and　her　great　heart　had　throbbed　audibly；　shaking　the　world　with　its　beats。　　No　more　thunder　followed；　but　the　rain　was　coming　down　heavily　now　in　huge　drops　that　fell　straight　through　the　gloomy；　windless　air。　　In　half　a　minute　I　was　drenched　to　the　skin；　but　for　a　short　time　the　rain　seemed　an　advantage；　as　the　brightness　of　the　falling　water　lessened　the　gloom；　turning　the　air　from　dark　to　lighter　grey。　This　subdued　rain…light　did　not　last　long：　I　had　not　been　twenty　minutes　in　the　wood　before　a　second　and　greater　darkness　fell　on　the　earth；　accompanied　by　an　even　more　copious　downpour　of　water。　The　sun　had　evidently　gone　down；　and　the　whole　sky　was　now　covered　with　one　thick　cloud。　　Becoming　more　nervous　as　the　gloom　increased；　I　bent　my　steps　more　to　the　south；　so　as　to　keep　near　the　border　and　more　open　part　of　the　wood。　　Probably　I　had　already　grown　confused　before　deviating　and　turned　the　wrong　way；　for　instead　of　finding　the　forest　easier；　it　grew　closer　and　more　difficult　as　I　advanced。　　Before　many　minutes　the　darkness　so　increased　that　I　could　no　longer　distinguish　objects　more　than　five　feet　from　my　eyes。　　Groping　blindly　along；　I　became　entangled　in　a　dense　undergrowth；　and　after　struggling　and　stumbling　along　for　some　distance　in　vain　endeavours　to　get　through　it；　I　came　to　a　stand　at　last　in　sheer　despair。　　All　sense　of　direction　was　now　lost：　I　was　entombed　in　thick　blacknessblackness　of　night　and　cloud　and　rain　and　of　dripping　foliage　and　network　of　branches　bound　with　bush　ropes　and　creepers　in　a　wild　tangle。　　I　had　struggled　into　a　hollow；　or　hole；　as　it　were；　in　the　midst　of　that　mass　of　vegetation；　where　I　could　stand　upright　and　turn　round　and　round　without　touching　anything；　but　when　I　put　out　my　hands　they　came　into　contact　with　vines　and　bushes。　　To　move　from　that　spot　seemed　folly；　yet　how　dreadful　to　remain　there　standing　on　the　sodden　earth；　chilled　with　rain；　in　that　awful　blackness　in　which　the　only　luminous　thing　one　could　look　to　see　would　be　the　eyes；　shining　with　their　own　internal　light；　of　some　savage　beast　of　prey！　　Yet　the　danger；　the　intense　physical　discomfort；　and　the　anguish　of　looking　forward　to　a　whole　night　spent　in　that　situation　stung　my　heart　less　than　the　thought　of　Rima's　anxiety　and　of　the　pain　I　had　carelessly　given　by　secretly　leaving　her。

It　was　then；　with　that　pang　in　my　heart；　that　I　was　startled　by　hearing；　close　by；　one　of　her　own　low；　warbled　expressions。　　There　could　be　no　mistake；　if　the　forest　had　been　full　of　the　sounds　of　animal　life　and　songs　of　melodious　birds；　her　voice　would　have　been　instantly　distinguished　from　all　others。　　How　mysterious；　how　infinitely　tender　it　sounded　in　that　awful　blackness！so　musical　and　exquisitely　modulated；　so　sorrowful；　yet　piercing　my　heart　with　a　sudden；　unutterable　joy。

〃Rime！　　Rima！〃　　I　cried。　　〃Speak　again。　　Is　it　you？　　Come　to　me　here。〃

Again　that　low；　warbling　sound；　or　series　of　sounds；　seemingly　from　a　distance　of　a　few　yards。　　I　was　not　disturbed　at　her　not　replying　in　Spanish：　she　had　always　spoken　it　somewhat　reluctantly；　and　only　when　at　my　side；　but　when　calling　to　me　from　some　distance　she　would　return　instinctively　to　her　own　mysterious　language；　and　call　to　me　as　bird　calls　to　bird。　　I　knew　that　she　was　inviting　me　to　follow　her；　but　I　refused　to　move。

〃Rima；〃　I　cried　again；　〃come　to　me　here；　for　I　know　not　where　to　step；　and　cannot　move　until　you　are　at　my　side　and　I　can　feel　your　hand。〃

There　came　no　response；　and　after　some　moments；　becoming　alarmed；　I　called　to　her　again。

Then　close　by　me；　in　a　low；　trembling　voice；　she　returned：　〃I　am　here。〃

I　put　out　my　hand　and　touched　something　soft　and　wet；　it　was　her　breast；　and　moving　my　hand　higher　up；　I　felt　her　hair；　hangi