green mansions-第39节

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　does　not　know；　but　she　came　to　him　heredid　she　not？　　The　others　are　not　here；　but　perhaps　not　far　off。　　Come；　let　us　go　to　the　summit　together　to　see　from　it　the　desert　beneath　usmountain　and　forest；　mountain　and　forest。　　Somewhere　there！　　You　said　that　I　had　knowledge　of　distant　things。　　And　shall　I　not　know　which　mountainwhich　forest？〃

〃Alas！　　no；　Rima；　there　is　a　limit　to　your　far…seeing；　and　even　if　that　faculty　were　as　great　as　you　imagine；　it　would　avail　you　nothing；　for　there　is　no　mountain；　no　forest；　in　whose　shadow　your　people　dwell。〃

For　a　while　she　was　silent；　but　her　eyes　and　clasping　fingers　were　restless　and　showed　her　agitation。　　She　seemed　to　be　searching　in　the　depths　of　her　mind　for　some　argument　to　oppose　to　my　assertions。　　Then　in　a　low；　almost　despondent　voice；　with　something　of　reproach　in　it；　she　said：　〃Have　we　come　so　far　to　go　back　again？　　You　were　not　Nuflo　to　need　my　intercession；　yet　you　came　too。〃

〃Where　you　are；　there　I　must　beyou　have　said　it　yourself。　Besides；　when　we　started　I　had　some　hope　of　finding　your　people。　Now　I　know　better；　having　heard　Nuflo's　story。　　Now　I　know　that　your　hope　is　a　vain　one。〃

〃Why？　　Why？　　Was　she　not　found　heremother？　　Where；　then；　are　the　others？〃

〃Yes；　she　was　found　here；　alone。　　You　must　remember　all　the　things　she　spoke　to　you　before　she　died。　　Did　she　ever　speak　to　you　of　her　peoplespeak　of　them　as　if　they　existed；　and　would　be　glad　to　receive　you　among　them　some　day？〃

〃No。　　Why　did　she　not　speak　of　that？　　Do　you　knowcan　you　tell　me？〃

〃I　can　guess　the　reason；　Rima。　　It　is　very　sadso　sad　that　it　is　hard　to　tell　it。　　When　Nuflo　tended　her　in　the　cave　and　was　ready　to　worship　her　and　do　everything　she　wished；　and　conversed　with　her　by　signs；　she　showed　no　wish　to　return　to　her　people。　　And　when　he　offered　her；　in　a　way　she　understood；　to　take　her　to　a　distant　place；　where　she　would　be　among　strange　beings；　among　others　like　Nuflo；　she　readily　consented；　and　painfully　performed　that　long　journey　to　Voa。　　Would　you；　Rima；　have　acted　thuswould　you　have　gone　so　far　away　from　your　beloved　people；　never　to　return；　never　to　hear　of　them　or　speak　to　them　again？　　Oh　no；　you　could　not；　nor　would　she　if　her　people　had　been　in　existence。　　But　she　knew　that　she　had　survived　them；　that　some　great　calamity　had　fallen　upon　and　destroyed　them。　　They　were　few　in　number；　perhaps；　and　surrounded　on　every　side　by　hostile　tribes；　and　had　no　weapons；　and　made　no　war。　　They　had　been　preserved　because　they　inhabited　a　place　apart；　some　deep　valley　perhaps；　guarded　on　all　sides　by　lofty　mountains　and　impenetrable　forests　and　marshes；　but　at　last　the　cruel　savages　broke　into　this　retreat　and　hunted　them　down；　destroying　all　except　a　few　fugitives；　who　escaped　singly　like　your　mother；　and　fled　away　to　hide　in　some　distant　solitude。〃

The　anxious　expression　on　her　face　deepened　as　she　listened　to　one　of　anguish　and　despair；　and　then；　almost　before　I　concluded；　she　suddenly　lifted　her　hands　to　her　head；　uttering　a　low；　sobbing　cry；　and　would　have　fallen　on　the　rock　had　I　not　caught　her　quickly　in　my　arms。　　Once　more　in　my　armsagainst　my　breast；　her　proper　place！　　But　now　all　that　bright　life　seemed　gone　out　of　her；　her　head　fell　on　my　shoulder；　and　there　was　no　motion　in　her　except　at　intervals　a　slight　shudder　in　her　frame　accompanied　by　a　low；　gasping　sob。　　In　a　little　while　the　sobs　ceased；　the　eyes　were　closed；　the　face　still　and　deathly　white；　and　with　a　terrible　anxiety　in　my　heart　I　carried　her　down　to　the　cave。



CHAPTER　XVII

As　I　re…entered　the　cave　with　my　burden　Nuflo　sat　up　and　stared　at　me　with　a　frightened　look　in　his　eyes。　　Throwing　my　cloak　down；　I　placed　the　girl　on　it　and　briefly　related　what　had　happened。

He　drew　near　to　examine　her；　then　placed　his　hand　on　her　heart。　〃Dead！she　is　dead！〃　　he　exclaimed。

My　own　anxiety　changed　to　an　irrational　anger　at　his　words。　　〃Old　fool！　　She　has　only　fainted；〃　I　returned。　　〃Get　me　some　water；　quick。〃

But　the　water　failed　to　restore　her；　and　my　anxiety　deepened　as　I　gazed　on　that　white；　still　face。　　Oh；　why　had　I　told　her　that　sad　tragedy　I　had　imagined　with　so　little　preparation？　　Alas！　　I　had　succeeded　too　well　in　my　purpose；　killing　her　vain　hope　and　her　at　the　same　moment。

The　old　man；　still　bending　over　her；　spoke　again。　　〃No；　I　will　not　believe　that　she　is　dead　yet；　but；　sir；　if　not　dead；　then　she　is　dying。〃

I　could　have　struck　him　down　for　his　words。　　〃She　will　die　in　my　arms；　then；〃　I　exclaimed；　thrusting　him　roughly　aside；　and　lifting　her　up　with　the　cloak　beneath　her。

And　while　I　held　her　thus；　her　head　resting　on　my　arm；　and　gazed　with　unutterable　anguish　into　her　strangely　white　face；　insanely　praying　to　Heaven　to　restore　her　to　me；　Nuflo　fell　on　his　knees　before　her；　and　with　bowed　head；　and　hands　clasped　in　supplication；　began　to　speak。

〃Rima！　　Grandchild！〃　　he　prayed；　his　quivering　voice　betraying　his　agitation。　　〃Do　not　die　just　yet：　you　must　not　dienot　wholly　dieuntil　you　have　heard　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。　　I　do　not　ask　you　to　answer　in　wordsyou　are　past　that；　and　I　am　not　unreasonable。　　Only；　when　I　finish；　make　some　signa　sigh；　a　movement　of　the　eyelid；　a　twitch　of　the　lips；　even　in　the　small　corners　of　the　mouth；　nothing　more　than　that；　just　to　show　that　you　have　heard；　and　I　shall　be　satisfied。　　Remember　all　the　years　that　I　have　been　your　protector；　and　this　long　journey　that　I　have　taken　on　your　account；　also　all　that　I　did　for　your　sainted　mother　before　she　died　at　Voa；　to　become　one　of　the　most　important　of　those　who　surround　the　Queen　of　Heaven；　and　who；　when　they　wish　for　any　favour；　have　only　to　say　half　a　word　to　get　it。　　And　do　not　cast　in　oblivion　that　at　the　last　I　obeyed　your　wish　and　brought　you　safely　to　Riolama。　　It　is　true　that　in　some　small　things　I　deceived　you；　but　that　must　not　weigh　with　you；　because　it　is　a　small　matter　and　not　worthy　of　mention　when　you　consider　the　claims　I　have　on　you。　　In　your　hands；　Rima；　I　leave　everything；　relying　on　the　promise　you　made　me；　and　on　my　services。　　Only　one　word　of　caution　remains　to　be　added。　　Do　not　let　the　magnificence　of　the　place　you　are　now　about　to　enter；　the　new　sights　and　colours；　and　the　noise　of　shouting；　and　musical　instruments　and　blowing　of　trumpets；　put　these　things　out　of　your　head。　　Nor　must　you　begin　to　think　meanly　of　yourself　and　be　abashed　when　you　find　yourself　surrounded　by　saints　and　angels；　for　you　are　not　less　than　they；　although　it　may　not　seem　so　at　first　when　you　see　them　in　their　bright　clothes；　which；　they　say；　shine　like　the　sun。　　I　cannot　ask　you　to　tie　a　string　round　your　finger；　I　can　only　trust　to　your　memory；　which　was　always　good；　even　about　the　smallest　things；　and　when　you　are　asked；　as　no　doubt　you　will　be；　to　express　a　wish；　remember　before　everything　to　speak　of　your　grandfather；　and　his　claims　on　you；　also　on　your　angelic　mother；　to　whom　you　will　present　my　humble　remembrances。〃

During　this　petition；　which　in　other　circumstances　would　have　moved　me　to　laughter　but　now　only　irritated　me；　a　subtle　change　seemed　to　come　to　the　apparently　lifeless　girl　to　make　me　hope。　The　small　hand　in　mine　felt　not　so　icy　cold；　and　though　no　faintest　colour　had　come　to　the　face；　its　pallor　had　lost　something　of　its　deathly　waxen　appearance；　and　now　the　compressed　lips　had　relaxed　a　little　and　seemed　ready　to　part。　　I　laid　my　finger…tips　on　her　heart　and　felt；　or　imagined　that　I　felt；　a　faint　fluttering；　and　at　last　I　became　convinced　that　her　heart　was　really　beating。

I　turned　my　eyes　on　the　old　man；　still　bending　forward；　intently　watching　for　the　sign　he　had　asked　her　to　make。　　My　anger　and　disgust　at　his　gross　earthy　egoism　had　vanished。　　〃Let　us　thank　God；　old　man；〃　I　said；　the　tears　of　joy　half　choking　my　utterance。　　〃She　livesshe　is　recovering　from　her　fit。〃

He　drew　back；　and　on　his　knees；　with　bowed　head；　murmured　a　prayer　of　thanks　to　Heaven。

Together　we　continued　watching　her　face　for　half　an　hour　longer；　I　still　holding　her　in　my　arms；　which　could　never　grow　weary　of　that　sweet　burden；　waiting　for　other；　surer　signs　of　returning　life；　and　she　seemed　now　like　one　that　had　fallen　into　a　profound；　death…like　sleep　which　must　end　in　death。　　Yet　when　I　remembered　her　face　as　it　had　looked　an　hour　ago；　I　was　confirmed　in　the　belief　that　the　progress　to　recovery；　so　strangely　slow；　was　yet　sure。　　So　slow；　so　gradual　was　this　passing　from　death　to　life　that　we　had　hardly　ceased　to　fear　when　we　noticed　that　the　lips　were　parted；　or　almost　parted；　that　they　were　no　longer　white；　and　that　under　her　pale；　transparent　skin　a　faint；　bluish…rosy　colour　was　now　visible。　　And　at　length；　seeing　that　all　danger　was　past　and　recovery　so　slow；　old　Nuflo　withdrew　once　more　to　the　fireside　and；　stretching　himself　out　on　the　sandy　floor；　soon　fell　into　a　deep　sleep。

If　he　had　not　been　lying　there　before　me　in　the　strong　light　of　the　glowing　embers　and　dancing　flames；　I　could　not　have　felt　more　alone　with　Rimaalone　amid　those　remote　mountains；　in　that　secret　cavern；　with　lights　and　shadows　dancing　on　its　grey　vault。　In　that　profound　silence　and　solitude　the　mysterious　loveliness　of　the　still　face　I　continued　to　gaze　on；　its　appearance　of　life　without　consciousness；　produced　a　strange　feeling　i