returning home-第2节

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Perhaps　no　direct　road　to　and　from　any　city　on　the　world's　surface
is　subject　to　sharper　fatigue　while　it　lasts。　　Journeying　by　this
route　also；　the　traveller　leaves　San　Jose　mounted　on　his　mule；　and
so　mounted　he　makes　his　way　through　the　vast　primeval　forests　down
to　the　banks　of　the　Serapiqui　river。　　That　there　is　a　track　for　him
is　of　course　true；　but　it　is　simply　a　track；　and　during　nine　months
of　the　twelve　is　so　deep　in　mud　that　the　mules　sink　in　it　to　their
bellies。　　Then；　when　the　river　has　been　reached；　the　traveller　seats
him　in　his　canoe；　and　for　two　days　is　paddled　down；down　along　the
Serapiqui；　into　the　San　Juan　River；　and　down　along　the　San　Juan　till
he　reaches　Greytown；　passing　one　night　at　some　hut　on　the　river
side。　　At　Greytown　he　waits　for　the　steamer　which　will　carry　him　his
first　stage　on　his　road　towards　Southampton。　　He　must　be　a
connoisseur　in　disagreeables　of　every　kind　who　can　say　with　any
precision　whether　Greytown　or　Punt'　Arenas　is　the　better　place　for　a
week's　sojourn。

For　a　full　month　Mr。　Arkwright　would　not　give　way　to　his　wife。　　At
first　he　all　but　conquered　her　by　declaring　that　the　Serapiqui
journey　would　be　dangerous　for　the　baby；　but　she　heard　from　some　one
that　it　could　be　made　less　fatiguing　for　the　baby　than　the　other
route。　　A　baby　had　been　carried　down　in　a　litter　strapped　on　to　a
mule's　back。　　A　guide　at　the　mule's　head　would　be　necessary；　and
that　was　all。　　When　once　in　her　boat　the　baby　would　be　as　well　as　in
her　cradle。　　What　purpose　cannot　a　woman　gain　by　perseverance？　　Her
purpose　in　this　instance　Mrs。　Arkwright　did　at　last　gain　by
persevering。

And　then　their　preparations　for　the　journey　went　on　with　much
flurrying　and　hot　haste。　　To　us　at　home；　who　live　and　feel　our　life
every　day；　the　manufacture　of　endless　baby…linen　and　the　packing　of
mountains　of　clothes　does　not　give　an　idea　of　much　pleasurable
excitement；　but　at　San　Jose；　where　there　was　scarcely　motion　enough
in　existence　to　prevent　its　waters　from　becoming　foul　with
stagnation；　this　packing　of　baby…linen　was　delightful；　and　for　a
month　or　so　the　days　went　by　with　happy　wings。

But　by　degrees　reports　began　to　reach　both　Arkwright　and　his　wife　as
to　this　new　route；　which　made　them　uneasy。　　The　wet　season　had　been
prolonged；　and　even　though　they　might　not　be　deluged　by　rain
themselves；　the　path　would　be　in　such　a　state　of　mud　as　to　render
the　labour　incessant。　　One　or　two　people　declared　that　the　road　was
unfit　at　any　time　for　a　woman；and　then　the　river　would　be　much
swollen。　　These　tidings　did　not　reach　Arkwright　and　his　wife
together；　or　at　any　rate　not　till　late　amidst　their　preparations；　or
a　change　might　still　have　been　made。　　As　it　was；　after　all　her
entreaties；　Mrs。　Arkwright　did　not　like　to　ask　him　again　to　alter
his　plans；　and　he；　having　altered　them　once；　was　averse　to　change
them　again。　　So　things　went　on　till　the　mules　and　the　boats　had　been
hired；　and　things　had　gone　so　far　that　no　change　could　then　be　made
without　much　cost　and　trouble。

During　the　last　ten　days　of　their　sojourn　at　San　Jose；　Mrs。
Arkwright　had　lost　all　that　appearance　of　joy　which　had　cheered　up
her　sweet　face　during　the　last　few　months。　　Terror　at　that　terrible
journey　obliterated　in　her　mind　all　the　happiness　which　had　arisen
from　the　hope　of　being　soon　at　home。　　She　was　thoroughly　cowed　by
the　danger　to　be　encountered；　and　would　gladly　have　gone　down　to
Punt'　Arenas；　had　it　been　now　possible　that　she　could　so　arrange　it。
It　rained；　and　rained；　and　still　rained；　when　there　was　now　only　a
week　from　the　time　they　started。　　Oh！　if　they　could　only　wait　for
another　month！　　But　this　she　said　to　no　one。　　After　what　had　passed
between　her　and　her　husband；　she　had　not　the　heart　to　say　such　words
to　him。　　Arkwright　himself　was　a　man　not　given　to　much　talking；　a
silent　thoughtful　man；　stern　withal　in　his　outward　bearing；　but
tender…hearted　and　loving　in　his　nature。　　The　sweet　young　wife　who
had　left　all；　and　come　with　him　out　to　that　dull　distant　place；　was
very　dear　to　him；dearer　than　she　herself　was　aware；　and　in　these
days　he　was　thinking　much　of　her　coming　troubles。　　Why　had　he　given
way　to　her　foolish　prayers？　　Ah；　why　indeed？　　And　thus　the　last　few
days　of　their　sojourn　in　San　Jose　passed　away　from　them。　　Once　or
twice　during　these　days　she　did　speak　out；　expressing　her　fears。
Her　feelings　were　too　much　for　her；　and　she　could　not　restrain
herself。　　〃Poor　mamma；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　never　see　her！〃　　And　then
again；　〃Harry；　I　know　I　shall　never　reach　home　alive。〃

〃Fanny；　my　darling；　that　is　nonsense。〃　　But　in　order　that　his　spoken
word　might　not　sound　stern　to　her；　he　took　her　in　his　arms　and
kissed　her。

〃You　must　behave　well；　Fanny；〃　he　said　to　her　the　day　before　they
started。　　Though　her　heart　was　then　very　low　within　her；　she
promised　him　that　she　would　do　her　best；　and　then　she　made　a　great
resolution。　　Though　she　should　be　dying　on　the　road；　she　would　not
complain　beyond　the　absolute　necessity　of　her　nature。　　She　fully
recognised　his　thoughtful　tender　kindness；　for　though　he　thus
cautioned　her；　he　never　told　her　that　the　dangers　which　she　feared
were　the　result　of　her　own　choice。　　He　never　threw　in　her　teeth
those　prayers　which　she　had　made；　in　yielding　to　which　he　knew　that
he　had　been　weak。

Then　came　the　morning　of　their　departure。　　The　party　of　travellers
consisted　of　four　besides　the　baby。　　There　was　Mr。　Arkwright；　his
wife；　and　an　English　nurse；　who　was　going　to　England　with　them；　and
her　brother；　Abel　Ring；　who　was　to　accompany　them　as　far　as　the
Serapiqui　River。　　When　they　had　reached　that；　the　real　labour　of　the
journey　would　be　over。

They　had　eight　mules；　four　for　the　four　travellers；　one　for　the
baby；　a　spare　mule　laden　simply　with　blankets；　so　that　Mrs。
Arkwright　might　change　in　order　that　she　should　not　be　fatigued　by
the　fatigue　of　her　beast；　and　two　for　their　luggage。　　The　portion　of
their　baggage　had　already　been　sent　off　by　Punt'　Arenas；　and　would
meet　them　at　the　other　side　of　the　Isthmus　of　Panama。

For　the　last　four　days　the　rain　had　ceased；had　ceased　at　any　rate
at　San　Jose。　　Those　who　knew　the　country　well；　would　know　that　it
might　still　be　raining　over　those　vast　forests；　but　now　as　the
matter　was　settled；　they　would　hope　for　the　best。　　On　that　morning
on　which　they　started　the　sun　shone　fairly；　and　they　accepted　this
as　an　omen　of　good。　　Baby　seemed　to　lay　comfortably　on　her　pile　of
blankets　on　the　mule's　back；　and　the　face　of　the　tall　Indian　guide
who　took　his　place　at　that　mule's　head　pleased　the　anxious　mother。

〃Not　leave　him　ever；〃　he　said　in　Spanish；　laying　his　hand　on　the
cord　which　was　fastened　to　the　beast's　head；　and　not　for　one　moment
did　he　leave　his　charge；　though　the　labour　of　sticking　close　to　him
was　very　great。

They　had　four　attendants　or　guides；　all　of　whom　made　the　journey　on
foot。　　That　they　were　all　men　of　mixed　race　was　probable；　but　three
of　them　would　have　been　called　Spaniards；　Spaniards；　that　is；　of
Costa　Rica；　and　the　other　would　be　called　an　Indian。　　One　of　the
Spaniards　was　the　leader；　or　chief　man　of　the　party；　but　the　others
seemed　to　stand　on　an　equal　footing　with　each　other；　and　indeed　the
place　of　greatest　care　had　been　given　to　the　Indian。

For　the　first　four　or　five　miles　their　route　lay　along　the　high　road
which　leads　from　San　Jose　to　Punt'　Arenas；　and　so　far　a　group　of
acquaintances　followed　them；　all　mounted　on　mules。　　Here；　where　the
ways　forked；　their　road　leading　through　the　great　forests　to　the
Atlantic；　they　separated；　and　many　tears　were　shed　on　each　side。
What　might　be　the　future　life　of　the　Arkwrights　had　not　been
absolutely　fixed；　but　there　was　a　strong　hope　on　their　part　that
they　might　never　be　forced　to　return　to　Costa　Rica。　　Those　from　whom
they　now　parted　had　not　seemed　to　be　dear　to　them　in　any　especial
degree　while　they　all　lived　together　in　the　same　small　town；　seeing
each　other　day　by　day；　but　now；now　that　they　might　never　meet
again；　a　certain　love　sprang　up　for　the　old　familiar　faces；　and
women　kissed　each　other　who　hitherto　had　hardly　cared　to　enter　each
other's　houses。

And　then　the　party　of　the　Arkwrights　again　started；　and　its　steady
work　began。　　In　the　whole　of　the　first　day　the　way　beneath　their
feet　was　tolerably　good；　and　the　weather　continued　fine。　　It　was　one
long　gradual　ascent　from　the　plain　where　the　roads　parted；　but　there
was　no　real　labour　in　travelling。　　Mrs。　Arkwright　rode　beside　her
baby's　mule；　at　the　head　of　which　the　Indian　always　walked；　and　the
two　men　went　together　in　front。　　The　husband　had　found　that　his　wife
would　prefer　this；　as　long　as　the　road　allowed　of　such　an
arrangement。　　Her　heart　was　too　full　to　admit　of　much　speaking；　and
so　they　went　on　in　silence。

The　first　night　was　passed　in　a　hut　by　the　roadside；　which　seemed　to
be　deserted；a　hut　or　rancho　as　it　is　called　in　that　country。
Their　food　they　had；　of　course；　brought　with　them；　and　here；　by
common　consent；　they　endeavoured　in　some　sort　to　make　themselves
merry。

〃Fanny；〃　Arkwright　said　to　her；　〃it　is　not　so　bad　after　all；　eh；　my
darling？〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃only　that　the　mule　tires　one　so。　　Will　all　the
days　be　as　lon