whirligigs-第12节

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ware　and　cutlery。　　These　articles　Don　Johnny　traded　to

the　interior　Indians　for　the　gold　dust　that　they　washed

from　the　Andean　streams　and　stored　in　quills　and　bags

against　his　coming。　　It　was　a　profitable　business；　and

Se駉r　Armstrong　expected　soon　to　be　able　to　purchase

the　coffee　plantation　that　he　coveted。



Armstrong　stood　on　the　narrow　sidewalk；　exchanging

garbled　Spanish　with　old　Peralto；　the　rich　native　merchant

who　had　just　charged　him　four　prices　for　half　a　gross　of

pot…metal　hatchets；　and　abridged　English　with　Rucker；

the　little　German　who　was　Consul　for　the　United　States。



〃Take　with　you；　se駉r；〃　said　Peralto；　〃the　blessings

of　the　saints　upon　your　journey。〃



〃Better　try　quinine；〃　growled　Rucker　through　his　pipe。

〃Take　two　grains　every　night。　　And　don't　make　your

trip　too　long；　Johnny；　because　we　haf　needs　of　you。　　It　is

ein　villainous　game　dot　Melville　play　of　whist；　and　dere

is　no　oder　substitute。　　Auf　wiedersehen；　und　keep　your

eyes　dot　mule's　ears　between　when　you　on　der　edge　of

der　brecipices　ride。〃



The　bells　of　Luis's　mule　jingled　and　the　pack　train

filed　after　the　warning　note。　　Armstrong；　waved　a　good…

bye　and　took　his　place　at　the　tail　of　the　procession。　　Up

the　narrow　street　they　turned；　and　passed　the　two…story

wooden　Hotel　Ingles；　where　Ives　and　Dawson　and　Rich…

ards　and　the　rest　of　the　chaps　were　dawdling　on　the　broad

piazza；　reading　week…old　newspapers。　　They　crowded　to

the　railing　and　shouted　many　friendly　and　wise　and　foolish

farewells　after　him。　　Across　the　plaza　they　trotted　slowly

past　the　bronze　statue　of　Guzman　Blanco；　within　its　fence

of　bayoneted　rifles　captured　from　revolutionists；　and　out

of　the　town　between　the　rows　of　thatched　huts　swarming

with　the　unclothed　youth　of　Macuto。　　They　plunged

into　the　damp　coolness　of　banana　groves　at　length　to

emerge　upon　a　bright　stream；　where　brown　women　in

scant　raiment　laundered　clothes　destructively　upon　the

rocks。　　Then　the　pack　train；　fording　the　stream；　attacked

the　sudden　ascent；　and　bade　adieu　to　such　civilization　as

the　coast　afforded。



For　weeks　Armstrong；　guided　by　Luis；　followed　his

regular　route　among　the　mountains。　　After　he　had　col…

lected　an　arroba　of　the　precious　metal；　winning　a　profit

of　nearly　5；000；　the　heads　of　the　lightened　mules　were

turned　down…trail　again。　　Where　the　head　of　the　Guarico

River　springs　from　a　great　gash　in　the　mountain…side；

Luis　halted　the　train。



〃Half　a　day's　journey　from　here；　Se駉r；〃　said　he；

〃is　the　village　of　Tacuzama；　which　we　have　never　visited。

I　think　many　ounces　of　gold　may　be　procured　there。　　It

is　worth　the　trial。〃



Armstrong　concurred；　and　they　turned　again　upward

toward　Tacuzama。　　The　trail　was　abrupt　and　precipi…

tous　mounting　through　a　dense　forest。　　As　night　fell；

dark　and　gloomy；　Luis　once　more　halted。　　Before　them

was　a　black　chasm；　bisecting　the　path　as　far　as　they　could

see。



Luis　dismounted。　　〃There　should　be　a　bridge；〃　he

called；　and　ran　along　the　cleft　a　distance。　　〃It　is　here；〃

he　cried；　and　remounting；　led　the　way。　　In　a　few　moments

Armstrong；　heard　a　sound　as　though　a　thunderous　drum

were　beating　somewhere　in　the　dark。　　It　was　the　falling

of　the　mules'　hoofs　upon　the　bridge　made　of　strong　hides

lashed　to　poles　and　stretched　across　the　chasm。　　Half　a

mile　further　was　Tacuzama。　　The　village　was　a　congre…

gation　of　rock　and　mud　huts　set　in　the　profundity　of　an

obscure　wood。　　As　they　rode　in　a　sound　inconsistent

with　that　brooding　solitude　met　their　ears。　　From　a

long；　low　mud　hut　that　they　were　nearing　rose　the　glorious

voice　of　a　woman　in　song。　　The　words　were　English；

the　air　familiar　to　Armstrong's　memory；　but　not　to　his

musical　knowledge。



He　slipped　from　his　mule　and　stole　to　a　narrow　window

in　one　end　of　the　house。　　Peering　cautiously　inside；　he

saw；　within　three　feet　of　him；　a　woman　of　marvellous；

imposing　beauty；　clothed　in　a　splendid　loose　robe　of

leopard　skins。　　The　hut　was　packed　close　to　the　small

space　in　which　she　stood　with　the　squatting　figures　of

Indians。



The　woman　finished　her　song　and　seated　herself　close

to　the　little　window；　as　if　grateful　for　the　unpolluted　air

that　entered　it。　　When　she　had　ceased　several　of　the

audience　rose　and　cast　little　softly…falling　bags　at　her　feet。

A　harsh　murmur　　no　doubt　a　barbarous　kind　of　applause

and　comment　　went　through　the　grim　assembly。



Armstrong；　was　used　to　seizing　opportunities　promptly。

Taking　advantage　of　the　noise　he　called　to　the　woman　in

a　low　but　distinct　voice：　〃Do　not　turn　your　head　this　way；

but　listen。　　I　am　an　American。　　If　you　need　assistance

tell　me　how　I　can　render　it。　　Answer　as　briefly　as　you　can。〃



The　woman　was　worthy　of　his　boldness。　　Only　by　a

sudden　flush　of　her　pale　cheek　did　she　acknowledge

understanding　of　his　words。　　Then　she　spoke；　scarcely

moving　her　lips。



〃I　am　held　a　prisoner　by　these　Indians。　　God　knows

I　need　help。　　In　two　hours　come　to　the　little　hut　twenty

yards　toward　the　Mountainside。　　There　will　be　a　light

and　a　red　curtain　in　the　window。　　There　is　always　a

guard　at　the　door；　whom　you　will　have　to　overcome。　　For

the　love　of　heaven；　do　not　fail　to　come。〃



The　story　seems　to　shrink　from　adventure　and　rescue

and　mystery。　　The　theme　is　one　too　gentle　for　those

brave　and　quickening　tones。　　And　yet　it　reaches　as　far

back　as　time　itself。　　It　has　been　named　〃environment；〃

which　is　as　weak　a　word　as　any　to　express　the　unnameable

kinship　of　man　to　nature；　that　queer　fraternity　that　causes

stones　and　trees　and　salt　water　and　clouds　to　play　upon

our　emotions。　　Why　are　we　made　serious　and　solemn

and　sublime　by　mountain　heights；　grave　and　contempla…

tive　by　an　abundance　of　overhanging　trees；　reduced　to

inconstancy　and　monkey　capers　by　the　ripples　on　a　sandy

beach？　Did　the　protoplasm　　but　enough。　　The　chem…

ists　are　looking　into　the　matter；　and　before　long　they　will

have　all　life　in　the　table　of　the　symbols。



Briefly；　then；　in　order　to　confine　the　story　within

scientific　bounds；　John　Armstrong；　went　to　the　hut；　choked

the　Indian　guard　and　carried　away　Mlle。　Giraud。　　With

her　was　also　conveyed　a　number　of　pounds　of　gold　dust

she　had　collected　during　her　six　months'　forced　engage…

ment　in　Tacuzama。　　The　Carabobo　Indians　are　easily

the　most　enthusiastic　lovers　of　music　between　the　equator

and　the　French　Opera　House　in　New　Orleans。　　They

are　also　strong　believers　that　the　advice　of　Emerson　was

good　when　he　said：　〃The　thing　thou　wantest；　0　discon…

tented　man　　take　it；　and　pay　the　price。〃　　A　number

of　them　had　attended　the　performance　of　the　Alcazar

Opera　Company　in　Macuto；　and　found　Mlle。　Giraud's

style　and　technique　satisfactory。　　They　wanted　her；　so

they　took　her　one　evening　suddenly　and　without　any　fuss。

They　treated　her　with　much　consideration；　exacting

only　one　song　recital　each　day。　　She　was　quite　pleased　at

being　rescued　by　Mr。　Armstrong。　　So　much　for　mystery

and　adventure。　　Now　to　resume　the　theory　of　the　proto…

plasm。



John　Armstrong　and　Mlle。　Giraud　rode　among　the

Andean　peaks；　enveloped　in　their　greatness　and　sublimity。

The　mightiest　cousins；　furthest　removed；　in　nature's

great　family　become　conscious　of　the　tie。　　Among　those

huge　piles　of　primordial　upheaval；　amid　those　gigantic

silences　and　elongated　fields　of　distance　the　littlenesses

of　men　are　precipitated　as　one　chemical　throws　down　a

sediment　from　another。　　They　moved　reverently；　as

in　a　temple。　　Their　souls　were　uplifted　in　unison　with　the

stately　heights。　　They　travelled　in　a　zone　of　majesty　and

peace。



To　Armstrong　the　woman　seemed　almost　a　holy　thing。

Yet　bathed　in　the　white；　still　dignity　of　her　martyrdom

that　purified　her　earthly　beauty　and　gave　out；　it　seemed；

an　aura　of　transcendent　loveliness；　in　those　first　hours

of　companionship　she　drew　from　him　an　adoration　that

was　half　human　love；　half　the　worship　of　a　descended

goddess。



Never　yet　since　her　rescue　had　she　smiled。　　Over　her

dress　she　still　wore　the　robe　of　leopard　skins；　for

mountain　air　was　cold。　　She　looked　to　be　some　splendid

princess　belonging　to　those　wild　and　awesome　altitudes。

The　spirit　of　the　region　chimed　with　hers。　　Her　eyes

were　always　turned　upon　the　sombre　cliffs；　the　blue　gorges

and　the　snow…clad　turrets；　looking　a　sublime　melancholy

equal　to　their　own。　　At　times　on　the　journey　she　sang

thrilling　te　deums　and　misereres　that　struck　the　true　note

of　the　hills；　and　made　their　route　seem　like　a　solemn

march　down　a　cathedral　aisle。　　The　rescued　one　spoke

but　seldom；　her　mood　partaking　of　the　hush　of　nature

that　surrounded　them。　　Armstrong　looked　upon　her　as

an　angel。　　He　could　not　bring　himself　to　the　sacrilege

of　attempting　to　woo　her　as　other　women　may　be　wooed。



On　the　third　day　they　had　descended　as　far　as　the

tierra　templada；　the　zona　of　the　table　lands　and　foot　hills。

The　mountains　were　receding　in　their　rear；　but　still