green mansions-第32章

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〃O　Rima；　can　you　not　understand？　　It　is　too　far。　　And　your　grandfather；　poor　old　man；　would　die　of　weariness　and　hunger　and　old　age　in　some　strange　forest。〃

〃Would　he　dieold　grandfather？　　Then　we　could　cover　him　up　with　palm　leaves　in　the　forest　and　leave　him。　　It　would　not　be　grandfather；　only　his　body　that　must　turn　to　dust。　　He　would　be　awayaway　where　the　stars　are。　　We　should　not　die；　but　go　on；　and　on；　and　on。〃

To　continue　the　discussion　seemed　hopeless。　　I　was　silent；　thinking　of　what　I　had　heardthat　there　were　others　like　her　somewhere　in　that　vast　green　world；　so　much　of　it　imperfectly　known；　so　many　districts　never　yet　explored　by　white　men。　　True；　it　was　strange　that　no　report　of　such　a　race　had　reached　the　ears　of　any　traveller；　yet　here　was　Rima　herself　at　my　side；　a　living　proof　that　such　a　race　did　exist。　　Nuflo　probably　knew　more　than　he　would　say；　I　had　failed；　as　we　have　seen；　to　win　the　secret　from　him　by　fair　means；　and　could　not　have　recourse　to　foulthe　rack　and　thumbscrewto　wring　it　from　him。　　To　the　Indians　she　was　only　an　object　of　superstitious　feara　daughter　of　the　Didiand　to　them　nothing　of　her　origin　was　known。　　And　she；　poor　girl；　had　only　a　vague　remembrance　of　a　few　words　heard　in　childhood　from　her　mother；　and　probably　not　rightly　understood。

While　these　thoughts　had　been　passing　through　my　mind；　Rima　had　been　standing　silent　by；　waiting；　perhaps；　for　an　answer　to　her　last　words。　　Then　stooping；　she　picked　up　a　small　pebble　and　tossed　it　three　or　four　yards　away。

〃Do　you　see　where　it　fell？〃　　she　cried；　turning　towards　me。　　〃That　is　on　the　border　of　Guayanais　it　not？　　Let　us　go　there　first。〃

〃Rime；　how　you　distress　me！　　We　cannot　go　there。　　It　is　all　a　savage　wilderness；　almost　unknown　to　mena　blank　on　the　map〃

〃The　map？speak　no　word　that　I　do　not　understand。〃

In　a　very　few　words　I　explained　my　meaning；　even　fewer　would　have　sufficed；　so　quick　was　her　apprehension。

〃If　it　is　a　blank；〃　she　returned　quickly；　〃then　you　know　of　nothing　to　stop　usno　river　we　cannot　swim；　and　no　great　mountains　like　those　where　Quito　is。〃

〃But　I　happen　to　know；　Rima；　for　it　has　been　related　to　me　by　old　Indians；　that　of　all　places　that　is　the　most　difficult　of　access。　There　is　a　river　there；　and　although　it　is　not　on　the　map；　it　would　prove　more　impassable　to　us　than　the　mighty　Orinoco　and　Amazon。　　It　has　vast　malarious　swamps　on　its　borders；　overgrown　with　dense　forest；　teeming　with　savage　and　venomous　animals；　so　that　even　the　Indians　dare　not　venture　near　it。　　And　even　before　the　river　is　reached；　there　is　a　range　of　precipitous　mountains　called　by　the　same　namejust　there　where　your　pebble　fellthe　mountains　of　Riolama〃

Hardly　had　the　name　fallen　from　my　lips　before　a　change　swift　as　lightning　came　over　her　countenance；　all　doubt；　anxiety；　petulance；　hope；　and　despondence；　and　these　in　ever…varying　degrees；　chasing　each　other　like　shadows；　had　vanished；　and　she　was　instinct　and　burning　with　some　new　powerful　emotion　which　had　flashed　into　her　soul。

〃Riolama！　　Riolama！〃　　she　repeated　so　rapidly　and　in　a　tone　so　sharp　that　it　tingled　in　the　brain。　　〃That　is　the　place　I　am　seeking！　　There　was　my　mother　foundthere　are　her　people　and　mine！　　Therefore　was　I　called　Riolamathat　is　my　name！〃

〃Rima！〃　　I　returned；　astonished　at　her　words。

〃No；　no；　noRiolama。　　When　I　was　a　child；　and　the　priest　baptized　me；　he　named　me　Riolamathe　place　where　my　mother　was　found。　　But　it　was　long　to　say；　and　they　called　me　Rima。〃

Suddenly　she　became　still　and　then　cried　in　a　ringing　voice：

〃And　he　knew　it　all　alongthat　old　manhe　knew　that　Riolama　was　nearonly　there　where　the　pebble　fellthat　we　could　go　there！〃

While　speaking　she　turned　towards　her　home；　pointing　with　raised　hand。　　Her　whole　appearance　now　reminded　me　of　that　first　meeting　with　her　when　the　serpent　bit　me；　the　soft　red　of　her　irides　shone　like　fire；　her　delicate　skin　seemed　to　glow　with　an　intense　rose　colour；　and　her　frame　trembled　with　her　agitation；　so　that　her　loose　cloud　of　hair　was　in　motion　as　if　blown　through　by　the　wind。

〃Traitor！　　Traitor！〃　　she　cried；　still　　looking　homewards　and　using　quick；　passionate　gestures。　　〃It　was　all　known　to　you；　and　you　deceived　me　all　these　years；　even　to　me；　Rima；　you　lied　with　your　lips！　　Oh；　horrible！　　Was　there　ever　such　a　scandal　known　in　Guayana？　　Come；　follow　me；　let　us　go　at　once　to　Riolama。〃　　And　without　so　much　as　casting　a　glance　behind　to　see　whether　I　followed　or　no；　she　hurried　away；　and　in　a　couple　of　minutes　disappeared　from　sight　over　the　edge　of　the　flat　summit。　　〃Rime！　　Rima！　　Come　back　and　listen　to　me！　　Oh；　you　are　mad！　　Come　back！　　Come　back！〃

But　she　would　not　return　or　pause　and　listen；　and　looking　after　her；　I　saw　her　bounding　down　the　rocky　slope　like　some　wild；　agile　creature　possessed　of　padded　hoofs　and　an　infallible　instinct；　and　before　many　minutes　she　vanished　from　sight　among　crabs　and　trees　lower　down。

〃Nuflo；　old　man；〃　said　I；　looking　out　towards　his　lodge；　〃are　there　no　shooting　pains　in　those　old　bones　of　yours　to　warn　you　in　time　of　the　tempest　about　to　burst　on　your　head？〃

Then　I　sat　down　to　think。



CHAPTER　XII

To　follow　impetuous；　bird…like　Rima　in　her　descent　of　the　hill　would　have　been　impossible；　nor　had　I　any　desire　to　be　a　witness　of　old　Nuflo's　discomfiture　at　the　finish。　　It　was　better　to　leave　them　to　settle　their　quarrel　themselves；　while　I　occupied　myself　in　turning　over　these　fresh　facts　in　my　mind　to　find　out　how　they　fitted　into　the　speculative　structure　I　had　been　building　during　the　last　two　or　three　weeks。　　But　it　soon　struck　me　that　it　was　getting　late；　that　the　sun　would　be　gone　in　a　couple　of　hours；　and　at　once　I　began　the　descent。　　It　was　not　accomplished　without　some　bruises　and　a　good　many　scratches。　　After　a　cold　draught；　obtained　by　putting　my　lips　to　a　black　rock　from　which　the　water　was　trickling；　I　set　out　on　my　walk　home；　keeping　near　the　western　border　of　the　forest　for　fear　of　losing　myself。　　I　had　covered　about　half　the　distance　from　the　foot　of　the　hill　to　Nuflo's　lodge　when　the　sun　went　down。　　Away　on　my　left　the　evening　uproar　of　the　howling　monkeys　burst　out；　and　after　three　or　four　minutes　ceased；　the　after　silence　was　pierced　at　intervals　by　screams　of　birds　going　to　roost　among　the　trees　in　the　distance；　and　by　many　minor　sounds　close　at　hand；　of　small　bird；　frog；　and　insect。　　The　western　sky　was　now　like　amber…coloured　flame；　and　against　that　immeasurably　distant　luminous　background　the　near　branches　and　clustered　foliage　looked　black；　but　on　my　left　hand　the　vegetation　still　appeared　of　a　uniform　dusky　green。　In　a　little　while　night　would　drown　all　colour；　and　there　would　be　no　light　but　that　of　the　wandering　lantern…fly；　always　unwelcome　to　the　belated　walker　in　a　lonely　place；　since；　like　the　ignis　fatuus；　it　is　confusing　to　the　sight　and　sense　of　direction。

With　increasing　anxiety　I　hastened　on；　when　all　at　once　a　low　growl　issuing　from　the　bushes　some　yards　ahead　of　me　brought　me　to　a　stop。　　In　a　moment　the　dogs；　Susio　and　Goloso；　rushed　out　from　some　hiding　place　furiously　barking；　but　they　quickly　recognized　me　and　slunk　back　again。　　Relieved　from　fear；　I　walked　on　for　a　short　distance；　then　it　struck　me　that　the　old　man　must　be　about　somewhere；　as　the　dogs　scarcely　ever　stirred　from　his　side。　　Turning　back；　I　went　to　the　spot　where　they　had　appeared　to　me；　and　there；　after　a　while；　I　caught　sight　of　a　dim；　yellow　form　as　one　of　the　brutes　rose　up　to　look　at　me。　　He　had　been　lying　on　the　ground　by　the　side　of　a　wide…spreading　bush；　dead　and　dry；　but　overgrown　by　a　creeping　plant　which　had　completely　covered　its　broad；　flat　top　like　a　piece　of　tapestry　thrown　over　a　table；　its　slender　terminal　stems　and　leaves　hanging　over　the　edge　like　a　deep　fringe。　　But　the　fringe　did　not　reach　to　the　ground　and　under　the　bush。　　in　its　dark　interior。　　I　caught　sight　of　the　other　dog；　and　after　gazing　in　for　some　time；　I　also　discovered　a　black；　recumbent　form；　which　I　took　to　be　Nuflo。

〃What　are　you　doing　there；　old　man？〃　　I　cried。　　〃Where　is　Rimahave　you　not　seen　her？　　Come　out。〃

Then　he　stirred　himself；　slowly　creeping　out　on　all　fours；　and　finally；　getting　free　of　the　dead　twigs　and　leaves；　he　stood