green mansions-第30部分

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〃Oh；　you　are　going　to　kill　yourself。〃　　she　cried。　　〃Oh；　wicked　man；　wait　until　you　know　what　will　happen　to　you　after　death。　　All　shall　now　be　told　to　my　mother。　　Hear　my　words；　then　kill　yourself。〃

She　also　now　dropped　on　to　her　knees　and；　lifting　her　clasped　hands　and　fixing　her　resentful　sparkling　eyes　on　the　dim　blue　patch　of　heaven　visible　beyond　the　treetops；　began　to　speak　rapidly　in　clear；　vibrating　tones。　　She　was　praying　to　her　mother　in　heaven；　and　while　Nuflo　listened　absorbed；　his　mouth　open；　his　eyes　fixed　on　her；　the　hand　that　clutched　the　knife　dropped　to　his　side。　　I　also　heard　with　the　greatest　wonder　and　admiration。　For　she　had　been　shy　and　reticent　with　me；　and　now；　as　if　oblivious　of　my　presence；　she　was　telling　aloud　the　secrets　of　her　inmost　heart。

〃O　mother；　mother；　listen　to　me；　to　Rima；　your　beloved　child！〃　she　began。　　〃All　these　years　I　have　been　wickedly　deceived　by　grandfatherNuflothe　old　man　that　found　you。　　Often　have　I　spoken　to　him　of　Riolama；　where　you　once　were；　and　your　people　are；　and　he　denied　all　knowledge　of　such　a　place。　　Sometimes　he　said　that　it　was　at　an　immense　distance；　in　a　great　wilderness　full　of　serpents　larger　than　the　trunks　of　great　trees；　and　of　evil　spirits　and　savage　men；　slayers　of　all　strangers。　　At　other　times　he　affirmed　that　no　such　place　existed；　that　it　was　a　tale　told　by　the　Indians；　such　false　things　did　he　say　to　meto　Rima；　your　child。　　O　mother；　can　you　believe　such　wickedness？

〃Then　a　stranger；　a　white　man　from　Venezuela；　came　into　our　woods：　this　is　the　man　that　was　bitten　by　a　serpent；　and　his　name　is　Abel；　only　I　do　not　call　him　by　that　name；　but　by　other　names　which　I　have　told　you。　　But　perhaps　you　did　not　listen；　or　did　not　hear；　for　I　spoke　softly　and　not　as　now；　on　my　knees；　solemnly。　For　I　must　tell　you；　O　mother；　that　after　you　died　the　priest　at　Voa　told　me　repeatedly　that　when　I　prayed；　whether　to　you　or　to　any　of　the　saints；　or　to　the　Mother　of　Heaven；　I　must　speak　as　he　had　taught　me　if　I　wished　to　be　heard　and　understood。　　And　that　was　most　strange；　since　you　had　taught　me　differently；　but　you　were　living　then；　at　Voa；　and　now　that　you　are　in　heaven；　perhaps　you　know　better。　　Therefore　listen　to　me　now；　O　mother；　and　let　nothing　I　say　escape　you。

〃When　this　white　man　had　been　for　some　days　with　us；　a　strange　thing　happened　to　me；　which　made　me　different；　so　that　I　was　no　longer　Rima；　although　Rima　stillso　strange　was　this　thing；　and　I　often　went　to　the　pool　to　look　at　myself　and　see　the　change　in　me；　but　nothing　different　could　I　see。　　In　the　first　place　it　came　from　his　eyes　passing　into　mine；　and　filling　me　just　as　the　lightning　fills　a　cloud　at　sunset：　afterwards　it　was　no　longer　from　his　eyes　only；　but　it　came　into　me　whenever　I　saw　him；　even　at　a　distance；　when　I　heard　his　voice；　and　most　of　all　when　he　touched　me　with　his　hand。　　When　he　is　out　of　my　sight　I　cannot　rest　until　I　see　him　again；　and　when　I　see　him；　then　I　am　glad；　yet　in　such　fear　and　trouble　that　I　hide　myself　from　him。　　O　mother；　it　could　not　be　told；　for　once　when　he　caught　me　in　his　arms　and　compelled　me　to　speak　of　it；　he　did　not　understand；　yet　there　was　need　to　tell　it；　then　it　came　to　me　that　only　to　our　people　could　it　be　told；　for　they　would　understand；　and　reply　to　me；　and　tell　me　what　to　do　in　such　a　case。

〃And　now；　O　mother；　this　is　what　happened　next。　　I　went　to　grandfather　and　first　begged　and　then　commanded　him　to　take　me　to　Riolama；　but　he　would　not　obey；　nor　give　attention　to　what　I　said；　but　whenever　I　spoke　to　him　of　it　he　rose　up　and　hurried　from　me；　and　when　I　followed　he　flung　back　a　confused　and　angry　reply；　saying　in　the　same　breath　that　it　was　so　long　since　he　had　been　to　Riolama　that　he　had　forgotten　where　it　was；　and　that　no　such　place　existed。　　And　which　of　his　words　were　true　and　which　false　I　knew　not；　so　that　it　would　have　been　better　if　he　had　returned　no　answer　at　all；　and　there　was　no　help　to　be　got　from　him。　　And　having　thus　failed；　and　there　being　no　other　person　to　speak　to　except　this　stranger；　I　determined　to　go　to　him；　and　in　his　company　seek　through　the　whole　world　for　my　people。　　This　will　surprise　you；　O　mother；　because　of　that　fear　which　came　on　me　in　his　presence；　causing　me　to　hide　from　his　sight；　but　my　wish　was　so　great　that　for　a　time　it　overcame　my　fear；　so　that　I　went　to　him　as　he　sat　alone　in　the　wood；　sad　because　he　could　not　see　me；　and　spoke　to　him；　and　led　him　to　the　summit　of　Ytaioa　to　show　me　all　the　countries　of　the　world　from　the　summit。　　And　you　must　also　know　that　I　tremble　in　his　presence；　not　because　I　fear　him　as　I　fear　Indians　and　cruel　men；　for　he　has　no　evil　in　him；　and　is　beautiful　to　look　at；　and　his　words　are　gentle；　and　his　desire　is　to　be　always　with　me；　so　that　he　difFers　from　all　other　men　I　have　seen；　just　as　I　differ　from　all　women；　except　from　you　only；　O　sweet　mother。

〃On　the　mountain…top　he　marked　out　and　named　all　the　countries　of　the　world；　the　great　mountains；　the　rivers；　the　plains；　the　forests；　the　cities；　and　told　me　also　of　the　peoples；　whites　and　savages；　but　of　our　people　nothing。　　And　beyond　where　the　world　ends　there　is　water；　water；　water。　　And　when　he　spoke　of　that　unknown　part　on　the　borders　of　Guayana；　on　the　side　of　the　Cordilleras；　he　named　the　mountains　of　Riolama；　and　in　that　way　I　first　found　out　where　my　people　are。　　I　then　left　him　on　Ytaioa；　he　refusing　to　follow　me；　and　ran　to　grandfather　and　taxed　him　with　his　falsehoods；　and　he；　finding　I　knew　all；　escaped　from　me　into　the　woods；　where　I　have　now　found　him　once　more；　talking　with　the　stranger。　　And　now；　O　mother；　seeing　himself　caught　and　unable　to　escape　a　second　time；　he　has　taken　up　a　knife　to　kill　himself；　so　as　not　to　take　me　to　Riolama；　and　he　is　only　waiting　until　I　finish　speaking　to　you；　for　I　wish　him　to　know　what　will　happen　to　him　after　death。　　Therefore；　O　mother；　listen　well　and　do　what　I　tell　you。　　When　he　has　killed　himself；　and　has　come　into　that　place　where　you　are；　see　that　he　does　not　escape　the　punishment　he　merits。　　Watch　well　for　his　coming；　for　he　is　full　of　cunning　and　deceit；　and　will　endeavor　to　hide　himself　from　your　eyes。　　When　you　have　recognized　himan　old　man；　brown　as　an　Indian；　with　a　white　beardpoint　him　out　to　the　angels；　and　say：　'This　is　Nuflo；　the　bad　man　that　lied　to　Rima。'　Let　them　take　him　and　singe　his　wings　with　fire；　so　that　he　may　not　escape　by　flying；　and　afterwards　thrust　him　into　some　dark　cavern　under　a　mountain；　and　place　a　great　stone　that　a　hundred　men　could　not　remove　over　its　mouth；　and　leave　him　there　alone　and　in　the　dark　for　ever！〃

Having　ended；　she　rose　quickly　from　her　knees；　and　at　the　same　moment　Nuflo；　dropping　the　knife；　cast　himself　prostrate　at　her　feet。

〃Rimamy　child；　my　child；　not　that！〃　　he　cried　out　in　a　voice　that　was　broken　with　terror。　　He　tried　to　take　hold　of　her　feet　with　his　hands；　but　she　shrank　from　him　with　aversion；　still　he　kept　on　crawling　after　her　like　a　disabled　lizard；　abjectly　imploring　her　to　forgive　him；　reminding　her　that　he　had　saved　from　death　the　woman　whose　enmity　had　now　been　enlisted　against　him；　and　declaring　that　he　would　do　anything　she　commanded　him；　and　gladly　perish　in　her　service。

It　was　a　pitiable　sight；　and　moving　quickly　to　her　side　I　touched　her　on　the　shoulder　and　asked　her　to　forgive　him。

The　response　came　quickly　enough。　　Turning　to　him　once　more；　she　said：　〃I　forgive　you；　grandfather。　　And　now　get　up　and　take　me　to　Riolama。〃

He　rose；　but　only　to　his　knees。　　〃But　you　have　not　told　her！〃　　he　said；　recovering　his　natural　voice；　although　still　anxious；　and　jerking　a　thumb　over　his　shoulder。　　〃Consider；　my　child；　that　I　am　old　and　shall　doubtless　perish　on　the　way。　　What　would　become　of　my　soul　in　such　a　case？　　For　now　you　have　told　her　everything；　and　it　will　not　be　forgotten。〃

She　regarded　him　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　then；　moving　a　little　way　apart；　dropped　on　to　her　knees　again；　and　with　raised　hands　and　eyes　fixed　on　the　blue　space　above；　already　sprinkled　with　stars；　prayed　again。

〃O　mother；　listen　to　me；　for　I　have　something　fresh　to　say　to　you。　　Grandfather　has　not　killed　himself；　but　has　asked　my　forgiveness　and　has　promised　to　obey　me。　　O　mother；　I　have　forgiven　him；　and　he　will　now　take　me　to　Riolama；　to　our　people。　Therefore；　O　mother；　if　he　dies　on　the　way　to　Riolama　let　nothing　be　done　against　him；　but　remember　only　that　I　forgave　him　at　the　last；　and　when　he　comes　into　that　place　where　you　are；　let　him　be　well　received；　for　that　is　the　wish　of　Rima；　your　child。〃

As　soon　as　this　second　petition　was　ended　she　was　up　again　and　engaged　in　an　animated　discussion　with　him；　urging　him　to　take　her　without　further　delay　to　Riolama；　while　he；　now　recovered　from　his　fear；　urged　that　so　important　an　undertaking　required　a　great　deal　of　thought　and　preparation；　that　the　journey　would　occupy　about　twenty　days；　and　unless　he　set　out　well　provided　with　food　he　would　starve　before　accomplishing　half　the　distance；　and　his　death　would　leave　her　worse　off　than　before。　　He　concluded　by　affirming　that　he　could　not　start　in　less　time　than　seven　or　eight　days。

For　a　while　I　listened　with　keen　interest　to　this　dispute；　and　at　length　interposed　once　more　on　the　old　man's　side。　　The　poor　gi