green mansions-第33部分

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forest　with　their　cries；　and　so　their　long　hunger　was　satisfied；　and　the　children　grew　sleek；　and　played　and　laughed　in　the　sunshine；　and　the　wife；　no　longer　brooding　over　the　empty　pot；　wove　a　hammock　of　silk　grass；　decorated　with　blue…and…scarlet　feathers　of　the　macaw；　and　in　that　new　hammock　the　Indian　rested　long　from　his　labours；　smoking　endless　cigars。

When　I　at　last　concluded　with　a　loud　note　of　joy；　a　long；　involuntary　suspiration　in　the　darkening　room　told　me　that　I　had　been　listened　to　with　profound　interest；　and；　although　no　word　was　spoken；　though　I　was　still　a　stranger　and　under　a　cloud；　it　was　plain　that　the　experiment　had　succeeded；　and　that　for　the　present　the　danger　was　averted。

I　went　to　my　hammock　and　slept；　but　without　undressing。　　Next　morning　I　missed　my　revolver　and　found　that　the　holster　containing　it　had　been　detached　from　the　belt。　　My　knife　had　not　been　taken；　possibly　because　it　was　under　me　in　the　hammock　while　I　slept。　　In　answer　to　my　inquiries　I　was　informed　that　Runi　had　BORROWED　my　weapon　to　take　it　with　him　to　the　forest；　where　he　had　gone　to　hunt；　and　that　he　would　return　it　to　me　in　the　evening。　　I　affected　to　take　it　in　good　part；　although　feeling　secretly　ill　at　ease。　　Later　in　the　day　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Runi　had　had　it　in　his　mind　to　murder　me；　that　I　had　softened　him　by　singing　that　Indian　story；　and　that　by　taking　possession　of　the　revolver　he　showed　that　he　now　only　meant　to　keep　me　a　prisoner。　　Subsequent　events　confirmed　me　in　this　suspicion。　　On　his　return　he　explained　that　he　had　gone　out　to　seek　for　game　in　the　woods；　and；　going　without　a　companion；　he　had　taken　my　revolver　to　preserve　him　from　dangersmeaning　those　of　a　supernatural　kind；　and　that　he　had　had　the　misfortune　to　drop　it　among　the　bushes　while　in　pursuit　of　some　animal。　　I　answered　hotly　that　he　had　not　treated　me　like　a　friend；　that　if　he　had　asked　me　for　the　weapon　it　would　have　been　lent　to　him；　that　as　he　had　taken　it　without　permission　he　must　pay　me　for　it。　After　some　pondering　he　said　that　when　he　took　it　I　was　sleeping　soundly；　also；　that　it　would　not　be　lost；　he　would　take　me　to　the　place　where　he　had　dropped　it；　when　we　could　search　together　for　it。

He　was　in　appearance　more　friendly　towards　me　now；　even　asking　me　to　repeat　my　last　evening's　song；　and　so　we　had　that　performance　all　over　again　to　everybody's　satisfaction。　　But　when　morning　came　he　was　not　inclined　to　go　to　the　woods：　there　was　food　enough　in　the　house；　and　the　pistol　would　not　be　hurt　by　lying　where　it　had　fallen　a　day　longer。　　Next　day　the　same　excuse；　still　I　disguised　my　impatience　and　suspicion　of　him　and　waited；　singing　the　ballad　for　the　third　time　that　evening。　　Then　I　was　conducted　to　a　wood　about　a　league　and　a　half　away　and　we　hunted　for　the　lost　pistol　among　the　bushes；　I　with　little　hope　of　finding　it；　while　he　attended　to　the　bird　voices　and　frequently　asked　me　to　stand　or　lie　still　when　a　chance　of　something　offered。

The　result　of　that　wasted　day　was　a　determination　on　my　part　to　escape　from　Runi　as　soon　as　possible；　although　at　the　risk　of　making　a　deadly　enemy　of　him　and　of　being　compelled　to　go　on　that　long　journey　to　Riolama　with　no　better　weapon　than　a　hunting…knife。　　I　had　noticed；　while　appearing　not　to　do　so；　that　outside　of　the　house　I　was　followed　or　watched　by　one　or　other　of　the　Indians；　so　that　great　circumspection　was　needed。　　On　the　following　day　I　attacked　my　host　once　more　about　the　revolver；　telling　him　with　well…acted　indignation　that　if　not　found　it　must　be　paid　for。　　I　went　so　far　as　to　give　a　list　of　the　articles　I　should　require；　including　a　bow　and　arrows；　zabatana；　two　spears；　and　other　things　which　I　need　not　specify；　to　set　me　up　for　life　as　a　wild　man　in　the　woods　of　Guayana。　　I　was　going　to　add　a　wife；　but　as　I　had　already　been　offered　one　it　did　not　appear　to　be　necessary。　　He　seemed　a　little　taken　aback　at　the　value　I　set　upon　my　weapon；　and　promised　to　go　and　look　for　it　again。　　Then　I　begged　that　Kua…ko；　in　whose　sharpness　of　sight　I　had　great　faith；　might　accompany　us。　　He　consented；　and　named　the　next　day　but　one　for　the　expedition。　　Very　well；　thought　I；　tomorrow　their　suspicion　will　be　less；　and　my　opportunity　will　come；　then　taking　up　my　rude　instrument；　I　gave　them　an　old　Spanish　song：

Desde　aquel　doloroso　momento；

but　this　kind　of　music　had　lost　its　charm　for　them；　and　I　was　asked　to　give　them　the　ballad　they　understood　so　well；　in　which　their　interest　seemed　to　increase　with　every　repetition。　　In　spite　of　anxiety　it　amused　me　to　see　old　Cla…cla　regarding　me　fixedly　with　owlish　eyes　and　lips　moving。　　My　tale　had　no　wonderful　things　in　it；　like　hers　of　the　olden　time；　which　she　told　only　to　send　her　hearers　to　sleep。　　Perhaps　she　had　discovered　by　now　that　it　was　the　strange　honey　of　melody　which　made　the　coarse；　common　cassava　bread　of　everyday　life　in　my　story　so　pleasant　to　the　palate。　　I　was　quite　prepared　to　receive　a　proposal　to　give　her　music　and　singing　lessons；　and　to　bequeath　a　guitar　to　her　in　my　last　will　and　testament。　　For；　in　spite　of　her　hoary　hair　and　million　wrinkles；　she；　more　than　any　other　savage　I　had　met　with；　seemed　to　have　taken　a　draught　from　Ponce　de　Leon's　undiscovered　fountain　of　eternal　youth。　　Poor　old　witch！

The　following　day　was　the　sixth　of　my　absence　from　Rima；　and　one　of　intense　anxiety　to　me；　a　feeling　which　I　endeavoured　to　hide　by　playing　with　the　children；　fighting　our　old　comic　stick　fights；　and　by　strumming　noisily　on　the　guitar。　　In　the　afternoon；　when　it　was　hottest；　and　all　the　men　who　happened　to　be　indoors　were　lying　in　their　hammocks；　I　asked　Kua…ko　to　go　with　me　to　the　stream　to　bathe。　　He　refusedI　had　counted　on　thatand　earnestly　advised　me　not　to　bathe　in　the　pool　I　was　accustomed　to；　as　some　little　caribe　fishes　had　made　their　appearance　there　and　would　be　sure　to　attack　me。　　I　laughed　at　his　idle　tale　and；　taking　up　my　cloak；　swung　out　of　the　door；　whistling　a　lively　air。　　He　knew　that　I　always　threw　my　cloak　over　my　head　and　shoulders　as　a　protection　from　the　sun　and　stinging　flies　when　coming　out　of　the　water；　and　so　his　suspicion　was　not　aroused；　and　I　was　not　followed。　　The　pool　was　about　ten　minutes'　walk　from　the　house；　I　arrived　at　it　with　palpitating　heart；　and　going　round　to　its　end；　where　the　stream　was　shallow；　sat　down　to　rest　for　a　few　moments　and　take　a　few　sips　of　cool　water　dipped　up　in　my　palm。　　Presently　I　rose；　crossed　the　stream；　and　began　running；　keeping　among　the　low　trees　near　the　bank　until　a　dry　gully；　which　extended　for　some　distance　across　the　savannah；　was　reached。　　By　following　its　course　the　distance　to　be　covered　would　be　considerably　increased；　but　the　shorter　way　would　have　exposed　me　to　sight　and　made　it　more　dangerous。　　I　had　put　forth　too　much　speed　at　first；　and　in　a　short　time　my　exertions；　and　the　hot　sun；　together　with　my　intense　excitement；　overcame　me。　　I　dared　not　hope　that　my　flight　had　not　been　observed；　I　imagined　that　the　Indians；　unencumbered　by　any　heavy　weight；　were　already　close　behind　me；　and　ready　to　launch　their　deadly　spears　at　my　back。　　With　a　sob　of　rage　and　despair　I　fell　prostrate　on　my　face　in　the　dry　bed　of　the　stream；　and　for　two　or　three　minutes　remained　thus　exhausted　and　unmanned；　my　heart　throbbing　so　violently　that　my　whole　frame　was　shaken。　　If　my　enemies　had　come　on　me　then　disposed　to　kill　me；　I　could　not　have　lifted　a　hand　in　defence　of　my　life。　　But　minutes　passed　and　they　came　not。　　I　rose　and　went　on；　at　a　fast　walk　now；　and　when　the　sheltering　streamed　ended；　I　stooped　among　the　sere　dwarfed　shrubs　scattered　about　here　and　there　on　its　southern　side；　and　now　creeping　and　now　running；　with　an　occasional　pause　to　rest　and　look　back；　I　at　last　reached　the　dividing　ridge　at　its　southern　extremity。　　The　rest　of　the　way　was　over　comparatively　easy　ground；　inclining　downwards；　and　with　that　glad　green　forest　now　full　in　sight；　and　hope　growing　stronger　every　minute　in　my　breast；　my　knees　ceased　to　tremble；　and　I　ran　on　again；　scarcely　pausing　until　I　had　touched　and　lost　myself　in　the　welcome　shadows。



CHAPTER　XIV

Ah；　that　return　to　the　forest　where　Rima　dwelt；　after　so　anxious　day；　when　the　declining　sun　shone　hotly　still；　and　the　green　woodland　shadows　were　so　grateful！　　The　coolness；　the　sense　of　security；　allayed　the　fever　and　excitement　I　had　suffered　on　the　open　savannah；　I　walked　leisurely；　pausing　often　to　listen　to　some　bird　voice　or　to　admire　some　rare　insect　or　parasitic　flower　shining　star…like　in　the　shade。　　There　was　a　strangely　delightful　sensation　in　me。　　I　likened　myself　to　a　child　that；　startled　at　something　it　had　seen　while　out　playing　in　the　sun；　flies　to　its　mother　to　feel　her　caressing　hand　on　its　cheek　and　forget　its　tremors。　　And　describing　what　I　felt　in　that　way；　I　was　a　little　ashamed　and　laughed　at　myself；　nevertheless　the　feeling　was　very　sweet。　　At　that　moment　Mother　and　Nature　seemed　one　and　the　same　thing。　　As　I　kept　to　the　more　open　part　of　the　wood；　on　its　southernmost　border；　the　red　flame　of　the　sinking　sun　was　seen　at　intervals　through　the　deep　humid　green　of　the　higher　foliage。　　How　every　object　it　touched　took　from　it　a　new　wonderful　glory！　　At　one　spot；　high　up　where　the　foliage　was　scanty；　and　slende