green mansions-第23章

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　that！　　Rima！　　Rima！　　It　is　nothing；　nothingit　is　not　you；〃　pointing　to　my　mouth；　and　then；　as　if　fearing　that　her　meaning　had　not　been　made　clear；　suddenly　touching　my　lips　with　her　finger。　　〃Why　do　you　not　answer　me？speak　to　mespeak　to　me；　like　this！〃　　And　turning　a　little　more　towards　me；　and　glancing　at　me　with　eyes　that　had　all　at　once　changed；　losing　their　clouded　expression　for　one　of　exquisite　tenderness；　from　her　lips　came　a　succession　of　those　mysterious　sounds　which　had　first　attracted　me　to　her；　swift　and　low　and　bird…like；　yet　with　something　so　much　higher　and　more　soul…penetrating　than　any　bird…music。　　Ah；　what　feeling　and　fancies；　what　quaint　turns　of　expression；　unfamiliar　to　my　mind；　were　contained　in　those　sweet；　wasted　symbols！　　I　could　never　knownever　come　to　her　when　she　called；　or　respond　to　her　spirit。　　To　me　they　would　always　be　inarticulate　sounds；　affecting　me　like　a　tender　spiritual　musica　language　without　words；　suggesting　more　than　words　to　the　soul。

The　mysterious　speech　died　down　to　a　lisping　sound；　like　the　faint　note　of　some　small　bird　falling　from　a　cloud　of　foliage　on　the　topmost　bough　of　a　tree；　and　at　the　same　time　that　new　light　passed　from　her　eyes；　and　she　half　averted　her　face　in　a　disappointed　way。

〃Rima；〃　I　said　at　length；　a　new　thought　coming　to　my　aid；　〃it　is　true　that　I　am　not　here；〃　touching　my　lips　as　she　had　done；　〃and　that　my　words　are　nothing。　　But　look　into　my　eyes；　and　you　will　see　me　thereall；　all　that　is　in　my　heart。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　what　I　should　see　there！〃　　she　returned　quickly。

〃What　would　you　seetell　me？〃

〃There　is　a　little　black　ball　in　the　middle　of　your　eye；　I　should　see　myself　in　it　no　bigger　than　that；〃　and　she　marked　off　about　an　eighth　of　her　little　fingernail。　　〃There　is　a　pool　in　the　wood；　and　I　look　down　and　see　myself　there。　　That　is　better。　　Just　as　large　as　I　amnot　small　and　black　like　a　small；　small　fly。〃　　And　after　saying　this　a　little　disdainfully；　she　moved　away　from　my　side　and　out　into　the　sunshine；　and　then；　half　turning　towards　me；　and　glancing　first　at　my　face　and　then　upwards；　she　raised　her　hand　to　call　my　attention　to　something　there。

Far　up；　high　as　the　tops　of　the　tallest　trees；　a　great　blue…winged　butterfly　was　passing　across　the　open　space　with　loitering　flight。　　In　a　few　moments　it　was　gone　over　the　trees；　then　she　turned　once　more　to　me　with　a　little　rippling　sound　of　laughterthe　first　I　had　heard　from　her；　and　called：　〃Come；　come！〃

I　was　glad　enough　to　go　with　her　then；　and　for　the　next　two　hours　we　rambled　together　in　the　wood；　that　is；　together　in　her　way；　for　though　always　near　she　contrived　to　keep　out　of　my　sight　most　of　the　time。　　She　was　evidently　now　in　a　gay；　frolicsome　temper；　again　and　again；　when　I　looked　closely　into　some　wide…spreading　bush；　or　peered　behind　a　tree；　when　her　calling　voice　had　sounded；　her　rippling　laughter　would　come　to　me　from　some　other　spot。　　At　length；　somewhere　about　the　centre　of　the　wood；　she　led　me　to　an　immense　mora　tree；　growing　almost　isolated；　covering　with　its　shade　a　large　space　of　ground　entirely　free　from　undergrowth。　　At　this　spot　she　all　at　once　vanished　from　my　side；　and　after　listening　and　watching　some　time　in　vain；　I　sat　down　beside　the　giant　trunk　to　wait　for　her。　　Very　soon　I　heard　a　low；　warbling　sound　which　seemed　quite　near。

〃Rime！　　Rima！〃　　I　called；　and　instantly　my　call　was　repeated　like　an　echo。　　Again　and　again　I　called；　and　still　the　words　flew　back　to　me；　and　I　could　not　decide　whether　it　was　an　echo　or　not。　　Then　I　gave　up　calling；　and　presently　the　low；　warbling　sound　was　repeated；　and　I　knew　that　Rima　was　somewhere　near　me。

〃Rime；　where　are　you？〃　　I　called。

〃Rime；　where　are　you？〃　　came　the　answer。

〃You　are　behind　the　tree。〃

〃You　are　behind　the　tree。〃

〃I　shall　catch　you；　Rima。〃　　And　this　time；　instead　of　repeating　my　words；　she　answered：　〃Oh　no。〃

I　jumped　up　and　ran　round　the　tree；　feeling　sure　that　I　should　find　her。　　It　was　about　thirty…five　or　forty　feet　in　circumference；　and　after　going　round　two　or　three　times；　I　turned　and　ran　the　other　way；　but　failing　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　her　I　at　last　sat　down　again。

〃Rime；　Rima！〃　　sounded　the　mocking　voice　as　soon　as　I　had　sat　down。　　〃Where　are　you；　Rima？　　I　shall　catch　you；　Rima！　　Have　you　caught　Rima？〃

〃No；　I　have　not　caught　her。　　There　is　no　Rima　now。　　She　has　faded　away　like　a　rainbowlike　a　drop　of　dew　in　the　sun。　　I　have　lost　her；　I　shall　go　to　sleep。〃　　And　stretching　myself　out　at　full　length　under　the　tree；　I　remained　quiet　for　two　or　three　minutes。　Then　a　slight　rustling　sound　was　heard；　and　I　looked　eagerly　round　for　her。　　But　the　sound　was　overhead　and　caused　by　a　great　avalanche　of　leaves　which　began　to　descend　on　me　from　that　vast　leafy　canopy　above。

〃Ah；　little　spider…monkeylittle　green　tree…snakeyou　are　there！〃　　But　there　was　no　seeing　her　in　that　immense　aerial　palace　hung　with　dim　drapery　of　green　and　copper…coloured　leaves。　　But　how　had　she　got　there？　　Up　the　stupendous　trunk　even　a　monkey　could　not　have　climbed；　and　there　were　no　lianas　dropping　to　earth　from　the　wide　horizontal　branches　that　I　could　see；　but　by　and　by；　looking　further　away；　I　perceived　that　on　one　side　the　longest　lower　branches　reached　and　mingled　with　the　shorter　boughs　of　the　neighbouring　trees。　　While　gazing　up　I　heard　her　low；　rippling　laugh；　and　then　caught　sight　of　her　as　she　ran　along　an　exposed　horizontal　branch；　erect　on　her　feet；　and　my　heart　stood　still　with　terror；　for　she　was　fifty　to　sixty　feet　above　the　ground。　　In　another　moment　she　vanished　from　sight　in　a　cloud　of　foliage；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　her　for　about　ten　minutes；　when　all　at　once　she　appeared　at　my　side　once　more；　having　come　round　the　trunk　of　the　more。　　Her　face　had　a　bright；　pleased　expression；　and　showed　no　trace　of　fatigue　or　agitation。

I　caught　her　hand　in　mine。　　It　was　a　delicate；　shapely　little　hand；　soft　as　velvet；　and　warma　real　human　hand；　only　now　when　I　held　it　did　she　seem　altogether　like　a　human　being　and　not　a　mocking　spirit　of　the　wood；　a　daughter　of　the　Didi。

〃Do　you　like　me　to　hold　your　hand；　Rima？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　with　indifference。

〃Is　it　I？〃

〃Yes。〃　　This　time　as　if　it　was　small　satisfaction　to　make　acquaintance　with　this　purely　physical　part　of　me。

Having　her　so　close　gave　me　an　opportunity　of　examining　that　light　sheeny　garment　she　wore　always　in　the　woods。　　It　felt　soft　and　satiny　to　the　touch；　and　there　was　no　seam　nor　hem　in　it　that　I　could　see；　but　it　was　all　in　one　piece；　like　the　cocoon　of　the　caterpillar。　　While　I　was　feeling　it　on　her　shoulder　and　looking　narrowly　at　it；　she　glanced　at　me　with　a　mocking　laugh　in　her　eyes。

〃Is　it　silk？〃　　I　asked。　　Then；　as　she　remained　silent；　I　continued：　〃Where　did　you　get　this　dress；　Rima？　　Did　you　make　it　yourself？　Tell　me。〃

She　answered　not　in　words；　but　in　response　to　my　question　a　new　　look　came　into　her　face；　no　longer　restless　and　full　of　change　in　her　expression；　she　was　now　as　immovable　as　an　alabaster　statue；　not　a　silken　hair　on　her　head　trembled；　her　eyes　were　wide　open；　gazing　fixedly　before　her；　and　when　I　looked　into　them　they　seemed　to　see　and　yet　not　to　see　me。　　They　were　like　the　clear；　brilliant　eyes　of　a　bird；　which　reflect　as　in　a　miraculous　mirror　all　the　visible　world　but　do　not　return　our　look　and　seem　to　see　us　merely　as　one　of　the　thousand　small　details　that　make　up　the　whole　picture。　　Suddenly　she　darted　out　her　hand　like　a　flash；　making　me　start　at　the　unexpected　motion；　and　quickly　withdrawing　it；　held　up　a　finger　before　me。　　From　its　tip　a　minute　gossamer　spider；　about　twice　the　bigness　of　a　pin's　head；　appeared　suspended　from　a　fine；　scarcely　visible　line　three　or　four　inches　long。

〃Look！〃　　she　exclaimed；　with　a　bright　glance　at　my　face。

The　small　spider　she　had　captured；　anxious　to　be　free；　was　falling；　falling　earthward；　but　could　not　reach　the　surface。　Leaning　her　shoulder　a　little　forward；　she　placed　the　finger…tip　against　it；　but　lightly；　scarcely　touching；　and　moving　continuously；　with　a　motion　rapid　as　that　of　a　fluttering　moth's　wing；　while　the　spider；　still　paying　out　his　line；　remained　suspended；　rising　and　falling　slightly　at　nearly　the　same　distance　from　the　ground。　　After　a　few　moments　s