green mansions-第24章

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ded；　rising　and　falling　slightly　at　nearly　the　same　distance　from　the　ground。　　After　a　few　moments　she　cried：　〃Drop　down；　little　spider。〃　　Her　finger's　motion　ceased；　and　the　minute　captive　fell；　to　lose　itself　on　the　shaded　ground。

〃Do　you　not　see？〃　　she　said　to　me；　pointing　to　her　shoulder。　　Just　where　the　finger…tip　had　touched　the　garment　a　round　shining　spot　appeared；　looking　like　a　silver　coin　on　the　cloth；　but　on　touching　it　with　my　finger　it　seemed　part　of　the　original　fabric；　only　whiter　and　more　shiny　on　the　grey　ground；　on　account　of　the　freshness　of　the　web　of　which　it　had　just　been　made。

And　so　all　this　curious　and　pretty　performance；　which　seemed　instinctive　in　its　spontaneous　quickness　and　dexterity；　was　merely　intended　to　show　me　how　she　made　her　garments　out　of　the　fine　floating　lines　of　small　gossamer　spiders！

Before　I　could　express　my　surprise　and　admiration　she　cried　again；　with　startling　suddenness：　〃Look！〃

A　minute　shadowy　form　darted　by；　appearing　like　a　dim　line　traced　across　the　deep　glossy　more　foliage；　then　on　the　lighter　green　foliage　further　away。　　She　waved　her　hand　in　imitation　of　its　swift；　curving　flight；　then；　dropping　it；　exclaimed：　〃Goneoh；　little　thing！〃

〃What　was　it？〃　　I　asked；　for　it　might　have　been　a　bird；　a　bird…like　moth；　or　a　bee。

〃Did　you　not　see？　　And　you　asked　me　to　look　into　your　eyes！〃

〃Ah；　little　squirrel　Sakawinki；　you　remind　me　of　that！〃　　I　said；　passing　my　arm　round　her　waist　and　drawing　her　a　little　closer。　〃Look　into　my　eyes　now　and　see　if　I　am　blind；　and　if　there　is　nothing　in　them　except　an　image　of　Rima　like　a　small；　small　fly。〃

She　shook　her　head　and　laughed　a　little　mockingly；　but　made　no　effort　to　escape　from　my　arm。

〃Would　you　like　me　always　to　do　what　you　wish；　Rimato　follow　you　in　the　woods　when　you　say　'Come'to　chase　you　round　the　tree　to　catch　you；　and　lie　down　for　you　to　throw　leaves　on　me；　and　to　be　glad　when　you　are　glad？〃

〃Oh；　yes。〃

〃Then　let　us　make　a　compact。　　I　shall　do　everything　to　please　you；　and　you　must　promise　to　do　everything　to　please　me。〃

〃Tell　me。〃

〃Little　things；　Rimanone　so　hard　as　chasing　you　round　a　tree。　Only　to　have　you　stand　or　sit　by　me　and　talk　will　make　me　happy。　And　to　begin　you　must　call　me　by　my　nameAbel。〃

〃Is　that　your　name？　　Oh；　not　your　real　name！　　Abel；　Abelwhat　is　that？　　It　says　nothing。　　I　have　called　you　by　so　many　namestwenty；　thirtyand　no　answer。〃

〃Have　you？　　But；　dearest　girl；　every　person　has　a　name；　one　name　he　is　called　by。　　Your　name；　for　instance；　is　Rima；　is　it　not？〃

〃Rima！　　only　Rimato　you？　　In　the　morning；　in　the　evening　。　　。　　。　now　in　this　place　and　in　a　little　while　where　know　I？　　。　　。　　。　　in　the　night　when　you　wake　and　it　is　dark；　dark；　and　you　see　me　all　the　same。　　Only　Rimaoh；　how　strange！〃

〃What　else；　sweet　girl？　　Your　grandfather　Nuflo　calls　you　Rima。〃

〃Nuflo？〃　　She　spoke　as　if　putting　a　question　to　herself。　　〃Is　that　an　old　man　with　two　dogs　that　lives　somewhere　in　the　wood？〃　　And　then；　with　sudden　petulance：　〃And　you　ask　me　to　talk　to　you！〃

〃Oh；　Rima；　what　can　I　say　to　you？　　Listen〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　exclaimed；　quickly　turning　and　putting　her　fingers　on　my　mouth　to　stop　my　speech；　while　a　sudden　merry　look　shone　in　her　eves。　　〃You　shall　listen　when　I　speak；　and　do　all　I　say。　　And　tell　me　what　to　do　to　please　you　with　your　eyeslet　me　look　in　your　eyes　that　are　not　blind。〃

She　turned　her　face　more　towards　me　and　with　head　a　little　thrown　back　and　inclined　to　one　side；　gazing　now　full　into　my　eyes　as　I　had　wished　her　to　do。　　After　a　few　moments　she　glanced　away　to　the　distant　trees。　　But　I　could　see　into　those　divine　orbs；　and　knew　that　she　was　not　looking　at　any　particular　object。　　All　the　ever…varying　expressionsinquisitive；　petulant；　troubled；　shy；　frolicsome　had　now　vanished　from　the　still　face；　and　the　look　was　inward　and　full　of　a　strange；　exquisite　light；　as　if　some　new　happiness　or　hope　had　touched　her　spirit。

Sinking　my　voice　to　a　whisper；　I　said：　〃Tell　me　what　you　have　seen　in　my　eyes；　Rima？〃

She　murmured　in　reply　something　melodious　and　inarticulate；　then　glanced　at　my　face　in　a　questioning　way；　but　only　for　a　moment；　then　her　sweet　eyes　were　again　veiled　under　those　drooping　lashes。

〃Listen；　Rima；〃　I　said。　　〃Was　that　a　humming…bird　we　saw　a　little　while　ago？　　You　are　like　that；　now　dark；　a　shadow　in　the　shadow；　seen　for　an　instant；　and　thengone；　oh；　little　thing！　　And　now　in　the　sunshine　standing　still；　how　beautiful！a　thousand　times　more　beautiful　than　the　humming…bird。　　Listen；　Rima；　you　are　like　all　beautiful　things　in　the　woodflower；　and　bird；　and　butterfly；　and　green　leaf；　and　frond；　and　little　silky…haired　monkey　high　up　in　the　trees。　　When　I　look　at　you　I　see　them　allall　and　more；　a　thousand　times；　for　I　see　Rima　herself。　　And　when　I　listen　to　Rima's　voice；　talking　in　a　language　I　cannot　understand；　I　hear　the　wind　whispering　in　the　leaves；　the　gurgling　running　water；　the　bee　among　the　flowers；　the　organ…bird　singing　far；　far　away　in　the　shadows　of　the　trees。　　I　hear　them　all；　and　more；　for　I　hear　Rima。　　Do　you　understand　me　now？　　Is　it　I　speaking　to　youhave　I　answered　youhave　I　come　to　you？〃

She　glanced　at　me　again；　her　lips　trembling；　her　eyes　now　clouded　with　some　secret　trouble。　　〃Yes；〃　she　replied　in　a　whisper；　and　then：　〃No；　it　is　not　you；〃　and　after　a　moment；　doubtfully：　〃Is　it　you？〃

But　she　did　not　wait　to　be　answered：　in　a　moment　she　was　gone　round　the　more；　nor　would　she　return　again　for　all　my　calling。



CHAPTER　IX

That　afternoon　with　Rima　in　the　forest　under　the　mora　tree　had　proved　so　delightful　that　I　was　eager　for　more　rambles　and　talks　with　her；　but　the　variable　little　witch　had　a　great　surprise　in　store　for　me。　　All　her　wild　natural　gaiety　had　unaccountably　gone　out　of　her：　when　I　walked　in　the　shade　she　was　there；　but　no　longer　as　the　blithe；　fantastic　being；　bright　as　an　angel；　innocent　and　affectionate　as　a　child；　tricksy　as　a　monkey；　that　had　played　at　hide…and…seek　with　me。　　She　was　now　my　shy；　silent　attendant；　only　occasionally　visible；　and　appearing　then　like　the　mysterious　maid　I　had　found　reclining　among　the　ferns　who　had　melted　away　mist…like　from　sight　as　I　gazed。　　When　I　called　she　would　not　now　answer　as　formerly；　but　in　response　would　appear　in　sight　as　if　to　assure　me　that　I　had　not　been　forsaken；　and　after　a　few　moments　her　grey　shadowy　form　would　once　more　vanish　among　the　trees。　　The　hope　that　as　her　confidence　increased　and　she　grew　accustomed　to　talk　with　me　she　would　be　brought　to　reveal　the　story　of　her　life　had　to　be　abandoned；　at　all　events　for　the　present。　　I　must；　after　all；　get　my　information　from　Nuflo；　or　rest　in　ignorance。　　The　old　man　was　out　for　the　greater　part　of　each　day　with　his　dogs；　and　from　these　expeditions　he　brought　back　nothing　that　I　could　see　but　a　few　nuts　and　fruits；　some　thin　bark　for　his　cigarettes；　and　an　occasional　handful　of　haima　gum　to　perfume　the　hut　of　an　evening。　　After　I　had　wasted　three　days　in　vainly　trying　to　overcome　the　girl's　now　inexplicable　shyness；　I　resolved　to　give　for　a　while　my　undivided　attention　to　her　grandfather　to　discover；　if　possible；　where　he　went　and　how　he　spent　his　time。

My　new　game　of　hide…and…seek　with　Nuflo　instead　of　with　Rima　began　on　the　following　morning。　　He　was　cunning；　so　was　I。　　Going　out　and　concealing　myself　among　the　bushes；　I　began　to　watch　the　hut。　　That　I　could　elude　Rima's　keener　eyes　I　doubted；　but　that　did　not　trouble　me。　　She　was　not　in　harmony　with　the　old　man；　and　would　do　nothing　to　defeat　my　plan。　　I　had　not　been　long　in　my　hiding…place　before　he　came　out；　followed　by　his　two　dogs；　and　going　to　some　distance　from　the　door；　he　sat　down　on　a　log。　　For　some　minutes　he　smoked；　then　rose；　and　after　looking　cautiously　round　slipped　away　among　the　trees。　　I　saw　that　he　was　going　off　in　the　direction　of　the　low　range　of　rocky　hills　south　of　the　forest。　　I　knew　that　the　forest　did　not　extend　far　in　that　direction；　and　thinking　that　I　should　be　able　to　catch　a　sight　of　him　on　its　borders；　I　left　the　bushes　and　ran　through　the　trees　as　fast　as　I　could　to　get　ahead　of　him。　　Coming　to　where　the　wood　was　very　open；　I　found　that　a　barren　plain　beyond　it；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　wide；　separated　it　from　the　range