green mansions-第25章

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　open；　I　found　that　a　barren　plain　beyond　it；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　wide；　separated　it　from　the　range　of　hills；　thinking　that　the　old　man　might　cross　this　open　space；　I　climbed　into　a　tree　to　watch。　　After　some　time　he　appeared；　walking　rapidly　among　the　trees；　the　dogs　at　his　heels；　but　not　going　towards　the　open　plain；　he　had；　it　seemed；　after　arriving　at　the　edge　of　the　wood；　changed　his　direction　and　was　going　west；　still　keeping　in　the　shelter　of　the　trees。　　When　he　had　been　gone　about　five　minutes；　I　dropped　to　the　ground　and　started　in　pursuit；　once　more　I　caught　sight　of　him　through　the　trees；　and　I　kept　him　in　sight　for　about　twenty　minutes　longer；　then　he　came　to　a　broad　strip　of　dense　wood　which　extended　into　and　through　the　range　of　hills；　and　here　I　quickly　lost　him。　　Hoping　still　to　overtake　him；　I　pushed　on；　but　after　struggling　through　the　underwood　for　some　distance；　and　finding　the　forest　growing　more　difficult　as　I　progressed；　I　at　last　gave　him　up。　　Turning　eastward；　I　got　out　of　the　wood　to　find　myself　at　the　foot　of　a　steep　rough　hill；　one　of　the　range　which　the　wooded　valley　cut　through　at　right　angles。　　It　struck　me　that　it　would　be　a　good　plan　to　climb　the　hill　to　get　a　view　of　the　forest　belt　in　which　I　had　lost　the　old　man；　and　after　walking　a　short　distance　I　found　a　spot　which　allowed　of　an　ascent。　　The　summit　of　the　hill　was　about　three　hundred　feet　above　the　surrounding　level　and　did　not　take　me　long　to　reach；　it　commanded　a　fair　view；　and　I　now　saw　that　the　belt　of　wood　beneath　me　extended　right　through　the　range；　and　on　the　south　side　opened　out　into　an　extensive　forest。　　〃If　that　is　your　destination；〃　thought　I；　〃old　fox；　your　secrets　are　safe　from　me。〃

It　was　still　early　in　the　day；　and　a　slight　breeze　tempered　the　air　and　made　it　cool　and　pleasant　on　the　hilltop　after　my　exertions。　　My　scramble　through　the　wood　had　fatigued　me　somewhat；　and　resolving　to　spend　some　hours　on　that　spot；　I　looked　round　for　a　comfortable　resting…place。　　I　soon　found　a　shady　spot　on　the　west　side　of　an　upright　block　of　stone　where　I　could　recline　at　ease　on　a　bed　of　lichen。　　Here；　with　shoulders　resting　against　the　rock；　I　sat　thinking　of　Rima；　alone　in　her　wood　today；　with　just　a　tinge　of　bitterness　in　my　thoughts　which　made　me　hope　that　she　would　miss　me　as　much　as　I　missed　her；　and　in　the　end　I　fell　asleep。

When　I　woke；　it　was　past　noon；　and　the　sun　was　shining　directly　on　me。　　Standing　up　to　gaze　once　more　on　the　prospect；　I　noticed　a　small　wreath　of　white　smoke　issuing　from　a　spot　about　the　middle　of　the　forest　belt　beneath　me；　and　I　instantly　divined　that　Nuflo　had　made　a　fire　at　that　place；　and　I　resolved　to　surprise　him　in　his　retreat。　　When　I　got　down　to　the　base　of　the　hill　the　smoke　could　no　longer　be　seen；　but　I　had　studied　the　spot　well　from　above；　and　had　singled　out　a　large　clump　of　trees　on　the　edge　of　the　belt　as　a　starting…point；　and　after　a　search　of　half　an　hour　I　succeeded　in　finding　the　old　man's　hiding…place。　　First　I　saw　smoke　again　through　an　opening　in　the　trees；　then　a　small　rude　hut　of　sticks　and　palm　leaves。　　Approaching　cautiously；　I　peered　through　a　crack　and　discovered　old　Nuflo　engaged　in　smoking　some　meat　over　a　fire；　and　at　the　same　time　grilling　some　bones　on　the　coals。　　He　had　captured　a　coatimundi；　an　animal　somewhat　larger　than　a　tame　tom…cat；　with　a　long　snout　and　long　ringed　tail；　one　of　the　dogs　was　gnawing　at　the　animal's　head；　and　the　tail　and　the　feet　were　also　lying　on　the　floor；　among　the　old　bones　and　rubbish　that　littered　it。　　Stealing　round；　I　suddenly　presented　myself　at　the　opening　to　his　den；　when　the　dogs　rose　up　with　a　growl　and　Nuflo　instantly　leaped　to　his　feet；　knife　in　hand。

〃Aha；　old　man；〃　I　cried；　with　a　laugh；　〃I　have　found　you　at　one　of　your　vegetarian　repasts；　and　your　grass…eating　dogs　as　well！〃

He　was　disconcerted　and　suspicious；　but　when　I　explained　that　I　had　seen　a　smoke　while　on　the　hills；　where　I　had　gone　to　search　for　a　curious　blue　flower　which　grew　in　such　places；　and　had　made　my　way　to　it　to　discover　the　cause；　he　recovered　confidence　and　invited　me　to　join　him　at　his　dinner　of　roast　meat。

I　was　hungry　by　this　time　and　not　sorry　to　get　animal　food　once　more；　nevertheless；　I　ate　this　meat　with　some　disgust；　as　it　had　a　rank　taste　and　smell；　and　it　was　also　unpleasant　to　have　those　evil…looking　dogs　savagely　gnawing　at　the　animal's　head　and　feet　at　the　same　time。

〃You　see；〃　said　the　old　hypocrite；　wiping　the　grease　from　his　moustache；　〃this　is　what　I　am　compelled　to　do　in　order　to　avoid　giving　offence。　　My　granddaughter　is　a　strange　being；　sir；　as　you　have　perhaps　observed〃

〃That　reminds　me；〃　I　interrupted；　〃that　I　wish　you　to　relate　her　history　to　me。　　She　is；　as　you　say；　strange；　and　has　speech　and　faculties　unlike　ours；　which　shows　that　she　comes　of　a　different　race。〃

〃No；　no；　her　faculties　are　not　different　from　ours。　　They　are　sharper；　that　is　all。　　It　pleases　the　All…Powerful　to　give　more　to　some　than　to　others。　　Not　all　the　fingers　on　the　hand　are　alike。　You　will　find　a　man　who　will　take　up　a　guitar　and　make　it　speak；　while　I〃

〃All　that　I　understand；〃　I　broke　in　again。　　〃But　her　origin；　her　historythat　is　what　I　wish　to　hear。〃

〃And　that；　sir；　is　precisely　what　I　am　about　to　relate。　　Poor　child；　she　was　left　on　my　hands　by　her　sainted　mothermy　daughter；　sirwho　perished　young。　　Now；　her　birthplace；　where　she　was　taught　letters　and　the　Catechism　by　the　priest；　was　in　an　unhealthy　situation。　　It　was　hot　and　wetalways　weta　place　suited　to　frogs　rather　than　to　human　beings。　　At　length；　thinking　that　it　would　suit　the　child　betterfor　she　was　pale　and　weaklyto　live　in　a　drier　atmosphere　among　mountains；　I　brought　her　to　this　district。　　For　this；　senor；　and　for　all　I　have　done　for　her；　I　look　for　no　reward　here；　but　to　that　place　where　my　daughter　has　got　her　foot；　not；　sir；　on　the　threshold；　as　you　might　think；　but　well　inside。　　For；　after　all；　it　is　to　the　authorities　above；　in　spite　of　some　blots　which　we　see　in　their　administration；　that　we　must　look　for　justice。　　Frankly；　sir；　this　is　the　whole　story　of　my　granddaughter's　origin。〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　I　returned；　〃your　story　explains　why　she　can　call　a　wild　bird　to　her　hand；　and　touch　a　venomous　serpent　with　her　bare　foot　and　receive　no　harm。〃

〃Doubtless　you　are　right；〃　said　the　old　dissembler。　　〃Living　alone　in　the　wood；　she　had　only　God's　creatures　to　play　and　make　friends　with；　and　wild　animals；　I　have　heard　it　said；　know　those　who　are　friendly　towards　them。〃

〃You　treat　her　friends　badly；〃　said　I；　kicking　the　long　tail　of　the　coatimundi　away　with　my　foot；　and　regretting　that　I　had　joined　in　his　repast。

〃Senor；　you　must　consider　that　we　are　only　what　Heaven　made　us。　When　all　this　was　formed；〃　he　continued；　opening　his　arms　wide　to　indicate　the　entire　creation；　〃the　Person　who　concerned　Himself　with　this　matter　gave　seeds　and　fruitless　and　nectar　of　flowers　for　the　sustentation　of　His　small　birds。　　But　we　have　not　their　delicate　appetites。　　The　more　robust　stomach　which　he　gave　to　man　cries　out　for　meat。　　Do　you　understand？　　But　of　all　this；　friend；　not　one　word　to　Rima！〃

I　laughed　scornfully。　　〃Do　you　think　me　such　a　child；　old　man；　as　to　believe　that　Rima；　that　little　sprite；　does　not　know　that　you　are　an　eater　of　flesh？　　Rima；　who　is　everywhere　in　the　wood；　seeing　all　things；　even　if　I　lift　my　hand　against　a　serpent；　she　herself　unseen。〃

〃But；　sir；　if　you　will　pardon　my　presumption；　you　are　saying　too　much。　　She　does　not　come　here；　and　therefore　cannot　see　that　I　eat　meat。　　In　all　that　wood　where　she　flourishes　and　sings；　where　she　is　in　her　house　and　garden；　and　mistress　of　the　creatures；　even　of　the　small　butterfly　with　painted　wings；　there；　sir；　I　hunt　no　animal。　　Nor　will　my　dogs　chase　any　animal　there。　　That　is　what　I　meant　when　I　said　that　if　an　animal　should　stumble　against　their　legs；　they　would　lift　up　their　noses　and　pass　on　without　seeing　it。　　For　in　that　wood　there　is　one　law；　the　law　that　Rima　imposes；　and　outside　of　it　a　different　law。〃

〃I　am　glad　that　you　have　told　me　this；〃　I　replied。　　〃The　thought　that　Rima　might　be　near；　and；　unseen　herself；　look　in　upon　us　feeding　with　the　dogs　and；　like　dogs；　on　flesh；　was　one　which　greatly　troubled　my