green mansions-第28章
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or not she only knew。
I spent an amusing evening with my old savage hostess。 She had thrown off her ailments and； pleased at having a companion in her dreary solitude； she was good…tempered and talkative； and much more inclined to laugh than when the others were present； when she was on her dignity。
We sat by the fire； cooking such food as we had； and talked and smoked； then I sang her songs in Spanish with that melody of my own
Muy mas clara que la luna；
and she rewarded me by emitting a barbarous chant in a shrill； screechy voice； and finally； starting up； I danced for her benefit polka； mazurka； and valse； whistling and singing to my motions。
More than once during the evening she tried to introduce serious subjects； telling me that I must always live with them； learn to shoot the birds and catch the fishes； and have a wife； and then she would speak of her granddaughter Oalava； whose virtues it was proper to mention； but whose physical charms needed no description since they had never been concealed。 Each time she got on this topic I cut her short； vowing that if I ever married she only should be my wife。 She informed me that she was old and past her fruitful period； that not much longer would she make cassava bread； and blow the fire to a flame with her wheezy old bellows； and talk the men to sleep at night。 But I stuck to it that she was young and beautiful； that our descendants would be more numerous than the birds in the forest。 I went out to some bushes close by； where I had noticed a passion plant in bloom； and gathering a few splendid scarlet blossoms with their stems and leaves； I brought them in and wove them into a garland for the old dame's head； then I pulled her up； in spite of screams and struggles； and waltzed her wildly to the other end of the room and back again to her seat beside the fire。 And as she sat there； panting and grinning with laughter； I knelt before her and； with suitable passionate gestures； declaimed again the old delicate lines sung by Mena before Columbus sailed the seas：
Muy mas clara que la luna Sola una en el mundo vos nacistes tan gentil； que no vecistes ni tavistes competedora ninguna Desdi ninez en la cuna cobrastes fama； beldad； con tanta graciosidad； que vos doto la fortuna。
Thinking of another all the time！ O poor old Cla…cla； knowing not what the jingle meant nor the secret of my wild happiness； now when I recall you sitting there； your old grey owlish head crowned with scarlet passion flowers； flushed with firelight； against the background of smoke…blackened walls and rafters； how the old undying sorrow comes back to me！
Thus our evening was spent； merrily enough； then we made up the fire with hard wood that would last all night； and went to our hammocks； but wakeful still。 The old dame； glad and proud to be on duty once more； religiously went to work to talk me to sleep； but although I called out at intervals to encourage her to go on； I did not attempt to follow the ancient tales she told； which she had imbibed in childhood from other white…headed grandmothers long； long turned to dust。 My own brain was busy thinking； thinking； thinking now of the woman I had once loved； far away in Venezuela； waiting and weeping and sick with hope deferred； now of Rima； wakeful and listening to the mysterious nightsounds of the forestlistening； listening for my returning footsteps。
Next morning I began to waver in my resolution to remain absent from Rima for some days； and before evening my passion； which I had now ceased to struggle against； coupled with the thought that I had acted unkindly in leaving her； that she would be a prey to anxiety； overcame me； and I was ready to return。 The old woman； who had been suspiciously watching my movements； rushed out after me as I left the house； crying out that a storm was brewing； that it was too late to go far； and night would be full of danger。 I waved my hand in good…bye； laughingly reminding her that I was proof against all perils。 Little she cared what evil might befall me； I thought； but she loved not to be alone； even for her； low down as she was intellectually； the solitary earthen pot had no 〃mind stuff〃 in it； and could not be sent to sleep at night with the legends of long ago。
By the time I reached the ridge； I had discovered that she had prophesied truly； for now an ominous change had come over nature。 A dull grey vapour had overspread the entire western half of the heavens； down； beyond the forest； the sky looked black as ink； and behind this blackness the sun had vanished。 It was too late to go back now； I had been too long absent from Rima； and could only hope to reach Nuflo's lodge； wet or dry； before night closed round me in the forest。
For some moments I stood still on the ridge； struck by the somewhat weird aspect of the shadowed scene before methe long strip of dull uniform green； with here and there a slender palm lifting its feathery crown above the other trees； standing motionless； in strange relief against the advancing blackness。 Then I set out once more at a run； taking advantage of the downward slope to get well on my way before the tempest should burst。 As I approached the wood； there came a flash of lightning； pale； but covering the whole visible sky； followed after a long interval by a distant roll of thunder； which lasted several seconds and ended with a succession of deep throbs。 It was as if Nature herself； in supreme anguish and abandonment； had cast herself prone on the earth； and her great heart had throbbed audibly； shaking the world with its beats。 No more thunder followed； but the rain was coming down heavily now in huge drops that fell straight through the gloomy； windless air。 In half a minute I was drenched to the skin； but for a short time the rain seemed an advantage； as the brightness of the falling water lessened the gloom； turning the air from dark to lighter grey。 This subdued rain…light did not last long： I had not been twenty minutes in the wood before a second and greater darkness fell on the earth； accompanied by an even more copious downpour of water。 The sun had evidently gone down； and the whole sky was now covered with one thick cloud。 Becoming more nervous as the gloom increased； I bent my steps more to the south； so as to keep near the border and more open part of the wood。 Probably I had already grown confused before deviating and turned the wrong way； for instead of finding the forest easier； it grew closer and more difficult as I advanced。 Before many minutes the darkness so increased that I could no longer distinguish objects more than five feet from my eyes。 Groping blindly along； I became entangled in a dense undergrowth； and after struggling and stumbling along for some distance in vain endeavours to get through it； I came to a stand at last in sheer despair。 All sense of direction was now lost： I was entombed in thick blacknessblackness of night and cloud and rain and of dripping foliage and network of branches bound with bush ropes and creepers in a wild tangle。 I had struggled into a hollow； or hole； as it were； in the midst of that mass of vegetation； where I could stand upright and turn round and round without touching anything； but when I put out my hands they came into contact with vines and bushes。 To move from that spot seemed folly； yet how dreadful to remain there standing on the sodden earth； chilled with rain； in that awful blackness in which the only luminous thing one could look to see would be the eyes； shining with their own internal light； of some savage beast of prey！ Yet the danger； the intense physical discomfort； and the anguish of looking forward to a whole night spent in that situation stung my heart less than the thought of Rima's anxiety and of the pain I had carelessly given by secretly leaving her。
It was then； with that pang in my heart； that I was startled by hearing； close by； one of her own low； warbled expressions。 There could be no mistake； if the forest had been full of the sounds of animal life and songs of melodious birds； her voice would have been instantly distinguished from all others。 How mysterious； how infinitely tender it sounded in that awful blackness！so musical and exquisitely modu
