green mansions-第3章
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inly not expected to meet in such a place with any person to share my tastesthat love of poetry which has been the chief passion and delight of my life； but such a one I had found in Mr。 Abel。 It surprised me that he； suckled on the literature of Spain； and a reader of only ten or twelve years of English literature； possessed a knowledge of our modern poetry as intimate as my own； and a love of it equally great。 This feeling brought us together and made us twothe nervous olive…skinned Hispano…American of the tropics and the phlegmatic blue…eyed Saxon of the cold northone in spirit and more than brothers。 Many were the daylight hours we spent together and 〃tired the sun with talking〃； many； past counting； the precious evenings in that restful house of his where I was an almost daily guest。 I had not looked for such happiness； nor； he often said； had he。 A result of this intimacy was that the vague idea concerning his hidden past； that some unusual experience had profoundly affected him and perhaps changed the whole course of his life； did not diminish； but； on the contrary； became accentuated； and was often in my mind。 The change in him was almost painful to witness whenever our wandering talk touched on the subject of the aborigines； and of the knowledge he had acquired of their character and languages when living or travelling among them； all that made his conversation most engagingthe lively； curious mind； the wit； the gaiety of spirit tinged with a tender melancholyappeared to fade out of it； even the expression of his face would change； becoming hard and set； and he would deal you out facts in a dry mechanical way as if reading them in a book。 It grieved me to note this； but I dropped no hint of such a feeling； and would never have spoken about it but for a quarrel which came at last to make the one brief solitary break in that close friendship of years。 I got into a bad state of health； and Abel was not only much concerned about it； but annoyed； as if I had not treated him well by being ill； and he would even say that I could get well if I wished to。 I did not take this seriously； but one morning； when calling to see me at the office； he attacked me in a way that made me downright angry with him。 He told me that indolence and the use of stimulants was the cause of my bad health。 He spoke in a mocking way； with a presence of not quite meaning it； but the feeling could not be wholly disguised。 Stung by his reproaches； I blurted out that he had no right to talk to me； even in fun； in such a way。 Yes； he said； getting serious； he had the best rightthat of our friendship。 He would be no true friend if he kept his peace about such a matter。 Then； in my haste； I retorted that to me the friendship between us did not seem so perfect and complete as it did to him。 One condition of friendship is that the partners in it should be known to each other。 He had had my whole life and mind open to him； to read it as in a book。 HIS life was a closed and clasped volume to me。
His face darkened； and after a few moments' silent reflection he got up and left me with a cold good…bye； and without that hand…grasp which had been customary between us。
After his departure I had the feeling that a great loss； a great calamity； had befallen me； but I was still smarting at his too candid criticism； all the more because in my heart I acknowledged its truth。 And that night； lying awake； I repented of the cruel retort I had made； and resolved to ask his forgiveness and leave it to him to determine the question of our future relations。 But he was beforehand with me； and with the morning came a letter begging my forgiveness and asking me to go that evening to dine with him。
We were alone； and during dinner and afterwards； when we sat smoking and sipping black coffee in the veranda； we were unusually quiet； even to gravity； which caused the two white…clad servants that waited on usthe brown…faced subtle…eyed old Hindu butler and an almost blue…black young Guiana Negroto direct many furtive glances at their master's face。 They were accustomed to see him in a more genial mood when he had a friend to dine。 To me the change in his manner was not surprising： from the moment of seeing him I had divined that he had determined to open the shut and clasped volume of which I had spokenthat the time had now come for him to speak。
CHAPTER I
Now that we are cool； he said； and regret that we hurt each other； I am not sorry that it happened。 I deserved your reproach： a hundred times I have wished to tell you the whole story of my travels and adventures among the savages； and one of the reasons which prevented me was the fear that it would have an unfortunate effect on our friendship。 That was precious； and I desired above everything to keep it。 But I must think no more about that now。 I must think only of how I am to tell you my story。 I will begin at a time when I was twenty…three。 It was early in life to be in the thick of politics； and in trouble to the extent of having to fly my country to save my liberty； perhaps my life。
Every nation； someone remarks； has the government it deserves； and Venezuela certainly has the one it deserves and that suits it best。 We call it a republic； not only because it is not one； but also because a thing must have a name； and to have a good name； or a fine name； is very convenientespecially when you want to borrow money。 If the Venezuelans； thinly distributed over an area of half a million square miles； mostly illiterate peasants； half…breeds； and indigenes； were educated； intelligent men； zealous only for the public weal； it would be possible for them to have a real republic。 They have instead a government by cliques； tempered by revolution； and a very good government it is； in harmony with the physical conditions of the country and the national temperament。 Now； it happens that the educated men； representing your higher classes； are so few that there are not many persons unconnected by ties of blood or marriage with prominent members of the political groups to which they belong。 By this you will see how easy and almost inevitable it is that we should become accustomed to look on conspiracy and revolt against the regnant partythe men of another cliqueas only in the natural order of things。 In the event of failure such outbreaks are punished； but they are not regarded as immoral。 On the contrary； men of the highest intelligence and virtue among us are seen taking a leading part in these adventures。 Whether such a condition of things is intrinsically wrong or not； or would be wrong in some circumstances and is not wrong； because inevitable； in others； I cannot pretend to decide； and all this tiresome profusion is only to enable you to understand how Ia young man of unblemished character； not a soldier by profession； not ambitious of political distinction； wealthy for that country； popular in society； a lover of social pleasures； of books； of nature actuated； as I believed； by the highest motives； allowed myself to be drawn very readily by friends and relations into a conspiracy to overthrow the government of the moment； with the object of replacing it by more worthy men ourselves； to wit。
Our adventure failed because the authorities got wind of the affair and matters were precipitated。 Our leaders at the moment happened to be scattered over the countrysome were abroad； and a few hotheaded men of the party； who were in Caracas just then and probably feared arrest； struck a rash blow： the President was attacked in the street and wounded。 But the attackers were seized； and some of them shot on the following day。 When the news reached me I was at a distance from the capital； staying with a friend on an estate he owned on the River Quebrada Honda； in the State of Guarico； some fifteen to twenty miles from the town of Zaraza。 My friend； an officer in the army； was a leader in the conspiracy； and as I was the only son of a man who had been greatly hated by the Minister of War； it became necessary for us both to fly for our lives。 In the circumstances we could not look to be pardoned； even on the score of youth。
Our first decision was to escape to the sea…coast； but as the risk of a journey t
