green mansions-第31章

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he　broad　end　of　the　level　summit　I　marked　out　Venezuela；　showing　by　means　of　a　long　line　how　the　Orinoco　divided　it；　and　also　marking　several　of　the　greater　streams　flowing　into　it。　　I　also　marked　the　sites　of　Caracas　and　other　large　towns　with　stones；　and　rejoiced　that　we　are　not　like　the　Europeans；　great　city…builders；　for　the　stones　proved　heavy　to　lift。　　Then　followed　Colombia　and　Ecuador　on　the　west；　and；　successively；　Bolivia；　Peru；　Chile；　ending　at　last　in　the　south　with　Patagonia；　a　cold　arid　land；　bleak　and　desolate。　　I　marked　the　littoral　cities　as　we　progressed　on　that　side；　where　earth　ends　and　the　Pacific　Ocean　begins；　and　infinitude。

Then；　in　a　sudden　burst　of　inspiration；　I　described　the　Cordilleras　to　herthat　world…long；　stupendous　chain；　its　sea　of　Titicaca；　and　wintry；　desolate　Paramo；　where　lie　the　ruins　of　Tiahuanaco；　older　than　Thebes。　　I　mentioned　its　principal　citiesthose　small　inflamed　or　festering　pimples　that　attract　much　attention　from　appearing　on　such　a　body。　　Quito；　callednot　in　irony；　but　by　its　own　peoplethe　Splendid　and　the　Magnificent；　so　high　above　the　earth　as　to　appear　but　a　little　way　removed　from　heaven〃de　Quito　al　cielo；〃　as　the　saying　is。　　But　of　its　sublime　history；　its　kings　and　conquerors；　Haymar　Capac　the　Mighty；　and　Huascar；　and　Atahualpa　the　Unhappy；　not　one　word。　Many　wordshow　inadequate！of　the　summits；　white　with　everlasting　snows；　above　itabove　this　navel　of　the　world；　above　the　earth；　the　ocean；　the　darkening　tempest；　the　condor's　flight。　Flame…breathing　Cotopaxi；　whose　wrathful　mutterings　are　audible　two　hundred　leagues　away；　and　Chimborazo；　Antisana；　Sarata；　Illimani；　Aconcaguanames　of　mountains　that　affect　us　like　the　names　of　gods；　implacable　Pachacamac　and　Viracocha；　whose　everlasting　granite　thrones　they　are。　　At　the　last　I　showed　her　Cuzco；　the　city　of　the　sun；　and　the　highest　dwelling…place　of　men　on　earth。

I　was　carried　away　by　so　sublime　a　theme；　and　remembering　that　I　had　no　critical　hearer；　I　gave　free　reins　to　fancy；　forgetting　for　the　moment　that　some　undiscovered　thought　or　feeling　had　prompted　her　questions。　　And　while　I　spoke　of　the　mountains；　she　hung　on　my　words；　following　me　closely　in　my　walk；　her　countenance　brilliant。　　her　frame　quivering　with　excitement。

There　yet　remained　to　be　described　all　that　unimaginable　space　east　of　the　Andes；　the　riverswhat　rivers！the　green　plains　that　are　like　the　seathe　illimitable　waste　of　water　where　there　is　no　landand　the　forest　region。　　The　very　thought　of　the　Amazonian　forest　made　my　spirit　droop。　　If　I　could　have　snatched　her　up　and　placed　her　on　the　dome　of　Chimborazo　she　would　have　looked　on　an　area　of　ten　thousand　square　miles　of　earth；　so　vast　is　the　horizon　at　that　elevation。　　And　possibly　her　imagination　would　have　been　able　to　clothe　it　all　with　an　unbroken　forest。　Yet　how　small　a　portion　this　would　be　of　the　stupendous　wholeof　a　forest　region　equal　in　extent　to　the　whole　of　Europe！　　All　loveliness；　all　grace；　all　majesty　are　there；　but　we　cannot　see；　cannot　conceivecome　away！　　From　this　vast　stage；　to　be　occupied　in　the　distant　future　by　millions　and　myriads　of　beings；　like　us　of　upright　form；　the　nations　that　will　be　born　when　all　the　existing　dominant　races　on　the　globe　and　the　civilizations　they　represent　have　perished　as　utterly　as　those　who　sculptured　the　stones　of　old　Tiahuanacofrom　this　theatre　of　palms　prepared　for　a　drama　unlike　any　which　the　Immortals　have　yet　witnessedI　hurried　away；　and　then　slowly　conducted　her　along　the　Atlantic　coast；　listening　to　the　thunder　of　its　great　waves；　and　pausing　at　intervals　to　survey　some　maritime　city。

Never　probably　since　old　Father　Noah　divided　the　earth　among　his　sons　had　so　grand　a　geographical　discourse　been　delivered；　and　having　finished；　I　sat　down；　exhausted　with　my　efforts；　and　mopped　my　brow；　but　glad　that　my　huge　task　was　over；　and　satisfied　that　I　had　convinced　her　of　the　futility　of　her　wish　to　see　the　world　for　herself。

Her　excitement　had　passed　away　by　now。　　She　was　standing　a　little　apart　from　me；　her　eyes　cast　down　and　thoughtful。　　At　length　she　approached　me　and　said；　waving　her　hand　all　round：　〃What　is　beyond　the　mountains　over　there；　beyond　the　cities　on　that　sidebeyond　the　world？〃

〃Water；　only　water。　　Did　I　not　tell　you？〃　　I　returned　stoutly；　for　I　had；　of　course；　sunk　the　Isthmus　of　Panama　beneath　the　sea。　


〃Water！　　All　round？〃　　she　persisted。

〃Yes。〃

〃Water；　and　no　beyond？　　Only　wateralways　water？〃

I　could　no　longer　adhere　to　so　gross　a　lie。　　She　was　too　intelligent；　and　I　loved　her　too　much。　　Standing　up；　I　pointed　to　distant　mountains　and　isolated　peaks。

〃Look　at　those　peaks；〃　I　said。　　〃It　is　like　that　with　the　worldthis　world　we　are　standing　on。　　Beyond　that　great　water　that　flows　all　round　the　world；　but　far　away；　so　far　that　it　would　take　months　in　a　big　boat　to　reach　them；　there　are　islands；　some　small；　others　as　large　as　this　world。　　But；　Rima；　they　are　so　far　away；　so　impossible　to　reach；　that　it　is　useless　to　speak　or　to　think　of　them。　　They　are　to　us　like　the　sun　and　moon　and　stars；　to　which　we　cannot　fly。　　And　now　sit　down　and　rest　by　my　side；　for　you　know　everything。〃

She　glanced　at　me　with　troubled　eyes。

〃Nothing　do　I　knownothing　have　you　told　me。　　Did　I　not　say　that　mountains　and　rivers　and　forests　are　nothing？　　Tell　me　about　all　the　people　in　the　world。　　Look！　　there　is　Cuzco　over　there；　a　city　like　no　other　in　the　worlddid　you　not　tell　me　so？　　Of　the　people　nothing。　　Are　they　also　different　from　all　others　in　the　world？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　that　if　you　will　first　answer　me　one　question；　Rima。〃

She　drew　a　little　nearer；　curious　to　hear；　but　was　silent。

〃Promise　that　you　will　answer　me；〃　I　persisted；　and　as　she　continued　silent；　I　added：　〃Shall　I　not　ask　you；　then？〃

〃Say；〃　she　murmured。

〃Why　do　you　wish　to　know　about　the　people　of　Cuzco？〃

She　flashed　a　look　at　me；　then　averted　her　face。　　For　some　moments　she　stood　hesitating；　then；　coming　closer；　touched　me　on　the　shoulder　and　said　softly：　〃Turn　away；　do　not　look　at　me。〃

I　obeyed；　and　bending　so　close　that　I　felt　her　warm　breath　on　my　neck；　she　whispered：　〃Are　the　people　in　Cuzco　like　me？　　Would　they　understand　methe　things　you　cannot　understand？　　Do　you　know？〃

Her　tremulous　voice　betrayed　her　agitation；　and　her　words；　I　imagined；　revealed　the　motive　of　her　action　in　bringing　me　to　the　summit　of　Ytaioa；　and　of　her　desire　to　visit　and　know　all　the　various　peoples　inhabiting　the　world。　　She　had　begun　to　realize；　after　knowing　me；　her　isolation　and　unlikeness　to　others；　and　at　the　same　time　to　dream　that　all　human　beings　might　not　be　unlike　her　and　unable　to　understand　her　mysterious　speech　and　to　enter　into　her　thoughts　and　feelings。

〃I　can　answer　that　question；　Rima；〃　I　said。　　〃Ah；　no；　poor　child；　there　are　none　there　like　younot　one；　not　one。　　Of　all　therepriests；　soldiers；　merchants；　workmen；　white；　black；　red；　and　mixed；　men　and　women；　old　and　young；　rich　and　poor；　ugly　and　beautifulnot　one　would　understand　the　sweet　language　you　speak。〃

She　said　nothing；　and　glancing　round；　I　discovered　that　she　was　walking　away；　her　fingers　clasped　before　her；　her　eyes　cast　down；　and　looking　profoundly　dejected。　　Jumping　up；　I　hurried　after　her。　　〃Listen！〃　　I　said；　coming　to　her　side。　　〃Do　you　know　that　there　are　others　in　the　world　like　you　who　would　understand　your　speech？〃

〃Oh；　do　I　not！　　Yesmother　told　me。　　I　was　young　when　you　died；　but；　O　mother；　why　did　you　not　tell　me　more？〃

〃But　where？〃

〃Oh；　do　you　not　think　that　I　would　go　to　them　if　I　knewthat　I　would　ask？〃

〃Does　Nuflo　know？〃

She　shook　her　head；　walking　dejectedly　along。

〃But　have　you　asked　him？〃　　I　persisted。

〃Have　I　not！　　Not　oncenot　a　hundred　times。〃

Suddenly　she　paused。　　〃Look；〃　she　said；　〃now　we　are　standing　in　Guayana　again。　　And　over　there　in　Brazil；　and　up　there　towards　the　Cordilleras；　it　is　unknown。　　And　there　are　people　there。　　Come；　let　us　go　and　seek　for　my　mother's　people　in　that　place。　　With　grandfather；　but　not　the　dogs；　they　would　frighten　the　animals　and　betray　us　by　barking　to　cruel　men　who　would　slay　us　with　poisoned　arrows。〃

〃O　Rima；　can　you　not　understand？　　It　is　too　far。　　And　your　grandfather；　poor　old　man；　would　die　of　wear