green mansions-第33章

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Then　he　stirred　himself；　slowly　creeping　out　on　all　fours；　and　finally；　getting　free　of　the　dead　twigs　and　leaves；　he　stood　up　and　faced　me。　　He　had　a　strange；　wild　look；　his　white　beard　all　disordered；　moss　and　dead　leaves　clinging　to　it；　his　eyes　staring　like　an　owl's；　while　his　mouth　opened　and　shut；　the　teeth　striking　together　audibly；　like　an　angry　peccary's。　　After　silently　glaring　at　me　in　this　mad　way　for　some　moments；　he　burst　out：　〃Cursed　be　the　day　when　I　first　saw　you；　man　of　Caracas！　Cursed　be　the　serpent　that　bit　you　and　had　not　sufficient　power　in　its　venom　to　kill！　　Ha！　　you　come　from　Ytaioa；　where　you　talked　with　Rima？　　And　you　have　now　returned　to　the　tiger's　den　to　mock　that　dangerous　animal　with　the　loss　of　its　whelp。　　Fool；　if　you　did　not　wish　the　dogs　to　feed　on　your　flesh；　it　would　have　been　better　if　you　had　taken　your　evening　walk　in　some　other　direction。〃

These　raging　words　did　not　have　the　effect　of　alarming　me　in　the　least；　nor　even　of　astonishing　me　very　much；　albeit　up　till　now　the　old　man　tract　always　shown　himself　suave　and　respectful。　　His　attack　did　not　seem　quite　spontaneous。　　In　spite　of　the　wildness　of　his　manner　and　the　violence　of　his　speech；　he　appeared　to　be　acting　a　part　which　he　had　rehearsed　beforehand。　　I　was　only　angry；　and　stepping　forward；　I　dealt　him　a　very　sharp　rap　with　my　knuckles　on　his　chest。　　〃Moderate　your　language；　old　man；〃　I　said；　〃remember　that　you　are　addressing　a　superior。〃

〃What　do　you　say　to　me？〃　　he　screamed　in　a　shrill；　broken　voice；　accompanying　his　words　with　emphatic　gestures。　　〃Do　you　think　you　are　on　the　pavement　of　Caracas？　　Here　are　no　police　to　protect　youhere　we　are　alone　in　the　desert　where　names　and　titles　are　nothing；　standing　man　to　man。〃

〃An　old　man　to　a　young　one；〃　I　returned。　　〃And　in　virtue　of　my　youth　I　am　your　superior。　　Do　you　wish　me　to　take　you　by　the　throat　and　shake　your　insolence　out　of　you？〃

〃What；　do　you　threaten　me　with　violence？〃　　he　exclaimed；　throwing　himself　into　a　hostile　attitude。　　〃You；　the　man　I　saved；　and　sheltered；　and　fed；　and　treated　like　a　son！　　Destroyer　of　my　peace；　have　you　not　injured　me　enough？　　You　have　stolen　my　grandchild's　heart　from　me；　with　a　thousand　inventions　you　have　driven　her　mad！　　My　child；　my　angel；　Rima；　my　saviour！　　With　your　lying　tongue　you　have　changed　her　into　a　demon　to　persecute　me！　And　you　are　not　satisfied；　but　must　finish　your　evil　work　by　inflicting　blows　on　my　worn　body！　　All；　all　is　lost　to　me！　　Take　my　life　if　you　wish　it；　for　now　it　is　worth　nothing　and　I　desire　not　to　keep　it！〃　　And　here　he　threw　himself　on　his　knees　and；　tearing　open　his　old；　ragged　mantle；　presented　his　naked　breast　to　me。　〃Shoot！　　Shoot！〃　　he　screeched。　　〃And　if　you　have　no　weapon　take　my　knife　and　plunge　it　into　this　sad　heart；　and　let　me　die！〃　　And　drawing　his　knife　from　its　sheath；　he　flung　it　down　at　my　feet。

All　this　performance　only　served　to　increase　my　anger　and　contempt；　but　before　I　could　make　any　reply　I　caught　sight　of　a　shadowy　object　at　some　distance　moving　towards　ussomething　grey　and　formless；　gliding　swift　and　noiseless；　like　some　great　low…flying　owl　among　the　trees。　　It　was　Rima；　and　hardly　had　I　seen　her　before　she　was　with　us；　facing　old　Nuflo；　her　whole　frame　quivering　with　passion；　her　wide…open　eyes　appearing　luminous　in　that　dim　light。

〃You　are　here！〃　　she　cried　in　that　quick；　ringing　tone　that　was　almost　painful　to　the　sense。　　〃You　thought　to　escape　me！　　To　hide　yourself　from　my　eyes　in　the　wood！　　Miserable！　　Do　you　not　know　that　I　have　need　of　youthat　I　have　not　finished　with　you　yet？　Do　you；　then；　wish　to　be　scourged　to　Riolama　with　thorny　twigsto　be　dragged　thither　by　the　beard？〃

He　had　been　staring　open…mouthed　at　her；　still　on　his　knees；　and　holding　his　mantle　open　with　his　skinny　hands。　　〃Rima！　　Rima！　　have　mercy　on　me！〃　　he　cried　out　piteously。　　〃I　cannot　go　to　Riolama；　it　is　so　farso　far。　　And　I　am　old　and　should　meet　my　death。　　Oh；　Rima；　child　of　the　woman　I　saved　from　death；　have　you　no　compassion？　　I　shall　die；　I　shall　die！〃

〃Shall　you　die？　　Not　until　you　have　shown　me　the　way　to　Riolama。　And　when　I　have　seen　Riolama　with　my　eyes；　then　you　may　die；　and　I　shall　be　glad　at　your　death；　and　the　children　and　the　grandchildren　and　cousins　and　friends　of　all　the　animals　you　have　slain　and　fed　on　shall　know　that　you　are　dead　and　be　glad　at　your　death。　　For　you　have　deceived　me　with　lies　all　these　years　even　meand　are　not　fit　to　live！　　Come　now　to　Riolama；　rise　instantly；　I　command　you！〃

Instead　of　rising　he　suddenly　put　out　his　hand　and　snatched　up　the　knife　from　the　ground。　　〃Do　you　then　wish　me　to　die？〃　　he　cried。　　〃Shall　you　be　glad　at　my　death？　　Behold；　then　I　shall　slay　myself　before　your　eyes。　　By　my　own　hand；　Rima；　I　am　now　about　to　perish；　striking　the　knife　into　my　heart！〃

While　speaking　he　waved　the　knife　in　a　tragic　manner　over　his　head；　but　I　made　no　movement；　I　was　convinced　that　he　had　no　intention　of　taking　his　own　lifethat　he　was　still　acting。　　Rima；　incapable　of　understanding　such　a　thing；　took　it　differently。

〃Oh；　you　are　going　to　kill　yourself。〃　　she　cried。　　〃Oh；　wicked　man；　wait　until　you　know　what　will　happen　to　you　after　death。　　All　shall　now　be　told　to　my　mother。　　Hear　my　words；　then　kill　yourself。〃

She　also　now　dropped　on　to　her　knees　and；　lifting　her　clasped　hands　and　fixing　her　resentful　sparkling　eyes　on　the　dim　blue　patch　of　heaven　visible　beyond　the　treetops；　began　to　speak　rapidly　in　clear；　vibrating　tones。　　She　was　praying　to　her　mother　in　heaven；　and　while　Nuflo　listened　absorbed；　his　mouth　open；　his　eyes　fixed　on　her；　the　hand　that　clutched　the　knife　dropped　to　his　side。　　I　also　heard　with　the　greatest　wonder　and　admiration。　For　she　had　been　shy　and　reticent　with　me；　and　now；　as　if　oblivious　of　my　presence；　she　was　telling　aloud　the　secrets　of　her　inmost　heart。

〃O　mother；　mother；　listen　to　me；　to　Rima；　your　beloved　child！〃　she　began。　　〃All　these　years　I　have　been　wickedly　deceived　by　grandfatherNuflothe　old　man　that　found　you。　　Often　have　I　spoken　to　him　of　Riolama；　where　you　once　were；　and　your　people　are；　and　he　denied　all　knowledge　of　such　a　place。　　Sometimes　he　said　that　it　was　at　an　immense　distance；　in　a　great　wilderness　full　of　serpents　larger　than　the　trunks　of　great　trees；　and　of　evil　spirits　and　savage　men；　slayers　of　all　strangers。　　At　other　times　he　affirmed　that　no　such　place　existed；　that　it　was　a　tale　told　by　the　Indians；　such　false　things　did　he　say　to　meto　Rima；　your　child。　　O　mother；　can　you　believe　such　wickedness？

〃Then　a　stranger；　a　white　man　from　Venezuela；　came　into　our　woods：　this　is　the　man　that　was　bitten　by　a　serpent；　and　his　name　is　Abel；　only　I　do　not　call　him　by　that　name；　but　by　other　names　which　I　have　told　you。　　But　perhaps　you　did　not　listen；　or　did　not　hear；　for　I　spoke　softly　and　not　as　now；　on　my　knees；　solemnly。　For　I　must　tell　you；　O　mother；　that　after　you　died　the　priest　at　Voa　told　me　repeatedly　that　when　I　prayed；　whether　to　you　or　to　any　of　the　saints；　or　to　the　Mother　of　Heaven；　I　must　speak　as　he　had　taught　me　if　I　wished　to　be　heard　and　understood。　　And　that　was　most　strange；　since　you　had　taught　me　differently；　but　you　were　living　then；　at　Voa；　and　now　that　you　are　in　heaven；　perhaps　you　know　better。　　Therefore　listen　to　me　now；　O　mother；　and　let　nothing　I　say　escape　you。

〃When　this　white　man　had　been　for　some　days　with　us；　a　strange　thing　happened　to　me；　which　made　me　different；　so　that　I　was　no　longer　Rima；　although　Rima　stillso　strange　was　this　thing；　and　I　often　went　to　the　pool　to　look　at　myself　and　see　the　change　in　me；　but　nothing　different　could　I　see。　　In　the　first　place　it　came　from　his　eyes　passing　into　mine；　and　filling　me　just　as　the　lightning　fills　a　cloud　at　sunset：　afterwards　it　was　no　longer　from　his　eyes　only；　but　it　came　into　me　whenever　I　saw　him；　even　at　a　distance；　when　I　heard　his　voice；　and　most　of　all　when　he　touched　me　with　his　hand。　　When　he　is　out　of　my　sight　I　cannot　rest　until　I　see　him　again；　and　when　I　see　him；　then　I　am　glad；　yet　in　such　fear　and　trouble　that　I　hide　myself　from　him。　　O　mother；　it　could　not　be　told；　for　once　when　he　caught　me　in　his　arms　and　compelled　me　to　speak　of　it；　he　did　not　understand；　yet　there　was　need　to　tell　it；