green mansions-第39章

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　with　us；　so　long　as　we　are　on　her　business；　we　are　protected　from　above。　　The　angels；　senor；　will　watch　over　us　by　day　and　night。　　What　need　of　weapons；　then；　except　to　procure　food？〃

〃Why　should　not　the　angels　provide　us　with　food　also？〃　　said　I。

〃No；　no；　that　is　a　different　thing；〃　he　returned。　　〃That　is　a　small　and　low　thing；　a　necessity　common　to　all　creatures；　which　all　know　how　to　meet。　　You　would　not　expect　an　angel　to　drive　away　a　cloud　of　mosquitoes；　or　to　remove　a　bush…tick　from　your　person。　No；　sir；　you　may　talk　of　natural　gifts；　and　try　to　make　Rima　believe　that　she　is　what　she　is；　and　knows　what　she　knows；　because；　like　a　humming…bird　or　some　plants　with　a　peculiar　fragrance；　she　has　been　made　so。　　It　is　wrong；　senor；　and；　pardon　me　for　saying　it；　it　ill　becomes　you　to　put　such　fables　into　her　head。〃

I　answered；　with　a　smile：　〃She　herself　seems　to　doubt　what　you　believe。〃

〃But；　senor；　what　can　you　expect　from　an　ignorant　girl　like　Rima？　She　knows　nothing；　or　very　little；　and　will　not　listen　to　reason。　If　she　would　only　remain　quietly　indoors；　with　her　hair　braided；　and　pray　and　read　her　Catechism；　instead　of　running　about　after　flowers　and　birds　and　butterflies　and　such　unsubstantial　things；　it　would　be　better　for　both　of　us。〃

〃In　what　way；　old　man？〃

〃Why；　it　is　plain　that　if　she　would　cultivate　the　acquaintance　of　the　people　that　surround　herI　mean　those　that　come　to　her　from　her　sainted　motherand　are　ready　to　do　her　bidding　in　everything；　she　could　make　it　more　safe　for　us　in　this　place。　　For　example；　there　is　Runi　and　his　people；　why　should　they　remain　living　so　near　us　as　to　be　a　constant　danger　when　a　pestilence　of　small…pox　or　some　other　fever　might　easily　be　sent　to　kill　them　off？〃

〃And　have　you　ever　suggested　such　a　thing　to　your　grandchild？〃

He　looked　surprised　and　grieved　at　the　question。　　〃Yes；　many　times；　senor；〃　he　said。　　〃I　should　have　been　a　poor　Christian　had　I　not　mentioned　it。　　But　when　I　speak　of　it　she　gives　me　a　look　and　is　gone；　and　I　see　no　more　of　her　all　day；　and　when　I　see　her　she　refuses　even　to　answer　meso　perverse；　so　foolish　is　she　in　her　ignorance；　for；　as　you　can　see　for　yourself；　she　has　no　more　sense　or　concern　about　what　is　most　important　than　some　little　painted　fly　that　flits　about　all　day　long　without　any　object。〃



CHAPTER　XV

The　next　day　we　were　early　at　work。　　Nuflo　had　already　gathered；　dried；　and　conveyed　to　a　place　of　concealment　the　greater　portion　of　his　garden　produce。　　He　was　determined　to　leave　nothing　to　be　taken　by　any　wandering　party　of　savages　that　might　call　at　the　house　during　our　absence。　　He　had　no　fear　of　a　visit　from　his　neighbours；　they　would　not　know；　he　said；　that　he　and　Rima　were　out　of　the　wood。　　A　few　large　earthen　pots；　filled　with　shelled　maize；　beans；　and　sun…dried　strips　of　pumpkin；　still　remained　to　be　disposed　of。　　Taking　up　one　of　these　vessels　and　asking　me　to　follow　with　another；　he　started　off　through　the　wood。　　We　went　a　distance　of　five　or　six　hundred　yards；　then　made　our　way　down　a　very　steep　incline；　close　to　the　border　of　the　forest　on　the　western　side。　　Arrived　at　the　bottom；　we　followed　the　bank　a　little　further；　and　I　then　found　myself　once　more　at　the　foot　of　the　precipice　over　which　I　had　desperately　thrown　myself　on　the　stormy　evening　after　the　snake　had　bitten　me。　　Nuflo；　stealing　silently　and　softly　before　me　through　the　bushes；　had　observed　a　caution　and　secrecy　in　approaching　this　spot　resembling　that　of　a　wise　old　hen　when　she　visits　her　hidden　nest　to　lay　an　egg。　　And　here　was　his　nest；　his　most　secret　treasure…house；。which　he　had　probably　not　revealed　even　to　me　without　a　sharp　inward　conflict；　notwithstanding　that　our　fates　were　now　linked　together。　　The　lower　portion　of　the　bank　was　of　rock；　and　in　it；　about　ten　or　twelve　feet　above　the　ground；　but　easily　reached　from　below；　there　was　a　natural　cavity　large　enough　to　contain　all　his　portable　property。　　Here；　besides　the　food…stuff；　he　had　already　stored　a　quantity　of　dried　tobacco　leaf；　his　rude　weapons；　cooking　utensils；　ropes；　mats；　and　other　objects。　　Two　or　three　more　journeys　were　made　for　the　remaining　pots；　after　which　we　adjusted　a　slab　of　sandstone　to　the　opening；　which　was　fortunately　narrow；　plastered　up　the　crevices　with　clay；　and　covered　them　over　with　moss　to　hide　all　traces　of　our　work。

Towards　evening；　after　we　had　refreshed　ourselves　with　a　long　siesta；　Nuflo　brought　out　from　some　other　hiding…place　two　sacks；　one　weighing　about　twenty　pounds　and　containing　smoke…dried　meat；　also　grease　and　gum　for　lighting…purposes；　and　a　few　other　small　objects。　　This　was　his　load；　the　other　sack；　which　was　smaller　and　contained　parched　corn　and　raw　beans；　was　for　me　to　carry。

The　old　man；　cautious　in　all　his　movements；　always　acting　as　if　surrounded　by　invisible　spies；　delayed　setting　out　until　an　hour　after　dark。　　Then；　skirting　the　forest　on　its　west　side；　we　left　Ytaioa　on　our　right　hand；　and　after　travelling　over　rough；　difficult　ground；　with　only　the　stars　to　light　us；　we　saw　the　waning　moon　rise　not　long　before　dawn。　　Our　course　had　been　a　north…easterly　one　at　first；　now　it　was　due　east；　with　broad；　dry　savannahs　and　patches　of　open　forest　as　far　as　we　could　see　before　us。　　It　was　weary　walking　on　that　first　night；　and　weary　waiting　on　the　first　day　when　we　sat　in　the　shade　during　the　long；　hot　hours；　persecuted　by　small　stinging　flies；　but　the　days　and　nights　that　succeeded　were　far　worse；　when　the　weather　became　bad　with　intense　heat　and　frequent　heavy　falls　of　rain。　　The　one　compensation　I　had　looked　for；　which　would　have　outweighed　all　the　extreme　discomforts　we　suffered；　was　denied　me。　　Rima　was　no　more　to　me　or　with　me　now　than　she　had　been　during　those　wild　days　in　her　native　woods；　when　every　bush　and　bole　and　tangled　creeper　or　fern　frond　had　joined　in　a　conspiracy　to　keep　her　out　of　my　sight。　　It　is　true　that　at　intervals　in　the　daytime　she　was　visible；　sometimes　within　speaking　distance；　so　that　I　could　address　a　few　words　to　her；　but　there　was　no　companionship；　and　we　were　fellow　travellers　only　like　birds　flying　independently　in　the　same　direction；　not　so　widely　separated　but　that　they　can　occasionally　hear　and　see　each　other。　The　pilgrim　in　the　desert　is　sometimes　attended　by　a　bird；　and　the　bird；　with　its　freer　motions；　will　often　leave　him　a　league　behind　and　seem　lost　to　him；　but　only　to　return　and　show　its　form　again；　for　it　has　never　lost　sight　nor　recollection　of　the　traveller　toiling　slowly　over　the　surface。　　Rima　kept　us　company　in　some　such　wild　erratic　way　as　that。　　A　word；　a　sign　from　Nuflo　was　enough　for　her　to　know　the　direction　to　takethe　distant　forest　or　still　more　distant　mountain　near　which　we　should　have　to　pass。　　She　would　hasten　on　and　be　lost　to　our　sight；　and　when　there　was　a　forest　in　the　way　she　would　explore　it；　resting　in　the　shade　and　finding　her　own　food；　but　invariably　she　was　before　us　at　each　resting…　or　camping…place。

Indian　villages　were　seen　during　the　journey；　but　only　to　be　avoided；　and　in　like　manner；　if　we　caught　sight　of　Indians　travelling　or　camping　at　a　distance；　we　would　alter　our　course；　or　conceal　ourselves　to　escape　observation。　　Only　on　one　occasion；　two　days　after　setting　out；　were　we　compelled　to　speak　with　strangers。　　We　were　going　round　a　hill；　and　all　at　once　came　face　to　face　with　three　persons　travelling　in　an　opposite　directiontwo　men　and　a　woman；　and；　by　a　strange　fatality；　Rima　at　that　moment　happened　to　be　with　us。　　We　stood　for　some　time　talking　to　these　people；　who　were　evidently　surprised　at　our　appearance；　and　wished　to　learn　who　we　were；　but　Nuflo；　who　spoke　their　language　like　one　of　themselves；　was　too　cunning　to　give　any　true　answer。　They；　on　their　side；　told　us　that　they　had　been　to　visit　a　relative　at　Chani；　the　name　of　a　river　three　days　ahead　of　us；　and　were　now　returning　to　their　own　village　at　Baila…baila；　two　days　beyond　Parahuari。　　After　parting　from　them　Nuflo　was　much　troubled　in　his　mind　for　the　rest　of　that　day。　　These　people；　he　said；　would　probably　rest　at　some　Parahuari　village；　where　they　would　be　sure　to　give　a　description　of　us；　and　so　it　might　eventually　come　to　the　knowledge　of　our　unneighbourly　neighbour　Runi　that　we　had　left　Yt