returning home-第4章

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Carablanco。　　There　they　found　a　woman　living　all　alone。　　Her　husband
was　away；　she　told　them；　at　San　Jose；　but　would　be　back　to　her　when
the　dry　weather　came；　to　look　up　the　young　cattle　which　were
straying　in　the　forest。　　What　a　life　for　a　woman！　　Nevertheless；　in
talking　with　Mrs。　Arkwright　she　made　no　complaint　of　her　own　lot；
but　had　done　what　little　she　could　to　comfort　the　poor　lady　who　was
so　little　able　to　bear　the　fatigues　of　her　journey。

〃Is　the　road　very　bad？〃　Mrs。　Arkwright　asked　her　in　a　whisper。

〃Ah；　yes；　it　is　a　bad　road。〃

〃And　when　shall　we　be　at　the　river？〃

〃It　took　me　four　days；〃　said　the　woman。

〃Then　I　shall　never　see　my　mother　again；〃　and　as　she　spoke　Mrs。
Arkwright　pressed　her　baby　to　her　bosom。　　Immediately　after　that　her
husband　came　in；　and　they　started。

Their　path　now　led　away　across　the　slope　of　a　mountain　which　seemed
to　fall　from　the　very　top　of　that　central　ridge　in　an　unbroken
descent　down　to　the　valley　at　its　foot。　　Hitherto；　since　they　had
entered　the　forest；　they　had　had　nothing　before　their　eyes　but　the
trees　and　bushes　which　grew　close　around　them。　　But　now　a　prospect
of　unrivalled　grandeur　was　opened　before　them；　if　only　had　they　been
able　to　enjoy　it。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　valley　ran　a　river；　which；
so　great　was　the　depth；　looked　like　a　moving　silver　cord；　and　on　the
other　side　of　this　there　arose　another　mountain；　steep　but　unbroken
like　that　which　they　were　passing；unbroken；　so　that　the　eye　could
stretch　from　the　river　up　to　the　very　summit。　　Not　a　spot　on　that
mountain　side　or　on　their　side　either　was　left　uncovered　by　thick
forest；　which　had　stood　there　untouched　by　man　since　nature　first
produced　it。

But　all　this　was　nothing　to　our　travellers；　nor　was　the　clang　of　the
macaws　anything；　or　the　roaring　of　the　little　congo　ape。　　Nothing
was　gained　by　them　from　beautiful　scenery；　nor　was　there　any　fear
from　the　beasts　of　prey。　　The　immediate　pain　of　each　step　of　the
journey　drove　all　other　feelings　from　them；　and　their　thoughts　were
bounded　by　an　intense　desire　for　the　evening　halt。

And　then；　as　the　guide　had　prophesied；　the　rain　began。　　At　first　it
came　in　such　small　soft　drops　that　it　was　found　to　be　refreshing；
but　the　clouds　soon　gathered　and　poured　forth　their　collected　waters
as　though　it　had　not　rained　for　months　among　those　mountains。　　Not
that　it　came　in　big　drops；　or　with　the　violence　which　wind　can　give
it；　beating　hither　and　thither；　breaking　branches　from　the　trees；
and　rising　up　again　as　it　pattered　against　the　ground。　　There　was　no
violence　in　the　rain。　　It　fell　softly　in　a　long；　continuous；
noiseless　stream；　sinking　into　everything　that　it　touched；
converting　the　deep　rich　earth　on　all　sides　into　mud。

Not　a　word　was　said　by　any　of　them　as　it　came　on。　　The　Indian
covered　the　baby　with　her　blanket；　closer　than　she　was　covered
before；　and　the　guide　who　walked　by　Mrs。　Arkwright's　side　drew　her
cloak　around　her　knees。　　But　such　efforts　were　in　vain。　　There　is　a
rain　that　will　penetrate　everything；　and　such　was　the　rain　which
fell　upon　them　now。　　Nevertheless；　as　I　have　said；　hardly　a　word　was
spoken。　　The　poor　woman；　finding　that　the　heat　of　her　cloak
increased　her　sufferings；　threw　it　open　again。

〃Fanny；〃　said　her　husband；　〃you　had　better　let　him　protect　you　as
well　as　he　can。〃

She　answered　him　merely　by　an　impatient　wave　of　her　hand；　intending
to　signify　that　she　could　not　speak；　but　that　in　this　matter　she
must　have　her　way。

After　that　her　husband　made　no　further　attempt　to　control　her。　　He
could　see；　however；　that　ever　and　again　she　would　have　slipped
forward　from　her　mule　and　fallen；　had　not　the　man　by　her　side
steadied　her　with　his　hand。　　At　every　tree　he　protected　her　knees
and　feet；　though　there　was　hardly　room　for　him　to　move　between　the
beast　and　the　bank　against　which　he　was　thrust。

And　then；　at　last；　that　day's　work　was　also　over；　and　Fanny
Arkwright　slipped　from　her　pillion　down　into　her　husband's　arms　at
the　door　of　another　rancho　in　the　forest。　　Here　there　lived　a　large
family　adding　from　year　to　year　to　the　patch　of　ground　which　they
had　rescued　from　the　wood；　and　valiantly　doing　their　part　in　the
extension　of　civilisation。　　Our　party　was　but　a　few　steps　from　the
door　when　they　left　their　mules；　but　Mrs。　Arkwright　did　not　now　as
heretofore　hasten　to　receive　her　baby　in　her　arms。　　When　placed　upon
the　ground；　she　still　leaned　against　the　mule；　and　her　husband　saw
that　he　must　carry　her　into　the　hut。　　This　he　did；　and　then；　wet；
mud…laden；　dishevelled　as　she　was；　she　laid　herself　down　upon　the
planks　that　were　to　form　her　bed；　and　there　stretched　out　her　arms
for　her　infant。　　On　that　evening　they　undressed　and　tended　her　like
a　child；　and　then　when　she　was　alone　with　her　husband；　she　repeated
to　him　her　sad　foreboding。

〃Harry；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　never　see　my　mother　again。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Fanny；　you　will　see　her　and　talk　over　all　these　troubles
with　pleasure。　　It　is　very　bad；　I　know；　but　we　shall　live　through　it
yet。〃

〃You　will；　of　course；　and　you　will　take　baby　home　to　her。〃

〃And　face　her　without　you！　　No；　my　darling。　　Three　more　days'
riding；　or　rather　two　and　a　half；　will　bring　us　to　the　river；　and
then　your　trouble　will　be　over。　　All　will　be　easy　after　that。〃

〃Ah；　Harry；　you　do　not　know。〃

〃I　do　know　that　it　is　very　bad；　my　girl；　but　you　must　cheer　up。　　We
shall　be　laughing　at　all　this　in　a　month's　time。〃

On　the　following　morning　she　allowed　herself　to　be　lifted　up；
speaking　no　word　of　remonstrance。　　Indeed　she　was　like　a　child　in
their　hands；　having　dropped　all　the　dignity　and　authority　of　a
woman's　demeanour。　　It　rained　again　during　the　whole　of　this　day；
and　the　heat　was　becoming　oppressive　as　every　hour　they　were
descending　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　sea　level。　　During　this　first
stage　hardly　a　word　was　spoken　by　any　one；　but　when　she　was　again
taken　from　her　mule　she　was　in　tears。　　The　poor　servant…girl；　too；
was　almost　prostrate　with　fatigue；　and　absolutely　unable　to　wait
upon　her　mistress；　or　even　to　do　anything　for　herself。　　Nevertheless
they　did　make　the　second　stage；　seeing　that　their　mid…day　resting
place　had　been　under　the　trees　of　the　forest。　　Had　there　been　any
hut　there；　they　would　have　remained　for　the　night。

On　the　following　day　they　rested　altogether；　though　the　place　at
which　they　remained　had　but　few　attractions。　　It　was　another　forest
hut　inhabited　by　an　old　Spanish　couple　who　were　by　no　means　willing
to　give　them　room；　although　they　paid　for　their　accommodation　at
exorbitant　rates。　　It　is　one　singularity　of　places　strange　and　out
of　the　way　like　such　forest　tracks　as　these；　that　money　in　small
sums　is　hardly　valued。　　Dollars　there　were　not　appreciated　as
sixpences　are　in　this　rich　country。　　But　there　they　stayed　for　a
day；　and　the　guides　employed　themselves　in　making　a　litter　with　long
poles　so　that　they　might　carry　Mrs。　Arkwright　over　a　portion　of　the
ground。　　Poor　fellows！　　When　once　she　had　thus　changed　her　mode　of
conveyance；　she　never　again　was　lifted　on　to　the　mule。

There　was　strong　reason　against　this　day's　delay。　　They　were　to　go
down　the　Serapiqui　along　with　the　post；　which　would　overtake　them　on
its　banks。　　But　if　the　post　should　pass　them　before　they　got　there；
it　could　not　wait；　and　then　they　would　be　deprived　of　the　best　canoe
on　the　water。　　Then　also　it　was　possible；　if　they　encountered
further　delay；　that　the　steamer　might　sail　from　Greytown　without
them；　and　a　month's　residence　at　that　frightful　place　be　thus　made
necessary。

The　day's　rest　apparently　did　little　to　relieve　Mrs。　Arkwright's
sufferings。　　On　the　following　day　she　allowed　herself　to　be　put　upon
the　mule；　but　after　the　first　hour　the　beasts　were　stopped　and　she
was　taken　off　it。　　During　that　hour　they　had　travelled　hardly　over
half　a　league。　　At　that　time　she　so　sobbed　and　moaned　that　Arkwright
absolutely　feared　that　she　would　perish　in　the　forest；　and　he
implored　the　guides　to　use　the　poles　which　they　had　prepared。　　She
had　declared　to　him　over　and　over　again　that　she　felt　sure　that　she
should　die；　and；　half…delirious　with　weariness　and　suffering；　had
begged　him　to　leave　her　at　the　last　hut。　　They　had　not