westward ho-第119章

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Once　on　the　island；　Amyas　felt　sure　enough；　that　if　its　wild　tenant　had　not　seen　them　approach；　he　certainly　had　not　heard　them；　so　deafening　was　the　noise　which　filled　his　brain；　and　seemed　to　make　the　very　leaves　upon　the　bushes　quiver；　and　the　solid　stone　beneath　his　feet　to　reel　and　ring。　　For　two　hundred　yards　and　more　above　the　fall　nothing　met　his　eye　but　one　white　waste　of　raging　foam；　with　here　and　there　a　transverse　dyke　of　rock；　which　hurled　columns　of　spray　and　surges　of　beaded　water　high　into　the　air；strangely　contrasting　with　the　still　and　silent　cliffs　of　green　leaves　which　walled　the　river　right　and　left；　and　more　strangely　still　with　the　knots　of　enormous　palms　upon　the　islets；　which　reared　their　polished　shafts　a　hundred　feet　into　the　air；　straight　and　upright　as　masts；　while　their　broad　plumes　and　golden…clustered　fruit　slept　in　the　sunshine　far　aloft；　the　image　of　the　stateliest　repose　amid　the　wildest　wrath　of　Nature。

He　looked　round　anxiously　for　the　expected　Indian；　but　he　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and；　in　the　meanwhile；　as　he　stept　cautiously　along　the　island；　which　was　some　fifty　yards　in　length　and　breadth；　his　senses；　accustomed　as　they　were　to　such　sights；　could　not　help　dwelling　on　the　exquisite　beauty　of　the　scene；　on　the　garden　of　gay　flowers；　of　every　imaginable　form　and　hue；　which　fringed　every　boulder　at　his　feet；　peeping　out　amid　delicate　fern…fans　and　luxuriant　cushions　of　moss；　on　the　chequered　shade　of　the　palms；　and　the　cool　air；　which　wafted　down　from　the　cataracts　above　the　scents　of　a　thousand　flowers。　　Gradually　his　ear　became　accustomed　to　the　roar；　and；　above　its　mighty　undertone；　he　could　hear　the　whisper　of　the　wind　among　the　shrubs；　and　the　hum　of　myriad　insects；　while　the　rock　manakin；　with　its　saffron　plumage；　flitted　before　him　from　stone　to　stone；　calling　cheerily；　and　seeming　to　lead　him　on。　　Suddenly；　scrambling　over　the　rocky　flower…beds　to　the　other　side　of　the　isle；　he　came　upon　a　little　shady　beach；　which；　beneath　a　bank　of　stone　some　six　feet　high；　fringed　the　edge　of　a　perfectly　still　and　glassy　bay。　　Ten　yards　farther；　the　cataract　fell　sheer　in　thunder：　but　a　high　fern…fringed　rock　turned　its　force　away　from　that　quiet　nook。　　In　it　the　water　swung　slowly　round　and　round　in　glassy　dark…green　rings；　among　which　dimpled　a　hundred　gaudy　fish；　waiting　for　every　fly　and　worm　which　spun　and　quivered　on　the　eddy。　　Here；　if　anywhere；　was　the　place　to　find　the　owner　of　the　canoe。　　He　leapt　down　upon　the　pebbles；　and　as　he　did　so；　a　figure　rose　from　behind　a　neighboring　rock；　and　met　him　face　to　face。

It　was　an　Indian　girl；　and　yet；　when　he　looked　again；was　it　an　Indian　girl？　　Amyas　had　seen　hundreds　of　those　delicate　dark…　skinned　daughters　of　the　forest；　but　never　such　a　one　as　this。　　Her　stature　was　taller；　her　limbs　were　fuller　and　more　rounded；　her　complexion；　though　tanned　by　light；　was　fairer　by　far　than　his　own　sunburnt　face；　her　hair；　crowned　with　a　garland　of　white　flowers；　was　not　lank；　and　straight；　and　black；　like　an　Indian's；　but　of　a　rich；　glossy　brown；　and　curling　richly　and　crisply　from　her　very　temples　to　her　knees。　　Her　forehead；　though　low；　was　upright　and　ample；　her　nose　was　straight　and　small；　her　lips；　the　lips　of　a　European；　her　whole　face　of　the　highest　and　richest　type　of　Spanish　beauty；　a　collar　of　gold　mingled　with　green　beads　hung　round　her　neck；　and　golden　bracelets　were　on　her　wrists。　　All　the　strange　and　dim　legends　of　white　Indians；　and　of　nations　of　a　higher　race　than　Carib；　or　Arrowak；　or　Solimo；　which　Amyas　had　ever　heard；　rose　up　in　his　memory。　　She　must　be　the　daughter　of　some　great　cacique；　perhaps　of　the　lost　Incas　themselveswhy　not？　　And　full　of　simple　wonder；　he　gazed　upon　that　fairy　vision；　while　she；　unabashed　in　her　free　innocence；　gazed　fearlessly　in　return；　as　Eve　might　have　done　in　Paradise；　upon　the　mighty　stature；　and　the　strange　garments；　and　above　all；　on　the　bushy　beard　and　flowing　yellow　locks　of　the　Englishman。

He　spoke　first；　in　some　Indian　tongue；　gently　and　smilingly；　and　made　a　half…step　forward；　but　quick　as　light　she　caught　up　from　the　ground　a　bow；　and　held　it　fiercely　toward　him；　fitted　with　the　long　arrow；　with　which；　as　he　could　see；　she　had　been　striking　fish；　for　a　line　of　twisted　grass　hung　from　its　barbed　head。　　Amyas　stopped；　laid　down　his　own　bow　and　sword；　and　made　another　step　in　advance；　smiling　still；　and　making　all　Indian　signs　of　amity：　but　the　arrow　was　still　pointed　straight　at　his　breast；　and　he　knew　the　mettle　and　strength　of　the　forest　nymphs　well　enough　to　stand　still　and　call　for　the　Indian　boy；　too　proud　to　retreat；　but　in　the　uncomfortable　expectation　of　feeling　every　moment　the　shaft　quivering　between　his　ribs。

The　boy；　who　had　been　peering　from　above；　leaped　down　to　them　in　a　moment；　and　began；　as　the　safest　method；　grovelling　on　his　nose　upon　the　pebbles；　while　he　tried　two　or　three　dialects；　one　of　which　at　last　she　seemed　to　understand；　and　answered　in　a　tone　of　evident　suspicion　and　anger。

〃What　does　she　say？〃

〃That　you　are　a　Spaniard　and　a　robber；　because　you　have　a　beard。〃

〃Tell　her　that　we　are　no　Spaniards；　but　that　we　hate　them；　and　are　come　across　the　great　waters　to　help　the　Indians　to　kill　them。〃

The　boy　translated　his　speech。　　The　nymph　answered　by　a　contemptuous　shake　of　the　head。

〃Tell　her；　that　if　she　will　send　her　tribe　to　us；　we　will　do　them　no　harm。　　We　are　going　over　the　mountains　to　fight　the　Spaniards；　and　we　want　them　to　show　us　the　way。〃

The　boy　had　no　sooner　spoken；　than；　nimble　as　a　deer；　the　nymph　had　sprung　up　the　rocks；　and　darted　between　the　palm…stems　to　her　canoe。　　Suddenly　she　caught　sight　of　the　English　boat；　and　stopped　with　a　cry　of　fear　and　rage。

〃Let　her　pass！〃　shouted　Amyas；　who　had　followed　her　close。　　〃Push　your　boat　off；　and　let　her　pass。　　Boy；　tell　her　to　go　on；　they　will　not　come　near　her。〃

But　she　hesitated　still；　and　with　arrow　drawn　to　the　head；　faced　first　on　the　boat's　crew；　and　then　on　Amyas；　till　the　Englishmen　had　shoved　off　full　twenty　yards。

Then；　leaping　into　her　tiny　piragua；　she　darted　into　the　wildest　whirl　of　the　eddies；　shooting　along　with　vigorous　strokes；　while　the　English　trembled　as　they　saw　the　frail　bark　spinning　and　leaping　amid　the　muzzles　of　the　alligators；　and　the　huge　dog…　toothed　trout：　but　with　the　swiftness　of　an　arrow　she　reached　the　northern　bank；　drove　her　canoe　among　the　bushes；　and　leaping　from　it；　darted　through　some　narrow　opening　in　the　bush；　and　vanished　like　a　dream。

〃What　fair　virago　have　you　unearthed？〃　cried　Cary；　as　they　toiled　up　again　to　the　landing…place。

〃Beshrew　me；〃　quoth　Jack；　〃but　we　are　in　the　very　land　of　the　nymphs；　and　I　shall　expect　to　see　Diana　herself　next；　with　the　moon　on　her　forehead。〃

〃Take　care；　then；　where　you　wander　hereabouts；　Sir　John：　lest　you　end　as　Actaeon　did；　by　turning　into　a　stag；　and　being　eaten　by　a　jaguar。〃

〃Actaeon　was　eaten　by　his　own　hounds；　Mr。　Cary；　so　the　parallel　don't　hold。　　But　surely　she　was　a　very　wonder　of　beauty！〃

Why　was　it　that　Amyas　did　not　like　this　harmless　talk？　　There　had　come　over　him　the　strangest　new　feeling；　as　if　that　fair　vision　was　his　property；　and　the　men　had　no　right　to　talk　about　her；　no　right　to　have　even　seen　her。　　And　he　spoke　quite　surlily　as　he　said

〃You　may　leave　the　women　to　themselves；　my　masters；　you'll　have　to　deal　with　the　men　ere　long：　so　get　your　canoes　up　on　the　rock；　and　keep　good　watch。〃

〃Hillo！〃　shouted　one　in　a　few　minutes；　〃here's　fresh　fish　enough　to　feed　us　all　round。　　I　suppose　that　young　cat…a…mountain　left　it　behind　her　in　her　hurry。　　I　wish　she　had　left　her　golden　chains　and　ouches　into　the　bargain。〃

〃Well；〃　said　another；　〃　we'll　take　it　as　fair　payment；　for　having　made　us　drop　down　the　current　again　to　let　her　ladyship　pass。〃

〃Leave　that　fish　alone；〃　said　Amyas；　〃it　is　none　of　yours。〃

〃Why；　sir！〃　quoth　the　finder　in　a　tone　of　sulky　deprecation。

〃If　we　are　to　make　good　friends　with　the　heathens；　we　had　better　not　begin　by　stealing　their　goods。　　There　are　plenty　more　fish　in　the　river；　go　and　catch　them；　and　let　the　Indians　have　their　own。〃

The　men　were　accustomed　enough　to　strict　and　stern　justice　in　their　dealings　with　the　savages：　but　they　could　not