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Green Mansions-Part14_W.H.Hudson(1841-1922)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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fortune and transmit your name to posterity. And yet, sir, in

this world, you will never know to a certainty that he is your



son."

"Proceed with what you were saying," I returned, with some



dignity.

"Here we are," he continued, "compelled to inhabit this land and



do not meet with proper protection from the infidel. Now, sir,

this is a crying evil, and it is only becoming in one who has the



true faith, and is a loyal subject of the All-Powerful, to point

out with due humility that He is growing very remiss in His



affairs, and is losing a good deal of His prestige. And what,

senor, is at the bottom of it? Favoritism. We know that the



Supreme cannot Himself be everywhere, attending to each little

trick-track that arises in the world--matters altogether beneath



His notice; and that He must, like the President of Venezuela or

the Emperor of Brazil, appoint men--angels if you like--to



conduct His affairs and watch over each district. And it is

manifest that for this country of Guayana the proper person has



not been appointed. Every evil is done and there is no remedy,

and the Christian has no more consideration shown him than the



infidel. Now, senor, in a town near the Orinoco I once saw on a

church the archangel Michael, made of stone, and twice as tall as



a man, with one foot on a monster shaped like a cayman, but with

bat's wings, and a head and neck like a serpent. Into this



monster he was thrusting his spear. That is the kind of person

that should be sent to rule these latitudes--a person of firmness



and resolution, with strength in his wrist. And yet it is

probable that this very man- -this St. Michael--is hanging about



the palace, twirling his thumbs, waiting for an appointment,

while other weaker men, and--Heaven forgive me for saying it--not



above a bribe, perhaps, are sent out to rule over this province."

On this string he would harp by the hour; it was a lofty subject



on which he had pondered much in his solitary life, and he was

glad of an opportunity of ventilating his grievance and



expounding his views. At first it was a pure pleasure to hear

Spanish again, and the old man, albeitignorant of letters, spoke



well; but this, I may say, is a common thing in our country,

where the peasant's quickness of intelligence and poetic feeling



often compensate for want of instruction. His views also amused

me, although they were not novel. But after a while I grew tired



of listening, yet I listened still, agreeing with him, and

leading him on to let him have his fill of talk, always hoping



that he would come at last to speak of personal matters and give

me an account of his history and of Rima's origin. But the hope



proved vain; not a word to enlighten me would he drop, however

cunningly I tempted him.



"So be it," thought I; "but if you are cunning, old man, I shall

be cunning too--and patient; for all things come to him who



waits."

He was in no hurry to get rid of me. On the contrary, he more



than hinted that I would be safer under his roof than with the

Indians, at the same time apologizing for not giving me meat to



eat.

"But why do you not have meat? Never have I seen animals so



abundant and tame as in this wood." Before he could reply Rima,

with a jug of water from the spring in her hand, came in;



glancing at me, he lifted his finger to signify that such a

subject must not be discussed in her presence; but as soon as she



quitted the room he returned to it.

"Senor," he said, "have you forgotten your adventure with the



snake? Know, then, that my grandchild would not live with me for

one day longer if I were to lift my hand against any living



creature. For us, senor, every day is fast-day--only without the

fish. We have maize, pumpkin, cassava, potatoes, and these



suffice. And even of these cultivated fruits of the earth she

eats but little in the house, preferring certain wild berries and



gums, which are more to her taste, and which she picks here and

there in her rambles in the wood. And I, sir, loving her as I



do, whatever my inclination may be, shed no blood and eat no

flesh."



I looked at him with an incredulous smile.

"And your dogs, old man?"



"My dogs? Sir, they would not pause or turn aside if a




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